Saturday, February 25, 2017

Running 13 Miles and Not Getting A Medal

So far this training season, all of my runs have been great. Notice I did not say easy. They have not been easy, but I have felt super strong during the majority of them. Today I really didn't feel that way. We went up in mileage to 13 miles, which is the most I've ever run, being a half marathoner. Yesterday it was 75 degrees in Cincinnati. I was sitting outside with shorts on after school. Today I woke up to a wonderful cold front. It's hard to adjust back to cold temperatures after getting used to spring weather.

I pulled up to Lunken Airport, which is not my favorite route to run in general. I also have to mention that my legs were still extremely sore from my workout on Thursday, which included squatting 115 pounds for 40 reps and then a set that included pulsing lunges and jump squats. So really every muscle in my legs felt tight. When I got out of the car I realized just how windy it was. The first 3 miles I was just not feeling it. With the wind blowing, and being sore,and being at Lunken, which is in my opinion one of the most boring places we run, all I could keep thinking is "this sucks." I had to push those feelings aside because I knew it was a long road ahead. We got to go out into the road, which I typically prefer, but running on Eastern Avenue is not the most scenic route. Well it's actually scenic, but not in the best way... I had to dodge two couches on the sidewalk.

The last 4 miles were tempo, which means we had to speed up. I basically completed these last 4 miles alone since I had gotten ahead of my group and it was the worst part of Lunken. It's literally just a huge stretch of a tree lined path. You really don't feel like you've moved anywhere. I had to keep telling myself to finish. The last 2 miles, a wind tornado kicked in and it began snowing. At this point I just felt plain miserable. Finally-the last turn and I saw the beloved parking lot.

Today wasn't fun, I'll admit that. I do feel like my mental strength was really tested and the mental part of running long distances is tough for me. I get really down on myself at the end because I just want to be FINISHED. The important part is that I did finish and I finished strong, even though I didn't feel the greatest. I pushed through several factors today and I have the chaffed buttcheeks to show for it! It will be interesting to continue running and get my PR in mileage each week. I have to keep remembering that at one time (not so far behind me) 3 miles was my PR, 5 miles was my PR, 9 miles was my PR. I can and I will keep chugging on this journey. I'm not only training my body, I'm training my brain as well.

I told you it was windy....



Monday, February 20, 2017

The Hardest Lesson-REST

So I'll be the first to admit that I am a bit obsessive when it comes to working out. I definitely don't have the strictest diet plan, but I am very strict about my exercise. I felt like a loaf after all of the holiday resting and eating, so since the new year started, I began kicking up my exercise. Obviously I began training for the full marathon, but I also stepped up my other workouts.

Typically on Mondays I work out at 5:30 a.m. lifting weights then do a cycling class in the evening. Tuesday is a 7 mile training run. Wednesday is a weight session at 5:30 a.m. and a recovery run in the evening. Thursday is another 5:30 a.m. weight session and a fun zumba class at 5:30 p.m. Finally Friday brings my last weight training day of the week (typically arms) at 5:30 then I'm in a volleyball league in the evening. I also help some ladies train twice a week after school for a 5K. Saturday mornings are always our long run, then I take Sundays off. People may think this is crazy but I really do LOVE exercise. I don't really see it as a chore. I make the time for it because it has become one of my favorite things in life.

The last week, I felt a lot of stress. I can't really put my finger on why. With most of our weekends lately having had some sort of obligation, I think I was getting worn down. Not that these are bad obligations, they just don't leave a lot of free choice time. I kept ending up falling asleep on weekdays at 8:00 and after our obligations on weekends it would be straight home to the couch. With Tuesday being Valentine's Day, everyone kept talking about the fun things they were going to do that night, and I felt bummed about not getting to spend time with my Valentine because we had a training run. I don't really understand this because we don't really "celebrate" Valentine's Day in any special way. I think I just felt like I needed a night to take off and really enjoy something that we chose to do. When T.J. came home Tuesday night, I was just very overwhelmed and upset. T.J. expressed concern that he thought I was exhausted, so I skipped my training run and we went out to dinner instead. The next day I talked to my trainer and a workout buddy about this and the importance of rest. Rest is so hard for me. I always have irrational thoughts about rest and what it will do to all the progress I've made. It's hard to erase these thoughts and not feel worried about giving yourself some rest when you feel you have so much work to do.

The weekend brought Bridalrama where T.J. was a vendor and I helped with everything. This was not something I hated to do, but again, not a lot of free choice going on and it felt like I worked all weekend after an 11 mile run on Saturday-WAHHHHH no nap time! I was thankful to have my niece's birthday party Saturday night, where we had a great time teaching my dad to play Euchre and eating delicious food. I planned an outing for our friends on Sunday night to Top Golf since I was off today for President's Day. This was just what I needed. It was so much fun and I wasn't on the couch at 10:00 falling asleep. I didn't have any remorse about the beer or food I was consuming. I just wanted to have fun. This morning I stuck to my 5:30 a.m. workout, but came home and went to bed afterwards. When I woke up, I spent some money that I had put aside for this day (I literally saved for an off day, yes.) I bought a new outfit and dress at Old Navy. I bought a fancy, expensive, new water bottle because I was tired of mine leaking all over my shirt. I went out to lunch at one of my favorite places with T.J. Then I got the best massage every at Massage Envy in Newport (go see Amy, she's amazing!!!) I headed to Target after and bought myself the Lemonade CD by Beyonce, which I had my eye on since Spotfiy doesn't have it. Now I'm waiting for T.J. to come home from work early so we can do one more fun thing before my special day ends. So I'm skipping my typical Monday night class and instead going out to enjoy the sunshine!

Anyways, I may have gained weight this week. Who really knows? Who really cares? Okay, I do care, but I'm trying not to. I felt like I really got to press the reset button today and it was an amazing feeling. It had not occurred to me that I could be stressed or overwhelmed by something I absolutely love to do, but my body was tired and begging me to take a break. Usually my mind pushes through that, but this time, it caught up with me. Not every lesson is an easy one, and I'm sure I'll have other hiccups along the way where I'm too tired for my own good. Right now though, I am overly thankful for the last 24 hours and a week where I slowed things down a bit.




Wednesday, February 15, 2017

New Runner Spotlight

I mentioned before that it was one of my goals to help some others run their first 5K. I wanted to spotlight some of these participants, so first up-Abby. Abby works in our school autism unit and this is the first year we've worked together. I would do the talking, but instead I asked Abby some questions and she answered them for me!

Lauren: What made you want to start running?

Abby: I started running because I needed a lifestyle change. My grandpa recently passed from heart issues and my mom will be having a valve replacement this summer, so getting healthy definitely has a new meaning to me. I wanted to try running because that's always been a huge challenge and something I thought I could never do. I've never been a "runner" or even ran besides being required to in gym class. Once I heard about you wanting to help people run a 5K I knew that was my chance to make a change.

Me: How do you feel now verses when you started?

Abby: Running is easier now than when I first started. I never thought I would make it ten minutes on the first day, but I did. I'll never forget how it felt to actually run a mile for the first time. Having you cheer us on and the support of the girls, knowing we're all trying to accomplish the same goal, is the best feeling. I'm so proud of us and I know I wouldn't be doing this without all of them. I would have given up because that's the easiest thing. Now I know what I'm capable of and it feels pretty damn good to work hard and push myself.

Me: What's the hardest thing about running?

Abby: For me it's the hills. I know it gets easier and I can't wait!

I love that Abby speaks about having accountability. If you've tried getting onto an exercise plan before, try it again with friends. It's much easier having other people to encourage you and to support you changing your lifestyle, especially when they have similar goals. Abby has signed up for the Bockfest 5K! Send her some good vibes for her upcoming race. Great job practicing determination Abby!

Sarah, Abby, and Tina

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Be Respectful of Everyone's Journey

When I was doing a regular exercise activity this week, I found myself next to someone that I am not typically around. (I am trying to keep this as ambiguous as possible out of respect, even though I would feel better about blasting her.) Anyways, there was a man who was also exercising and she and I were close by. Conversation transpired and she said "He smells bad. I couldn't stand it. I have to get away from him." This man was a larger man and perhaps not yet the most skilled at the exercise we were working on, but it literally could have been a world class exerciser and this comment STILL would have pissed me off.

Maybe he did smell. I probably smelled this morning after running last night and lifting weights at 5:30 a.m. before showering. This man was out there, trying his best to better himself. God forbid he sweats! I'm not going to lie and say that I've never made comments about other people,and I won't excuse myself, but this comment in particular bothered me because I felt like she was more harsh towards him because he wasn't "fit." I could be completely wrong in thinking that, but I have to question if the same comment would have been made about someone that looked more like her. This post is quickly turning cynical, so let me get to the point....

THE POINT IS if someone is trying, do not cut them down. It's easy to sit at home on your couch and eat potato chips. Some people can even sit at home and eat potato chips and never gain weight! It's hard to get up and exercise, especially when you are self-conscious about your body. In the past, I've been worried people were judging my jiggly butt and belly as I ran across the heavily populated Purple People Bridge. I've felt nervous to lift a light amount of weight in front of extremely muscular men and women. I've been embarrassed when a run or workout didn't go as well as I thought. Now some of those insecurities have dwindled, but I don't know many people who don't have any self doubt. There is no reason to put down somebody who is probably already feeling apprehensive about being out there anyways-a person who is probably already feeling apprehensive about other people judging them!

It's not right for anybody to judge someone's fitness journey because we have never been exactly where they have been. To all of you out there who are taking the risk to make yourself vulnerable and begin a journey for your health, I applaud you. Smelly or not, I appreciate the fact that you are working hard. I know what it's like to want to better yourself. Keep striving for greatness and push away the negativity. You are the ruler of your future and the negativity of others will only take that future away from you if you let it. Oh, and for what it's worth, I think you look damn good.

Saturday, February 4, 2017

Run, Selfie, Repeat

So awhile back, I began following a woman known as "Run, Selfie, Repeat" on facebook. The more I saw her post, the more I felt like we had a ton in common.Over the weeks, I've really enjoyed reading what she had to say and I love her confidence and reasoning behind it. She's definitely someone who inspires me and she loves selfies, so there's that! Then on my run today I was thinking about this post and her determination. It was 8 miles in the 15 degree cold, but I finished strong. This week she posted a picture with a caption on Facebook and I have to share her words instead of my own because they resonated with me so much.

She credits Banga Studios for the photo
"Why am I doing this." Honestly, it's a question I've been asking myself more than I'd like to admit these past few weeks. 

I'm not a professional athlete, I'm just a really vulnerable lady who runs for her life. I keep thinking back to how scared I was when I started BQ or Bust. How afraid I was to have to eventually admit that I was too afraid to stick with it because I'm a quitter. The more I go back and watch My BQ or Bust daily vlogs, the more I'm reminded of everything I learned about myself last year.

How no regrets, no excuses changed my life and forced me to stop playing it safe. Or that failure isn't an option if you give 100% of yourself to whatever it is your doing. Life is too short not to pursue the strongest version of yourself. And there isn't a damn thing pretty or picture perfect about that path. It's full of pit falls, grit, doubt, breakthroughs, setbacks, tears and sleepless nights.

Taking risks is what I love to do. Running keeps me moving forward whenever I try to pump the breaks. I'm remembering to trust myself. And to lean into the discomfort again. We all hold ourselves back or listen to the voice in our heads that tells us we're not good enough. F*** that. I want to go to bed every single night knowing that I didn't hold back. That if something horrible happened tomorrow, I gave everything I had to both myself and the people around me. Because life is too short.

Be brave. Be bold. And be vulnerable

As I'm reading this now, it has been exactly what I have been feeling for the last few weeks. Taking a risk like starting this training for a full marathon will test me, and it won't always be pretty. I am pushing myself to my limits right now, which is exactly what I thought I was doing this time last year. This year provides a whole new set of challenges. I'm doing something harder, I'm doing something different, I'm working harder than I ever have to be the best version of myself. I hope next year I look back at this challenge and can again be proud of my past, but taking risks to move forward.

Your time is now. Excuses are easy. You owe it to yourself to push the voice aside in your head and give it everything you've got.

"Life is too short not to pursue the strongest version of yourself."

Run, Selfie, Repeat


Thursday, February 2, 2017

Some Food I Ate This Week

So I said I would share some recipes and throughout the week I've also been taking photos of some of the things I've eaten. First up, early mornings:





The first picture is a Quest bar. I wake up at 5:00 a.m. and hit the snooze several times while still trying to make it to my 5:30 workout. Since I don't want to go on an empty stomach, I usually grab a Quest bar and eat it in the car. My favorite are double chocolate and chocolate chip cookie dough. My husband cooks breakfast for me a lot right before I leave for work, which is typically what you see above-an egg over easy on a light whole wheat English muffin. If the yolk doesn't run everywhere, it was an unsuccessful morning. On weekends after a long run, I usually have this with turkey bacon and cheese. Oh and by the way, I get happier by the time I'm actually working out!


Lunchy Lunch:


This is pretty typical for me. I meal plan these out on Sunday. I steam the broccoli and just put a little salt on it. The chicken is always seasoned with Colonel De's Seasonings. This is their pork and poultry rub. We also use Old Smoky Bourbon Trail. I try to do half and half every week so it tastes differently. Find a Location
 If I don't end up having time to make chicken I get the Boar's Head low sodium turkey breast with avocado and Triscuits. I usually end up having a side of fruit as well. 

Snacks:

First off, I get into fruit obsessions and right now it's oranges so I've been consuming a lot of oranges. I like the Sargento Balanced Breaks packs because they are so easy to grab if I am running in between classes. This is my favorite one and it has white cheddar cheese cubes, almonds, and dried cranberries. They are delicious! Fresh Thyme has fresh honey roasted peanut butter and it's my favorite peanut butter in all the land. For a snack I typically will eat this on a rice cake. If I feel like  I need more protein, I will mix it with some lowfat Greek Yogurt and then spread it on a rice cake. It's good topped with a banana as well. I did learn that the organic rice cakes don't taste very good and fall apart when you try to spread anything on them. I'll stick with Quaker from now on. 

Dinner Recipes:
Okay, I thought I would just share recipes that we use regularly. Skinnytaste is my favorite website to get recipes from. She's not afraid to use spices, etc so the food doesn't taste bland. 

My favorite: Korean Beef Rice Bowl

Hearty Soup for a cold night baked potato soup

A way to cook chicken so it's not so boring. chicken and green beans

We probably have turkey tacos once a week. We use ground turkey instead of beef, use the taco spice from Colonel De's. I load mine with pico de gallo from Kroger (or I stop at Chipotle and get theirs,) spicy black beans, and a little bit of cheese. We serve it over rice or cauliflower rice. If you've never tried to make cauliflower rice you should! We replace regular rice with it in a lot of meals and it's so very easy.

T.J. has an electric smoker that we also have weeknight meals from. He uses the "Dadgum That's Good and Healthy" recipe book. I couldn't find any recipes online though, but we enjoy a pork loin cooked with sweet potatoes. 


What did you eat this week?