New motivation . . .

I had my first midwife appointment yesterday, and its amazing how the pregnancy is much more real to me now! I feel great about the group of midwives I am using, but am still nervous about trying for a VBAC. And because if this, I've found more motivation to stay healthy during this pregnancy.

During my last pregnancy, I only gained about 30 pounds, which is a healthy amount to gain, with not a whole lot of extra. The thing is, I didn't exercise . . . at all. Well, until towards the end when my husband dragged me on walks at least every other day. I didn't eat very healthfully, either. I ate okay, but I ate mostly carbs in the form of breads, pastas, and fruit. They were what tasted good to me. I had a really hard time standing the taste of most vegetables for the majority of my pregnancy. And I ate a lot of carbs during my last trimester. So why am I mentioning this? Because I had a 9 pound 3 ounce baby who just plain ol' got stuck, hence the C-section. Now, maybe I just make big babies, which could be the case. But I honestly think that part of it was due to my diet and lack of movement. Oh, and I went a week late in my pregnancy, which I've read exercise can help prevent.

So, here's the deal. I have to deliver in the hospital, I have to have constant baby monitoring and an IV, and I have to go into labor on my own (and not a week late). SOOoooo . . . Beyond just general health for myself and our unborn baby, I really want to stay active and eat well to give us a better chance at a smaller baby size, going into labor on my own and on time, and overall a smoother birth. I know some of this will be out of my control, but there is so much evidence that exercise can help in all of these areas, so here's to new motivation! I'll do what I can, and I'll leave the rest up to the Lord.

Movin' on up . . .

I ran two miles today. I don't want to get to any huge numbers as far as mileage goes, but it was nice to go more than my one mile I've been doing lately. Oh, and the yoga video was great, but too slow moving. I want to just write down the poses and add it to the ones I like to do anyway. But it felt really good to do yoga again, and it did wonders for my back. :)

A great site . . .

Here's a great site on Runner's World where moms who ran during pregnancy and/or nursing share their experiences. It's motivating to hear about other women who kept active, how they did it, and how it helped.

http://thepackrules.runnersworld.com/2010/06/running-moms-share-your-tips.html

(Please note - running while pregnant should only be considered if the mom ran prior to pregnancy. But these are still motivating to keep exercising in any way during pregnancy.)

Getting back on the horse . . .

So far, I've been running or to spin 3 times in the past week. It's going better. I've only run a mile at a time, mostly because my new ridiculously slow pace means it takes me forever to warm up and then run a mile, but I feel like I could probably do another 1-2 miles with some walking breaks in between. And spin is going pretty well, too. I've learned to bring half water half vitamin water to keep some carbs going through my body. It keeps me going, and keeps me from feeling nauseous during or after it.

It's still a little weird to not push myself like before, but it is nice to just enjoy exercise, especially during spin. The teacher I tend to take classes from picks great music, so I find myself just getting in a groove and singing along. I also have found that my running posture is better, since too much up and down movement can be uncomfortable and makes me need to pee every 1/4 mile.

My next adventure is a prenatal yoga video I found on netflix instant streaming. Once I do it, I'll tell you how it is. I definitely need to get back into yoga. My body is yearning for some stretching. :)

A new leaf . . .

The past few weeks have found me feeling worse and worse everyday. I started getting headaches and couldn't eat much besides lunch . . .

Today, I woke up feeling not too bad. I ate a small breakfast and actually felt pretty good. I decided I had better capitalize on it, so I went to the gym for the first time a few weeks. It felt so good. I remember reading that blood sugar going down can make nausea worse, so I decided to bring a sports drink with me instead of water to keep some carbs going through me. I mean, I'm not trying to loose weight, so a few calories of drink won't make much of a dent. It felt really good! The drink started tasting too sweet, so I think next time I'll bring water with me as well.

I walked half a mile at a good pace, then ran a full mile without stopping, followed by another half mile. I was going to run one more, but I got called into the Kids Club to change Simeon's poopy diaper, and he didn't want to stay. While one mile of running usually isn't too exciting for me, having gone so long without running and being pregnant means it was awesome. I do have to run much slower than before, but it feels good to be moving again. And I still feel quite good. I hoping *knock on wood* that this is the beginning of the wonderful 2nd trimester, which will bring much more exercise and enjoyment than the first. :)

I should have knocked on wood . . .

So, the last few weeks have been really tough, for many reasons, but mostly because my nausea has gotten worse. I've exercised only once each week. I just don't have the energy or calories to do it. I really want to, but while I feel fine while I'm exercising, I feel worse afterward. I also have to make sure I eat a little before and right after as well, to keep my blood sugar from dipping too low, which makes nausea worse. This is supposed to be the worse part of the morning sickness stage, and I only have a few more weeks until my second trimester. I'm just hoping my second trimester is as great this time around as it was with Simeon. I want to get back to exercising as well as enjoying my food. *knock-on-wood*

I'll keep posting as to how things are going. I am just anxious to start feeling well again and to get back to enjoying my exercise.

A whole new game . . .

So, exercising while pregnant is a whole different ball game. I used to try to eat less, exercise more, push myself harder with each workout, and ultimately try to loose weight. Now, when I exercise I need to make up those calories, I have to find a balance between pushing myself a little and not pushing too hard, and each day is completely different. Some days I can barely finish an easy workout. Others, I forget I'm even pregnant. I have to say that as my nausea is getting better, and as I get further along, exercising gets a lot easier.

When I was finally recovered from the half marathon, I started exercising again. My heart rate rose ridiculously fast, I had to run at a 13-14 minute mile pace for short distances, and could barely finish a mile at a time before walking. It was like over night, everything changed. And it was really frustrating. I just ran a stinkin' half marathon! How can I barely finish a mile, and not even 3 miles total. It was a rough few weeks, and it was really hard to find the motivation to go. I had to keep thinking about how I need to keep it up now, if I want to continue later in my pregnancy. I didn't want a lapse.

Thankfully, every week has gotten easier. I can run 3 miles back at a 12 minute mile pace, and possibly faster, if I'd push myself a little. I can finish a hard spin class feeling strong. I find I have to take it easier on certain moves, or just sit and ride for a moment, but I am able to be proud of the work I do in those workouts. And honestly, I think it really has helped my overall feeling. My nausea, while right before and after workouts may not be great, has eased up quite quickly compared to my last pregnancy. I have a lot more energy than my last first trimester, and I feel really good. With Simeon, I think I gained quite a few pounds those first few months. I've actually lost a few pounds. I know, I know. I'm trying to eat more now to make sure I don't loose weight. But it's nice to have not gained.

My thoughts on pregnant exercising so far? Exercising before and during pregnancy has been wonderful, not only in how I feel, but it's really nice to exercise for the joy and health of it, rather than have the stress of big weight, time, and race goals. Two thumbs up!

Starting out . . .

So, I've been wanting to write this post for a while and figure, I better just do it. There are many people around me who are starting to run for the first time, and I thought I'd share lessons I learned and read that helped in learning to enjoy running.

These aren't really going to be in any order other than how they come to my little brain . . .

-Get good shoes. And go get fitted for them, at a running store that watches your stride and lets you try shoes out on the treadmill. Most places will only let you return "unworn" shoes, so if you do take home shoes, run on a treadmill rather than the street until you decide you really like them. It's a little more expensive to buy shoes from a place like this, but it saves in frustration. And once you have a shoe you really like, you can just reorder them for cheaper online next time.

-Shoes' support wears out after a few hundred miles, so even if they look fine on the outside, they may still not be supporting you feet like they used to. Although, then we could get into the Zen/barefoot running debate in which case, shoes don't really matter. Personally, I think good shoes are important when you are first starting and developing your stride. After that, I think it's taste and depends on how you run and if you can use an efficient stride with minimal impact.

-Get comfortable, wicking clothes. Never exercise in jeans. And probably not in those cut off sweats, either.You're going to get hot and uncomfortable. I got most of my bottoms at Goodwill and then cut them off to the length I like. Walmart also has some decent cheap workout clothes. Look for clothes with polyester, and super lightweight. Of course, there's the more expensive running clothes that have mesh panels under the arms, etc that really let you breath, but really, you don't have to spend a lot of money. The more comfortable, cool, and dry you are, the less likely you will give up early on your workout.

-Buy a supportive sports bra. This is one I am finally doing. I have just been using those really thin cotton ones, and they're awful. I feel self conscious in them, and they really don't do anything. And of course, the bigger you are, the more important the support becomes. Again, you can still get these for cheap.Just find one that works for you and is comfortable.

-Personally, I believe in the power of cute clothes. For me, exercise is an activity that often tries my self confidence, especially at the gym or where people can see me. If I feel frumpy, it's that much harder. So, for me, I like to have at least one or two workout outfits that I feel confident in. I wear them on the days I'm struggling more, and I really think they help.

-Enough with clothes. Make a schedule you can stick to, and then stick to it. What worked for me is to run every other day, and the off days were just "do something" days. These days I would go for a brisk walk, lift some weights, etc. When you're first starting out, you need to give yourself the day after a hard run to recover, both your muscles and your heart. Schedule in your runs, and treat it like another appointment, so they happen. And make back up plans. :)

-Running feels awkward at first. Try to take smaller steps, so that your feet are landing under your body, rather than landing on your heals way out front. This will help you avoid injury and help your body properly absorb the shock of landing. Also, I like to think of my body as floating, and my feet are just happening to be moving landing below me. Even though this isn't really how it feels, I notice my form starts to fix itself, and I feel stronger.

-While everyone will have off days, overall running WILL get easier. But it's definitely one of those "you get out of it what you put in." SO keep plugging away, and realize every time you go out, it's taking you one step closer to your goal.

-If running suddenly starts coming easier, avoiding pushing yourself to hard too quickly. They say the best is to increase by 10% of your total miles a week. I think that's where I went wrong and got shin splints. Meaning, if you run 2 miles 3X and then a 4 mile long run, you run a total of 10 miles for the week. The next week should only be 11 miles total, whether you split that up between the days or just tack it on to one day.

-Warm up before you run. Take a brisk walk, or if you're to longer runs, take an easy pace for about 5 minutes. You can kick your butt, swing your arms, etc. to "stretch" your muscles, but most research now ways to wait until after exercise to do static stretches (holding a stretch). Of course, listen to your body - if you're feeling tight, a little stretching may help, or it might not.

-Stretch after your run. Cruz would disagree, as he's had less problems since he's stopped stretching. But I have less problems when I do stretch after my runs and often the next morning, too.

-Listen to your body, most of the time. If things hurt or feel off, see if you can tell how to fix it, or back off of your pace, or walk for a little bit and try again. If it's feeling like an injury, stop and try again in a day or two.

-Learn how to tell your body to shut up. While you should listen to your body to avoid injuries, we often don't push ourselves hard enough because we are too busy "listening to our bodies." I had to learn that when I felt like I was totally spent, I could actually go quite further. Sometimes, with a quick little break. That's when a plan and goals help. I would decide "Today's long run will be 7 miles." I would pick goal that was doable but a push. By mile 5, I'd think "Yeah, right!" But then I'd just keep going, and finish 2 more miles. You can do the same thing with pace.

-Mix it up. Once you get to the point where you can run without stopping, schedule in different kinds of runs. You can pick up the pace for a minute and then back off for two and repeat, you can sprint for 30 sec then recover and repeat, you can add in hills, and if your goal is longer distances, do a long run at least every other week, increasing the distance each time. You can also pick different places to run. Treadmill or outside? Park, street, canyon . . . Mixing it up keeps it fresh, meaning it'll be easier to stay with it.

-Have a goal race. At least for me, it helped to have an ultimate date that I needed to get to a certain distance. Now that I don't have that, it's harder to keep up on my running. It helped me get off the couch. :)

-Realize that as with any exercise or weight loss progress, running may bring up emotional hurdles. Keep running, and work through them. It will be work every step!

-Read about running. When people are religious, they read scriptures and other literature to keep their commitments fresh in their mind. Exercise is the same way. Reading about it and talking to other people who are working on the same goals keeps it fresh and exciting. For me, I love Runner's World. Reading about people who run multiple marathons a year makes my smaller goals more realistic. And there are always new ideas and tips that I learn.

That's all I can think of right now. Also, here are two great links that briefly covers many topics when first starting to run. It also has a run-walk schedule to get you running 20 minutes straight in 10 weeks. I know my sister and brother-in-law are using the couch-to-5K plan, which is similar.

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7124,s6-238-520--13479-0,00.html
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-380-381--2201-3-2X3X6-4,00.html

As for me, my new challenge is learning how to stay on top of my running while not pushing it too hard since I am pregnant. It's weird how just over night things become harder to do. I'm also doing spin classes twice a week, which is less impact. We'll see how long I can make it last. :)

Happy running, everyone! And please hare your stories! I get motivated by hearing about everyone else's adventures, too!

Results . . .

http://worldcultureclub.org/2010_Desert_Dash_Results.php

Wow. I actually placed 61 out of 71 females! Sweet! I thought I was pretty much in last place. (Okay, so yes, this is technically "pretty much in last place," but I mean I thought I was was 2nd or 3rd to last place. Not ten females behind me.)

New beginning . . .

Okay. Plan #2 it is! (If you don't know what I'm talking about, read the 4/25 post.)

So, Plan #2: Lighten up on the intensity of running, but continue to keep it up. Do spin once or twice a week. Move to more spin and other low impact exercises as running becomes less of an option. (And yes, running is safe.)

Then, in a year, start training again and get back to my half marathon then full marathon plans. That gives the rest of you a lot of time to get there, if you want to join me for a half, walking or running . . . or even a full, if you're crazy like me. :)

struggling . . .

Okay, I'm getting really annoyed at how long it's taking my legs to heal up. The weirdest sensation was the day or two after the race, when my legs feeling "floppy" when I would walk or try to run. It was like I had never walked before. Weird. They are getting progressively better, and I can kind of jog, but they are still sore enough to make that too painful. I've been doing some walks, but I'm just losing steam. I think I'll just plan on taking the rest of the week easy. We might go for a little hike on Saturday, so hopefully I'll be feeling better by then. Next week I'll ease back into a schedule. This definitely makes me want to train better, so this doesn't happen again.

And now . . .

. . . my legs hurt. It's weird. I ran 10 1/2 miles the week before and my legs were only a little sore the next day. 3 miles more, and I can barely walk for several days. Weird. I guess I did run a little faster, and there were a couple little hills. I can finally get up from a chair without using my arms for all of the support. It's mostly my quads that have been killing me. Anyway, I went for a walk on Sunday, and I plan on doing that today as well, to get things loosened up again. I'm excited to get back into things, and work on my speed in running. It would be nice if I could take less time to do my runs each day, as well as not be in completely last place in my next race. :)

Needless to say, I'll still be running, and therefore, I'll still be writing. (You poor souls!)

I finally did it!!!!

That's right! I kicked those 13.1 miles' butt! (And it kicked back.)

The night before, we ate the classic pre-run dinner of spaghetti and meatballs (fake ones for me). We laid out our clothes, pinned our numbers on our shirts, and charged our iPods. I even put my chews in my pockets because I was so scared I was going to forget to take them on the run. We got Simeon settled over at our friends' place (conveniently next door), and tried to relax enough to go to bed. The plan was to go to bed early . . . we made it in bed by 11pm. Oh, well.


5:15am came too quickly, and the night before was filled with getting up to go to the bathroom, since we both had hydrated extra well the night before. We got ready, emptied our bladders and bowels as much as possible (trust me - this is vital before running long distances!), and ate a banana (potassium helps with bring water into cells) and steel cut oats (carbs). And away we went.


It was a bit cold out, but it was actually really refreshing. We took some pictures, took a little warm-up jog around the field there, and peed 3 or 4 times. And it was time to start. There were even less people than I had expected - about 150 at the most.


The first mile was a whole lot of me getting passed, which I expected. During the second mile, I had to really use the confidence I had worked so hard on when first running, as I realized I was actually the very last person. It felt like I was in 4th grade track and field again, and had to remind myself that I deserved to be there just as much as anyone else. I was also afraid of getting lost, since they had changed the track due to the Tanque Verde wash flowing with water. It took until mile 3 to remind myself of how far I'd come and that six months ago, I couldn't even run a mile. Also, I had to remember that my goal was to run the whole thing, and that some of these people ahead of me are going to walk at some point, which ended up happening towards the end of the race - I actually got to pass a few people then. :)


My running went great. I ran the whole half marathon!!! With no walking. My original goal was to finish in 2 hours 30 minutes. I then changed it to 2 hours 45 minutes when my training went down hill because of injuries. I finished in 2 hours and 39 minutes. Yeah! There were a few hills, but nothing crazy. And it was really beautiful. The run went through the neighborhoods around the 49ers and other neighborhoods off of Tanque Verde and Reddington Road. The turn around point was at the end of Reddington Road, where it turns to more of a dirt road. Once I got into a groove and got over my frustrations (see next paragraph), I really enjoyed my run. I did great until the last 2 miles. Those I really had to push myself to keep running. That's when I started thinking about Cruz, my sister, her husband, and their kiddos waiting to cheer me on at the finish line. That really kept me going, and I finished strong.


The race itself . . . . where to start and how to stay positive . . . ? If you are going to do a half marathon, go for one of the big ones, with thousands and thousands of runners, and people who are cheering along the sides. This race was really frustrating. It was a fundraiser for a local group, so my expectations weren't super high, but really?! Our start/finish sign was butcher paper held up with duct tape. The course was confusing, and over half of us went the wrong way, so ran the majority of the race (a huge loop) backwards. There were water stations at mile 2, 3, and then I didn't see another one until mile 7. Then I didn't see another one until the mile 3 spot (which was then mile 10) and one more before the finish. We live in the stinkin' desert!!! I think there was at least one more, but it was packed up and driving away as I was approaching. Thankfully, there were some people filming from a golf cart in front of me around mile 9? and they gave me their own (half drunken) bottle of water. That saved me. I don't think I would have finished without it. The volunteers also seemed to care less that they were there and that we were running a really long way. No cheering. Hardly a smile. I'm never doing this marathon again. I'm going big next time.


With all the complaining done, I am still proud of myself and my husband. We totally rocked! I am also glad that I ran the half marathon. I met a few other runners towards the end that were also running their first, and we tried to encourage each other along the way. I have learned so much from my training and actually finishing my first race, and I'm excited to do it again, but better. Here are some of the things I've learned:

-How to love and encourage myself
-How to push myself when I want to quit
-train slowly, especially at first, and fight the urge to do too much at the beginning
-don't get discouraged from an injury - just cross train and let it heal
-get your stride evaluated and invest in good shoes (no, the $25 special probably won't cut it)
-Shoes' support goes out after a few hundred miles (I didn't know this!), so shoes have to be replaced, often before they show signs of wear (unless you're going to do the Zen/barefoot running style)
-Your body really only stores 1 hour of glycogen - Gu Chews make a huge difference in long runs, and they're not too bad tasting, either
-Run a big race, especially for your first one, and one that gives out medals - I wish I had something besides a really ugly Yellow shirt to show for my hard work.
-don't stretch before runs - just warm up - but stretch really well afterwards - yoga every morning has helped me a lot
-find music that inspires you when you exercise, and do a few runs outside without music, too
-good workout clothes really make a difference - I'm ready to try some of those awesome running shirts now, that have mesh in the underarm and sides
-get an iPod strap that doesn't chafe your arm so easily - ouch!
-figure out what works for you - many people do better running in pairs or groups. I run better by myself
-Sometimes it's important to listen to your body - sometimes it's important to tell it to shut up :)
-running, and most exercise, is more of a mental exercise than physical - we don't allow ourselves to feel a little pain to get the benefits
-We are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for - Our bodies are amazing machines that we often don't push ourselves hard enough

If I can do it, so can you!!!


My next plans: (I've decided to use this word instead of goal - it then becomes something that will happen instead of something to shoot for)

1. re-train for a half marathon (do it maybe in Nov or Dec) and then continue training to do a full marathon in the spring.

2. if I get pregnant before plan #1 can happen, train through pregnancy, moving to spin and other low impact exercises as I get further along. Start plan #1 after a baby comes

3. get my mile time down - I figure if you get from walking to running by running 1 minute, walking two, then you can do the same thing to boost your speed (run 1 minute at the faster pace, run the slower pace for two)

4. add in weight training 2-3 times a week again, and yoga every morning again

The big day . . .

So, tomorrow's the big day. I'm a little nervous because besides spin on Monday, I haven't done any other exercise this week. You're supposed to taper your workouts before a big race, but I don't think you're supposed to sit on your butt. :) I'm also a little nervous because my last big run was . . . well, read my last post. But overall, I'm quite excited! Cruz and I watched a documentary called The Spirit of the Marathon (on Netflix Instant Streaming, for anyone interested - you have to "search" for it), and that got us pumped. And I went and got our numbers today. Honestly, I wish we could have found a big race to run in, as this one is even smaller than I expected (maybe 200 people), there's no chip timing because not enough people signed up, and the route was changed because the original route went through the wash, which is now running with water (no pun intended). So, this is my way of saying that I will most definitely be doing another race. But mostly, I'm excited and nervous. And trust me, there will be a post soon about how everything went. :)

Wish us luck!

Last hard runs . . . check . . .

Last week was my last week of hard runs, since you should always taper distance and intensity before a long race. I needed to do one more long run. I was gong to do it on Tuesday, but Cruz was stuck at work until late, and I just didn't have any energy. Wednesday was my only other chance, since I was leaving Thursday to take some students up to All Sate Orchestra and Choir in Flagstaff. Then I got an e-mail - We're having a camp meeting at 7pm on Wednesday. That gave me a very small window of opportunity. Could I just run to my meeting? I could, but I'd be stinky throughout the meeting. I'd have to drop off a change of clothes there before my run. This was becoming ridiculous. Then, Wednesday morning, Simeon woke up sick. Cruz was a trouper and stayed home with him, so my new plan was to run after school and be home in time to make dinner and clean up for my meeting.

I started my run at the Children's Memorial Park. I ran along the river walk from there to Dodge, just past the Brandy Fenton Park. That's about 10-11 miles or so. It was the hardest run I've ever done. I didn't want to deal with cramps, so instead of eating a snack before hand, I ate my first serving of Gu Chews. I was going to bring the rest with me to be eaten about halfway into the run, as I always do with really long runs . . . I forgot them. I realized it about 2 miles in. Too late to go back.

It was also much hotter than I had anticipated. Good thing the river walk has drinking fountains every half mile or so. Things were going fine. I got to Campbell and was getting more tired and hot. But the cool thing about this stretch is we used to live/run over here many years back. I remembered how I would struggle to run the half mile from our apartments to the bridge without walking. And how excited I was when I finally made it to the park, about 1 1/2 miles. I was starting at Campbell, 1/2 mile before this point, so for me it was 2 miles to the park, with another 1/2 mile to Dodge. I was enjoying the pride of coming so far in my running, as I had already run about 3 miles to Campbell and was still only a little tired. Okay, really tired. And then I remembered . . . there are no drinking fountains until I get to the park.

Two miles until I have water. There was no shade. And I was getting hot. Those two miles were the hardest. By the time I finally made it to the park, I was ready to call Cruz to pick me up. I was out of energy, and I could feel that my body was just too hot. I spent a good 5-10 minutes drinking cold water and splashing on my face, neck and arms. I finally felt my body temp go down and I was felling so much better. I actually felt like I could finish this run without doing any danger to myself. So on I trekked to Dodge and back. I paced myself getting back to Campbell since there again was no water. I drank quite a bit when I got there, again cooling off my face and arms. And the temperature was dropping enough to be more pleasant.

The last 3 miles were really hard. I had water, but there were no carbs left in my body to help me keep going. And I had spent all of my energy on those two miserable miles, so I was running on empty. It became a mental exercise more than anything else. "Just run until 1st Ave. Just get to 1st. You can do it. Just a little longer." Then the same for the next half mile. "You're doing great. Just go to Stone. Just half a mile. Piece of cake." And so on, until the end. I couldn't even stretch. I just collapsed in the car and very tiredly felt very proud of myself. "No more long runs until the race. It's all easy runs from here." (I did stretch a lot later.)

That night, we spent in the emergency room with Simeon. He's fine - just a bad case of croup. I got 2 hours of sleep and then went to Flag the following morning. The morning after that, I woke up feeling like I had been run over by a semi. After a little stretching and food, I finally felt pretty good. The weekend was full of walking around, especially since I couldn't sit for more than 45 minutes or so without my legs cramping and feeling antsy. I finally felt good enough to go for a little run on Saturday morning.

When Saturday morning came, I laid in bed convincing myself not to go until I realized I'd just have to get up and get ready soon anyway, so I went. It was a huge payoff for the torture I went through a few days earlier. I ran along the southern part of the urban trail in Flagstaff (the part that goes to the fairgrounds). It goes behind a neighborhood and through the woods, meeting a house or road here or there. It was beautiful! And the temperature was perfect. Slightly cold, but great when you're running. The only issue I had was half way through my run I had a . . . *clears throat* . . . bathroom issue. And not the kind you can take care of in the woods. It caused me to walk about a mile of my run, but still I felt great and really enjoyed running in the beautiful outdoors. About a mile south of our hotel, I found civilization and quickly found a bathroom. Let's just say the last mile of my run was very enjoyable! All in all, a great experience. I think I ran about 4 miles and walked about 1 mile. I got cleaned up and felt great the rest of the day.



So, with all that said, and I know it was a lot, I have one easy week ahead of me. A few 3 mile runs and lots of stretching to get ready. Then, Saturday is the big day! I am so excited to cross that finish line, strong and happy. I start at 6:30 am and if I run 13 minute miles, which is slow but pretty realistic with water stops and the distance, I should be crossing the finish line around 9:15ish. Cruz will probably cross around 8:15ish. Here's the website for the race: http://worldcultureclub.org/Half_Marathon___5K.php

And here we go . . .

Keep running, but you won't knock down our wall . . .

(yes - a reference to VeggieTales)

Well, the countdown continues. Last week I had my awesome run. Then, two days later, I went to the gym and decided I'd rather get 4 miles over with faster, so I ran the first two as 11 minute miles and the second two as 10 minute miles. That was tough! And I felt great afterward., The downside? I now know what gives me shin splints. It's not longer runs. It's faster runs. So, I have been dealing with shin splints again. They're not really bad, but I can't just rest since I don't want to not run for two weeks and then run 13.1 miles.

I went to Spin on Monday. It was an awesome class! Lots of hills, including an 18 minute hill to Ravel's Bolero. I LOVE that piece, and it was perfect for a long climb. I took yesterday off, and my shins are . . . there. They are still sore, but not awful. The hard thing is this is my last chance for any hard work, since I need to taper my running the week before the race. My plan is to do a long run today, with 8-9 miles. Then, since I'm leaving for Flagstaff tomorrow, I will run at least once there, but no more than 6 miles. I figure it'll be good for me since the elevation will give me a great cardio workout without having to log as many miles. Then next week is a few short runs of 2-3 miles each. Then, Saturday is the big day!

I am so excited to run this half marathon! I am also excited to start fresh after I recover. I want to back it off and work my miles and speed up slowly so I can get it up without shin splints. The rule of thumb is no more than 10% harder than the week before. That's where I originally when wrong. Then, I pushed it too hard after each injury. I felt the pressure of the race coming and my listened to my desire to run hard and long instead of easing into it. Thank goodness for fresh starts!

My pampering plan for after the Half Marathon? After a day or two, my plan is to get a pedicure and get rid of all this dead "blister skin." (Sorry for the mental image!) A fresh start all around!

Personal best . . .

Every time I went outside today I wanted to just leave work and go for a run. When I got home, Cruz was getting ready to go to the gym. I decided to capitalize on this and had him take Simeon there to play. I wanted to go run. In the park. But I was a little hesitant as well, since my plan was to have an easy day today and now I was thinking about doing my long run. Cruz encouraged me with these words, "If you're feeling even a little up to it today, you should go because you never know how you'll feel tomorrow. And then it'll be done and you don't have to worry about it." Convinced he was right, I charged up my iPod as much as possible, stopped by the Running Store for some Gu Chews, and headed to Reid Park. (Thanks, Linda for the free sample you got me - these are awesome, and I'm hooked! Much better than the slimy gel stuff. And they really do work.)

The weather was perfect! And there were a ton of people out which actually wasn't as annoying as you'd think. It's quite encouraging to be out with so many other people who are exercising. And so I ran . . . three laps. That's right! I ran NINE MILES today! That's the most I've ever run in my entire life. The first few miles were a little unnerving since my shins ached a bit, as did my joints. But it went away as I finished my first 3 mile lap. Then into my fourth mile, my iPod died. It was dead when I got home today and I only had a few minutes to charge it. So, I didn't have any groovin' tunes to keep me going, and I also couldn't keep track of my mile times. But I kept going. I noticed I was behind a woman who was running just slightly faster than me, so I focused on keeping up with her for most of the second lap. I will add here that she had to have been at least 60. Yes, I was trying to keep up with a 60 year old. But it was motivating because I kept thinking, "If I keep this up now, someday that can be me." After all, that's the main motivation here - to be healthy for life, not just the next few weeks.

I quickly swapped my iPod for my phone at my car as I started my third and last lap. I was very tempted to just get IN my car and drive home, but I only have 18 days until my half marathon, and I had decided that no matter what, I was running 9 miles today. So, I kept going. My 7th and 8th miles were slow. 12:45 and 13 minute miles. The next to the last mile is always the hardest. The last one has more oomph because it's almost over. My 9th mile was 10:45, one of my quickest miles all night. (I'm a slow runner.) I got a nice boost at the end and finished strong.

Running at Reid Park in the evening definitely has it's perks. First of all, there are a lot of people around, so I never feel unsafe. And it adds to the positive feeling in the air. Everyone's doing their best and exercising, enjoying the gorgeous weather. Second, the sun doesn't wait for you to finish your run. The impending darkness was very motivating to now only keep going but to keep up my pace. And yes, there were still a lot of people out, so I still felt safe. By the end of my run there were at least 4-5 people within 50 feet of me at any given time.

The funny thing about running for almost two hours is it gives you a lot of time to think. Especially when your iPod is dead. I was thinking about how only months ago I could only run for 1 minute and then I'd walk for 2 minutes and then I'd have to convince myself to run for 1 more minute, etc. And honestly, I could have run 9 miles a while ago if it weren't for two major shin splint ordeals and busting my knee open. I was also thinking about how amazing this whole process has been, even with the injuries. I have to say it's been the second most empowering experience, the first being 20 hours of natural labor with Simeon. I have had to overcome many personal demons, including my lack of self confidence and constant negative self talk. (I've actually noticed that I rarely do it outside of running now, too.) I have grown in so many ways that are completely not related to anything physical. And it has caused me to redefine relationships around me, as any major change in life style usually does. And there is nothing quite as amazing as running farther than you've ever run before. Realizing that "THIS is the farthest I've ever run . . . No. THIS is. And THIS!" It keeps me going through those last miles. And it's really cool to feel so insanely proud of myself, and not be able to write it off as someone else's doing.

I have 18 days to go, and I can't wait to cross that finish line, strong and proud!

Life's funny sometimes . . .

I went out running today. I did my "long run" on Wednesday. Today was Cruz's day. And he did an awesome job! Twelve miles. Seriously. He rocks! We went to Reid Park, and I took Simeon in his running stroller today so Cruz could really run. I don't usually run with the stroller. My plan was a definite 3 miles, but probably 6 miles. That was my plan, but then again, life is funny sometimes.

The first half mile, as usual, was difficult. I started to finally get in a groove, but it was really hard to run correctly while pushing the stroller. I don't know what I was doing differently, but everything felt wrong. And my left shin started to ache just a tad. I kept going, since this isn't that uncommon at the beginning of my runs. But instead of going away, it become more prominent. So, I walked a bit. All this while Simeon continued to whine because he wanted out of his stroller. I tried a few more times to run, but the twinge was still there. I was so tempted to run anyway, just in spite of my legs, but I knew I couldn't afford getting injured this close to our half marathon. So I walked the rest of the way.

Simeon continued whining. And he is usually happy in his stroller, waving at all the dogs we pass and just looking around. Frustrated, I decided to just finish the 3 mile lap by walking and then leave. When we got to the car, Simeon threw a big fit about going into car and I couldn't figure out why he was fighting everything so much until I stopped and listened. When he was crying "Run! Run!" He wasn't talking about me. He was talking about himself. I think when we said we were going to go run, he was including himself in that equation. That's why he was so whiny the whole time. So, I loaded everything up in the car and then took him back over to the track.

And we ran. He LOVED it! We were at the part of the trail along Broadway, where there's a little dirt path that goes up on a hill under big pine trees. He just loved running next to Mommy and checking things out. He kept pointing out other people who were running, too. I realized that while my run today didn't go well, just going out to run day after day, and being around other people who are running, walking, biking, and blading has helped instill a desire to do these things, too. He and I trotted along for almost half a mile, with him prodding me each time I started walking with an encouraging "Run, Mommy! Run!"

We turned around and headed back towards the car. We stopped to check out some pine cones. I showed how they grow on the trees and then they fall and spread seeds that grow into new trees. First he took the pine cones and kept jumping up, trying to get them back to the tree. Then he would repeat "Pine cone tree! Fall on ground. Seeds." Something may have sunk in. :) We ran the rest of the way back to the car, and honestly Simeon would have just kept going if I had let him. It took me quite a while to be able to run a mile, while Simeon can jog along with no effort at all. And he's two!

So my frustrating run turned into a sweet evening really spending time with my little boy, discovering the wonder of pine cones and the pure enjoyment of running. And was reminded of the impact my example is on my son. I would say that my run tonight was quite successful after all. Life is funny like that.

This week so far . . .

It's coming back, and easier than I thought! I think I can actually do this thing!

Monday I did a spin class, with my favorite instructor. Great music, and a really hard workout that actually fits the beat and style of each song. It was tough, but I worked hard. I actually worked extra hard because I got there late and the only two bikes left were in the front of the class. nothing makes you work harder than knowing that everyone is looking at your butt. And by late, I mean I was 20 minutes early for the class. That's how awesome she is. There was only one other spot open when I signed up. Her classes are the only ones that go THAT quickly. (And some don't even fill up half way.) I also happened to sit two bikes over from a former student of mine, so it was a lot of fun catching up with her. Needless to say, it was a fun time and it totally kicked my butt, but in a good way.

Tuesday I was planning on doing some weights, but my sickness (some sort of throat killing flu/cold/thing) was giving me grief, and my back has been all tweaked weird and has giving me a lot of pain. The back pain cut out about half of the weight lifting exercises, and I didn't have much energy, so I decided I just needed to do something. I actually wasn't even going to go to the gym, but Simeon was kind of driving me crazy and I needed a break from him. My "something" turned into 2 miles of running and another half a mile or so of walking. I felt a lot better afterward since I accomplished something and running always helps me deal with the Mother of a 2 year old frustrations.

Today I actually stayed home from work. I felt pretty lousy this morning, and honestly just needed a break. But as the afternoon wore on, I started feeling better. I decided to shoot for my long run today anyway. Why? I have no idea. Seriously. No idea whatsoever. I went ahead and went to the gym. I knew it'd be tough, so I brought The Lightning Thief with me to read and distract me. Honestly, running goes by really fast when I read. The first 2 1/2 miles were really tough. I had a side cramp that would not go away. I had eaten pizza for lunch which felt as though it was not digested whatsoever and just turned into a hard lump in my stomach. And I'm still sick. Why was I doing this? I have no idea. But Percy Jackson kept me distracted enough that time ticked away quickly.

I was at 3 miles and had this weird logic that in my head makes sense, but out loud sounds crazy. I thought, "I just have to run 1 more mile, and I'll be at 4 miles. Once I hit 4 miles, I can reach my goal of 6, because it's just 2 more miles." I know. This from the girl who avoided running like the plague and only 9 months ago could only run a minute or two before walking. But it made sense in my head (and actually still does), so I went for it. Not only did I do it, but I went from an 11.5 to 12 minute mile pace to a 10 minute mile pace on the last mile. Partially because training that way helps you stay strong and get through the end of a long race. But mostly, it was to get it over with that much faster.

So, I did it. Six miles. And while I felt nauseous from the pizza rock in my gut, and I was exhausted from being sick, I honestly feel like I could have really pushed myself through 3 more miles. (And my legs feel great!) That's when I realized, I can do this. Under crappy conditions I could push myself through 9 miles. I really think I can do this. My goal is to run the whole 13.1 miles. I would really like to do it under 2 hours and 30 minutes. That would be about 11 1/2 minute miles with water stops. I'm a slow runner, but I think it's doable. But honestly, my goal is to run the whole thing. That in a of itself will be amazing!

Road to victory, here I come!

The Final Countdown . . .

So I went to the NAMI walk at the Sam Lena Park this morning with Kyli, Lani, and the whole gang. It was a "5K walk" to support the National Alliance for Mental Illness. But, I didn't want to walk and then go out running afterward, so I ran instead. There were a handful of other people that did as well, so I didn't feel so silly.

Even though my calves were randomly sore (I have no idea how, but they felt like I had majorly worked them out - maybe I'm doing calf raises in my sleep?) I went ahead and ran two laps. It worked out well since I started in the front of the pack and by the time I ended I was passing the last part of the pack. The first half mile was rough, but it always is. Then I found my groove. A little after the first mile, I felt some twinges in my shins and joints, but they quickly went away. I'm noticing this happens pretty much every time I run, and right after a mile or so.

When I finished the first lap, I felt really good. Not winded. Not tired. I looked at my stopwatch and saw 23 minutes . . . Either I magically shaved a third of my mile time off, or this was a two mile track. Yes, I am truly a slow runner. I average an 11 minute mile. I later found out that it is indeed a two miler. No problem! So, I went back for more!

The second lap wasn't so bad either. My breath and heart felt fine. My legs felt fine. But I was starting to get a little tired. I actually wanted to go one more time around, but as I mentioned before, the group of walkers were all finishing, and I wanted to spend some time hanging out with the people I came with.

We enjoyed some Eeggee's and relaxed a bit before heading out. All in all, it was a great start to my day. I was especially excited that I ran 4 miles with no problem, and that I could have gone more. Now I need to make a game plan, since I have four weeks left . . .

Here's what I'm thinking (I'm making this up right now) . . .

Mon - Spin (It's ridiculously fun and is hard cardio with low impact)
Tue - weights
Wed - Long run - 6 miles (Reid Park x2)
Thur - weights
Fri - 4 miles
Sat - 5 miles (maybe in between Gen Conf sessions)

And the final countdown begins . . .

well . . .

. . . after a week of no exercise, I'm running tomorrow because I ONLY HAVE FOUR WEEKS!!! ACK!!! Wish me luck because it's feeling more and more like a suicide mission. *positive thoughts*positive thoughts*positive thoughts*

I think I can . . . I think I can . . .

So far, this week is going pretty well. Monday I did spin, which made me too sore to do any cardio until Thursday, when I ran 3 miles on the tread mill. Friday I did another spin class. It's coming back a little better than I thought it would.

This morning I was going to go to the gym but I was swayed by the beautiful weather and the fact that Simeon was at home with Cruz. (Don't think he slacked at all - he had just gotten back from a 9 mile run. He rocks!) So, I passed right by the gym and went to the River Walk. It's so beautiful and I love running around other people who are exercising. They're always so friendly and there's this positive energy that just keeps me going. My three favorite places to run or exercise are the River Walk, Reid Park, and Sabino Canyon, for those reasons. I remember a few years ago when I was getting into running, I was running at Sabino Canyon and started walking up this huge hill when this older guy who was running started cheering me on. I made it up the hill running. :) I just get this joy being around other people in the same boat - trying to finish their run/bike/walk or just enjoying nature. You very rarely run into someone grumpy in one of those places.

So armed with John Meyer in my iPod, I ran almost 4 1/2 miles this morning. It went well. My knee is a little sore (the one I couldn't bend properly for over a week), and I was pooped after staying up late and getting up with a screaming Simeon in the middle of the night, but all in all, it was great! Here's my map: http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/az/tucson/906126911244832719 I feel encouraged now that I really can do this half marathon. My goal right now is to run the whole thing and finish.

A Journey . . .

Well, I said this was going to be a journey. I was kind of hoping for a smooth and easy ride, but of course that's not life.

I had to take it easy about three weeks ago because I started feeling that twinge in my left inner leg again. I ran some, and did some spin classes to keep up with my cardio. It went away and I was getting back on track. A nasty cold while in Anaheim slowed me down to walking 16 hours in Disneyland rather than running at any point, but I still stayed positive. I was excited to get back and start running and try to catch up on my "schedule." Ha. Ha.

So, Cruz was home two Mondays ago and I decided to take advantage of it. I went for a morning 3 mile run before work to start the day and the week off right. Half Marathon, here I come! I was doing pretty good, and it felt great to be running again. Just as the thought "Wow! This run is going well!" I found myself on the ground. I tripped. And banged my knee on a rock. Actually, split open would be a better phrase. I felt a little dumb and was being flooded with pain as I called Cruz. I kept him on the phone as someone who saw me fall gave me a ride home. Thankfully I was almost done with my run and was just around the corner from my home.

Cruz doctored me up, since I got nauseous if I looked at my knee too long. I didn't think of myself as squeamish before then, but I had to lie down so as to not pass out. I probably could have gotten stitches, but since the gash was only about an inch long, we just used surgical strips and "new skin" to close it up. The worst part? It was over my knee cap which means . . . no bending my knee. I had a week of hobbling around, not being able to bend my left leg. (Why do all the injuries happen to my felt leg?) I even caught Simeon imitating my limp, kicking his straight left leg out as he walked. He thought it was pretty funny. Actually, I did too. He also thought it was funny to run away from me at the store since I could only hobble after him.

It's now been two weeks and I can finally bend my knee. It's still pretty bruised, so I can't kneel or anything like that, but I can move my leg again! Now comes the real challenge. My half marathon is in 6 weeks. I need to build up my running while going slowly so I don't get shin splints again. Yesterday I did a spin class, and it went better than I expected. I did have ease up a bit during the last 10 minutes since my knee was just starting to get a little sore under the heavy resistance I was pushing. I really want to just jump back into running full speed, and I have a strong push to do that so I can be ready for my race, BUT I really don't want to deal with any more shin splints. So, my plan is "slow and steady wins the race." I'm going to do as much cross training as I can to make sure my cardio is where it should be, and slowly build up my running. That way my legs can ease into the impact again and I can work on the mental side of running.

So, that's the plan. Six weeks to go . . .

Running is Mental

(The first part was written yesterday and the rest today)

So I always thought runners were crazy. This morning as I hit the pavement, I realized . . . I was right. I had an all day rehearsal today and didn't want to come home to more things to do, so I decided to get up at 5:45am and get it done. I left my snuggly husband behind. My warm house. Even the sun made no notion it wanted to get up yet. And here I was, freezing my tuckus off, realizing runners really are crazy. And I'm becoming one of them!

It was my first run on pavement in quite a while, and it was wonderful. No shin pain at all. And it was a different experience than I've had. Because I was running out in the neighborhood, I wanted to be safe. I ran on the sidewalk, against traffic. And I didn't listen to my music, so I could be more aware. And that's what was so great.

I got started at 6:15 and ran to 1st and Glenn. I ran up 1st to Prince, and across to Tucson. Then returned. A total of 5.8 miles. When I left, everything was dark and cold. There were a few cars and people out, but mostly the city was still asleep. The thing I love about the early morning is that there's a different feeling in the air, and all senses seem to be more aware. I smelled the sweet bread baking at Food City. I heard the first few birds of the day. As I was heading east on Prince, there was that great glow that comes right before the sun rises. And then just as it seems like it's never going to rise, it's bright out. On my return, I there were more cars. Other runners and walkers. People were opening up their stores. It was like watching our little part of Tucson wake up. It was wonderful.

Now, don't get me wrong. The run itself was hard. I had to really push myself to not stop just out of the lack of energy. No breakfast in my system, and I wanted to be sleeping. I did 12, 13, and 14 minute miles. But I still loved it. The biggest surprise I've had through this whole process is how running is 90% mental. Not crazy, but mind over matter. I've had to really overcome my inner critic. I've had to learn to believe in myself. I'm still dealing with my tendency to sabotage myself in order to not fail. And as I've overcome these challenges, I feel empowered. Like I could do anything. Beyond the serge of endorphins that come with exercise, I feel more confident in everything I do. I'm more positive on days that I have a good run. I'm more patient. I really feel that I've grown emotionally and mentally the most from learning to love running.

And now that my legs are better, I'm starting my running schedule. This week's plan:

Mon - 4 miles with 5-7 1 min intervals during the last 2 miles (picking up the pace for 1 min)
Tues - weights
Wed - 4 miles, followed by 4 sprints (recover, pick up pace to the points where breathing hard, hold for 20 meters, walk to recover, and repeat)
Thur - weights
Fri - 3-4 miles, easy run
Sat - 6-7 miles

Now the challenge is working it into my personal schedule. I've learned that you have to have a plan before the day comes, or it just won't happen. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday will be fine. I'm going to have to run in the morning on Wednesday, do Friday's run in the evening, and I haven't decided how to do Saturday's yet with regional orchestra rehearsals going on. Either run during a break or in at night when I get back. Or maybe an early morning run again. Mental? Yes.

And I'm Back!

Yesterday I tried running again. I soaked my legs in the hot tub for 5 minutes before hand, but no Advil. I did a nice warm up and then, BAM! Four miles, no pain. I took a pretty easy pace just in case, and made sure to do a cool down and stretch. My plan is to work my way up more gradually so that I don't have to deal with those stupid shin-splints again. They are no fun. I'm hoping to be ready to jump onto my new training schedule on Monday, Wednesday at the lastest. (See my last post.) Wish me luck! Only 2 1/2 months to go . . .

Fresh Start

Well . . . I did the routine I talked about last time for a week. It worked pretty well except my shins still hurt. Not as bad as when I did absolutely nothing and then tried to run again, but still pain. A friend of mine said he dissected a cadaver that had shin splints and basically the muscle was torn from the bone. (yuck!) So, I was thinking that while this new routine helps in many ways I should probably keep my miles up by cross training instead. Because the image of my muscle being ripped apart like that is just too gross. :)

Last week . . . I had an awful cold. I did do the elliptical machine one day but nothing after that. It was a rough week. So I have a new plan. My shins are actually feeling quite good right now, so next week I'll get in my miles by cross training. I've been missing my spin class, so I think I'll do that at least on Monday and go from there. Then, I found a great half-marathon training plan on the Runner's World website that picks up right around where my miles already are. http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-258-6851-0,00.html (the beginner's plan) I plan on starting this a week from tomorrow, as long as my legs are feeling back to normal. I sure do miss running!

As far as the half-marathon itself - I finally found one that's on a Saturday. The last Saturday in April to be exact. It's a pretty flat course and is in Tucson. The only draw back is that I wanted to do a big race. Big as in lots of people. I want to be surrounded by other people going for the same goal. I want the pomp and circumstance. I don't know when I'll get to do another (although I do want to do another at some point) so I want it to be big and exciting. That may be silly, but it's what I had in my head. The one I found is pretty small. How small? I don't know for sure, but it's their 2nd annual half marathon and it's put on as a fundraiser by a small non-profit. It'll still be good, and I'm excited to finally run it. I'm just readjusting my expectations, which is something I'm getting good at. :)

Keep on truckin'

This week has started well for me, and there are two things that are keeping me going right now . . .

First is a new plan to get back on schedule with my running despite my shin splints. I found a great website that had suggestions of how to get rid of shin splints while continuing to run. (http://www.watfxc.com/TF/TF%20Education/shin_splints.htm) It makes sense to me to keep running, because not running doesn't fix the problem when it's related to muscles and tendons not being strong and elastic enough for the amount of running being done.

Here's the plan:
1 Ibuprofen 1 hour before the run to reduce inflammation
Heat the problem areas before the run (I soaked my calves in the hot tub at the gym for 5 minutes)
Warm up (brisk walk/easy jog)for 5 minutes
Stretch
Do your run
Do a cool down mile (haha! I translate this to 5 minutes of light jogging/brisk walking)
Stretch
Ice the problem area

I tried this tonight. It was awesome! I ran 4 1/2 miles at higher speeds than I usually do on the treadmill. And I felt a little pain during the first mile only. Even now, I don't feel anything and it's been 6 hours since my Ibuprofen. I usually run longer distances on the treadmill at level 5. Tonight I ran the first mile at level 5.2, the second at 5.3, the third at 5.4, the next 1/2 mile at 5.6, and then eased back down during the last 1/2 mile. (Plus warm up and cool down.) Sweet! And I was able to just enjoy running again, without the frustration at my legs.

The second thing keeping me going is the incredible people around me. I am so motivated by hearing what people around me are doing to become more healthy. My sisters are making goals and exercising more. My mom is exercising and keeping her calories in check. One of my co-workers actually gets up at 4:30am to exercise before her kids wake up and she has to go to work. And my awesome hubby is doing incredible with his exercise and goals. When I hear about other people exercising and working past whatever stands in their way, I feel like I can do it too. So, thanks to all of you who keep me going.

Today's lesson learned: Clip your toe nails before running 4 miles. There was a war going on in my shoes between my toes. Ouch.

Walk a mile in new shoes . . .

So, I finally went on my big shoe buying adventure. I went to 5-6 different stores and tried on most every running shoe at each with no luck. I was so scared I was going to buy shoes and end up hating them. I started over analyzing every little thing about each shoe, trying to find anything that might possibly be wrong with them. I finally settled on a pair on Sauconys.The were the most comfortable ones I tried. Next job - test run on a treadmill at the gym. I only made it half a mile before my ankles hurts, my shins hurt, and my hip started hurting. The shoes made me pronate so that I was pushing off my big toe, and only my big toe. Let's just say I lost it. This is ridiculous! Other people I know just go to the store, grab a pair of shoes and BAM! They start running. And I've done a running test before. I have a neutral stride. This shouldn't be so stinkin' hard! I mean, humans have been running for thousands of years and they didn't have fancy shoes! (Yes, I've already gone down the whole barefoot running thing, too. That's a story for another time.)

I was going to go to a running store to have shoes fit to me. This is where you run on a treadmill and they videotape your stride and find just the right shoe for you. The only problem is I feel guilty not buying my shoes from them after all that work, and their shoes are just too expensive. So, I gave it a weekend, calmed down and went to the mall. The lady at Ladies Foot Locker helped the most. She helped explain that women naturally pronate a little, compared to men. So, I really was over analyzing. I just needed to pay attention to my feet and I realized that yes, just a tad is natural, so every shoe out there isn't evil. I just need to stop freaking out.

I ended up finding a pair at Sports Authority. They are Saucony Progrid Jazz 12. I had really liked the amount of cushioning and support in the other pair of Sauconys, so I found these. And these feel right throughout the whole stride. I still was extremely anxious buying them. So far, I like them, although while my right leg feels great in them, my left still has splints. Are they the right shoe? I have no idea. And when we have more money (haha) maybe I'll go to a running store. But for now, I feel like they do the job and I'm sticking with them.

So, shin splints. The splints might just be me, or adding too many miles too quickly, and/or they're just not healed yet and I keep flaring them back up (most likely). But I actually miss running. A lot. I used to always listen to my body and honestly never pushed myself very hard because of it. Then I learned that it's also healthy to learn when to tell your body to shut up and keep running, which is how I worked past my 3 mile plateau and worked my way up to 7 miles. Now I'm trying to learn to balance the two. My current plan is do some running, but not push it too hard, do spin and elliptical machines to keep up on my cardio, and hit the weights, especially on my legs to help strengthen everything. And ice my shin after workouts. I just miss when running was not a pain. I miss having an hour to myself and John Meyer. (He's my relaxing running music for the first half of my runs. Weird, but it works.) I miss the exhilaration of running farther or faster than before, or even just getting through a run without quitting. I know it'll come back. I just miss it.

Road to Re-motivation

So, last week I didn't run. I did go to the gym once to lift weights, but mostly didn't do anything because of my shin splints. I did a little research and this is the best site I found that gave a basic understanding: http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/shin-splints.php Stretching really well and often as well as warming up properly are the biggest things I should have and need to be doing. And ultimately, as I talked to others I know who have dealt with shin splints - I need new shoes. I really like my shoes, but apparently my body does not. And I do remember when I first put them on feeling as though they made my stride move more into my arch than usual. So, the shoe journey begins . . . later this week when I have time to go to some stores.

Mean while, I have to do something because I don't want to lose what I've accomplished so far. My shins were feeling better, so I tried running on the treadmill yesterday with nothing but shooting pain. I then moved on to my old college favorite - The Elliptical Machine. While I really don't feel like they work me as well as running, I was able to go 3 miles in 30 minutes, burning around 300 calories. So, all was not lost. And my legs didn't hate me afterward. I guess this machine will have to be my friend until I get new shoes. And I'll have to get new shoes soon because I am starting to loose that excitement for running and dreading having to work back up to 7 miles again.

My husband and I have finally found a really good exercise schedule that works for both of us. Mondays and Wednesdays we run. We were doing 5 miles each day and were ready to move up to 6 before my legs revolted. Then every other Saturday we do a long run, adding a mile each time. This is how we worked up to 7 miles. (Let me remind you here that we started out running 1 minute, walking 1 minute. And so on until we find ourselves here.) On the off Saturdays, we do sprints (run as hard as you can for a short distance and then walk back, and repeat and repeat). On the non-running days, we do a short run (1 miles or so) and then hit the weights or do other cross training. Eventually I'd like to run a little more on these days as well but not as much as the Monday and Wednesday runs.

What I love about this schedule is there are a few days with harder and specific goals to be met. On the other days the goal is to go do something. So, if I go into the gym and do something, I'm on track. And if I go into the gym, I'll end up doing more than I planned anyway. It gives flexibility to weeks where a running day is booked, so I can swap days, etc. Plus, I know that I have at least one day before I have to run hard again. And lastly, my heart and body can recoup a little so my next hard run will be successful.

Today we lifted weights and did lunges, etc. while watching The Biggest Loser. We were successful, but the best part was watching Simeon trying to imitate us. When we did lunges, he ran a step or two forward and then back. He laid on the ground next to Daddy and bench pressed his balloons. And my favorite was when he saw Cruz using his hand grips, he ran into the kitchen and came out with the can opener, opening and closing it like Daddy was doing to his hand grips. So cute! And really motivating. I was never interested in exercise as a kid and seeing his excitement to participate with us helps me remember some of the bigger reasons I want to become more healthy. I want healthy kids who respect and take care of their bodies. And I want to be able to keep up with them even into my old age. I'm always motivated when I see fit, hot women at the gym who are in their 50's and 60's and I think, "I want to be that woman." And I know I've got to start now.

Motivation

The biggest loser was and is so motivating to watch. It helped me get re-motivated. Mostly when they trained and completed a marathon (a full one) in 60 days. I thought, if they can do that, I can train for a half. I can have that kind of determination.

There are two main things I love about that show. First is that they show that weight loss and exercise are an emotional process. Facing the demons in their lives are vital to overcoming their weight problems. I have seen this in my own exercise and lack thereof. I had to get over a huge hurdle of negative self talk while I ran. When I did and started believing in myself, I could suddenly run four miles. Five miles. Six. Seven. And once I get warmed up, I actually enjoy it. My head clears and everything makes sense again. I become more motivated. It is actually calming. And just when I feel like I may not finish, I see my boys at the end cheering for me. Next hurdle . . . emotional eating . . . I'll save that one for a little later . . .

The second thing I love about the Biggest Loser is the part where the contestants go home for a few months and have to keep it up with all of their daily responsibilities, their jobs, their families, and being surrounded by people who may not be on the same boat as them. It's real life. They have to deal with the stress. And they have to work out relationships around them as people react to their weight loss, and not always positively. When one person changes, the people around them have to stop and reevaluate where they stand. I think about a few healthy changes or goals I've made. There's always a handful of people that say they're proud of me, or good job. Then most say, "Oh. I could never do that because . . ." thus excusing themselves from making the change themselves because for them it's not an option. And then there's another handful who flat out say "You can't do that. That's not healthy. You'll never do it." Maybe because they can't or they just don't want to deal with change. I still deal with certain people who are very in denial about the fact that I am a vegetarian. These people are usually the ones who also doubt my abilities to do anything physical as well. Interesting . . .

As for right now? I ran seven miles. I fell great about that. Now I am trying to get motivated to start running again as my shins are starting to feel better. Although, I am at a point where the plateau ends and I have to put forth extra effort to keep climbing. *sigh* Here I go . . .

Change is Hard

I've decided to do this all Pulp Fiction style . . . no, not spouting out Ezekiel while mowing down everyone. Telling some of my story of how I got here, and what's happening now. Other wise I'll never be able to write in the moment.


. . . So, after having my beautiful boy, I had no desire whatsoever to move quicker than a brisk walk. Ever. It took quite a while (like a year and a half) to work my way up to deciding (again) to do a half marathon. That was this last summer. I had to start from square one.

We started with running one minute, walking one minute (repeated for 30 minutes). I figured that I could do anything for one minute. The next week I ran one and a half minutes and walked one minute and so on until the wonderful day that I ran half a mile, walked 2 minutes and ran another half a mile, etc. I was so excited. I got up to 3 miles. Tough, but do-able. But there was a huge hurdle . . . the voice in my head. It's hard to do something physically hard when you don't believe in yourself and have to fight the thoughts in your own mind while convincing yourself to go another half mile. After all, I'm not a runner. I was born to make music, not run. Remember?

Fighting this battle each time made me dread going out. Plus my wonderfully supportive husband just flat out runs faster than me, so failing to keep up with his "slow" pace just added to the pressure I was feeling.

Then add teaching on top of that. I had to find time to go out and face those demons again and again. Running became an internal battle. I had to have energy to fight those thoughts and tell myself I could do it and to keep going, when I didn't necessarily believe it. All this while I was already physically and emotionally drained from teaching high schoolers and taking care of a toddler all day. So, I fell off the wagon. I went out once in a while but mostly just became a burden on my hubby who was trying to get us out and exercising.

As time went by, I started running by myself on the treadmill - no pressure, and with the distraction of TV. Running wasn't as much of a battle when the Simpsons were on. And then we became addicted to the Biggest Loser . . .



. . . So, things have been going really well the last few weeks. I mean, I used to run a total of 6-9 miles each week and now I run 16-17 miles each week. I ran seven miles on Saturday! SEVEN MILES! I can still hardly believe it. I'm halfway to a half marathon. We've been working our way up to it, with long runs every other weekend, and I've felt a lingering soreness in the side of my calves, but normal, right? I was pumped after my run! I AM pumped. SEVEN MILES! Monday I was all kinds of ready to do my bi-weekly 5 mile run, and then there it was . . . is it just me, or does it feel like someone is trying to tear my muscle from my bone? Yep. I'm officially a runner now. I have shin splints. Not too big of a deal, but scary for me. Why?

I am a big talker. I talk about doing all kinds of things. And I don't do them. I've resolved to do a half marathon twice before now and haven't done it. Things have been good, but what will a week without running do? I'm scared I'll fall into my usual pattern of getting out of habit and falling into my lazy, no exercise life style that I so easily become accustomed to.

And I think I have to find new shoes, even though I love the ones I have. And last time I looked for shoes, I looked for weeks and hated all of the ones I tried on. And what if I spend all this money just to get more shin splints or just hate the shoes? And will this add to my natural digression to having no desire to run again?

All silly, I know. But how many times to I get all excited about things just to quit? Too many times. It's time to change. And change is hard.

The beginning . . .

I've been thinking about writing all of my experiences working towards a half marathon for a while and then Jen put up such an awesome blog and, well, I want to be just like her.

So, I have to back up a bit. Okay, quite a bit.

I was born to make music, not run. That was my response throughout most of my school years to the fact that I avoided running at all costs. Even if I was going to miss a bus, I would contemplated whether or not I really needed to be on that bus or if I would rather walk to school. Weird, I know. I always loved walking. Running? No thanks.

I took PE because I had to. Summer school because it was over with faster. I understood the importance of exercise and would find a few little things that were fun but usually ignored it as much as possible. I was born to make music, not run.

In college (where I studied music) I suddenly found that my average not so thin, not so fat body was growing, and not in a good way. I had an on again off again relationship with the NAU gym for the following four years. Never consistent for more than a month or two. Although I did love riding my bike. These few bike riding years included the most exercise I had done in my life.

Then I got married to Cruz, an awesome man who valued exercise. Who even valued running. And this is where my story really begin.

He convinced me to start running with him. I would literally run about a hundred feet and then have to stop because I was so winded. I felt like ripping out my heart and lungs to give them more room. This went on for quite a while. I did work up to be able to run a little more, I never ran more than maybe half a mile. We moved to Tucson and continued our on and off running seasons and gym visits. Finally, a year after I first started running I ran my first mile. It was awesome. I realized that the trick was to control your breath, not hyperventilate.

We continued to run then quit then run then quit. One summer I finally worked up to 3 miles straight. I was motivated and excited to start running more. I had goals. A half marathon in Nashville. A hike in the Grand Canyon. A baby. What? Yep. I got pregnant. A wonderful life changing blessing that killed an desire to exercise whatsoever.

Cruz really worked hard at motivating me to exercise my huge pregnant body with long walks. It was good. I kept thinking, I'm going to start again as soon as this baby is born. I'll love running again. Okay, I'll at least like it again. I don't know if I ever actually loved it.

To Be Continued . . .