Marathon weekend!

And no, I'm not running. 

People know I run, so when there's a big running event in town they ask me if I'm running. I feel a little sad answering "No, not this year." I was evaluating why I feel sad, even bad, about this response and I realized that it's because I assume I'm disappointing them in some way. Please don't misunderstand, I don't live life assuming I'm that important in other people's lives. I know that they don't leave the conversation thinking "Wow, what a disappointment she is." (At least I hope they don't!) Regardless, the feeling of worry is still there. It's always there, no matter what I do, I assume I'm letting somebody down. What a sad way to look at the world. That can't be the reason why I run. 

So here it is, self...whether or not I choose to run, I'm doing it for me. (Repeat as many times as necessary) 

The Menace

I've debated for some time whether or not to blog about this. Generally, I like to keep my blog about my running adventures, but there comes a time when I just need to write. In the past couple of years I've encountered a growing problem, a menace in my life. Early on I had difficulty believing that such a menace existed, it was easier to think I made it up in my head. But recent events have shown me that there really is an issue. The hardest part about this menace is that I defended her initially. I stood up for her when others attempted to warn me. Naively, I hoped it would be different for me. I was wrong. 

In an effort for full disclosure, here is the menace in my life:

Sure, she looks cute and innocent in this picture, but don't be fooled. In about 9-10 years from when this is was taken she will reach "that certain age" and nothing will ever be the same again. 

***TMI WARNING***

This blog is devoted to "women's issues". Do not continue if you don't want to know. I'll give you a topic to discuss in the meantime: The peanut is neither a pea nor a nut. And go...

Are they distracted? Good. I'll continue. 

Humans are strange. The response to the hormones of other humans is also strange to me. Yes, yes. I know I have a degree in science, but you're missing the point. The lovely, spunky little girl pictured above ends up hitting puberty. All of a sudden, I have another female in the house and I swear we are synchronizing. Even her just mentioning that her period started awakens my uterus. Thanks for the extra week of cramps, kid. :-| I was curious if menstrual synchronization was a real occurrence among cohabiting females, so naturally I turned to the internet, the source of all knowledge and truth. I learned three things: 

1. I didn't know how to correctly spell "menstruation"
2. I didn't know how to correctly spell "cohabiting"
3. I get bored easily when reading scientific articles (Yes, yes. I know I have a degree in science)

What I know from personal experience is this: two moody females in the same house at the same time is particularly hazardous when said females are mother and daughter. The eye-rolling alone is epic. But how much of it is crazy hormones flinging themselves wildly around the room and how much of it is part of the mother-daughter experience? I think the key in dealing with these changing dynamics is to be aware that the dynamic exists, regardless of scientific internet confirmation. Human interactions and relationships are complex. The way the individual reacts to the flux in hormones, emotions, feelings, moods, external influences, and whatnot is as varied as the individuals themselves. Today I'm learning to embrace the dynamic of our relationship... "Mom, I used to think that you really liked lecturing me"... Tomorrow's a crap shoot. I hope to embrace each day keeping in mind a phrase given to me by the menace herself: "Congratulations on acknowledging your feelings!" She meant it in jest when I told her I was feeling angry (about a situation not involving her), but there's a good reminder there. It's better to acknowledge the feeling exists, than to bury it deep only to explode about it later. Now to just remember that the next time my lovely menace and I are fighting for the role of Queen of Hormonal. :)

***END OF TMI***

That's correct! The peanut is legume! Though the above statement might not be considered entirely true because the pea is also considered a legume! Other examples of legumes include alfalfa, clover, beans, lentils, lupins, mesquite, carob, soybeans, tamarind, and the woody climbing vine wisteria. Like nuts, peanuts are a great post run treat (provided you don't have an allergy). Enjoy! And happy running!

Which runner are you?

I think I'm a little bit of all these types...

http://www.fitsugar.com/Types-Runners-GIFs-31795369

Happy running! :)

Pennies from Heaven

When we got home today, my 8-year old exclaimed, "Lucky day! A penny! And you walked right by it, but I saw it. Yay!!! One day I found TWO pennies! And then there was like a month when there was a penny outside every day!"

If I could bottle his enthusiasm and innocence and sell it, I'd make a fortune. Heck, I'd give it away. There are enough people out there who could benefit from that level of pure happiness and positivity. 

Waiting on my maybe

I didn't want to fight traffic to get new running shoes, but I had been putting it off for too long. My shins have started hurting after running, which is usually my sign that I need new shoes. Plus, the blister I developed during the marathon has not gone away. It probably doesn't help that I'm running in the same model of shoe further allowing the developing callous to get bigger and more bothersome. So off I went to Road Runner Sports. No more telling myself, "maybe this pair is fine. I'll run in them one more week and go next weekend", it was time for new shoes.

It's been awhile since I've been fit for shoes, and never at RR. They have a "perfect fit" program in which they evaluate your arch type, how you distribute your weight, and how you run barefoot on a treadmill. The treadmill running they video so they can examine your gait, how you point your toes, and how flexible your Achilles is. For me, it was quite the practice in getting past my self consciousness. First of all, I was not dressed for this activity, coming straight from work. I was in a skirt, a cami with a breezy top over it...my mom picked it out for me for my birthday :)... and flip flops I keep in the car. I was probably quite the sight running around the store in what I had worn to work. Then there was my laundry list of all my current aches and pains, including said callous, which the guy who evaluated me (Fit Test Guy) brought up and examined before he showed it to a different guy who fit me with the shoes (Shoe Test Guy). Hello! Did I mention I was self conscious? Fit Test Guy also had to touch my feet to mold custom inserts. I don't have a problem with my feet being touched, but I'm not sure I would want to do that with someone I didn't know. Also, running barefoot on a treadmill when I'm not in running clothes, hearing the loud pounding of my feet on the tread had me cringing. But not as much as when he showed me the playback on a huge flat screen monitor. Panic! There were my legs and feet on display for everyone in the store to see! No one seem to be pointing and laughing though...

Anywho, Fit Test Guy would show me examples of the different categories and ask me which one I thought I was. For the arch evaluation and pressure test, I went in assuming they would come back and tell me I had high arches. When I was in College Part 1, I worked in our black box theatre. One summer, I spent an entire day painting sets. I was barefoot and in overalls, my work pant of choice as a 19-year old. Since we would paint the floor after the set pieces were done, I wasn't exactly careful about paint on the floor or my feet. Toward the end of the day, one of my bosses, Jeff, came to check my progress. When he saw my footprints he was surprised at how little of a print my arch made. He regaled me with stories of his mother who also had high arches resulting in easily broken feet in her old, frail age. Wonderful! Something to look forward to! At any rate, I wasn't surprised when Fit Test Guy showed me my arch evaluation. For this portion of the test, I had to stand on a gel mat that was linked to the computer. I was asked to stand evenly with my hands at my side. The computer showed a topographical rending of my step. Fit Test Guy asked me what kind of arch I had. I responded that I had no arch because that's what it looked like. My step didn't look like a footprint at all, it was literally just the ball of my foot and my heel. There wasn't any imprint from the side of my mid foot. So he decided on a supportive shoe. I also am a bit unbalanced (in how I stand, wiseguys...). I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with that information, but it could be why my IT band gives me problems. Fit Test Guy iterated the importance of rollering and stretching my IT.

The treadmill running showed that I turn the toes on my right foot out just a little bit, and I have flexibility in my Achilles. Is the flexibility good or bad, I have no idea. After Fit Test Guy molded the inserts, he handed me off to Shoe Test Guy, who chose shoes based off of the recommendations of Fit Test Guy. (Size 8-wide, in case you wanted to know.) Shoe Test Guy brought me four shoes to try:

Brooks Ravenna 4 (Which I loved! And bought!)
An Asics model (Which I traditionally don't care for)
A Nike model (Which I've never run in and would feel like a sell-out...don't ask me why...which is ironic because I like their running clothes)
A Saucony model (Again, never run in, but don't have a problem with the brand, just didn't care for the fit)

The Brooks were the first pair I tried on and they felt great. Shoe Test Guy helped me with the lacing since he was flabbergasted that I slipped in and out of my (now) previous running shoes without lacing. Shoe and Fit Test Guys were bother flabbergasted that I was still running in the Mizuno Wave Nirvana. "They don't even MAKE that shoe anymore!" I bought the molded inserts too, but need to get the right one adjusted. It feels like it's pressing into my arch too much. Overall, I had a positive experience at Road Runner Sports and would recommend them to others. Since my purchase, I've had a couple chances to run and I'm SO happy with my new shoes! They don't rub wrong on my callous and my legs have been much happier. Now I know, no more waiting on a maybe! Replace the shoes! Happy Feet and Legs, happy running! :)

0.35 miles

0.35 miles doesn't seem like much. I could run that distance backwards in heels if that was all I was running. However, on a hot day when the humidity is a million percent (actual recorded value...sort of), and I'm trying desperately to finish a 7 mile run so as to not be too behind in training, 0.35 miles seems like an eternity. At the beginning of a run, 0.35 miles is barely a scratch on the surface of a long run. But when I've stopped to take a breather and a swig of water a gazillion times (I stopped counting at a billion, so this number is approximate), I might as well set up camp for the night when I'm 0.35 miles from home. 0.35 miles is not an impressive distance by any measure, but for me it was the difference of a 6.65 mile run, and the 7 mile run I was targeting. My total time was not impressive by any measure, but my total time was for the full 7 miles I wanted to cover. The amount of stopping I had to do was not impressive by any measure, however I ran with my inner yogi in charge, understanding my limits in that moment, in that space, at that time, at those conditions. I even stopped to smell the roses, literally. I consumed so much water that I ran out. Twice. I was able to stop once to fill up at a public drinking fountain, but I neared the end of my supply again...0.35 miles from the finish. I was hot. I drank. I dumped some over my head. 0.35 miles until I'm done, I thought. I can do this. Motivation was low. Then I heard a question. "Can I get you some water?" A man had stepped out from his house, in front of which I was stopped. "It's just tap water." I assured him that would be fine and thanked him profusely. "My name is John, by the way."
"Thank you, John,"
What John may not realize is that his simple act of kindness in the gift of water did more than quench my thirst. It motivated me to finish those last 0.35 miles. And not only did I finish, I finished with a smile on my face.

Me

Maybe someday I won't consider being a highly sensitive person a negative attribute.

16 Habits Of Highly Sensitive People

Aggravation

Until recently, I had not fallen prey to a fast-fix gimmick. I don't really know what changed this weekend that I decided to order a weight-loss product, when, after all these years, I've refrained. Okay, okay, I did buy some Hydroxycut a couple of years ago but I didn't last a week trying it. It made me too jittery and nauseous. At any rate, Sunday evening as I read this "news article" in a "women's health magazine, I realized that I HAD to order a "free trial!" of an appetite suppressant. But wait! It only works if I also by the cleanse product as well. It will be so easy, just take an oral dose twice a day. There's no need to change my diet or exercise program! The belly fat will melt off! The woman who was "lucky" enough to evaluate the product for her magazine wrote that she lost 10 pounds in two weeks! She was finally at 121 lbs! Her before picture, at an apparently "huge" 131 lbs, and after picture, 21 lbs later, were all the proof I needed. I grabbed my credit card and ordered my free trial. After all, I only needed to pay for the shipping and handling! A 30-day trial for both the appetite suppressant and the cleanse for only $10 shipping? Sign me up! I haven't even started the trial but I can already show you my before and after pictures. Ready?

Here they are...

Before

After

Look at that sour expression! And I haven't even started the program! If ever there has been a gimmick to annoy me out of ever falling for a gimmick again, it's this one.

Let's review the fine print:
30-day free trial is actually only 14 days. If I don't cancel after 14 days (from ordering, not receiving) and return the unused portion, my credit card will be charged $80. A month. Until I cancel.

But wait! There's more! I get to also pay the shipping to return the product!

And as if that weren't enough, today I received my very! first! phone call! Oh joy! They just needed to confirm my shipping information, even though the products have already shipped! Oh, did I ignore the email about the free 21-day trial with live body coach?? Sure I'm not interested, but they'll go ahead and email later that I activated the program! Oh goody! I get to call and cancel that too before my card is charged another $20/month!

Even with all of that, I think the icing on the gimmick cake was when I told my little antidote to two of my coworkers, a kind of "Silly Julia" story. (Yes, I overshare at work. I don't learn THAT lesson either.) When I said I would have to return the product as soon as I received it, one of them commented, "Or you could still take the pills."

After-after

Oh, I am just as pleased as punch right now. I think I'll go for a run.

Homework

For the past two weeks I've been doing my homework. Now it's time to seriously commit to it. Not for glory, or accolades, or magic fix-its (to which yesterday's run can attest)...but to make it part of what I do. To make it a habit. To train with purpose. To achieve a goal. Then another goal. And another...

Happy National Running Day!

http://www.runningday.org/

Yay! Running!

"I feel like I've been running, because I did."

It's the wisdom of an 8-year old. "I feel like I've been running." [pause] "Because I did." 

My hip was achy yesterday. I couldn't place why until I remembered, oh yeah, I ran 3 miles yesterday evening. It's frustrating to have only 3 miles cause my hip to ache. It's frustrating to have my pace be slower than a year ago. It's not unexpected, given my lack of training, but it is still disappointing. A recent entry in my Runner's World daily calendar stated the following:

"Live in the now. Seven-time Western States camp Scott Jurek focuses on the moment to get him through rough spots. 'I tune in to my breath, technique, and my current pace, and I stay away from what lies ahead,' he says. This is especially helpful when 'what lies ahead' is another 99 miles."

I'm in a rough spot right now. Not because of 99 miles to go, but because of how far behind in training I am. However, now is not the time to dwell on last year's pace, or last year's progress. It's time to focus on my running right now, in this moment, at this pace. Time to give myself more opportunities to say "I feel like I've been running. Because I did."

My two left feet

I looked down after putting on my socks and saw this:

Huh. Oh well. That's how my running of late has felt anyway, like I have two left feet.

 

Stumbling

Bumbling

Fumbling

My running isn't smooth. It isn't fast. It isn't long. Right now, running is as much an exercise in patience as it is an exercise of my body. I feel frustrated, sore, weak, fat, and slow. Still, I pull on the shoes and go. Because it won't get better if I don't. 

Bounding!

Runner's World Daily Calendar Entry

Once or twice a week, in the middle of your regular workouts, bound from foot to foot for about 30 meters. Maximize your “air time” while minimizing the amount of time each foot spends on the ground. Cover more distance with these bounds than you do with your normal strides.

I'm a big fan of the workout ideas in my Runner's World daily calendar. Actually implementing them is a whole other story.

Enter my Little Man.

Right now, my 8-year old is interested in running. He ran in the Grim Mile last June. He also ran a 5K with me last August. "Remember when I beat you, Mommy?" he often says. Kids... [insert eye roll] Since he'd like to participate in both of these events again, he's started running with me. Yesterday, he ran a mile with me to a local playground then played on the swings while I ran rectangles around the park to finish out my 3.1 miles.

Here's the thing about running with a kid, while he gets tired by the end of the mile, he rebounds quickly. So by the time I was done with my additional 2 miles, he was ready to go again. I had purposely decided to run the 2 miles around the park and have us walk the mile back to the house because I assumed he wouldn't want to run again. I was wrong. The resulting journey home convinced me of one thing: my workouts should be more kid-like, that is I should make a game out of them.

The rules of Little Man's game were simple...on the "lighter colored" sidewalk squares, run through them trying to just take one step on each square. Extra points were awarded if you had minimal steps leaping across driveways. Stopping and jumping from square-to-square was also allowable. The points system was a little arbitrary and difficult to follow, but, to be fair, he is 8. At first, I watched but didn't participate. Then I remembered the above calendar entry from over the weekend. I realized that really what my son was doing was bounding. And it didn't seem like such a "workout" to bound with him. I'm fairly certain that the folks working in their yards were probably amused watching a grown woman leaping down the sidewalk after her son. But I'm also fairly certain that looked a lot less strange than if I did that on my own. Either way, I had fun and got some extra exercise in. The points were tallied and I'm sure I didn't earn as many as Little Man, however I've already requested a recount. Results pending... ;)

Heartbeat

I refused to believe it was possible. Still, not wanting to be in the dorm bathroom in case I was wrong, I walked over to the science building to where I knew there was a private bathroom. Three minutes later I looked at the result. 

Positive

My heart stopped. 

And then, the floodgates

I wandered the campus until I ended up at my voice teacher's apartment. I had worked for Christine for two summers in the Upper Penisula. She was an opera singer, a soprano, with presence and confidence. She was also a no-nonsense woman. "Well? What are you going to do?" she asked in response to my tears. 

I still refused to believe. 

A couple more tests, including bloodwork at the on-campus clinic. 

All positive

More tears

The nurse practitioner was more gentle when she asked, "Have you thought about what you'd like to do?" For me, there was only one choice. 

As I laid on the exam table in the clinic, my mind swirled at the realization of my abruptedly altered course. I was twenty. I was scared. 

The nurse squeezed some gel on my abdomen and moved the probe around. At first it was just the echoing sounds coming from me but she quickly zeroed in. 

A heartbeat

My heart stopped.

The next months were a whirlwind of emotional stress and life changing decisions. Through it all that little heartbeat that didn't belong to me stayed strong. She grew. Steady. Healthy. Beautiful. 

What I didn't know when I first heard her little heartbeat, so fast and determined, was how it would grow into such a strong and generous heart. How she would learn compassion and love. How she would give her heart so easily to those she cared about. How she would open herself up making her own heart vulnerable. She grows. Steady. Healthy. Beautiful. 

Her heartbeat changed mine.

Day 8: 1 minute 10 seconds

I hadn't even put the car in park today after arriving home when I heard, "Mommy, we could run today!" That's right, my Trusty Sidekick AKA Little Man was at it again. Last summer he ran a 5K with me. This year he wants to run it again, but I want him to be better prepared. So I begrudgingly changed my clothes to take him outside for a run. Together we ran 0.54 miles at a 10:54 pace. Not too shabby. He was talking the whole time, so I think he could handle a faster pace. After dropping him off, I went out for a solo 4-mile run. Oh my goodness, was I ever slow. Geez, apparently going from only running once a week to running 4, 3, Leandro leg workout, and another 4 in 4 days makes for very tired legs. I trudged through, reminding myself that each workout makes me stronger. Then I completed a 1 minute 10 second plank, trying to focus on supporting with my abs, or as I call them, my flabs. Baby steps.

Someone remind me that with dedication, it will get easier...

Day 7: 1 minute

My Little Man wanted to do a Leandro Video with me yesterday, but I told him I was only running and would do one on Monday. I said he could join me if he wanted to which he responded with an excited "Okay!" When I got home from work today, I was tired. I hadn't slept well the night before, waking up in the middle of the night with a headache, and I just wanted to lay on the rug for a few minutes. No sooner did I get comfortable when Little Man said, "Oh! Mommy! Don't forget...Leandro video! Should I put my shorts on?" I sighed and told him yes, I was going to change as well. We did the 40 minute "High & Tight" legs and glutes workout, with me occasionally correctly Little Man's form. Then I did my 1 minute plank (Day 7!). A big thank you to my Little Man for holding me accountable to working out and reminding me that all Superheroes need a Trusty Sidekick.

Day 6: Rest

Day 6 is my favorite day thus far...rest day! Woohoo! I did run 3 miles though. I was sluggish and (again) regretting how I have gotten out of the running habit. My legs feel good, it's my lungs that hate me. Feel free to promise me that it will get easier again. 

Anyone? 

Anyone?? 

Day 5: 1 minute

It is GORGEOUS outside! Winter has been long this year...long, bitterly cold, and incredibly snowy. Yet today, TODAY was sunny and mild with a slight breeze. I needed a nice day today. I've had cabin fever, no life fever, and I haven't been consistently running. So before my 1 minute plank, I ran 4 miles. I averaged 10:17 overall, though each mile was slower than the previous. My legs felt good however my lungs were tight and my side had a stitch in it. I had a side stitch during last Sunday's run which is why I've taken up the plank challenge. It was so good to get outside and push myself a little bit. It's already April and I haven't run much and have competed only once, in an 8K. Thursday I get paid. Time to start planning some more races and adventures. 

Enjoy the great, big world, Friends. Cherish the good moments. Stay strong through the challenges.

Always,

SuperJuls

Day 4: 45 seconds

Seriously, 45 seconds should not feel this long. Not when I've trained for and completed a marathon on three occasions!

27 days to go 

Tomorrow is a full minute

I can do this

Plank Challenge Day 3: 45 seconds

Oh

my

goodness

I'm not sure about building up to a 3 minute plank when 45 seconds was hard. Three minutes feels impossible.

I didn't run last night. After dancing with kids, feeding kids, cleaning up dishes after kids (they quickly disappeared after eating...), and shooing kids to bed I was spent. When my 2nd-grader asked, "Can you sleep in my bed? Just for a couple minutes??" I couldn't resist, promptly fell asleep, then stayed there all night. Good thing I had done my 45 second plank.

Goal next week: Bring running clothes to work and run before heading home.

The Challenge: Day 1 & 2

Thirty day plank challenge!

I'm already off to a rough start because the first plan I looked at had 20 seconds on days 1 and 2, not 30. D'oh! That's okay. At least I'm trying, right? Right?? I also ran a quick 2 miles on the treadmill yesterday. Followed by a few hours of last minute running around for the 8th-grader's academic fair project. More of that tonight in additional to other responsibilities translated into only the plank. However, tomorrow is a new day and I have some fun new running adventures on the horizon for which to train. Plus in 30 days I'll have a stronger core to help with better running!

Full steam ahead!

This isn't an April Fool's joke...

I'm back!