Lazy W Marie

Carpeing all the diems in semi-rural Oklahoma...xoxo

marathon monday: plot twist!

Okay, friends, happy Monday! Is it still Marathon Monday for many of you? For me, not so much, at least not in the literal sense. As part of the far reaching, ongoing global plot twist served up by the Corona Virus, our Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon has been postponed until October 4th.

It’s only postponed, not cancelled, but things are not necessarily that simple. The 12-18 week training cycle layered against the realities of summer travel (which I realize may or may not be possible either), hot and steamy weather, competing events on October 4th, and just the sense of abandoning all the progress I have made these past few months… it all had me spinning for a while. Some of my running friends have decided to forge on with current training then run “virtual” races on their original spring race dates, albeit most likely alone. Some people have gone immediately to maintenance running or less. I am probably going to fall somewhere in the middle.

 After wrestling with my options and kind of letting the dust settle, as my friend Jeff described it, I have decided to pause heavy training for now, despite how well it was going, but keep up the spirit of the plan in my own ways for a few months. Then by mid-summer I will reevaluate the October race.  

running, pile on the miles, lazy w, marathon training, run eat repeat

Last week would have been Week 13 of the plan, meant for really gaining momentum toward peak volume and the hardest workouts, but instead I was as glued to the news as anyone, devouring sugary trail mix, and consumed by a new sense of urgency about growing our own food (more on that later this week). I barely scraped together 35 miles and made a couple of pathetic efforts to get reacquainted with my baby hexagon weights, ha. My arm and back muscles were so sore afterwards that I thought for SURE I had the coronas.

Aches! Stiffness! General lethargy! Are these symptoms of the virus? Just kidding.

To say that I was distracted and unfocused last week is an understatement; but knowing this was a community-felt undercurrent helps me kind of package it up and set it squarely in the past.

I have sulked and scrolled Twitter and eaten extra carbs pointlessly for enough days.

Onward!

Here is what I know, regardless of whether or when I might race next:

  • Running is fun! It feels awesome. I hope to run for most of the rest of my life, and racing (for me) has very little to do with that.
  • So far in Oklahoma we are still free to run outdoors as long as we remain at a safe distance from other people, and on days when that does not feel like the right choice, I still have my 0.33 mile loop on the sandy hills of our back field plus my reliable treadmill. For these I am truly thankful.
  • Handsome and I suddenly have very little on our calendar outside of farm and garden projects, so running is less intrusive to our life than it sometimes is.  
  • Running is an excellent stress relief, it helps me feel energized and happy, and having a little weekly structure will help me keep a positive outlook.

So I will continue running a similar and fluctuating volume, 40-65 miles per week, but with the luxury of flexibility to make adjustments for real life priorities as needed. This is where my body feels best, where I can keep my energy up for a busy summer garden season and my jeans size down at a reasonable volume, and where I believe that I could easily join in on a spontaneous half marathon with no trouble.

I will also strive to vary my pace and distance daily, eschewing that dreaded “grey zone,” but not running hard SOS workouts as often. Maybe tend to some of the lower leg and feet pains I have been feeling lately. There is wisdom in getting leaner and fitter overall but saving some enthusiasm and focus for the upcoming summer cycle, if I dive into that. (The BIB is already paid for, and the race is local, so the thought of dismissing it wholesale makes me nauseous.)

Something I have been actively reminding myself to celebrate is how much progress I made from mid-January to early March, and that all stays in my body if I maintain it. That all stays in my mind, too, if I capture it.

The internalization of how each pace feels, the luscious union of breath and cadence, the swell of energy when you hit the fourth or fifth or eighth tempo mile. (It feels like riding the wave pool at White Water when we were kids.)

 I get to retain the times I won arguments with myself over whether or not to attempt something difficult, and the sourness of disappointment when I cut an interval a few seconds short. Both are instructive.

 I can hang onto the slow build of confidence from completing longer and harder workouts. The pleasure of fasted runs that cleansed me. Fueled runs when I overcame fear of food in my belly, ha! All of it. And if I understand the method as well as I think I do, the physiological adaptations are progressive. I have not lost much in just a week of mediocre activity, so I can keep my body healthy and maintain some stuff for a while then see what additional magic is available later.

Plus, before long, watermelons will be abundant, and that makes everything better.

Honest confession, I cried a little bit when the decision was finally made to postpone the race. But in the scheme of things, this is so small. We all have much bigger problems. I have millions of very real blessings to count, among them the pleasures and lasting effects of the past ten weeks. It is the training, after all, that changes us, not the race.

Take care, friends, and happy running!
XOXOXOXO

friday 5 at the farm: surprises this week

Whew, happy Friday!! What a great week this has been!

Since last I wrote, between and among all of our beautiful daily routines, several delicious little things have happened. Taking note of some of them feels really good. (When the exact opposite things might happen, the negative versions, we would complain, right? So let’s celebrate the small victories and pleasures.)

001 My first November fartlek run felt easy: 8 miles total at 9:31 average (1 up/1 down, 6 in the middle just casual intervals) Ahhhh you guys it felt really easy and I had so much fun. Had that day been less hectic I would gladly have started earlier and tried several more intervals. Anyway, it was kinda messy but overall a decent pace, and it didn’t tax me at all. The day before I had run 10 easy, so I was happy to be zero tired. Progress. Another type of progress, also kind of a surprise: I had to skip running two days in a row this week (Wednesday and Thursday) just due to life obligations, not a lack of motivation, and I was conspicuously un-bothered by it. At least, less bothered than I would have been not long ago, ha. Learning to keep the long view and keep running in balance with life is a sign of emotional progress. (And you can bet that getting out the door this morning to grab ten solitary miles was like pay-day, ha! Super refreshing.)

On Sunday we were surprised by a cluster of hot air balloons above OKC, so beautiful!

002 An unplanned visit from Jess! On Tuesday afternoon our youngest texted asking if she and her (very sweet) friend Mercedes could come to the farm for a visit. They arrived just as Handsome had pulled the truck and trailer in with a load of winter hay, and both young women jumped right up to help. They kicked and shoved with their strong legs four mammoth round bales onto the ground, all the while keeping Meh and the horses held off. Then we played with Klaus (of course) and caught up with each other. These girls are so smart and such fun conversationalists. We all four ate a dinner of baked chicken, roasted butternut squash soup (yes please let’s add a drizzle of coconut milk!), simple green salad, and buttery French bread, toasted. Jess and Mercedes stayed after dinner to play a board game, and we all had a blast. Such a happy surprise for us.

003 Lunch with Handsome at Lido in the Asian District, OKC. We used to eat here pretty frequently years ago but hadn’t been in so long. On Wednesday we found ourselves in town at the same time and he had just enough of a window to eat, so we ducked in and it was great. I had a bowl of vermicelli rice noodles with chicken. It was on top of a big pile of shredded lettuce and had carrots, mint, and crushed peanuts. Delicious. I love when unfamiliar restaurant food is flavorful and filling without a ton of syrupy sauce. And I love surprise lunch dates with my guy.

Also, three cheers for piping hot jasmine tea! So good.

004 Water tank repaired two whole days early!! That is a very happy surprise when you are excited to get caught up on laundry, ha! The repairman was scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday), but earlier this week he advanced our appointment to get ahead of a possible snow this weekend. He spent most of Thursday replacing our ancient well pump and the house water tank, and throughout the day he taught me a lot about how our rural water system works. It was pretty interesting. Klaus assessed the situation as training for when he finally gets to attack an intruder. He used his big boy voice. A lot.

005 Our first true cold snap surprised me. We have already had some cool nights and chilly, breezy afternoons the past month or so, but yesterday and overnight into Friday morning we felt the first blast of truly cold air. That autumn air that is so cold is tastes sweet and almost smells like something else, and certainly, when you catch a whiff of wood smoke from someone’s chimney, that perfume is stronger in the cold. Our kaleidoscope-colored oak, pecan, and maple leaves are abandoning their branches and drying to a crisp on their way to the ground. Already I am raking or sweeping up great oceans of them twice a day. But there is beauty even in the trees’ increasing bareness, and the cold means more soups and thicker socks and that deep sense of rhythm that the winter holidays provide. I’m ready. Tonight our heaters are on and my flower pots are indoors. 

Related: I saw the above tee shirt at Old Navy and it is my motto for a few days. Starting next weekend, our calendar is packed all the way through to the New Year, so this weekend I intend to crate and hold some space for breathing and stretching and being cozy. I want (NEED) to gear up for the season in some quiet ways. Soak up some details. There is some winter nesting to enjoy.

After I run. : )

Any surprises in your world this week? Are you fully invested in the season change now?

Thanks for checking in!! 

“The moments of happiness we enjoy
take us by surprise.
It is not that we seize them
but that they seize us.”
~Ashley Montagu
XOXOXOXO

 

 

 

 

motivation monday: october wrap up

Hello, and happy Monday! Today I am posting a recap of my October running, mostly for my own records and to distill what went great and where I need some work. Overall I met my (extremely simple) goals. If any of this is useful to you, then Happy Motivation Monday!! If you have some advice for any parts of it, feel free to share. Thanks for reading, friends. 

Most Exciting Workout:

Of so many great workouts this month, it was hard to choose a favorite. But Sunday, Oct 14th is it. That morning I ran a mildly fasted (I had eaten well the day before, just no breakfast) and spontaneous half marathon all by myself, at a pretty smooth pace (9:38 average). I didn’t set out to run that long, but it felt great! Every mile felt better and better, and I had some spare time, so eventually, I just went for it. It’s far from my ultimate time goal for 13.1, but considering I did this with no breakfast and no hydration or calories along the way, I’m excited. It gets me thinking of what is possible when I am properly fueled. And I had gobs of energy all day after that! It’s crazy. Adaptions are happening.

Worst Day:

I tried running on the very first day of Shark Week* this month, and I paid the price. My other symptoms had been so mellow leading up to “Day One,” I thought surely a 6- or 7-mile easy day was possible. But I struggled through 2.5 then walked another 1.5 while talking myself out of a pity party. Ha. It’s fine. I went home and poured my limited physical energy into other things and counted my blessings that a difficult run was the worst of my health challenges. Then I moved on with my life.

Longest Run:

Wednesday, Oct 24th: 15 even at Lake Hefner, with Mickey bicycling beside me. This was actually my longest run in several months, and I was pleasantly surprised by not only a steady pace (9:46 average) but by the fact that I was not really tired afterward. Nor was I the least bit sore the next day. Like, overall, it felt just like an average 8/easy day. Big thanks and high fives to my friend for keeping me company!! The miles went by happily, and I got to hear so many great stories about his life. I hope we do that together more often! 

Fastest Overall Run:

Early on Sunday the 21st I surprised myself by running a little over 8 miles at an average pace of 8:47. For me, that is pretty snappy. I rode endorphins the whole rest of that fine day, which we spent driving Klaus up Route 66 and doing a little hike, just the three of us. Then we had a very special dinner with our Sperrys, and my heart was so full. (My trick that day was knowing that I only had about an hour to run, so I just crammed as many miles in as possible, then rounded it out to 8, ha!) 

Special Meals Worth Sharing Because Food is Fuel:

I continue to favor my weird “warm breakfast salad” over cold protein smoothies for post-run nutrition. Chilly mornings just beg for something cozy, you know? It’s oats cooked with spinach and zuchinni, topped with two eggs. Bam. Love it.

I am also loving big, crisp apples and roasted peanuts, chicken breast sandwiches for lunch, and veggie-heavy soups and pasta dishes at night. Some roasted veggies with sticky rice is great the night before long runs. Yes to gorgeous salad bars, always, and salads at home get topped with warm stuff like roasted acorn squash and mixed with kale for substance.

I cannot seem to eat enough eggs and peanuts the past few weeks. I do not understand why. Oh! And crepes. Jessica invited me over for brunch one day, and along with the most beautiful salad ever, she made us a big platter of warm, thick, chewy, eggy crepes. So perfect and delicious. We opted for savory over sweet that day. I am so proud of her and her cooking confidence and artistry.

Horrible Mistake I Will Never Make Again:

Last Monday evening we were out at a costumed event later than expected and just decided to grab some late dinner at Taco Bell. Taco Bell, friends, around 9:45 p.m. This is not my life.

I ate one of those “power bowls” with steak and some tortilla chips with very very very spicy homemade salsa. It was all delicious, but I had let myself get too hungry. I slept okay then early the next morning tried to run with my speedy friend Sheila.  It was not fun. My meal was not digested yet. I had to cut the miles short and walk back to my car. Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb LOL! 

Fresh Running Lesson:

Vertical Oscillation had already been on my mind when I ran with Mickey that day at Lake Hefner. While bicycling behind me, he observed that with each stride I circled up too much (think, Tigger the bouncing tiger, or maybe an elliptical machine instead of straight-forward motion). Mickey offered a couple of form suggestions, which I tried. Immediately my posture streamlined and my next couple of sprints were at my max speed without any extra effort. It just clicked. Amazing! I practiced the toe-roll for several days after that and think it is helping me waste less energy. Thanks, Mickey!

Weather Considerations:

From heavy rain all month to a surprise tornado one day and constant temperature swings, our autumn weather has kept local runners guessing. I braved the treadmill just a few times, enough to see that my boredom endurance is abysmal, haha. I have some serious mind callousing to do, you guys.

Anyway, I am so thankful to have met my October goal with so many days that could have gone very differently. And the season change has been breathtaking to watch. I am not at all complaining. Oklahoma has not seen this much color and such high water levels in many years, and the early morning skies, my gosh. I am in love with it all. Just incredibly thankful that so many miles were enjoyed outdoors, which is my favorite.

Little Extras Still Happening?

Yes, mostly. All month I did the dynamic warm-ups faithfully, and I stretched a little after each run, but maybe not enough. I grabbed 8 baby weightlifting days and about as many yoga sessions, but I could be more disciplined with that. Some core work and deep stretching in the evenings are probably in order, too. It’s just a matter of finding sustainable habits.  

Total Miles: 223.1

These miles were mostly easy effort, long run pace, super relaxing, and happy! My October goal was 220, just 10% up from September. It felt pretty effortless, so I am thrilled.

Well over half of my miles were past this exact tree. I watched it change colors every week. So beautiful!

What’s Next? My goals for November are to:

  • keep my energy way up and my discomforts way down so I can enjoy a month of both running and holiday festivity
  • eat more mindfully, not like I am in a panic all the time, ha!
  • run 180 miles (a little step back) including two hard Hansons workouts per week
  • lift somewhat heavier and more often (maybe every 3 days)
  • yoga yoga yoga yoga yoga

I am super curious how much progress I’ll see from strength training and coordination drills. After that, I will be a stone’s throw from my “Run the Year” goal of 2,018. Wahoo!! 

What’s new in your fitness and wellness universe?

 

*Shark Week, for this blog’s purposes, shall always refer to a woman’s natural reproductive monthly cycle. And “Day One” is the worst day for me. I feel like you knew that already. But thanks for following the asterisk.

motivation monday (err tuesday ok): GOALS and VALUES

Intimidation or Inspiration?

All summer and especially last week, lots of my local friends and online acquaintances have been running stand-out races. Big marathons, big goals, fast times, strong bodies. Just amazing, motivating stuff. And after simmering in envy for too many weeks, this most recent rash of other people’s accomplishments has left me feeling great.

I finally feel relaxed about my personal timelines and not at all panicked. Studying, for example, how many years some people have spent working hard at their goals is a huge encouragement for me. I have time. And, I don’t mind admitting this, seeing the price some people pay in pursuit of those goals has been eye-opening. It helps bring my own values into focus.

As with anything in life, it helps to know that each of us has our own set of unique goals, and we should tailor them to our unique talents, lifestyles, and resources. It all just reinforces to me that I need to get honest with myself and focus on some goals that would bring me authentic joy while aligning with my core values and resources, which might differ from the people I have been emulating. I need to focus a little more on what I am doing with my own running and overall fitness, with less comparison to the rest of the world.

 

So I spent some time marinating these things and came up with a short list of goals and values that are genuine for me, in no particular order:

GOALS that are both measurable and long-term

  • Run a sub-4 marathon. I have no clue how close I am right now. And I am a little scared to find out. My focused training weeks this year went well, but I have not progressed much overall, just making small adaptations month to month. My mileage base is strong, so there’s that.
  • Also, qualify for Boston (for my age group that would be about 12 minutes faster than my sub-4 goal).
  • Run a half marathon really close to my brother’s time. (Dream big ok!!)
  • Finish this calendar year by running 2,018 miles EARLY. Take some downtime around Christmas. Only 424 miles to go!
  • Win the Olympics. Ha. And while I am at it, write a best selling novel so my husband can quit his job and we can spend the icy months at the beach. Ok.

VALUES, methods I want to observe along the journey:

  • Continue carving out time for lifting (baby) weights in order to feel really good, improve bodily function and strength and stay injury free. Even when it means sacrificing miles.
  • Evolve my diet safely and sustainably so I can live in a more fat adapted state (Primal? Maybe?) and curtail diabetic symptoms. 
  • Eat well (I feel my best when I eat great food and enough of it) but live life fully with my people, never dieting, not “fueling” constantly or pretending to be in a running vacuum. Perfectionism is a pitfall. And I am so tired of trying to lose weight. I just want to feel good every day and trust that healthy habits work in my favor, long-term. I love pizza and cookies once in a while. That has to fit in.
  • Overall health and balance, pursuing a good, ongoing sense of well being without overuse injuries or emotional burnout. 
  • Keep my running in harmony with the rest of our busy life, not living constantly in a strictly scheduled “training” mode, which leads to burnout and imbalance with friends and family. This means maybe one run per weekend right now, knowing that could change once marathon training starts.
  • Schedule more excursion runs with friends and family. “Iron sharpens iron” and also, it always turns out to be so fun. (I generally resist because I feel slower than everyone, I always have to pee more often haha, and I definitely treasure the alone time. But social runs are good for us too.)
  • Races are exciting and I am enticed by the competition, but they are less important to me over time, in the scope of things, so long as running and other healthy activities can remain a part of my life. I recognize that I need to spend less time and energy agonizing over how many races and fun events I am missing. 
  • Maintain the JOY of running!! I think anything we do for too long at an almost obsessive level can become work, and I want running to be a joyful part of my life for the rest of my life, if possible. So I am happy to allow some breathing room.

To remember my friend Robin’s advice, it’s great to look to others for inspiration, but once that begins to feel like intimidation, it’s time to look away.

Look at a baby kangaroo instead. 

Wish me luck and maybe some wisdom as I sort out exactly how all of this translates to weekly and monthly plans. I definitely do better with at least a skeleton plan and short-term goal or two.

Speedbump:

Something funny is that this morning after I drafted this blog post, I headed to the lake for a speed workout. As I was parking my car, my phone started flashing and buzzing tornado warnings, and the sky turned black. Instantly. I drove the nine miles home through blinding rain and straight-line winds, got the animals safe and happy, and watched the weather on television for two hours instead of working out. I was mad for a while but was able to pull out if it, reminding myself that this is life. Life (and certainly weather) does not revolve around my plans for the day. Also? It’s fine. It really is fine.

Someone in one of my running groups recently posted that an altered workout is actually good for us, because not only does it build mental tenacity; it also keeps our bodies guessing a little bit and makes us stronger in new ways.

Ok. Over and out. Thanks for coming to my TED talk about running goals and values and how I worry about missing out on stuff. 

It’s Fine!!
XOXOXO

 

 

6 running lessons from September

Hello, happy October!! Can you believe it? Does it feel like October to you yet? I still keep thinking it’s June, you guys. Our gradual shift in weather is beginning to convince me, though, and I am actually happy about that. I am on board with the ever-so-slightly cooler temps, the terribly slow-changing leaves, and a few pumpkin recipes. I feel grateful for how gently this new season has arrived.

I’m checking in to review fitness goals, etc.

September was a strong running month for me. I feel great overall. And along the way, a few good lessons were reinforced to me that you might find useful, too. 

001 Those Little Extras are Actually Big Essentials

I am fully convinced that the following rituals and healthy habits have not only kept me injury free since springtime but have also enhanced my general sense of well being:

  • dynamic warm-ups before each run (just 5-7 minutes)
  • deep, slow stretching after each run (breathe light into your muscles, haha!)
  • lifting weights 2-3 times per week (at MOST, and I am talking BABY weights, for maybe 20-30 minutes per session)
  • doing focused core strengthening and one-leg balancing moves when the mood strikes (your core includes a lot more than those flat upper abs, haha! Get strong in your lower belly, hips, & glutes to see a major improvement to running power as well as foot health.)
  • running in a fasted state more often but replenishing with a lot of nutrition pretty soon after a workout
  • spreading protein more evenly throughout the day
  • foam rolling my legs and massaging my feet while watching tv at night
  • YOGA (although I only did it a few times this past month, every time I did yoga it felt luscious and I was reminded to do it more often)

please enjoy my messy weights corner of the laundry garage xoxoxo

002 Adaptation is a Slow, Beautiful Process

What fun that some things that used to be difficult for me, now feel way easier. I am in love with that rush of energy from sprinting an 800m repeat until I can barely feel my feet, or of completing a solid tempo run with energy to spare. Chipping away at a mileage goal is great, but feeling the actual differences in my body is the big thrill. Not too long ago I was scared of certain SOS workouts that I now get excited about. And this will sound ridiculous, but the stronger I get, the higher up to my hip bone I can feel those long leg muscles. That’s crazy. Ha.

003 Quality of Thought is Just as Important as a Healthy Diet

I cannot tell you how many times last month I was having a pretty great run and nonchalantly allowed my thoughts to slip into a sad memory or a frustrating life problem or melodrama, and my body nearly shut down. My legs suddenly felt heavy, my heart rate spiked, and I became hyperfocused on my Garmin, which (naturally) was giving me lots of negative feedback, and it all would make me crazy for a few minutes. 

The funny thing to me is that, sure, running is not always about performance. Often we get out there just to feel better emotionally. And on those, days, I might let my heart and mind wander a bit more and indulge in some crying while sweating. But even then I do try to reign it into a prayerful conversation with God, rather than just have a pity party. And on those days I make sure to set the intention of “slow and easy, mellow effort, low heart rate, focus on relaxing.” It helps. 

On the days I need fast intervals or just want to feel strong and capable, I focus and keep my brain in a very happy lane. I keep the reigns pretty tight on my imagination and also select music and podcasts carefully to avoid a surprise bummer.

004 Inspiration Beats Intimidation

My friend Robin gently reminded me of this a few weeks ago. I have a good, natural tendency to cheer other people on with their goals. It feels great to me and also helps me stay connected to loved ones, like my little brother who recently crushed his half marathon in DC!! And I just love learning from other people’s journeys.

But since I am not personally racing any time soon, and also I am not the caliber of runner most of my friends are, I will sometimes get that dreaded “FOMO” and start thinking loser thoughts about myself. Robin helped me restore my positive attitude. She gave me the vocabulary to draw inspiration from others, rather than allow myself to feel intimidated but their accomplishments.

I love that. And I love Robin.

005 Small Efforts Add Up

This past month I ran a total of 205 miles, but never more than 13 in one day, and I stayed plenty busy the rest of my life too, while not running, ha! The month felt really easy. I think it’s noteworthy and exciting that we can gently increase our running volume each week (each day) while staying active, productive, healthy and happy in the rest of our beautiful lives. For all of September, I never once felt so drained that I could not do my housework, farm stuff, gardening, or hanging out with loved ones. I’m thankful for that. Just a good reminder that a little extra each day, especially at an easy pace, adds up.

006 Gratitude Always

Every single run, even the ones when I tripped and bloodied my knees and elbows, ended with giving lots of thanks. And I think it matters.

Thanks for every single mile, for the health and strength to do it, for the freedom and safety, for the financial means to buy good shoes and have a car that drives me where I want to run, for the abundance of time to do something I love that greatly enhances my health, for the emotional release of it all, the mental sharpness and alone-time therapy running provides, the weather and scenery, just everything.

Sometimes after a run, I would thank God for answering my worries about a family member or for urging me to do something that day which maybe had not been on my radar yet. He talks to me, and I feel connected in these solitary hours. I am super duper, very extremely thankful.

What do you think of these lessons? Do they ring true for your running or for some other part of your healthy life?

October has already started strong for me, with a 10-mile easy run yesterday and 8 miles with my friend Sheila today, which included a really fun fartlek workout and breakfast together afterward. I am excited to chase a few goals leading up to Halloween, and the “run the year” finale is well within reach.

I have no idea about races any time soon, but whatever life brings I’ll hold these seven lessons close along the way.

Happy Running! Happy Everything!
XOXOXOXO