marathon monday

motivation monday: sustainable fitness, marathon training, & florzilla quips

June 14, 2016

Hello friends! How long has it been since I shared anything fitness or health related? Several such posts sit here in draft form, but over and over again I feel like my thoughts are either repetitive or useless. But today! Today I feel a small, welcome personal epiphany and also have cause to mark the calendar, so let’s chat.

First, the calendar. As of today I have exactly one month before marathon training begins for the November Route 66 race. This will be my first time running in the hills of Tulsa, and I am already excited!

One month means… Four weeks to tighten up my eating habits. (So that I’m not dieting but fueling for energy the way my own body likes it.) Four weeks to enjoy the freedom and flexibility of running when I want, for however much I want, at any pace my legs see fit, or just for fun. Four weeks of spending workout time and energy on other pursuits, if I groove to. This past spring while regaining fitness from that ankle sprain (it is still swollen actually) I fell in love with hiking and barre. Yoga has proven to be much more than stretching, too. Plus we have been extremely busy at the farm, which burns both time and calories. So when my weekly mileage is low, it’s because I have been indulging in these other wonderful activities.

Okay. The idea of sustainable fitness is what’s been the small but welcome epiphany for me.

The other day I was wallowing in a custom blend of self-pity and frustration, all about how in five months I have not lost more weight. Five months of watching my food intake, running between 10-21 miles per week, dabbling in strength, etcetera… And my gosh drinking so much water!! I don’t even put sugar in my coffee anymore, haha! (Cue pitiful violins.) So I looked at myself that particular day and freaked out, thinking why hasn’t all this effort paid off better? The answer came almost instantly. Your effort has been medium at best. In addition to all of those great habits (and they are habits by now, truly) I have also enjoyed heaps of popcorn while watching movies, said yes to pizza and greasy Reuben sandwiches and ice cream with friends, eaten salty chips and salsa for lunch more often than I want to admit, and generally allowed myself more easy days than not. So, okay. Honesty with yourself is good. Maybe a touch of acclimation in there, too. Our bodies get used to the status quo.

More importantly, though? In the midst of those healthy-not healthy habits, in the midst of that balance, these four things are very new to me, and this is my proof that I have finally found some sustainable fitness:

I feel comfortable enough with myself to take a fun Hula-Tahitian dance class with strangers or go swimming at a public pool or run in shorts out in public, etcetera, without worrying one bit. Just have fun. Way less self-conscious, way less annoying.
I know that I can keep all of this up indefinitely, that this is my easy-effort baseline even among a hectic schedule, and it’s all fun! I am eating and moving in ways that make me feel really great, whether or not any of it fits a certain plan. The confidence that I can keep myself healthy no matter what is going on in life and without being obsessive in the kitchen is a wonderful gift.
These months of experimenting with different eating habits and exercise options have taught me a lot about my own mind and body. So much. I believe more strongly than ever that each of us has a unique chemistry that asks for a unique blend of diet and exercise and that maybe women especially have fluctuating needs week to week (the moon affects more than the garden!). For this reason I have dropped out of all 90-day challenges. I resist all those cute graphics on Pinterest. You know what I’m talking about. Calories and macros are- ehh- well the jury is out and aggravated. On a related note, I have been weeding out social media accounts that exude any negative or confusing vibes about health and happiness. I still have goals, but knowing what methods work best for me is wonderful!
The things we do to promote our health should be our servants, not our masters. Unless we are in a health crisis, or once we have a grip on things, they should be negotiable parts of our schedule that support a life well lived, not roadblocks to living fully. Does that makes sense? I’m not suggesting that we make excuses to be lazy; only that sometimes we seek a broader view of the world and of how we live in it.

So. I have not lost a million pounds since January. So what. Maybe that was unnecessary anyway. I might have changed measurements but don’t really know because I have been focused on other priorities, which is the best part of a hiatus. What is certain is that I am a bit stronger and way more flexible than I was when I sprained my ankle and had to halt marathon training before it really began. I feel sleeker overall (same weight, more muscle) and more energetic for sure. Having worn a Fit-bit for a few months, I know what times of day I am most tempted to be lazy; and by tracking my food scrupulously I know when I am most likely to eat junk and what that junk is (it rhymes with Florzilla Quips.)

yoga with klaus

With all this glorious perspective, that custom blend of self-pity and frustration is so silly and unwelcome. The progress I have made is more emotional than physical, anyway; so maybe it will be more long-lasting. I wish the same for you, if you need it.

Okay! Happiest possible Monday to you. Thanks for listening, and I hope your goals and methods are serving you really well, with so much love.

“I really don’t think I need buns of steel.
I’d be happy with buns of cinnamon.”
~Ellen DeGeneres
XOXOXOXO

marathon monday: coping with the cold

January 11, 2016

Hey friends, how goes your health and fitness goal seeking? I sure hope you are feeling strong and positive and loved. All of that is more important than whether you’ve lost any pounds or shaved off any minutes yet.

I feel pretty good. Running more than what I did over the holidays, eating better (with one decadent exception this weekend) and overall just treating my mind and body more lovingly. Less internal ridicule, more nourishment of every kind. You know, the good stuff! Still… This month has been so cold and wet in Oklahoma that from time to time all I want to do is cuddle up with snacks and books or movies and not move very much. Just… Hibernate. You too? Since hibernation will not help me reach any goals except temporary comfort, I have slowly adapted a few daily habits that are helping me so much. That’s what I’m sharing today.

coping with the cold sticker

Hot, belly-filling meals like soup. Lots of homemade soup. Several pots each week filled with a variety of raw vegetables, beans, lentils, lean meat (cannot get enough chicken breast lately), leafy greens, you name it. Also as much garlic and cayenne pepper as I want. This is SOUP-er satisfying, haha. : ) Fortunately I have had really good luck making recipes that also please my non-rabbit husband.
Hot Tea. The after-Christmas internet is still filled with eye candy like perfectly styled cocoa bars and creamy lattes, but those are not great habits. And diet soda makes me even colder. Instead, I have recently fallen for big mugs of piping hot plain black tea, sans milk and sugar. Friends, this is a small, cozy miracle. I still drink my sweet, creamy version of Perfect Coffee early in the early morning, but in the afternoon a heavy dose of strong hot tea provides not just warmth but also caffeine, and it helps.
Schedule Earlier Workouts. This is so key for me. I have found that if I don’t get my miles, etc, in before lunchtime, then I am likely to miss the day’s workout entirely. It’s just how life goes around here. The afternoons get stacked up for a variety of reasons (often Handsome surprises me earlier than dinner time, or the animals need something or I have errands) and then BOOM! It’s sunset. No after dark trail running here. And this may be weird, but I am too self conscious to run on the treadmill upstairs unless I’m alone in the house. I know, lots of oddities in this post. Anyway, making a conscious effort to grab that workout early in the day is an effective strategy. And it keeps me warm and energetic for hours besides keeping me on track with the week’s plan.
Move more throughout the day, way beyond prescribed workouts. It’s so tempting to finish a workout, shower, and bundle up in soft, comfy clothes and just be warm and sleepy all day (see hibernation notes above). But instead, if I get dressed to work outside more, despite the mud, or maybe just stay active inside the house for most of every single hour, then I always feel better at the end of the day. Do you agree? Yoga, extra strength moves, more energetic housework, whatever. My favorite lately is a burst of walking and running with Klaus. He loves to play in the snow, so we go clockwise around the pond and back field a few times (because I am weird and cannot walk the same direction I normally run). The fresh air feels amazing even if it’s cold and even if there’s not much sunshine. It’s all about building positive inertia in your body.

I’m happy to have been chipping away at my wellness goals since early December. Marathon training is kicked off and I feel happy. Even in the depth of winter.

What strategies have you developed to cope with the cold?

“The future lies before you,
a field of fallen snow.
Be careful how you tread it,
for very step will show.”
~Unknown
XOXOXO

tuesday catch up for motivation monday

December 8, 2015

Yesterday I was on the rusty, jagged edge of cranky and was rude to our microwave.

Thank you friends for your silly and encouraging notes on Facebook after this little outburst, haha! xo

Today I feel light years better. I woke up early, fully rested, happy to see our Christmas lights twinkling on the shiny clean wood floor. In a couple of hours after finishing chores and running again (FINALLY) I expect to feel like myself again. Here is a super quick health/fitness update that I would have posted for Motivation Monday had I the motivation to do so, haha:

The first week of December was okay. Not spectacular, but not a disaster either. I only did a 30 Day Shred video once and ran 12 of the 30 miles I’d set as my goal, but really, what was I thinking for such a busy week? On the plus side I did eat mostly healthy food and learned or was reminded of a few important lessons:

When you eat to fuel your running you had better run, haha! Otherwise you feel fluffy and cranky. I can only speak for my own mind and body, but too many bowls of cereal/pasta without the attendant miles just makes for a weird chemistry. No bueno.
Vitamins are great but an iron supplement (for me! Check with your doctor!) is crucial. I cannot believe how flimsy I feel after a week without it. I came very close to fainting three times last week, which surely had something to do with not mustering the oomph to run or hang out with Jillian Michaels.
Choosing a focus sets our perspective. I have to remind myself of this a lot! It is so real. What we perceive we believe. Thoughts manifest themselves, etcetera. (Just don’t bother telling this to Mitt Romney.*)
Five days off feels like an eternity, especially when unplanned, but it is not quite the fitness Armageddon you think it is. Just shake it off and start again. Stop making such a big deal of it. (I honestly expected to have gained a thousand pounds, or at least four or five, over this super weird weekend, but I gained zero and actually feel pretty normal as I type this.) Remember that not exercising can let your appetite relax, too, so you know, relax.

Unrelated to this post but still cute: A few days ago I was brushing Chanta and Handsome snuck up and plopped Geoffrey the barn cat atop Chanta's ample back. The End. xoxo — Unrelated to this post but still cute: A few days ago I was brushing Chanta and Handsome snuck up and plopped Geoffrey the barn cat atop Chanta’s ample back. The End. xoxo

What do you have on tap for December wellness? I really would love to hear. Do you feel that paying attention to your body helps your mind, and also vice-versa? Do you notice that negative thoughts about yourself can trigger a dip in activity or a downward spiral in productivity at work?

I mentioned last Monday that Monica might be offering a December challenge, and she is! I am a week behind of course, but it’s simple and fun and totally worth diving in. Check it out here.

Happy Tuesday!

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.”
~Benjamin Franklin
XOXOXOXO

* Oh hey! If you don’t get this Mott Romney reference, check in later this week for the story. Especially if you know Handsome in real life you will get a laugh.

motivation monday: why I’m not waiting until January

December 1, 2015

I sat down last night and typed out a little summary of how things are going in my pursuit of health and skinny-ness, and it felt super redundant. I even asked my husband his thoughts on my sharing it, and he thought I was weird for even asking. Then Facebook showed that “On This Day” exactly a year ago I had shared almost the exact same thoughts on my blog. I mean, you guys, the seasonal stuff does tend to repeat itself, but you would be laughing right along with me to see how similar these two posts are.

Anyway. So last year I wrote this and last night I wrote almost the exact same thing. No need to share them both. Instead, here is what was on my mind this morning during my run:

Why I am not waiting for a New Year’s Resolution to focus on my health:

What are your thoughts on this? Is any part of wellness on your radar right now, or in the back of your mind is it something you’ll take care of later, or in January, or eventually when the stars align? What is it about your goal that makes you think t’s better to wait?

Thank you for posting this Dorothy Beal! http://www.mile-posts.com/

Just some food for thought, friends. I finally know for myself that treating my body really really well affects a lot more than how I look in jeans and bikinis. It affects my mood, my outlook on life, relationships, mental acuity, everything. We are not meant to live separate from our bodies, after all, and accepting that the body and spirit are deeply intertwined has allowed everything to make so much sense for me. This understanding makes the short term payoffs of diet and exercise much more valuable, so that the continued effort can bring those long term results, you know?

Anyway. Above are my five reasons for starting now. Here are my five strategies for December:

Run more and with greater variety in my workouts (30 miles per week, add some speed work).
Adding strength exercises a few times each week.
Watch junk food, obviously. But focus on eating all the vegetables I can find!
Sleep, water, and vitamins. I keep a gallon jug of water in my fridge and make a point to drink it empty by bedtime.
Yoga or deep stretching once a week. Three cheers for YouTube!

I’ll be checking in here every Monday this month to make notes of how these five guidelines are serving me. Rumor has it that Monica may be hosting a fitness challenge this month again, so that may be fun too. In November her motivation helped me run most of the 100 miles I promised, despite a hectic farm and family schedule.

Do you have some ideas for wellness in December? I would love it if you checked in with me here on Mondays, just to encourage each other.

“He who takes medicine
and neglects to diet
wastes the skill of his doctors.
~Chinese Proverb
XOXOXOXO

marathon monday: a super fun runners’ quiz

July 6, 2015

Howdy! Happy Monday-After-a-Holiday! We had an amazing weekend here at the Lazy W and are ready for everything these new days bring us. Work that matters, good food, Shark Week on TV. All of it. I hope this finds you healthy and motivated for a fresh, new week yourself.

Today for Marathon Monday I am snagging this fun idea from Janae, the hardcore, effervescent, and really speedy Hungry Runner Girl. It’s just a running quiz. 20 easy questions. A fun way to get better acquainted with each other aaaaaaannnnnnnd perhaps motivate Yours Truly to get back out there for some much-needed miles. Let’s do this.

1. Would you rather run along a beach path or on a mountain trail? I’d love to go on a nice, long run that includes both, but if you’re making me choose then I’d take the mountain path for sure because hills are what I crave most. Then I’d drive back to the beach with a book and a cooler full of icy diet coke to recuperate.

2. If you could choose the flavor of Gatorade at your next race’s aid stations, what would it be? Do they make cherry limeade flavor? That sounds delicious.

3. If I gave you a $100 gift card to a running store, what would be the first thing that you would purchase with it? Compression socks (dying to try these) and a new phone case/arm band, hopefully one that is tight enough on my skinny arm. That is, assuming I already have a fresh pair of great shoes.

I am in love with Brooks Pure Flow. Running shoes are literally the only garment in my life for which I care about the label. And I care about it a lot. So much.

4. Do you prefer to follow a training plan or wake up and decide then how far and how fast you want to run? I guess a plan is best. I have enjoyed this recent hiatus and the freedom to enjoy other types of exercise, but life is so busy that not having a running-training plan often means I just don’t run, no matter how much I want to. Back at it this week though!

5. Would you rather start your run with the uphill and end on the downhill or start your run with the downhill and end with the uphill? The latter. Start downhill to build momentum then climb-climb-climb!

6. When you can’t run, what type of cross-training do you choose to do? Elliptical, lots and lots of yoga, and different HIIT videos with light weights (15#). I like Jillian Michaels lately. Also, 8-minute-abs and time with the foam roller. Although those barely count as “working out,” they do feel good and make a difference in my body.

7. What is your preference—> Out and back, point to point or loop runs? Oh man. Every type of run has its joys and benefits. I started a couple of years ago with millions of tiny loops, so I know that works for me. But I do find myself craving out-and-backs a lot. Especially in beautiful new locations.

8. If you could recommend ANY running related item to a new runner, it would be —> Good shoes as soon as your budget allows (see above). And good earbuds for music, too.

9. Do you ever see any wild animals while out on your runs? When I run here at the farm, of course, I see the llamas out back. They’re not wild but they are curious. Sometimes I see deer in the adjacent forest. Once the buffalo got out of his pen and was wrecking everything while I was running in the back field. The horses tried to get my attention for this but I was in the zone and not easily distracted. That was a scary way to enter the barn, all full of endorphins and still listening to loud music. And I am still keeping my eyes open for Oklahoma’s Sasquatch.

10. Ever gotten lost while out on a run? Thankfully, miraculously, no. Which is amazing because getting lost while driving used to kind of be my jam. (Ask Handsome.) I once went running wild in the downtown streets of Austin, Texas, and up and down the river there, and even located coffee afterwards and then my hotel room with no problems. Yay for GPS!

11. If you could have one meal waiting and ready for you each time you got home from a run for the next 30 days… what would that meal be? I love this question. My answer is: watermelon, cottage cheese, and a dark green salad loaded with raw, crunchy veggies.

12. Capris or shorts… what do you run in most often? Capris when I am in public and shorts when I am alone.

13. At what mile (or how many minutes) into your run does your body start to feel like it is warming up and ready to go? I usually feel stiff and caged in for the first mile, fussy and clumsy the second, and marginally better by the third. I think it’s always mile four when I actually feel like I’m warmed up and ready to start working.

14. What do you do with your key when you run? I loop it through a snap on my phone case and just keep a death grip on the whole thing. I recently tried tying it in with my shoelaces but was a nervous wreck the entire run, constantly checking to make sure it was still there. Every little stick or pebble I kicked made me think the key was gone forever. Very distracting! LOL

15. If you could relive any race that you have done in the past, which one what it be? Hmm. I don’t know about relive, but for so many reasons I would like to redo this year’s OKC Memorial Marathon, my second full. I made tons of mistakes. Then again, it was such a valuable learning experience. So no, let’s leave it alone. Instead, let’s relive that Zombie 5K obstacle course that was so much fun! Before our starting gun, a zombie sprang out of the woods and terrified me so bad I bolted ahead of my running group, alone into the woods. It was pretty funny and set the tone for the whole race. I had a BLAST. And I think it was in 2014, just a week after my first full, which was a good run, so I was still feeling really strong and happy. Yes to reliving great memories.

16. What type of run is your least favorite type of run? Any run, no matter the distance, when I feel like I am in a rush to finish because someone is waiting on me or there is a tight schedule. It stresses me out and makes me feel guilty for running at all. I often skip a few planned miles just to get back home. Which puts me in a bad mood. For this reason I tend to grab my miles after my most important chores are done but as early in the day as possible.

17. What has been your biggest motivation lately to get out the door to get your run on? Slimming back down (I gained some weight during this past marathon training) and just plain ol’ stress relief.

18. When you go for a run, do you leave right from your front door or do you drive somewhere to start? If I run here at the farm, it’s a short walk downhill to the back field loop. Otherwise I drive between 8-10 miles to one of a few different nearby tracks. We have amazing hills in our area that I crave so hard, but it’s just not safe to run straight-out. Because, you know, Sasquatch.

19. When running in daylight—> are sunglasses a must or an annoyance? A must. For sure, must. If I run at daybreak or sunset, even if I don’t really need sunglasses, I still feel weird without them on my face.

20. When you get tired, what keeps you from quitting? I hate that feeling of having not completed the miles I said I would. Another reason the training plan/commitment is effective for me. My friends on social media may tire of it, and for this I’m a little bit sorry, but it definitely helps me stay on track. No pun intended. : ))

Okay, that was fun! Now if you are a runner, please answer some of these questions below in comments! I’d love to know more about your style and habits. It’s so interesting to me. Thanks for sharing these questions, Janae!

Now I am off to do those most important chores and grab some miles before the week gets hectic. Hope your Monday is fantastic.

Run while you still can.
XOXOXOXO

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