motivation monday

motivation monday: running not racing & a good lesson learned

April 24, 2017

Hello and Happy Motivation Monday! I would love for these Monday posts to be all about marathon prep, but since last we spoke on this topic things have changed. I am still running, just no longer training for any upcoming event.

Not that this kept me from enjoying last week’s Boston festivities! Between watching progress of local friends running it and reading tons of runner-bloggers’ recaps afterwards, I was full to busting with BQ inspiration! Maybe one day.

Okay.

You might remember that shortly after Valentine’s Day I was super happy to have discovered Kara Goucher’s 10-week half marathon training plan, the one that allows for all kinds of flexibility and cross training, and the one that incorporates more speed work than I was used to? I actually found it the night before the ten week plan would bring me up in perfect timing for the OKC Memorial weekend. Which is this coming weekend already!!

Friends, this plan has been great. For the first five and a half weeks I had a blast! And I was already seeing results, believe it or not, like faster sprinting, gobs of delicious adrenaline while running hill repeats, a little bit of surprise slimming down, and just overall an abundance of energy day after day without eating enough food to feed nine teenagers. A big priority for me this time around was to get ready for a race without depleting my energy and cutting corners around the farm. Things were going well. I was so happy.

Until I hurt myself a little bit. It wasn’t the plan’s fault.

Somewhere along the way, especially as the weather improved, I got a little addicted to tacking on extra miles and gradually started neglecting the all important core work and strength moves that Kara Goucher (and my smart friend Christy and all good, decent runners in the world!) recommended. I maaayyybe did some mellow stretching after each run, but zero dynamic warm-ups and maybe one or two 8-minute abs video per week. Even fewer cross training days. That is not enough, you guys! Although my energy was better than ever, I threw my body out of balance. A minor foot discomfort translated to some sort of compensatory twisting and a painful blister, which was exacerbated by speed work and eventually resulted in ferocious leg cramping, which showed up one other fine day as a true knee pain and some limping. All on the left side.

You know that old song, The foot bone’s connected to the knee bone! The knee bone’s connected to the hip bone! Etc? Well it’s true. Haha

First my husband gave me a killer massage to eliminate the knots in my calves. That hurt so much I actually cried, but it felt wonderful too. The next day my knee was still pretty bad off, so I rested almost completely for one week (it also happened to be my Shark Week, so… cranky!). Eventually I added in some long walks and yoga then more yoga and some strength exercises, understanding that stronger supporting muscles would help my joints.

I should have been doing yoga and strength exercises all along, remember. These are actual elements of Kara Goucher’s 10-week plan!

Most of these activities during week 7 felt great, or at least they helped me believe I was helping the situation, haha. Little by little I was able to move comfortably throughout my days as long as I elevated my left leg at night.

But I still wanted to run, and I still wanted to try for a fast half at the OKC event. It just did not seem like my left side was bouncing back to normal quite on schedule. So I reluctantly decided once and for all to not register. My procrastinating ended up saving me some money.

Since this Gigantic Learning Experience Disguised as a Bummer of a Situation began almost three weeks ago, I am now markedly better. I am running again, albeit much more slowly, and am up to about 28 miles per week with no more than 8 at once.

I am using the extra time to do more deliberate cross training and yoga. Lots of yoga. A woman in a local running group said that yoga is what cured her of a similar complaint, and although it took her a few months to recover she has had zero problems since. This is encouraging! And I am grateful to at least be able to run again so soon, even if I am dropping out of the OKC Memorial fun.

There will be another race, always and obviously. Zero to be sad about. (I keep telling myself this.)

Dinner one night recently was a giant green salad topped with lots of raw veggies, grilled tilapia, and a mango seasoned with this heavenly stuff. Have you tried it??

So going forward I am trying to keep it simple:

Eat as much good, beautiful food as I need to have energy all day long, with a special emphasis on produce (see above).
Run just 5-8 miles per day without the pressure of speed work right now, maybe one longer run on Fridays if I feel good.
Make strength and yoga a priority several times per week.
I have a short series of dynamic warm-ups memorized now, and the whole thing takes only about 6 minutes, so no excuses.

No events or deadlines or measurable goals for a little while, just a healthy life until I am 100% lusciously recovered and at peace with some things in my head. Maybe by summertime I will be happy about looking for another race. (My half-marathon time goal, by the way is 1:45. I don’t have a full marathon time goal right now but want to run one soon, when I feel strong about it, not sloppy.)

Misguided urgency can be the enemy of progress.

If I can not just run consistently and keep my time and energy balanced with the rest of life, but also keep my mind and body strong and happy, then I will call every bit of this a lesson well learned.

A big part of the pleasure here is learning for ourselves what strategies serve us best. And every person is unique. Servant not master, right?

If you are running any of the OKC Memorial events this coming weekend, I wish you all the best!! Our weather forecast looks gorgeous, and it is such a fun, loving community tradition. Enjoy every second and know that I am rooting for you.

“Take care of your knees, Mom, your knees love you!”
~My daughter, avid cross country runner, age 21,
giving me advice and permission to rest
XOXOXOXO

motivation monday: weeks 4 & 5 recap & keeping a confidence journal

March 28, 2017

Hello, happy Monday! I am ready to get all over this new week ahead. Let’s recap training weeks four and five and talk about confidence.

One of my favorite features of Kara Goucher’s half marathon plan is that she encourages you to keep a “Confidence Journal.”

CONFIDENCE JOURNAL: I keep a log of my runs and workouts. But I also keep a small “confidence journal” and I keep it with me. I write down workouts or runs that have gone particularly well. Or workouts that were hard, but I was able get through. Flipping through the journal when you start to doubt yourself is a good way to confirm you’ve done the work. In many ways, you’re just asking your body to do what you’ve already done.

I have for a long time been tracking my food and miles and along the way paying attention to how different habits make me feel, both physically and mentally; but often this becomes a critical inner dialog about how things could be better. How it’s never good enough, you know?

More miles, faster miles, cleaner eating, stronger core, better stretching, everything. Nothing wrong with that exactly. We all are trying to get better at stuff. But focusing only on room for improvement can erode the long view and stall progress.

I don’t know about you, but my inner voice can be pretty discouraging. I should be using it to motivate myself. Positivity matters. You guys know that gratitude is a big deal to me, being actively thankful for the gifts and blessings we are given. Now I am just tacking on some active confidence. Just noting the things that are going well, small accomplishments that make me feel closer to my goals. I groove it. My goal right now is to run a half marathon in well under two hours, without dieting. Ha. Yeah, I need to build up my confidence.

Anyway! Confidence Journal. I urge you to keep one. It feels silly at first, kinda like Stuart Smalley talking to himself in the mirror, but on the days you need a little boost, it’s great. So much healthier than scanning social media and slipping into the comparison trap.

Week Four Recap: 35.8 miles total, plus barre twice, some abs and yoga, and one really short but really fun day of “hiking.”

Highlights: On Wednesday that week the prescribed workout was called “Ice Cream Sandwich!” LOL. It is basically speed work book-ended by tempo miles. Friends, that was so much fun. The first 2-mile tempo (8:25) was easy and fresh feeling. The speed work in the middle was truly exhilarating! It felt like flying uphill! (400x repeats at a 6:45 pace!) And although I had trouble on the second tempo getting up to speed, I felt so happy. It’s true that you get a completely unique physical sensation from running “fast” (whatever that means to you) than you do from running long and slow. Both feel great. Total that day was 7 miles exactly.

“Most of training is just teaching your body to be okay with working hard – and setting the bar a bit higher. A workout will make you sore, but that’s okay. It just means you’ll be that much more ready when race day comes.” – Kara

Short, easy, refreshing hike with hubby and friends at Mt. Scott. This really made me crave both a cool weather, challenging hike in Colorado and a hot summer’s day in Oklahoma.

Week Five Recap: 41.9 miles plus barre once, a tender knee, a sky-rocketing metabolism, and lots of mental clarity. Last week I needed running to smooth out the extremes of life, and it worked like a charm.

Week Five Highlights: I was happy to get my mileage up a tiny bit in the midst of stress and noticed that “easy” paces are gradually improving, all while my heart rate is nice and low. I also liked making running more of a scheduled priority than I had the past few weeks. This past week l felt better mentally and physically, despite some tough family news, which of course oozed good vibes into the rest of my days.

Another highlight from week 5 was grabbing a Saturday morning run with my friend Robin. I don’t run with other people very often, and every time I do, I wonder why I don’t make more of an effort. It was so lovely. The miles (3 alone then 8 with her, average pace of 10:01) clicked by like nothing. Runners are fun people.

Side story: The day after our easy run, Robin ran a spontaneous half marathon and PR’d! She hit the time I have set as my next goal, running just by feel, which gave me the best little thrill of encouragement. She is also quickly approaching the Boston Marathon, so send her all your good vibes. She is currently one of my favorite running inspirations.

In the midst of so many great workout days, week five did present some eating challenges. Ha. Hello life stress and a really fun social outing. Thank goodness for a cranked up metabolism!

Thursday evening we attended Oklahoma City’s 30th annual Chefs Feast benefiting the Regional Food Bank. The food was amazing and plentiful. I ate like a… Well… I did not go home hungry.

This photo was snapped after two solid hours of grazing. No longer able to suck it in. We had fun!

Then on Sunday I let some negative household vibes and funky weather get me down and made less than stellar food choices, on top of not running. No biggie. I woke up Monday morning with some tummy regret but am thankful to know exactly how to deal with it all:

RUN. Run and focus on the positive stuff.

Over and out.
XOXOXOXO

grading my month of running

January 31, 2017

Hey friends, happy Tuesday! Big warm thanks to everyone who sent their love and wonderful comments on my post this past Sunday. Reading your words both here and on social media made me feel even more alive with hope. Know that I am sharing all of that loving energy right back with you! Also, I want to share that God is already moving in visible ways. We are actually pretty excited to see what will happen next.

Okay.

I have lots of gardening updates, manure management ideas, big family news, and books and movies to discuss, but there’s time for all of that wonderful stuff later. Soon, in fact!

Today I am linking up for the first time with Marcia and her friends over at Marcia’s Healthy Slice to share some thoughts on how this first month of the new year has been going in the running department. Let’s go.

tuesdays

You might remember I launched this month with a positive attitude toward health and fitness, reflecting on the many benefits of training for but not running a marathon. Then I took stock mid-stream and set a short term goal of un-fluffing myself from the holidays. I have been eating better, running more consistently, and throwing in plenty of yoga, both aerial and traditional. Just kinda getting back in a groove. I feel great body and mind. Here is my January mileage:

Jan 2-8: 16.5 (Just getting warmed up) plus some cardio barre at home and one aerial yoga class

Jan 9-15: 38.47 (Feeling better! Following an online running camp, more on that later!) and aerial yoga

Jan 16-22: 26.9 (Some schedule interruptions, no biggie) plus extra yoga at home

Jan 23-29: 34.57 (Enjoying faster paces and a lighter appetite) no aerial yoga this week again but lots at home

January total: 116.44 (I start my weeks on Mondays and will tack on yesterday’s and today’s miles to my February weeks.)

I’m happy with this as a start to the new year, because all of it together helped me feel more like myself, and just as importantly all of it together stayed in harmony with the rest of life. At no point did I feel like making my running a priority interfered with farm work or family time; and at no point did I feel like eating better (more vegetables, less bread, cereal, and sugar) was part of a deprivation or “diet” mentality. I just feel amazing eating certain things and moving more. Bonus? I am un-fluffed already. Back down to my pre-Christmas feeling and weight, not that weight matters so much. It’s just amazing to me how doing things that feel so good can be so productive. So profitable. At this easy, sustainable pace and with the right attitude I know I’ll soon be where I want to be, bikini-wise.

Okay. Marcia invited us to grade ourselves for January.

I cannot in good conscience give myself an “A,” only because I had set slightly higher mileage goals each week and missed them. But I will take a “B” for balance, haha. While I am following the Hal Higdon Advanced I Marathon Plan as a structure for workouts, I have not yet committed to any spring races. So it’s important for my mental peace to just use running as a tool right now and not let it become an obsessive taskmaster, you know?

I mean at least for now. ; )

Check back with me late March and see how that’s going, ha. Or ask my husband, yikes.

Speaking of my husband, he ordered me some new compression socks. I feel like the pink Power Ranger when I wear this pair:

pink socks C

Another thought along these lines: I have been craving this phrase: running volume.

It’s one thing, I think, to tack miles on here and there, or to prep all week for one long run then recover in bed lazily, especially in these winter months. But I have had such a deep need to run more every day, you know? For example, if my plan says I need 3 miles, then I want 5. If it says 7 miles, I want 9. And so on. Every day I wake up feeling this. Just crank up the volume.

Once your body is warmed up, after all, you are just another 18 or so minutes away from that many more miles, and they certainly add up in a week. I tell myself this at the end of each prescribed run and make little bargains with the part of my brain that is pulled to move on with other jobs, like, “just keep going, 18 minutes is no big deal, you spend more than that much looking at social media!” Since I am rarely exhausted, just thinking of other work that needs doing, the bargain is easy to make. And I always walk away happier, more energized for that next job.

Again, I am running strictly for myself right now and basically I have no idea what I am talking about, this is just what my mind and body crave. If you are running for a certain goal or with a date in mind, then this random volume strategy could be foolish or at least pointless. I have no idea.

But I am super thankful to feel like myself again and downright humbled and grateful that my lifestyle provides the luxury of running every day without having to hire a babysitter or drive a long distance or lace up at dark because I have to be showered and in an office by a certain time.

I get to spend my early morning with my husband, drink my perfect coffee slowly, tidy up the house, feed our farm animals, and then lace up, choosing to run either on the treadmill or around our property (the loop is now .33 miles, yay!) or at one of a few nearby tracks. I love it. I feel very lucky.

So a B for the month of January is a decent start to the new year. I know where I want to improve and have some good ideas of how to get there. Most of all I am happy to be enjoying the process.

Thanks for the fun writing topic, Marcia, as well as for the welcome to link up!

Run While You Can
XOXOXOXO

Edit: As I finished this blog post Tuesday morning I laced up for an easy 6 mile run. Yesterday’s 9 mile plan was cut to 8.2, then I worked around the house and farm all the rest of the day. I was exhausted beyond what you might feel from a good workout. My whole body and skull hurt so much.

So this morning I was looking forward to an easy run, but I could barely even finish a warm up. I came inside after less than a mile, tried cardio barre (why I thought that would be better is a mystery), and still felt pretty awful. It’s my chest and breathing, I cannot seem to keep any oxygen flowing at all, and my skull still hurts. I tried cleaning the middle field, which is a chore involving raking, scooping, and relocating big wheelbarrows full of manure to other spots around the farm. Again: Why I thought that would be better is beyond me now.

Long story short, by about 11 am I resigned to being actually sick and accepted that my week’s exciting mileage plans were not either derailed or just slightly delayed. I am deciding it’s a matter of perspective, ha. My sweet (if overprotective) husband is on his way home now to make sure I rest.

It’s all about health, anyway. The big picture. Be well, friends! xoxo

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: week 4 complete

January 19, 2016

Hey friends! As I jam out a quick little running update, I see an email sitting half-read that reminds me the OKC Memorial is only 100 days away. Well, less than that now, because that email has probably been languishing since before the weekend. Less than 100 days to prepare for the most fun 26.2 miles of the year!

Truly, you guys, I am excited. Three years ago I was excited to run my first half marathon with my little brother and our nephew (our nephew ran the full). Two years ago I was over the moon to accomplish my first full. And last year, of course, the Crying Games. This year? My goal is to finish really strong and possibly even under four hours. That’s what I’m busy working on, at least.

In order to work safely toward my sub-four goal, I have been following the Hal Higdon Advanced One Marathon Training Plan. Not at all because I regard myself as an “advanced” runner; just because I am more than comfortable with the long distances and feel ready to incorporate structured speed workouts. Last year I just sort of blindly cried out to the Universe, “I’d love to be faster!” then crossed my fingers and went on a stupid diet and hoped for the best. Things didn’t go so great, so this year let’s hope that an actual plan and more measured approach will yield some results.

So far so good. I just completed week four of the plan, and here are the boring details:

Monday: 3 miles outside in the back field, at an easy pace, followed by weights and staying active all day around the W.
Tuesday: 6 miles at an easy pace, again outside at the farm, again followed by staying active. (Easy pace this week started around 10:20.)
Wednesday: 3 miles of sprint/walk intervals on my treadmill, then 30 minutes on the elliptical to cool down. Thought I was going to die. My ribs felt like they had ignited into little black and red flames. Sprinting at a 6:30-7 min pace is HAAAAARD.
Thursday: Busy day! Between chores, housework, and my first day teaching a gardening class, I grabbed 2 quick miles outside at a pace I refer to as “Stress Relief.” It was twenty minutes of bliss.
Friday: Long run! This was something I looked forward to all week, much more fun than shorter speed sessions, haha. I ran 12 miles at my favorite little loop in Harrah at an average pace of 9:12. This was surprising because it felt much easier than that, you know? Like, luxuriously slow? I had a lot of energy left but needed to get home, or I might have kept running. I was happy to realize that after just a few days of speed work and rest my legs and lungs were better conditioned. Zero soreness the next day. Awesome.
Saturday: Ran 6 miles outside at the farm, again at that accidental 9 minute pace!! I wasn’t even trying for this; it was just natural and happy. So, yeah, that felt cool.
Sunday: Rest day. Handsome and I actually took a little road trip then later went to a Thunder basketball game in OKC, so my legs barely moved at all on Sunday.

Having more or less skipped over the first two weeks of the plan in favor of Handsome’s stay-cation and the remnants of holiday cheer, really what I just shared was my second week of consistent running, not my fourth. 32 miles total, and I feel better than ever. My pace is back up to where it was before the autumn recess. My jeans fit better. My tummy is flattened out. I feel generally good. Just overall energetic and strong. Bonus points: I am sleeping like a baby for 7-9 hours per night. That is unheard of! And I am doing this with no sleep aids of any kind. Maybe a big mug of chamomile tea here and there, that’s it.

Thanks for checking in and enduring another running conversation! I feel happy to be on a good path and will soon have lots of health and wellness things to share that are more than just miles. Stuff like book reviews, recipes, interviews, and online resources. Hope to see you again for some of that.

Are you signed up for any of the Memorial events? What training program have you chosen?

Run While You Can
XOXOXOXO

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