GLUTEN FREE ~ MEAT FREE ~ RUNNING FREE
It was an honor to sit down with Crystal and Tom O’Keefe for an interview about all things Peloton as well as my time in Germany, running the Berlin Marathon, and…Bradley Rose. This was one of the most fun interviews I have ever done.
Check out the episode on their YouTube channel:
You can also listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and other listening apps – you can find it by searching The Clip Out in your favorite app!!
You can also click here!
Yep. I bought a Peloton. I had every intention of getting a cheaper bike and just using the app…but I did the research and decided I wanted the actual bike. It had everything I wanted in a spin bike. And, let’s face it…I missed my spin classes.
I am, most definitely, a runner first and foremost. But this season of Covid-19 has brought about a lot of downtime for me. While I was certainly not over training or doing too much…some old niggles and injuries reared their ugly heads. This meant a trip to physical therapy…up to the point my insurance company refused to pay for anymore. UGH. But, I got back to the road and soon…my body was starting to feel itself again. I was starting to get stronger. My speed was coming back (when I opted to push it…which hasn’t been much since the start of the pandemic, to be honest). I wasn’t training for races…and I never all-out push a virtual race because there are no closed courses and things are just…different.
But then, one early morning when…I headed out for a run and my headlamp wasn’t charged. It had been the week prior (which I hadn’t had to use it much due to having time off work for a staycation (because Berlin was no longer happening). Not having to be in the office at a certain time meant that I could run in the daylight. I love doing that now. But the following week, I was back to my office and back to dark runs. When the headlamp wasn’t working I figured I’d be fine. I run these roads all the time. But less than 2 miles into my run, on a dark side road nearby…my foot hit a rock I didn’t see in the road, twisted, and down I went. I didn’t get too scraped up…but my ankle sure was sore. When I got home, my ankle was pretty shads of purple and swollen. Ice, compression, and time off…and a call to my orthopedic doctor. They put me in with their podiatrist…and sure enough…Grade 2 sprain in my left ankle. Good times.
It was that week that my roommate finally agreed to get the bike I had been asking for…every day…for over a year. That’s not a joke. Every. Day. With the pandemic still going, and the likelihood that we will be going back to the gym not looking promising…she couldn’t find a reason to not go ahead and get the Peloton. With winter coming…we’d need something to do in the cardio department if the roads and temperatures were not good for running. We are already doing strength training…but now we also have that option on the Peloton app as well.
Peloton had just put out the new Bike+, which meant they discounted the cost of the regular model. We also figured out that if we got it with the accessory pack that came with shoes, headphones, and weights…without the mat…and bought the mat separately…we’d save another $40. And, my friend had a referral code that got me another $100 off. (I now have a referral code so if you’ve been considering a Peloton…I got your back and will put it at the bottom of this blog). Because we opted for the older model, we also had the bike delivered within 11 days of ordering. No long wait at all. LOVE IT.
So, the bike delivered and we got it placed behind the couch (where it may or may not stay…we’re still playing around with it). My friend, Deana, who has been praising the Peloton bikes for awhile, texted me and wanted to do my first ride with me. She had a Prince ride picked out and I was here for that! So, I got home, got changed, and hopped on the bike for the first time. Clipping in was difficult at first, but I now have that figured out. I still struggle a little with clipping out, but I’ve managed to do it successfully twice. While we did the Prince ride (Warm-Up, Ride, Cool Down, & Stretch)…Deana was texting me with tips, and lots of information about different instructors and rides that she really enjoys. Immediately…I was hooked. I couldn’t run at the moment…but now…now I could at least ride.
I have done over 50 rides since October 13 when I got the bike (the warm up and cool down rides are counted in that…and I do one of those anytime I get on the bike). With so many different types of classes and instructors…you really don’t ever get bored. I even got talked into doing the October PeloFondo with some friends of mine…and so one day I rode 50 miles…only 5 days after getting the bike. If I haven’t been a regular at spin classes 2-3 times a week since 2014…this would probably seem excessive. But…I’ve been using indoor cycling as cross training for A LONG time now. Just this week, I went ahead and did my FTP Test so that I could work within specific power zones should I so choose. And I will retest in a couple of months to see if my fitness has improved any.
Honestly, I don’t know where I would be without my Peloton bike right now. I am going to be easing back into running, but I have no intentions of letting that bike sit. Nope. I am still going to use it…and the app. The app, by the way, has a huge selection of workouts that go beyond cycling. There is running, yoga, walking, boot camp, strength training, meditation, outdoor guided runs and walks (I have done a few of those), etc. I even have started doing 5-10 minute meditations before bed…which has really helped me settle in and get some restful, deep sleep.
Why did I wait so long to do this?! Peloton really is a lifestyle…and I’m so happy to be a member of the Peloton Family. While I have only had the bike almost three weeks, I already feel like I have gotten my money’s worth. I even have started to put together my favorite classes and instructors (but I’m still working through them). That will be for another blog.
So, my Peloton is named Flynn…that IS a TRON reference for all you 80s nerds out there (I am obviously one, HA!). And if you have been wanting to pull the trigger on an indoor bike…you might as well get the Cadillac of indoor bikes, right? No buyers remorse here…I’m one happy girl.
If you have been wanting to pull the trigger on getting a Peloton for yourself…please get yourself $100 off by using my code:
I was frustrated last week. I was run down, burnt out, and just down on myself and my performance. I feel like I’m always making excuses (it doesn’t matter how true they are…it’s just how it seems to come across). Yes…I worked really hard in an Extreme Heat Warning…and clawed my way through two workouts that included some speed work. And at the beginning of the week last week…my body said…”ENOUGH!” And it was a huge struggle. The worst part is when my body can’t do something physically, it mentally rips me apart. I’m not good at dealing with things going wrong. I’m not good at feeling like I’m not living up to my potential.
I am my worst critic. I am very hard on myself. And I know this. It comes with the territory of being a Type A Virgo. Perfection is all I know. So, when things skew off the line…well…I pretty much beat myself up over it for a long time.
Well, my coach…I LOVE MY COACH…noticed this downward trend. And when he sent me through my plan for this week, he assigned me 0 miles. All I had were guidelines. The distance, and most of the paces were up to me. This…was the RESET WEEK. I have never felt better for an entire week of runs than this week. This was exactly what I needed to regain a bit of confidence in my abilities, the process, and learn to have some fun along the way.
My coach, Daniel, may be the smartest coach in the history of…ever. So, let’s dive into this week, shall we?
Monday: INSTRUCTIONS: BASE RUN – COVER YOUR WATCH OR DON’T WEAR IT!
I discovered something last week when I did my tempo repeats on Thursday…if I covered my watch, I wasn’t stressing as much over pace. I couldn’t judge it. It was what it was…and it actually was good when I uploaded the data. Right on target, even. When I run tempo or speed with the watch uncovered…all I do is stress and get wound up. This covering the watch thing…this works for me. I have a little Nike sweat band that I got once to cover up my Garmin during The Color Run…and I dug it out again this week to wear…EVERY DAY…because this week was up to me. I held my usual base pace and smiled…a whole heap! I ended up doing a full 7 miles at base pace and probably could have kept going, but I had other things happening that day. So I fit in my additional hip strengthening exercises and met with Corey as well for my personal training session. It was the perfect way to kick off the week.
Tuesday: INSTRUCTIONS: ANGRY RUN – THIS IS THE “GET MAD” RUN. LET YOUR FRUSTRATIONS, STRESSES, ANGER, FEAS, AND ALL OF IT COME OUT. BE MAD ABOUT ERIE. STOP AND CRY IF YOU NEED TO. RUN FAST IF YOU NEED TO. GO FIND SOMETHING TO PUNCH (I liked that part, LOL). DON’T RUN FROM YOUR FEELINGS – INVINTE THEM AND RUN THROUGH THEM. THIS IS THE RUN YOU GET TO HAVE ALL OF WHAT YOU’VE BEEN FEELING. THIS IS ALSO THE RUN WHERE YOU LET ALL THAT GO. IT MIGHT BE FUN OR IT MIGHT SUCK. IT IS WHAT IT IS. DO IT. THEN WAKE UP TOMORROW A NEW RUNNER WITH A NEW MIDSET AND NEW APPROACH LEAVING ALL THIS CRAP BEHIND.
Deep breath, friends. Because this run…this was actual therapy. I decided to actually run this as if it were an actual temper tantrum of fit. So, I headed out and did the first 2 miles as a warm up. Because every good tantrum starts with a build-up. After that, I ran quick fartleks each mile for 5 miles…using each mile to symbolize some stress, frustration, or part of my life that has been holding me back: cancer, my fall race debacle messing up a ton of my plans, friends who aren’t taking care of themselves, work, myself…and maybe a few other things that got worked in halfway through each mile. It sucks when you don’t like how you feel because people make and actions and yourself make you feel like less of a person. This run helped me work through that. And I rounded it off with 2+ miles cool down…because every fit of anger and tantrum ends with a cooling down period. I basically did a 15K that morning. And I needed that.
Wednesday: INSTRUCTIONS: NO WATCH ALLOWED! FOCUS ON THE GOAL OF THE RUN = RECOVERY! GO AS FAR OR SHORT AS YOU NEED, AS FAST OR SLOW AS YOU NEED, WALK OR RUN AS YOU NEED.
Even with the permission to go longer, I actually made this a short, base pace, recovery run. I did wear my watch, but as with the two previous mornings, I covered it and just ran comfortably. I had the same pace as Monday when all was said and done…and was happy to keep it short and easy. I stopped at 4 miles. But they were 4 wonderful miles. I then decided that since I had the time, and Thursday’s run was up to me, I could FINALLY return to a Wednesday morning spin class. I was SO happy being back in Michelle’s class. Spin class is therapy for me. It’s hard work, it’s challenging, but it’s a great non-impact way to get some more endurance in. And since Wednesday is always Endurance Ride Wednesday…it’s my favorite. I met with Corey later that afternoon for personal training. We had to change up the original plan as he snapped the resistance band. It involved a lot of squats. Because he’s evil.
Thursday: INSTRUCTIONS: FUN RUN – PICK OUT YOUR FAVORITE WORKOUT…COULD BE ONE I’VE GIVEN YOU, ANOTHER COACH, YOUR FAVORITE FROM 5 YEARS AGO. IT CAN BE A WORKOUT GEARED FOR 5KS OR 10KS OR A MARATHON. WHATEVER YOU WANT – RUN IT!
I have never liked, loved, or enjoyed speed workouts. Ever. Not ever. Not in the history of EVER. So I was really stumped on this one. But, when all was said and done and I headed out (watch covered) that morning, I set myself up to run Mona Fartleks. Daniel got me hooked on these from the first time he assigned them. They’re actually kind of fun, and still challenging at the same time. The basics: 2 mile warm up, 2×90 sec, 4×60 sec, 4×30 sec, 4×15 sec (with equal recovery after each at a pace faster than base pace), 2 mile cool down. Got it done, putting in 7 speedy miles that morning. Then I worked in the 2nd day of the additional hip strengthening exercises to my physical therapy stretches I do every morning.
FRIDAY: Always a rest day. I slept in. I took a shower. I stretched. I finished off the My Favorite Murder book, “Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered.” I went to work. I cooked. I ate food. I let my body recharge. I watched “Designated Survivor” and then went to bed just after 8 pm. I set an alarm so I could get up, stretch, put on sunscreen, and head out early for my long run…of no set distance.
SATURDAY: INSTRUCTIONS: RUN IN YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO RUN! WATCH IS ALLOWED, BUT TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS AND PROMISE YOURSELF NOT TO LOOK AT IT ANY MORE THAN 1 TIME EVERY 2-3 MILES. 10-20 MILES…I REALLY DON’T CARE!
I got up early and had a small bite to eat. I stretched while I hydrated. I lathered myself up in sunscreen. I tied on my new Adidas Boston Boosts. I fixed up my nutrition. Anyone else loving Maurten? I drank down the Maurten 320 Drink Mix and packed one of the Maurten 100 Gels to take with me. Maurten has worked wonders for me. No energy crashes. No stomach problems. It’s brilliant. And I have had 2 very energetic and great long runs using it. I’m sold. So if any local peeps want my barely used container of UCan…let me know. I didn’t know how far I’d run that morning. I covered my watch. I did a short warmup mile before hitting the actual roads and just letting myself go. I told my roommate that I may have to call her to come get me if I decide I’m done before getting home. But despite hills and the hotter morning, this run was better than last week’s 19 miler. And I only had to stop for traffic and at one point to make a tight turnaround. That was it. And I still had some in the tank when I made my way back to the apartment complex. I ended up doing 20.25 miles…surprisingly at marathon pace. And I felt so good. I smiled. I said good morning to people. I was working, but I wasn’t straining, fighting, or dying at any point. I needed this. I needed this more than I knew I needed this. I want running to always feel like this. I need the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon to feel like this. First 20 miler came early for me…but I feel good. I felt good the rest of the day. Walked the malls, did the grocery shopping, made dinner, stretched, foam rolled…yep…it’s good! It’s all good.
SUNDAY: INSTRUCTIONS: NO WATCH ALLOWED! RECOVERY RUN!
With no expectations and no pace requirements, and a heavy heart from all the mass shootings this country is dealing with…I headed out this morning to chase the sunrise. And that’s what I did, pausing at every mile (for the first 3) to take pictures of the sun coming up over the horizon and the cotton-candy sky that emerged from the dark night. I ran the Fast Freddie course here…putting in 5.0 miles for the 50 states of this country. Feeling blessed to wake up and be able to run easy, refreshed, and without care, when people are waking up and maybe missing their loved ones today due to a senseless act of violence. With that being said, this recovery run was the last of my reset week and I enjoyed every step of it. I needed this reset week more than even I knew. This is why I hired Daniel. He knew exactly what to hit me with this week so that I could shed frustrations, anger, and disappointment and find a new focus and really prepare myself for the upcoming weeks leading into the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. I feel better about it. I feel refreshed. I feel ready.
So today I have a bunch of meal prep to do and some things to get done around the apartment today…and await this week’s plan. I’ll embrace the good…the bad…the hard and easy this week. When you’re struggling…don’t be afraid to reset. Don’t be afraid to build from the experience. Come back to it feeling ready, refreshed, and with a laser focus on your goals. Just don’t forget to keep it fun and enjoyable.
Okay…new week, new training plan. Let’s go.
As most of you who read this know…I’m an Ambassador for Noxgear.
You know…the cool, light-weight, light-up vest that you see me wearing in all my social media run pics (because running in the dark is the only time I have to run).
If not…you’re obviously not following me on social media and that should be remedied. I’ll post those links at the end of this. But the entire purpose to this post today is to say…
TOMORROW ONLY…
OCTOBER 16, 2018
There is a special Ambassador Sale going on at the Noxgear Web site. So if you’ve been on the fence about investing in the Tracer 360 vest or the Lighthound (for those of you with four-legged running partners who also need to be seen), or if you want to order some extras or get one as a gift…this is the best deal yet!
If you’re reading this…you’re in luck. You’ve found an ambassador! YAY!! *high fives*
To get that discount on Tuesday ONLY head over to Noxgear and use code: CELIAC
It’s the best deal around!! Happy Shopping!! Tell your friends!
#noxgearamb #noxgear #lightitup
And…if you’re not following me on other forms of social media…you can hit me up here:
Instagram: theceliathlete
Twitter: TheCeliathlete
Twitter: CapnKeeks
Good morning, friends!!
Anyone else out there have a problem with patience? Especially when it comes to being patient with yourself?
STORY. OF. MY. LIFE.
And…its my impatience (I totally blame being a go-getter New Yorker) that often leads me to setbacks that don’t move me forward and only end up dragging me down and feeling defeated.
I’m trying to break the mold this time around. And…trust me…this isn’t easy. Not at all. As I mentioned before, I recently participated in The Dopey Challenge at Disney World. Over 4 days, I ran 4 races…each of which got longer in length (5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon), and I actually did really well on the races, given that I was bouncing into the parks every day and not resting up the legs. Honestly…I’m so super proud of my performance. This being the 2nd time I’ve participated in The Dopey Challenge and having improved on all the times of the races I actually raced (10K, Half, Full), I felt amazing (mentally) but tired and sore (physically) following the actual events. I went into the weekend with a sinus cold and came out of it with the Disney flu. I took a lot of days to recover…from sickness and the races. I knew, following Dopey, that I would need to let my body recover well. I still probably would have gone back to it sooner had my body not been drained from sickness. This past week, I decided to give easing back into it a try.
And I started on Wednesday with an hour long spin class…that totally kicked my ass. I was done within the first 20 minutes…my power, energy and speed all really dropping down. Our spin bikes light up to tell what zone you are in and I didn’t even care that I was in the white and blue instead of yellow and red like the rest of the class. I had to listen to my body. And while I valued the movement, I wasn’t going to push myself to try to hit a level my body wasn’t ready to reach yet.
Call that growth, because I do believe the me of the past would have felt the need to press on and keep up with the rest of the class. But I’ve also had a recurring stream of injuries to deal with the past 3 years. After building up and failing over and over again…you do actually gain wisdom. There is no shame in listening to your body and backing off intensity as you see fit. I put this body through a lot physically both with the races and then trying to fight off illness…it’s no wonder my body isn’t feeling as strong as it used to be.
Have I lost some fitness…you better believe I have. Some mornings, it is a struggle to just simply get through my PT exercises. And for as much as I have stressed their importance to me coming back stronger, the past 3 weeks have seen little to none of the stretches and exercises I was prescribed. And I didn’t feel guilty about it. My body needed the sleep and the time on the couch more than it needed the movement.
But, like any active person, my body does crave movement. I like moving my body. I just needed to give myself the time to get to where it could handle some. Nothing big. No long miles or hard runs. No pushing the limits on the spin bike. Just gentle movement.
This past weekend, with the weather warming up and the snow and ice melting away, I took advantage with my first run since Dopey. And, while I was out there for 30 minutes, believe it or not…only 8 minutes of it was actually spent running. I took my time to warm up with 5 minutes of walking…then did 4 x 2 minutes running/3 minutes walking…then a 5 minute cool down. And it felt hard…and amazing all at once. And that was how I needed to take it. I’m not ashamed that I only ran 8 minutes. I’m damn proud of those 8 minutes and what my body managed to do in that time. I took Sunday off completely and didn’t feel bad about it.
Today, it was close to 60 degrees this morning. So, I decided I would pull on a pair of SHORTS and take advantage by doing a short run. I decided to just run…easy…and deliberately…keeping the heart rate down…but do it without the walk breaks. It was the struggle bus. My body is still recovering, but I managed to do 20 minutes and keep the heart rate in Zones 1 and 2. I count that as a win. I went to spin afterwards, and that’s when my body let me know it was too much for the day. The first half of class I felt strong and almost normal, but my energy levels crashed soon after that…so I turned down the resistance, sat down when I needed, and just let my body do what it needed.
I’m not mad. I’m recovering. And I will still take complete rest days and lift lighter weights when strength training…and keep the intensity down. The me of the past would have taken this as failure…but I feel so empowered that I can trust my body, my mind, and myself to practice patience and self-love and trust that I will grow from this. Constant forward progression. Tired of taking steps back. It’s all a matter of changing the mindset. And I still struggle…but I know, in the end, this will make me a better, faster, stronger athlete.
AND…as another form of self-care and self-love, let me also emphasize that just because I am not working out doesn’t mean I’m not fueling my body. My body went through a lot and proper nutrition is key. I am not just eating fruit and low calorie foods just because I’m not working out. WRONG. I have actually changed a lot of what I eat to give me more nutrients and better sources of vitamins and fuel to help this body maintain fitness and strength through all of it. Starving your body only starves yourself of further potential and forward progress.
Patience is not an easy thing to practice. It’s something that can gnaw at you and really make you question yourself. Learning how to be patient with my body and myself has been one of the hardest things I have set out to do…and while it’s still a constant work in progress…I can see where my mindset has changed so that I am kinder to myself and…more willing to give myself the time I need to get to where I feel I want to be.
Patience, grasshoppers.
It’s worth it!
If there is one thing I might have taken for granted or just not done properly in the past…it’s taken recovery time. No runner likes time off. I have yet to meet one who actually does proper recovery after hard efforts or distance races.
Guess what?
I actually did this time.
Some of it might have been forced. After all…thanks to the petri dish of germs that is Disney (especially on Marathon Weekend), I came down with the Disney Flu. Yay. And no, this doesn’t come with fun Mickey Ears and character experiences. It comes with a big dose of Theraflu and sleep.
I mean…it has been non-stop since I returned from the freezer that was Orlando over Marathon weekend. Coughing. The coughing is the killer. I am finally able to breathe again. Thank you for calming down sinuses. Remember…a co-worker gave me a sinus-only cold before I even left for Dopey. Run all the races. Go to all the parks. Is it any wonder I ended up like this?
Has my recovery been a bit forced? Perhaps. But here’s the thing…
I set a goal this year. A goal of having an injury-free 2018. So when my running coach tells me to rest…dammit…I’m resting. When my mileage is lower than I like it to be…well…so be it. Trust the process, right? I have a few other big goals I’m hoping to reach in the next year or two…so I have to learn to believe in myself…and the method that will help me get there more efficiently than…past attempts.
I admit to, in the past, rushing back into activities. I bounce back quickly. I do. But I also break down too. We all do. We just don’t always like to admit to it.
Here’s the thing…we might feel good…but we put our bodies through a lot and push it to the limit, not just in races…but in training too. Maybe moreso in training…and we’re LESS likely to take recovery/rest days during training. I don’t care what distance you raced…if you raced…RECOVER!! Like…actually recover!! Would I have taken time off if I hadn’t caught the Disney Crud? Yep. I actually would have. Like I said, I have big goals this year and to achieve them, I need to respect my body and learn a little patience.
I mean…granted, I hurt for about 3 days following the Dopey Challenge…but I also pushed through most of the 48.6 (and more) miles that I covered over the course of the weekend. And that’s just running. I still had parks to visit in between. Because, as much as I’d love to lay low…I pay for those Disney tickets and they aren’t cheap. By God, I was going to get my money’s worth. Park hopping…princess hunting…fast passing rides…all of it. I was doing it. And…I did it. All.
But it doesn’t have to be The Dopey Challenge to make taking down time a priority. Any race…any distance…anywhere where you push yourself more or further…do yourself a favor. Take some time off. Depending on the race distance…it could be a week…it could be two…it could be more. Don’t think you HAVE to get to the gym the day after a half marathon or hop on a spin bike or even go for a “recovery run.” Let’s face it…whether you back of the speed or not…a 6 mile run is generally a 6 mile run…”recovery” or not. I listened to a podcast recently from a running coach who said that there was absolutely no such thing as a recovery run. You’re still putting in an effort and working the same muscles that your regular runs do. And most people don’t actually run these that much slower. Your entire body needs to heal up to get stronger…don’t rush the process. You might feel good immediately after the event…but you’ve still put that body through a lot. You might feel good a week after…and you still might need more down time, depending on the distance that you ran.
Remember…there is no such thing as over-training…just under recovery.
RECOVERY…is super important. I have been fortunate enough that my recovery time has fallen when it’s gotten stupid cold outside, with the addition of some ice and snow on the ground. Bonus. I’m always cold…so I hate running in the cold. And I especially hate winter weather running.
In addition, let me be the first to remind you that you should NEVER stop eating properly or regularly despite recovery time. Your body needs all those nutrition benefits, especially as you recover from a hard effort. With the Disney Flu…I have still maintained my regular food times. I mean, I do live on a schedule. What I have done is simply change what I have been eating. Mostly because I can’t taste flavors right now…and just eating food for texture isn’t working for me. So, soup and chili have been my go-tos. But I am making sure I am hitting all my nutrition needs every day. And yes…I’m eating well and I’m definitely eating enough calories each day. Eat well, eat enough, eat healthy. So many people focus on weight and get really crazy with their nutrition. When you’re training, you need to eat. And you need to eat well. When you’re recovering…you also need to eat…and yes…you need to eat well. Now is not the time to cut down on your nutrition. I promise…you aren’t going to get fat.
As I stated, for the past two weeks…all I’ve really wanted it soup. That being said…I love that soup has so many different varieties out there because it keeps it interesting. I’ve been serving mine up with different gluten-free crackers. And sometimes I add avocado or something to bulk it up. I mean…who doesn’t love tomato soup with a grilled (vegan) cheese sandwich? I know my body needs certain things to stay in good shape even when I’m not working out as much. NEVER skimp on nutrition when you are training or recovering.
So…I’m on the mend. I took time off from work to sleep and recovery both before I left for Disney (initial sinus bleh) and then basically all the rest of the week after I got back from Disney. Sleep and rest and proper nutrition have definitely helped me bounce back from not just the races…but the sickness too. My muscles don’t ache anymore (also…thank you Roll Recovery!) because I’ve let them heal and get stronger. I’ve been using my new Roll Recovery R8 and R3…as well as my foam roller. And stretching. Never underestimate the power of stretching. I even went to 2 of my spin classes this past week. I took it easy. I didn’t push as hard as I normally would. And I still felt like it kicked my ass. I’m not mad. I’m taking my time.
That being said…if you thought I was a germophobe before…you should see me now…
Remember, friends…living your best life is all about balance. Find time to rest…recovery…find balance…eat well…play…laugh…and yes…return to that activity you love…once your body is stronger from the respect and rest you allowed it.
I took 2 weeks off…and I still feel I fatigue easily. I’m easing back into with with longer walks and short run segments. And I still feel like I’m a badass. I’m a very smart…totally recovered…less injury-prone badass!!
YAY!
Life has been crazy, crazy, crazy busy this past week, which is why this post is almost a week late. Because most of the exciting stuff was covered in the previous blog, I will sum up this past week and what all went on in my transformation from injured runner to…the Comeback Kid…
On Monday, my physical therapy session was cancelled with Daniel. Which kind of sucked as I had wanted to talk about the ankle pain I was having. But he was running a fever, and I really am a huge germophobe.
So, he wasn’t coming in and I didn’t have to show up, since my therapist was out of the office. Instead, I went to work and sent him an e-mail regarding the situation. He messaged me back on Wednesday and said that he would look at my ankle on Thursday when I came in for my physical therapy session.
That meant a lot of waiting…and a lot of NOT running. Again. Because…honestly…the last thing I wanted to do was aggravate something else and be sidelined more. It seems like a never-ending battle. Anyway…I’m not very good at being patient or waiting.
That being said, when I finally did go in on Thursday, the first thing he did was ask about my ankle and have me take off my shoe so he could look at it, manipulate it, and basically bang the crap out of it to see if it was anything to be concerned about. When that meant I sat there going…no…nope…that doesn’t hurt…that’s weird…hahaha….nope…it’s fine…
Yeah…I think he was wondering if it was all in my head. It’s not. It wasn’t then, and it still isn’t now. But, as he told me, it’s not a stress fracture, because I wouldn’t be able to walk…so it was just some natural aches that come with starting to run again after NOT running for so long. He then had me warm up on a bike and do some dynamic lunges and moves before taking me outside into the cold air in my shorts and all and having me run around the building.
Why was I running around the building? So he could watch my form and see if I was babying my hip by putting more pressure on the other leg (that is the sort of shit that brought me my first (and only) stress fracture in my leg…and the last thing I want is to end up in Bootsie again!)…but he said that my form looked great from every angle he viewed me from. Only thing was my high cadence, but that’s normal for me.
So…he cleared me to do the Anthem 5K that Saturday (as I was up to 3.5 to 4 miles of running every other day), as long as the hip continued to feel good. So, we made one more appointment for a week and a half out…and I was done.
I wrote up a blog on the Anthem “5K”…that you can read if you missed out on that exciting adventure. The best part of that day was that I got to hang out with Melissa and Paul before the race…saw Tammy at the start of the race…and ran comfortably at a 7:29 average for the race. Without pain. At all. And without feeling like I was pushing myself harder than I should. Which says a lot about me maintaining my fitness level even without running in the equation. So YAY! But, I wasn’t supposed to race that one. I was supposed to run it…so…that wasn’t exactly fun to tell my PT over e-mail. He helped a little by putting things into perspective…about thinking long term. So…my mindset is starting to fall that way. I have goals I want to achieve…and being Gimpy McGimpster is not part of those plans.
Into the next week I went. The cold weather gave way to some mild mornings in the 50s. They were rainy…and windy…but I was in my shorts and loving it. I was doing short 4 mile outings and reminding myself to ease it back. This worked better on the windier of mornings (like 40 mph gusts will mess with you regardless!)…hey…I’m a work in progress. I’ll get the hang of it. By the weekend, the bitter cold weather returned. I was NOT happy. It seems like we get gorgeous weather during the week…but on the weekends, it is determined to freeze us out. I wasn’t running as far as…anyone at the training run. I was doing 5 miles as a natural progression to the Rodes 10K this coming Saturday. So…I was definitely the ambassador, and training run attendee doing their own thing.
I’ve been doing a lot of cross-training on gym machines and at spin class. I know…I need to swim more…but swimming is just not fun for me. Or relaxing. So…I am working on that. But, despite the cold temps this week, I’ve gone out on a 5 mile run yesterday morning and felt good. I dialed back the speed and focused a lot more on form. My roommate pointed out that my feet were really pounding the pavement when I’m running these days. Soft feet. That’s what I’m working on now. Another good reason to NOT wear headphones while running. You can tune into your body and that is so important. The run felt good and I finished it feeling tired (hey, I started at 3:30 am), but proud of myself.
Today was my final PT session with Daniel. Yep…officially released! OFF THE CHAIN! I couldn’t be happier. My session today started with a warm-up on the bike before he had me doing my lunge matrix and then running through all the dynamic warm-up stuff he’s assigned to me in the past. And then….he had me doing these giant plyometric jumps before taking off at a run. All that went well…so he had me fill out final paperwork and I was discharged with the understanding that should anything flare back up…I am to call and they’ll fit me in.
And that, my friends, is a good, happy thing!
So…this weekend I am treating the Rodes 10K as a training run…and NOT…I repeat NOT running it hard. I have enlisted my running partner, Matthew, to help keep my pace back. We’ll just have a nice 6 mile conversation. The goal is to finish without any pain. I am really looking forward to this.
Going forward, I get to add some speed and hill work back into my training each week, but nothing monumental. Just some basic strides and a few small climbs. So, that’s progress. I also get to increase my long run by one mile each week leading into my races in April…so that’s also a good thing. I’m feeling good. I’m happy. I’m making my (hopefully final) comeback!
And there it is, friends. Stick with me. I’m sure there is more to this adventure!
Ever feel like you just don’t have enough hours in the day? Because I thought that after I got through The Kauai Marathon and home from the rest of the vacation in Hawaii and San Francisco. When in fact…I’m pretty much spending every day like this…
Complete calm…and then panic. Yep. That pretty much sums it up. I have promised a few blogs on products and places, but I just haven’t had the opportunity to really sit down and give the blog the attention that it deserves.
Let’s start with training these days…
I’m really not training for anything as of late. I’m focusing a lot on my form and just making myself a better runner overall. Slowing down is not easy for me, but I’m really, really, really trying. That being said…speed work is back on the training plan. And I did the same training run 2 weeks in a row, and failed to hit the pace my running coach assigned the first week…but nailed it this past Tuesday morning. That was a good feeling.
I’m continuing with my spin classes…because it’s fantastic cross-training. Eventually, I’d love to get up the nerve to clip back into my road bike and give that a go. I’m just still working on getting over my vehicle-induced fall back in the summer. So, for now…it’s a whole lot of this:
And, I’ve finally gotten around to incorporating the strength training into my weekly gym routine. It’s only been…almost a year…since my physical therapist insisted I start doing this. So…yeah…weights are slowly working themselves into my routine. It’s not easy, because strength training doesn’t excite me. I’m a cardio girl…and weights tend to not even make me crack a sweat, even while lifting heavy. So…there is that…
AND…to top all of this off…my running has been pretty much shit since running the Kauai Marathon. Hawaii sort of…killed me. The hip has stopped hurting, but the ligament in my foot is still troubling me. And…a friend of mine noted the limp-run I was doing back when I got my stress fracture last year was back. Note that is why I am focusing more on form rather than speed (except on speed work days). But, I find that while I physically feel okay (aside from the extra weight I wish I wasn’t carrying around right now…but it just won’t go away!) and capable, mentally I am struggling. I find myself stopping more…crying more…and just having to talk myself through each run. This is where I really miss running with people. It helps me. It does. It’s a big, big work in progress for sure. I know this all takes time but…I’m so tired of it.
And…work has pretty much been insane since I got back from my trip. Non-stop. There are days I don’t get to take a full break because I have so much to do. And there are days that work has had to come home…or that I’ve had to put in overtime just to make sure things that needed to get done. Honestly, I would love to have a moment to just have some breathing space. You know…where you can just sit for a moment and do something non-work related at work…
It’s good for the soul.
But these days, I feel like my workload should be decreasing, but it’s getting bigger. I’m not really complaining. The job security is great, but I feel that so much of my day is spent doing this…
…non-stop…at the office…sometimes at home…
…while certain other person(s) are basically spending their day like this:
All that being said…I’m going to make a point to commit a bit more to this blog. Because I love writing and I love writing here. And I love all of you who read this and tune in…whether it’s a rant, a post on running, a recipe, a product, a restaurant…you guys are loyal and I love you.
For now, I do have a free evening free of…stressful stuff…so I’m off to watch Hell’s Kitchen!!
Because Gordon Ramsay makes everything better. For realsies!!
I promise…new stuff is coming very soon!
The mileage is totally going up as my race in early September creeps closer and closer. And as there weren’t any running plans being tossed around with the normal group I run with…I made plans to run with a couple of speedy guys in Frankfort, Kentucky on Saturday. We were doing 18 miles. And for the first 13 miles…we were running the Kentucky History Half Marathon course (which is hilly hell)…and then we were going to run to their neighborhood for the additional 5 miles.
This started off really well, and the first 13 miles went great. After that…it all came apart and went to hell. We started off this massive hill and it was just like…my legs didn’t want to move anymore. They were feeling fantastic up until that point. And this…this just killed me. Nothing messes with your head more than having a great run go bad. I felt bad, slowing down the speediest of the group, as he wanted to do the 18 miles at his MP, and I was running at least a minute slower than he needed to be running. When I hit the hill…it was even worse. The struggle…was more than real. It occurred to me that my September race was going to be way harder than this, and the fact that this course completely shattered my confidence I had been building up.
It was brutal and after I sent one of the runners on, and the other one never got past the 13 mile mark because he stopped to talk… got myself a bit lost and turned around in a city I really know nothing about. I might have cried a little. And ugly crying and a bad run make everything worse. SO…I ended up turning around, heading back toward downtown, and rounding off the mileage on my own. I got there, but it wasn’t pretty and I felt pretty defeated the rest of the day. But, on the plus side, I did get the mileage in and I stepped a bit outside of my comfort zone to do it too.
So, when I went on my little shakeout this morning, I had a little heart-to-heart with myself as I ticked off a couple of easy miles. And that is…my new focus…and I leave it to The Doctor to share it with you…
I get so down on myself and hard on myself regarding the paces I can hold, maintain, or even run at different points of the week. Right now, I need to just focus on the whole…running thing…and less on how much or little time it takes me. Let’s face it. A 7 mile hill climb at the start of a marathon is going to SUCK…and right now, I should focus on just prepping myself mentally as well as physically by simply setting the numbers and data aside…and basically…just running.
And with all that being said…the best thing ever happened this past week as plans for my September race started falling into place. One thing that is going to be entirely necessary is having people around to get me through what will likely be a challenging and…humbling race. And all the ladies that are traveling with me are on board. And I feel a LOT better about at least my post-race stuff thanks to that simple fact.
The gang is getting back together. It’s been way too long since the four of us have gone on an adventure. And I promise not to get my purse stolen this time…
Anyone else watching the Tour de France? I was watching it yesterday and was just blown away by the way these cyclists command that course. They are amazing and inspiring. Seriously, it does make me want to get back on my road bike…but ever since taking that spill and having so much trouble unclipping…I just haven’t felt like risking my bones and body in another potential fall. So, I’m watching all these athletes cycling like mad on the roads of France and they’re just…FLYING!
And I get on a bike and I feel like…
True story! Well, the only way to get better at something is to practice, practice, practice. I am going to look at getting my clips loosened…or possibly new pedals. We’ll see what happens after that. Fact of the matter is…I want to get back on my bike.
My other favorite thing this week…going over to Bryan & Michelle’s house on Friday night, eating Daiya pizza, watching Kung Fu Panda 3, drinking a little wine (Reggae Red Wine), and just having more laughs than I’ve had all week. Seriously…it was just the unwinding that I needed at the right time. And I love these two. Two of the best friends I’ve made since moving to the area.
And…SHE. BOUGHT. PIZZA. I. CAN. EAT! So much love! I was eagerly eyeing them in the oven ready to devour. We all know…pizza is my favorite!
I made Gluten Free and Vegan S’mores for dessert. I think Michelle now wants a kitchen torch (which is how I toasted said marshmallows)!
They were a hit!
Pizza party, Panda, and discussion of what a Chi Biscuit would include. HA!! God, I love my friends.
And that was pretty much my weekend! It was a decent week leading into the weekend. And when my Saturday night finishes up with dinner at Shalimar (mmm…Indian food!), it’s a good time.
Speaking of movies…last night I watched the movie Chef. It had been on my list for awhile, and all my friends kept telling me I had to see it. They were right. I loved it. It made me really want to go to culinary school. Maybe not to run a food truck…or…perhaps…to run a food truck. HA! If you haven’t seen it…get on Netflix and watch it. You will thank me for it.
So, that was pretty much my week. Sort of a bumpy ride…but more ups (mentally and physically, HA!) than downs.
How do you overcome challenges? Ever have a run fall apart on you? How do you mentally and physically recover? I want to know!!
Oh…it’s National Ice Cream Day…so…scoop up some goodness today!!
Have a great week!
Happy Monday!
That’s a bit of an oxymoron, yes? It can be. In fact, the past few weeks for me have been nothing more than a big ball of S-T-R-E-S-S. Running and working out weren’t helping. Escaping work wasn’t easy to do either. But, so far, this week is off to a much better start.
For one thing…I had coffee this morning. So, yeah…already a better day than yesterday…when the tea did not quite measure up get this brain functioning on 11 (because why stop at 10, when it goes to 11?).
Work didn’t have me running around like a lunatic. Which was a nice change of pace. I did, however, make the mistake of hitting “REPLY ALL” on the e-mail to our HR person keeping track of mileage for our “Walking the Great Wall” challenge in the office. All miles are cumulative and there are no prizes for anyone who puts in more mileage than anyone else. But, man, I kept getting…”There is NO WAY you did that much…”
It’s called marathon training, friends. Try it sometime…
Doesn’t matter, all of it is tracked on my Garmin Connect…so I can show them, in living color that I’m not lying when I submit my miles for the week.
I…swear…to…GOD. People sometimes. They should know…I run, I spin, I bike, I gym, I walk, I workout. Mileage happens.
But, you know, nobody likes an overachiever…I guess…
On the subject of people, I do believe the weird people in my building who are up at weird hours of the day must wonder why I am hopping around on the sidewalk every morning between 3-4 am (depending on what else is happening that day and how early my run has to start). It’s fine…because I often wonder why the hell they are sitting out on their balcony, with their dog, at 3 am, on their tablets or phones watching YouTube. And I’m all…
Well…maybe nothing quite that dynamic…but I am jumping around past their balcony quite a few times…because I never miss a day of my PT exercises. When you’re injured for as long as I was…you just do it.
I guess we’ll all just carry on with our early morning rituals and ignore each other. And then whisper nervously to our roommates about one another in the privacy of our own apartments.
So Monday went well…without stressing me out too much. So, I hope the rest of the week continues on this trend.
Hope all of you had a good start to the week!
The Celiathlete 