Okay, it's been a long time, I know. I was down a little bit in November from an overuse injury. Thankfully now I recognize them earlier and know how to better deal with them. As 2016 draws to a close, I've been reflecting just a bit and thought I'd better wrap things up a bit.
Like I said, November brought an overuse injury. The tendons on the top of my foot were inflamed and my foot swelled quite a bit. I decided it was caused by either being suspended in TRX straps or from Upward-Facing Dog in yoga. Whichever it was, the other exacerbated it. Running made it even more angry so I took a few weeks off and was careful doing TRX and yoga. I'm happy to report it has healed completely and it makes me happy that my body responded like I'd hoped.
I think it was either late July or early August when I looked at the miles I'd run this year. I was closing in on 700 miles for 2016 and still had the bulk of my training to do for the St. George Marathon. I started thinking about trying to get 1000 running miles in. I knew it was doable. By the time the marathon was over I was nearing 850 miles. I still wasn't really trying to get 1000 miles, I just knew it was feasible. When I realized I had an injury, it threw a wrench in my idea but once I started healing, I did the math and realized that if I just stayed consistent, running 1000 miles in 2016 would work.
By late November, I had made a firm commitment to the goal of running 1000 miles in 2016. I mapped it out, planning how many miles I would need to run each week, and how many times each week. We've had a few mornings when it was so cold, I really didn't want to go outside and run. Fortunately, we've had a pretty temperate fall and early winter so there were only a few rough mornings.
The only thing that has thrown me off my plan was when another instructor needed me to sub her Spinning class on a morning when I would usually have run. I checked the math and determined I'd still hit my goal but I now had no wiggle room. I've stayed consistent, even running Christmas Eve on a treadmill because it was raining outside so running outside wasn't possible. As of today, December 30, I've run 997 miles. My plan is to run seven miles tomorrow morning, giving me 1004 running miles for 2016. Unfortunately, there is a shower moving in tomorrow morning early but I'm hoping to get out and get the run done before the storm. If not, New Year's Eve's run will also be on the treadmill. Either way, I will accomplishing this goal.
2017 doesn't have anything too terribly exciting yet. I'll do St. George again. I've considered the Top of Utah Marathon and someday I want to the the Utah Grand Slam but that one will probably have to wait for a time when I'm slightly less busy. I've been approached by a local business who is considering sponsoring me but I'll have to let you know for sure about that later.
I hope 2016 has been good to you. If not, put it to bed and look forward to 2017. Good luck on your goals. Thanks for checking in with me and come back again soon.
Friday, December 30, 2016
Saturday, August 27, 2016
This hasn't happened in a long time, and I was okay with that
So, we're right in the thick of marathon training. Last week we were scheduled to go 19 miles, and that happened. But, wow. Here's the story.
Last Friday we went to TRX. I love TRX. We went hard that day, harder than we have in a while. It was a great workout and I wasn't worried about the effect it would have on our run the next day because we'd have a good night's rest to help recover. Anyway, I went about my day as usual. I play the piano for our high school choir. I'm there every afternoon. Our chamber choir was having its annual retreat that Friday and Saturday. I had a conversation with the choir director and realized the speaker he was planning to have come talk to the kids on Saturday had backed out. We spent a while trying to come up with a new plan. Finally, I told him about some yoga we could do that would promote unity and he was sold. He asked me to do sunrise yoga, starting at 6:30. Here's the problem: I'm supposed to be running at 6:30. My husband and I decided we'd just do our run when I got home from the retreat. I got home just after 11:00. PM. We changed our clothes and headed out at 11:30. PM.
For about the first five or six miles, I was feeling okay. The first hill was eye-opening though. This run was going to require some grit and I definitely had not had enough recovery time. Running so late shocked my system and we had to stop several times to use the restroom. SLOWLY, miles after mile ticked by. About miles 8-ish, someone actually swerved toward us. That got our blood pumping. Usually during a training run, we don't have to stop to walk and recover but that night we had to several times. Finally, finally we crested the last hill on the parkway. That was about 12 1/2 miles in. Thankfully the next few miles are downhill. Around 14 miles we stopped, again, to use the restroom. Starting again made me want to cry. I hurt. I was tired. I was done. I never bail on a run but if someone had stopped us and asked us if we wanted a ride home, I would have happily said yes. Those last four or five miles were brutal. They took all my will power to finish. We walked through our door at just after 3:00. We showered and crawled into bed about 3:30. At 6:00, my alarm went off. I was so confused. It's not a time I normally get up and I couldn't remember why I'd set my alarm. It took a bit to get my brain working enough to remember I needed to get up and teach yoga.
Things went well with the retreat and I survived. Thankfully, my family let me sleep the afternoon away. Now, the reason I blogged about this run is to show we all have runs where we just don't feel good. Sometimes it's not about doing better or being faster. Sometimes it's simply about getting the miles under your feet. It's about better developing your mental toughness so that you can learn to endure when it gets tough. Sometimes it's about learning to negotiate with yourself so you can just keep moving.
It's been, literally, years since I've had a run like this. And, I still haven't completely recovered a week later. I'm still a bit worn down which made my 21 mile run today tougher than I would have liked. I'm grateful for the "ugh" run I had last week. It gives me an appreciation for my good runs, for the runs when I simply feel great. It also gives me compassion for other runners. For people who are just starting out, people who are just coming back from an injury. I can say "I know how it feels. Hang in there. It gets better." I've been there before but a reminder now and then is good for me. That being said, I DON'T need another run like that in a loooong time!
I hope you are setting goals and achieving them. I hope you're getting stronger, tougher, better. Thanks for checking in with me. Let me know if you have questions or comments. Good luck!
Last Friday we went to TRX. I love TRX. We went hard that day, harder than we have in a while. It was a great workout and I wasn't worried about the effect it would have on our run the next day because we'd have a good night's rest to help recover. Anyway, I went about my day as usual. I play the piano for our high school choir. I'm there every afternoon. Our chamber choir was having its annual retreat that Friday and Saturday. I had a conversation with the choir director and realized the speaker he was planning to have come talk to the kids on Saturday had backed out. We spent a while trying to come up with a new plan. Finally, I told him about some yoga we could do that would promote unity and he was sold. He asked me to do sunrise yoga, starting at 6:30. Here's the problem: I'm supposed to be running at 6:30. My husband and I decided we'd just do our run when I got home from the retreat. I got home just after 11:00. PM. We changed our clothes and headed out at 11:30. PM.
For about the first five or six miles, I was feeling okay. The first hill was eye-opening though. This run was going to require some grit and I definitely had not had enough recovery time. Running so late shocked my system and we had to stop several times to use the restroom. SLOWLY, miles after mile ticked by. About miles 8-ish, someone actually swerved toward us. That got our blood pumping. Usually during a training run, we don't have to stop to walk and recover but that night we had to several times. Finally, finally we crested the last hill on the parkway. That was about 12 1/2 miles in. Thankfully the next few miles are downhill. Around 14 miles we stopped, again, to use the restroom. Starting again made me want to cry. I hurt. I was tired. I was done. I never bail on a run but if someone had stopped us and asked us if we wanted a ride home, I would have happily said yes. Those last four or five miles were brutal. They took all my will power to finish. We walked through our door at just after 3:00. We showered and crawled into bed about 3:30. At 6:00, my alarm went off. I was so confused. It's not a time I normally get up and I couldn't remember why I'd set my alarm. It took a bit to get my brain working enough to remember I needed to get up and teach yoga.
Things went well with the retreat and I survived. Thankfully, my family let me sleep the afternoon away. Now, the reason I blogged about this run is to show we all have runs where we just don't feel good. Sometimes it's not about doing better or being faster. Sometimes it's simply about getting the miles under your feet. It's about better developing your mental toughness so that you can learn to endure when it gets tough. Sometimes it's about learning to negotiate with yourself so you can just keep moving.
It's been, literally, years since I've had a run like this. And, I still haven't completely recovered a week later. I'm still a bit worn down which made my 21 mile run today tougher than I would have liked. I'm grateful for the "ugh" run I had last week. It gives me an appreciation for my good runs, for the runs when I simply feel great. It also gives me compassion for other runners. For people who are just starting out, people who are just coming back from an injury. I can say "I know how it feels. Hang in there. It gets better." I've been there before but a reminder now and then is good for me. That being said, I DON'T need another run like that in a loooong time!
I hope you are setting goals and achieving them. I hope you're getting stronger, tougher, better. Thanks for checking in with me. Let me know if you have questions or comments. Good luck!
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Utah Valley Marathon
The morning of Utah Valley started early, like they always do. Out the door, load the bus, wait. My sister has done the half several years and has told me it's usually cold at the top but that day it was actually pretty warm, warm enough that I just wore a tank and capris. I was really hoping for a sub-3:40 finish so I could get a Boston Qualifier so we positioned ourselves in between the 3:35 and 3:40 pacers. And we were off. We started banking time immediately. I was trying to run the pace my body wanted to run not let the pace on my watch dictate my speed. Just after mile 6 I decided I needed to go to the bathroom and I started pulling away from my husband. They had port-a-potties at mile seven and I stopped. My husband was going to wait with me but I told him to go and I'd catch up. By the way, Lycra and sweaty bodies do not work well together. It took me about a half a mile to catch my husband, part of that was uphill. When I did catch him, I told I'm I was hoping I wouldn't pay for that little sprint later. We didn't stay together long before I started pulling ahead again.
My pace was good and none of the hills were too bad. At the halfway point I texted my daughter and mom to let them know where I was and I hit a headwind. I could feel my pace slowing and the race starting to get long. It was at this point that I figured I'd lost my sub-3:40 finish and I was discouraged. I was running behind a lady and a guy and I decided to just run on their shoulders. They kept me moving for several miles. About 17 miles in, the 3:40 pacer passed me and I thought, "Oh no way! I haven't run all this way staying in front of this pacer to get passed with nine miles to go." So I passed the people I was running behind and determined I would stay with the pacer. I'd sprint the last half mile if I had to so I could finish in front of him where I'd started. It was what I needed. I picked my pace back up. The wind died down a bit and I was moving again, enough that I passed the pacer again. Mile after mile passed and I just kept moving. I considered putting my headphones in and listening to music to keep my cadence up but I knew that fiddling with things in my vest would slow me down so I didn't. Finally, at about mile 20, I was out of the canyon and on University Avenue.
So, just in case you're wondering, University Avenue is LONG!! I hadn't really watched my overall time for most of the race but about this time I looked at it and did the calculations. If I could hold a steady pace of about 8 minute mile to the finish, I could still finish with a Boston Qualifier. Block after block went by. I passed runner after runner. I could feel my body wearing out. I knew it was going to be close. At mile 24 I pulled my phone out to text my daughter and mom again and noticed a text from my sister who had run the half. I figured she'd already be on her way home but I sent that I was at mile 24. I looked up and could see the finish area. At a block out, my son yelled, "Go Mom!" and I about lost it. He bounced off in front of me to the finish line as I fought for every step. Halfway down the finisher shoot I see my kids and hear someone yell, "Go Brittney!" With my name on my race bib, I figured it was just a random spectator. It was my sister. When she found out how close I was and how close I was to getting the finish I wanted, she stayed to cheer me on. With one last glance down at my watch, I knew I had it. I FINALLY got my Boston Qualifier! 3:39:30. Thirty seconds to spare but it was hard fought. My sister met me on the other side of the finish line and I told her I did it and we both cried.
I texted my husband to let him know my finish time and to find out where he was. He was struggling. He's been fighting his body when we get into the upper miles to feel like he has power to finish. He finished with a 4:09 and was frustrated. It's about 20 minutes slower than his PR.
I'm glad I finally did the Utah Valley Marathon. It was harder than I planned on but I got the finish I wanted. The next race is St. George in October. I'm excited to do this race because I love it so much.
Thanks for checking in with me. Come back again soon. Good luck on your goals.
My pace was good and none of the hills were too bad. At the halfway point I texted my daughter and mom to let them know where I was and I hit a headwind. I could feel my pace slowing and the race starting to get long. It was at this point that I figured I'd lost my sub-3:40 finish and I was discouraged. I was running behind a lady and a guy and I decided to just run on their shoulders. They kept me moving for several miles. About 17 miles in, the 3:40 pacer passed me and I thought, "Oh no way! I haven't run all this way staying in front of this pacer to get passed with nine miles to go." So I passed the people I was running behind and determined I would stay with the pacer. I'd sprint the last half mile if I had to so I could finish in front of him where I'd started. It was what I needed. I picked my pace back up. The wind died down a bit and I was moving again, enough that I passed the pacer again. Mile after mile passed and I just kept moving. I considered putting my headphones in and listening to music to keep my cadence up but I knew that fiddling with things in my vest would slow me down so I didn't. Finally, at about mile 20, I was out of the canyon and on University Avenue.
So, just in case you're wondering, University Avenue is LONG!! I hadn't really watched my overall time for most of the race but about this time I looked at it and did the calculations. If I could hold a steady pace of about 8 minute mile to the finish, I could still finish with a Boston Qualifier. Block after block went by. I passed runner after runner. I could feel my body wearing out. I knew it was going to be close. At mile 24 I pulled my phone out to text my daughter and mom again and noticed a text from my sister who had run the half. I figured she'd already be on her way home but I sent that I was at mile 24. I looked up and could see the finish area. At a block out, my son yelled, "Go Mom!" and I about lost it. He bounced off in front of me to the finish line as I fought for every step. Halfway down the finisher shoot I see my kids and hear someone yell, "Go Brittney!" With my name on my race bib, I figured it was just a random spectator. It was my sister. When she found out how close I was and how close I was to getting the finish I wanted, she stayed to cheer me on. With one last glance down at my watch, I knew I had it. I FINALLY got my Boston Qualifier! 3:39:30. Thirty seconds to spare but it was hard fought. My sister met me on the other side of the finish line and I told her I did it and we both cried.
I texted my husband to let him know my finish time and to find out where he was. He was struggling. He's been fighting his body when we get into the upper miles to feel like he has power to finish. He finished with a 4:09 and was frustrated. It's about 20 minutes slower than his PR.
I'm glad I finally did the Utah Valley Marathon. It was harder than I planned on but I got the finish I wanted. The next race is St. George in October. I'm excited to do this race because I love it so much.
Thanks for checking in with me. Come back again soon. Good luck on your goals.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
The things you can't plan
Okay, so last weekend was the Ogden Marathon and Half Marathon. And, the weather was rough! I didn't do it put I'm friends with enough people who did to know how they felt about it. It rained. A lot. I have a little experience with this.
My very first marathon was St. George. I had previously done the Red Mountain 50K so I had gone the distance but my first organized marathon was St. George. I think it was the 33rd running of the race. In those 33 years, it had rained three times. Well, my first year it rained. It wasn't a drenching rain, just constant. They handed out garbage bags at the starting line to keep the runners warm. I happily took one. I don't think it was really even raining. Sprinkling maybe. Anyway, once the race started, I tossed my garbage bag just like everyone else. I didn't know any better. I was just doing what everyone else was. That was my first mistake. I remember being cold. I remember trying to open my nutrition and struggling with it so much I slowly stopped eating. I came through an aid station and slowed to a walk so I dropped my arms. Once I started running again, my arms started tingling. It took five miles for it to stop tingling. So, I stopped drinking. When I crossed the finish line, I swore I would never again do the St. George Marathon. It was too hard to train for and I was miserable. Within a few weeks I started thinking about the things I could change that would make things better and here I am, nine year later.
Here's my concern: the weather along the Wasatch Front in June can be finicky. It could be beautiful, it could be hot, it could snow. I really didn't consider this when I signed up. Now that we've had a cool spring and the weather north of here has been unsettled, I'm a little concerned. Whether or not the weather cooperates with my expectations, I'm still running this marathon and I'm still planning to run my best. I don't think I'll have the problems with rain like I had during my first marathon. I know a few more things this time. Basically, I'm just complaining. Or maybe just worrying out loud.
I may wear some form of plastic to stay dry. I will eat and I will drink. And, I will run faster. That was part of my problem last time. I need to stay working hard so my core temperature stays warm. I will also stay positive. I won't ruin this race in my mind. I've done that before too.
Thanks for letting bounce my thoughts off of you. I hope you are moving toward your goals. Thanks for checking in with me and come back again soon!
My very first marathon was St. George. I had previously done the Red Mountain 50K so I had gone the distance but my first organized marathon was St. George. I think it was the 33rd running of the race. In those 33 years, it had rained three times. Well, my first year it rained. It wasn't a drenching rain, just constant. They handed out garbage bags at the starting line to keep the runners warm. I happily took one. I don't think it was really even raining. Sprinkling maybe. Anyway, once the race started, I tossed my garbage bag just like everyone else. I didn't know any better. I was just doing what everyone else was. That was my first mistake. I remember being cold. I remember trying to open my nutrition and struggling with it so much I slowly stopped eating. I came through an aid station and slowed to a walk so I dropped my arms. Once I started running again, my arms started tingling. It took five miles for it to stop tingling. So, I stopped drinking. When I crossed the finish line, I swore I would never again do the St. George Marathon. It was too hard to train for and I was miserable. Within a few weeks I started thinking about the things I could change that would make things better and here I am, nine year later.
Here's my concern: the weather along the Wasatch Front in June can be finicky. It could be beautiful, it could be hot, it could snow. I really didn't consider this when I signed up. Now that we've had a cool spring and the weather north of here has been unsettled, I'm a little concerned. Whether or not the weather cooperates with my expectations, I'm still running this marathon and I'm still planning to run my best. I don't think I'll have the problems with rain like I had during my first marathon. I know a few more things this time. Basically, I'm just complaining. Or maybe just worrying out loud.
I may wear some form of plastic to stay dry. I will eat and I will drink. And, I will run faster. That was part of my problem last time. I need to stay working hard so my core temperature stays warm. I will also stay positive. I won't ruin this race in my mind. I've done that before too.
Thanks for letting bounce my thoughts off of you. I hope you are moving toward your goals. Thanks for checking in with me and come back again soon!
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Peak week
Every time I train for a marathon, that last run, sometimes last two runs, I get a little grumpy about. I think it's the weight of the distance. Maybe the fact that I've been training for months. I don't know. This time was a little different. I struggled with those first few building runs. I just couldn't seem to find my rhythm. When I finally did, even 23 miles was fine. Once again, I was pushed for time. This time I had to be home in enough time to get ready for an overnighter with my high school choir kids to the state large choir festival. Oh, did I mention I was in charge?
We headed out and just kept climbing hill after hill after hill. Who planned this run?! Mile after mile, I just kept going. We hit mile 15-ish just as we finished the Parkway and really, the end of the hilly portion. By this point, I was really feeling pretty good. My husband was feeling depleted. We kept moving but our pace really started to slow. We spent miles with him running just behind me. He told me to run ahead and get home several times but I know him too well. I know he needs me, at least to a certain point. With just shy of two miles left, I ran ahead and told him I'd meet him at home. I really kicked it into gear. My average pace on those last almost two miles was 7:32-7:46 and I didn't break down either. I was surprised at the end of the day when I really couldn't tell I'd run 23 miles that day.
I got home and quickly showered and got ready then headed to the high school to load a school bus with 120 kids and 15 adult for 300 miles. It really isn't the best idea but it was a fun weekend.
All in all, training for the Utah Valley Marathon has been a success! I'm excited to run it in a few weeks and anxious to see how I do. I really do have the best support system in the world. My husband is my greatest fan. When he starts to struggle to stay with me, he tells me to run my own race. My kids put up with endless long weekend runs. And my extended family is always great too.
Thanks for checking in. I hope you are moving toward your goals. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. Good luck!
We headed out and just kept climbing hill after hill after hill. Who planned this run?! Mile after mile, I just kept going. We hit mile 15-ish just as we finished the Parkway and really, the end of the hilly portion. By this point, I was really feeling pretty good. My husband was feeling depleted. We kept moving but our pace really started to slow. We spent miles with him running just behind me. He told me to run ahead and get home several times but I know him too well. I know he needs me, at least to a certain point. With just shy of two miles left, I ran ahead and told him I'd meet him at home. I really kicked it into gear. My average pace on those last almost two miles was 7:32-7:46 and I didn't break down either. I was surprised at the end of the day when I really couldn't tell I'd run 23 miles that day.
I got home and quickly showered and got ready then headed to the high school to load a school bus with 120 kids and 15 adult for 300 miles. It really isn't the best idea but it was a fun weekend.
All in all, training for the Utah Valley Marathon has been a success! I'm excited to run it in a few weeks and anxious to see how I do. I really do have the best support system in the world. My husband is my greatest fan. When he starts to struggle to stay with me, he tells me to run my own race. My kids put up with endless long weekend runs. And my extended family is always great too.
Thanks for checking in. I hope you are moving toward your goals. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. Good luck!
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Surprise...
I've learned so much about myself since becoming a runner. I know I've talked about this before. I started running because my brother told me I should try a half marathon. I'd been doing sprint distance triathlons so moving into half marathons was a new challenge. I was hooked, right from that first half. It was hard and I had to dig deeper than I'd had to to finish any triathlon, but the finish line felt amazing. Tris were my entrance into being active but with the swim distance only about 400 meters, the bike ride about 10 miles and the run a 5K, it wasn't my limit. Now, I don't want to down-play anyone finishing any race, no matter the distance. I had my experience with my first race. It was short and I was slow. But, if I was being honest, sprint distance tris were not my greatest challenge and I was starting to want to push myself. The year of my first half, I watched the finish line at the St. George Marathon. I remember thinking, "I could do this." And, the next year I did.
Anyway, since I transitioned from triathlete to runner, I have learned so much about me. I didn't know I was physically strong. I think I had an idea that I was mentally strong. Up until that point, I had had some experiences with mental toughness, just not on the level I have since I've been a runner. I remember first running and my only goal was to finish my run, whatever the distance, or the race. Remember, I didn't start as a 5 or 10K runner. I jumped right into distance running. As I started to get better and stronger, I started to push myself more and more. It became about finishing better than last time, being a stronger me. With that drive came new challenges. I have been to the brink of exhaustion, to the point where I honestly didn't know if I could go one step further, let alone finish those last miles. Every time I've been to that point, to the place I'm sure was "the end," I have discovered I can dig deeper.
You'd think that after running for as long as I have been, that I have found my limits. Still no. And I discovered that I still haven't last Saturday. We were running 21 miles on a tough course. Lots of hills, some short and steep, some long and grueling. I really should have been dying, my husband was. I had subbed TRX the day before and it was a great class. We had both worked really hard but it's been weeks since my husband has been to a TRX class on Friday and then done a long run on Saturday. He just wasn't used to it. I just kept pushing along. Time after time I found myself slowing pulling ahead of him, putting more and more distance between us. When I'd realize it, I'd slow down and run with him again. I really did keep thinking I was going to finally feel the distance, that the work was going to catch up to me. It just never did. I felt great when we were done and I had a lot left in the tank when we got home. That depth just amazes me. Not because I'm amazing but because the human body is. Just wow!
Now, I'm not sharing this with you to "toot my own horn". I'm sharing this so that you can see that if someone who has been running for years can continue to find depth not limitations, you can too. Dig a little deeper. Strive a little farther. Push a little harder. There is power in you yet that you haven't uncovered. Stay the course. Carry on!
I'm really looking forward to the marathon that is only four and a half weeks away! From what I hear, it tends to be faster than the St. George Marathon so I'm really hoping for a PR. What I really want is a Boston Qualifying finish. Utah Valley is kind of cool. If you have a Boston Qualifier when you register, you get a discount. If you get a Boston Qualifier at Utah Valley, they have a shirt for you. All of that is cool but I really want one for me. I know I have one in me and I'm really hoping this is it.
Thanks for checking back in with me. I hope you are moving toward your goals. If you have questions or comments, let me know. Come back soon!
Anyway, since I transitioned from triathlete to runner, I have learned so much about me. I didn't know I was physically strong. I think I had an idea that I was mentally strong. Up until that point, I had had some experiences with mental toughness, just not on the level I have since I've been a runner. I remember first running and my only goal was to finish my run, whatever the distance, or the race. Remember, I didn't start as a 5 or 10K runner. I jumped right into distance running. As I started to get better and stronger, I started to push myself more and more. It became about finishing better than last time, being a stronger me. With that drive came new challenges. I have been to the brink of exhaustion, to the point where I honestly didn't know if I could go one step further, let alone finish those last miles. Every time I've been to that point, to the place I'm sure was "the end," I have discovered I can dig deeper.
You'd think that after running for as long as I have been, that I have found my limits. Still no. And I discovered that I still haven't last Saturday. We were running 21 miles on a tough course. Lots of hills, some short and steep, some long and grueling. I really should have been dying, my husband was. I had subbed TRX the day before and it was a great class. We had both worked really hard but it's been weeks since my husband has been to a TRX class on Friday and then done a long run on Saturday. He just wasn't used to it. I just kept pushing along. Time after time I found myself slowing pulling ahead of him, putting more and more distance between us. When I'd realize it, I'd slow down and run with him again. I really did keep thinking I was going to finally feel the distance, that the work was going to catch up to me. It just never did. I felt great when we were done and I had a lot left in the tank when we got home. That depth just amazes me. Not because I'm amazing but because the human body is. Just wow!
Now, I'm not sharing this with you to "toot my own horn". I'm sharing this so that you can see that if someone who has been running for years can continue to find depth not limitations, you can too. Dig a little deeper. Strive a little farther. Push a little harder. There is power in you yet that you haven't uncovered. Stay the course. Carry on!
I'm really looking forward to the marathon that is only four and a half weeks away! From what I hear, it tends to be faster than the St. George Marathon so I'm really hoping for a PR. What I really want is a Boston Qualifying finish. Utah Valley is kind of cool. If you have a Boston Qualifier when you register, you get a discount. If you get a Boston Qualifier at Utah Valley, they have a shirt for you. All of that is cool but I really want one for me. I know I have one in me and I'm really hoping this is it.
Thanks for checking back in with me. I hope you are moving toward your goals. If you have questions or comments, let me know. Come back soon!
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Climbing toward peak week
So our last run was a 19-miler. Can I tell you? It always stays just a little bit daunting running high miles like this. My husband was supposed to work on Friday and our daughters had a dance competition on Saturday so it meant I was going to have to run on Friday by myself or get up really early on Saturday and try to get our run done together before I had to leave the house having myself and two daughters completely ready. Initially, I was going to go on Friday but then 19 miles is a really long way to go by myself so I started leaning toward early Saturday. Then I saw an accurate weather forecast and realized I had to go on Friday. Thursday afternoon my husband got a phone call from his boss with unexpected news: they no longer needed him to work on Friday, so he was off. And just like that, we got to run on Friday together.
We got up the same time as last week but opted not to sleep in running clothes this week. We got out the door a little later but this time our daughter was on stand-by to drive the carpool. We added mileage to our route from last week on the front end. We ended up going up a long hill that lasts just over a mile. By the time we got to the top, I REALLY wanted to stop and catch my breath but my husband didn't say anything so neither did it. I told him later that I really wanted to stop but since he didn't ask to stop, I kept going. He told me he also really wanted to stop and was hoping I would say something. I guess now we both know we're stronger and can do it without the stop. Anyway, we just kept plugging along with nothing really notable happening. When we got to "the beast hill," I just kept putting one foot in front of the other and then we were at the top. I remember thinking, "There's nothing like a bigger, longer hill to put a hill into perspective." This week it really wasn't too bad.
Our pace stayed really consistent and really never slowed. I told my husband last week while we were running, about 13 miles in, that I wish I had taken some ibuprofen. By about mile 15 though I was feeling better. This week we decided to stay ahead of that, especially since we were trying to make it home to take carpool. We took ibuprofen about mile seven so that it was working about the time we needed it. That worked and is probably the real reason we stayed consistent. We made it home with about five minutes to spare before we had to take carpool.
It's funny. When I run a long run and give in to the "I'm beat. I ran a long run." mentality, I am beat. When I don't and just move forward with my day, I do much better. My body moves better, I just feel better. I've been running for years now and I finally figured that one out. We did opt for a morning nap, mostly because we were up so early, but other than that, we really felt good.
This weekend is Ironman St. George 70.3 which means lots of athletes in town and that course is my training course. I'm hoping to be off the course before we see runners, and we should be, but I'm not going to worry about it too much. They won't kick us off if we overlap a bit. Anyway, we need to run 21 miles which means only one more week until peak week. I can't believe we nearly done. Wow!
Thanks for checking in with me. I hope you are enjoying success in your goals. Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck, take care, and come back soon. And remember, strong bodies follow strong minds.
We got up the same time as last week but opted not to sleep in running clothes this week. We got out the door a little later but this time our daughter was on stand-by to drive the carpool. We added mileage to our route from last week on the front end. We ended up going up a long hill that lasts just over a mile. By the time we got to the top, I REALLY wanted to stop and catch my breath but my husband didn't say anything so neither did it. I told him later that I really wanted to stop but since he didn't ask to stop, I kept going. He told me he also really wanted to stop and was hoping I would say something. I guess now we both know we're stronger and can do it without the stop. Anyway, we just kept plugging along with nothing really notable happening. When we got to "the beast hill," I just kept putting one foot in front of the other and then we were at the top. I remember thinking, "There's nothing like a bigger, longer hill to put a hill into perspective." This week it really wasn't too bad.
Our pace stayed really consistent and really never slowed. I told my husband last week while we were running, about 13 miles in, that I wish I had taken some ibuprofen. By about mile 15 though I was feeling better. This week we decided to stay ahead of that, especially since we were trying to make it home to take carpool. We took ibuprofen about mile seven so that it was working about the time we needed it. That worked and is probably the real reason we stayed consistent. We made it home with about five minutes to spare before we had to take carpool.
It's funny. When I run a long run and give in to the "I'm beat. I ran a long run." mentality, I am beat. When I don't and just move forward with my day, I do much better. My body moves better, I just feel better. I've been running for years now and I finally figured that one out. We did opt for a morning nap, mostly because we were up so early, but other than that, we really felt good.
This weekend is Ironman St. George 70.3 which means lots of athletes in town and that course is my training course. I'm hoping to be off the course before we see runners, and we should be, but I'm not going to worry about it too much. They won't kick us off if we overlap a bit. Anyway, we need to run 21 miles which means only one more week until peak week. I can't believe we nearly done. Wow!
Thanks for checking in with me. I hope you are enjoying success in your goals. Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck, take care, and come back soon. And remember, strong bodies follow strong minds.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Gettin' my groove on
I've been waiting for this week for MONTHS! Not necessarily the week we were to run 17 miles or the fourth weekend in April. Just the week where it finally felt good to run a long run. I was hoping our oldest daughter could take our carpool this week so we could head out a little later but no such luck. She couldn't swing it so we went with our only other option: wake up SUPER early and get it done before carpool. We have to be in the car by about 7:20 so we got up at 3:45 so we could be out the door by 4:00. It's funny. When I plan training runs, even though I run faster now than I did when I first started running, I still calculate the same pace when I plan a run.
3:45 my alarm goes off. Are you KIDDING me?! I can sense my husband is having the same relationship with his alarm. Really? It's already 3:45. We'd slept in our running clothes so we could sleep a few minutes longer and get out the door faster. Roll out of bed, hit the bathroom, shoes, contacts, pull hair back, fill hydration vest, eat banana. Watch out 17, here we come. This spring has been interesting. It's late April and I still haven't run a long run in short sleeves. When does that happen? This week. And it was dark too. Short sleeves, capris, no jacket, no sunglasses. Anyway, we headed out and soon hit our stride. I really do love the peace of running early in the morning but I kind of dread knowing I have hours to run in the dark. The run was pretty uneventful. Mile after mile passed. We fueled at miles 6 and 12. That long hill, the one that has kind of been kicking my butt every week, it was okay this week. About six-ish miles into our run, my body decided it was time to think about hitting a bathroom. This particular course has them periodically but we'd just passed one about a mile and a half before. I figured I'd be okay for awhile. I'd have to be. When we started down the last hill on the Parkway, my body let me know that it had made it's decision. The time was NOW! I knew we had about two miles to an open restroom. The only thing I could do was run so we did. I will admit there were moments I almost didn't breathe for fear my body was going to protest. I'm happy to report, because I know this is why you read this blog, that I made it! I want to say this was around mile 12. The sky was starting to lighten but our pace was really quite good and we were both much happier now that we'd had a pit stop.
As our miles continued to climb, our bodies started to grump a bit. About a mile and a half from home, I asked my husband what our pace was. He said, "Not good." I kicked it up and so did he. We finished the last mile strong and with about a half an hour to spare before we had to be taking carpool.
Spring training has been strange this year. Many times I've trained in the spring but it's never been quite so cool or unpredictable. It's a good thing I have plenty of things to layer up. I've learned to run with toilet paper. Just in case.
Thanks for checking in with me again. I hope you are doing well and progressing toward your goals. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. Happy running!
3:45 my alarm goes off. Are you KIDDING me?! I can sense my husband is having the same relationship with his alarm. Really? It's already 3:45. We'd slept in our running clothes so we could sleep a few minutes longer and get out the door faster. Roll out of bed, hit the bathroom, shoes, contacts, pull hair back, fill hydration vest, eat banana. Watch out 17, here we come. This spring has been interesting. It's late April and I still haven't run a long run in short sleeves. When does that happen? This week. And it was dark too. Short sleeves, capris, no jacket, no sunglasses. Anyway, we headed out and soon hit our stride. I really do love the peace of running early in the morning but I kind of dread knowing I have hours to run in the dark. The run was pretty uneventful. Mile after mile passed. We fueled at miles 6 and 12. That long hill, the one that has kind of been kicking my butt every week, it was okay this week. About six-ish miles into our run, my body decided it was time to think about hitting a bathroom. This particular course has them periodically but we'd just passed one about a mile and a half before. I figured I'd be okay for awhile. I'd have to be. When we started down the last hill on the Parkway, my body let me know that it had made it's decision. The time was NOW! I knew we had about two miles to an open restroom. The only thing I could do was run so we did. I will admit there were moments I almost didn't breathe for fear my body was going to protest. I'm happy to report, because I know this is why you read this blog, that I made it! I want to say this was around mile 12. The sky was starting to lighten but our pace was really quite good and we were both much happier now that we'd had a pit stop.
As our miles continued to climb, our bodies started to grump a bit. About a mile and a half from home, I asked my husband what our pace was. He said, "Not good." I kicked it up and so did he. We finished the last mile strong and with about a half an hour to spare before we had to be taking carpool.
Spring training has been strange this year. Many times I've trained in the spring but it's never been quite so cool or unpredictable. It's a good thing I have plenty of things to layer up. I've learned to run with toilet paper. Just in case.
Thanks for checking in with me again. I hope you are doing well and progressing toward your goals. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. Happy running!
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Building again
So Saturday we ran 15 miles. It's that time again. It's time to build to peak week. I don't know what it is about spring training but I am struggling to want to do long runs. I think it may be the weather. During the summer months, the weather is so predictable: hot. We never have to decide when we're going to run: early. You have to or you die.
Anyway, we got out the door about 7:00. I knew we would be dealing with the wind a little bit and it was kind of cold. We added two miles to the front end of our previous week's route. That kind of played with my head a little bit because we were two miles farther into our run than we usually are. For some reason I seem to be struggling to just find a rhythm. We decided to add the surges that we did last fall to try to build some speed into these long runs. I really can't say that at any point early on in our run it felt good.
About seven miles into our run we git the good hill, the one that is just steep enough and long enough to be brutal. Last year when we'd run this hill, our go-to song was "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten. This year it's "My House" by Flo Rida. It's nearly perfect in length. We start it at the bottom and are nearly at the top when it's over. During this song, I focus on the beat, on just putting one foot in front of the other. It just gets me to the top. After we crested the hill, I finally started to feel like I'd hit my stride. We fueled shortly after this hill.
We have a decently long decent after these rolling hills and that felt good. I'm not going to lie. Our last two-ish miles were kind of tough and we ended up being just a little long but we felt like our time was pretty good. I had some tightness in my hips afterward but I moved around a lot that day and it seemed to subside.
Thanks for checking in with me. I hope you are moving forward in your goals. Let me know if you have questions or comments. Best of luck in whatever you're pursuing.
Anyway, we got out the door about 7:00. I knew we would be dealing with the wind a little bit and it was kind of cold. We added two miles to the front end of our previous week's route. That kind of played with my head a little bit because we were two miles farther into our run than we usually are. For some reason I seem to be struggling to just find a rhythm. We decided to add the surges that we did last fall to try to build some speed into these long runs. I really can't say that at any point early on in our run it felt good.
About seven miles into our run we git the good hill, the one that is just steep enough and long enough to be brutal. Last year when we'd run this hill, our go-to song was "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten. This year it's "My House" by Flo Rida. It's nearly perfect in length. We start it at the bottom and are nearly at the top when it's over. During this song, I focus on the beat, on just putting one foot in front of the other. It just gets me to the top. After we crested the hill, I finally started to feel like I'd hit my stride. We fueled shortly after this hill.
We have a decently long decent after these rolling hills and that felt good. I'm not going to lie. Our last two-ish miles were kind of tough and we ended up being just a little long but we felt like our time was pretty good. I had some tightness in my hips afterward but I moved around a lot that day and it seemed to subside.
Thanks for checking in with me. I hope you are moving forward in your goals. Let me know if you have questions or comments. Best of luck in whatever you're pursuing.
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
So, I might be a little competitive...
I tell my kids all the time life, in general, is not about being better than someone else. I tell them if they want to beat someone, beat themselves. Do better this time than they did last time. I tell them not to compare themselves to others. And I tell myself this too. It's not about how many people I pass or who I finished before. It's about how I did in relation to myself. Mostly. Because, I do have a little competitive streak.
Over Easter weekend, our lives were crazy. We had company in town, my older son had a tennis tournament that lasted two days, our daughters had a dance competition that lasted all day Saturday, and it was Easter. I needed to have my girls to their dance competition by 8:30 with our older daughter being ready to dance. That meant that I needed to be home to help her and keep her calm. Translation: no Saturday morning training run. The run would need to be done on Friday. My favorite running partner had to work that Friday so I headed out alone. Not my favorite thing but I really don't mind when it happens periodically.
I head out about 6:45-ish. I head out for the usual run. Ironman St. George 70.3 is the first weekend in May. My favorite training run just happens to be part of the Ironman bike and running course. That means that right now there tends to be quite a few people out running on the course. About 4 1/2 miles into my run there's a guy a head of my that was running toward me then crosses the road and turns around. Dead giveaway that he's training for Ironman. For a fleeting moment I contemplated what it would take to catch and pass him but upon watching his cadence and knowing the hills I have to climb still, I opted out of that and set out to run my run. After all, it's not a competition. Just passed mile five, there's a hill and it can be brutal. It lasts about 6/10 of a mile and has a decent grade. The guy ahead of me ran it and stopped at its crest. I continued saying "Morning" as I passed. I figured he'd eventually continue down the trail but really didn't give him another thought. Until he passed me nearly a mile and a half later. Again I thought about giving him a run for his money but I still had about half my run to complete and, again, it's not a competition. At mile seven, I crest the last hill for roughly four miles. I fueled as I ran and as I'm cruising down the hill I decide to use the downhill and kick my speed up. Again, I considered trying to catch the guy. When I got a little farther ahead I could see him again and he was about two blocks-ish ahead of me. I decided catching him wasn't my goal but pushing myself a little was. Slowly, with my 80's playlist pushing me forward, I started closing the gap between us. It took me awhile to realize that I actually was closing the gap. And then I knew I would pass him. I was moving too quickly. He never saw me coming. I almost feel badly. His ego probably took a slight hit when I passed him. Anyway, it made my solo run interesting and before I knew it, I was home.
Now, I do not advocate doing what I did. It wasn't very nice. But, having a goal is a good idea. I didn't set out trying to beat anyone. I usually don't make it a point to make other people a part of my goal. I like to better me, to try to be stronger or faster or more mentally strong. Every once in awhile, I get a little competitive and something like this happens. I try not to. But have a goal in mind when you head out to run. Conquer that hill. Sprint home. Whatever your goal is, achieve it.
Thanks for checking in with me. Let me know how you are doing with your goals and if you have questions or comments. Good luck on whatever you are working toward. Come back again soon!
Over Easter weekend, our lives were crazy. We had company in town, my older son had a tennis tournament that lasted two days, our daughters had a dance competition that lasted all day Saturday, and it was Easter. I needed to have my girls to their dance competition by 8:30 with our older daughter being ready to dance. That meant that I needed to be home to help her and keep her calm. Translation: no Saturday morning training run. The run would need to be done on Friday. My favorite running partner had to work that Friday so I headed out alone. Not my favorite thing but I really don't mind when it happens periodically.
I head out about 6:45-ish. I head out for the usual run. Ironman St. George 70.3 is the first weekend in May. My favorite training run just happens to be part of the Ironman bike and running course. That means that right now there tends to be quite a few people out running on the course. About 4 1/2 miles into my run there's a guy a head of my that was running toward me then crosses the road and turns around. Dead giveaway that he's training for Ironman. For a fleeting moment I contemplated what it would take to catch and pass him but upon watching his cadence and knowing the hills I have to climb still, I opted out of that and set out to run my run. After all, it's not a competition. Just passed mile five, there's a hill and it can be brutal. It lasts about 6/10 of a mile and has a decent grade. The guy ahead of me ran it and stopped at its crest. I continued saying "Morning" as I passed. I figured he'd eventually continue down the trail but really didn't give him another thought. Until he passed me nearly a mile and a half later. Again I thought about giving him a run for his money but I still had about half my run to complete and, again, it's not a competition. At mile seven, I crest the last hill for roughly four miles. I fueled as I ran and as I'm cruising down the hill I decide to use the downhill and kick my speed up. Again, I considered trying to catch the guy. When I got a little farther ahead I could see him again and he was about two blocks-ish ahead of me. I decided catching him wasn't my goal but pushing myself a little was. Slowly, with my 80's playlist pushing me forward, I started closing the gap between us. It took me awhile to realize that I actually was closing the gap. And then I knew I would pass him. I was moving too quickly. He never saw me coming. I almost feel badly. His ego probably took a slight hit when I passed him. Anyway, it made my solo run interesting and before I knew it, I was home.
Now, I do not advocate doing what I did. It wasn't very nice. But, having a goal is a good idea. I didn't set out trying to beat anyone. I usually don't make it a point to make other people a part of my goal. I like to better me, to try to be stronger or faster or more mentally strong. Every once in awhile, I get a little competitive and something like this happens. I try not to. But have a goal in mind when you head out to run. Conquer that hill. Sprint home. Whatever your goal is, achieve it.
Thanks for checking in with me. Let me know how you are doing with your goals and if you have questions or comments. Good luck on whatever you are working toward. Come back again soon!
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Adventures as a mom
I couldn't make this up. Really. So my older son has kind of been a sleep walker for years. I'm not sure you could call what he does even sleep walking. We'd check on him before bed and he'd be asleep in front of the TV, with it on. Not really being awake when he gets up to go to the bathroom, things like that. Recently, he's been getting up more and doing different things. Now he sleep eats with no memory of it at all. So, here's our story from Sunday night.
I'm laying in bed not sleeping. It's after 10:00 and I'm frustrated with daylight savings. It causes havoc to my sleep cycle. Anyway, everyone is the house is asleep and I hear something. I listen. Then I hear something else and decide someone is up. I get out of bed and open my door and listen. Nothing. And then another sound. I go into the kitchen and turn on the light. No one. I go into the laundry room and notice that one of the light switches is flipped. I go into the garage and again, nothing. I look at the outside garage door and notice it's unlocked. I turn the light on and go outside. Nothing. I figure maybe our older daughter went out to the car after she got home. Then I have a thought: bed check. I turn the light off, lock the door, and go back inside the house. I first check my son's bedroom and he's not in there. I figure I'd better check downstairs before I panic. He's not there. I am officially in panic mode. I race upstairs into my bedroom and wake, rather abruptly, my husband up. I tell him our son isn't in bed and I can't find him. He heads out to re-check all the places I've just checked. In the garage he notices what I didn't. Our son's bike is gone. Panic level increases. We head back to the bedroom where my husband grabs shoes, a shirt, and his phone. He opens the garage door and starts the car. Upon pulling out of the garage he notices someone on a bike up the street. Thankfully, it was our son and he was only about a block up the road. And he was asleep. And startled to find himself fully clothed with a hat and jacket on riding his bike. We get him home and safely in bed after giving him melatonin.
I do not know how much more of this kind of stuff I can take. I figure my husband and I and our genes must have been the perfect storm when it came to our kids. Three of four with ADHD, one with dysgraphia, and now a sleep walker. If he'd have been found by the cops, they would have thought he was high or drunk, not asleep. And I don't think they would have believed him. Right now, this son is taking his test to get his learner's permit to drive. I'm worried someday he'll get up and drive while he's asleep. Ugh!! This is so frustrating.
The good news is that he saw his doctor last week and we told the doctor. It is documented and the doctor is having him try melatonin and a prescription for something else with a side effect of sleepiness. If we can just get this child to remember to take his medicine before he goes to bed!
Anyway, that was my mommy moment. I hope things are going well for you. Best wishes on your goals and let me know if you have any questions. Take care!
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
I get asked this, a lot
So, I want to start running. How do I start? I get asked this all the time. I'm glad people feel like they can ask me. I love running and I like sharing that love with people. Like so many things in this world, the thing that holds us back is knowing how to begin. So, where do you begin? The answer is so simple, it's obvious. Get moving. Take that first step, and then another. How can I run a marathon/half marathon/10K/5K? I can't even run one mile. Well start where you are. If you can only run to the end of the street but your training schedule says run half a mile, run to the end of the street and then walk. When you feel like you can again, run some more. Finish that half mile any way you can.
My husband and I were just talking about this the other day. He remembers when he started running he'd run a block, then walk a block. He was training to be part of a Ragnar relay team and was following their training schedule. He wasn't fast, but he was consistent. He stayed with it. After a while, he could run farther than a block. He eventually got stronger and was a great member of that team. You wouldn't eat an elephant in one bite, don't aim for a marathon your first time out of the gate. Now that doesn't mean your big goal can't be a marathon. It can. But, set little goals on the way to your big goal. Run to the end of the street, then run a block. When you can do that, add another block. Then make it a half mile. Work your way up.
In the beginning, you're building your base. You want a broad, strong base. You want months of 3-5 milers, about three days a week, building your way to this point. When your base is strong, it's time to start adding. Make one run a week your long run and keep your other two shorter. When you're ready, add some good hill repeats on a shorter run. They will make you stronger. Cross train in your off days, elliptical, cycle, swim, whatever. S-L-O-W-L-Y add miles to your long run. If you add too quickly, injuries can happen and nothing is more discouraging than an injury. A good rule of thumb is to add about 10% a week. So if you're running 5 miles one week, add .5 to that the next week. Feel free to add a drop week occasionally. Maybe you ran 10 miles on your long run last week and you want to run a drop week so this week you run 7 or 8. You don't have to do it a lot or even at all. After your drop week, go back to adding 10% from your week before the drop week. So you ran 10, then 7, then back to 11-ish.
There are TONS of training plans out there. Many are free, some have a small fee. Do your homework when you choose one. It should makes sense. Read reviews. Look into the person who wrote the training plan. Check their credentials. What works for one person may not for someone else and that's okay. We're all different. When I'm training for a marathon, I spend several weeks running long runs between 13 and 15 miles then building from there. I go 15, 17, 19, 21, and finish with 23 miles. I go longer than most people I know but it works for me and I've done if for many marathons. When I'm marathon training, I only run three days a week, one run is speed work, one run is hill repeats, one run is my long run. My shorter runs are no longer than 6 miles. I cross train in between and I strength train. Strong bodies follow strong minds. :)
On a side note, I have decided that this is the year I'm doing the Utah Valley Marathon. I've spent that last several years wanting to do it and this is the year. My husband and I signed up over the weekend so we are committed. I'm super excited and looking forward to spring training again.
Thanks for checking in with me. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. I'd love to hear from you. Good luck with your goals. Go get it!
My husband and I were just talking about this the other day. He remembers when he started running he'd run a block, then walk a block. He was training to be part of a Ragnar relay team and was following their training schedule. He wasn't fast, but he was consistent. He stayed with it. After a while, he could run farther than a block. He eventually got stronger and was a great member of that team. You wouldn't eat an elephant in one bite, don't aim for a marathon your first time out of the gate. Now that doesn't mean your big goal can't be a marathon. It can. But, set little goals on the way to your big goal. Run to the end of the street, then run a block. When you can do that, add another block. Then make it a half mile. Work your way up.
In the beginning, you're building your base. You want a broad, strong base. You want months of 3-5 milers, about three days a week, building your way to this point. When your base is strong, it's time to start adding. Make one run a week your long run and keep your other two shorter. When you're ready, add some good hill repeats on a shorter run. They will make you stronger. Cross train in your off days, elliptical, cycle, swim, whatever. S-L-O-W-L-Y add miles to your long run. If you add too quickly, injuries can happen and nothing is more discouraging than an injury. A good rule of thumb is to add about 10% a week. So if you're running 5 miles one week, add .5 to that the next week. Feel free to add a drop week occasionally. Maybe you ran 10 miles on your long run last week and you want to run a drop week so this week you run 7 or 8. You don't have to do it a lot or even at all. After your drop week, go back to adding 10% from your week before the drop week. So you ran 10, then 7, then back to 11-ish.
There are TONS of training plans out there. Many are free, some have a small fee. Do your homework when you choose one. It should makes sense. Read reviews. Look into the person who wrote the training plan. Check their credentials. What works for one person may not for someone else and that's okay. We're all different. When I'm training for a marathon, I spend several weeks running long runs between 13 and 15 miles then building from there. I go 15, 17, 19, 21, and finish with 23 miles. I go longer than most people I know but it works for me and I've done if for many marathons. When I'm marathon training, I only run three days a week, one run is speed work, one run is hill repeats, one run is my long run. My shorter runs are no longer than 6 miles. I cross train in between and I strength train. Strong bodies follow strong minds. :)
On a side note, I have decided that this is the year I'm doing the Utah Valley Marathon. I've spent that last several years wanting to do it and this is the year. My husband and I signed up over the weekend so we are committed. I'm super excited and looking forward to spring training again.
Thanks for checking in with me. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. I'd love to hear from you. Good luck with your goals. Go get it!
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
How does rest fit in?
So we all know we need to work hard to get stronger, but how does rest fit into the equation? Rest is just as important in your training as work is. REST IS SUPER IMPORTANT!! Too many people forget this part of their training. Rest is so important and needs to be a scheduled part of your training. So, do you plan a rest day? Maybe you're wondering why you need to plan a rest day. When you are training hard, your body needs a day to recover. If you simply go hard all the time, your body will eventually break down. Anne Ahern Moore is a USAT coach and an amazing athlete. She said, "Our bodies simply cannot sustain high intensity training day after day, week after week, month after month...Just as you can't continue to add floors to a high rise building without ensuring the building has a solid foundation to hold it-you can't build your fitness without endurance that comes with lower intensity training." While she's talking specifically about endurance in training, much of what she says may also be applied to rest. If we do not allow our bodies to recover, they break down. This can result in illness, injury, a combination of the two, etc.
You may be thinking that you sleep 7-8 hours a night, therefore you are resting. Technically, you are right. Sleep is rest. But it's more than just sleep. Rest also involves recovery. What's the difference? Rest is taking a break from the work. Recovery is active. It's the less intense days. If you don't plan to rest and recover, you can plan to crash. When you take the time to rest and recover, you allow your body to rebuild. This allows your immune system to work like it should because you're not always trying to repair while you tear down. Your body can then metabolize fat instead of simply sugar. You start to sleep better at night. Your hormone levels tend to better stabilize. The benefits go on and on.
If you go hard six days a week, plan a rest day for the seventh. I know. That OCD, your inner athlete starts screaming, "You're going to lose everything we've been working toward!" I promise that statement is not true. In fact, the reverse is true. Realistically, our bodies should only strength train, especially if you're going hard, 2-3 times a week with a recovery day in between. The American Heart Association recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous cardiovascular exercise every week. How you choose to do that is up to you. Maybe you strength train Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (of course alternating upper and lower body) and get your cardio Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturday. Tada! Now, what's moderate to vigorous? I like to say that you are comfortably uncomfortable. You are going hard enough that you can tell you're working hard but that you can maintain it for a while (30-ish minutes). Feel free to interject some intervals into your endurance/cardio training. Throw in some hills or speed. Be creative. Have fun. But, ALWAYS BE SAFE!!
Okay you guys, thanks for checking in with me. If you have questions or comments, let me know. Good luck with your fitness goals. Stick with it. You are amazing! Thanks again.
You may be thinking that you sleep 7-8 hours a night, therefore you are resting. Technically, you are right. Sleep is rest. But it's more than just sleep. Rest also involves recovery. What's the difference? Rest is taking a break from the work. Recovery is active. It's the less intense days. If you don't plan to rest and recover, you can plan to crash. When you take the time to rest and recover, you allow your body to rebuild. This allows your immune system to work like it should because you're not always trying to repair while you tear down. Your body can then metabolize fat instead of simply sugar. You start to sleep better at night. Your hormone levels tend to better stabilize. The benefits go on and on.
If you go hard six days a week, plan a rest day for the seventh. I know. That OCD, your inner athlete starts screaming, "You're going to lose everything we've been working toward!" I promise that statement is not true. In fact, the reverse is true. Realistically, our bodies should only strength train, especially if you're going hard, 2-3 times a week with a recovery day in between. The American Heart Association recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous cardiovascular exercise every week. How you choose to do that is up to you. Maybe you strength train Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (of course alternating upper and lower body) and get your cardio Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturday. Tada! Now, what's moderate to vigorous? I like to say that you are comfortably uncomfortable. You are going hard enough that you can tell you're working hard but that you can maintain it for a while (30-ish minutes). Feel free to interject some intervals into your endurance/cardio training. Throw in some hills or speed. Be creative. Have fun. But, ALWAYS BE SAFE!!
Okay you guys, thanks for checking in with me. If you have questions or comments, let me know. Good luck with your fitness goals. Stick with it. You are amazing! Thanks again.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
A love-hate relationship
Okay guys. Here's the deal. Few things that I know of will make you better faster than hills. They're the things we all love to hate. Many of us avoid them and would rather add mileage than attack a hill. But, they are SO good for you. They challenge you and make you push yourself. When I'm doing them, I have a mantra, "They make my butt look good. They make my butt look good." You're welcome to barrow it if you like.
So I have a workout. It's hill repeats. I know. I know. Who wants to do hill repeats? You do because you want to be better. Find a good hill. You want it to be a challenge but not so hard that it kills you the first time you run/ride it. I have a hill that's about two miles from my house. I use those two miles to warm up and the two home to cool down. The work out then goes like this:
60-sec. run up the hill/come back down
60-sec. run up the hill/come back down
60-sec. rest
70-sec. run up the hill/come back down
80-sec. run up the hill/come back down
60-sec. rest
90-sec. run up the hill/come back down
90-sec. run up the hill/come back down
60-sec. rest
80-sec. run up the hill/come back down
70-sec. run up the hill/come back down
60-sec. rest
60-sec. run up the hill.come back down
60-sec. run up the hill/come back down
So this a pyramid, easy to remember. It's simple but effective. By the time I run that second 90-second run, I'm almost dying but then I know I only have four more repeats and I can do that. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I complete it. This works for both running and cycling. I've even done it in a Spinning class. You always end up with wobbly legs.
When I first started running, I avoided hill, especially the really good ones. They were hard and I was kind of a wimp. I kind of had that mentality for a long time. I remember the first time I ran hill repeats. I'd been invited by a group of ladies I sometimes ran with and thought it would be a good idea. By that point I had become a stronger runner and figured I could handle some hill repeats. It humbled me. The little stabilizer muscles in my legs were so sore the next day. Somewhere along the line, I started to hate hill less. I embraced them as a challenge and started to love the feeling that I was no longer being conquered by a hill, I was now conquering hills. I'd love it when I'd be out running errands and look at a hill I had recently conquered and love that I was no longer scared of that particular hill.
Now I have a running route that is pretty hilly. We run it most weekends. It's part of the Ironman St. George 70.3 course. It climbs for about two and a half to three miles. It's not steady the whole time. It has rolling hills but it's a challenge and I love it. That route is what we used to train for last year's marathon. I'll admit there are times even now when I'm climbing my hills and I'm really glad when we reach the top. But I'm stronger now that I've ever been and I know that my hill repeats are partly responsible for that.
If you have questions about this workout or anything else, let me know. I hope you're hanging in there with your goals and staying strong, both body and mind. Thanks for checking in with me and come back again soon!
So I have a workout. It's hill repeats. I know. I know. Who wants to do hill repeats? You do because you want to be better. Find a good hill. You want it to be a challenge but not so hard that it kills you the first time you run/ride it. I have a hill that's about two miles from my house. I use those two miles to warm up and the two home to cool down. The work out then goes like this:
60-sec. run up the hill/come back down
60-sec. run up the hill/come back down
60-sec. rest
70-sec. run up the hill/come back down
80-sec. run up the hill/come back down
60-sec. rest
90-sec. run up the hill/come back down
90-sec. run up the hill/come back down
60-sec. rest
80-sec. run up the hill/come back down
70-sec. run up the hill/come back down
60-sec. rest
60-sec. run up the hill.come back down
60-sec. run up the hill/come back down
So this a pyramid, easy to remember. It's simple but effective. By the time I run that second 90-second run, I'm almost dying but then I know I only have four more repeats and I can do that. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I complete it. This works for both running and cycling. I've even done it in a Spinning class. You always end up with wobbly legs.
When I first started running, I avoided hill, especially the really good ones. They were hard and I was kind of a wimp. I kind of had that mentality for a long time. I remember the first time I ran hill repeats. I'd been invited by a group of ladies I sometimes ran with and thought it would be a good idea. By that point I had become a stronger runner and figured I could handle some hill repeats. It humbled me. The little stabilizer muscles in my legs were so sore the next day. Somewhere along the line, I started to hate hill less. I embraced them as a challenge and started to love the feeling that I was no longer being conquered by a hill, I was now conquering hills. I'd love it when I'd be out running errands and look at a hill I had recently conquered and love that I was no longer scared of that particular hill.
Now I have a running route that is pretty hilly. We run it most weekends. It's part of the Ironman St. George 70.3 course. It climbs for about two and a half to three miles. It's not steady the whole time. It has rolling hills but it's a challenge and I love it. That route is what we used to train for last year's marathon. I'll admit there are times even now when I'm climbing my hills and I'm really glad when we reach the top. But I'm stronger now that I've ever been and I know that my hill repeats are partly responsible for that.
If you have questions about this workout or anything else, let me know. I hope you're hanging in there with your goals and staying strong, both body and mind. Thanks for checking in with me and come back again soon!
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
I need a mommy moment
Several months ago I opened up about the struggles we've had with my son. This post is an extension of that one. Today my son had an appointment with his psychiatrist. We've been working now for about a year with this doctor to find what works for my son. Thankfully, we have found medication that works for our older son. Not so much luck for the younger one. It's crazy. These boys are the product of the same parents and have the same diagnosis but we've only got one under control.
We've had my younger son on several medications with little to no success. His doctor wants to try a new one but our insurance doesn't want to cover it. This is the root of my frustration. HOW DOES IT MAKE ANY KIND OF SENSE THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN TO MEDICAL SCHOOL GET TO DECIDE WHAT MY CHILD CAN AND CANNOT TAKE?! The medication the doctor wants to put him on is literally over $1000 a month. We can't afford that. The doctor says he can call and/or write letters to our insurance company explaining why it's medically necessary (because we've tried everything!) that they cover it but that takes time and I feel like we don't have time.
My son is so kind-hearted. He is so sensitive. I truly feel like he is a gift. BUT, he can be so exasperating. He talks non-stop. His train of thoughts literally come right out of his mouth. He doesn't have much of a filter. If he's thinking it, he's saying it. Even if it's not the polite thing to say. He's not trying to be mean-spirited, just honest. I worry about how he's going to fit into this world. Sitting still is out of the question. Focus is hard to come by, except when hyper-focus comes into play. And he's obsessive.
I love my son and I do not want him to change. I would however, like it if I could watch a movie with him without the rest of my family getting frustrated with him. The whole vocalized train of thought thing gets kind of old after ten or twelve minutes and people start getting frustrated then irritated. I usually end up playing referee. I would like it if he could sit through a class at school and be able to focus enough so that he doesn't need to wander. I know there is something out there that will work for him but this process of trial and error and insurance frustrations is getting old. I want our insurance company to pay our claims the way we pay our premiums. I want healthcare to be what it should.
Lastly, I would like to share a few links about ADHD. The first one is what really opened my eyes to what my husband, sons, and daughter deal with (to varying degrees) every day. The second one is I'm sure how my younger son feels at times and it makes my heart hurt. I've vowed to be better. I wish the world would too.
http://www.tickld.com/x/if-your-friends-ever-say-they-have-adhd-just-show-them-this
http://themighty.com/2016/01/when-i-realized-what-i-say-isnt-always-what-my-son-with-adhd-hears/
Thanks for checking in with me. I hope you are moving forward with your goals and you're feeling more empowered and stronger every day. Let me know your questions and comments. Have a great day and come back again soon!
We've had my younger son on several medications with little to no success. His doctor wants to try a new one but our insurance doesn't want to cover it. This is the root of my frustration. HOW DOES IT MAKE ANY KIND OF SENSE THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN TO MEDICAL SCHOOL GET TO DECIDE WHAT MY CHILD CAN AND CANNOT TAKE?! The medication the doctor wants to put him on is literally over $1000 a month. We can't afford that. The doctor says he can call and/or write letters to our insurance company explaining why it's medically necessary (because we've tried everything!) that they cover it but that takes time and I feel like we don't have time.
My son is so kind-hearted. He is so sensitive. I truly feel like he is a gift. BUT, he can be so exasperating. He talks non-stop. His train of thoughts literally come right out of his mouth. He doesn't have much of a filter. If he's thinking it, he's saying it. Even if it's not the polite thing to say. He's not trying to be mean-spirited, just honest. I worry about how he's going to fit into this world. Sitting still is out of the question. Focus is hard to come by, except when hyper-focus comes into play. And he's obsessive.
I love my son and I do not want him to change. I would however, like it if I could watch a movie with him without the rest of my family getting frustrated with him. The whole vocalized train of thought thing gets kind of old after ten or twelve minutes and people start getting frustrated then irritated. I usually end up playing referee. I would like it if he could sit through a class at school and be able to focus enough so that he doesn't need to wander. I know there is something out there that will work for him but this process of trial and error and insurance frustrations is getting old. I want our insurance company to pay our claims the way we pay our premiums. I want healthcare to be what it should.
Lastly, I would like to share a few links about ADHD. The first one is what really opened my eyes to what my husband, sons, and daughter deal with (to varying degrees) every day. The second one is I'm sure how my younger son feels at times and it makes my heart hurt. I've vowed to be better. I wish the world would too.
http://www.tickld.com/x/if-your-friends-ever-say-they-have-adhd-just-show-them-this
http://themighty.com/2016/01/when-i-realized-what-i-say-isnt-always-what-my-son-with-adhd-hears/
Thanks for checking in with me. I hope you are moving forward with your goals and you're feeling more empowered and stronger every day. Let me know your questions and comments. Have a great day and come back again soon!
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Keep Calm and Yoga On. . .
I'll admit it. I'm kind of a nerd. I like strange things. I like documentaries. I like news shows. One of those types of shows that I like is Sunday Morning on CBS. On January 3 of this year, I caught a piece on Sunday Morning about meditation. New research has shown that there are far more benefits of meditation than previously thought. Regular mediation can help you sleep better. It can improve your immune system. It helps your body to better deal with stress. Mediation can lower your blood pressure. I knew all of these things but I learned a new thing. Meditation can cause neuro-plasticity. If you are unsure what that is, it's when your brain creates new pathways to do things. It has been believed that your brain stops creating new pathways around the end of adolescence. New research is showing that even seniors are showing improvement in neuro-plasticity. If you'd like more info on this, see the following link:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-quiet-power-of-meditation/
Okay, so all of this is interesting but what am I really getting at? This is it: I'm a yogi and you should be too. Meditation and yoga go hand in hand. Have you ever wanted to take a yoga class but been too scared? You're afraid you're not flexible enough? Or that it's too complicated? Yoga can seem intimidating. I remember my first experience with yoga. I had wanted to take a yoga class for a long time but I was intimidated and I didn't want to go by myself. I put it off for months. I had a friend who had injured her back and was in physical therapy after back surgery. She had been doing yoga as part of her therapy. She kept telling me I needed to go to a yoga class. Then she said something that almost made me re-think going to a class. She told me it was like therapy. I didn't need therapy but I wanted to try yoga enough that I did it. I finally went to a class. At the end of every yoga class, you do Savasana. It's where you lay on your mat and let everything go and simply breathe. We did that and then class was over. I can remember sitting up and thinking I felt amazing. I didn't know you could feel like that. And just like that, I was hooked. That was probably around eight years ago. I've had some really amazing teachers and some that were mediocre. I have sweat and worked my muscles until they shook. I've had that mental release and been challenged beyond what I thought my limits were. And I love yoga.
I've been teaching yoga for nearly three years now. My favorite thing that anyone has ever said to me about my teaching yoga is, "Thank you for sharing your gift." I love that. And that how I feel about it. Yoga is a gift and I love sharing it. It has changed me, to my core. I have learned to breathe. It's amazing how something we are born knowing how to do can make such a difference. We breathe too shallowly. I can now "check in" with my body and know what it needs. Yoga has helped me through some tough things. It has helped me deal with my children and ADHD. I've taught them how to breathe too.
I sincerely believe that yoga is for everyone and that the world would be a different place if everyone did yoga. There would be fewer conflicts, wars, misunderstandings, hurt, etc. We would all be a litter kinder because we'd all be a little more "in tune". Don't get me wrong, it's not a universal fix. Problems would still exist but they would be smaller.
Why should you do yoga? The answer to that is different for everyone. Some people do it to work on flexibility. Some people for strength. Some do it because "everyone" else it. The answers are as different as there are people in this world but it is universal. I encourage everyone to try it. More than once. If you still don't like it, try another instructor. Just as people have different personalities, so do yoga classes. Go with an open mind and throw yourself into it. Embrace the challenge and reap the reward.
If you have questions about yoga, PLEASE ask me! I love yoga and helping people to try it out. If you have other general questions, ask those too. Thanks for checking in me. Good luck on your goals and come back again soon!
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-quiet-power-of-meditation/
Okay, so all of this is interesting but what am I really getting at? This is it: I'm a yogi and you should be too. Meditation and yoga go hand in hand. Have you ever wanted to take a yoga class but been too scared? You're afraid you're not flexible enough? Or that it's too complicated? Yoga can seem intimidating. I remember my first experience with yoga. I had wanted to take a yoga class for a long time but I was intimidated and I didn't want to go by myself. I put it off for months. I had a friend who had injured her back and was in physical therapy after back surgery. She had been doing yoga as part of her therapy. She kept telling me I needed to go to a yoga class. Then she said something that almost made me re-think going to a class. She told me it was like therapy. I didn't need therapy but I wanted to try yoga enough that I did it. I finally went to a class. At the end of every yoga class, you do Savasana. It's where you lay on your mat and let everything go and simply breathe. We did that and then class was over. I can remember sitting up and thinking I felt amazing. I didn't know you could feel like that. And just like that, I was hooked. That was probably around eight years ago. I've had some really amazing teachers and some that were mediocre. I have sweat and worked my muscles until they shook. I've had that mental release and been challenged beyond what I thought my limits were. And I love yoga.
I've been teaching yoga for nearly three years now. My favorite thing that anyone has ever said to me about my teaching yoga is, "Thank you for sharing your gift." I love that. And that how I feel about it. Yoga is a gift and I love sharing it. It has changed me, to my core. I have learned to breathe. It's amazing how something we are born knowing how to do can make such a difference. We breathe too shallowly. I can now "check in" with my body and know what it needs. Yoga has helped me through some tough things. It has helped me deal with my children and ADHD. I've taught them how to breathe too.
I sincerely believe that yoga is for everyone and that the world would be a different place if everyone did yoga. There would be fewer conflicts, wars, misunderstandings, hurt, etc. We would all be a litter kinder because we'd all be a little more "in tune". Don't get me wrong, it's not a universal fix. Problems would still exist but they would be smaller.
Why should you do yoga? The answer to that is different for everyone. Some people do it to work on flexibility. Some people for strength. Some do it because "everyone" else it. The answers are as different as there are people in this world but it is universal. I encourage everyone to try it. More than once. If you still don't like it, try another instructor. Just as people have different personalities, so do yoga classes. Go with an open mind and throw yourself into it. Embrace the challenge and reap the reward.
If you have questions about yoga, PLEASE ask me! I love yoga and helping people to try it out. If you have other general questions, ask those too. Thanks for checking in me. Good luck on your goals and come back again soon!
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
It's a new year
Okay, so the holidays are hard. They are hard to eat well. They are hard to fit your workouts in. They are hard to get enough sleep and take good care of yourself. They are also ridiculously hard to try to keep my blog current. December was crazy but I survived and you did too! So, now what?
Many people, most probably, begin a new year with the idea that they are going to improve themselves in some way. SO many people set the goal of getting healthy "this year". Sound familiar? If so, you're in great company. Also, it's a good thing. Being healthier is a great goal. The problem is, HOW do you do that? Where do you start? How do you stay on track? I have a plan. "Being healthier" is a great goal, however, it is too broad. You need to start with smaller goal, more specific goals. What does being healthy mean to you? Really think about it. That idea is different for everyone. Your thoughts now will be different next year. Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to start exercising? Do you want to begin strength training? Do you want to become more flexible? Break your overall goal down. If your goal this year is to lose 50 pounds, start with 5 or 10. Write it down. Now it's a goal. A goal that is not written down is simply a dream.
Now that you've taken your overall goal and broken it down into smaller, more manageable goals, how are you going to get there? If you honestly don't know where to start, ASK for help Maybe your neighbor lost 30 pounds last year or your sister knows someone who is good at weight management. If you really don't know what you're doing, don't try to go at it alone. When you've gotten help and you have a plan, find someone to be accountable to. No, yourself does not work. It's too easy to justify three cookies plus all the cookie dough you ate while you were making the cookies. Better yet, find someone with a similar goal and work toward it together. As you achieve your little goals, CELEBRATE your successes! You did something amazing. Acknowledge it. Try not to make your celebration something with food, especially if your goal is weight loss. Buy a new blouse. See that movie you've been dying to see. Get a massage. Now, move on to your next goal and start all over again.
When you slip, and you probably will, move forward. Don't let one slip, big or small, derail all your efforts. You are human and you will make mistakes. Evaluate where you went wrong, make adjustments, and move forward. Turn it into a learning experience. You are not defined by your mistakes.
What happens when you plateau? Or your progress isn't as fast as you planned or hoped? Look back. Look where you were and now where you are. Sometimes we have to look back to move forward. When I step toward a starting line for a marathon, I always start by looking back. I look at my efforts, how long and hard I've trained and I trust it. I know I get to reap the reward because of my sacrifices and hard work. The same is true for you. You also get to reap the rewards because of your sacrifices and hard work.
As the new year rolls forward and we move from January to February and later, stay on track. Write your goals down. Make them achievable. Be accountable. Forgive yourself. Move forward. Celebrate. And remember, you are amazing. You are brave. It takes courage to embrace change but you're doing it.
Thanks again for checking in with me. Good luck on your goals. Please feel free to share them with me. If you have something you'd like me to talk about or questions, please ask! I love feedback. See you again soon.
Many people, most probably, begin a new year with the idea that they are going to improve themselves in some way. SO many people set the goal of getting healthy "this year". Sound familiar? If so, you're in great company. Also, it's a good thing. Being healthier is a great goal. The problem is, HOW do you do that? Where do you start? How do you stay on track? I have a plan. "Being healthier" is a great goal, however, it is too broad. You need to start with smaller goal, more specific goals. What does being healthy mean to you? Really think about it. That idea is different for everyone. Your thoughts now will be different next year. Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to start exercising? Do you want to begin strength training? Do you want to become more flexible? Break your overall goal down. If your goal this year is to lose 50 pounds, start with 5 or 10. Write it down. Now it's a goal. A goal that is not written down is simply a dream.
Now that you've taken your overall goal and broken it down into smaller, more manageable goals, how are you going to get there? If you honestly don't know where to start, ASK for help Maybe your neighbor lost 30 pounds last year or your sister knows someone who is good at weight management. If you really don't know what you're doing, don't try to go at it alone. When you've gotten help and you have a plan, find someone to be accountable to. No, yourself does not work. It's too easy to justify three cookies plus all the cookie dough you ate while you were making the cookies. Better yet, find someone with a similar goal and work toward it together. As you achieve your little goals, CELEBRATE your successes! You did something amazing. Acknowledge it. Try not to make your celebration something with food, especially if your goal is weight loss. Buy a new blouse. See that movie you've been dying to see. Get a massage. Now, move on to your next goal and start all over again.
When you slip, and you probably will, move forward. Don't let one slip, big or small, derail all your efforts. You are human and you will make mistakes. Evaluate where you went wrong, make adjustments, and move forward. Turn it into a learning experience. You are not defined by your mistakes.
What happens when you plateau? Or your progress isn't as fast as you planned or hoped? Look back. Look where you were and now where you are. Sometimes we have to look back to move forward. When I step toward a starting line for a marathon, I always start by looking back. I look at my efforts, how long and hard I've trained and I trust it. I know I get to reap the reward because of my sacrifices and hard work. The same is true for you. You also get to reap the rewards because of your sacrifices and hard work.
As the new year rolls forward and we move from January to February and later, stay on track. Write your goals down. Make them achievable. Be accountable. Forgive yourself. Move forward. Celebrate. And remember, you are amazing. You are brave. It takes courage to embrace change but you're doing it.
Thanks again for checking in with me. Good luck on your goals. Please feel free to share them with me. If you have something you'd like me to talk about or questions, please ask! I love feedback. See you again soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)