Weeks 10 and 11: SUNSHINE!!!!!

I'm definitely at the point in the semester/season that my academic life gets pushed to the side, which is terrible timing given that it's also the point in the semester when projects are due and finals are about to happen...so that's not so good.  I'll be lumping weeks 10 and 11 together this time, since I completely forgot about this bloggy thing last week.

The highlight of week 10 was my first 10 mile run.  For the most part it was wonderful (and when I got back to my apartment, it was filled with my two fur babies and my wonderful fiance), and I've never felt so accomplished in my life.  If you had told me a year ago that I would be running distances as far as 10 miles, I would have laughed in your face and probably insulted your intelligence.  And not just because I'm a jerk, but also because running these distances have never seemed possible before now.

This past week was my second recovery week, during which that stupid soleus strain came back with a vengeance and decided to jump from my right leg to my left.  But did that stop me from running?  No, because I'm an idiot.  You would think that having the letters "ATC" after my name would mean that I would train smart and take breaks for injury.  But deep down, I'm still just a dumb jock who relishes pain and can't back down from a challenge.  Luckily, with constant stretching, rolling out, and icing, it has finally calmed down so that I'm able to walk without uttering expletives under my breath.

As for the fooding, I've basically chalked that goal up to a big, fat failure.  The whole cooking thing just isn't going to happen for me, at least this semester.  I'm still focused on fueling myself properly, especially as these runs get longer and longer (got an 11.5 miler coming up this weekend).  But I just have zero motivation to break out the pots and pans that I'll have to handwash later, and actually put together a meal.  But I've found ways around that, and I'm willing to concede.

And finally, let's address this blessed sunshine that all of us needed so terribly.  There are no words to properly describe how infinitely delectable those warm rays have felt lately.  I actually got to lay out yesterday, and just feeling all that sunshiney warmth on my skin gave me goosebumps.  I grew up a beach bum, so I'm only happy in the sun (Ben Harper sings my theme song, "She's Only Happy in the Sun," so go ahead and check it out if you're feeling up to it).  The only issue that has arisen from this weather is that I forgot how much I hate running in the heat.  It definitely slows me down and makes me legs feel like they weigh a solid ton each.  But I'll take that.  I should really start running in the morning anyway, especially since my race is at 8:00am.

Well, I'm all blogged out.  Until next time...

Week 9: I don't have a clever title...

The biggest challenge I'm experiencing now is time.  As my long runs get longer, it gets more and more difficult to find a spare hour and a half to devote to my training.  Yesterday, I was supposed to go nine and a half miles but seeing as I was on the road again with the softball team, I could only fit in three.  I might have to start breaking up my long runs, because getting up at 6:00am to run for an hour just won't happen for me.

On the up side, I went shopping the other day (for khakis, because that's all I get to wear...ever) and I lost a pant size!  While losing weight/body mass isn't the main reason behind this training, it's definitely a delicious little side dish.

I know this post is somewhat lacking, but it just wasn't an eventful week for my goals.  And it's getting to that point in the season where my brain just starts to rebel against me.  Hopefully next week I'll be a little more clever and exciting.

Until then...

Week 8: Finally, another weekend off!

I am in love with the rain.  The way it smells, the way it ushers in spring, and the way it tends to cancel softball games and give me an unexpected weekend off.  It's all great.  Not to mention that running in the rain is one of my favorite things ever.  And on Saturday, I got to spend an hour and ten minutes in the glorious drizzle as I tackled my eight mile run.  All in all, this was a great week for my goal setting project, and for my general well being.  Except for the part where my Michigan State Spartans fell to UConn in the tournament, but that's a different story...

The positive from this week: pretty much everything.  I ate well, I got to see my parents, I drank lots of water, and I got all kinds of relaxation time on Saturday and Sunday.  I even got my parents to take part in some of my workouts this week, which always makes for a good day.  I've tried ever since high school to get my mom to take better care of her health, so anytime I can talk her into going for a walk makes me a happy daughter.  On Friday, I had them meet me down at the wood chip trail (I ran there, they drove...I pick my battles), and they walked while I ran a couple laps.  One of my long term goals is to set a good example of health and wellness for my family, so days like these make me feel like I'm chipping away at that objective.  

The negative from this week: UConn basketball and broken washing machines.  And that's pretty much it.

Until next week!

Week 7: Recovery

I'm so thankful for this past week and weekend.  It was my recovery week, and I needed it in so many ways.  First of all, I've been nursing a pesky soleus/achilles tendon strain which has made running a bit of a bear.  So the decreased mileage was a huge help.  Second, I was finally able to stabilize my food and water intake after the binge that was spring break.  And third, my fiancee and I (and our dogs) were reunited after about eight weeks of not seeing each other (they can be seen in my profile picture).  His visit, and the endless cuddles I got from our furballs, were absolutely soul-healing.  I had no idea how much I missed them until they were here, and now they are all I want.

There were some adjustments made to my training schedule due to the fiancee visit and my injury. Obviously, because the dude was here, I felt that every free minute needed to be devoted to them.  I felt guilty going on runs when I could have been spending quality time with them.  However, it was nice to have my running partner back, our German shepherd mix named Copper.  Back in Michigan, she would run with me every day.  She even knows which shoes are my running shoes and if she sees me pick them up, she gets all kinds of excited.  When I sit down to put them on, she lays between my feet and whatever surface I'm sitting on so I won't forget her.  It felt so good to run with her again.  I only had to tackle 15 miles this week, with one day of cross training, one rest day, and one recovery day. But even then, I had to walk a couple of those miles because my calf was just too tight.  Thankfully, I have the knowledge and the means to treat this injury (one of the instances I'm so happy that all my time is spent in an athletic training facility).

My food this week was delicious.  Last night I even made some cookies (two bananas, 1 cup quick oats, dark chocolate chips baked at 350 for 15 minutes), and they turned out really good.  I also tried some greek yogurt fruit dip (6 oz plain greek yogurt, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp honey,  1/4 tsp vanilla extract) and that was even better than the cookies!  And as much as I hate being in the kitchen, it did feel kinda good to be back at the cooking thing.

But anyway, now that I am rested both physically and spiritually, I'm ready to get back at it this week!
Until next time...

Weeks 5 and 6: Spring Break

The past couple weeks have been a blur.  My softballers and I left on the 6th for an 11 day road trip as our "spring break."  Thankfully, due to weather, they didn't have to play all 11 games that were scheduled.  As an athletic trainer, that many games in that many days was a nightmare, especially since being on the road means managing injuries with only my two hands.  But anyway, as far as my training goes, I did a lot better than anticipated.  Bouncing from hotel to hotel and state to state wasn't exactly the best for my training schedule, but I did an exceptional job at adjusting.  I even got some really great runs in in some unexpected places.  In Columbia, South Carolina, the coaches found a park on one of our days off, so I got to run 4 miles along a beautiful lake and do some cross training on the shore with some of my athletes.  Back by the hotel, I explored a little (after consulting the hotel staff about safety and such) and found another sweet little park with a running trail encircling a small pond.  Those two workouts were definitely the highlights of my spring break.  However, I did have a couple failures as well.

First of all, oh sweet goodness, THE FOOD.  I ate so much food.  It was terribly hard to control my food intake when we ate out for every meal, and my tab was covered by EKU.  Don't get me wrong, I usually ordered from the lighter side of the menu, but being surrounded by division one athletes at meal time is a terrible thing.  When in Rome, right?  Well, that mentality really bit me in the rear, and I put on five pounds as a result.  And seeing as my poor body was not used to that kind of fueling, I got to spend the week feeling all kinds of bloated.  Needless to say, I can't wait to get back to my woodland creature diet so my body can find normalcy again.

The second failure was by far the most disappointing.  This past Saturday, 3/15/14, I was supposed to go for my long run of 7.5 miles.  However, we were staying in Antioch, TN, which doesn't have many places to run that would be all that safe and cuddly past a certain time, and there was no way on earth I could get amped up for an hour on the treadmill.  So I didn't do it.  Instead, I visited with a new friend I had made that day, an athletic trainer from Tennessee State University.  We had a great time, and I really needed some laughs and relaxation, so I refuse to say that day was a complete failure.  But I was just so looking forward to kicking that day's ass.  You see, Saturday was the two year anniversary of my "strokebrain," which is a fun little nickname I have assigned to a terrifying time in my life.  At age 22, I had a stroke.  In the midst of it, while I could neither speak nor move the right side of my body, my sweet and amiable doctors told me that, with a minimum of three months of physical therapy, I had a 30% chance of regaining full function of my right side.  That was right after they told me that they were going to push the clot-busting drug called TPA, and if they were wrong about me having a stroke, I would most likely die.  So that's the motivation behind all of this 1/2 marathon stuff.  Basically, I want to be my own little success story.  Which is why my failure on Saturday hit me so hard.  I wanted to celebrate that day with a 7.5 mile run because it would have signified my new, healthier life.  But I can't dwell on it, so I'll just have to attack this week's training with a little more fervor.

This upcoming week is week four of my official training, and therefore it is a rest week.  Each run is only supposed to be three miles, withe the exception of Saturday's long run.  I'm thinking that I'll pick it up to four miles a day though, to make up for last Saturday, and because my three mile route here in Richmond is starting to get a little stale.  I did a pretty good job staying hydrated over spring break, so I'll just have to maintain that this week, but I don't really foresee myself cutting back on the coffee very much.  I don't exactly get a day off during season, so I need something to keep me awake, and I'm certainly not going to turn to crack.  So I'm left with coffee.  Sorry, goals.

So there you have it.  The highlights and lowlight of my past couple weeks.  Until next time!

Week 4: Motivation

Holy goodness, it's March already!

This was the first week of my official half marathon training, and I did a great job!  I am totally patting myself on the back right now.  I did have to switch a couple days around to adjust for my schedule, but I got every workout done.  So here are the positives: I increased my mileage to 20.2 miles, ate better quality food (minus the wings and beer on Friday), stuck to my training schedule, and found a vital motivator.  The negatives: I didn't drink enough water, and while I have been eating better quality food, apparently it's still too much hassle for me to actually cook meals.

My biggest accomplishment this week was the six mile run on Saturday.  I had planned on getting up early and running before leaving with the softballers for the UK tournament.  However, as I have said before, morning workouts are not my forte.  So I snoozed right through my alarms with the thought that I would get the miles in after we returned from Lexington.  Naturally, a couple of the games went into extra innings, which meant our last game of the day started two hours behind schedule.  We didn't roll back in to Richmond until about 9:30pm, and I was a little bit wary of running that late knowing it would take me about an hour to finish my run.  So I let Pandora, that wonderful internet radio goddess, decide my fate.  As Bruno Mars's song "Young, Wild Girls" started playing, I realized just how crucial music is going to be to my training.  That one silly but catchy song was enough to push me out the door for six miles, even after putting in a 12 hour day on my feet.  And the subsequent songs were enough to keep me going at a 8:28 minute/mile pace the entire time!  So there's a new little tool I have for those days I'm just not feeling all that motivated.

As a reward for my excellent week, I made myself some whole wheat pancakes with dark chocolate chips and peanut butter for breakfast this morning...oh my.  They were delicious, but they were also the only meal I cooked for myself all week.  The rest of my food intake consisted of cereal, Greek yogurt and granola, sandwiches, lots of fruit, and salads.  All in all, it was a pretty great week!

Week 3: Groceries!

It's amazing how a simple chore like going to the store and buying groceries turned into such an ordeal. But I finally got it done!  I have so much fresh fruit, I'm not sure how it's all going to be eaten before it goes bad.  This has been a delicious week: I ran 12 miles (including one five miler), drank plenty of water, and ate much better than what I consumed during weeks one and two.  The negative: my coffee intake went back to the usual three gallons/day, I only ran four of the seven days (I stayed with the softball team at the Galt Hotel on Friday and they had the nerve to charge $5 to use their gym, so I had to take an unplanned rest day), and I'M SO SORE. I feel like a 93-year-old woman every morning.  It's not that my body isn't used to the stresses of running; I think it's just the accumulation of miles that's starting to wear on me.  I might even have to invest in some new running shoes.  I made the switch from Nikes to Asics last fall, which has done wonders for my feet but is now wreaking havoc on my back.  I'll probably have to start using the dreaded cold tub after my longs runs...ugh.

This next week, I start my official half-marathon training schedule.  Today kicks it off with an easy three mile run.  Here is the link where I found the plan: http://greatist.com/fitness/i-want-run-half-marathon.

Until next week!

Week 2: Small Successes

This week was leaps and bounds better than the last as far as my goals are concerned.  The positive: I upped my mileage to 14.5 miles, drank more water, and got lots of sleep every night.  The negative: I am still terrible at feeding myself.

It didn't take a lot of effort for me to fall back into the "I have to workout today" mentality.  Getting good and sweaty has always been the best release for me at the end of any long and frustrating day. And this week, there were some very looooong days. In addition to the 14.5 miles of running, I also fit in some bodyweight circuits as post-run workout boosters.  Nothing crazy, just exercises like squats, Russian twists, planks, etc.  I ran and did these circuits 5 days this week, which is the same work-to-rest ratio that my half-marathon training plan operates on, so I'm feeling good about the progress made there.

You wouldn't believe some of the meals I scrounged up out of my pantry and fridge this weekend.  I won't even disclose the things I ate because I'm pretty ashamed.  On Tuesday, I actually went to Wendy's after my workout, and I hated myself for it.  But most days, it was either workout or go grocery shopping.  And to be quite honest, working out is easier and much more enjoyable for me!  On Thursday, I loaded myself onto the EKU Softball bus and we all headed for Birmingham,  AL, for our second tournament of preseason.  So far, I've been pretty good about monitoring the meals I order, ad sticking to the "healthier" side of the menu (as long as we don't count tonight's burrito from Moe's Southwest Grill).  I haven't been able to cut back on the coffee intake though; that habit will be much harder to break, seeing as those hot cups of coffee have become more of a comfort than anything.

Overall, I'm ecstatic with my ability to jump back into the daily workouts this week.  My new goal for the upcoming week is definitely to go grocery shopping, and purchase ingredients as opposed to pre-packaged meals.

Until next week!

Week 1: Traveling is Rough

Well, it's only been one week and I'm already late on my post...so there's a mediocre start.  Anyway, for my first week, I didn't do an awesome job.  The positive: I drank more water and got plenty of sleep. The negative: I only ran three days out of the week and didn't cook for myself at all.

Last weekend was my first road trip with the EKU Softball team, which has both positive and negative impacts on this goal-setting project.  I was only home from Monday to Thursday afternoon.  Most of Thursday was spent on a bus, but once we got to Georgia I was able to fit in a three mile run on a hotel treadmill.  I probably made my roommate think I was a freak though, seeing as I started my workout at 10:30pm...oops!  I did the same thing the following night, but only ran two miles.  It's much more difficult to fit in time for workouts when the team is on the road, because I'm technically "on the clock" all weekend.  Usually, there are athletes in my hotel room all night (until bedtime) and all morning. I'm thinking that the solution to this problem will be setting specific times during which the girls can receive treatments, just like when we're at home.  And I'll probably have to become a morning runner (gross), which will be especially difficult as I usually have much more motivation to wrap up my day with a workout than to start my day with a workout.  However, seeing as my half-marathon will start around 8:00am, I might as well start getting used to being a morning runner!  So that "negative" aspect of traveling might just turn out to be a "positive."

As far as the cooking goes, I pretty much had to finish up all the sandwich and spaghetti stuff last week so I can focus on buying higher quality groceries this week.  On the road, I ate pretty well, opting for lighter dishes that are high in protein (I tend to indulge in carbs when I don't cook for myself).  I was able to drink a lot more water, since that was usually the only option during games or at the hotel.  I also slept amazingly in that hotel bed, and managed to get at least six hours a night.

Yesterday, I got a good start on week two by running a 5k on the treadmill and doing 15 minutes of strength circuits.  We travel to Alabama this weekend, so I'll let you know how I do on my second road trip.  That's all for now!

Setting Goals

Two years ago this March, I made the decision to take full responsibility for my health and well-being.

In high school, I was a multi-sport athlete and an extremely active person.  I had always taken solace in physical activity.  In fact, when my grandpa died my senior year, my method of coping was to run down to the soccer fields and kick the s*** out of my ball.  When a boy broke my heart, I went for a run.  Sweating has always been more satisfying to me than crying.

The transition from high school athlete to college student was a difficult one.  Without a coach watching over my shoulder, I couldn't discipline myself into an exercise routine.  I gained some weight (the classic "freshman 15"), and my skin broke out.  Being away from home was difficult, and I wasn't happy with the major I had chosen.  All in all, it wasn't a pretty year for this girl.  After a whole school year of feeling unfulfilled and unattractive, I started coping with exercise again.  I was still undisciplined and my exercise schedule was nowhere near regular, but it was a start.  The next year found me working part time as a group exercise instructor, running on a regular basis, and studying the brand new (to me) field of athletic training.  Until March of 2012, I would go through phases of physical activity.  I'd run for a couple months, then get bored and take a break.  Then I'd become unsatisfied with myself again and find a new form of exercise for a couple months, then take another break.  It was a stuttered regimen, but the breaks grew shorter and I began to push myself harder.  It was like learning how to be an athlete again.

Like many others, the catalyst for my lifestyle change was a terrifying medical emergency, which I'll talk about later.  Since then, I have run more than 500 miles.  But exercise isn't enough in any case.  If I am to accomplish my long-term goal of being a good example of health for my loved ones, there are many smaller, more short-term goals I must reach:

• Drink more water (6-8 glasses/day) and less coffee (2 cups/day)
• Cook more and cook "healthy" (I have only cooked for myself twice since moving to KY in July)
• Get at least 6-8 hours of sleep every night
• Stick to the half marathon training schedule (start on February 24)
• Run a half marathon in May and finish in 2 hours!!

This might seem pretty simple, so let me break it down.  As a graduate assistant athletic trainer for a small Division I university, my hours are wicked.  In addition to my full class load, I also work 40-50 hours during the week, and cover all games on the weekends (including travel).  So I tend to replace sleep and water with coffee.  Seriously.  It's not unusual for me to consume 3-4 cups of coffee before noon, and then I'll wash down my mediocre lunch with a couple more cups.  So that just needs to stop.  You might be able to imagine, knowing what you know about my work weeks, that it could be a bit dodgy trying to stick to a training schedule.  But if I'm going to run this half-marathon in May, I need to discipline myself.  As for the cooking (or lack thereof)...my teensy-but-adorable apartment is equipped with neither a dishwasher nor a garbage disposal.  I HATE doing dishes, and I HATE having to scoop out little remnants of food from my drain.  So naturally, cooking gives way to eating sandwiches, canned soup, and spaghetti.  Waaaayyy too much spaghetti.

This blog will help me overcome a lot of these obstacles simply by holding me accountable.  And hopefully, over the next 14 weeks, the adjustments I make to my daily schedule will harden into habit. I plan on continuing my use of the MapMyRun app to log my running, and I'll blog about food and water intake and sleep schedules.

Yesterday was a pretty ok start for me; I ran 3.3 miles but did not drink any water or cook.  I'll have to try a bit harder today.  I was able to get 6 hours of sleep, but it took forever for me to fall asleep.