I'm a Bad Person : )

Well not really. I just skipped my leg workout this week. Really I ran out of days/time from being sick early in the week. Oh, it made such a difference in my running! While I realize I can't continue to totally skip legs, I probably should lighten that workout to accommodate more comfortable running.

Made my return to yoga this week with 2 sessions in place of cycling. This is probably another reason my legs have been feeling so much better. Not sure if I should consider this a cutback week or a change of strategy week?

I discovered that Bryan Kest will be 2 hours away from me conducting a Master Class (all levels) in Jan. and Feb. I've always wanted to take his class in person! Streaming classes are the next best thing I suppose but there's no feedback with those. Would also love to take class with Baron Baptiste but he's usually out of reach due to distance. These 2 teachers are favorites for me since I started doing yoga at home with their dvds. I practiced with them for a year before I ever stepped foot in a studio. Baron gives excellent alignment cues if you listen. I found that for the longest time I would continue to hear him say new things about how to do asanas that I hadn't heard before. I hear excellent things about Rod Stryker and he comes to Cincy periodically but I hesitate since I don't know anything about him firsthand. I'll have to take the plunge if I can arrange it when he returns.

Just finished week 4 of the Run Less, Run Faster running plan and am starting to see improvement in my speed and distance. The mileage buildup is so gradual and the speedwork was badly needed. GRADUAL = injury free for me! I finally broke the 10 min. pace barrier for the 6 mile distance!

Also I'm 2 weeks into the carb cycling program that Jeff S. worked out for me. I've been faithful in eating my veggies and sticking to the program. Not sure that I see any difference yet. Not really trying to lose weight but lower my body fat %. At 4 weeks he will check me with the calipers again. Even if I don't lose a lot of body fat, this is a very healthy way of eating and I should have been eating veggies all along. Thank goodness for treat day though! I put away some cupcakes, 2 pieces of pumpkin pie, and some good old Hershey's chocolate today. I think I have it out of my system for another week. Let's hope so anyway.

Whoa! It's Been Over a Year!

Still running for sure in spite of lots of minor injuries along the way. I'm finally healed from a groin strain in April. I have yet to run a half marathoon but I am STILL going to do it! Other than the process becoming a lot more enjoyable and less painful, I haven't really progressed into long or big mileage. I'm actually to the point of being able to use the Run Less, Run Faster training plan. Even the 5K plan is not for beginners and it has taken me this long to be ready for the included speedwork. I'm just going to work my way through the 5K, 10K and the half marathon plans respectively throughout the Fall/Winter/Spring. This gradual build up should result in a successful run in the Flying Pig Half on May 6!

I Did It Again! 9 Miles!

So that's 2 weeks in a row for 9 miles! And I didn't feel nearly as beaten up as the week before. I also feel almost fully recovered since yesterday. That means as long as I'm feeling okay next Tuesday, I'm going for 10 miles!

I have a little bit of residual fear about the 10 mile milestone but I feel I'm ready for it this time. I was NOT ready last year when I got hurt. But this time I feel I've put in enough miles to be successful as long as I take my increases slow and easy. After I overcome this mental hurdle, I believe the sky is the limit! I'll be fine!

Nine Miles Wasn't So Bad This Time

It's been 2 days since I ran my first 9 miler this year. I look back on last year and say to myself,"What were you thinking?" I was still struggling with 6 or 7 miles. I was a new runner. What made me think I could just keep following the training schedule and not get hurt?I'll tell you what! It was EGO. Well sure enough a few weeks later, I ran 10 and that was all she wrote. Calf tear! How could my body do this. I had scheduled and paid for a half marathon to take place in 2 weeks! Silly body! Well, I didn't make it. But now I'm at it again! lol

What it all boiled down to last year was my ego not allowing me to say this is too much for me right now. And if I'm not very observant of that ego, I'll let it get me again. I want to say I ran 9 , 10, 11, 12, 13 miles! EGO. While 9 miles wasn't too bad this time around, it was a challenge. I'm a little fearful of getting hurt again. Up until last year, I had never run more than 6 miles . And it had been a very long time since I'd done that. I usually do my best to push through fear. But in this case maybe it's a healthy fear. I know in my right mind, I need to stick with 9 miles for at least another week or two. But can you believe I was just thinking this morning of moving on to 10 next week! Hey! Let's do it today! Wouldn't that be great!!!

I have plenty of time to be ready. The first possible half I have in mind is scheduled for late August. Most training plans end at 10 miles figuring that you can really run 20% or more than you think you can. Add adrenaline and a crowd and the sky is the limit! I should have plenty of time to train well past 10 if not the full 13 by race time even if I progress conservatively. I must keep this in mind! I cannot let my ego get the better of me this time. : )

Weekly Tips/Recipe

I'd like to share some of my ideas about how to bring fitness and nutrition together. I was sharing with someone IRL the other day and she sincerely thanked me. She said not many are willing to share their secrets! I think that's crazy. I want everyone to be as healthy and happy as they can be.

Some things I've read, some ideas others have shared with me, and still others have come to me through experience. I do realize we are all different and your mileage may vary. I hope to periodically share with you some things I've learned and have worked for me along the way!

My first suggestion would be to start eating clean, home cooked food at home! Second best would be to pack a cooler with the least processed food you can muster. I know! I can feel you rolling your eyes right now. I can hear you thinking that it will take too much time and be complicated. But this has really been so instrumental in pulling it all together for me. I could honestly begin to see a difference in my body composition when I nixed eating out. Even things that appear healthy have so many unknown things done to/in them that make them not to your benefit. It's really not difficult to do. It is truly a habit just like anything else. By packing/eating at home you know exactly what's in it and the portion is controlled. Save eating out for special occasions. After awhile you may even find that you don't care for restaurant food anymore. Always keep in mind that restaurants are a business. They want your money! They don't really care what is best for YOU.

As for clean foods organic may the best but not absolutely necessary. That's my opinion anyway! Remember we want to keep our food choices simple and affordable and promote a healthy body composition. We want to attempt to instill habits that we will actually do!

Always balance a healthy carb with a healthy protein. I know protein is a hot button for some. I do know people that can eat a lot of carbs and do just fine. But I'm not talking about those people. And I'm not talking low carb either. I'm more about eating the amount of carbs I need for the next day's activity. It doesn't have to be a lot of protein/meal but at least some. Aim for at least 10-15 grams/meal. I personally go for 1 gram each per pound of body weight per day. I like my fat% to be between 20-30% of my total calories. It doesn't exactly always end up that way but it's generally close. I'm not rigid or anal about it and I don't want you to be either. I admit that is a lot of protein for some people's tastes. But I've gotten to this point through more baby steps than I can count over many years of trial and error. I takes time to build new habits. Maybe just pick one or two things at a time to change if that feels less overwhelming.

Simple and Easy Stove Top Granola

This is a family favorite in our home. We don't buy boxed cereals and use it as a cereal, snack, topping, etc. Remember to balance it with a protein like egg whites, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, etc.

3 c rolled or old fashioned oats
1/2 c chopped nuts (we like almonds)
1/2 c coconut
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c oil
1/3 c honey
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c dried fruit (we like raisins)

Mix oats, cinnamon, coconut, in a cold skillet or dutch oven. Blend oil, honey, and vanilla in separate bowl. Pour wet blend over dry ingredients and mix together. Toast the granola over medium heat until it looks right. Stir it frequently to prevent burning. Turn off and add fruit. Let it cool, stirring it occasionally. I double this recipe for my family and it lasts about a week.

Enjoy!

Nice Take On Competition

The best athlete
wants his opponent at his best.
The best general
enters the mind of his enemy.
The best businessman
serves the communal good.
The best leader
follows the will of the people.

All of them embody
the virtue of non-competition.
Not that they don't love to compete,
but they do it in the spirit of play.
In this they are like children
and in harmony with the Tao. (Universe, God, All)

Tao Te Ching 68

I like this! Less about me and more about us. I think we can all stand to be a bit more like children sometimes. Life is often much simpler than we think.

Plans and Ponderings

I want to begin to improve my writing. I feel I'm all right with the who, what, when, where, and whys. But I have come to the conclusion there is something missing. I need to get more personal. I believe I'm not projecting the feelings behind what I am writing. Maybe that is reflective of me in real life too. That definitely gives me something to ponder.

I've been contemplating what I really love. Where does my passion lie? How can I translate that into something that pays it forward and helps others? I don't know that I've ever followed or identified my passions. Of course I love my family! But I mean to identify my heart's desire. I'm quite certain the path for me lies in fitness. I've probably always known this and my husband has pointed it out repeatedly. There's definitely a need for this in the world today. I definitely have quite a bit of knowledge and years of experience concerning it. Why not? So I am studying for my personal trainer certification with the hopes of building my own business and clientele. I did it before successfully in another type of business. I can do it again! Only this time it will have heart felt meaning to me.

Then there are my own personal fitness goals to consider. I'm back to training for that half marathon that hasn't quite worked out for me yet. I insist that I do it in a way that is well rounded. I've found that I really like P90X and running. I mentally need both. I think this is one of the reasons many people don't stay with their fitness routines. It becomes too routine! Variety IS the spice of life you know! My best advice is to mix it up and keep things fresh. : )

I have 2 half marathons on my radar. One is very scenic at the end of August. I'm thinking that one may be too soon although it is my preferred event. The other is at the end of Sept. and a bit farther away. But it would be fine if I'm not ready in August. I can run 8 miles without too much trouble right now. Really I think I should be able to have it up to 12-13 miles or more in 11 wks. For example: currently running 8 mile long run, 6 mi., 6 mi. and a 3 miler and then increasing the long run by a mile every 2 weeks until the race.

Woo! That was a long one for me!