So. Very. Cold.

Here I am, sitting on my tush, watching hockey.  Wait, hockey?  Yeah, I don't generally do that, but I did graduate college from a hockey school, and you have to tune in when they are playing outside, in Soldier Field, against Notre Dame.  So far, not so good, but they have a little more time to try and pull something out.  Funny (or not funny) fact:  I have never watched my Redhawks win when I watch them on TV... Yikes. (Update: my streak continues - booooo)

I feel like I earned my right to sit on the couch today because I am finally back into double digit long runs!  The last time I went 10 miles or more was Tough Mudder in October, so I was a little nervous and excited about today.  I made sure to not go out and drink heavy last night, and instead I had a pasta dinner.  I also got plenty of sleep, had a good breakfast of oatmeal, quinoa and chia.  I wanted to make sure that this run went as smooth and painless as possible.  Unfortunately, the temps were in the teens, and I do not do well in cold weather running, especially considering I need a couple pounds of extra gear on! 

I wish it had been this warm on my run.

 What did I wear?:  I got an app the other day that is specifically designed to help me decide what to wear.  You can find it in the app store under "What To Wear."  To be honest, I didn't really follow the app because it said to only wear running tights.  The weather on Saturday was similar to today, and I didn't like how long it took for my legs to get warmed up with just tights.  Today I added some track pants on top of the tights, along with my compression sleeves on my calves, compression shorts and two layers of socks.  Finally, I put on my Koppen long-sleeve tech shirt, North Face pullover fleece, skull cap, gloves and my full Camelbak. 

Overall, I felt like it was a good run.  I started out real real real slow, at just under 9 minute miles.  Again, my legs just wouldn't warm up!  In fact, I don't feel like I really got loose until mile 7!  Regardless, runners push through, and that is exactly what I did.  Besides, it was cold, but at least it was super gorgeous out!  I get so much energy from the sun, so I just fed off that.  I also decided to take a totally different route, which proved to be a great idea.  I found out that I have so much more safe running areas than I even realize, and all I have to do is head out my door.  I am excited to keep adding more and more distance to this new route, which will eventually include a scenic trip around a PGA golf course.

Try to get your chest as low to the floor as you can.

Yesterday I put together a training-prescribed 5 mile run, but again, it was slow.  I don't have much to say about it besides that it was cold, I was sluggish, and it wasn't even sunny.  At least I followed this disaster up with a quality gym-session.  I created two circuits that focused on my legs, chest, back and core.  For the first circuit, I did 10 push-ups with both hands on one medicine ball, 10 reverse push-ups using a bar, 30 crunches and 25 box-jumps to keep my heart-rate up between sets.  I did this circuit 4 times.  For the second, I did 5 squats with 115 pounds, 30 lateral jumps, 10 push-ups on each side with one hand on a medicine ball and 10 pull-ups.  I also did some machine work on the chest and back, as well as some extra core work.  Personally, I love circuits for the simple fact that my heart rate stays up, and I know I am getting a quality workout for my time-investment.

Diet Update:
I find myself constantly trying to figure out new ways to get protein into my diet, and I think I have come up with a delicious and simple way to do it.  Runner's World recently did a short article about canned fish, and how these are often forgotten or ignored ways to get fish into our diet.  Personally, I always find cooking fish to be a pain, especially when it is cold, and I can't use my grill, so the idea of a pre-cooked alternative was alluring.  I also grew up with canned fish because my dad always had it in the house.  Yesterday I went to Trader Joe's and grabbed a few examples: sardines, anchovies and salmon.  All of these fish were broken down in the magazine, and they all have some great advantages. 

Today I threw some anchovies onto post-run salad, and I was really impressed with how good it was.  These particular anchovies were salted, so it added some that flavor, which I liked.  I also thought the texture was just like having bits of chicken!  Some people are weird about texture, and I don't think you would have an issue.  The only problem for some people might come from the smell, which is very fishy.  I don't have a problem with it, but I also don't think I will be eating this in the teacher's lounge.  I may just reserve these for my post-run work, especially considering the salt will help with recovery.  If you like fish and are lazy like me, this is a great way to go.  I am excited to try all these different flavors! (Those worried about over-fishing, most companies have made tremendous efforts to maintain populations, so this is a much smaller issue these days)

Other Things:
I am super excited to have a three day weekend!  Having that extra day to sleep in tomorrow will be amazing!  I am also excited to have some close family friends over tonight for dinner.  We went over to their house last weekend, so it was our turn to host.  I love the idea of Sunday dinner, so this is awesome. Plus, I love hanging out with my friends' kids.

I also feel like I am in a state of limbo right now.  My parents have lived in Alabama for almost 10 years now, so I only see them one or two times a year.  Recently, my father has been searching for provost positions at universities back here in Ohio, and he might hear back about one this week.  If this were the case, we might be picking up and moving this summer.  Personally, I hate moving, but I would love to have my family close by.  I definitely have my fingers crossed!

Questions:
Have you ever had fish out of a can?  Do you like it or does the idea weird you out?

Are you the type that will try anything or are you picky?

Do you have to drive somewhere to go for a run or can you just go right out your door?

Anyone else have President's Day off?  What are your plans?

Runnertine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day (yes, I know it was yesterday, but I was busy doing by V-Day duties)!  I hope you all had a wonderful and productive little holiday.  Personally, I don't mind it, aside from the obvious craziness of my teaching day (kindergarten students live for it, and I loath it), but some people hate the holiday to its core.  No matter your feelings, I think it is good to have a few days a year to make us think about those we love.  I hope you had a good day, and that maybe you got some good swag along the way.

Personally, I received a pair of Injinji toe socks to compliment by near obsession my Vibram Fivefingers. I am excited to try these out because I have been wearing them totally sock-free, and therefore, I had a limit as to what temperature I could run (I cut off around 40 degree, at which time I just put on my Brooks).  Now I probably have another 10 degrees of buffer to work with, which means more gloriously difficult but fulfilling barefoot runs.

I have been pretty fortunate with the weather lately.  This week alone I had two beautiful and semi-warm days to throw on the VFFs and hit the pavement.  To be honest, when the sun is shining, I am a far better runner.  On Monday it was cold and cloudy, and my 7 miles were totally miserable.  Tuesday was the exact opposite, and I put together a beautiful, reaffirming 4-miler.  I even did hill-repeats (the first speed work in my Vibrams), and I felt like my legs had unlimited potential.  Dayton is pretty flat, but I do have some hills right by my house.  I went up and down this little gem 6 times during the 4 miles, and I felt great after it.

Fact: Hills look and feel more intimidating in person.

I followed this run up with another fantastic experience yesterday.  Once again, it was warm enough to wear shorts, and I headed out in a great mood.  Once again, my legs felt unworldly, and I put together a quick fartlek run of 3.1 miles.  These two runs have combined to make me extra excited for my weekend, which will involve a 5 miler tomorrow, and a 10 milers on Sunday.  It is a good thing I am so excited because this will be the first double digit run I have done since before Tough Mudder in October.  My knee and my ITB feel 100% better, my legs are getting stronger, my cross training has my entire body feeling strong, and I am feeling ready to enter some real distances again.  I seriously can't wait!

Speaking of cross-training, I had a solid week in that department.  I have continued to work on my dead lifts and power cleans, which is really good for keeping me humble!  Dead lifts let me know how far I have come, but they also show me how far I have to go with my core.  While I have been working on my front side, my lower back hasn't had as much action, so I am really glad I am hitting that area strong.  I also feel like my fore-arms are getting worked more than usual, which is a tough area of the body to do.

Along with my general weight-lifting, I am continue to work on my #fitfebruary push-ups challenge.  I have been doing all different kinds of push-ups, averaging over 100 a day for the month!  I am loving what this is doing for my chest and back!  I am also loving the use of medicine balls and balance equipment for them because it forces your body to balance and adjust in the process.  When your body is working that hard, it works like a body-wide plank, which is VERY powerful.  If you have two medicine balls, try spreading them out on the floor and putting one hand on each.  Then just balance on them and do a push-up.  Try to get as low to the floor as you can, and feel your chest, back, core, shoulders and arms all working to accomplish the task - awesome, right?

Two balls is better than one... for this exercise.

This is just one example, but there are many ways medicine balls can come in handy for push-ups.  Just do a Google search, and you can spend forever trying all the ways.  The same goes for the always versatile Bosu ball, which was recently features in Runner's World.  Just try to incorporate some of these push-up exercises into your WOD or circuit, and you will get some serious upper-body strength.

Diet Update:
I would think most of you drink a protein shake on the reg, so I don't even need to recommend that.  What I do need to recommend is this:  get vanilla whey of some sort, use milk (water and protein is gross), and then add banana, strawberries and blueberries.  Yeah, your world will then be rocked!  Not only is this combo delicious, but you are getting a tremendous amount of benefits.  Personally, I like to know that the things I am eating have some sort of future benefit for my training, my body or my mental state, so this is a great way to go.  Some people like to add peanut butter, and I do like it, but I also don't want the added fat.  On a normal day, the only bad fat I have come from my morning coffee creamer, and I am not giving that up, so I had to prioritize.

Another Failure:
Valentine's Day was fun, but it has been horrendous for my diet.  I have students who have parents who like to bake, so I was showered with sugary snack.  I also received many a chocolate and plenty of candy... Ugh.  I really have no will power, so if things are placed in front of me, I tend to go overboard - the later part of this week has been no exception!  I really should have seen this coming, but I intend on seriously cracking down on things next week because I foresee no set-backs on the calendar until St. Patrick's Day.  I have still included some good things though, so I haven't felt too bad during my workouts; I just really want to tone up before race season and swim suit season!

Housekeeping:
I am becoming more and more involved on twitter, so make sure you follow me!  I feel like the dorky kid at the table though because I have next to no followers!  I just don't know how people get tens of thousands of followers!  Plus, how do they keep track of all those people?  I have a hard enough time keeping up with my current feed.  I do like all the #runchat and other chats that come along because I learn one or two new things every time.  Get on with me and let's talk running and fitness.

I am also curious as to how you feel about male bloggers.  To be honest, I didn't expect for this community to be so widely dominated by women (definitely not saying this is a bad thing), so I sometimes feel a bit out of place.  I was wondering if I am out of place, and if that is a good thing or a bad thing.  I am also curious as to whether or not this has impacted my blog's following at all.  This is just the social-scientist in me!

Finally, I am curious as to whether you have any suggestions or questions for me?  I would love to hear from you! 

Questions:
How was your Valentine's Day?  Did you get any running goodies?

Is anyone else a massive Walking Dead fan?  I am.  How did you feel about the new episode?

Does sunshine dramatically impact your run?

What do you add to your protein shake?

At what mileage do you feel like you are really "running"?

Keep On Keepin' On

Sometimes I wonder if I am the worst blogger on the planet because I don't post enough, and when I do post, I do it at random times.  I really should decide on some sort of set schedule, but I don't think I would follow that.  Besides, I already have so many schedules in my life, including my training schedule, so one more may just drive me over the edge.  I figure if this whole endeavor becomes too much work, it won't be fun any more! 

This Is Me Sometimes

Anyways, I am done venting, so I hope you all forgive me for not getting on this more often.  This week I just haven't had as much to talk about as I usually do, and I still don't.  I got through another week of training, which I am happy with, but it wasn't a big deal.  I did have an absolutely amazing run on Saturday, but it wasn't too long, and aside from the beautiful weather,  it was relatively uneventful.  My legs felt great though, and I was just happy to be out in the chill/sun while half the country was getting dumped on by a massive blizzard named after a famous Pixar fish.

I did want to talk about my first ever experience with group running because, well, it was my first.  I have occasionally run with one other person, but this was definitely my first with a large group.  I have been wanting to do something like this for awhile, but I got a nudge in the right direction by a fellow-running co-worker who invited me to meet up with him and his wife.  Additionally, the meeting place was at a pub 5 minutes down the road, so I guess the stars just aligned, and I had no excuses not to go.

It was a lot like this, minus the beach, sun and warm weather.

 So Wednesday night I got out of my comfort zone and met up with a bunch of people at the tavern.  The event is a monthly event put on by a local running store.  Normally the group meets up at the store itself, but this just mixes it up.  They choose a new place to meet every month, so it was just lucky that it was so close.  There were probably 25 people there, including my coworker, his wife and some family members.  The whole group ranged in ages, ability levels and genders.  Everyone was very nice, but this being my first experience, I felt out of place.  I was just glad to know someone because I had someone to run with.  He is a much quicker runner than I am, but he had wanted someone to run a little slower with, so I was happy to oblige. 

Overall the run was great, but I had run the day before, and my legs were a little tired.  I tried to keep a good pace, going a little above a comfortable pace, and the course had some pretty solid hills.  Additionally, everyone running received a free pint glass and appetizers!  I am glad I went out and did it, and I look forward to similar experiences in the future.  I don't know if I will go out every week, but I would like to get to know some of the people better.  I read an article in the most recent Runner's World about how we should all mix up our routines by running solo AND running in groups because of the benefits of both.  This is something I will continue to talk about with time.

I would say the best benefit that I noticed about running with someone else is that they definitely make you pick up your game.  Considering how tired I was, there was no way I would have gone as fast I did without someone there.  Even though it isn't a race, I found my competitive nature kicking in much like it does during a race.  This was definitely one of the advantages mentioned by the magazine.  The key was to get out of my comfort zone, and I did that, but I like that there are real benefits to it.  I love running, but I like knowing that every bit of training I do has a purpose and an advantage.

Other Training:
The biggest change I made this week was an increase in the intensity of my weight-lifting cross-training.  I decided to take a Crossfit-like approach to my gym sessions, increasing my speed from exercise to exercise, keeping my heart-rate up, and varying what I am doing.  I find this easier if I set up a circuit, or if I use a workout of the day.  The biggest addition to these circuits has to be the use of dead-lifts and power cleans.  Dead lifts are especially important because they work so many muscles, including the core and lower back.  Power cleans are also a fuller body lift, and both are super challenging and form specific.  It is really going to take me some time to become comfortable with these techniques, but I like the challenge.

Failures:
Okay, it's really only one failure, but I am not proud of it.  I had to skip my long run yesterday because I had gone out a little too hard the night before.  This was a wake-up call for me, so I really don't see me doing anything like that again (aside from St. Patricks Day) up until the marathon is over.  To be honest, I don't drink often, and I still think of myself as a drinker when I do.  I think my tolerance was way down, and I wasn't used to the higher alcohol content of the craft beers I was drinking.  I really need to crack down on this kind of thing and get serious.  My diet and my habits need to get perfected, and I need to crush this race.  I did get in the long run today though, but it was a miserable business!  My legs felt like bricks, and I just didn't have the energy I would have liked.  Plus, the weather was beautiful all day until I got home, and then it decided to get windy, cloudy and cold.

Questions:
Do you find admitting your failures as a beneficial practice?

What kinds of failures have you had that were wake-up calls for your training?

Do you run solo or with groups?  Which do you prefer?  How often to you do each?  Who do you run with?

The Thrifty Ginger

Sometimes I amaze even myself, and one such occurrence happened Friday. Usually Dick's Sporting Goods is not known for good deals, and you are lucky to get out of there without spending 60 dollars on a shirt. This was not the case on Friday, and I am still shocked! I immediately hit the clearance racks, which are usually picked over and worthless. This time though, I got all the following items for about $60:











I have already used most of these on runs already. The Koppen long sleeve tech shirts are amazing! I got two of those for $9 each, and they are very comfortable and warm. I threw the yellow north face pullover on top, and I was perfectly comfortable in around 28 degree temps. The Koppen hat was $5 and I am super happy with it. All these cold weather clothes breathe while still keeping my cozy. The pullover was only $20... For North Face... What!? The Saucony run shorts were actually the most expensive, but I needed new ones now that my Under Armor shorts are falling apart. To sum up, I am now a Koppen fan for cold weather gear! Definitely take time to hit up those clearance racks folks! The women's selection was pitiful, which is a reversal of the norm at most stores, but that may just be my store.


Moving on, I came across this little tool by GNC to calculate how much protein you need. I would say it is pretty broad, but it might help you. I would just do a Google search for it if you are interested. I found out that I probably need to add more protein to my diet because I do so much lifting and cross training on top of just running. Part of this addition may be the addition of quinoa to my diet. I picked up a good sizes bag of the stuff at Sam's Club of all places, and it is even organic. I just need to figure out what I want to do with it. Quinoa is a good natural and organic source of protein, so that is a win! Maybe I can figure out a way to add it to my daily lunch, which is generally big on veggies and low on protein.


Funny Story Alert: Now that I said that, you won't find it funny, but I sure do. I have had this story for days now, but I keep forgetting to mention it. Recently I used this picture in a post for motivation:


I then mentioned how much I wanted to high five someone on a run. Well, guess what? Well? Okay, I will tell you. I high fived someone! Now, here is the thing, there are not many runners out and about around me, so I haven't had many opportunities, so I had been waiting for my opportunity. This came in the way of an older lady, and she had no idea what to make of it! She undoubtedly thought I was crazy, but felt bad for me and did it anyways. I was totally juiced for the rest of my run! I am guessing the experience was a bit like this for the woman though:


Training Stuff:

I continue to pluck away at my runs, and I am feeling great. I went on my long run yesterday, and it was easily the easiest 9.1 miles I have ever done. I feel like my whole body is strong now, so it takes punishment and recovery so much better.


I do really want my distance runs to be closer to 8:30 pacing, but I did have a lot of hills on that course, especially at the beginning. Also, on a side note, MapMyRun updated, so I was finally able to see all my splits! This new version is really phenomenal for a free app! If you don't have a garmin, or even if you do, get on this!

Another note, I had my first Gu ever on that run, and it was totally nasty. I promised myself that I would do my long runs just like I will do my marathons, so I brought fuel, and I strapped on a full Camelbak. I am just glad I had all that water to wash down the grossness! It did a good job though, and it made the second half the run easier. I will write a full review of the Camelbak in a few weeks, but I like it so far! I hated carrying a water bottle!


Beyond running, and almost as important, is my devotion to the gym and cross training. If carrying that big ass Christmas tree box is cross training, you can include that into my training log! I did do any gym over the weekend, but I went there today and hit it hard. I did the following Workout Of The Day:


I also included 30 reps of dead lifts at 155 pounds, 55 extra push-ups, 50 reps each on two back machines, 30 box jumps on a 24 inch box, side and front planks and 30 pull-ups.

I am happy with this one, and I am feeling the burn! My back is good sore from the dead lifts, and I love the challenge of power cleans! I also looked like a total but on those box jumps because I almost died several times - I am not coordinated enough! I am loving the new exercises and determination these workouts are giving me on my gym days!

Short Movie Review: Silver Linings Playbook:

I won't go too into this because I am not a movie blog, but this is a bit of a runner movie. I think we (runners) would all see a little of ourselves in both of the main characters. I know I saw a ton of myself in Bradley Cooper's character, and that was both scary and enlightening. To sum it up, the main characters are both suffering from mental illnesses, and they use running and eventually dancing to help them cope. These two things help unite both characters. I know running certainly helps me stay sane on a much lesser scale!

I really enjoyed the movie though because it was heartfelt but humorous at the same time. I love movies that take a potentially serious theme and make it appropriately funny.

Questions:

How was your Super Bowl experience? Good food? Good drink? Win any money?

Doing any challenges in February? If so, which ones?

What is your favorite cold weather gear?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

I Digress: A Return To The "100%" Mantra

I am going to take a brief intermission from my questions in order to return to something that I posted about several months ago: my committal to living and doing things in my life at 100%.

I doubt anyone remembers this little diatribe of mine, but I just wanted to quantify my efforts, both in fitness and life in general. I therefore put a goal of 100% on everything I do on a daily basis. I know 100% is hardly possible with everything, especially considering how subjective this is. Regardless, many days I have caught myself slacking in one department or another, and I try to steer the ship back in the right direction. On a day like today where I am in a bit of a funk (I suffer from light seasonal depression), giving myself a bit of an evaluation seems like a good choice. Here is where I think I stand in a few categories:

Fitness: I would give myself about a 90% in this area. I am sticking strong to my marathon plan, I am cross-training on most of my "rest" days, and I am hitting my runs/workouts with an alright amount of ferocity. Still, I think I could do more, and I want to do more. Today I did a one-mile time trial, and I think I could have pushed a bit more to get under 6 minutes - just an example, but I want no regrets come May.


Job/Career: I love to teach, but I am not a kindergarten teacher by trade. The job market for teachers here in Ohio is abysmal, so I was forced to take what I could get for a daily paycheck, while stilling getting an experience for my résumé. Some days my patience is paper thin, but I can honestly say I am doing my very best about 80% of the time. That other 20% comes on days where, for whatever reason, I just get worn down. This is an area I can always improve in, and I think I have, especially since my last 100% update. I just really need to get a job in grades 4-9! With that said, I love my students, and there is no way I could go in, everyday, rain or shine, sickness or more sickness, unless I thought the world of my little crazies.

Friendships: Yikes - I am throwing this on here and just now thinking about it, and I am an awful friend. I don't like to talk on the phone, so that is a big strike one. Most of my friends live farther away, so that is strike two. Strike three comes because I just don't really have the time to do much! If my friends lived close, and if they were runners, I don't think this would be a big deal. I just need to really address this! The Super Bowl will be a good chance! I will give myself a 65% because friendships are a two-way street, and I feel like I do the vast majority of the effort when it comes to making plans or getting ahold of someone. Sometimes I just feel invisible!

Relationship: Psh, like I am going to talk about that on my blog! ;) If you want drama, head on over to ABC and watch The Bachelor.

Diet: If this category were on a graph, that piece would look like a bloody roller coaster! I think this is an area I will always struggle with, but I am learning a lot, and I think I am continuing to improve, especially in the area of balance. I will give myself a solid 75%.

Final Thoughts: I think these scores all give me an ample opportunity to improve. If I took the easy way, and simple gave myself all 100%, where would I be able to look to in order to get better? Hopefully this kind of positive self-criticism is a helpful tool for someone besides me, but if not, it is certainly helping me during these tough, dark, cold times.


Week's Training Thus Far:

Monday I modified the above crossfit WOD in order to better fit my needs, and to avoid congestion at the gym. I had to look up the wall ball shots, and there was just no way I could pull that off in a crowded facility like mine. The same went for the double unders because jump roping didn't seem practical. I also eliminated the kettlebells because I wasn't working my shoulders. The rest I completed, some all at once. Some I had to do in a few sets, but that is okay. I also added I a few of my own tricks and machines in order to round out a chest, back and core day. I also liked the exercises that used my legs so that I was getting a workout without too much pressure on the knees.


Tuesday: I don't really want to say what the above route looked like on my Tuesday run (hairy nuts), but I will say that this was an amazing run. I started off sluggish, and I was regretting wearing my FiveFingers. This feeling didn't last long because after the first mile, I was off to the races! I went from a sore 8:56 mile to 8:16 overall. I could have gone more, and I even added a mile over what I was scheduled for. Sometimes you just gotta go a little farther, especially in unseasonably warm temps. I followed the run up with some arms, shoulders and core. I can't really remember much from the gym, so it must have been fairly unremarkable.

Today: As you saw, I did a time trial today after a mile warm up. The weather was still just warm enough to be in shorts and a short sleeve running shirt, but I was a bit cold to start. I am not unhappy with my time, but I need to improve before March and impending 5k/10k season! I think I just need to really pick up my speed in my weekday runs, include more speed work, and even do more short mile runs. I will go sub-20 this spring!

Side Notes From Life:
I will make this brief, but part of my frustration today was caused by this little gem this morning:





Yeah, that is my ceiling crumbling to the floor! We got a bad rain storm last night, and that area had been leaking for awhile. We had called to get it fixed well over a month ago, and no one had come out. So, now they ultimately will have to tear up a huge section of my kitchen! I am not pleased, and the piece falling scared my dogs. Not cool nature, not cool.

If you were to rate yourself on a 100% scale, how would you be doing?

I want to hear about your training! Let me know.

Ever had your roof leak, or have you had any home-owner issues?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

This Is The Life

Why did you get out and run today? Was it to show your kids the importance of a healthy lifestyle? Were you trying to erase a few extra holiday pounds? Are you trying to achieve a goal that everyone said was impossible? We all have our motivations for running and continuing our lifestyle, and I don't known if there are any truly bad ones, as long as you aren't going overboard!

I got some great responses to people about why they do what they do, and I am just so impressed with the resolve of my fellow runners/athletes. Let me be the first to tell you, you are amazing, strong, and maybe a little insane. Just a little.

One inspiring and influential runner, Holly, over at Run With Holly, was kind enough to share her motivations. Holly told me that fitness has been a gradual change for her over a long period of time. "I grew up in a family that valued activity, although not necessarily formalized fitness. I had my fair share of failed athletic pursuits until I settled on swimming in my teens."

Each phase of Holly's life brought a new motivation for her to maintain her lifestyle. "I went to college, and wanted a way to avoid the "Freshman 15" that the cafeteria threatened to provide. I was busy, and the treadmill offered the highest calorie burn for 30 minutes of exercise. I ran exclusively on the treadmill during my entire freshman year. That summer, my younger sister (a cross-country runner) finally persuaded me to run outdoors with her, and bingo - I was hooked. I ran 3-4 miles, 3-4 days/week in college."

Being a relatively new runner, I am intrigued by those who have been doing this for extended periods of time, and seeing how they continue to love this little sport of ours. It is one thing to get hooked, like Holly, but it is quite another to stay that way! Holly continued her journey well beyond college: "I moved to Rochester, NY - and got hooked up with a running community there. I trained for my first half-marathon, became a hard-core trail runner, trained for a marathon, became a coach, and have done all sorts of running things since. Gradually, 40-50+ miles weeks became my "norm", and I was heading out for full-day trail running excursions with my trail buddies. I swear, the whole thing just crept up on me, I swear! ... So I "wasn't always this way", nor did I have a single "epiphany moment". It just happened.... And now, it's such an intertwined part of my life that I don't think I could extricate the two if I wanted to."

Maybe the key to true motivation is the true integration of running into our lives (in a balanced way, of course). If running is intertwined into who we are, we have no choice but to do it and love it. Personally, I am not to that point yet, but I wish I was, and I look forward to the day where running is simply a part of who I am. Unfortunately, this also means avoiding running becoming "simple" and not exciting anymore. Like in Born To Run, running has to be fun, or it is just a chore, and you will just end up injuring yourself.

Personally, I am just trying to find my groove again. I have had periods of activity in my life, like swimming in high school, and training to try out for the crew team in college. For whatever reason, this just never stuck! I am now trying to fully integrate running and fitness into my life, and I think the passion I have for it is the missing link I didn't have before. Time will tell, but I think I turned a corner somewhere.

As for the rest of you, no two journeys are the same. Some come from years of experience, others are just starting out, like me. Either way, if you love the act of running, or you love crossfit, or you love barre, do whatever it takes to hold on to that feeling. When you are having trouble getting motivated, just remember what made you love it in the first place.

Marathon Training Week 2:

Today I wrapped up week 2 of training with a 7.1 mile run. On three other days this week, I put up 4 miles, with a few miles of walking here or there. I am actually writing this update while walking a few cool down miles on the treadmill (I also wanted a few more miles for the Chilly Challenge). My legs feel good, though I was a little stiff yesterday. I will take a rest day tomorrow.

End Of The Chilly Challenge:

I am sad, but the challenge is ending in a few days. I have met a lot of great runners and fellow bloggers along the way, but now I won't know what to do with myself; if anyone has any similar things going on in February, let me know.

Page Update:

Finally, I wanted to mention that I have begun to update my diet page. There isn't much to it, but I go into a bit of detail into foods that are working for me these days. Go ahead and hit that up, especially if you are new to my blog.

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United We Are Strong

First, I just want to say how happy I am to know all of you who have been kind enough to take time out of your busy lives to read my rants. I love interacting with other runners, and though I don't have time to post as much as I would like, this is an outlet for me. To be honest, most of my friends are not runners, and that is fine, but I found that I needed people to talk shop with because those non-runners were getting annoyed with me. This is where my previous post's question, "What kinds of issues do you come across with non-runners? Do you have a lot of non-runners in your life and how do they take your habit?" came from. Don't get me wrong, the people in my life are supportive, but they aren't understanding; you can't understand how amazing it feels to run past 10 miles unless you have done it. This blog is where I can share my feelings and experiences without boring people. Hopefully, I don't bore you all!

As for the question, thank you for your responses! I will get to many of the questions with time, but why waste so many blog topics at once! Plus, eventually I have other things to talk about! For now though, let's delve into those around us who do not run. My new friend Melanie, over at 4Kottez Runs For Itt, said it well when describing her situation: "Luckily I have a great support system with my 'habit'. They cheer me on and are proud of my accomplishments." Non-runners make the best cheerleaders for us, and we couldn't do this without them. If everyone around us ran, how would we have any perspective on our accomplishments? Non-runners may not know our deep connection to running, but they do understand how hard it is. Whenever a loved one looks at you like you are crazy, or gives you a hard time, just remember that they are doing it because what we do isn't easy: embrace that.

Nadiya, over at Milk And Honey On The Run, also had a great perspective on this ordeal: "Being around non-runners is hard and especially those don't eat healthy or exercise. Before I used to live with a few friends who lived the typical student lifestyle- pizza, pepsi, cake, no exercise, watch TV. I kind of felt into that trap too although to a small extent. I felt like I was always judged when I cooked or went for morning runs." This reflects how I feel sometimes, although in a less college-like way. The idea of judgement is something I feel whenever I try to order something healthy off a menu, and I often get comments like, "What, are you trying to make us feel fat?" I get frustrated, but I have to remind myself that I was there too. I think the key is to just do you, and eventually everyone will just let you go by your rules. (Definitely check out Nadiya's blog because she is one smart cookie!)

Finally, another brilliant runner, Mallory, over at Sit For Your Job, Run For Your Life, had another view of the question: "I get frustrated sometimes when people talk about becoming fit or losing weight but yet don't do anything to change it. Then I remind myself to stop being a jerk and just be supportive and encouraging because that's what they need. Everyone in my life is supportive and encouraging." We are role models my friends, whether we like it or not. I would say, for the most part, most people would love to have the motivation that we do, or to have the ability to go out and run 13 miles on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in April. Perhaps, through our actions and support, we can get some people to become more healthy or even a future running buddy. I know I have encouraged a few people to get out there, and that is amazing to me. People may give us a hard time, but just remember how powerful an image you create on every run. Mallory is a great example of a runner and a person, so make sure you check out what she has to say!


Is It Acceptable To Wear Toe Shoes To The Gym?
As the picture illustrates, I have been wearing my Fivefingers to the gym in order to get some barefoot training runs in on the freezing cold days. I am curious as to whether you all think this is acceptable or whether you would just look at me like I had lost my mind? I think it is a bit odd, and I feel weird, but it is just too cold without normal shoes. I really want to do a good portion of my training runs barefoot in order to work on my form and strengthen my calves. I doubt I will change my ways, but I open this up to make fun of me ;)

So far, I have put in 8 barefoot miles this week, but unfortunately, both days were on the evil treadmill. I really need things to warm up around here, but at least I got a 2-hour delay from work on Tuesday! I've also put in some weight lifting for cross-training, and I am loving having whole workouts to devote to this. I love how much arms are looking, and I am making huge gains in my chest. I will give more detail to my workouts this weekend when I finish up week 2 of training.

How is your week going? Anyone running one of the many marathons on May 5? I know of at least 3, including where I will be.

Anyone else in a winter funk? I am having a hard time getting through it because I love running in the spring and fall so much.

Feel free to answer my last posts questions. You can find them here.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad