How many steps?!

I got a FitBit this weekend! I am addicted already. I am constantly checking my wrist to see how many steps I have taken, how many calories I have burned, and how many miles I have walked today.
I debated on getting one for a while, I thought it would just be another 5 second fitness craze, but the more I thought about it, the more I didn’t care.
I know some people will say that I caved, and it’s not something I really needed to remind me to be healthy, but who cares.
I compared all the fitness bands for weeks before deciding on the FitBit Charge. I looked at the Jawbone, the Garmin, Nike Fuel, etc. I ultimately decided I wanted something that had a screen so I would not have to log into an account or go online to check my stats, and the Bluetooth capability of the Charge was a plus, and it had to track my sleep as well.
A co-worker also has the Charge and I have been drooling over her’s the past week.
I was surprised how easy it was to set up too, I simply plugged the USB stick that comes with it into my laptop and did the initial set-up including my location for time accuracy, and started walking. What I was most surprised about was how accurately it monitors my steps, for the first day, every time I took a step I would look down at the number to see if it was getting it right, but for the most part it was. Every now and then it adds a step if I am waving my arm around, or doing something like that, but for the most part it’s on point.
The other thing I love about the Charge is that I can monitor everything on my phone as well. It has Bluetooth so it automatically syncs when I open the app. The app is what tells me my sleep stats and I can add any water and food I consume throughout the day, and keep tabs on my friends with FitBits. In the app you can also challenge friends with FitBits to challenges, and keep track of who is winning day to day. I really love when you can create challenges, I am a pretty competitive person, and knowing that other people can see if I am slacking, really helps keep me on track.

My goal right now is 10,000 steps a day. I got it mid-day so the first day, I did not reach my goal, but I did get a lot of steps in, just doing things like cleaning the house, and running errands, I had no idea what kind of an impact these things make. And now that I am conscious of my steps, and winning challenges, I am always taking the stairs. Last night just to make sure I reached my goal before I went to bed, I walked and hopped around the living room while watching TV. I felt pretty accomplished reaching that goal! And that is always a good feeling.

Barre

In case you have not heard of the latest trend, I have created a link to PureWow’s story about Barre (pronounced bar) becoming the next “it” thing to do in the exercise world.

I know I said earlier that everyone doing cross-fit was selling their souls and going on off on the latest trending thing, but I honestly had never heard of Barre when I joined, and little did I know that it would become the new trend.

But none the less, it is my new favorite thing to do. I love the flow of the Barre classes, they can be fast pulsing movements to an upbeat song, and then in the next minute we are doing one inch movements very slowly to a relaxing song. I also love the mystery. I’m not sure about other Barre classes but the one I attend has a great instructor, who is always learning new ways to do things, and so we never do the same thing in two classes.

We use a variety of object during any given workout (balls, small weights, resistance bands, yoga mats) and all in ways you would not normally think to use them. For instance today I used a squishy ball behind my back to get more range in working my upper abs, then I used it as a balance for feet while working on my lower abs, and again between my legs while doing squats and during our relevés (ballet term for up on your toes and back down). 

The other great thing about this class is that I am not just working one part of my body in a class. We manage to do a full body workout and get a good sweat going in just about an hour. Today we worked our legs until they shook every time I thought about moving them, our abs until it hurt to lift even my neck, the arms until I could no longer lift a pencil and per usual, we always do a great gluteus maximus (butt) workout.

Learn more about Barre here.

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Resolutions…

I took a prolonged break from my blog, and told myself I was too busy and blogging wasn’t doing anything for me anyway.

Not true! Blogging, I have come to realize is one of my greatest outlets. While I have a few followers and most of them probably don’t even read a word I write, it doesn’t matter. This is how I track my progress, hold myself accountable, and most of the time in the process, I usually have some sort of insight I didn’t have until I read my own words back to myself.

So I know it is cliche, but my 2015 resolution (one of them) is to commit to my blog in a way that I haven’t before. I know I have lied before and said, I will write a few times a week, or whatever, but this time I’m really serious. Still don’t believe me? I guess I will just have to prove it.

So to catch up the one person who was actually reading this blog before, I will give you a little summary of the past few months.

1. I completed my half marathon. It was brutal. It was not what I was expecting. No one tells you that you are going to feel like you want to die 11 miles in, but I am telling you, you will… if you don’t prepare properly, which I didn’t. I thought I could get by on my good looks, and charm, not the case. I was running around 6 miles on a regular basis, never gone past 7 miles in one run, that was a huge mistake. Also I deviated from my routine. I had never eaten or drank anything before or during a run, and decided that the half was the time to start doing that. My other biggest enemy on this run? My brain. I psyched myself out, I told myself 7 miles in, that I couldn’t do it, and I believed myself. I crossed the finish line, it took me 3 and a half hours, and when I crossed I had to go straight to the med tent before I collapsed. Next time (and there will be a next time, though I don’t know when yet) I will be more prepared.

2. I took an extended break from running after the half did not go as I had hoped. Like a small child, who did not get the toy they really wanted at the store, I threw a tantrum and refused to run for a while. I was scared (don’t ask what I was scared of… I think it was failure). While running and I were on our break, I still couldn’t stop thinking about it in the back of my mind. Everyone around me is involved in some type of exercise routine, and here I was pouting and not doing what I knew I should be doing.

3. I started running again. This was a slow process, starting on perfecting my mile time. I wanted to be faster, and then go for distance. I thought if I can run a fast mile, then I can run 2 miles fast, then worry about 3 miles and so on. Eventually I did get back into my 5k routine, and then was roped into doing a winter 5k. I guess I thought that the half in unbearable heat was too much, so why not go for the opposite in the extreme cold. The race was the Santa Shuffle, and I did it with my co-workers. It was COLD! But I finished it, and I was not upset by my time, it was not my best, but after being off running for a while, I didn’t have high expectations.

4. It’s cold outside now, and my motivation to get outside and go for a run, especially because it is dark before and after work, is low. I needed something new. Something to keep me exercising, something exciting, but challenging. I wanted to strengthen my muscles, not just the ones I use for running, which is sometimes only once or twice a week in these cold winter days. I have always secretly wanted to take a ballet class. I don’t want to be a ballerina or anything, I just love that they can create such beautiful lines with their bodies, and they are all so strong without being overly muscular. So I did some research and found a Barre class near me, and decided it couldn’t hurt to try it out. Everyone I know seems to be drinking the same cool-aide (either that or they all had hoods placed over their heads and were dragged into the cult of the Cross-fitters). They are always saying cross-fit is the best, you need to do cross-fit. I don’t know if any of you are into cross-fit, (if you are, I’m sorry) but that shit is pretty intense. I just have no desire to lift weights, and climb ropes, or have a gun collection hidden under my sleeves. I much prefer the more solitary and mellow stuff. I like running because I can put my headphones in and forget the world, it’s just me, my thoughts and the pavement. I have to say though, I LOVE Barre! It is the highlight of my week. I go every week, and it is always something new, but more on that later.

If you have made it to the end of this endless post, thank you for reading, and I’m sorry, I promise to try and keep my posts shorter from now on (but I make absolutely no promises).

On the road again

I broke down during my writing hiatus and joined a gym! 

There was a Groupon and I can’t resist a good discount deal….

I really liked going to the gym, I used to feel so out of place just walking into one, and I thought I would regret joining, but it turns out that I really liked it! 

I got 2 free personal training sessions, with a trainer that was pretty easy on the eyes, and he was also very knowledgeable about creating a training program fit for me to reach my specific goals (well goal….13.1 miles).

I also got used to running on the treadmill. At first I wasn’t sure about the treadmill, but I grew to love it. I liked being able to press a button and force myself to go faster. It made it easy to run at a constant speed and create a routine pace. 

Now I am road bound again. The Groupon is over and now I must go back to my old ways. It was different going back outside again. I think I got used to the cool air of the gym and now my lungs scream at me with the thought of going out in the 90 degree heat that is completely saturated down here at the beach. The air feels thick like I have to push harder to cut through it, and in turn I think my body feels heavier. I could just be imagining things, but that’s how it felt this week. 

However as much as I don’t like this strange but familiar feeling, I know I have to get used to it again, because they are not giving out medals for running in place, inside a nice air conditioned room. 

I was also not ready for the highs and lows that come with running outside again. I knew I would kick myself for it, but most of the time on the treadmill was spent at a 0 degree incline. Only on my cross training days did I walk up a few hills. Now my muscles are protesting when I run down and up the other side of a small ditch in the road, as if it was Mt. Everest. The pain is good though, it reminds me that when it hurts less the next time, I am getting stronger. 

The countdown is on! Only 11 days until the Half! 

Only 11 days until I am pronounced dead at the finish line. If I don’t become roadkill being trampled by hundreds of feet at the starting line (OK I guess I am being slightly dramatic).

Surf’s Up 5k…

Didn’t go as well as I had hoped for.

A number of things contributed to a sort of sucky race, I will be glad to put behind me, however one great thing did come out of it.

My brother contacted my best friend who secretly gave him my race info, and he sneakily drove 3 hours in the wee hours of the morning Saturday, registered for the race, and knocked on my door just an hour before race time! I had no idea he was even thinking about coming down to run with me, and was so surprised happy tears sprang from my eyes as soon as I saw him. Could a girl ask for a better brother? Probably not!

Now onto the actual race. It was cold, windy, and rainy!  I did get a bit warm while running but due to the wind and rain did not need to take any layers off. About a mile in my shin splints started to act up! This slowed me way down. I was really frustrated because it was hard to keep running when my shins felt like they would break if I took another step. I think being frustrated only made things worse. I had anxiety and was mad at myself with every passing minute because I knew I wasn’t going to PR. Despite all this, my brother stayed with me and kept telling me that all that mattered was that I finish, which I know he’s right, but I really wanted that PR time.

All and all though, I didn’t do as badly as I feared I would. We crossed the finish line together with a time of 36:45 only about 4 minutes off my goal time.

Looks like it’s back to training and kicking my shins into shape so they listen next time I tell them to stop hurting….

Any suggestions for what to do to prevent shin splints???

Today Show Natalie on training for a marathon after 40

I read an article recently  about Natalie from the Today Show who is training to run the Boston Marathon which is today, Monday April 21st.

She had a lot of tips for overcoming, and the hardships of training so hard after turning 40. I love her story, she is sort of an inspiration to anyone who thinks they can’t, to which she says “you can

She tries to run 50 miles a week, running five days every week, though work and training injuries sometimes slow her down. She’s dealing with a common distance running injury, proximal hamstring strain (“literally a pain in my butt!”), which she’s hoping she’ll be able to overcome for the race. She says she has to be flexible with her training schedule, aiming to do a couple long runs each week to build up her endurance.

The very interesting article can be found here.

 

Pasta Party!

I used to be on the rowing team, in high school and college. In high school every Friday night in the spring rowing season, the whole team would gather at someone’s house and everyone brought a dish to eat. They were called pasta parties. I’m sure more sports than just rowing have pasta parties, but I have only ever been to rowing parties.

Anyways the point of a pasta party is team bonding, I guess, and also  carb loading before a race. I am lucky enough that I have a friend from my rowing team in high school that lives close by still and also happens to have a race tomorrow. Since we will both be running 5ks tomorrow morning we decided to have our own little pasta party this evening. I am bringing the pasta and she is making some delicious sauce.

I am so nervous for my 5k tomorrow. I know I shouldn’t be, I have been training (well as much as I can, weather and shin splints permitting). I guess my biggest worry is that I won’t PR. I think I will really do nothing but worry until I cross the start line. Last race that’s how it was too. I just go into shear panic standing and waiting for the race to start and then once I started running I just followed the race plan I made for myself and got into my groove.

Speaking of grooves, I really need to decide on my playlist. I have been having this love/hate relationship with my running music lately. I thought that because I only listen to my running music when I run, that it would keep me motivated, but if my mood or whatever shifts a bit, I sometimes want to change the music. I think I have had the same running playlist for too long now, but I don’t know what else I want to put on there. I have debated just using Ellie Goulding’s “Run Into the Light” playlist, specifically made for running by Ellie. There is another one she made with Nike, that is her second album remixed for running, the only thing is while I have listened to it before , and like all the music, I have never run with it, but maybe that’s a good thing. I hate knowing what song is coming, or having predictable music when I’m running. I need to be surprised.

Here is the link for “Run Into the Light” on YouTube. 

Here is the link to Halcyon Remixed from Nike.

On my race plan for tomorrow, I took a page out of my rowing book. I think running and rowing strategies are a lot alike, more than I originally thought. Don’t get me wrong the two sports are completely different but race plans could work similarly for both. I have heard people say you shouldn’t start fast, but I find that with my adrenaline pumping it’s hard to start at a comfortable pace, so I sart out going a bit fast, and then wait for the adrenaline to calm down a bit, and settle into my groove. Then at set intervals, usually every half mile, I push myself and try to pass a few people. My rowing coach in college used to call these little moves “gut checks”. At first I thought it was a weird way of saying it, but it does really get you going again when in your head you amp yourself up for it. At the halfway point That is the big gut check! It’s more than just a small push, I make a huge push at that halfway point. Leading up to it I just say to myself “it’s gut check time! Time to show them and myself what I have.” It’s a good way for me to get myself mentally ready for what I’m about to do. Then it’s back into the pace I have set for myself, until the finale. The last quarter mile or so is when you unleash any energy you have been conserving. I thought before that the end would be the worst part, when you can see the finish line, but haven’t yet crossed it. But NO, the end is the best part! When I see that finish line get closer with every step I take it pushes me to get there that much faster.

So now it’s time to go worry for the rest of the day, then have some pasta and get a good night’s sleep (yeah right). Right, lots of water today! Staying hydrated is key, to taking in carbs tonight.

Week from HELL!

Last week was the worst! I had so much going on at work, I was going in early and staying late. I feel like I didn’t even get a real weekend and have just been working for 10 days straight.

Sleep has been a precious gift with my regiment of exercising. On days that I have a good run my eyes are closed before I touch the bed, and I have a restful sleep all night. But last week sleep seemed to be the enemy. It was one of those weeks when there are not enough hours in the day. I was so stressed out I would lay awake thinking about all the things that should have gotten done but didn’t. Thankfully starting yesterday “Hell Week” is over. Things have returned to a much slower, more normal pace and I don’t feel as though I am drowning.

My one regret is not forcing myself to get up and run, even on only a few hours of sleep. Hearing that running alarm go off and knowing that I probably just fell asleep an hour ago, was too much for me. So I took a week off from running.

I did run on Saturday because the day was just too perfect to pass up the opportunity, but I noticed the mental and physical toll the week at work had taken on me. I was tired! Even though I had the right music, great weather, nothing pressing on my time, all I wanted to do was stop running. I did manage to squeeze in 2 more walks (one Saturday and one Sunday) with the best little dog ever, Ally. My roommate and I took her down to the beach both days and she seemed more winded than both of us.

To help keep my energy level up this week I have been taking a half hour walk on my lunch break (compromise from the lunch break runs, I don’t have to get changed and get too sweaty). I have also gone back to walking up and down the stairs almost every hour (sometimes I realize that more time than I thought has passed).

Having said all of this, now it is time to get back on track! I have 9 days until my next 5k and I want to be in prime condition for it. I am hoping to PR so that I may once again feel proud of my lazy self!