evolving fitness

February 23, 2012 4 Comments

It’s weird to say this, but it’s been a little more than three years since I went to my first Weight Watchers meeting and started eating right and working out. From early on, I knew that diet and exercise went hand in hand.

When I logged into wordpress today, this post: A Brief History of Workouts, was on Freshly Pressed. Of course since the title had the word workout in it, I had to read it.

But it got me thinking about how my workouts and habits have evolved and changed since that first time I stepped on the scale and logged my first activity points.

I was obsessed with the 30 Day Shred. I had already graduated, so I had no gym access and it was winter. The thought of walking outside never crossed my mind. My roommate watched the Biggest Loser all the time, so I figured some tough, skinny chick who gets people in shape on TV must be doing something right.

I didn’t actually own the DVD…ExerciseTV on demand was the greatest thing ever.

I couldn’t run without music and my watch was a little girl’s Timex ironman. At first, I really didn’t need anything other than that watch. I have baby wrists, so I can’t wear bracelets without them falling off and it’s really hard for me to find a watch. Anyway, I would just hit the stop/start button and go. It worked well when I ran a few miles at a time or ran laps inside on the gym track. When I started longer distances, I used to map out all of my runs on mapmyrun.com and try my hardest to memorize them. But after a hellish 20 miler (my first one ever! Yes, I used to get lost) during training for my first marathon, it was time to upgrade to a Garmin.

I did yoga in the living room in yellow Victoria’s Secret PINK sweatpants and a fraternity rush tshirt. I started working out before I knew workout clothes could be cute, but most importantly, functional. I had no idea shirts weren’t supposed to stick to you during a workout. I’m pretty sure the first time I went for a “run,” I had on yoga pants, a tshirt and a PINK hoodie. It was around 65-70 degrees outside. This was what I wore for my second 5K. I had a baselayer on too. It was 50 some degrees…

Ugh, there’s the awkward lean again and nobody is standing near me!

Running wasn’t my only love. I joined a gym the very first day it was somewhat cold about six months after I began running. nowadays, that 45 degree day would feel like a heatwave, but then, it was too cold and too rainy and I joined a gym. I loved cross training. I took so many classes at the gym and loved it.

I was terrified of the weight floor at the gym.  Like I said, I took a lot of classes. Including a strength training class. No way in hell I’d actually venture out on the floor and put plates on a bar and lift. Too scary.

I never ever dreamed of running a mile. Now here I am, training for a 50 mile ultra. Who knew?

How have your workouts evolved since you began?

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Getting back into training mode

February 22, 2012 6 Comments

February is almost over, thankfully. It’s lived up to its reputation as my least favorite month of the whole year and I’ve basically taken the entire month off from running/hardcore training/actually trying.

My knee isn’t 100 percent back to normal, but I think I finally have the right brace and I’m working hard on changing a few things around to help it get stronger and healthier.

Now, I’m staring at an excel spreadsheet of a training plan and I’m ready to get started:

I even added a race next Sunday, March 4 that kind of fits nicely into the first full week of real training: the Mill Creek Distance Classic Half in Youngstown. It’s hilly and tough and we’ll see how it goes.

Anyway, I’m excited to be able to get back into feeling like I’m training for something and I’m actually getting ready for my next two marathons and my first 50 miler. I hate to admit, but I’ve felt extremely behind pretty much everyone I know who is training for Cleveland or other spring marathons and have been training for weeks. I even know a few people who have been training for the half for a few weeks and here I am, not doing much of anything.

But I’m trying to appreciate my body for what I can do each day, but I’m looking forward to getting back to where I was and building up to my full potential.

It’s all about the bigger goal now. I’m ready to start doing the work.

Full disclosure: The wonderful people at the Cleveland Marathon gave me a race entry and I agreed to blog about my training and race day experiences. And you should know by now that I’m too snarky and opinionated and everything I post on here are my own thoughts and experiences. 

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evaluating form and going minimal

February 20, 2012 7 Comments

Sometimes I feel like all I talk about sometimes is good form, especially when I’m having a client do squats or lunges or any new move. I’ll even say something at my other job if I see someone lifting something with poor form. If I can stop someone from getting injured, then it’s my responsibility to say something, especially if they’re a client or member of the gym.

But when it comes to running, I’ve never taken too much time to correct my form. A really long time ago when I started running half marathons and training for a full, on two separate occasions, I had running coaches tell me I have “efficient” form.

When I first began, I was a student of the sport, you could say. I read a lot of books and magazines, watched videos, did as much research as I could to help myself become a “real” runner (or at least what that is in my mind) and better at it. It paid off. I started in April 2009, ran my first 5K in September 2009 in 31:00 and two months later, ran a 26:17 5K on a tougher course than the first.

I learned how to get faster. I learned how to run longer. I learned what to eat, how to eat it, when to drink water. I learned what good posture is, what proper cadence is, where I should keep my hands, how to engage the abs, even how to hold my fingers. But there’s two glaring problems I have:

I heel strike:

 

There I am, heel striking and smiling at the Capital City Half Marathon.

And I also have a tendency to kick the inside of my ankles when I get tired. I don’t notice this at all in the winter, but in the summer (since I’m wearing shorts instead of pants and thinner socks that don’t cover the ankle), my left ankle especially gets all cut and bruised up.

Last Wednesday, I ran with Second Sole, like I usually do, and then they had a “Ladies Night Out,” complete with yoga, vendor booths, giveaways, wine and champagne and a pretty sweet percent off discount. I had already made the decision the week prior that I need new shoes.

After a nice run and some yoga, I started talking to one of the Second Sole employees about minimal shoes. I told her about my injuries and that it was suggested I give minimal shoes a try. She had me try on a pair of Merrell Pace Gloves and the Brooks Pure Flow.

I loved the Merrells… but I’m not ready for them yet. They have a vibram outsole and are super minimal. They felt awesome, but I felt I needed a step down from my traditional Brooks Ghosts before going really minimal. I had to order the Brooks shoes since my feet are too long for a women’s 11, but too narrow for a men’s 10 :/

She also suggested I check out Good Form Running. Good Form Running involves four key points:

  1. Posture
  2. Midfoot
  3. Cadence
  4. Lean

Unfortunately, I don’t have an opportunity in the near future to check out at GFR clinic yet, but I checked out all the YouTube videos and am doing what the website says, taking it one step at a time. Midfoot striking will be the hugest change to my form and transitioning into a minimal shoe will help.

It all feels awkward and choppy right now, but I’m excited to see how it all comes together.

Have you ever had experience with changing your stride?

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practicing non-reactivity

February 15, 2012 2 Comments

I don’t know if you’ve ever had a moment, but before I began 40 Days, I felt kind of like this (in my head, not out loud) at times of really high stress:

Each week has a theme: week 1 is presence (bringing the idea of being present to your practice on and off the mat), week 2 is vitality (enriching your life with people/foods/things that bring you vitality and energy and letting go of resentment) and week 3 (the one I’m on now) is equanimity (maintaining peace of mind and practicing non-reactivity).

So reactivity relates to how you react to something that happens to you or something you’re doing — like screaming like Jenelle, dropping into child’s pose instead of trying an inversion, slowing down your pace because it’s uncomfortable, snapping at someone because they were rude to you, etc. All of those examples are negative and don’t get you to your goal or help you maintain a healthy, peaceful emotional state.

Non-reactivity got me through a tough situation last week (and I hadn’t even read the week 3 chapter yet), but it’s been a challenge this week, off the mat at least. I’ve been thinking a lot about how it can help my running — being less lazy when it comes to workouts, actually doing speedwork and not reacting when it’s uncomfortable.

I ran 4 miles yesterday, with no intention of going fast, but after running the first mile in 8:50, the last three had to be faster, of course. And then with 1.5 left, I had a perfect opportunity to practice non-reactivity: I almost got hit by a car.

I was at a stoplight, waiting for the light to turn so I could cross. The light turned red and a car came barreling through the intersection, nearly hitting the other cars whose light was green. They honked and slammed on their brakes. I could tell before I crossed that they weren’t going to stop, so I stepped back, threw my middle fingers at them and screamed, “it’s a fucking red light you asshole!”

It’s February, it was barely 40 degrees, I’m sure they didn’t hear me, but I was wearing a bright yellow vest, so they had to have seen me.

I was pissed for the next minute or so. Hoping they’d get pulled over (25 mph speed limit, residential area), hoping karma would get them, etc. But then I realized how I was reacting to the situation — I wasn’t letting it go, I couldn’t stop the driver from being dangerous and driving recklessly. I hadn’t died and I couldn’t change the situation.

 There was no need for me to react that way to it. The same way there’s no need for me to be pissed about my knee injury, berate myself for not being able to do an inversion yet or be unhappy that my boyfriend isn’t here. There’s nothing I can do about those situations but accept them and move on and keep running.

We have to pass through what is messy and sometimes painful if we are to get to the bliss on the other side.

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cheers to the freakin weekend…

February 13, 2012 2 Comments

OK, so my weekend wasn’t too particularly interesting or out of the ordinary. My runner friend Roxanne had a Valentine’s Day party for all of the ladies, complete with decorations, balloons, tons of food and goodie bags to take home!

I wore pink pants for the first time since I was a child:

Thanks Julie for letting me steal your photo without asking :)

Side note, I really hate the way I unintentionally position my body in photos to make myself a similar height to the person next to me. (case in point in this post…)

Anyway, I left the party relatively early so I could talk to the LT and run in the morning. Neither of those things happened and I ended up driving through a semi-snowstorm to Cleveland Yoga for a 90 minute hot yoga class with Tami.

Best decision of the week, hands down. I thought a lot about two of the laws of transformation from 40 days: step out of your comfort zone and commit to growth. I didn’t have to modify any poses or anything and I legit felt like I worked harder than I ever had in yoga before (if you’ve never tried it, it’s really not as easy as it looks/sounds) and really felt worn out/satisfied/exhilarated when I left.

It snowed for most of the rest of the day and I pretty much slept and did whatever as it was my only day off for the week :/

Sunday I woke up again with the intention to run. I wanted to run longer and was hoping to hit the trails at North Chagrin. Instead I realized the stupid knee brace I ordered didn’t fit after walking around the house a little (I’m not even between sizes!), so I taped it up and went out and hit the roads, hoping to get about 10-12 miles in.

Instead, I hit 4 miles and booked it home and finished 6.

Ugh.

Well I’m looking forward to starting the third week of 40 days. I can’t believe it’s been two weeks already. The program has already made such a huge difference and I’m really enjoying something different for a change.

But I’m looking forward to getting back to normal too…

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friday favorites

February 10, 2012 2 Comments

It’s definitely been one of those weeks. Nothing work related for once, but some pretty shitty things happened to me this week. I learned a few important lessons this week — definitely having the smallest wedding I can possibly have when the time comes and life is way to f’ing short to waste my time being unhappy/upset/annoyed/angry all the time. It’s time to step back and show some gratitude for the good things in my life.

Yoga. If it weren’t for 40 days and my daily practice, I don’t know how I would have made it through this week without a meltdown. I even did a 15 minute stress-relief practice on my break at work the other day. It was a way to keep myself centered and calm and not lose my cool. Because trust me, I definitely could have at more than one point this week. I took a 90-minute power vinyasa yesterday and it was one of those days where I just decided to push myself to my “edge” and go farther. I got out of my comfort zone and it was challenging, but so satisfying.

Oh and I landed this pose and more importantly held it for the first time ever on Monday:

Running. I ran six lovely with running club on Wednesday night. My knee rubbed close to the end, but other than that, it was pretty awesome. Not getting my hopes up yet, but it was great.

My friends. My running friends are great. My work friends are great. And my blog friends are freaking awesome. I got to one point the other day where I tweeted this (without really thinking, I’m going for less snark and more namaste nowadays):

I still haven’t had the chance to talk to him or anything, but it’s OK. I’ve had some pretty great friends there to listen to me, offer advice  and help me remember what’s important in life.

Good bad TV. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Last night was Jersday and Teen Mom 2 on Tuesday definitely brightened my night lol.

What are you thankful for this week?

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expecting a different result

February 9, 2012 6 Comments

Sunday, I came home from work to find my mom at her computer recording narration for a Powerpoint presentation she made for one of her Master’s courses.

For some reason, it kept cutting off her recordings and changing the slides earlier than she had timed. Before my run (in shorts!) that afternoon, I probably listened to her say the same thing over and over for a good two hours. I offered some help, but was unsuccessful and eventually, I left to go to my friend’s house to watch the Super Bowl.

When I got home nearly five hours later, she was still at the computer… recording over and over. I didn’t ask if she had tried anything differently from before or if she had called a classmate for help (my google efforts didn’t make any difference), but I do know that for a good chunk of time, she was doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result, but instead hitting the same wall.

I hadn’t really thought that much of it until now — sitting here, thinking about my knee injury and my frustration with the fact that I keep getting hurt. Two years ago, I had a calf injury that put me out for the month of February and a few months later, I did something to my foot and I can no longer fully bend my big toe (yes, this is when I ran my first half marathon). Then last year, it was plantar fasciitis and now stupid runner’s knee.

Oddly, all of these injuries have been to my left side (I’m right handed), but through yoga, I’ve found I can stretch much deeper into my left side and it’s my more flexible side. Weird.

But here’s the thing, like my mom on Sunday, I keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result. I kept pushing, pushing, pushing, running more miles, getting faster, longer distances and expecting to not burn out and get hurt.

Maybe I should just stop heel striking....

So now here I am, questioning what I can do differently? What can I change? What should I take away? What can I add?

I have a few ideas:

  • New shoes: The only time I wasn’t suffering any injuries (or on my way to one) was when I would switch up between my Nike Frees and regular shoes. After getting plantar fasciitis, I fell back into just wearing a neutral cushioned shoe. Maybe it’s time to get the minimal shoes back into the rotation.
  • Losing weight: Let’s be honest, I can stand to lose a few pounds. I’m shooting for just 10 (and yes, losing weight while training for a race is possible. It just happens very, very slowly. If you gain weight while training for a marathon, then you need to clean up your nutrition. For real, you should be eating enough to maintain your current weight while training.)
  • Strength training: Without it, I wouldn’t have gotten through my injuries last summer and gotten to Chicago. I need to get this back into my routine.
  • Continuing my yoga practice: In just a week and a half, my 40 days of yoga practice has made a huge difference already — not just mentally and emotionally, but physically as well. I feel stronger and more flexible (most of the time, ha) and I’m dealing with stress and problems in my life in a much more calm and rational way, rather than just being a snarky bitch. I can’t say I will continue to practice with the quantity and intensity that I am now, but if I can continue to attend at least one class a week as well as practice at home a few days a week after the 40 days is over, I think it’ll help with the direction I see my life going.

That’s all I plan on starting with. We’ll see how it goes.

What do you do to stay injury free?

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wordless wednesday — ballers

February 8, 2012 6 Comments

Image

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slow burn to yin workshop review

February 5, 2012 6 Comments

In all my I’m-an-injured-runner-yoga-is-awesome-ness, I decided it would be a great idea to take a slow burn to yin yoga workshop at Cleveland Yoga on Friday night.

I’ve never in my life tried yin before, nor did I really know exactly what it was, but it is taught by one of my favorite instructors, Amy Schneider (who led the local Salutation Nation 2011 class I went to in September) so I was in. Becca wrote about yin yoga as a guest post here too while I was on vacation with the LT.

The workshop was the first in a series of eight classes for the winter and spring. It was held in the hot room at CY and the temperature was kept over 90 degrees. The class started out with a 45 minute slow burn vinyasa practice. So we went through a traditional vinyasa sequence (the yang), only slightly slower, before complementing the practice with 60 minutes of a yin practice. In a yin practice, you hold poses anywhere from 3-60 minutes at a time (yes, 6-0) and the practice helps to work the connective tissues which in turn heals joints and improves flexibility.

We didn’t hold any poses for that long, although you’re supposed to practice stillness in each pose and be present (hm, who knew), not fidget and just breathe naturally.

Even the slow burn vinyasa was difficult for me. I have trouble not fidgeting and adjusting a pose until I feel it’s right — I’m so used to the constant, repetitive movement of running and rushing through tasks every day that I’m not used to slowing down, being present and appreciating the moment for what it is.

And just when I was getting into the vinyasa and getting used to slowing down each sun salutation, the 45 minutes was over and we were moving from horse pose to our first yin pose — frog.

OMG.

Ouch.

Surprisingly, I tried my hardest to focus on stillness and my breath and as the yin practice went on, holding a pose (which increased in difficulty), it became much much easier. We held each pose for at least three minutes, some may have been as much as five, but I’m not 100 percent sure. I had to concentrate more on being less reactive and just holding the pose.

I left the workshop feeling more open, centered and definitely wanting to do a yin practice again.

 

Cleveland Yoga will be offering seven more slow burn to yin workshops on specific dates from now until May. The cost of one is $25 (which is what I did) or you can buy a package of four for $75 (which is what I should’ve done). For more, check out their website.

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three things thursday: i’m still alive!

February 2, 2012 2 Comments

Things that suck: being a running blogger and getting injured. I’ve had nothing to blog about and those things are that are big in my life right now, I don’t really want to blog about for anyone to read. So I’ve had no content really. I’ve had little to tweet about and I’ve pretty much been on social media burnout with all of the weather related posts and posts related to recent happenings in the news…

I’ve been able to keep myself busy though… working, yoga-ing, trying to shop for a Valentine’s Day gift for the LT (every time I tried to shop, I bought myself something. Like the lululemon yoga pants.)

Here’s what I’ve been up to.

1. I’ve spent a lot of time on the mat.

Excuse iPhone’s quality photography. And I swear I don’t wear a scarf and do yoga. I just put it back on when I was done this morning then took the photo…

I went to hot yoga classes Sunday, Monday and Wednesday at Cleveland Yoga all from different instructors and Tuesday and today, I just did the 20 minute week one practice from 40 Days. I like actually going to class a lot more than doing it alone, but I’m (trying to be) cheap. Plus I think hot yoga every single day where all I’m thinking about is how I don’t have enough lululemon on and how much I’m sweating will get old fast. In all seriousness though, I went to a 90-minute class Monday night and wow… hardest class of my life. But even in a few short weeks, I feel my body getting stronger and I’ve been able to get through some poses without struggling as much or do poses I couldn’t do before (like getting into wheel without falling!)

2. Last night, I was able to run three miles (inside, unfortunately) before hitting the spin bike for an hour class. I had to get to the gym super early to get a bike — I was one of the last people to sign up and class wasn’t starting for 50 minutes when I signed in. So I had some time to kill and I ran on the track with only some mild discomfort in the knee. Yay!

3. I spent most of my day doing this:

Definitely won’t win any susie homemaker awards. I’m just hoping everything makes it there without getting completely ruined. The crappiest thing about Valentine’s Day isn’t being single and not having a Valentine — you can always just ignore it, treat it like any other day and not bring attention to it. The crappy part is being in a relationship and not being able to be with your significant other. This is two years in a row now. But I’m not the first girl to deal with this kinda crap and I’m not the last, so there’s not much I can do but smile and take each day as it comes.

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