The Year of the Marathon

Yes, I am still writing.  I'm easing in slowly as I figure out where I'm going with this blog.  I do know that the name and domain is going to change, but I'm not sure when.  I'm taking things one step at a time.  In fact, that's how I'm living the rest of my life right now.  I'm in the process of researching and planning for some (hopefully) big changes that will allow me to actually do what I want to do.  But, it's going to be a long process (1 - 2 years), so I'm learning to take things one step at a time.  It requires a lot of legwork and planning, so I'm focusing on that right now.  For me, 2013 is definitely the year of refocusing, planning and moving forward.  I feel so excited and nervous about the direction I'm going.  It's exactly what I need to be doing.

On the health and fitness front, 2013 is shaping up to be a pretty big year as well.  It's the year I'm finally going to complete a full marathon! This one, in fact:

The Vermont City Marathon was featured in the January 2013 Runner's World marathon guide as being a great fast, family friendly race.  I had already registered for the marathon when the article came out, but I was excited to see that I made the right choice.  Burlington, VT is about 50 minutes away, so it's an easy race for me to get to.  

I'm already registered and the training plan is attached to my refrigerator.  I'm already a few weeks in and I'm already experiencing all of the emotions that come along with training for something new and exciting and BIG!  I'm fluctuating between complete fear and total confidence.  I'm constantly questioning how I'm going to run for 26.2 miles while simultaneously envisioning myself crossing the finish line.  But, most of all, I just keep reminding myself that each distance has seemed daunting when I first set out to conquer it.  After all, I think I was most nervous about my first 5K.

Wow...look how far I've come.

The other day, one of my facebook friends posted the following inspirational picture and I immediately shared it with others.  This is exactly how I am feeling right now.  I know it's time for me to conquer the marathon, even if many of my waking moments are spent doubting my ability to actually do so.

That's the beauty of this sport.  There are tangible results that go beyond body size or weight loss.  There's the excitement of running a new distance for the first time.  There's the feeling of fulfilment you get after completing an event that you were terrified of completing (Ragnar, anyone?).  There's the constant knowledge that if you just keep running, you'll reach a distance that at one point seemed impossible.

So, this is it.  The year that I conquer the marathon.  I'm sure I'll be talking about it a lot in this space.  I hope you don't get sick of me :)

I'm not afraid

Consistently Inconsistent.  That's me...or at least my blogging.  But, unlike before, I'm not going to fret about it.  I have lots to say, and I'm going to put it out there for you to read.  But, I can't commit to a schedule and that's OK.  Posts will appear as I have the time/energy/motivation to write them.  This is my "crazy"time at work, and I'm definitely feeling it.  Which means some of the other things in my life will receive less attention.  Since I'm not willing to allow that to be my children or husband or my own health and fitness, things like blogging and TV watching are the logical victims.  I'm still eating healthy and exercising, and I have a lot of posts half-written in my head.  Soon enough, I'll commit them to paper screen.  On the plus side, I'll have a ton of posts in October when I finally begin catching up :)

The big fitness focus right now is training for Ragnar.  I suddenly realized it is only two weeks away, and I'm starting to feel that familiar anxious feeling I get whenever an event gets close.  Do you guys get that too?  I know that I'll be able to physically do it, but I'm still a ball of nerves and anticipation.  This event is a big "out of my comfort zone" event, and I know it will result in some sort of personal growth.  But, with growth comes fear.  Honestly, I'm more worried about the in-between stuff than I am about the three runs I have to do.  I know I can handle those.  What I'm concerned about is how I will handle sharing space with six other people during the 30 hour time frame.  I don't think I have ever mentioned it on here, but I have an intense fear of other people throwing up.  I know it's weird, but it's true.  I totally panic and freak out.  So, I'm already nervous that someone in my group will get sick in the van...seriously, I'm so nervous that it is something I'm thinking about each day.  So, for me, this part of the event is much more challenging than the running part.  But, as one of my favorite people once said:

Do one thing every day that scares you

                                      -Eleanor Roosevelt

So, I'm embracing my fear and using Ragnar as an opportunity to grow.  I know there will be scary and intense moments that take me out of my comfort zone, and that's exactly what I need.  There is always opportunity for personal growth, and we need to seize those opportunities.  So, I'm seizing mine.  Let's just hope I continue to remember that as I wait for September 28th to get here.

So, what are you going to do today that scares you?

Pumped Up!

So...I finally tried Body Pump.  After months of talking about adding strength training to my weekly workouts, I finally took the plunge.  I have been wanting to try Body Pump for a while, but there is only one fitness center in my area that offers the classes.  Of course, it's the gym that I'm not (wasn't) a member of.  My Dad teaches spinning at our local YMCA, and in exchange, our entire family gets free memberships (my Dad, me, Paul and the kids).  So, it has been hard to justify paying for a membership at another fitness center when I have a free membership...even if the YMCA doesn't have many classes or fancy facilities.

I originally thought I would just buy passes for the class, but for my birthday Paul and my parents bought me a two month membership at the fancy gym.  So, I activated the membership and immediately jumped into Body Pump.

I took two classes this week, each with a different instructor and I'm hooked!  I LOVE it.  Sure, my arms are killing me and I can't bend them in certain directions or raise them over my head and my legs feel like they did when they first started running.  I can barely walk down the stairs.  But, it feels awesome.  I love that I'm pushing myself to use my body in a different way.  Plus, strength training will make me a better runner.

The classes are tougher than you think when you first start, and by the end my legs and arms were shaking as I attempted to complete just one more set.  I really feel like I pushed myself both times.  I'm starting to learn the routines and the lingo and I'm already feeling comfortable in the classes. I'm definitely going to go 2 - 3 times a week.

If you haven't tried Body Pump yet, I highly recommend you do.  You won't be disappointed!

Thirty-six

I turned thirty-six on Friday.  On Saturday, I ran 6.3 miles in 55:30 with an average pace of 8:49.  It was my fastest run ever.  I may be getting older, but I'm definitely not slowing down.

I know a lot of people stress about getting older, but I have to say, I'm really enjoying this age.  I feel like I have finally grown into myself, if that makes any sense.  I'm comfortable with who I am.  My twenties were fun, but my thirties are more "real."  I just feel comfortable in my own skin, which is something I didn't feel in my twenties.

Two weeks ago, one of my best friends posted pictures from her wedding on Facebook.  The wedding was ten years ago, just as I was turning 26.  When I looked at the pictures, I couldn't believe what I was seeing.  Most people look back on pictures of themselves from their early to mid twenties and wish for their old bodies or their youthful faces, but I looked at that picture with disgust.  I was so unhealthy, and it showed.  I smoked, drank a lot, ate horribly and I was about 30 pounds heavier.  I just didn't look good.

When I commented on the picture, I said:

Wow! I can't say I'm happy to see this picture of myself on facebook, but since I LOVE you it's OK. At least I can say that after 10 years and two kids, I'm actually in better shape and healthier than I was that day.

That's the thing that impresses me the most.  I am in way better shape than I was ten years ago.

When I say I can't fit into jeans I wore in college, it's not because they're too small...it's because they're too big.

Getting older isn't always a bad thing!

Variety is the spice of life

It's no secret that running is my favorite form of exercise.  There's just something about the feeling of my feet hitting the pavement as I run. However, it's not really good to do just one form of exercise.  Your muscles need to be used in different ways.  So, in an attempt to keep things interesting for my muscles (and myself), I have been experimenting with different types of exercise.  As you know, I already tried swimming, but I just couldn't get into it.  Insanity was a great form of cross training, but I slacked off while we were in Maine and I haven't been able to get back into it quite yet.  But, I do have plans to start the whole program over again next Monday, so stay tuned for an update on that.  I use the elliptical on occasion and really enjoy that, but it isn't really exciting or interesting.  I'm also getting ready to start a Women on Weights class that I have high hopes for, and I'll definitely be blogging about my experience and progress.  I'm also looking into Cross Fit, but we don't have a Cross Fit gym here , so I will have to do the workouts at home.  So, I am definitely experimenting with a variety of different exercises and I'm really enjoying it.

Recently, I discovered my new favorite form of exercise.  In fact, it's on par with running as far as I'm concerned.  I actually find myself conflicted about which activity to do each day because I love them equally.  What is it?

Cycling!

I absolutely LOVE riding my bike all over the place and covering 20 - 30 miles in a morning.  Yesterday, I went for an early morning ride with my co-worker and we covered 24 miles in under two hours.  We also stopped for an amazing breakfast burrito along the way.  You definitely can't do that while you're running!

I will continue to look for new and exciting activities to add to my exercise routine because I want to keep things interesting, but I'm definitely going to enjoy my new favorite form of exercise!

Insanity: Week 1

Well...I survived...barely.  Seriously, Insanity is, well, INSANE!  I'm not usually a workout video person.  I tend to buy them and then I never actually do them.  But, Insanity is different.  Maybe it's because Paul is so into it, but I don't think so.  I think it's just because they're really great...in a make you cry and beg for mercy sort of way.

OK, I admit it, I have always been one of those people who watched the Insanity commercial with a lot of skepticism.  I thought it was just another fad like Tae Bo.  So, when Paul told me he wanted to get the videos, I laughed a little inside.  I mean, I can run 13 miles at a time.  How was a 35 minute video going to transform my body?  But, as is often the case, Paul was right and I was wrong.  I hate to admit it, but it's true.

Insanity is AWESOME!  The videos are really tough and I have soreness in muscles I didn't even know existed.  I'm already feeling more "firm" after just one week.  I can't wait to see how my body transforms over the next seven weeks.

So, I'm going to post an update each week.  Sunday is my rest day from the videos, so that's when I'll recap the week.  I'm going to post pictures every two weeks for comparison and give updates on my progress.

Here's week number 1!

BEFORE PICTURES:

I know I'm in great cardiovascular shape, but I have no muscle tone.  My hope is that Insanity will help me get rid of the padding and add some muscle.  (Ignore the poor quality of these pictures.  The lighting was completely off.)

 See that gut?  That's what happens when you grow two babies, especially one that is just shy of 9 pounds and 22 inches long.  It's a good thing I love them, because those two kids sure did a number on my body.



The workouts are intense.  I have never sweat so much in my life.  By the end of the workout, I'm drenched and ready to collapse.

But I'm also so happy.  I love how I feel when I finish!

So, I'm definitely an Insanity convert.  I highly recommend the videos.  I'm excited to see what the next few weeks bring.  Next Sunday, I'll have an update and progress pictures.  Stay tuned!

Insanity

Paul and I have decided to do Insanity.  You know, that fitness craze that everyone seems to be talking about.  Well, I guess it's more like the fitness craze that everyone used to talk about.  I seem to "discover" something long after everyone else has already tried and raved about it.  I did the same thing with Tae Bo.  I think I did it two years after it lost popularity.  I like to think I'm just waiting for people to try it out first and prove that it works, but it's actually that I just don't catch on as quickly.

Paul and I are both looking for something new to do that will get our bodies in shape.  As runners, we're in great cardiovascular shape, but we can both use some "toning."  Insanity isn't really a strength training program, but it is supposed to build strength.

So, we ordered it last week, and it just arrived.  I spent last night reading through all of the materials, and we're going to start it on Monday.  I'm really excited!

I am going to follow the 60 day program completely, including the nutrition plan, and I'm going to blog about my experience throughout the program.  I will post before pictures and then provide updated progress pics every two weeks.  I'm not trying to lose weight...I'm just trying to tone up.  So, the pictures will be important.

Don't worry, though, I'll make sure I blog about other things during the 60 days for those of you who have no interest in Insanity.

Morning has broken...

For the past two years, most of my workouts have occurred during my lunch hour.  Since I had a new baby and a child in elementary school when I added exercise into my daily routine, mornings and evenings were not good times for me to exercise.  Luckily, I work at a community college and have free access to our college gym.  We're a small community college, so our facilities aren't that grand, but we do have an indoor track, an elliptical, and a weight room, which is all I need.

This arrangement worked fine for the past two years, but it wasn't ideal. I don't always have a free lunch hour depending on meetings or college events, so many times I would have to forfeit a run or elliptical session because of work demands.  Once I began running longer distances, the hour I had wasn't really enough. 

So, a few weeks ago, after missing a lot of runs and mid-day exercise sessions, I had a long talk with myself.  Just in my head...not out loud...although those talks occur too.  I realized that it was time to change my routine and find a way to exercise either in the morning or evening.  I quickly determined that the evenings are out.  I don't really like to exercise at the end of the day.  After a full day of work, I just want to hang out with my family. 

So, that leaves early morning for me.  Now that Ben is no longer a baby (sniff, sniff) and Amelia is more capable of getting herself ready in the mornings, early morning exercise is doable.  So, I started running and going to the gym early each morning and it's working out great! I love my new schedule!  Every morning, my alarm goes off at 4:50, and I hit snooze once.  I have to hit snooze.  I can't seem to get up without doing so.  I'm out of bed by 5:00 and dressed for my run or the gym by 5:10.  I can't exercise without some caffeine in my system, so I spend about 30 minutes drinking coffee and water.  I also need that time to "get things moving" if you know what I mean.  I like my system to be "cleaned out" before I start running or hit the gym.  I'm out the door by 5:40 and I'm done by 6:45. 

That's when Ben and Amelia tend to wake up, so I don't even miss any time with them in the mornings.  It's great!  I can start the day with my exercise already completed and I don't have to worry that I will miss a workout because something else comes up.  And, I get the extra perk of an empty gym and my choice of equipment.

I don't think I can ever go back to lunch hour exercise.  Especially since I now spend my time eating and reading blogs!

Moving Around

As someone who exercises approximately 5 days a week, I feel like I move around a lot.  But, after reading Janetha's post and new challenge for the month of May, I realized that I'm actually more sedentary than I like to admit.

Sure, I exercise for about 1 hour each day...but, that's one hour out of 24!  If I look at an actual day, I spend a lot of time sitting down:

Work = 8 hours at a computer/desk or in meetings.  Sure, I walk around some, but a lot of my time is spent sitting down.

Home = After preparing dinner, we sit and eat for about 30 - 40 minutes.  Then after cleaning up, I sit with the kids and help Amelia with her homework and color/draw/write the ABC's with Ben.  After that, we relax as a family and then it's time to get the kids ready for bed.  Once they're ready, we all lay in bed together and read, and then each kid goes to bed.  I lay with Ben while he (and sometimes I) falls asleep.  After that, I head downstairs, where Paul and I clean up and pack lunches for the next day.  Then, we spend the rest of the night sitting on the couch working on our computers/talking/watching TV.  After that, we go to bed.

So, when you look at an actual day, I don't move a lot.  On the weekends we move much more because we're constantly on the go and we like to do active/physical things as a family.  But, five out of seven days, I spend a lot of time sitting.

I know it's healthy and essential to move around a lot, which is why I'm so excited about Janetha's May challenge.  Instead of getting more exercise, Janetha wants us to move more throughout the day.  Here's what she says in her post:

i want you to move more in may, too! each day, i would like you to comment on the move more in may challenge page telling me how you moved that day OUTSIDE OF YOUR OFFICIAL DAILY WORKOUT.  yes, that’s right, we aren’t counting our workouts for this challenge.  that’s the whole point—we are already moving during our workouts. this is for all the other moves of the day.  be creative. try something different.


Janetha is actually giving prizes each week, which is an added incentive! 

My plans include getting up from my desk at least once an hour and walking from my office on the 5th floor to the first floor.  I also plan to take a walk at lunch time to stretch my legs, get my blood flowing and enjoy some great conversation with co-workers I rarely see.  I also want to start walking the dog as a family in the evenings and start playing in the backyard more after dinner.  Now that's it's getting warmer and nicer, this will be very easy to do.

If you think you need to move more, head over to Janetha's blog and read about her challenge.  I think we could all add a little more movement to our days!

My First Adventure

As you know, I signed up to participate in Janetha's Adventurous April Challenge.  Unfortunately, I was not able to accomplish my goals the first week due to way too many unforeseen circumstances.  And, I was barely able to squeeze it in this week.  But, today, the last day of the week, I finally did something that I have always wanted to do.  It's not a big deal, but it's still something new to me.

I finally used the Precor AMT trainer at my gym.  For the past year, I have been watching people use it and I have always wanted to give it a try.  But, for some reason, I have been completely intimidated.  I didn't want to look stupid while I tried to figure it out.  I was worried that it would be too hard.  I felt like I should just stick with my favorite machine: the elliptical.

But, today I went to the gym with the plan already in place.  I knew I was slacking on the Adventurous April challenge, and I wanted to end the week with at least one new thing under my belt.  So, I woke up this morning and decided that today was going to be the day that I was going to tackle the AMT.

So, after a year of building it up in my mind, how did it go, you ask.  Well...it wasn't as great as I thought it would be.  I figured it out pretty quickly and I used it for a while.  It gave me a good workout, but I still prefer my beloved elliptical.  It just felt awkward.  But, I realize that it could be because I'm not used to it, so I'm going to give it another chance.  I just don't see it becoming a regular part of my workout routine.

I have big plans for my new adventures this week, so check back next Sunday for a full report (oh, and a half marathon report as well since next Sunday is my half marathon).

Hope you are all having fun adventures of your own!

Learning the Ropes

So, I have this thing coming up the first weekend in August...you know, my first triathlon.  Anyway, I feel nervous and excited about the whole thing.  It's not a huge tri.  The swim is 1/2 a mile, the bike is 18 miles and the run is 4 miles.  But, it's still my first and I'm taking it very seriously.

Even though the event is still months off, I'm trying to slowly prepare for it.  I recently start swimming once a week and I'm quickly learning all the rules.  I find swimming intimidating.  Not the act of swimming.  I'm actually a pretty strong swimmer.  It's the whole public pool thing.  First of all, I'm pretty freaked out by public pools.  I think they're really gross.  But, I know that I have to use one if I'm going to train for the tri.  After all, it's still winter in Upstate NY, and I don't think a swim in the lake would be a very good idea, even if we are having unseasonably warm temperatures.  Also, I'm really intimidated by all of the other swimmers who are in the pool during lap swim time...especially when I have to share a lane with someone because it's too busy, which seems to happen a lot.  A few weeks ago I showed up at the pool and all of the lanes were in use.  It was the first time I experienced a full pool.  I didn't want to ask someone if I could share a lane, so I just turned around and went home.  Then, I stayed away from the pool for a couple of weeks.  I found reasons (excuses) not to swim.  Obviously, this won't work for me if I want to build up my swimming endurance.  So, this Saturday I went to the pool prepared to confront my fears about lane sharing.  I had a little pep talk with myself on the way there.  What, you don't talk to yourself on the way to the gym?  Oh well, I guess we all have our quirks.  When I got to the pool, all of the lanes were in use.  So, I just stood there clutching my swim cap and goggles and stared nervously at the pool.  Luckily, at that moment a woman got out.  I thought I was going to get away free and clear, but she was just getting a kick board to swim with.  I took it as my opportunity and walked up to her and asked if I could share a lane.  She smiled and said "Of course."  I felt so much better and realized it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

During my swim, I had to pay attention to her and make sure I wasn't crowding her.  At first, it felt awkward.  But, over time we got into a groove and I ended up having a really great swim.  So, I guess I can figure all of this out.  One thing is certain, the next time I go to the pool, I won't feel nervous if all of the lanes are full.

What a Week!

Whew!  I can't believe the week is over.  It's been chaotic and overwhelming and productive, and it's finally done.  I'm not done with my thesis, and I still have a lot to do at work, but a lot of the pressure has been removed with the completion of some major projects.  So, I feel like I can handle everything else that I have coming up in the next few weeks.  Unfortunately, because this week was so crazy, I haven't done much picture-taking (with my phone, since I still have no camera), so this post will be picture less.  I also haven't done much exercising, so I don't have much to write about on that end.

But, things are looking up...

I was able to get to the gym today for a quick jaunt on the elliptical, and I have a 6 - 7 mile run on the schedule for tomorrow.

I updated my work calendar for next week and blocked out time most days for a lunch hour run.  So, I'm feeling positive about my ability to stay on track in the coming weeks.

Emilie is planning another Clean Food Challenge and I am already signed up to participate.  We'll be starting on February 27th.

Oh, and I'm finally ready to take this blog to the next level.  Last week, I purchased a domain (unfortunately, My Own Trail was already registered to someone else) and in the next few weeks I will be unveiling my new and improved blog.  It will have a different name, but this blog will link directly to it.  I'm so excited to take my blogging to the next level.  Now, I just have to learn everything I need to know about blogging before I move forward...I'm sure I'll find time for that somewhere in my day.

Better than nothing

To say that work is crazy and chaotic right now is an understatement.  I work at a community college, which means my life operates in semesters, and a new one just started last week.  There are new and returning students to help, reports to write, and programs to develop.  On top of that, I'm in the middle of a couple of major projects that require a lot of my time.  It seems like my day is filled with non-stop meetings and student obligations.  Since I use my lunch hour to get in extra workout/running time during the week, this means that my exercise time has suffered.  At first, I just chose to not do anything because I didn't have time for a full workout, but over the past week I have had to adopt a new attitude.  If I don't go over to the gym for a little while, I won't get any exercise time in.  So, now I go over on my lunch "hour" even if I only have 20 or 30 minutes to exercise.   I'm able to maintain some level of fitness throughout the week and it helps me stay focused at work during stressful moments.  So, even though I can't always get a full workout in, I have to remind myself that's it's still important to do something physical.  After all, it's better than nothing.

The Year Ahead (and behind)

As each new year begins, I like to take time to reflect on the past year and think about all of the different things that have happened...good and bad.  I don't wait until the clock strikes midnight.  Instead, I spend the weeks leading up to New Year's Day with the thoughts of the past year running through my mind.  I tend to do this while running, driving in the car, or taking a shower (the best places and times to think, if you ask me).  It allows me to think about everything that I have done individually and that my family has experienced so that I remain grateful for everything I (we) have and also motivated to accomplish and experience more.  As I'm reflecting, I am also thinking ahead.  I try to think about the things I want to accomplish in the upcoming year and I begin to make a mental list of the things I want to do in the next 365 days.  I don't make resolutions, but I do make plans.  I think about what I want to focus on for myself and my family.  I think about the physical challenges I want to undertake (did someone say marathon?).  And, I think about the professional and personal enrichment goals I want to achieve.  After a few weeks of reflection and planning, I am able to start the New Year with a solid set of plans for myself and goals for the year.  By taking the time to think about all I have accomplished over the past year, I am able to start the new year with hope and excitement and a feeling of pride and accomplishment, rather than with a sense of desperation and anxiousness.  I do not see January 1st as a point to change my life and make it better.  It's already great.  I see January 1st as an opportunity to set some goals and make some fun plans for the year ahead.  It's a chance to challenge myself to face my fears, do something new, and step further out of my comfort zone.  I am always growing and evolving, and each year just brings new opportunities and experiences.

So, after so many weeks of reflection and planning, I have the following goals for myself:

1) Learn to knit
2) Learn to hula hoop (and make my own hoop)
3) Make pasta from scratch
4) Learn Italian (at least start)
5) Go hiking with my family more
6) Spend more quality time with my girlfriends
7) Go on a real date with Paul once a month
8) Play more games with the kids
9) Spend more time each weekend doing fun things with the kids and less time cleaning and running errands
10) Make homemade bagels
11) Start paying off debt and create (and stick to) a household budget
12) Plant gardens - lots of them
13) Run a marathon (more on this in my next post)
14) Complete a triathlon (with my Dad!)
15) Finish my thesis (almost done!)
16) Make baklava
17) Make homemade pierogies
18) Increase my running pace
19) Start writing a book (more on this later)
20) Pursue freelance teaching, researching and writing opportunities
21) Take a writing course
22) Travel more (and to new places)
23) Get the house more organized (I'm soooooo glad I have pinterest for this one)
24) Incorporate strength training into my fitness routine
25) Start doing yoga

It's a pretty good starting point.  Quite honestly, I see these lists as an ongoing work in progress.  As the year unfolds, I'm sure my interests will change and new opportunities will present themselves.  I'm always ready to add new goals to my list.  So, here's to a happy, healthy, productive, and exciting 2012.  I know many bloggers out there are making big changes this year and taking on new challenges.  I'm excited to see where we all end up when the clock strikes midnight on December 31st. 

Are you ready?

Thinking Ahead...

Last week, one of my favorite bloggers, Emilie, wrote a fabulous post about being brave.  She encouraged us to consciously choose to do things that we are scared to do.  For her, this means tackling a Half Ironman (I know you'll do great, Emilie!).  Her post really resonated with me, as the past two years have really been about this for me.  Two years ago, I was too comfortable in my life. After some careful consideration, I realized that I kept making excuses for not doing things that I really wanted to do (run a half marathon) because deep down inside, I was afraid.  I vowed to work hard at becoming more confident and brave, and it has worked.  I started running and completed my first half marathon last April, even though the thought of doing it terrified me the entire time I was training for it. I will never forget the way I felt as I crossed that finish line.  When I replied to Emilie's post, this is what I wrote:

This is a great post that came at just the right time. After two half marathons and some random 5k's, I'm ready to move to the next level. I have a friend who is training for her first half marathon and I am so envious of her. That excitement and nervousness that accompanies the weeks of preparation. The giddiness of knowing that you are about to do something bigger than you have ever done before. I want that again. So, I'm in the process of firming up my big, scary plans for 2012. It looks like it will be the year of the marathon for me. I'm scared and excited all at once. I haven't decided on the exact marathon right now, but I have it narrowed down to a few in NY, VT, and ME. I'm going to make a final decision this week and commit. The second scary thing I'm going to do is complete a triathlon through our local YMCA. It's a small one (1/2 mile swim, 18 mile bike and 4 mile run), but it still scares me which is exactly why I want to do it. I am so intrigued by triathlons, and I know I need to do one. It's not the individual activities that scare me...it's the transitions in between. So, thank you for this reminder to be brave and confident. I'm working on doing it in other, non-athletic areas of my life as well. Here's hoping that 2012 is a wonderful year of accomplishments and growth for all of us!

So, that's where I am now.  I'm planning for 2012 as 2011 comes to a close.   I was looking at a lot of different marathons in NY, VT and ME, but I have decided that if I am going to do it, it's going to be the Vermont City Marathon.  I have been checking the site for the Vermont Marathon every day and it fills me with that nervous, sick, excited feeling, which means that it is exactly what I am ready for. And then, after the marathon is over, I will begin preparing to face my other fear...the triathlon.  I guess I better start swimming.

No Regrets

During the week, I usually run during my lunch hour.  It's not my ideal time to run (I'm a morning runner), but it's really the only time I can get in a run on workdays.  I would love to run early in the morning, but it is difficult to do with a 2.5 year old and a 7 year old who have to get up and out of the house for school/daycare. I know that an evening run is out of the question because a) that's my family time and b) I have completely lost my desire and motivation to do anything physical after 8 hours of work.  So, I use my lunch hour to get my weekday runs in.  It's often difficult to make myself stop what I'm doing, get up from my desk and walk over to the gym. Yes, I have a "gym" where I work.  Since I work at a community college, we have fitness facilities on site...with an indoor track. 




The track is the part above the basketball court.  When I run, I overlook the court.


I know...I have no excuse for not running, do I?  I try to get in at least three days of running each week.  Some weeks, I only run 1 - 2 days due to meetings and teaching, but other weeks I make it over almost every day.  What I have learned is that I just have to make myself get up and walk there.  Even when I'm tired and in the middle of something, and it's so tempting to just sit at my desk and spend my lunch hour reading blogs (Oh, come on, I know you do it too), I know that what I really need to do is go running.  No matter what, I always feel good after I do, and I never, ever regret it.

Done!

I decided to end my Clean Food Challenge after a week instead of ten days.  When I did the original challenge, it was only a week long.  For some reason, I thought doing a ten day challenge this time would make me feel even "cleaner."  However, once I hit the one week mark, I decided that I was ready to be done.  Any longer, and I think I would have ended up feeling burned out and negative about the experience.  Instead, I'm ending the challenge feeling great about my success and more mindful about my body and what I put into it.  Like last time, I'm not going to deny myself any foods, but I am going to pay closer attention to what I'm eating.  I have come to realize that I have a pretty significant sugar addiction, and I need to make sure I don't let myself eat too much of it.  I firmly believe in eating everything in moderation and still plan to enjoy sweet treats occasionally, but I have to remember that "occasionally" is the operative word.  I'm also going to make sure I try to avoid refined sugar as much as possible and use alternatives that are more natural.  Other than sugar, I'm ready to introduce the other "restricted" foods back into my life.  I don't believe in complete deprivation, and have no need to eliminate entire food groups from my diet.  Obviously, if I had food sensitivities or dietary choices (i.e. vegan) that required the elimination of certain food groups, I would do it.  But, I think a healthy diet should contain a lot of variety and moderate amounts of all of the food groups. 

Now that the challenge is over, I'm ready to move to the next phase of Operation: Summer Damage Control.  I'm ready to add new forms of exercise to my routine so that I can improve my fitness and keep myself from getting bored.  As a runner, I consider myself pretty fit.  However, what I have come to realize is that running (and the occasional elliptical session) isn't enough to keep my body fit.  I need to incorporate other forms of exercise so that I use all of my muscles and improve my fitness.  So, I spent the past week reading through other blogs and thinking about the kinds of exercise I want to add, and I have come up with this:

Running:  3 - 4 times a week with at least one of the runs being a long run of 7 - 10 miles

Cross Training: 1 - 2 times a week - alternate between swimming, spinning, and the elliptical

Strength Training: 2 - 3 times a week

Yoga/Pilates: 1 - 2 times per week

I'm going to start out with this plan and see how it works for me.  Having it written down will keep me accountable and, hopefully, more likely to be successful.  It will require some changes in my schedule to make sure I fit everything in, but I'm positive it will be worth it in the end.  I know that the addition of these different exercises will help me improve my fitness, make me a stronger runner, and most importantly, keep me healthy and grounded.

Clean Food Challenge 2.0 - Days 3 & 4

Well, I made it through two more days.  Quite honestly, I'm having a pretty easy time.  I'm not feeling as grumpy as the first two days, and I think that I  made it over the sugar detox hump.  I still have my moments...moments where I have to go into the pantry and smell the bag of chocolate chips because I want chocolate so bad, but they pass pretty quickly.  I'm eating a lot less dried fruit, and when I do eat it, it seems really sweet to me.  All in all, I think this whole challenge is going pretty smoothly.  However, the weekend just arrived, and we have a jam-packed schedule that will put me in some pretty tempting situations.  I'll just have to keep reminding myself that this is only temporary and that my body will feel better once I'm done.

When I got home from work tonight, I went for a 3 mile run.  I don't know if it's because I haven't been able to run much lately, or if it is because I'm in the process of detoxing, but I was pretty sluggish and struggled through the 3 miles.  I remember the same thing happening the last time I did the clean food challenge.  It only happened in the beginning last time.  By the end of the challenge, I had more energy and endurance during my runs and workouts.  I'm going to pay close attention to it this time and see if the same thing happens.

For those who may wonder what I can possibly be eating, here's a list of some of the meals I have been enjoying:

Breakfast:  Overnight oats with almond milk and blueberries or a smoothie with almond milk, spinach, banana, blueberries, mango, hemp seeds, chia seeds and oats

Lunch:  Giant salads with tons of fresh veggies from my CSA and some beans for protein or leftover bean, corn and rice salad from dinner.

Dinner:  Fresh veggies, salads, sweet potatoes, beans and rice with black beans, corn, onions, tomato and avocado (this was absolutely delicious!)

Snacks:  dried fruit, veggies with hummus, rice cakes with almond butter, almonds, fruit and spinach/kale smoothies

Beverages:  coffee (one per day), water, seltzer, detox tea

As I said, my weekend is crazy, but I plan to stay on track.  I'm also going to make sure I run both days to get back on track.  Since I have been slacking so much on exercise lately, I'm in the process of developing an exercise plan for next week.  I'll post about it next time.

Clean Food Challenge 2.0 - Days 1 & 2

I'm two days into my second Clean Food Challenge.  Like last time, the "rules" are:

• No dairy
• No gluten
• No alcohol
• No sugar
• No processed foods
• No meat (this is optional - I haven't decided what I will do about this yet)
• Drink 120 oz. of water a day

Some people also give up caffeine when they do the Clean Food Challenge. However, like last time, I will allow myself to drink one cup a day.

I can tell that this challenge is going to be more difficult than the last one.  I had a rough first and second day and feel grumpier than I did last time.  I think it is because my diet has been worse for the past couple of months, so I have more to detox from.  I'm preparing myself for a bumpy ride, but I know in the end I'll feel much better for having done it.

The most striking part of the past two days was how badly I wanted sugar.  I don't think I really understood how much sugar I was eating over the past couple of months until I removed it from my diet.  I tend to need something sweet to finish off a meal.  I think it is left over from the days when I used to smoke and needed a cigarette after a meal.  My go to sweet is chocolate.  I keep dark chocolate bars and chocolate chips around for times when I need a little something sweet.  But, unlike others who can eat a little piece of chocolate and be done, I tend to eat chocolate steadily throughout the night after I finish my evening meal.  I'm fine during the day, but once I finish dinner, it's as if the chocolate has a magnet attached to it.  First, I eat a piece of the chocolate bar.  Then, as I'm walking through the back of my kitchen to put things away, I grab a handful of chocolate chips out of the bag of chocolate chips.  I didn't typically stop there.  This cycle often continues throughout the evening.  I just can't seem to break it.  Add in all of the other sweet treats that I have indulged in over the summer, and you have a full-fledged sugar addiction.  So, the past two days I have been eating dried fruit (no added sugar) and fresh fruit to quell my sugar cravings.  I think it's helping, but I have to make sure I don't just replace sugar with tons of dried fruit. 

This is what my desk looked liked the past two days:

The other thing that I noticed is how much I mindlessly snack.  I am a snacker by nature, which I actually think is healthy.  However, the amount I have been snacking, and the things I have been eating recently, haven't been that healthy.  The past two days, I caught myself almost finishing the last of the kids' PB & J, or eating a handful of Annie's Bunny Snack Mix as I filled their lunchboxes, or popping a few pieces of cheese into my mouth as I cut up cheese and crackers for them.  I made granola tonight to have for the week, and noticed how I automatically went to eat chunks of it off the pan.  Now, granola is fine, but I wasn't even hungry and if I didn't notice, I would have ended up eating an entire serving of granola without meaning to.  These things add up.  I'm still snacking, but since I have to pay attention to what I'm eating, I'm not mindlessly snacking, and that is making a difference.

Overall, I'm really excited to be doing the challenge again.  I know it's going to be tough...it's called a challenge for a reason.  But, it will be so worth it in the end.  After reading through this, I'm sure you're wondering what I actually could/did eat since I have so many limitations.  Suprisingly, I had a variety of delicious foods.

Breakfast:  Overnight oats with almond milk and frozen blueberries

Lunch:  Salad with shredded carrots, shredded beets, shredded apples (I'm getting a lot of use out of my new mandolin), avocado, sunflower seeds and pepitas.  I made a balsamic-tahini vinaigrette to put on it

Dinner: Vegetables with hummus, homemade corn and black bean salad, sweet potato (I ate combinations of these items each night, not all of them at the same time)

Snacks: Dried mango and papaya, apples with almond butter, almonds, raisins, veggies with hummus

Beverages:  I didn't get in all 120 oz. of water each day, but I came close.  I also had one cup of coffee each day with coconut milk, and I drank detox tea throughout the day.

So...two days down, eight to go.  I know I can make it through and I am excited to get myself back on track.  Unfortunately, along with having poor eating habits this summer, I also slacked on my exercise regimen.  I typically exercise 5 - 6 days a week, with at least three of the days as running days.  Over the past few weeks, my schedule has made it difficult for me to get in as much exercise time.  As I go through the Clean Food Challenge, I'm going to make sure I get back on track with exercise.  Stay tuned for that plan...

Mixing it Up

On Sunday, in an attempt to expand my exercise horizons, I dediced to go spinning with my Dad. All I can say is  WOW! Spinning is tough! As a runner, I tend to think my sport is the most difficult and sweat-inducing, but each time I try something new, I'm reminded that running isn't the be all end all of sports.  Don't get me wrong, I still do and always will love the feeling of running.  It makes my heart pound, my legs ache, and my body sweat in such a good way.  However, I am also discovering the joy that comes from other exercises.  I think this year (I work at a community college, so the new year for me always begins in the end of August/beginning of September), my focus is going to be on trying new things and diversifying my fitness.

In addition to some half marathons, and a possible full marathon, I'm considering adding a triathalon or two into the race lineup for the upcoming year.  I am also starting to think about doing a century ride the following year.  My father is an avid cyclist, and he has completed two centuries.  It would be really memorable to do a century ride with him someday. 

So, it looks like this year is going to be a year of exploration.  I'm hoping that adding some new things to the mix will keep me excited about exercise and will help me keep my body in shape.  But, most of all, I hope it helps me stay energized and focused so that I can be a better mother, wife, teacher and friend.