2013 Resolution Check-in (1st Quarter)

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In the spirit of Throw Back Thursday… I’m checking in on my 2013 resolution set all the way back in December!! You can read the full post here. Essentially I’m trying to stay healthy!

And so far….I’m about the same weight. But…..most people will tell you the scale shouldn’t be your determination for success. But….my clothes all pretty much fit the same. So am I failing?

HECK NO!  I’m not gaining and I’m taking small steps every day to turn things around.

Now there are quite a few people on facebook who are inspiring me to start making more dramatic changes, and I also had a blog post really resonate with me this morning. Check out “The Difference One Year Makes” I am super jealous and would love to make a big change like this.

In January, February, and March I was doing really great at running and getting a variety of workouts in. This month has not been as successful with my knee pain, however I’m not trying to take a deeper look at my eating habits.

At the beginning of the year I started visiting Healthy Connection in Aitkin and eventually started buying product so I can make my own drinks at home. I now usually have a shake every morning. I lost 3 pounds after incorporating their products and the shakes keep much more satisfied than the half a bagel I was having each morning.

I now have started adding a chobani yogurt into my lunchtime habit. In a perfect world I would eat it around 3 pm to hold me over until dinner….but yogurt or just plain dairy never sounds good to me at 3 pm. Instead I have myself eat it before my lunch and have had much more success.

Dinners and evening eating and where I struggle. I want to eat a little less at dinner, but then find myself starving about 9 pm. I need to find a better balance to keep me fuller longer.

If you didn’t set a New Years Resolution….Why not set a goal for the spring/summer? You can still be celebrating some great changes by the time I post a year end recap!

 

 

Ready to Race?

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While the snow keeps coming down, you may be tempted to stay inside and slow down the workouts. But if you’re looking for some motivation, I’ve got a few races you should hear about!!

1. Grand On The Go 5k: April 21st, St. Paul, MN. I ran this race in 2011 with a few girlfriends when it was a part of the Grand Ole Day celebration, this year it has changed and is now part of the Wellness Weekend on Grand Ave. What a great way to kick off getting a little healthier! Also, I’m sure Whole Foods will have some great treats!

2. We Walk! Marathon, Half, and 50k May 18, 2013, Melorse/St. Joseph, MN. I found out about this race yesterday while googling “walk a marathon” so if my knee continues to be a jerk…this is a race I will probably look into!

3. Sour Grapes, June 8, 2013, Brainerd, MN. I am so bummed that I have a commitment on this day, because otherwise I would be volunteering or participating. This race was originally created to allow people who didn’t get into the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon (Grandma’s Half) Lottery still have a race to run!

I was not paid to share about these races, but feel that they are all unique and wanted to give them a little shout out!

 

11 Weeks Until Grandma’s Marathon

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Last week I mentioned that I was making a doctors appointment. and I got my diagnosis. I later tweeted about attending a Couch to 5k workout and having no pain! It was a 2 mile run/walk and I was so excited to be feeling better. That was a Monday…and then life got in the way.

Tuesday I popped a tire on the way to St. Paul for a convention. Thursday I went in the ditch on my way home…in a snowstorm….in april…. It also snowed today, and I believe there is some freezing rain falling outside right now, (not that I’m going outside to check on it).

I’m also battling a cold/cough that I get everytime I get overworked. I’m sure resting is the best way to kick it, but I also feel like a slug and my attitude isn’t the best. Thankfully my college roommate and close friend Alex came to visit this weekend and we had a great time! We made a late Friday night decision to take a yoga class Saturday morning. The sculpt class I prefer was already full, we so took the 10 am class which was wonderful! It was my first time taking a regular class from this teacher (she specializes in sculpt) and it was mainly stretching and slow, but the room was still heated. It felt wonderful!

Saturday we went out to dinner and ended up at a bar that has a band, dancing was then required! Even so, when I got a text 12 hours later asking about going for a run I agreed. I warned my running buddy that I could probably do 4 miles, but would love to do 6. At mile 1.8 my knee started bothering me, so I knew it was time to turn around. I got the 4 miles in, but the last two miles were almost total walking.

I’m getting more and more worried about Grandma’s. I have Run for the Lakes Half Marathon in two weeks, and am 99% sure that isn’t going to happen. I’m still going to go. I want to try and walk the 13 if nothing else. Thankfully as a loyal blog reader I have an excellent example of walking a Half Marathon from Caitlin at Healthy Tipping Point. And now I need to do research to see if anyone has been crazy enough to walk a marathon….

I’m disappointed. But I’m not giving up. I’ve got a long life ahead of me. A quote I was recently emailed goes as follows…

“The journey isn’t always perfect, but always worth taking.” -Kara Goucher

It quickly became my facebook status as I really resonate with the word “perfect”. I was on a date last week and realized I said “perfect” a few more times than most people do. I’m not expecting perfection out of anyone, although I do expect a lot out of myself. When I say the word “perfect”  what I mean is, “I wouldn’t change anything, I’m agreeing and at ease with what is going on.” However some people have really negative connotations with striving for perfection. But I think Kara’s quote is one that will stick with me for the next 11 weeks. I am not having the perfect training, and it may not be the perfect race, but it is a journey that is worth taking. And there is every chance in the world that I will still have a “perfect” weekend. With fun and friends and fitness!

(and I am so glad I was able to turn this post around and make it positive!)

 

Do you strive for “perfect”? Do you hear yourself repeating a certain word or phrase and then think about why you’re saying those certain words?

The Dr.’s Report and introducing Fitango!

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Patellofemoral SyndromeLadies and Gentlemen we have a diagnosis! (and you can see what clinic I went to I guess). You can read a lovely webmd diagnosis here. I was really expecting to get a referral to see a Physical Therapist.

According to the Doctor I need to do single leg squats 3 sets a day, 3 times a day to strengthen my inner thigh. Right now my outer thigh is basically pulling my kneecap to the side because its stronger. I’ve mainly been doing these squats when waiting in lines at stores, or when I’m waiting for the copier at work. Yesterday I attended the local Couch to 5k workout and am happy to report that I completed 2 miles of the walk/run program with very little pain!! I don’t plan on running again until maybe Saturday/Sunday. And even then it will probably only be a walk.

I’m not sure how the Run for the Lakes Half Marathon will work into this injury, but right now I’m still planning on “running” it. (I have zero expectations for the race, and if I’m in pain I will get off the course.) At this point Grandma’s is still my end goal. And I think I’m still okay to get there.

The good news is I have a back up plan! I was recently contacted by Fitango to try out their Twin Cities Marathon Actionplan!

Here’s a little sneak peak of what the Actionplan helps me with!

Fitango Twin Cities Action PlanIt is broken down into 4 phases, which I will share with you as I complete them! Fitango offers a lot of different Actionplans, and I may have a special deal for you if you want to check them out!

I’m not signed up for the Twin Cities Marathon yet, mainly because I don’t quite have the funds for the race entry. But either way I’d like to maintain my workouts throughout the summer, instead of getting into a post race slump like last year.

*Disclosure I was given a coupon code for the Twin Cities Marathon Actionplan through Fitango, but all opinions are my own.

Do you have any suggestions for coming back from an injury? Have you ever tried a Fitango Actionplan?

12 Weeks Until Grandma’s Marathon

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“My injury was devastating. But I decided I wouldn’t feed negative thoughts. I was going to surround myself with positive people, imagine the best outcomes, and bathe myself in awesomeness.” -Lauren Fleshman

(a two-time U.S. 5-k champion, after an IT injury forced her to refocus her 2012 Olympic Trial goals. )

Clearly, this woman knows whats she’s talking about. This past week I didn’t workout. I was lazy. And my knee pain is still present.

Yesterday I attended a beginner yoga class (Corepower Level 1) and spoke to the instructor briefly about how frustrated I was feeling. She said “its like having your period, even when its not that time of the month”. And a lightbulb went off. That is exactly what it feels like! I’m feeling all alone, instead of being supportive of other people getting out for runs and walks I’m just jealous. I’m irritable, and just plain not as nice as I should be.

Just before writing this post I bit the bullet and called the local clinic. I was hoping for something next week, but was surprised to find a doctor had a 1 pm opening. Hopefully I will get a better understanding of what is going on, or at least get a referral to a physical therapist. I decided to look back on my other weekly training recaps to find when my knee pain started. And what I didn’t realize is that it started at week 1.5!! I hadn’t realized how long it has been!

If you want to look back on my training, you can look to the right side of your screen, find the “Category” button, and select “Grandma’s Marathon” that way you’ll only see posts relating to Grandma’s Marathon. Otherwise you can just click through all my previous posts, whichever works for you!

Also, if you’re a local who is interested in getting more active, please join the Healthy Connections Aitkin is leading a Couch to 5k group. They meet Monday at 6pm, Wednesday at 4pm, and Friday at 9am. All meetings are optional. It is a FREE program, and is a combination of walking and running (or jogging if you’re injured like me). Click here to find the facebook group. If you have questions, please ask me!

March 2013 Recap

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Lion? Lamb? Minnesota never quite decides what is going on. Last year’s March was wonderful! People were running around on St. Patrick’s day in shorts and t-shirts. This year…not so much. It was cold for all of March! But it’s over, and I survived April 1 without any big tricks.

March was wonderful because I had a lot going on, but never felt overwhelmed. Everything just worked out! And I can truely appreciate that because right now things are starting to feel a little out of control. Every weekend in April has an event, and May is a mystery, but I’m sure it will fill just as quickly.

I’m currently “training” for Grandma’s Marathon…by not running. I’m going through cycles of emotion about it. I know resting is a good idea right now, because I’ve got all of May and most of June to get back into gear. And if nothing else, it will be fun to go to Duluth for Grandma’s weekend and have a good time.

I also am currently taking a Yoga Sculpt Teacher Training through Corepower Yoga! Its something I talked about wanting to do, and thought I’d wait, but then decided I may as well bite the bullet. I’m still learning and gaining confidence, but am excited to see where it takes me.

I’m super overwhelmed with work right now, and will continue to be with all my different activities and plans, but I am still so thankful that I made the career switch last August.

Are you busy this spring? Or are you just waiting until Summer?

13 Weeks Until Grandma’s Marathon?

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I haven’t run in a while. I can’t remember when my last no-pain run was, but it was at least 2 weeks ago. This weekend I tried to do my 10 miler. But the moment I woke up I knew it wasn’t happening. I had set my alarm for 6:30 on a Saturday morning and I wasn’t going to simply crawl back into bed. Instead I drove to Lake Harriet and walked around it twice. 6 Miles of walking. It didn’t even hurt. But the minute I tried to run, my knee would scream. So I had plenty to think about those 6 miles, I was slow, admiring runners who were actually running, and even seemed to be enjoying themselves. And I wasn’t. I was going through the motions, wishing the motions were faster. After my “run” I googled the location of the Running Room in Uptown. I was happy to see they opened within a half hour and I was in there before they were actually read to set up for the day. I quickly found a foam roller, discussed KT tape with the 2 sales clerks. One was lucky enough not to never have knee issues, and the other recommended I get the Patella Stabilizer (the bands that you put under your knee). They didn’t have my size, but I plan on picking one up. I also saw that they had the newer version of my old shoes on sale. So I tried them on. And I was able to jog around the store!!! I have no idea why my knee was okay with that. I’m hoping the cold weather is the issue and once it warms up it will make my muscles more receptive. Either way, I’ve got another new pair of shoes. They were a good deal, so I’m not feeling too guilty about it.

Even though I haven’t been running I’m still doing plenty of yoga. I had Sculpt training Friday night 6-10, Saturday Noon-7 and Sunday Noon-7. Today I have training 7-10 but am taking a class before then. I also took my usual Tuesday morning Sculpt class, which has recently changed to a 90 minute class. That puts a small wrench in my plans, as I was a little late to work Tuesday morning (or rather I was on time, but unshowered, which was not a comfortable option).
I also completed a beginner Power class online Tuesday evening. And I must say, yoga is wonderful, but I really respond to the studio and need the heat along with the class to get the full benefits. Simply going through the dvd motions isn’t quite enough for me.

Wednesday (yesterday) I finally got on the foam roller and got it going, there is one spot above my knee that really responded to the motion. It hurt! I didn’t realize how painful foam rolling was. But if that is what it takes to race on June 22, I will do it.

I’m starting to accept the idea that I’ll need to see a doctor of some sort. But I wanted to already do the beginning rehab stuff (not running, foam rolling, etc) so they can’t waste my time with it. I’m starting to wonder if Grandma’s will happen. I have the next two weeks to recover, and then I’m pretty sure I’ll have to make a decision. If anyone has insight on how to get back into training, and how to shorten a marathon training plan due to injury, please share it with me!

Have you ever skipped a race due to injury?

14 Weeks Until Grandma’s Marathon 2013..PLUS!

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This was not the best week of training. Because training was basically non existent. Monday we had a little snow, and a lot of wind. I ended up working late and didn’t go to yoga. Plus with the wind I didn’t want to navigate the roads at 4:30 Tuesday morning for my Yoga Sculpt workout. So I missed it.

Tuesday I went on a walk with my mom, and ran for a little bit. I didn’t have much pain, but took it easy because I planned on doing 5 miles the next day. I had hoped to go to Zumba that night to get a little sweat going, but the instructor canceled, so naturally my friends and I got a drink instead!

Wednesday I walked to the non-icy road with the wide shoulder and tried to run. I did 3 miles of running/walking, but it was starting to hurt, and my legs felt like lead. I wasn’t pleased, but got 5 miles total with the walking to the good road and back.

Thursday during the day my knee hurt. It was kind of delay from my running I think? And then I had wine club. The only good thing about all this laziness is I’m prepared for the weekend. I’m starting Yoga Sculpt teacher training!!!

I blogged here, about how I was inspired by another Minnesota Blogger, Katrina to get certified and do it because I love it. I’m excited to see where this certification takes me. Because of marathon training I’m not sure when I’ll start teaching classes, but if you’re interested in just trying a workout, or letting me practice with you, please let me know!

I feel like there are constantly changes taking place, and we have to be flexible and I don’t just mean physically. I mean we have to go with the flow and accept that change happens, and it will all work out in the end. And I need to take that mindset and try and incorporate it into this marathon training. My knee is really making me worried, and I can’t ignore it. I need to find that balance of resting for recovery, and not resting for laziness. But I’ve got time. I’ve got to go with the flow and find what will work for me.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear what has worked for you! How do you react to changes? Do you embrace them, or try to ignore them?

 

How Do You Do That? Best St. Patricks Day Weekend

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This week has been kind of a drag, thankfully it’s already Thursday, so its almost over, but I keep looking back on last weekend and getting a big smile for the memories!

I had the BEST St. Patricks Day Weekend. Prior to the weekend I posted a poll which you can view here. While it got a lot of views, there were only 5 votes, and I am strongly disagreeing with the results. Somehow the deliciousness of Jameson was overlooked.

I started with driving to the cities and having a pre-race dinner at Tavern on France. I didn’t take any pictures, but this was my second time there, and it doesn’t disappoint. (I’ve had the build your own pizza and the buffalo chicken salad, and they are the best!)

Saturday I got up early to race! Find the recap here. Afterwards I ate lunch at The Loop. My table debated getting an appetizer because we were hungry, but instead decided to wait and order an app later in the afternoon. I had a delicious Cubano sandwhich, which had a nice balance of the ingredients. I found the housemade pickles a little bland, but the fries that came with the meal were perfect!

We then decided to venture over to Kierans to get our free race beer. This bar is my favorite before Twins Games. In the summer they have outdoor seating, and a bar you can walk up to, rather than wait for a waitress to find you. (Plus if you want to buy tickets for the game off the street, the scalpers there usually have lots of options). On Saturday they had a large tent set up outside, with a few heaters and a small bar. We were able to go right out there, get a drink, and sit down. After we finished our first round we went inside to check it out. We all had a Big Ginger (yum!) and surveyed the scene, it was crowded, and we were glad we hadn’t tried to eat here, because it would have been a nightmare!

We then strolled over to The Local, where we had the best Irish Cream Coffee ever! Seriously, this is the description on the menu “Our nationally recognized cold weather classic made with 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey, Guinness syrup & whipped cream you won’t find anywhere else.” It was delightful. Originally we were going to order a Coffee and Baileys, but I am so glad the waitress steered us this direction! We also tried the Rueben Wontons, which were fine, but I think could be better made at home.

After the Local we decided it was time to see what St. Paul could offer. There were free bus rides on Saturday night provided by Miller Lite and so we took the ride across the river. We headed to McGoverns because we heard a friend was there. Although we quickly realized there was going to be no finding her in the crowd. We didn’t even bother trying to get into the bar and instead went to the tent outside. It was packed like a frat party, sounds, smells, and dirty floors included. But that didn’t stop us from having a good time! It was great to just dance around and be silly. The only bad thing about it, was the DJ was preferring hip hop songs, which are fine, but on St. Patricks Day Weekend it would have been nice for a few Irish songs. We eventually crossed the street and checked out Cosettas tent, which was more subdued, the DJ was playing songs across a lot of different genres, but he was mixing them so quickly it was hard get into it before the next song came on.

We finally surrendered and used the app Uber to get a ride home. This was my first time experiencing the app, and I loved it! Getting a ride home has never been easier!

We covered a lot of ground in our 14 hours out and about on St. Patrick’s Day (Saturday). But the key to it was: flexibility and patience. The bars are going to be packed, it is going to be hard to get a table, but if you just take your time and relax, it will all work out!

Race Recap: Get Lucky 7k 2013

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*The 7K is now Minnesota’s LARGEST timed road race with 9,797 finishers! Which I have to keep reminding myself every time I want to complain about things that I didn’t like about the race.

When I signed up for the race, I realized with a 9 am start time I would have to get up very early in order to leave from my home (I live 3 hours away). And I wasn’t in the mood for a 5 am wakeup call, or a 3 hour pre-race drive. So I stayed in the twin cities with my grandparents.

I planned on getting up at 7, rolling out of bed and into race clothes, and figured I only needed 15 minutes, my body woke up about 6:30 so I decided to get going then instead. And was glad I did! A friend stayed over with me, and I learned that I really should pack extras just in case, we almost had to make an extra stop for socks, but it all worked out! We arrived at another friends’ house at 7:35 who had picked up our bibs in exchange for riding with us to the race start. The roads were super icy, and we started wondering if the race would have a delay due to the ice (we were hoping they’d throw down some salt).

Another friend has an apartment 3 blocks from the race start so we were able to leave our vehicle at her place and then walk to the starting line. Prior to leaving we all did a check on how many layers we should wear. I had my 2 favorite warm Nike tops, so I knew I would be good. I wish I had brought my sunglasses, because the sun was super reflective off the ice.

We made it inside the race barricades with plenty of time. One friend had to use the bathroom and I was a little afraid the race would start before she was back. That worry was unnecessary we arrived at the race ready to go at 8:50 (race start was 9) and we crossed the start line at 9:35. There were people walking past us with medals while we were waiting. We were not happy. We were whiny. We kept talking about what we could have done with that 35 minutes. At first sleeping in was a top request, then just the simple idea of feeling less rushed this morning, and then the cold set in and we wanted coffee with Baileys. Stat.

Once we finally crossed the start it was race time. Kind of. The course was completely icy. It was impossible to get a full sprint on that terrain. And despite the corral style start, it was still very crowded. Both my knees were tight at the start of race so there was no way I was going to keep up with some of my speedier friends. Thankfully I had a friend who was willing to hang with me and we had a great time chatting throughout the course.

I was happy to not notice the kilometer markings until the 3k. The kilometers seemed to go quickly, possibly because I’m not positive the correlation to miles, so I just was running and chatting. I didn’t look at my garmin for pace during the race. I was just trying to not fall, and not kick someone walking.

The last kilometer of the race was frustrating. I wanted to really pick it up and finish, however there were so many people walking 2-4 across it was difficult to go around them, especially considering the course conditions. I finished just under 52 minutes and was surprised to hear my speedy friends finished in under 49 minutes, so there’s a chance I could have kept at their pace had I not been so concerned about falling!

I was very thankful that the race ends with only a slight uphill. When we were walking through to receive medals and water it was a straight uphill that would be fun to see how it affects a runners finish, but only fun until you would have to do it. The post-race fuel was thinning out, but as far as I could tell there was enough for everyone!

We walked back to my friends apartment to change out of race clothes and then headed to a nearby restaurant to eat, before heading to Kieran’s for our free beer!

Kieran’s happens to be my favorite place to get a drink before a Twins Game, but I’ll recap the actual bar this summer when I can have my own pictures. I have to talk about our experience there in relation to the race because we met the Race Director! This was my first time getting a chance to speak with a race director, and it was a complete chance encounter. I did mention our frustration with the slow start, and he did make the comment that went something like this “Its a fun run, so expectations are different. But we need to work on the start time”.

I’m glad he recognized the slow start, and while I had a great day, the race wasn’t really advertised as a “Fun Run” yes it was a fun atmosphere, but once I pay $65 for a race, I take it pretty seriously. A “fun run” is $20 or less for me.

In the end we talked for a while about different races across the country. He mentioned he has a friend who does over 150 marathons per year! Part of me wanted to call “BS” on it, but I guess it could be done…maybe? It was inspiring to talk to someone who thinks a half marathon is a walk in the park, but at this point I’m still trying to figure out how I’ll get my body to do 16 miles and then finally getting to the full 26.2 miles.

Will I do this race again? I’ve been trying to decide and it has been a roller coaster of thoughts. They have announced on the Get Lucky facebook page that there will be assigned corral starts next year, which is a great move! However it was $65. The sweatshirts we were given are awesome (I wore my all day that day) but I don’t do races for the clothing offered. I guess it depends on my friends, if someone asks me to do the race with them, I probably will. But I don’t think I’ll organize a group on my own. I did have a friend get a Sub 2 hour race at the half Marathon in St. Paul, and am thinking that would be fun to try! (so long as the conditions are better than this year!)