Spring Training In Motion

I am getting excited to kick of 2016 with my first race. April 9th will mark my first Half Marathon of this year as well as my 7th Half Marathon! 7 has always been my favorite number so I am going on a vibe that this will be a great one. Last year I did this race for the first time and used it as a training run for the VCM that I do a 2-person relay with my dad. In all honesty that was the original plan for this year as well. This past winter I had decided that I would take a step back, work on strength training and take my focus off of running. I just was not able to completely stick to this one, I needed to run.

Last year in Vermont it was a pretty rough winter. We had a ridiculous amount of very cold days along with enough snow to keep Olaf alive for centuries. We were clearly living in the set of Frozen making it not always enjoyable, or even safe, to get out there and get miles in. This winter has been awesome. We have gotten little snow and the temperatures have been like a dream. Yes, clearly I live in the wrong state. I hate the snow and cold! Despite that, I always pound pavement year round. It has been amazing to be able to get out there more this winter. Even though I was suppose to put running on a vacation, I couldn't stop myself from getting in some miles!

Running has become the best habit I ever picked up. As much as I had planned to change my focus it was not possible. Running means more to me than just staying fit. It means more than the muscles in my legs and the bones that carry me for miles. It means happiness, peace, acceptance and growth. In ways I did take my focus off the miles. I put that focus back into myself. Therefore getting out there and running was simply integral for me.

Once February hit I decided that I was going to start training for Half Marathon #7. I wanted to feel and be ready for this race. Using it as a training run got swiped off the board and added to the things I "must" do. I have managed to run four to five days a week. January's miles exceed last years miles by 40 miles. February's miles were 38 more than 2015! This was just what I needed to set the fire under me for this year. I have new goals I want to accomplish which means I will need to work harder than I previously have. I need to get those extra miles in. I need to be sure I am putting in more time, dedication and effort into my runs this year.

Strength training has been going great. I feel like I have found a good balance with the Sandbag and video workouts I do. Some days I do my own variation of exercises for strength training. I do my best to try to switch it up so there isn't a  monotony I am creating. The last thing I want is to get bored and fall off track. I want to be stronger, faster and better with each run. I keep this in mind on the days I want to skip a workout. I truly do love running and working out yet there are days where I it takes more effort than others. I don't skip my workouts though. I am always reminding myself why it is I do this and the end result is such an awesome reward.

I have always logged my runs. Every mile and my time on every single run! This year I started using the Believe Training Journal. I really like the layout. There are prompts to each week to get you to think of a focus. It is also filled with quotes, inspiration and useful running info and tips. Not only am I logging my runs and my workouts each day, I am taking the time to put an intention on it and dig deeper within myself. I also have been logging my routes just in case I want to go back and repeat a certain one. I even try to make a note about how I feel after each run. I definitely recommend this journal to any runner! 

Things are right where I need them to be and I am feeling confident in my training. I don't use any specific method, I have taught myself and know what works best for me. Three Half Marathon's are already on the book for 2016 with two others I will add in the fall. I would like to squeeze one more in if I can. Then there is the 30K in September I plan to challenge myself with. Needless to say I am getting excited for spring and all the races I have planned. I am eager to add in the miles and push myself farther than I have. 


"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it’s all about".
  ~ PattiSue Plumer


Check Out These Other Posts:
Running Away From Fear
Make It A Way Of Life, Not A Diet
How I Went From "That" Woman To "This" Woman


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How I Went From "That" Woman To "This" Woman

Ahh yes, we all know the saying "You are what you eat". I couldn't agree more! Five years ago I ate pretty much whatever I wanted. I didn't count calories, carbohydrates or fat content. Five years ago I was also nursing my first son and was under the assumption that as a new nursing mom I could fill my face and burn it off while letting my new little creature sucked away at my new, large breasts my husband was in awe of. Sadly, the only wonderful thing was the fact that I was fortunate to nurse my son (okay, so two things: the big breasts were pretty cool too, it wasn't just my husband who thought so) and the downfall was I was not one of those women who could throw a steak and cheese sub down her throat without it going to her ass. Not just my ass, it also started to collect on my thighs, abdomen and suddenly I had two chins. WTF! I clearly got screwed!

My son was around nine months old or so when I really took a good look in the mirror. I am not in many pictures since I always seem to be the one behind the lens, yet when I was being captured on film what I saw made me cringe. I had always been a thin girl and I didn't work out much before my son. In my twenties I would run on and off. The occasional 5K or trot around town. I never was committed to it nor would I have called myself a runner at that time. I would do the occasional Tao Boa (Who remembers Billy Blanks?!) or whatever exercise video was the fad. It worked for me. I could go out and drink to my heart's content and not have the several beers I consumed affect much besides my decision making at that time. (Believe me, I have many "What the fuck were you thinking"!!! moments that I blame on beer). Sure, eating like shit and drinking put some weight, on I won't deny that. I was comfortable with what I looked like and confident as well. Fast forward post baby and suddenly I was turning into the GoodYear Blimp! My body was pissed off and was retaliating against me. I believe if I was quiet enough I could hear it scream profanities as well.

There I was staring at myself and not really sure I knew who this person was. It made me feel self conscious, a feeling I was not familiar with and instantly hated. I wanted to make a change. I wanted to get back to a place where I was happy with how I looked. I had no one to blame but myself. It wasn't my baby who destroyed me body. No, he did things to my body that only a baby will but all that is forgiven. All those changes I proudly earned. If anything having my child change my body was the push I need to reevaluate my health. My son became one of the reasons I wanted to be a healthier, happier, and stronger person. He became my inspiration. It was me who was not taking care of the amazing vessel I had been given. It was time to make a change and become a healthier me. 

The first thing that happened was counting calories. I started using Myfitnesspal and became obsessed with logging each and everything that I ate or drank. Within weeks I was seeing a difference. The scale was going down and it had stopped swearing nasty numbers at me. Then it became a goal to get in shape. It was like someone had flipped a switch in me and I knew: I was going to run. That summer I knew that I would be running in a five person relay with my family and I had a 5.6 mile leg. That fall I started running. It began with a painful mile and soon turned into a few miles. I ran through my first Vermont winter and was ready for the relay come May with a different body and attitude.

I fell in love with running. It began like an obsessive love affair at first. I couldn't stop, didn't want to stop, and was not about to give up. The more time and effort I put into it the relationship evolved into something much deeper. My runs allowed me to be brutally honest with myself. The roads gave me a place to not just to stomp out the day's frustration but to let go, forgive, heal and grow. With each step I took I was discovering things about myself that  I had not known, parts that I had hidden away. On my runs I felt a release that I had not ever felt. I was able to open up to myself and just be in the moment. Running became my friend, confidant, and saving grace.

I even ran throughout my entire second pregnancy (even two days post due date pushing my other son in a stroller). It was during my pregnancy that I decided after I had my second son that I would run my first Half Marathon. Four week post baby and I was back on the roads. A familiar and comforting place that I had missed. I did not follow any specific training plan and I did not have a running coach. I gathered information and advice from fellow runners and applied it to what worked for me. This girl who struggled to get through her first mile a couple years earlier was ready to become a part of the Half Marathon club. I will never forget that first race and the emotions that came with reaching this goal. It will always be one of my favorite moments. 

Fast forward to today and I can tell you that I am passionate about running. I have an appreciation for this sport and all the time that goes into it. I am in awe of my fellow runners, those who inspire me to push forward to reach my goals. Because if they can, so can I! Running is some of the only time I get alone to do what I want to do. Getting out there whether it is 4 degrees or 40 degrees is all the same. I am in a place where I feel connected to the earth and all it gives me. I am forever thankful for my two legs, for my body, and for the air that I breathe on my runs. I am fortunate that I can get out there and move. Too often we take life for granted. It is important to challenge yourself. I believe that our bodies are capable of amazing things. We need to do things that scare us in order for growth to happen. My running journey has taught me so many things that I would have never known had I not decided to take a chance. That woman I use to be, she was pretty cool but she has nothing on THIS woman I am now!

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Running Into A New Year: Lacing Up For New Goals

With the end of 2015 upon us I have been thinking hard about what I want 2016 to look like for me. I was thrilled to meet my goal for 2015 of completing four Half Marathons bringing me to a total of six Half Marathons in the books for me. In those races I was able to hit a PR of 1:36:43, I ran one of those Half's without looking at my watch at all and I managed to exceed last years miles logged for the year. With a new year brings new fitness goals. I want to push myself harder and come out even stronger in the year ahead. Here is what I am envisioning for the year ahead:

Running a race out of state: I am so excited that the day after Christmas I decided to give myself a gift and I registered for my first Half Marathon for 2016. The best part about this is it will be my first Half Marathon not in Vermont. Since I lived in Massachusetts for years and consider it "home", it seemed fitting that I run my first out of state race there. I signed up for the Worcester Running Festival Half Marathon! I got butterfly's in my stomach the moment I received my confirmation email. I am excited about the coarse and think this will be a fun race. 

A minimum of  Five Half Marathon's: Last year I set a goal for three to four Half Marathons from April to October. I was thrilled to hit four! This year the plan is to do four to five Half's by then end of 2016. Five of coarse is what I have in my heart set on yet the Vermont City Marathon that I split with my father is a race that is by lottery if you do not do the full Marathon. This was my first half in 2014 and has always been one of my favorite events, as a runner and a spectator. Fingers crossed when it comes time that the Running God's help me out so we get it! 

A race each month: Whether the distance be a 10K or 13.1 I would like to have a race on the calendar for each month from April to November.  This allows me to work on training in the early spring and continue with racing throughout the summer. I am a dedicated runner yet still find it pushes me harder to have a race scheduled. It becomes a challenge against myself to work on my intention and/or speed with each new race. I already have a growing list going of potential races to sign up for as registration opens for each one in the following year.

Increase my distance: The farthest distance I reached in 2015 was sixteen miles. The goal here is to complete a 30K in September. I will be honest, this one makes me nervous. I do believe it is attainable for me and with the right training I will be ready for it by the end of the summer. I figure with a few Half Marathons prior to the race and some longer runs in between, I can do it!

2015 was such a wonderful year personally and physically. I am grateful for my health, my body, and these legs which have carried me many miles. I am excited for what the next year will bring! 

Related Posts:
Finding Time To Exercise And Staying Active With Your Children
Taking The Focus Off Of Running
7 Life Lessons Running Has Taught Me
What The Scale Doesn't Tell You

My Favorite Smoothie Ingredients And Their Super Food Benefits

Since eating fruits and vegetables is not always easy to fit into a busy day, each morning I have a smoothie. Every. Single. Day! I enjoy my smoothies and try to switch up what I use for fruits and vegetables. I enjoy experimenting and coming up with new combinations. For two years now I have been concocting smoothies to fuel my body. I have my smoothies right after a run or my workout for recovery and repair. Good nutrition is just as important as daily exercise is. Here are some of my favorite smoothie ingredients that have key nutritional benefits.

Chia Seeds: These tiny little seeds are full of amazing nutrition. In just one ounce of Chia seeds there is: 11 grams of Fiber, 4 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat (5 of those contain Omega-3's!), 137 calories, 18 % Calcium, 30 % Manganese, 30% Magnesium, and 27% Phosphorous. That's not all! Chia seeds also contain zinc, Vitamin B's, and potassium. They are an excellent source of antioxidants and packed with high quality protein. This makes them a great addition to a smoothie. I have even been adding them to our Yummy Balls. 

Kale: This is such a super food that mixes well with different fruits. I love that in just one cup of kale it is packed with 6 carbs, 3 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber and only 36 calories! It is filled with vitamins, nutrients, folate and magnesium. If you do not already have this on your grocery list then add it!

Spinach: Popeye is not the only one who loves spinach, smart man for sure! Spinach is my favorite veggie. I eat it every day and there are so many things that it pairs well with along with many different ways to eat it. I use spinach in each and every smoothie. Here is why everyone needs to eat spinach: It is low in fat, high in niacin, zinc, protein and fiber. Spinach contains folate, calcium, iron, phosphorus, copper, thiamin, manganese and magnesium. Grab a handful and throw it in! 

Cherries: Cherries are my new favorite fruit for my smoothies. Not only are they delicious yet the benefits from cherries make them a must in any diet, especially if you work out and run. Cherries have been found to reduce inflammation, aid in post exercise muscle pain, reduce the risk of stroke, good for your heart, support healthy sleep and contain cancer fighting agents. I keep a bag of them in my freezer and use them often.

Greek Yogurt: A spoonful of Greek yogurt goes in most of my smoothies. Greek yogurt contains calcium, protein (double the protein of regular yogurt), zinc and vitamins B6 and B12. Let's not forget about the probiotics we are adding to our bodies. Healthy bacteria helps maintain a healthy gut. It also makes your smoothie creamy as well as healthy! 

These are only a handful of ingredients to add to your smoothie. Be creative! You may be surprised at the combination of smoothies you can make and just how good they can be for you. This is an easy way to pack in your fruits and veggies while giving your body some essential vitamins and nutrients it needs. 

Looking for a couple smoothie ideas? Check out my post  5 Smoothie Combinations To Fuel Your Day. 

 

Mad-Lib Style Post: Grokker Fitness

I'm so excited to rack up more minutes using video workouts from Grokker! There’s everything from Yoga to HIIT Workouts for everyone from beginners to advanced, and I'm especially pumped to try Kelly Lee's HIIT Core because it will make me extra strong.

I plan to do my video workout in my living room before I clean the house and after change a diaper. My favorite thing about video workouts is the challenge, and they’re a super convenient way to get sweaty when I want.

My goal is to hit 60 minutes this week!. I’ll do HIIT Workout #3 with Sarah Kusch one of my more intense workout days, and Lower Body Flow with Steffy White,  on a rest or lower intensity day.  I challenge Jenn to beat my # of minutes or to do run with me!

psst! Want more access to more of the amazing videos on Grokker? Use the code LOVEGROKKER for a free month of their premium version. No strings attached - just good sweaty fun! :) 

(All the words underline was where I had to fill in!)

Giving Mother Nature the Middle Finger

February is finally done and I couldn't be happier about it. For what is the shortest month I felt like it was twice as long as January was. Perhaps it was the fact that here in Vermont we were "frozen" in time. The temperatures were brutal along with the wind. I am not sure if Mother Nature actually thinks she is funny and has enjoyed this joke she has played on the Northeast or if she just got confused. Either way I am pretty pissed off and am giving Mother Nature the middle finger.

My running goal for the month of February was to hit 90 miles. Last year I managed 94 for the month so this would be cake right?! Wrong! This year my miles logged for February only hit 84.05. Two miles more than last month but six miles short of my goal. I will be honest, this shattered my ego a bit. When I set my mind to something I tend to follow through. Maybe it is because I am stubborn. I like to think of it as determination. I started tallying my miles at the beginning of the last week of February and knew I would have to push it hard with some long runs or just succumb to the fitness Goddesses and try again in March. So I settled with making my last run of February my longest (and best run!) I have had in 2015, and pounded in 11 miles of pavement.

February I also joined with fellow runner and blogger Simply Soul Searching for the Jump For Joy Challenge. The goal was to work our way up to 250 jumping jacks by the last day of the month. As long as you got in all the jumping jacks required it did not matter if you split them up or not. I actually liked this challenge and manage to not miss a single day. (We did have a couple rest days but I stayed right with the calender program for this challenge). I plan to keep jumping jacks in my fitness schedule by doing a 100 a day at least 5 days a week.

I mentioned last month that I planned to work some cross training in for strength and sculpting. The days which I do not run I have been doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred Workout 2 video. This is a short twenty minute workout with a warm up and cool down. I really enjoy this workout. I feel it is challenging and effective. There are days that I do not have a lot of time with having small creatures (aka children), housework, errands and working at home. I still commit to squeezing a good workout in. My four year old, Chase, likes to try and do it along side of me. It's pretty cute! This workout has become my antidote for a quick fitness fix.

Now it is March and I welcome it with a happy dance! I am hoping for a little more sunshine. I am done with wearing several layers to go running. March also means I have just over a month until my first Half Marathon of the year. April 11th will be here before we know it and I am not feeling as ready as I want to be for this race. This months mileage goal is 95 miles. Truth be told, I would love to hit 100. Stay tuned!

I have decided to start a new challenge with this new month since I enjoyed the Jumping Jack Challenge. I just joined this Facebook group called The Fit Runner Club. For March there is a thirty day Ab challenge. I am curious how this one will go for me but ready to take it on. I am committed to my health and fitness and ready to challenge myself.

I am welcoming March with new fitness goals and optimism. Here we go!! 


Do you have any fitness goals for the month? What is you favorite way to be fit? Please share with me, I would love to chat fitness!  

Related Posts: 
January Running: Frosty Lashes and Icy Nipples
Time to Train: Running Goals For This Year