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Melissa and I both went to bed early again, and got about 8 hours of sleep, waking up before 6 am. I again put a granola bar right on the edge of bed, so I could reach it while still half asleep. I feel pathetic admitting it, but I am more likely to get moving if I do this. I’ve really been enjoying this bar lately:
Melissa and I hit the trail a little after 7, and the first few miles felt tough, like my legs were just heavy. Nothing was aching, but it just like it was a little tough for them to turn over at the rate that I would like. Melissa and I talked throughout most of the run, but definitely had some run cycles where we didn’t speak at all.
We ran straight down the Monon in one direction, turning around at mile 4.2. As soon as we turned around I started to feel a bit better, and my legs felt like they had loosened up a bit. Melissa had a great play list on her phone that she was playing, and during out walk breaks we took to dancing just a little bit.
I remembered in my recap from my 8 miler from last fall’s training cycle, I wrote that I had convinced myself that I wouldn’t train for another half marathon. I laughed pretty hard at that, as I’ve run 3 (or 4 if you count my “unplanned” half marathon) half marathons since that declaration. Never make decisions during a bad run, right?
We hit my car again at mile 8.4, and I felt pretty great at that point. Melissa had 20 on the schedule for the day, so she took off again and I changed and got my bike out so I could get in a few miles that way. I ended up going in the opposite direction than she was running for 5ish miles so that I could fly pretty quickly, and then I caught up for her. I don’t mind biking next to her at all while she runs, but I try to give her a good handful of miles each run on her own, as we’ll only get to run the first 7ish miles of the race together before the half and full courses split. I’d bike next to her for a bit and then take off at my normal biking speed for a bit before I’d turn around and meet up with her again.
Melissa hit 20 miles for the first time, and I am really impressed. I don’t think my body could do that! I ended the day with 8.4 miles of running and 17.25 miles of biking- pretty solid! I ate a package of shot bloks (cran razz) and 1 honey stinger chocolate waffle. I also brought 14 ounces of nuun in my handheld for running, and water with me for the bike.
The weather was pretty ideal at the start- in the 50s and the sun hadn’t come up for the day yet. By the time we were done it was in the upper 60s and sunny. Pretty perfect fall weather, right?
While it seems that 8 miles seems to be my toughest training mileage, I’m glad I powered through and had a great run overall, followed by a solid bike ride.
After we finished we immediately went to Einstein’s (it’s right near the trail), and I had finished almost the entire bagel before we left the parking lot. It was delicious and warm still, and I was SO hungry!
Doesn’t that look amazing?
Eating in the car. The runger is real.
After coming home to stretch/roll/shower, we headed off to Five Guys for lunch. Because the weather was so fantastic, we decided to eat outside. It’s been a few years since I had eaten there, and I was reminded why I like it so much!
And yes- I did wear my shirt from Color Me Rad. I LOVE it and it’s so comfortable!
I’ve really been enjoying this training cycle. I love my new training location, and I’m so glad that I have a friend to run with so often now too!
Now it’s your turn to share! Is there a specific running distance that’s more difficult for you to complete? What’s your favorite post-run food?
Happy Sunday! I finally feel that I am starting to get into a new routine. It doesn’t help that I start back to work again right at the time that training officially starts for my fall half, so I’m pretty scattered at first. I’m figuring what works/what doesn’t schedule wise, but every week my schedule has to change a bit, so I adjust. Like- this week I was able to get in a longer bike ride after work, but I gave up lifting to do that (and then didn’t get up in the morning to lift before work- oops!). Here’s what the week looked like:
- Friday (9/12): 35 minute walk, 30 mins pilates
- Saturday: 7.4 mile run
- Sunday: 3 mile gentle walk, 1 hour mat pilates, 30 minutes barre pilates (while testing out a new playlist)
- Monday: 30 minutes pilates barre while teaching
- Tuesday: REST
- Wednesday: 0.85 mile walk at lunch, 20 mile bike ride
- Thursday: 3.9 mile walk (while talking to Meg & Melissa on the phone!)
So that was what the week looked like. I’m hoping that I can maybe get in some speedwork this coming week- we’ll see though!
I’m thankful for my littlest brother: Not only is he definitely the comedian of the family, but he’s a wealth of knowledge when it comes to fitness and exercise. I appreciate this so much, and really value all the help that he’s given me over the last few years. I appreciate the encouragement I’ve received from him as I try to get stronger and healthier physically. I’m loving watching him pursue his soccer dreams too! 🙂
I’m thankful for the free hour and a half I got to sit in the massage chair this past weekend. I ran 7 miles, then went with Melissa to go get her hair done (and get something for myself touched up). Her aunt, who cuts both of our hair, asked if I wanted to sit in the pedicure chair and use it while I waited. Ummmm- yes please! I sat there and blogged, read a magazine, and talked to another woman who is also training for Monumental, all while getting my shoulders and back massaged. It was pretty fantastic. I need to figure out a way to get something like that every week after my long runs 🙂
I’m thankful for a really great long run this week. I wish that every person had the opportunity to experience a run that feels like that one did- I think everyone would want to run if they could 🙂 These are the sorts of runs where everything comes together really well and gives me confidence for race day!
I’m thankful that Melissa helped me find a great list of songs for my next barre playlist… and that she was willing to be my guinea pig in trying it out! Making this playlist has been looming over my head, and I knew it needed to be done by this coming Monday. Last Sunday afternoon we finally sat down and listened to songs to try to find the right beats to fit each type of exercise in the barre class. Then she willingly went along as we tried out a shortened version of the class using half of each of the songs. I can’t wait to use it in class now!!
I’m thankful that Kraft Cheese has 0g of lactose! It makes this lactose intolerant’s heart oh so happy!! I love being able to make most of the things that I enjoy, even though I can’t have most dairy.
Now it’s your turn to share! What are you feeling thankful for today?
I went with Melissa to Carmel Ink & Tattoo. I was shaking so badly and told the tattoo artist over and over “I can’t feel my hands. My hands are numb”. He was really good about speaking calmly and assuring me that it would be just fine.
The entire tattoo took about 2 minutes and 17 seconds, so it was over quickly. It also wasn’t painful- I’ve had mosquito bites hurt worse! Melissa asked me part way through which was worse- this tattoo or running the speedway at the Indy Mini Marathon. I immediately said the speedway was more painful; what can I say- I really hate that speedway. And then it was over in a flash.
And see, it wasn’t too bad at all. I was clearly still pretty happy about the entire thing. So what did I get?
“It Is Well”
So why the phrase “It Is Well”? It comes from the hymn “it is well”, written by Horatio Spafford after a series of traumatic events in his life. First, his oldest son died from Scarlet Fever, and the year after the Great Chicago Fire ruined him financially. Two years after this, he sent his daughters and wife to Europe (he was supposed to go with them, but something with his business came up, so he was planning to meet them a bit later), and while sailing across the Atlantic, the boat hit a sea vessel and sank. He lost all four of his daughters, although his wife survived. As he was sailing to meet his wife in Europe, he sailed past the place where his daughters died, and he was inspired to write the lyrics to the now popular song “It Is Well”. This man knows deep and unrelenting pain, yet he penned the following words:
“When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrow like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It Is well, it is well, with my soul.”
In college I lost three friends in a very traumatic car accident, and one of my close friends and mentors who helped me through the loss died less than a year later of stomach cancer. Immediately after these events, I knew I wanted something that would honor them, as these two circumstances changed my life deeply in many ways. Because of these situations, along with many others in my life, this song and phrase has been a constant in my life. To me “it is well” is one of the most calming, peaceful, and grounding phrases I’ve ever found. To know that, no matter what the circumstance I’m going through, no matter how painful, the bigger story is that it IS well with my soul. I love the message behind the phrase, and I love how much it encompasses both my professional life as a counselor, as well as my personal story. As a counselor, so much of what I do is walk alongside someone in the depths of their pain. It is well. I love that.
If you’re interested in listening to the entire song, here’s the link:
The tattoo still in the healing process…
I’m so thankful for the hope and promises that I can cling to in life. I’m thankful that, through the pain and hardships and loss, it is still well.
1. The illness I live with is: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: August 2004
3. But I had symptoms since: February of 2004
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: The average “daily living” things that I do. I’ve had to change how much fluid I drink, my salt intake, my foods, how I stand throughout the day, how I do my workouts, and how I have to travel. It just underlies most things that I do.
5. Most people assume: That I am totally fine or making something up. For some reason I think it’s easier for people to assume that then to go online, read a website, and realize that I’m being completely accurate about what I’m saying. I also don’t often show or talk about POTS to people unless they were close to me, so most of my clients and people in the pilates barre class I teach would have no idea about my diagnosis.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: Getting out of bed/the head aches and aches in general. Most mornings when I wake up I feel pretty flu-ish. My head throbs, my joints are stiff, and I’m pretty sore- I feel like I’m pretty old most mornings. Once I get up, get moving, and stretch out I’m normally ok. Waking up is hard enough on a good day, but POTS makes it even more overwhelming.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: I’ve watched all of House, and I still watch Grey’s Anatomy. I love both of those shows, even though they definitely aren’t realistic.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My iPhone! I can’t imagine not being able to be in communication with so many friends and family throughout the day, and I love having internet and social media at my fingertips too! That being said, my 8 hours at work I’m face to face with clients, so I only have access to my phone or computer during the few minutes in between sessions. It’s sort of nice to have a job where I get to disconnect a bit!
9. The hardest part about nights are: the dizziness and insomnia. I tend to get a little more dizzy throughout the day (certainly not every day though!), so nights I feel pretty blah. Obviously the insomnia is a nighttime thing as well, and it certainly can make going to bed a really frustrating process.
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins. (No comments, please) On a good day I take 6 pills, but if I have a migraine I might take more like 10-12 in a day. I also occasionally will take magnesium and fish oil, depending on what my training schedule is looking like.
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: haven’t done too much of this. However, things like the neti pot bottle, compression sleeves, etc… have been really helpful.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: This is a tough question. I don’t get the same understanding as someone with a visible illness, but I also like being able to sit back in the crowd and not stand out too. I don’t know. I suppose pros and cons with both.
13. Regarding working and career: I’ve still been able to fulfill my dreams, but it certainly takes more work, effort, and forethought in coming to work than it does for my co-workers. I was still able to go to college on a normal schedule, and went straight to grad school afterwards! I was lucky in that.
14. People would be surprised to know: that I’m in physical pain most of the time. I often walk around with a lot of energy and a smile on my face, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not in pain while I’m doing it.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: the fact that I now have to live a life that most people won’t and can’t understand. Plenty of people in my life are sensitive to POTS, but obviously we can only understand something to a certain extend without experiencing it ourselves. It’s hard to know that people don’t always understand or get why I have to do certain things.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Run half marathons! I thought that most types of exercise would be completely out of the question, but I very slowly and patient built up my strength, and am now training for half marathon #7!! 
17. The commercials about my illness: are non-existent. I’ve never heard of any commercials about POTS. Most people have never even heard of it- including many doctors and nurses.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: living life more effortlessly. I’m not saying that life is really effortless for many people, but there is so much energy I have to use in planning, preparing, and adjusting my life. I miss being my more carefree self.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: there wasn’t something specific that I actually had to give up. To go with the point above, I had to give up carefree living in a certain sense.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Running! While I was really active before my POTS diagnosis, I never really enjoyed running. I’m not sure what clicked back in 2011, but I really started to enjoy running (and pilates!).
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Oh my gosh- I have no idea. I would probably go on a run to feel what it’s like normally. Other than that, I think I might just plan a fun day with friends, and enjoy and soak in the feelings I have. But honestly, since I hardly remember what “normal” feels like anymore, I’m not sure I would take one day of feeling “normal”. I think it’d make the following weeks even more difficult for me.
22. My illness has taught me: how strong and resilient I actually am. It’s also helped me decrease how much I compare myself to others.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: how could that many things actually be wrong with you? It’s really annoying, and what people don’t understand about POTS is that once the autonomic nervous system is thrown off, everything associated with it gets thrown off too.
24. But I love it when people: Ask questions about POTS. It’s SUCH an unknown illness to most people, so I’m almost always game for answering whatever questions that people have about it! Anything to spread awareness!
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: I don’t have one favorite quote or verse, actually. I have a bunch of different ones. This one, by Helen Keller, is right next to my bedroom door: “Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find joy in overcoming obstacles.”
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: to take care of yourself but try to push yourself little bits at a time too, try to connect with others who have POTS (it took me years to do this, and it was lonely), and try to get information to your friends and family to read. And also- know that things do become more manageable!
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: hmmm. I’m not really sure. I guess I would’ve been shocked at age 16 before I was diagnosed to know how much joy and laughter there can still be in life, even alongside the pain and frustration and loneliness. 
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: give up time to cook meals for me, sat with me at the hospital for hours, etc… But really, to me it’s just about the understanding behaviors and willingness to be more low key, especially in the evenings, with me!
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: there are SO many people with invisible illnesses, yet most people would have no idea! The more we can raise awareness for the things that aren’t visibly seen, the better off we’ll be!
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: thankful and encouraged! I appreciate you wanting to know a bit more about life with POTS! So thank you! 🙂
For more information on POTS, please click here.
On Friday night Melissa and I were both asleep before 10 pm- we’re party animals clearly. Knowing we had to be up before 6 am, we decided to be responsible adults and get enough sleep. I put a granola bar in bed with me so I could grab it when my alarm went off at 5:50. I’m far more likely to wake up if I do this, and I’m all about doing things that will set me up for success. I told Melissa to come turn on my light at 6 to make sure I actually got out of bed, and while she agreed, she was secretly plotting to get even with me and blast “Bring Me To Life” by Evanescence loudly in my face. I told her she was evil, and she walked away laughing. It got me up though… so thanks I guess Melissa!
We headed out at 6:30 to the trail, and starting our run right about 7 am. It was CHILLY- the wind felt biting, and I was not so prepared for that, as our runs have been hot and humid. It was about 47 and nasty. I ended up wearing yoga pants on my run since that’s all I had with me, and I had to keep pulling them up. Oh well.
The first mile we went out far too fast. The part of the Monon we were on isn’t in the trees, so we weren’t covered from the wind at all, and we were COLD. Once we got into the trees we slowed it down and fell into a good pace. The little aches and pains I have generally take a mile to a mile and a half to really shake out, and Saturday morning was no different. I struggled a bit to get my breathing under control since it was chilly; my nose was stuffed up and I had to adjust to just breathing through my mouth- not my favorite.
I tried citrus flavored shot bloks for the first time this run, and really liked it! It tasted pretty similar to my typical margarita shot bloks, but with less sodium. They sat well with me though, and I think they’ll become a regular part of the rotation.
About the 3rd mile it started to mist a little bit, which certainly wasn’t ideal as it was in the 40s, but luckily the trees blocked most of it.
Everything about the run pretty much was fantastic, as per my pattern of 7 milers. My pace was pretty spot on at 11:20 average for those 7.4 miles, which I’m pretty pleased with. We also negative split the first half of the run from the second half, which I’m also pretty happy about.
Fit Bit was also happy with me, and I loved having so many steps done so early in the morning.
After finishing we immediately picked up bagels at Einsteins, and went home to make our traditional post-long run bagel sandwiches (egg, cheese, and green onion)- I got a pumpkin bagel today since they were out of everything bagels, and it was just as delicious! Stretching followed.
Then Melissa had a hair appointment, and I went to sit with her. Her aunt, who cuts her hair, offered to let me sit in the massaging pedicure chair, so i enjoyed an hour long back massage post- run. Pretty ideal, right?
Melissa just snapped this picture of me. So, this is what I look like as I’m typing this post up. My ankle is wrapped, which I typically do after work outs to help decrease the chance of my tendinitis flaring back up.
So another successful 7 miler done, and I couldn’t be happier with what I did. Once I got back in the car I pat my legs a bit and said “Thank you so much legs”. I try not to take what they do for me for granted.
Now it’s your turn to share! Do you have an ideal running distance? What’s your favorite post-run (or post-exercise) meal?
My legs just keep getting knots in them- annoying, right? I’m using my trusty stick on them every day, and hoping that it’ll stop at some point. In the meantime, my legs sure are a little more achy than normal. Here’s what my training looked like this week:
- Friday (9/5): 21 mile bike ride
- Saturday: 6 mile run (including a 5k at Color Me Rad)
- Sunday: 70 minutes gentle pilates (I was SO tight!), 2.9 mile recovery walk
- Monday: 4.75 miles walking (2 of my clients requested that we walk during their sessions), 35 minutes of pilates barre while teaching
- Tuesday: 2 mile walk, 30 minutes lifting (arms)
- Wednesday: REST DAY! (oh sweet rest- I was so happy for this day to come!)
- Thursday: 2 mile walk
It was really great to get back into the gym and lift this week, but even though I lifted on Tuesday, I’m still sore as I type this (on Friday morning). Wow- I guess I need to go back to making that a priority in my life again! I also started teaching my pilates barre class again, and while I definitely am not there to take the class, I do get a pretty good workout throughout the class too! Besides doing a few of the sections with them (warm up and cool down= flexibility, cardio section, and demonstrating each of the moves a few times), I also ended up walking almost 2500 steps during the class. It’s fun to get paid to get some exercise too! 🙂
Now it’s your turn to share! How’s the week looked for you? Do you ever get knots in your legs?
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This is now my 3rd week of being “back to work” for the year, and I feel like I’m slowly adjusting back to my new schedule. It’s also my 3rd week of training for my next half, so all around there’s been quite a bit of adjustment! Here’s what I’m thankful for today:
I’m thankful for some free time to swing on a recovery day! On Sunday Melissa and I went on a walk to loosen our legs up a bit after our long runs the day before (of course wearing our compression sleeves!). We walked past a playground and immediately ran to the swings for some fun! It’s been a few years since I last got on a swing, so it was fun to tap into my inner child a bit 🙂
I’m thankful for ice packs. I’ve been icing little aches and pains after work outs this week, and using ice packs is just so convenient because I can do other things at the same time (and yes- I do freeze water in cups to use as well).
I’m thankful for long walks in the sunshine. I’ve walked SO so much this past week, and I’ve been so happy as a result. For me, walking outside in nature truly is on my life of favorite things to do in life. I had two clients who wanted to walk during our sessions this week, and that was extra fun as well!
I’m thankful for the chance to run Color Me Rad. It’s fun to do some fun runs in the middle of training and being more serious about what I’m working towards. Color Me Rad is so fun, and I had a great time getting colorful.
I’m thankful for youtube. While most of us definitely have to be careful as it can be a HUGE time waster, I really love being able to watch funny videos, listen to music, learn all sorts of new things, and watch Australia’s version of Big Brother (especially since I CAN’T watch that on TV!). What a great invention, right?
I’m thankful for all the first responders who worked tirelessly for days and months after September 11th.
Now it’s your turn to share! What are you feeling thankful for today?
A quick update on my goals from two weeks ago:
1. Get into a solid workout routine with the new work year. I’m getting there. It usually takes me a few weeks to adjust to a new schedule, and I’m moving things around as I try to figure out what will work out best for me. You can see what the last two weeks of my work outs looked like in Training Week 1 and Training Week 2 links.
2. Create a new playlist for my barre class I teach. I’ve gone through and gathered all the songs. I just need to go through it and move songs around to try out different orders until I find the order I like. I probably won’t use the list for another 2 weeks, so I’ve still got a little time. Getting the songs is usually the most work, as I have to find songs that fit certain beats.
3. Create my half marathon training plan! Done! I allow variation in my plans week to week, as I don’t like being rigid, and like room for when things don’t work out in an ideal fashion. I’ve figured out a general plan, and that’s all I need right now!
4. Raise some money for Team in Training! I’m running my next half with Team in Training in memory of my grandma, and am anxious to get the ball rolling in fundraising! I haven’t raised any $$ yet, but I’ve moved forward with some fundraising options, so that’s good!
And my goals for the next two weeks:
1. Use my new playlist in barre class! I want the playlist to be in good working order, which means that I’ll need to run through maybe about half of each song and go through the motions so I can see how the beat works.
2. Get up at least one morning each week before work to exercise. The struggle is SO real. I’ve seriously been struggling so much to get up before my alarm goes off, but on days I work 12+ hours, exercise beyond a walk just isn’t going to happen. Getting up early will help that.
3. Schedule a fundraising event for Team in Training!
Now it’s your turn to share! What are some of your goals for the next two weeks?
I lifted/did Jillian Michaels’ Ripped in 30. I believe that strength training is critical for success with cardio as well, so I made sure to do some form of strength training most weeks. Sometimes I enjoy it and sometimes I hate it, but I definitely see growth and benefits resulting from it. My cousin got me Ripped in 30, so that’s mostly what I’ve done through the month of August. I hate it and I hate my cousin the entire time, but I feel really good about it after. It’s humbling, as I have yet to make it through the entire week 1 workout without needing to pause it once for a breather.
I went on long bike rides. The bike was my favorite part of exercising this summer, and I took full advantage of only working part time to go on long morning rides. I went on 5 or 6 bike rides that were between 50 and 64 miles, and I had a great time (rides like these: Bike Ride To Mackinac Island, Metric Century Ride, Being Chased By Dogs, Take Me Home Country Roads, and Cornfields and a 50 mile PDR. I find a lot of peace and joy on the open roads and trails, so these were some of my favorite rides of the summer. I also think that the 4 hour rides definitely helped to build up muscle differently in my legs, which I appreciate.
I started to implement some speed work. I think it’s averaged out to one speed work session every other week, and while I dread it a bit before hand, I actually feeling really good about it, even when I’m in the middle of it. I come close to throwing up at the end of each session (27-28 minutes total), but I think it’s making a difference!
I did a lot of races: Many of my actual runs over the summer were done in race form. I kicked off the summer with Indy Women’s Half Marathon, and also ran another Half that was totally accidental. For fun, I ran the Foam Fest, Neon Dash, Freedom Run, and the Ripple Effect.
I started training with Team in Training: While I only went to three or four Saturday morning runs all summer (I didn’t sign on until the very end of June), I’ve enjoyed being pushed a bit in these runs, and I love getting to run with other people. Do you want to partner with me as I raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society?
I’ve continued to do pilates & stretch regularly. This is an absolutely non-negotiable part of my week, as I think the strength I get from pilates and the stretching and flexibility I get from pilates and regular stretching after each form of exercise is absolutely critical to staying healthy and hopefully not injured!
I’ve walked… a LOT. This summer I’ve walked a little over 100 miles, but it doesn’t feel like that at all. Some of them have been exercise walks- where I’m walking briskly to get my heart rate up, but probably about 2/3 of all my walking this summer has been me just going out for a stroll in the evenings. I really love this part of summer.
I’ve noticed that my running has definitely improved over the summer, which has been a surprise to me. I’m not nearly as sore after most of my runs, which has been nice. Some of my runs pace wise have hovered right around what I ran all fall and spring (which is saying something just because it’s so much hotter and more humid over the summer), but back at the end of July Melissa and I also went on a 5 mile run where my pace was 10:45- much faster than usual, and I felt great. I’m hoping all the cross training I’m doing has been helpful!
I also enjoyed plenty of rest days while I sat by the pool, which is my all time favorite way to relax! Now that summer is over and I’m back in training again, my work outs are obviously going to change a bit, but I’m ok with that. I hope to include each of these things in some way throughout most weeks as I continue to train!
Now it’s your turn to share! How do your work outs change between summer and fall? How is your fitness base right now?
