The Little Things
May 5, 2014

Two years ago on May 5th, I nervously walked into my corral in downtown Indianapolis to run my first half marathon. Running was something that I never thought I would do because of my POTS diagnosis, but I kept fighting for it and finally was able to run. I’m filled with huge amounts of gratitude after every race, simply because I am ABLE to do it, when so many others cannot for various reasons.

In honor of my 2 year anniversary, I thought I’d do a “superlative post” on my half marathons over the last two years.

Most Difficult Race. Hands down it was the 2013 Indy Mini Marathon. I had bad allergies the week before, and by mile 4 of the race I felt pretty blah. Around mile 8 it got worse, and my last 3ish miles I had really painful calf cramps. It was all fairly disappointing.

Picture 1Clearly (CLEARLY) in pain but still pushing through

Best Race Overall. The race that was my best overall was the 2012 Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon, and it’s the race where I set my current half marathon PR (I missed it at the 2014 Carmel Half by less than 30 seconds!). I felt great, had a great strategy, and enjoyed the race immensely.

Racing, Running, Half Marathon, Monumental Marathon

Best “Feeling of Accomplishment” Race. This one was difficult, but I think the 2013 Monumental Half Marathon wins this category. My first 11 miles were flawless and I was set to PR for the day. I felt really great and was having a great time. However, I started getting nasty little muscle twinges that had me worried (especially after the wreck that became the ending to the Mini Marathon that year) and moving a bit slower. Right before mile 12 I started getting hit with even worse cramps, and somewhere in that last mile I got cramps so badly that I physically couldn’t move a step at one point. I slowly kept going, sometimes walking, and trying to put in a bit of running too. While I missed setting a PR, that final mile was such a fight, and I felt really proud of myself at the end. It really was a great feeling of accomplishment to know that I had run really well, and when it really mattered, I was able to push through.

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Best Race Run With Another Person. The Carmel Half Marathon in 2014 wins for this one! I made a spur of the moment decision to run with a pace group, and then randomly inserted myself into a discussion almost immediately after the start! I ended up running the entire race with Melissa, and I had such a fantastic time!

Carmel 2

Most Emotional Race. My first half marathon, the 2012 Indy Mini was by far the most emotional race I’ve had. The emotions leading up to the race were higher than in any other race (even though I still get excited and nervous before races now), and emotions during the race were even higher. From mile 10 on I kept getting choked up, being overwhelmed by the fact that I was actually able to run a half marathon. As soon as I crossed the finish line I burst out crying and laughing at the same time. It was by far my slowest half marathon, but I’m so proud of it.

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Five half marathons, and all were great in their own way. Some were more fun, while some were great learning experiences. No matter what, I’m thankful for what I’ve learned and gained through these races over the last 5 years, and I’m thankful that I can run at all.

Now it’s your turn to share! Share one of your race day superlatives! 

 

May 4, 2014

First of all, happy star wars day, and may the fourth be with you! Last year I ran the Indy Mini on May 4th, and they had some star wars characters at one point on the course, which was fun 🙂

After two weeks of recovery from my fifth half marathon, this week jumped back into full on training! My body feels totally unlike it normally does after half marathons, and I feel like it’s recovered much faster than normal. That being said, my piriformis has flared up a bit, which is annoying. At this point I’m not concerned. The last two times this happened (October and January) it was fine in a week or two. I’m stretching it out and hoping for the best. Here’s what the week looked like:

Overall the week felt pretty solid, and I had a great time working out! I’ve been icing, foam rolling, and stretching almost daily, and I’m hoping that’ll help keep me loose and uninjured!

Now it’s your turn to share! What’s one thing you’re focusing on with your health this week?

May 3, 2014

Happy Saturday! Today I’m once again linking up with Jill Conyer’s Ultimate Coffee Date– are you ready?

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If we were having coffee this morning… I would tell you about my last 40 hours. I woke up at 5 am on Thursday morning and then didn’t have a chance to sleep again until 9 pm on Friday, so I was up for 40 hours. I got called around midnight on Thursday for a work emergency, and immediately jumped into action. Even with sleeping 10.5 hours last night, I’m still feeling really tired and sick (I think I’m way behind on calories from having almost nothing available to eat yesterday)

If we were having coffee this morning… I would tell you that today is my 2 year half marathon anniversary. 2 years ago I ran my first half marathon (the Indy Mini), and crossing the finish line of that race is still such a great memory. I ran it last year too, so I’m feeling a little sad that I’m not running this morning.

If we were having coffee this morning… I’d tell you that I’m excited for my next half marathon, but a little nervous about racing in the summer heat.

If we were having coffee this morning… I’d tell you that being a counselor is one of the most bizarre jobs ever, but I love it more and more every year. I feel so lucky to be on someone’s journey for a time with them…

If we were having coffee this morning… I would tell you about the book “notes from a blue bike” that I just finished. It’s really a great read, and I’d definitely encourage you to read it!

If we were having coffee this morning… I would tell you that I got a new color of nail polish last weekend (kook a mango), and I’m really liking it! I love mixing things up for spring and summer!

Now it’s your turn to share! If we were having coffee this morning, what would you tell me?

May 1, 2014

Happy Thursday and Happy May Day! I remember making may day baskets for a few of my friends (who lived close by/were neighbors) when I was really little, and really loved hearing my doorbell ring that day too! I remember that once I caught one of my friends (who was a boy), and thinking that it was really great that I was able to catch him! What a funny little tradition, right? Did any of you make baskets for candy for any of your friends growing up? Good memories 🙂 Here’s what I’m thankful for today.

I’m thankful for the flowering trees. Oh man the trees are absolutely beautiful right now. Last Sunday I took a walk and spent some time just looking at the trees and smelling the flowers. It was pretty enjoyable… the allergies that result, not so much.

I’m thankful for my bike trainer. I’ve come to realize that when I have frustrating or difficult phone calls to make, biking while making them helps keep anxiety very low and gets the frustration out of me pretty quickly! This weekend I ended up biking 29 miles through a very difficult phone call. Mental and physical health combined 🙂

I’m thankful for dandelions. Ok- I know they’re a weed and they can certainly be frustrating to deal with in the yard. However, they’re good reminders of the carefree fun I had in childhood (I loved to carry them around, make chains with them, or pop their “heads” off), but they’re also pretty when you look out over a field of them. So, instead of being frustrated about the weed, I’m choosing to enjoy the beauty and memories right now… and it’s working pretty well 🙂 Anyone want to come over and make dandelion wreaths with me? 🙂

I’m thankful for my tennis ball. The last two weeks I’ve had some really tight and sore spots in my shoulders and upper back, and digging the tennis ball into the knots has been really helpful for breaking them up. Such a simple trick!

I’m thankful for allergy medicines. It seems like every spring there are a few days that almost bring me to my knees due to allergies. I’m so thankful for medicine in helping to deal with them!

Now it’s your turn to share! What are you feeling thankful for today? Any good memories of May Day growing up?

April 30, 2014

Last week Mommy Got Fit! nominated me for a Liebster Award, and I thought it would be a great opportunity for you all to get to know me just a bit better. Here are the rules of this award:

  1. you must link back to the person who nominated you
  2. you must answer the 10 questions given to you by the nominee before you
  3. you must pick 10 bloggers to be nominated for the award
  4. you must create 10 questions for your nominees
  5. you must notify your nominees

Here are the questions that were given to me:

  1. What personal moment are you most proud of (athletic or not)? The day I graduated with my master’s was HUGE for me because I put so much of myself into the process of becoming a counselor. Crossing the line of my first half marathon was pretty fantastic too, as it was something I truly thought would never be something I would do. I was teary eyed from mile 11ish on, and as soon as I crossed the finish line I burst out crying. I was pretty happy and relieved that I could actually do it!
  2. What is your biggest goal to reach? I plan on getting a doctorate degree (I have my master’s right now), so that’ll be a big goal to reach! I would also really love to do a century bike race and a half ironman!
  3. What is your favorite type of workout? I really struggle with this question because I don’t really have a favorite. The workouts I enjoy the most are running, biking, walking, pilates, and barre workouts. They are each my “favorite” for different reasons and in different ways, and each of them provide me great things.
  4. What motivates you to take on new challenges? I love growing, changing, and trying new things in my life. Challenging myself is a way to push myself and prove that I am stronger. (I wrote more about this while talking about why I run…)
  5. What has been the biggest challenge you have to overcome? There have been so many challenges to overcome. One very big challenge that I deal with on a daily basis is my diagnosis of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. It makes daily living pretty tough, but I’ve learned many great lessons from it as well.
  6. What is your most favorite total indulgent meal or dessert (feel free to share a recipe!)? Oh so many things to say… I make root beer float cupcakes quite a few times a year, and I really love them. One of my favorite meals overall is a gyros with meat shaved right off the spit, homemade tzatziki, greek salad, and fresh baklava- amazing! If I can eat it in Greece while looking at the Parthenon, I’m even happier 🙂
  7. What time of day is your favorite time to work out? I enjoy working out in the morning, and going on walks in the afternoon. I teach pilates and barre classes at 6 am, so I’ve finally gotten used to being energetic and moving early in the morning! I try not to work out much past about 6 pm.
  8. Wine, beer, or mixed drinks? Any of them depending on my mood! I don’t drink too often, but I’ll often drink a beer if I drink anything at home (I can drink a small amount without having an open bottle of anything)- I don’t even usually drink a full beer when I have one (having POTS makes me an extra light weight)
  9. Would you/have you ever dress/ed up for a theme race? I never have but I definitely would! That sounds like fun!
  10. What is your go to healthy meal? I really love my “hearty fall soup” recipe and my mediterranean quinoa salad recipe!
  11. What is your dream race? I would absolutely love to run a race in Athens, Greece. I’ve been there 3 times, and it’s one of my favorite places. I’d love to run a race there!

My nominees are: Girl In A Red Sundress, Just A One Girl Revolution, Perfection Isn’t Happy, Katie Morse, Run With Perseverance, Glitter & Dust, Back At Square Zero, Run Pretty, Fitness & Frozen Grapes, Licorice & Olives, The Trendy Trainer

Here are my questions for you!

  1. What is one way you work on your mental health that leads you to being an overall healthier person?
  2. What’s your favorite race that you’ve run (and/or what is your dream race)?
  3. What’s one type of exercise you’d love to try but haven’t gotten to try yet?
  4. What’s one thing that you really love about yourself?
  5. What is one of your happiest memories?
  6. If you could do one thing and money was absolutely no issue, what would it be?
  7. What is one of the most important lessons that you’ve learned so far in your life?
  8. One thing I’m committing to work on in my life right now is _____ (fill in the blank).
  9. One thing I’m looking forward to this summer is ______ (fill in the blank).
  10. What’s one of your favorite quick, easy, and healthy meals?
  11. (Bonus)- What’s one random fact about your life?

Feel free to join in even if I didn’t nominate you!

Now it’s your turn to share! Answer one of the questions in the comment section! 

Looking for more ways to connect?

April 29, 2014

About two years ago I set out to make a dinner that I had looked forward to for weeks- eggs baked in avocado. I excitedly scooped out a bit of the avocado from each half to make room for the eggs, and followed directions exactly as I prepped the meal and put it in the oven!

I love eggs and avocado, so I thought this would be an excellent quick and easy meal to make. I guess I shouldn’t have been quite so confident.

Avocado, egg, baking, breakfast, meal

It came out looking pretty ok (that’s a little bit of red onion in the egg). I was excited to eat it (and pretty hungry by this time as it took longer to cook than the directions said), so I excitedly put it on a plate to eat. I took the first bite and actually gagged. Now, I love all three of these foods separately and together (i.e. in omelette form), but this was not good. Not good at all. I actually felt like I had taken a big bite out of a soggy diaper. Now, I’ve never actually taken a bite out of a soggy diaper before, but the taste of the avocado and egg was what I imagined it tasting like. It was disgusting- so much so that even two years later I still gag a little bit just thinking about it.

So, there’s a pinterest fail for you all. I guess sometimes in life we need things to not quite work out to keep us humble and give us a good laugh and story for the future.

Now it’s your turn to share! Have you ever had a pinterest/cooking/crafting mishap where things didn’t turn out like you had hoped? If so, please share it! 

Want to connect further?

 

April 28, 2014

There are a few changes in training that I’ve made since late 2013/early 2014 that I think are making a huge difference in my training and races. Because they’ve become a big part of my training, I thought I’d write about them:

Other things I stayed committed to that I started doing last year:

And of course, these are helpful too- How I Stay Proactive in Trying To Avoid Injuries

Now it’s your turn to share! What’s something different that you’re doing in training right now?

Disclaimer: As always, I am simply sharing what I am personally doing in my training. This post shouldn’t be taken as professional advice. Talk to your doctor and/or a trainer before starting any exercise program, or if you are struggling with injury.

 

April 27, 2014

Like I said, I am mixing it up this year and running a half marathon two months after my last half marathon (I’ve always had them spaced out 6 months apart). This recap will go from my last half marathon until the present. It doesn’t look like a typical week in training because these two weeks have primarily been my recovery from my last half marathon! Here’s how the two weeks looked:

That’s what my two weeks post race looked like. I tried to move a bit every day, and I kept my paces slower than normal most of the time (minus my runs). My bikes were slightly slower, and my walks were definitely much slower than normal. I’ve also gone much lighter with pilates, not pushing myself too hard in workouts. This has kept me feeling loose and working out the kinks from my half marathon while also keeping some of my fitness level up to jump right back into training.

So this means that the first 2 weeks are recovery weeks, the middle 4 weeks are training, and the final 2 weeks are taper again before my race- by far my shortest training cycle but I’m also coming in in great shape. So now hopefully I don’t get injured along the way 🙂

Now it’s your turn to share! Any tips for having a short training cycle like this? What’s one big accomplishment (fitness or otherwise) that you had this week?

April 24, 2014

There’s oh so much to be thankful for this week (and every week really, even when hard times come around). Here are some of the things that I’m thankful for right now:

I’m thankful for a long weekend. I had last Friday and this Monday off for the Easter holiday, and it was pretty great! I got some great workouts in, cleaned a good amount, enjoyed a few hours of reading, spent lots of time with friends, and got some work and writing done. Relaxing, productive, fun, and healthy- that’s the best balance, isn’t it?

I’m thankful for the beautiful green grass! I forgot how green the grass actually gets, and every day lately I pause to enjoy it for a few moments. It’s beautiful and full of hope for the next few months ahead!

I’m thankful for Easter! What a great holiday, right? The greek meal that I had was pretty great as well.

I’m thankful for a great Boston Marathon! The elite runners ran a great race, an American won for the first time in over 30 years, and my friends who ran all did a great job! Juli, who I mentioned in this post along with a video of her story, made history by becoming the first female with dwarfism to finish the Boston Marathon! I saw her cross the finish line, and cheered really loudly in my living room. There was so much excitement on Monday, and I loved the strength and resiliency that was demonstrated.

I’m thankful for an unlimited supply of beverages. I try to remind myself from time to time as I’m getting a glass of water from the tap that this isn’t something I should be taking for granted. I can get water whenever I want, and I have the money to purchase whatever other beverages I might want in a given week. That is something HUGE to be thankful for in life!

I’m thankful for the warmth. The weather keeps bouncing between the 50’s and the low 70’s, and this is just absolutely beautiful weather! The feels like as I type this is a full 100 degrees warmer than some of the coldest days of the winter. Ahhhh… bliss.

Now it’s your turn to share! What are you feeling thankful for right now? Did you watch/cheer for anyone in the Boston Marathon?

April 23, 2014

In 2012 and 2013, I ran two half marathons each year. I ran a spring half marathon, took about a month to heal, trained for a summer sprint triathlon, and then jumped into fall half marathon training. This worked for me, as I usually felt injured for about a month post race. Well- this year I’m mixing it up a bit.

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Source

That’s right- I registered for a summer half marathon! It was part post-race high, part not wanting to wait until the end of August to really train again, and a little persuasion by Melissa (who is also running!), and on Easter (with a price increase impending) I decided to take the leap!

We’ll see how it feels to jump back into training again so close to my last half marathon. Here’s my main concern- the heat. With having POTS, things can get kind of nasty in the heat. I can get dizzy quickly, and with POTS it’s not easy to cool myself well (that part of my system is a little bit malfunction-y). Maybe it’ll be a cooler than average day, and I’ll be fine. If it’s hotter than average, then it’ll be really slow going for me, and a PR will be absolutely out of the question. That’s not something I’m really worrying about right now, but it is on my mind as I go into training and prepping for race day again!

No matter what, I want this *bonus half marathon* to be a fun one, so we’ll see how it all goes! I’m ready for a new adventure 🙂 And yes- I’ll be doing all of these things to try to avoid injury!

Now it’s your turn to share! Have you done a summer half marathon before? Any tips for training differently (besides slower pace and more hydration/salt)?