The "Get To"

Well this morning I checked one of my goals for this week off the list by getting up early and going for a morning run.

I'd been thinking a lot about how I was going to make it work. Our (mostly) sweet Ellie wakes up around 6 a.m. every morning and our alarm is set somewhere around 7:30. One of us wakes up with her at 6:30,  takes her out and then crashes on the couch for another hour or so (all while a crazy "morning puppy" is biting, swiping, and jumping all over you). While Josh can pass out on the couch almost instantly, I don't go back to sleep so easily. So this morning I got up and tossed her outside and then Josh slept with her on the couch while I ran.

It worked like a gem! I got to go for a 2 mile run (not used to that only taking 20 minutes) and I came home to a sleeping man and biting puppy. Perfection.

Thought I was going to get puppy kisses - got puppy bites instead

The rest of my morning was spent in a Bar Review lecture. The topic was ok - criminal law, thankfully - and the lecturer did his best not to be dense but lets face it: 3.5hrs of anything is going to be boring. He surprised me at the end though by offering us one last piece of advice. I was expecting "get a good night's sleep before the exam" or "take this studying seriously" or even just something totally silly. Instead, he said:

"Everything in life can be broken down into two categories: things you have to do, and things you get to do. Remember that this is something you "get" to do. You'll do far better if you think of it like that"

I know we runners talk about the power of positive thinking all the time, so I won't belabor the point but I will say this: there are so many things in live that we have to do. We have to pay bills, we have to change diapers/take out the trash/clean the floors/go to work at a job - or two, or three - we hate. At the end of the day there are so few things we "get" to do. Even then, they can sometimes become a chore.

So if nothing else, don't let running fall into the "have to" category. Even if you feel like you "have to" get in x number of miles, or hit a certain pace, remember that there are so many people who wake up every morning and don't even have the option to run a step. It's easier to remember when we're injured, or when we're coming off of a great race - it's a lot harder to remember when we're in a rut. Running may be a natural part of the human condition, but being a runner certainly isn't. At the end of the day, being a runner is a privilege we've earned by having the courage to try it, and because we love it. We run because we love it, and we get to.

Keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow brings another opportunity for a morning run. Whatever the case, tomorrow's miles will be for all of you out there who can't run today or tomorrow. And because I get to.

Happy Running!

Wednesday Wish List

It seems like every time I open a webpage - particularly one that sees high volume - I see something like this:

Did you hear that? I can eat like a 15 year old boy, get little sleep, drink little water, and with these 8 simple tips I can have abs. 


It sounds stupid, but I hate these things. I used to be a slave to the tips in magazines like Women's Health (which I still read) and other "Women's" websites which professed "easy" and "simple" ways to get that perfect body. Like clockwork I would head to the gym and give the workouts my best effort only to find, shockingly, these are hard! 


Being fit is hard. Living a healthy life and taking care of yourself, and your children, parents, siblings, spouses, pets and home is hard. While some of these little tricks may actually work for awhile, they inevitably fail if you're not ready to commit yourself to being fit, and being healthy. It's a commitment that changed my life, and one I certainly struggle with every day. For the record: I'm on my couch eating lindor truffles after skipping my workout....see? struggles!

One thing I love about being a runner is that as much as I may complain and whine about it sometimes the hard is what makes it great. Gutting out one last interval, digging through that last rep at your max weight, pushing one extra mile when the tank is on empty, leaving every ounce of sweat and willpower on the street; that's hard, and it's great. 

By putting this wish on the blog  think I fall into the category of "preaching to the choir". Either way, I wish more people would accept the challenge and learn to find the same power and fulfillment in it that I do. Sure, sometimes it really just is hard and it sucks, but that's what community is for. There is no greater reward than finding out that something that used to be really challenging is now a breeze. Whether you're just stepping off the couch, pushing for that sub 6 minute mile, or working towards your first Marathon/Ultra, we can all respect the 'hard', and we can all know the joy and exhilaration at beating it. 

Happy Running!

Back in action

I feel like a completely different person than I did this time last week. It's amazing what a difference 7 short days makes, but it's true. My efforts at rehabilitation paid off and Saturday morning I woke up feeling 100% again. I even slept until 9:30 - oops! - but managed to have a leisurely day with J and still get in my long run.

Checking off my long run

And yes, I proudly wore my Broncos gear all day Saturday. Football is such a cruel mistress, am I right?

I've pretty much resumed my normal activities this week. Last night I got in a great workout on the treadmill and trudged through three horrible games of volleyball. After we were finished I was oh so excited (read: not excited at all) to find a new achey spot in my knee. Good thing I've got my trusty ice pack to make it all better.....I hope. 

Today I decided to take my short, easy run outside to try out my new reebok wind jacket. It felt great to be off the treadmill, despite the chill in the air. I think I was going faster than my planned leisurely pace but lots of stops for traffic lights forced me to take lots of breaks.

On the bridge between KY & IN - failed attempt
to get the city in the background

An hour of yoga later and I'm whooped. Now for some quality time with Mr. Ice Pack & a bubble bath.

Wednesday Wish List

This week's wish centers around something I've ALWAYS wanted, but just didn't think I was built for: svelte, muscular arms. As a swimmer my upper body was always built a bit like a linebacker & being a bit chesty (Ok, more than a bit), I just didn't think It was possible. But in less than 9 months I will put on this:

So I'm adding strong sex arms to my wish list. Because when I slip on that wedding dress I want to look less like her

and more like her

Do you have any "trouble spots" that no amount of running seems to fix? 

How's the weather where you are?

New things, new results

Today was one of those miraculous days that started out as a crappy descent into hell and ended pretty fabulously.

Years later if someone asks me "what did you do on Monday November 29th 2011" I will have nothing to say. I did not leave the house. I don't even remember if I showered. I sat in one place, meticulously plotting my path to a "C" on my wills & estates exam tomorrow. Well, I take that back - I did do one thing. I made J this jello salad he's obsessed with for our dinner tonight. And I cut the living S#%! out of my thumb in the process. Looks like the Manson Family used my kitchen (and bathroom). It also rained for 24 straight hours, I didn't get to work out, and J was unable to give me every answer to every question I would randomly call up and ask him at a moment's notice.

So needless to say, when I woke up this morning I was hoping for today to have a much different character. The morning wasn't very promising, as I headed to weight watchers prepared to pay for the meeting (which I didn't have to, but more on this in a minute). While there, my thumb started oozing all over the place and I didn't realize when I later handed a cashier at Walmart a wad of $1 bills spotted with blood with a smile on my face. The South is a forgiving place, but not that forgiving.

I got home and I felt ultimately defeated - weight gain, bloody hands, this impossible exam and to top it off, my "grape-fruit knee" (personal medical diagnosis) forbade me to run.

And then I decided I was done being a pissy-whiney-angry-mopey-mess. I popped in Shaun-T's Hip Hop Abs. It's just as ridiculous as it sounds, but I love to dance and I love to sweat, so what the hell? It was a decent workout - not earth shattering like Insanity®, but not bad for 30 minutes in my living room.

What he doesn't tell you is that Abs like that don't come with a smile

While I was hip-hopping w/ Shaun T, I had a voicemail from my friend Sarah. Sarah, who had turned me on to Insanity®, had bought a Groupon to some new fitness class and had three extra. Would I want them? Well...why not? The Groupon was for a new Pure Barre location in Louisville. I looked up the schedule and made an appointment -- for 2 hours later. Crazy? Yes.

Before the groupon, I'd only heard of Pure Barre from a friend who'd become addicted to it prior to her wedding. Essentially, it's a one hour mix of pilates, yoga, and dance-related stretching and resistance that provide a well-rounded strength training workout without much cardio or stress. According to the website:

"Pure Barre is a total body workout that lifts your seat, tones your thighs and burns fat in record-breaking time. Utilizing the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements set to fantastic music, Pure Barre is the fastest, most effective, yet safest way to change your body. Students see results in just 10 classes."

 My reaction? It was a good workout, but not the "blast-you-into-fitness" type thing I was prepared for. It's also relatively expensive (as you can imagine, law school doesn't leave much for the discretionary sports budget). My tune may change depending on how good/bad I feel tomorrow. Stay tuned.

The New Plan Is No Plan

I think the ending of Daylight savings time created a rift in the universe.

Usually my days are meticulously structured and jam-packed. Every moment is planned out in an effort to complete 27 hours of work in the 24 hours provided to me. My meals, my minutes, my workouts - all strategically planned down to the minutes. After I walked out of the Ethics Exam Saturday morning, I felt like I'd entered the Twilight Zone. Rather than go-go-go I've felt kind of unmoored. While I'm usually inclined to call it 'lazy' and 'restless' right now, I'm calling it awesome.

My workouts have been just as wayward, but I don't think that's a bad thing. Usually if I run, I have to have a plan. A goal or an endpoint. I've never really run just to run. I ran because I wanted to accomplish something, so I ran to accomplish that goal. In typical "me" fashion I had to have the promise of the reward in order to actually do the running.

Something just clicked in Chicago, though. Since that race I've really been energized and excited about running. Maybe it was getting the reward of a pain-free, goal time race in perfect conditions. Maybe it was the surgery in February or the Hospital stay in March that made me really appreciate what it means to be active. Maybe it was this guy finally getting to be there for a race.

Hopefully our first of many post-finish line photos

Whatever the case, I want to run! So I'm taking a unique approach for awhile - I'm just going to do what feels good, when it feels good, until it doesn't feel good anymore. I'm going to try new routes and new paces; eat new things and try new fitness classes. I'm going to let runner-me go untethered and unstructured until January 1st. I'm eager to see where my runner-self will wander

Tonight I headed to my favorite Y for an hour of BodyPump. I forgot how much I love it - it makes me feel strong and tough and...really sore! I eaked out 15 minutes on the elliptical afterwards just to get my muscles nice and loose. This time of year the gym is usually just a few degrees too hot for my taste. Something about the weather changing so drastically makes it impossible for them to keep the thermostats right. Regardless, I got my HR up a little bit, got a good stretch in and left feeling really good.

I have to say - I'm tired! My body is worn out but I'm absolutely satisfied by the day. I have nothing planned for tomorrow as of yet....and I love it! Can't wait to see what runner-me has in mind.

Don't mind if I do!

When did you first fall in love with running? Were you training for something or did it just happen?

Back to Basics

I'm convinced that there are few evils that a rest day and a swim in the pool can't cure.

The one good thing about my Insanity® rest days falling on Tuesdays is that Tuesdays are the easiest days for me to get to the pool. Swimming and I have had a love-hate relationship that I've mentioned time and time again. I've made a serious effort go go regularly though, and I've been making it work. Swimming is like "going home" for me - it was the first sport I ever really 'played' and being in the water always felt second-nature. As a runner, I've been trying to get the best out of both.

If you've never swam, you should give it a shot. It can be a challenging way to get cardio and build strength (especially in key areas we don't work while running). Aside from that, there's a zen to it that is really relaxing and it has a way of stretching, realigning and releasing muscle tension that I've only otherwise found in light yoga.

Easy Dozen 200 Easy warm-up Freestyle 150 Reverse IM (no fly) 150 Kick Build 4x50 Build on 1:00 (finished ea. under 45) 150 Pull Freestyle 150 Kick – fly work, abs 200 IM Drill Total – 1,200 Yards

I made sure to stretch out really well afterward, focusing on my hip flexors and quads. Mobility in my knee is getting better, but it still feels really unstable. Not a good sign. Brought the tennis ball with me to school today so, despite looking like a total weirdo, I've been "rolling" it out all morning. Fingers crossed!

Dietary outlook is looking pretty good today. I'm here at school until about 9 tonight, which always leaves room for 'snacks'. It's so hard to plan for being gone that long and the vending machines are just so temping. They are, however, the silent killers of my weight goals AND my wallet. So today my lunchbox is stuffed with: lowfat mixed berry yogurt and granola, Baby Carrots, 1/2 Honeycrisp apple (be still my heart), Mint Chocolate Chip Luna Protein bar, and a baby almond joy (b/c hey, a girl has to have something naughty). If I can stick to it, I'm headed for dietary victory!

Hope you all are no longer working insane hours and/or plagued with injury!

Do you have a favorite type of cross-training? Got any tips for how to stay healthy while working long hours?