Motivation Monday

Good morning folks!! Happy Monday!!

That was a great weekend!!  We had fun with my family at my niece's birthday party Saturday. I tried to get a picture with my little "mini-me" but with her friends and pony rides, it was hard to get her to sit still long enough.

Saturday is typically my "long run" day but I wasn't able to this week due to the party. I agreed to meet my friend Kelly on Sunday morning instead. Kelly hasn't been running much lately.  Neither have hubs and I. We're all trying to get back at it and gradually build up our miles. Since this would be hubs' first attempt at running post meniscus repair and not sure what to expect due to my recent injury issues, we decided to try something different. We met at Turkey Mountain in Tulsa. It's known as Tulsa's urban wilderness. The main trailhead is only 7 miles from downtown Tulsa. One can run/bike for miles without seeing another soul – a testament to the many trails at Turkey Mountain. Crowded with roots and rocks, blessed with views of the Arkansas River, and basically untouched by humanity in general. There are multiple running/hiking/biking trails.

Unpaved trails are generally softer and provide less resistance during running. Your feet sink in slightly upon impact on an unpaved trail, which partially absorbs the force of impact with each stride. Also, trail running not only helps save your knees from intense jarring, it also intensifies your overall workout. Trails are almost never straight and even. They generally include various inclines and declines, roots sticking out of the ground, tree branches, water obstacles such as streams and puddles, and a variety of other natural elements. Such terrain typically doesn't allow for steady, paced running. Trail running incorporates lots of jumping, twisting, directional changes and pace variations. The natural obstacles can give you a more effective overall workout and help improve your sense of balance and reaction time.

We decided to try the yellow trail, which is about 4.4 miles. We agreed that we would take it slowly. We implemented a run/walk/run approach. It was a beautiful morning! We got to the yellow turn around point and decided to take the pink train back for a change of scenery. It was much more narrow so we ended up hiking most of the way back. We eventually intersected the blue trail and took it back to the trailhead. It was so much fun!!  Even though we didn't run all of it, it was still a good work out! Hubs did really well. And I'm pleased to report that I minimal pain in my heel/foot/etc. I had taped my foot up with kinesio tape really well. I used my green Superfeet inserts in a pair of broken in Brooks Ravennas. I'm not sure if it was the taping, the inserts, the shoes, the trail, or a combination of all of the above but it was a good run. I've now got so much more hope than I did last week!!  :-)

After a great brunch, we did a little shopping. When we got home, hubs worked to prepare our garden spot for the summer. We're going to plant squash, okra, cucumbers, beans, peas, corn, peppers and tomatoes. Meanwhile, I meal prepped for the week. This week, I fixed sirloin steak, peach chipotle pork tenderloin and oven roasted turkey breast with green beans, asparagus, and salad. That should be enough to feed us for the week! I'm not good at taking pictures of my meal prepping as I go, but one of these days I will so you can see that it really isn't all that difficult.

Last week, I really wasn't feeling well at all so I really didn't do much cross training. This week, I'm feeling much better, so I'm planning to get back at it!!

Until, next time--get up, get out, get moving and be awesome today!

Your friend,


Theresa