Enough is Enough

Howdy folks!!

I realize I haven't been here in forever, and I'm sorry for that. Life has just been so hectic lately & I just didn't really have much new or interesting to talk about.

I've been busy with weight training recently as I've had a little set back in the running world. About a month ago, I started having pain in my foot which has progressively gotten worse despite the typical rest, ice, compression, elevation treatment. So, this afternoon I'm going to my PCP for an xray. I'm hoping and praying for no stress fracture but I'm fairly certain that's what it is. Bummer!!  I was planning to fun the Route 66 Marathon this fall but that plan is currently on hold. Usually I would be upset that I couldn't run, but I'm really enjoying the weight training right now.

I've also tweaked my macros some and consequently, I'm seeing some results that I'm really pleased with. Last week, my stomach was flatter than I've ever seen it. Now, mind you, I wasn't very careful over the weekend and may have had a couple of high carb days in a row. But I'll just keep plugging along and try to trust the process. 

What I came here to talk to you about today is "body shaming". Body shaming is defined as: shaming someone for their body type; they're too fat, too skinny, etc.  Now, I am not going to deny that I have found myself doing this from time to time. I've looked at an over weight person and judged them harshly. And that was wrong! I don't know that person. I don't know their story or their struggles and I don't have any room to judge them. I really never gave this much thought until recently.....when it happened to me.

Two times in the past week, I've been judged harshly by women because of my body type: too skinny. One woman made derogatory comments to my husband about me "Well, she's got an 8 inch waist" Another commented about me wearing a bikini. Well guess what? My body isn't perfect and I'm not really where I want to be yet. But I'm much better than I used to be. And I'm DAMN PROUD OF IT!!  So, I'm going to continue to wear bikinis or skirts that accent my waist because I have worked for it and earned it!! 

I am sure this is just the old green-eyed jealous monster rearing its ugly head. I'm sorry that they aren't happy with their bodies. That really is unfortunate. However it is their problem, not mine. And my self worth doesn't depend on their acceptance of me.

I wish every woman felt confident and comfortable in their own skin. Body shaming is the primary reason that we don't!!  Women judge each other so harshly. When we first began boating several years ago, I wouldn't be caught dead in a bikini. I was scared to show my body. I knew it wasn't perfect and was afraid I would be judged for it. But I saw other women who weren't perfect either and they were in bikinis so I eventually overcame that fear. It made me strive to work harder and be a little bit better every day. I'm proud of where I am in my journey. I realize that it is much easier to project one's insecurities onto the other person rather than facing them & dealing with them. But it's time that we stop this trend. Instead of bashing the other person who you know nothing about, reflect on what you like about yourself and what you could improve. If you're jealous then do something about it!!  Everyone can change their story....I did!!  We're all born with traits & characteristics that make us unique and individual. When we learn to let go of our own insecurities & quit sweating the small stuff (yes, it is small stuff) then we truly are happier. So, ladies....stop with the childish, jealousy, mean girls stuff! It's so middle school and really isn't very becoming. I truly says more about you & your character than that of the other person.

Confidence is the most beautiful accessory a woman can wear! Strong women build each other up instead of tearing them down! So, be strong, be courageous, accept yourself for who you are & where you are in your journey, and most importantly, learn to LOVE yourself!

So, let's quit with the body shaming, judging, and jealously stuff! 

Or anyone, for that matter!

 
Until next time--get up, get out, & get moving!!  Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Have you ever been body shamed?
Have you ever body shamed someone else?

Friday Confession Session

Hello,  hello folks!

TGIF!

I hope you had a great week!

I have a confession to make. I haven't run at all this week!  Eek! I've been doing my strength
training,  but I haven't run.  :(  I am fairly certain that I sustained a heat related issue last weekend.  According to  the  American  College of  Sports  Medicine, one should take at least a week off from exercising after a heat related issue. I had 1 physician at my work who recommend 2 weeks off.  At least the weather had been cooler this week, that will help when I get back out there.

Another reason I've limited my running this week is the amount of residual soreness I had after last week's long run. In the past,  I would have taken a day off and then got back of there,  never fully allowing my body to recover. I've been injured so many times though that I felt it wise to allow the soreness to resolve.  Meanwhile,  I've been doing some research into why I was  so sore.  I'm sure part of it was the dehydration,  but I believe my existing muscle imbalances played a role as well.

In the past,  I've had knee pain,  shin splints,  IT band problems,  Achilles tendinitis,  blisters,  etc.  My recent gait analysis indicated that I have "dead butt syndrome"  meaning my glutes don't  fire like they  are supposed to. It is basically caused by sitting all day. When the glutes and hamstrings don't fire properly, that forces the quadriceps muscles to overwork which contributes to injuries, especially knee injuries. I also have problems with tight calf muscles resulting in pain in my ankles and peroneal/Achilles tendons. I've spent most of this past week resting, stretching, rolling and cross training. I've also been reading articles trying to figure out how to correct these issues. I was delighted to get this email from Lisa @ The Conscious Runner regarding how to avoid dead butt syndrome.

I seems that I need to do squats to strengthen my booty. But I'm confused about that. If I'm "quad dominant" and trying to do squats, won't that only make my quads bigger? How to I squat properly so that I feel it more in my backside rather than in my hip flexors and quads??  I don't know, but I'm determined to figure it out because I'm tired of being injured!

Meanwhile, I'm really enjoying the strength training that I've been doing. I'm really starting to see some changes! I had a good pump going on last night after BodyBeast Build Shoulders. I spent probably 30 minutes in the bathroom flexing and ogling myself in the mirror. LOL

We're leaving after work tonight to go to the lake. I'm planning to get in 6 miles in the morning. Its not supposed to be as hot as it was last week and I'm going to make sure that I'm well hydrated. I plan to take it easy and not over do it. I don't want to be sore all week! We're staying through next Wednesday so we're temporarily putting Body Beast on hold (I don't want to pack all my free weights) but we'll do body weighted workouts while we're there. And of course, I've got a health menu planned.

So, that's what I've been up to all week. What have you been doing??

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you decide to do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

My week in a Nutshell

Hey  y'all!  Did you think I had forgotten about you?

Nuts pretty much sums up my week.  It's been way busy but productive.  The best part is,  today is Friday!  And you know it's going to be a great day when you get a good parking spot! The parking situation at my work is ridiculous beyond belief.  I've  been trying to arrive early this week so that I could get a good spot.  Yesterday,  I had to park on the top of the parking garage in a thunder storm. Needless to say,  I was soaked despite my umbrella. Today,  I got lucky!

I've be fairly consistent  about clean eating this week.  And I've been 100% compliant with my cross training. Monday,  I ran with friends before work.  I had a gait analysis that afternoon. A lot of the issues I was already aware of were confirmed  but I also found out that I over-supinate when I push off and over-pronate when I land.  1 foot is a fore front  striker  and the other is mid foot.  I have what they call a "shuffling gait"  I have no idea how to fix it but they gave me exercises to do,  of course.  That evening,  I did a chest and triceps workout.

Tuesday,  my Team Beach body Body Beast program arrived.  The first day of that is chest and triceps.  Since I had done that the previous night,  I skipped to  day 2: Build Legs.  Let's just say that I'm almost able to walk normally  today  ☺ Wednesday was  back and biceps, probably my favorite so far.  Yesterday  was Beast Caudio.  I really  didn't like it and will be subbing the 21 Day Fix Cardin oran Insanity workout in the  future.  Today was Build Shoulders.  It was a great routine,  but I was really tired this morning,  so didn't lift as heavy as I should  have.  I'm really eager to continue this routine and see where it goes!

I'm still tracking my macros but still not 100% sure I'm doing it correctly.  I need a little more time to play around with it.  I'll keep you posted on that.

Hubs and I are going to the lake after work tonight,  so I'm looking forward to that  R&R!

That's all I've got for you now.

Until next time--get up,  get out,  and get moving!  Whatever you do today,  be awesome at it!

Your  friend,

Theresa

Motivation Monday

Howdy,  Howdy y'all!

I hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend.

We were at the lake for an extended weekend. After my mother in law passed,  we decided to take my father in law with us.  We knew it would be challenging but we didn't feel like leaving him home alone for 5 days was the right thing to do. It was a fun but exhausting weekend and I think a good time was had by all.  I know he enjoyed himself. He tried very hard to keep up with us all weekend and did a fairly good job of it actually.  Other than one potential heat exhaustion episode,  there were no major mishaps.

I ran Wednesday and Friday.  I walked on Thursday and Saturday. I was fairly good food and beverage - wise until yesterday when I ate some Fritos. I ate WAY more than the recommend serving size...oops!

So,  the past few weeks have been very hectic for me. I've tried hard to maintain consistent workouts and clean eating despite all that we've had going on.  I'm happy to be able to get back into a more consistent routine today.

I meal prepped when we got home yesterday, as usual so I'll have healthy food choices for the week.  I've been doing the 21 Day Fix workouts for a while now and I'm looking forward to changing that up this week.  I've ordered the Beachbody Body Beast program.  It should arrive tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to starting that! I'm planning to continue running in the morning with my friends and will do the strength training program in the evenings after work.

I'm also excited that I'll be coaching my Pathways group again beginning next month.  They'll be training for the Tulsa Run 15k. Meanwhile,  I'll be training for my next half marathon.  I've decided that I would like to run the Big Cottonwood Half Marathon in Salt Lake City in September. I'll be ramping up my mileage again and am more than a little nervous.  I'm tired of being injured all the time.  Hopefully the cross training will make a difference.  I've also decided to get a gait analysis at the OU Tulsa human performance lab. They will put me on a treadmill and film me running for about 15 minutes then they will break it down and tell me what I'm doing wrong and hopefully how to correct my form to help prevent future injuries. I'll post specifics about that tomorrow.

So, thats all I've got for now.  Until next time-get up, get out,  and get moving! Remember to be awesome today!

Your friend,

Theresa

Friday wrap-up

Howdy folks!

I hope you're having a fabulous Friday so far!

It's been a pretty good week here thus far.  On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, I met my friends at 0530 to run.  And today I got my but kicked by my trainer at 0530. I am adjusting to the morning workouts much better that I expected.  I have officially gotten ready for work at the gym more times than at home. And that's not necessarily a bad habit to have.  Tomorrow, I'm going to meet my friends for a Saturday run.  I haven't run with them on a Saturday since I don't remember when. We're planning to run 4-6 miles.  I'm a little concerned because I'm having a little pain in the posterior heel today.  I hope it's not related to the Achilles injury I had early this year. I'll try to tape it and hope for the best. I haven't been as good about my cross training this week as I should have been. But I've worked out our run 4 out of 5 days,  so it could be worse.

I've been playing around with my macro nutrients on My Fitness Pal this week. I don't think I have a good enough understanding of it yet,  but I'll do a blog post about #iifym when I do.

I'm starting to plan my fall racing schedule and that's always exciting!  I'm hoping to have a big announcement for you all soon!

So,  thats it in a nutshell.  Until next time--get up,  get out, and get moving! Whatever you decide to do today,  be awesome at it!

Your friend,

Theresa

Tape It Up

Good morning folks!!

I hope that your week is going well so far!

I had a mini-meltdown at work yesterday. I felt like we were making progress with my mother in law last week, but she was moved to another floor over the weekend and it seems like all progress has come to a grinding halt. Well, that is not acceptable. In my opinion, it is neglect and I made no bones about telling them just what I thought!  I think that I got my point across and I think they got it! At least I hope they did! Because they haven't seen anything yet! If they think that I was harsh yesterday, they have another think coming. I try very hard not to be "that family member" but sometimes it's hard not to be. I know how I would care for her if she were my patient and I expect them to take care of her just like I would. It's really not too much to ask!  And no, I don't think my expectations are too high. So, we'll see how everything goes today. I'm not afraid to escalate my concerns if need be. She deserves good care!! I feel sorry for patients that have no one to advocate for them.

Last week was a little frustrating for me regarding my workouts. Tuesday morning I woke up with terrible pain in my right shoulder and neck. Here's what you may not know, I've had arthritis in my cervical spine since age 26. At that time, I was experiencing constant pain in my neck and shoulder. I had several steroid injections. It would get better for a while but it would always come back. Finally, my PCP referred me to an ortho doc who did an assessment and informed me that my problem was chronic and there was nothing to do for it. I took anti-inflammatories for a while and learned to live with it. Usually it doesn't bother me but every once in a while, it rears it's ugly head and I'm miserable for a few days. And that's what happened last week. I still have full range of motion but I can't really move it comfortably. I don't want to do anything to exacerbate the problem, so I didn't do any strength training last week. I use ibuprofen to help decrease the inflammation and alternate heat/ice until it goes away. But last week, I tried something a little different to see if I could get it under control more quickly.

I've been a firm believer in kinesio tape for a long time now. It's helped my get through several injuries and has kept me running, maybe even when I shouldn't have been. I've been using a cotton tape lately with good results but was contacted by KT Tape recently. They offered to send me samples of their PRO synthetic kinesio tape. Well sure, I'm happy to try it!!  So I grabbed some tape and applied it to my shoulder. I put it on Wednesday and was finally able to move it comfortably on Saturday. I think that it definitely helped my shoulder pain.

Kinesio tape is an elastic sports and fitness tape designed for muscle, ligament and tendon pain relief and support. It is lightweight, comfortable to wear and can be used for hundreds of common injuries. It is applied along muscles, ligaments and tendons (soft tissue) to provide a lightweight, external support that helps people remain active while recovering from injuries. Think of it as a flexible version of a brace or splint. It supports sore muscles and joints without the bulk or limiting the body's natural movement. It is lightweight and comfortable to wear so it won't slow you down. It creates neuromuscular feedback (proprioception) and inhibits (relaxes) or facilitates stronger firing of muscles and tendons.

I've been taped many times by my chiropractor, so I've learned some techniques from him. I would recommend that you see a doctor to diagnose any nagging injuries. But, if you've been diagnosed and are looking for treatment options, check out KT Tape. Their website is very informative and has general information regarding kinesio tape as well as instructional videos for many common sports injury. I used the recommended taping while recovering from my Achilles tendonitis and I'm convinced that it helped me get back to running without pain faster.

KT Tape comes in 2 varities: the original is made up of reinforced cotton fibers and provides up to 3 days of support. The PRO version is made from a specially engineered, durable synthetic fiber that provides 4-7 days of support and is water proof. KT Tape is available at major sporting goods retailers, drug stores and more than 25,000 retail/clinical locations in the US, Canada, and more than 30 countries worldwide. For a list of retailers and instructional videos,  visit www.kttape.com. Follow @KTTape on Twitter. You can even tweet them pictures to make sure you've got the right application! And see success stories on the KT Tape Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kttape

This is a sponsored post. KT Tape provided me the product free of charge to try out. All opinions are my own.

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you choose today, remember to be awesome!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Workout Wednesday

Howdy folks! Happy Wednesday!

I hope you're all having a great day!

It's a short, but busy week here! I have a short work week, so I'm trying to cram 5 days of work into 3 days.

My goal was to do the 21 Day Fix total body cardio and upper fix last night after work. I was late getting off work last night and was experiencing some severe pain in my right shoulder, back and neck. I lifted for shoulders, back and biceps on Monday, but I don't think that's what caused the pain. I have a history of arthritis in my neck and shoulder. I'm pretty sure that sleeping in the wrong position it's what caused the pain. At any rate, I took some anti inflammatories and applied ice to it. I thought about doing yoga or pilates instead but decided that my body was asking for a rest day.  It's much better today, so I am planning to do the upper fix and lower body fix after work.

For "Workout Wednesday" I've got a chest and triceps workout for you.

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!

Your friend,

Theresa

Weekly Wrap Up

I don't know about y'all, but I'm so glad it's Friday!

I can truly say this has been one of the most challenging weeks I've had in a long time. I try my level best to be as positive as possible here on the blog. Nobody wants to hear from a "Negative Nancy" or "Debbie Downer" all the time. As bloggers, we put ourselves out there for public scrutiny.  But we choose what we want to share with our readers. Obviously, we don't share every aspect of our lives. So, as readers, you might think you know us. But, just remember, not everything is as it seems. We are human beings too with faults and imperfections just like everyone else :)

This week, I'm thankful for my wonderful co-workers. I'm not sure I would have made it all week without their grace and support!

Despite feeling poorly and all the stress in my life, I've been consistent with my diet and my workouts. I'm super excited about starting to work with my new trainer next week! I'm sad about not coaching Pathways this session, but I'm excited about gaining some strength to hopefully help decrease running injuries in the future! And I'll try to sneak in a run with Pathways here and there for old times sake!

No big plans for us this weekend. I'm going to sleep until I'm not tired tomorrow morning. Then I think I'll treat myself to a pedicure for Mother's Day.

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you do today, remember to be awesome!

Your friend,

Theresa

Wrappin' It Up

Hello, hello folks!! TGIF

Sorry about the lack of posts this week. It's been busy and I've had a bit of writer's block. I'll try to do better next week.

So, here's a quick recap of what's been going on lately.

I haven't really run very much. :-(   I have, however, been consistent with my workouts this week.  I mentioned earlier that I was trying out the 21 Day Fix from Beachbody. It's a nutrition plan based on portion control along with a workout program. I'm loving these workouts!!  They each 30 minutes in length and are easy to modify if needed. Even hubs can do them!!  Here's what I did this week:


Monday: Total Body Cardio Fix
Tuesday: Upper Fix
Wednesday: Lower Fix
Thursday: Pilates Fix
Friday: Cardio Fix
Saturday: Dirty 30
Sunday: Yoga Fix

Yesterday, in addition to the pilates workout that I did yesterday, I did an upper body strength workout at lunch and then I met a couple of friends after work for a little run. We ended up walking most of our 3 miles because Patty's leg was bothering her. And I was ok with that after doing the Lower Fix on Wednesday, my left quad was a little tight too. The pilates workout helped stretch that out a bit though.

So, for 2 weeks, I've been working out consistently and I'm happy about that. I've been thinking about my long term goals and I think that I'm going to take some time to focus on strength training. I love running but I'm tired of being an injured runner. I hired a personal trainer yesterday and we're going to take the next 6 - 8 weeks to work on strengthening my non running muscles so that I'll be ready to return to running, hopefully injury free, when that fall training programs kick off in mid-July. I'm taking a hiatus from coaching the 10k program during this time. I've agreed to be a substitute coach on an as needed basis only. I need more flexibility and I have my own agenda at this time. I feel like I wouldn't be able to be as dedicated to that runners as I should be, so I think it's best to take a break.

This weekend, we're going to Lake Tenkiller to get our trailer set up in our usual camping spot for the summer. It's going to be warm this weekend, so we're going to take the boat out and I couldn't be happier!! I'm definitely a warm weather girl! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE warm sunshine and floating on the water!!  It soothes my soul! So, for the next 6 months, you'll find me at my happy place every weekend!!  We have some friends and family meeting us to go out on the boat, so this should be a very fun weekend! I'm been waiting for this since last September!!  It will be difficult for me to be very productive at work today! I've been trying to make out a list of food and supplies that I need and I'm discovering that boat snacks are going to be tricky this year since I've drastically cleaned up my diet. I still don't have it all figured out, but I will.

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving. Whatever you do today, remember to be awesome!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Motivation Monday~~Boston Strong

Good morning sunshines!!

I hope that you all had a fabulous weekend/Easter.

It was a good weekend here. Saturday morning, we went to Stillwater and I got 3 miles done at Boomer Lake. I had a little bit of pain in the right Achilles but it wasn't too bad. I am glad that I taped before I ran and stretched well after. Later, I remembered that I was using a new pair of Superfeet that aren't really broke in yet. Maybe that was part of it. Or maybe it's because my pace was a little fast. I don't really know, but it was better later that day and on Sunday so maybe it was just a fluke.

After my run, we ate some lunch, did some shopping then we came home and did some front porch sitting. I think that's my current favorite past time!!  The weather has been fabulous recently and I love sitting out here watching the birds, rabbits, etc

Yesterday, we did our usual household chores including weekly meal prep

Lemon pepper pork tenderloin, grilled chicken, turkey meatloaf stuffed peppers, baked sweet potatoes,
steamed squash, steamed asparagus, roasted carrots, green beans, mixed veggies, brown rice,
turkey sausage egg muffins, hard boiled eggs, fresh veggies for snacks
 

After the chores were done, it was time for more porch sitting! Afterwards, we had a fabulous dinner and then we tried to watch SALEM, the new series on WGN. But it was too disturbing for me.

Today is the Boston Marathon. There are 36,000 expected to run today. That's all my Twitter feed is about this morning. I've got a personal friend running it, so I'll be checking on her progress as often as I can.

There is a Run for Boston run at Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa tonight, but I don't think I'm going to run tonight. I've got something else up my sleeve and we'll talk more about that later.

I've got to get back on the wagon with my working out/cross training. That was one of my goals this year but I just haven't had the motivation. I'm hoping to try to change that starting tonight! So, with that being said, here are my goals for the week:

Monday: cross train
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednesday: cross train
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: REST
Saturday: 4 mile run
Sunday: Yoga

Hopefully I can stick with it!!  Wish me luck!

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

Your friend,

Theresa

What are your workout goals this week??

Mid-week Motivation

Hello, hello my lovlies!

I hope all is well with you and that you're having a fabulous week so far! It's Wednesday and we're half way through another work week! Wahoo!

Have you ever had one of those days where you were just a little bit out of sorts? Well, that's where I am today. It isn't really any one thing, it's just a series of multiple little things not going quite right to the point of frustration.

One thing that I'm frustrated about is my lack of consistency when it comes to cross training. I know that I need to and I have the desire to, I just lack the motivation. I don't get the same sense of accomplishment from cross training that I do from running. Sometimes, I don't feel challenged enough so I get bored and give up. I really need to find a way to maintain consistency. Typically, I would try a new workout to keep it fresh or buy myself a new workout outfit, but that's not even working right now. I think that I'm going to try a new group fitness class tonight to jump start me. I'm hoping that will get me out of my workout funk.

On the other hand, I think it's safe to say that I'm in the process of regaining my running mojo! I met a group of my friends at Turkey Mountain last night. We ran 3 miles on the road there followed by hill repeats. It was another relatively painless run! I'm still reluctant to day that I'm healed 100% but I'm closer than I was a day ago. :-)

And that's all I've got time for today.

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

Your friend,

Theresa

How do you stay motivated to workout?

Do you ever get bored with your workout routine? What is your current workout regimen?

Weekly Wrap Up

TGIF folks!!

Woohoo!!  It's finally Friday!! 

I hope that you all had a fabulous week!  The weather has been beautiful here. I've been taking advantage of it as much as I can!

Yesterday was a busy day at work. I had plans to run with my friend, Kelly. She texted me about 4pm to tell me that she wasn't going to be able to run. I decided to go ahead and run anyway. I did 3 miles on Riverside. I wasn't really worried about running alone as there were lots of people out enjoying the weather. I ran in my Brooks Ravenna with the green Superfeet inserts. It was a pain free run and still no pain this morning. That hasn't happened in a very long time!! I'm still reluctant to say that I'm healed or 100% yet. I'm still nervous about doing too much, too soon. With that being said, I'm seriously thinking about a 12k trail run tomorrow. I know that doesn't really sound like taking it easy but there are a lot of good reasons to do it. With it being a trail run, I'll have no choice but to slow my pace and I'm sure there will be areas where I have to walk for safety reasons. Plus, the unpaved trails absorb more shock than paved roads so it will be kinder and gentler on my healing tendons. Also, the weather is supposed to be beautiful tomorrow so it will be a great way to get out and enjoy the weather and nature.

 

The rest of the weekend will be pretty low key. After the run, we'll do our weekly shopping. And Sunday, I'll do the weekly meal prep. I haven't decided what I'm cooking yet. I'm planning to do a meal prep post next week so I'm hoping to have some good recipes to share with you next week.

And that's all I'm planning right now.

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

Your friend,

Theresa

What are your weekend plans??

Trails or roads??

Don't Call It A Comeback, But....

Hello, hello folks!!

Happy Wednesday!!  We're halfway through another work week, which makes me so happy, happy happy!!  I hope you're having a great week, so far!

Yesterday was a beautiful day here. The weather was supposed to be fabulous, so I packed my gym bag with my running clothes and threw it in the car, just in case. About mid day, one of my friends posted on Facebook that they were going to run at Turkey Mountain. That's the place that we went trail running on Sunday. In addition to the unpaved trails, there is also a paved road that runs parallel to the west bank of the Arkansas River. I have a group of friends that meet there nearly every Tuesday for what has affectionately become known as "Turkey Tuesday" The trail starts and ends with a pretty decent hill and is a great place for hill repeats. I was feeling good, so I decided to go give it a try. I advised them that I wouldn't be going fast or far. They understood and said that was ok, we would all go our own pace. I got there, changed my clothes and was happy to see my friend, Edna there. I knew she would be running a comfortable pace for me. We went out for 1.5 miles then turned around and headed back. So far, so good with my foot! We were at about 2 miles when I heard a bird overhead screech a couple of times. I was going to keep going but I happened to glance up and saw that it was a bald eagle!!  What an awesome sight to see!!  Of course we had to stop for pictures!!  LOL

 

The greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity or power, but self-rejection.

Henri Nouwen

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/henri_nouwen.html#JB6XCFTvwJsGVLpi.99

After the bird flew away, we continued on the trail. It's uphill all the way back! My endurance isn't what it used to be and Edna has had some injury issues too. Rita was with us and was supposed to be keeping our pace down. We walked a little bit after the pictures and before we got to the hill. I wasn't planning to run the hill because it is very steep and I was concerned that it would hurt my foot/heel/Achilles. But, we were running a comfortable pace and everything was feeling good when we got the hill, so I just ran! And I made it to the top without any pain!!  It felt so good!!

Post run, happy girl selfie
 

So, don't call it a comeback, but I think I'm back!! 

 I can't tell you how exciting this is for me! My running friends will understand!!  I am not going to push it. I don't have any races planned at this time so I'm just going to take things slow and steady. I'm going to run when I feel good and when I can. I'm going to be thankful for the any run that I can get in. I really think that the arch support is making a huge difference.

Being able to run again has definitely boosted my mood and increased my motivation. I'm feeling like working out again. I've joined a challenge group on Facebook for additional encouragement, motivation and accountability. I'm planning to get back on track with my cross training starting tonight! 

So, last week I was lost and looking for my mojo; this week, I seem to have found it! It's amazing how much joy I get from running!!

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

Your friend,

Theresa

What is on your workout schedule for today??

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

Random Rambles

Hey y'all!

Happy Friday!

This has been the longest short week ever! I had a respiratory virus early in the week and that has just zapped me. I'm looking forward to some rest this weekend!

Tomorrow, we'll be going to visit my brother and sister in law for my niece's 3rd birthday party. She is my mini me! I'm really excited to give her my gift. I got her the most adorable pair of running shorts and matching dri-fit top! We also got her the movie Frozen, but I'm more excited about the clothes! :-)

I finally did it! I ran! It wasn't very fast or far and wasn't very pretty, but I did it! I ran 3 ish miles in 37 minutes with some walk breaks. It was not pain free, unfortunately. I had a dull ache in my heel for the majority of the run.  Although my mind is ready, apparently my body is not. I guess I still need a little more time and rehab. I also need to find a good insert for my running shoes. I don't think I have enough arch support, which is probably a contributing factor.  But I am encouraged and more hopeful than I was a few days ago.

Another thing that's been on my mind for a few days--mean people suck! I attended my college reunion last weekend. I was genuinely happy to see everyone and truly enjoyed myself. However, some people's behavior made me realize a few things:

1. Once a mean girl, always a mean girl.

2. It doesn't take much to stir up my old insecurities.

Although I was in their group, I wasn't in their clique. And I desperately wanted to be. I just wanted to belong, to fit in, to be accepted. I probably tried too hard. I'm sure I was ostentatious and obnoxious. I probably wouldn't have liked me very much either.

I guess my expectations were way too high going to the reunion because I expected  that they would have outgrown that childishness. Boy, was I wrong! I was really upset about it for a couple of days.  I've finally come to the realization that it is their problem, not mine. I am proud of who I am. I'm proud of where I am today and what I've accomplished/overcome to get there. I am who I am and their approval is not required. I guess I need to remember to be kind to unkind people, because they need it the most. I don't know what issues they are dealing with, so I'll reserve judgement.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Until next time--get up, get out, get moving and be awesome today! Have a fabulous Friday and a safe, wonderful weekend!

Your friend,

Theresa

Do you use inserts/insoles/orthotics in your running shoes?
What brand do you recommend?

Mental Overtraining?

Good morning folks!!  Happy Wednesday! We're halfway there!!

Happy AHA National Walking Day!

I guess I was having a little pity party yesterday. Sorry 'bout that! Actually, I'm glad I could get all that off my chest.

No, I didn't run yesterday. I desperately wanted to. I was invited to join my friends for "Turkey Tuesday" but it wasn't meant to be. I was sick with an upper respiratory infection for a couple of days. I thought that I was feeling better, so I went ahead and went to work. But, before I even got there, I was running a fever again. I stayed as long as I could tough it out, but I left early. I came home, got on my pj's and got back in bed. I feel better today just weak. The most I could probably muster today, if anything would be about a mile if even that. But 1 mile is better than no miles, so we'll see what happens after work. ;-)

Getting all that out there yesterday really made me reflect on what's been going on with me lately. We know that training takes so much physically. We get in the miles, we do the stretching, foam rolling, pre-hab and rehab, etc required to achieve our goals. But, do we think about how much mental prep is involved in training for a big race??  I know that I don't.

Last fall, when I decided that I would train for a marathon, I was gung ho. I was excited because I had a new goal and I approached it with reckless abandon. Then, in late January, I had the realization that a marathon wasn't a realistic goal for me. That was a little bit of a let down. I lost some of that gusto. Then, 2 weeks later, it became obvious that my Achilles injury was going to be an issue. Another let down.....   More wind out of my sails......   

So, when the half marathon rolled around, I wasn't really as excited about it as I should have been. Race day came and it was a less than desirable experience. After the half, not only did I have the normal post race let down, but I had an injury that was going to take some time to heal. I didn't know how long it would be before I could run again. Or if I would ever be able to run again. As  result, I didn't have any races planned, so nothing to look forward to our goals to work forward. Looking back at all this, it's easy to see how I've gotten so discouraged and down in the dumps. I try hard to always maintain a positive attitude. But one can only fake it so much.

Ok, so now I recognize it and I'm owning it. Now, it's time to figure out how to move past it. I think that I'll eventually get my mojo back. But I don't want to force it. If I do and I have problems, then I'll probably stop forever. I'm pretty sure that I'll know when the time is right and I'm thinking that it will be sooner rather than later!

I've got to form a game plan and figure out how to take better care of myself mentally and emotionally, not just physically when I'm training.

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

Your friend,

Theresa

How do you take care of yourself while training?

Tuesday Thoughts ~~ Lost My Mojo

Good morning folks!!

Can you believe that it's the first of April already??

I hope that your week is going well so far.

I have a confession to make to you: I still haven't tried to run. I keep saying that I'm ready but when it comes down to it, I'm scared! It's been a month--what if I can't do it? What if I still hurt??  They say running is 90 % mental and I really do believe that now! Something has happened to me in the past 3 months. I'm not sure what, I've allowed so much fear and self doubt to creep back in. I've lost my confidence and running mojo. I don't know how I'm going to find it again. I'm not really sure how to move past the fear and doubt. I've tried to embrace weight lifting and cross training, but I'm not getting the sense of satisfaction that I get from running and I miss that. I need it!! Is today the day I start to overcome the demons? I don't know. We'll see. I'm taking running clothes to work with me and I'm going to hope for the best!

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

Your friend,

Theresa

Any suggestions on overcoming a running injury??

Workout Wednesday # 10

Good morning folks!!

I hope that you're having a wonderful week so far!!  We're halfway through this work week and that makes me immensely happy!! :-) We all know that I'm just working for the weekend!!

Quick injury/running update--I posted that I was going to try to run a couple of miles Monday after work. But, I didn't :-( Sorry guys!!  I'm just a little nervous. Plus, the fact that my calves were mysteriously tight and tender over the weekend just exacerbated my apprehension. Knowing that I had an appointment with my chiropractor yesterday, I wanted his opinion before I got out there and hit the pavement. We talked about my tight calves. He said that he thinks my muscles, especially on the right tighten up in my sleep. I don't know why but I think I am going to try to roll my calves and wear compression sleeves/socks to bed for a while to see if that helps. He did ART on the calves and along the shin. He found a tight, painful spot in the front, so I got dry needled :/ The Achilles and peroneal tendons feel so much better so he gave me the go ahead and the reassurance that I needed to get out and get in a few miles!!  The weather is supposed to be fabulous tomorrow and again this weekend, so I'm looking forward to lacing up my shoes!! 

Meanwhile, hubs and I are still doing strength training consistently. I gave him a chest, back, and shoulders workout to do last night while I did the Jillian Michaels One Week Shred. I'm enjoying this workout and I think it would be a great addition to my routine. I think that I will alternate that workouts. That way I would do the strength M W F and the cardio on T and Th. I want to continue the Jamie Eason 30 day program too. I'm really starting to enjoy the strength training.

While we're on the subject of strength training, here's what I have for you today for Workout Wednesday:

Weight Lifting for runners

Best Weightlifting program for runners

I was really excited to find this article and even more excited to learn that strength training could improve my running!! I know that it's important to strengthen non running muscles to help prevent injury. And I know that balance is important in regards to proper form. But I never really correlated balance and weight training but after reading this article, it makes perfect sense. It makes me want to load my bar heavier!! Now, with that being said, just like with running, it's important not to do too much too soon. So, here's some good information regarding weight progression:

1. Meet the prescribed set and rep goal for the exercise.
2. Increase the weight being lifted for that exercise by the smallest increment possible.
3. Meet the set/rep goal again with this new, slightly heavier weight.
4. Increase the weight being lifted again by the smallest increment possible.
5. Repeat this process over and over again as often as you are capable of making it happen.

More information about weight progression and weightlifting in general can be found here: http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/weight-training-progression/

Ok, that's all for now.

Until next time--get up, get out and get moving!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Do you strength train??

Monday Run-day

Happy Monday, lovlies!

I hope that you all had a fantastic weekend!

Mine was good but rather uneventful. It consisted of household chores, grocery shopping, and weekly and meal prep. I did go see the new movie, Divergent. And that was by far the best movie I've seen in a long time.

It's been 3 weeks since my last run and I'm starting to have withdrawals. My last run was the Little Rock Half Marathon. It was such a horrible experience that I was really not sure I would ever run again. My Achilles and peroneal tendons were so angry. This past week, I've really had minimal pain so I think the I might give it a go tonight! I think that I'll try to do a couple of slow, miles after work tonight. I'm planning to take it easy and will walk if I have to. There are only 2 weeks left in the Pathways session and I know the program coordinator is expecting me to return tonight. I'm nervous about that. I think I need to try to run on my own instead of trying to lead a group in case I have to stop. My calves have been really tight and sore the past couple of days. And I'm fairly certain that was a contributing factor to my injury in the first place. Hopefully, all will go well and a cam start building my mileage back up gradually.

That's all that I've got going on right now.

Until next time-get up, get out, and get moving!

Your friend,

Theresa

5 for Friday

Howdy folks! TGIF

Happy Pi day!!

Personally, I'm ready for the weekend!!  It's been a long, crazy week at work. I went in early yesterday due to my 4 pm appointment at the chiropractor. But I had to cancel that because I was too far behind at work. I didn't leave until 6pm. And I'm almost dreading going in today. I know it's going to be just as busy. But, at least it's Friday!

And, it's "jeans day" too. Yippee!!  It's a fund raiser for the American Heart Association Heart Walk. We had to pay $5 to get a sticker to allow us to wear jeans. I typically wear business casual attire to work and often wear scrubs on "casual Friday". I don't do direct patient care anymore. I'm usually behind the scenes but I do interact with patients and their families, so I try to look professional at all times. I joke about being a happier, more productive employee if I could wear pajamas to work!!  I don't think we've had a jeans day in the 2 years that I've worked there, so I'm taking full advantage of this opportunity!! It really doesn't take much to make me happy. :-)

Since I did a mini weekly recap yesterday, today I'll talk about 5 things that have been on my mind this week. It's a combination of rants and raves and is totally random. So, without further ado.....

1: Thigh gap--In humans, a thigh gap is a gap between the thighs when standing upright with both knees touching.^[1] Some women aspire to this for reasons of a perceived increase in attractiveness, with some considering it a sign of femininity and fragility^[2] and some go as far as to say it symbolizes "the ideal body shape" according to Wikipedia. What the heck?! When did this become an issue and what's the big deal?! This week, national retailer went as far as photo shopping pictures of one of their bikini models to create a "thigh gap"

 They botched that up pretty badly and have been blasted for it. My concern is that society is fueling a dangerous weight loss goal for young women. What's wrong with being a little curvy? Skinny doesn't = beautiful, strong does!! 

2: "I ran 6 miles last night" Well, good for you! Ordinarily, I would be supportive of my friends and co-workers who run. But since I'm currently unable to, don't be surprised if I throat punch you instead! It's great that you're out enjoying the weather and getting some miles in, but please understand why I'm not really enthusiastic about it right now. Thanks!

3: Addaday Ultra Marble--OMG!!

I splurged on this little gem the other night and am so glad I did. It's my new favorite roller!!  I especially like that I can get in the area around the ankle and Achilles (right where I need it the most) really well! I have lots of other rollers and tools, but this one does large areas as well as those smaller nooks and crannies that some of the others can't get to. Go getcha one of these! I highly recommend it!!

4: Strength training--I'm loving it! We did our upper body chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps workout last night. Tonight is legs. I ran through it once last night for hubs, so he would know what modifications that he needs to make. I think he feels pretty confident about it. I'm eager to see how it goes. He was asleep in his chair when I got home late from work last night. I was afraid that he would say "just skip it" but he got up and got it done. I'm so proud of him!!

5: I'm so thankful for the beautiful weather we've had this past week. It's going to be cool and rainy this weekend, but that's ok. We haven't really had any significant rainfall since last October so I'll welcome all the rain that we can get. I think that it's supposed to be sunny and warm again next week. I'm determined to get out and enjoy it. I need my vitamin D fix!! I'm planning to pack my running clothes on those warm, sunny days. If I can't run, I can at least walk!!

Ok, that's all I've got for now. Have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend!!  Be safe!!

Get up, get out and get moving! And don't forget to be awesome today!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Are you going to run 3.14 miles today??
What is your favorite kind of pie?