Alone in the Challenge
This weekend, I challenged myself to something I've never accomplished before. My running partner was down with sickness. I needed to keep my running schedule up for the upcoming Gate River Run. Our usual long run day is Saturday but it was rainy and yucky outside. I put my running shoes on and headed to the gym. I was about half way there and thought...why, oh, why am I going to the treadmill again and this time by myself? I just couldn't do it. So, I decided I'd just do some light cardio and possibly run Sunday when it was suppose to be much nicer. I don't really like to run on Sundays but I was desperate.
Anyhow, I saw my friend in the aerobic room and she talked me into doing a step class. I don't do step...I just don't. But, they needed another person to get the class going so I obliged. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I loved it! It was a combination of step and weight training. It was so much fun. The step patterns weren't unusually complicated which made me very happy.
So, Sunday afternoon, I laid a challenge before myself...run...eight miles....on my own. No running partner...just me and Jesus. I'm not gonna lie...it wasn't easy. But, it was a beautiful day. I got lots of prayer time in and I pushed myself. Then, I got to mile eight and thought...hum...maybe one more mile. That would make it a complete 15k. I heard my running partners voice in my head, "C'more, we can do one more!"
SO, I said, "Okay, Jesus, you are going to have to carry me this last mile!". It worked. He answered and carried me to the finish! It was a good run. It felt great to accomplish such a feat. I don't want to do it on my own again but it is good to know it is possible!
I used the Galloway method. I ran 6 minutes and walked for 45 secs. It wasn't true Galloway but it used his walk/run idea. I love this way. I finished with a pace of 10:30 per mile average. I was quite happy with that. I love to run that pace...it is my happy place!
Instead of my usually GOO half way through I used the Energy balls I made yesterday. They were so yummy and gave me the energy to finish running! Those things are quite addicting! I didn't eat the whole bucket, I promise. I had 3 I think half way through then 2 more after my run!
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So it was a good day. I came home showered and put on my nice Sombra!!!! It made me freeze but helped with any soreness I might have had coming my way!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Smoothies, Food Choices, and Lent
My all time favorite smoothie:
Chocolate Peanut Butter with Banana.
Here is the recipe:
3 heaping tbsp of Cottage cheese (I don't like cottage cheese on its own but when it's creamy in a smoothie I can tolerate it.)
1-2 raw organic eggs ( I get these fresh from a friend.)
Handful of spinach
1/2 frozen ripe banana
Almond milk(enough to make the blender go)
1-2 tbsp of cocoa
Dash of cinnamon
1-2 tbsp of local honey
1 tbsp of peanut butter
1 tbsp of chia seed or ground flax seed
Optional: 1/2 cup of raw old fashioned oatmeal
Add several ice cubes after you've finished the initial blending.
Blend this all up...it's a yummy meal...lots of protein..lots of filling carbs...even some sneaky veggies in there!
Today I made this smoothie:
Fruit smoothie:
Handful of spinach
Handful of blueberries
2 frozen strawberries
1/2 frozen ripe banana
3-4 slices of frozen peaches
Vanilla almond milk- a splash to make the blender go...
2-3 tbsp of cottage cheese
1 raw, fresh egg
1/4 avacado
This didn't even need extra sweetener.
I like to add some kind of fat to all my smoothies. It goes a long way in making me stay fuller longer. Usually this includes either peanut butter, avocado, or coconut oil.
Here is the recipe for the smoothie I posted on twitter a few days ago:
Banana avocado smoothie
A handful of spinach
2-3 tbsp of cottage cheese
1/2 cup raw old fashioned oatmeal
2 tbsp ground flax seed
1/4 avacado
1 frozen ripe banana
1 tsp of honey
2 raw, fresh, organic eggs
About a half cup of vanilla almond milk
This one is very green looking when blended but it was a good change of scenery for my taste buds!
This past week has been an epic fail in the food department. I find it so easy to stick to my exercise plan. But my food choices are another story. Just when I think I am free of the desire to eat processed foods, I have a bite then, I just want more. I need to detox from the junk. It makes me feel horrible. Why is it we choose things that make us feel bad even when we know it will make us feel bad?
Romans 7:15-"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."
It is even more important that I am fueling my body with good foods as our half marathon will be here before I know it. Food is fuel...
I am looking forward to the season of Lent. I am not catholic but one of my best friends invited us to participate in Lent this year as we reflect on the sacrifice Jesus made for us. One point she made was that of the three things Jesus fasted from, one of those was food. I guess God knew we would struggle with food. He knew we would seek Him as our strength. I am helpless on this journey without Him!
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Baby, It's Cold Outside
You know you want to sing it! We planned a run outside today. We've been on the treadmill for the last few weeks for our long runs. I was soooo ready to run outside. But, Mr. Winter didn't want us to run outside today. As much as I hate the treadmill, when days like today roll around I'm glad to have somewhere to run without being in the blustery, winter weather.
So here we are again in our favorite gym pounding it out on the treadmill. Last week I ran in my old shoes and went eight miles. This week, new shoes and hit 9 miles. Teri tried to push me to 10 miles but I just didn't have it in me. I knew that I wanted to be able to walk tomorrow and the rest of this week.
Since we were on the treadmill, I decided to do an experiment. I wanted to see how it went doing a sort of semi Galloway method run while my running partner did a straight run at 6.1 miles. It seemed we were pretty close to neck and neck until the treadmill came unplugged!!! I did six minutes intervals running between 6.3 and 6.5 mph then walked at about 3.5 mph for 30 seconds. I did this for the first seven miles. Thennnnnn after fixing the treadmill plug (are you sensing my frustration?) I ran another two miles straight. Sigh! So, the experiment sort of worked but I dont really know if we would have finished at the same mile and at the same time.
My shoes felt great! I'm still having some issues with my ankle right around where the foot hinges. I may back off my mileage this week to see if it will recover before our long run next Saturday. We are hopng next Saturday will be a bit warmer so we can run outside.
On another note, tonight we had a great praise and worship service at our church. I was just reminded about how everything we do is to bring Him glory. It was amazing to sing about how nothing is impossible for the God who created this world. We sang about how He created everything to worship Him, even nature. That is one thing I love about running. I get to see the trees move in praise to Him. Its good stuff, getting to run, and be outside with His nature! I have high hopes of seeing some warmer days this week so I can praise Him along with birds and the leaves! He is worthy of our praise!!!
What are you doing this week to praise Him? How about moving that body He gave you?
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Spin and Buns & Guns
The class was only thirty minutes so we had to work hard, fast! I was so excited to get to tell my story. I wish I could have snapped a picture of the faces when I said, "July, 2010, I weighed 205 pounds.". So many of them had dropped jaws. It was awesome. I told them my story of how life changed for me. And that they could do it too. They could make it their year. This is why I am there! It was a good class.
I taught Buns and Guns right after that class. My plan was to use the dynabands, but we ran completely out. Yikes. Mental note made:do not use bands in night class. We ended up grabbing some three pound weights and doing a fun kick box type toning class. I had them do tons of pushups. I am sure they will feel it tomorrow. We started with 12 traveling pushups, then we did jab crosses with the bands/3lb weights. We then did upper cuts, squats with speed bag holding the weights or bands. We did more pushups, planks and bridges. I'm feeling a bit sore, so I'm hoping the other ladies will be sore as well.
I had to fake it towards the end because my class went short but who can go wrong with adding twenty more pushups and bear crawls across the floor. I didn't feel great about that class but you can't win them all!
I ran four miles this morning in my new shoes. It was awesome. My feet and legs felt so much better. I am wiped. I didn't eat well today which left me feeling wiped out before I even started spin today. I came home and drank a protein shake with spinach in it. I need my Popeye nutrition.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Do as I say, not as I do!
Saturday morning! It was our long run day. I really wanted to run outside. Have I mentioned how I hate the treadmill? I like road. I like trees. I like wind. I like outside. Treadmill not so much. Again, we ran inside for our long run. The weather was icky and unpredictable. I've never been caught in a rain storm while running and wasnt much interested in trying it out now either. So...the treadmill it was.
Again, it was probably better we were on the treadmill because this is what the bottom of my shoes look like.
My faithful Brooks have seen better days. In reality, I should have bought new shoes about 2 months ago. Never run in shoes past their prime. Do as I say, not as I do!!!! This last month has been killer on my feet. My shoes have not given me the support I need because they are way past their prime. My ankles have been hurting, the tops of my feet are feeling crushed, and my knees have really been feeling the road. But guess what? Two months ago I was trying to buy my kids Christmas presents and I just didn't want to shell out $100 for new shoes when I was trying to figure out how we were buying Christmas presents.
I didn't even want to run in them Saturday but I just haven't had time to go get new ones. Also, I knew that I shouldn't start a long run in brand new shoes.
Saturday, my running partner and I set out to find me some new shoes! I originally was looking at buying more Brooks or Muzinos because that is what I know. But after stopping by the running store and trying a few pair there we went to Dick's and found some Asiscs that I really like. They are a good stability shoe. I looked like a crazy person but I ran around the store several times to really get a feel for them on my feet. When you are buying a running shoes you need to feel what it is like to run in them, not walk, right? I wouldn't try to walk a car? I'm gonna test drive it!
So, here they are. My new best friends for four months.
Now, I'm a little sad. I wanted some cool colored ones...but here I am again with white and aqua shoes. It could be worse. I got last years model so I saved about $40. Yay! I'll let you know how they feel after my next run!
By the way, this week's long run was eight miles. I ended up walking another mile for my cool down. We stretched a good bit after too. I wasn't too sore on Sunday except for my hurting feet and ankles. But, that is completely my fault. I am anxious to get outside and run at least eight miles. I have the Gate River Run coming up March 10!!! It's nine miles. I wonder if I can run the whole thing without my running buddy. Ak!!! I just don't know.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Classes, Classes, Classes
My first class was Raw Power. This was my favorite class. This class is thirty minutes and just uses your body weight. This was the workout we ended up doing.
I practiced with the girls right before I left so they got their yoga workout in too! I'll remind you...we don't do any weird meditating stuff. I wish we could call it something different so people wouldn't think that is what we are doing. We focus on the stretching aspect of it.
This morning was my last class to teach for the week. Thank goodness! I'm exhausted! I taught a 30 min spin class. We had to hit it hard to work up a sweat in 30 minutes.
This was my Spin Profile this morning:
5 min warm up
1 min climb
30 sec Flat
2 min climb
1 min Flat
3 min climb
1.5 min flat
4 min climb
2 min flat
3 min climb
1.5 min flat
2 min climb
1 min flat
cool down
All the climbs were done at about a 7-8 resistance (or a medium hard resistance)
All the flats were recover at about a 5-6 resistance.
I was nice and sweaty when we were finished. I pushed hard. My class on the other hand was VERY unmotivated. They were not pushing hard. I hope they didn't leave thinking they didn't get a good workout because of me. I don't know if the rain had anything to do with it...but they just weren't into it this morning.
We are hoping to do our long run tomorrow. I really want to do it outside. It looks like we might be stuck on the treadmill though if it keeps raining.
I need to buy new running shoes. I've been really feeling it in my knees and ankles. I know it has so much to do with my shoes being worn out. Maybe I'll see Fleet Feet or Stinky Feet this weekend! It's such a big invest metn to spend $100 on shoes...or more. I keep trying to look at it like this: I can spend $100 on good shoes and get to keep running, get to keep my health in shape OR don't and tear up my feet and knees and go back to the inactive lifestyle I once had. I choose the first!
If I didn't have flat feet, they might not be so expensive but yikes...they are! Runner's world has two shoes I'd like to look at: The Brooks Trance 11 and the Mizuno Wave Nirvana 8. Both are upwards of $140...ack!!! I may have to look at last year's model. I don't know if I can spend that much on shoes!!! I'm thinking...the kids need haircuts. We need groceries. I love running though. Maybe I'll just eat lots of eggs and Peanut butter and banana sandwiches so I can still have my running shoes! :D
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Body Image
Romans 12:3
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Even as my physical body has changed, it was hard to accept the new me. I still look in the mirror and don't see what I see in pictures of me. I think as a girl or women, we have expectations, albeit, unreal expectations, of what we should look like.
Seriously, it took me a year to post before and after pictures because I was so ashamed of what I had done to my body and I still wasn't quite confident in the new me. Could that really be me in the photos?
I had these crazy thoughts such as: I might not keep this weight off so why would I be proud of what was accomplished in me. Sometimes we can be so self-destructive. It wasn't until I started this blog that I was released from the prison I put myself in. I would share my before and after photos with a few friends, here and there...but the whole world...no way!
There is also the balance in how my physical body has changed and dressing modestly. I work very hard teaching my girls about modesty. As a Christian, it is so important that we not distract others with our physical nature but always point people to Christ. So it is a delicate balance of being proud of my accomplishments yet, humble enough to know that it wasn't in my own strength that I am where I am today.
I teach my girls that we should dress modestly. So, I have to set an example in what is appropriate. They learn by seeing what I do, not in what I tell them to do. In my teenage years, I dressed quite inappropriately! I didn't realize what it did to the opposite sex. I just liked the attention. I want it to be different for my girls. I want them to know the power they possess with their bodies. God gave them a gift to share but with only one man and that would be their husband. I want it to be a gift they can give to their husband.
Why am I sharing all this with you? Because in the fitness world it is easy to get caught up in what is popular and showing off your new body. But, you can be strong, be proud of your body without being inappropriate. We can be fashionable without being obsessive. Does that make sense?
I had to totally revamp my wardrobe when I went from a size 16 to a size 8. I didn't know how to dress myself. If I hadn't had God guiding me, I could have easily chosen a road of showing off my new body. But, He thinks I worth MORE than that. This new body is to be cherished because I am HIS temple. I try to always check with my hubby or the girls to make sure I am not wearing something that will detract from what I am here to do. They hold me to a standard and I am glad!
It really all comes down to what we are focused on in this life. Is it just about me or is it about a change inside that prepares us for what Christ has for us to do in this life?
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16