I've been thinking about writing this post for a long time now, but I haven't really had the courage to put it in words. I'm a little reluctant to put my feelings and pretty personal thoughts out to the world. But an article by Laura Fleshman on Runner's World today got me thinking. Although her article was about being honest with body image, it also challenged me to take a risk and to write something a little more personal on the blog today. Her article motivated me to "keep it real" and to share something that has been affecting me quite a lot lately and to not be embarrassed by it.
I have anxiety. Life-hindering, mood changing anxiety. As a child I was always labeled "determined," "hard-working," and "over-achiever." I strived to be the best and often pushed myself too hard causing major emotional crashes. I'll never forget studying for an AP Calculus test my senior year of high school during my study hall when my principal came in and saw me in tears over my book. After a few minutes she dismissed me from study hall and told me to use my senior privileges to go home and shove my calculus book under my bed and to ignore it until tomorrow. I obviously ignored her and thought she was ridiculous. How could I just throw a book under my bed and ignore it when I had such a major exam coming up? I ended up doing fine on the exam, but I had to take the next day off of school because I ended up being so emotionally drained I couldn't function.
Similar issues occurred in college and I started to wonder if my stress and feelings of being overwhelmed were a little more. I started to feel so stressed that I began to have OCD-like tendencies. I would repeat lists over and over in my head and reorganize my desk at least three times a day. If my books were organized in the wrong way, I would have to stop what I was doing to rearrange them before I could continue what I was doing. I always felt I had anxiety, but I never felt that it would hinder my life.
Fast forward to two months after the twins were born. Being a mother of multiples (and a toddler!!) is stressful. I will never minimize that stress and make excuses for it. It's a huge adjustment. There are days when I wake up sweating because I am already having an anxiety attack about what the day will hold. It takes all of my power to force myself to get out of bed and to breathe knowing that I can handle the three kids that are all screaming for attention at the same time. Other times my anxiety makes me angry or sad and makes it challenging for me to sort through my emotions. Even more I would have irrational fears, like I would be home alone with the three kids and not be able to get out of the house if there was a fire. A good thought to have, but not one to fixate on all day long. For awhile I just assumed this is what it was like to adjust to having twins.
However, the birth of the twins made me analyze my own emotions and anxiety much deeper and realize I didn't just get overwhelmed when things were tough, I was constantly overwhelmed, which drove all of my behavior. Looking back as I grew up I am sure my driven and determined attitude was a result of my underlying anxiety driving me forward always trying to escape what made me anxious. My constant need to reorganize and straighten up everything in the house is without a doubt my body's way of coping. But this anxiety that dictates my life has to stop!
I have made a plan with my family and I refuse to let my anxiety determine my emotions and the kind of person I am. Instead of letting the fear dictate how my day goes, I choose strength and hope instead. I know that I will always have to overcome this and with any obstacle I am going to fail at times. But being honest with myself and putting it down in writing has helped me realize that I can do this. Anxiety doesn't have to be life-hindering and from now on it isn't.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Friday, January 31, 2014
January Goal Check-In
I know it's the end of January and everyone else has already written their 2014 year resolutions and goals. I've been wanting to post mine for awhile, but I've been holding back on sharing them. I'm not sure if it was I didn't think my goals were interesting enough or that I was afraid if I put them down for everyone to read I would feel like a failure if I came up short. After a lot of wavering back and forth, I realized that I needed to share my goals. I needed to feel the accountable and I felt that writing them on here would make them real. I needed to start believing in myself and take my goals seriously.
I knew from experience that too many goals would never be achievable. I also wanted to try to have well-rounded goals that focused on a variety of aspects of my life. I ended up choosing five goals and tried to brainstorm a few ways that I can work toward achieving the goals
Goal #1: Work toward balance in my life.
Last year was a big adjustment for my family and me, in a good way! Bringing the twins into our family was an amazing and rewarding experience, but it has definitely had its challenges. Finding the balance between myself, my family and our responsibilities has been a big adjustment for all of us. This year, I am hoping to try to find a balance between all aspects of my life so that I can be stronger mother, wife and friend.
As of now, I feel that I have more times of failure than of success. I am hoping that I can continue to communicate with my family and friends to help me understand how I am feeling and to brainstorm solutions to the challenges we face. Lately, I have been relying a lot on my husband, N, to help me. He's my biggest supporter and is working to help me realize it's ok to feel the way I feel. That being overwhelmed is OK and that by working together we can work toward a more balanced life.
Another strategy I am trying is to choose a monthly word or phrase that speaks to how I am feeling at that time. Whenever I have moments of self-doubt I am trying to remind myself of what I have chosen so that I am try and remain positive. January's word is "believe." I've been trying to remember this throughout the rough times and I posted it on my treadmill to remind me while I'm working out.
Goal #2: Consistent healthy lifestyle.
Every year I strive to be healthier, but I always seem to fall into the same habits. This year I am determined to be more consistent with my exercise and diet. As a mother, I want to make sure that I am being a strong role model for my children so that they can begin the steps to their own healthy lifestyle.
So far I have been doing pretty well. I am working on following my training schedule consistently and to be better at meal planning. I'm not perfect, but I feel like I've learned some skills about portion control and healthier options. I hope to continue to be better about planning in advance and to find meals that our whole family can enjoy.
Goal #3 Complete 26.2.
I've always wanted to run a marathon, but I've always felt that it is out of my reach. After running multiple half marathons in 2011, I realized that with proper training and dedication I could run a marathon. I would love to go in and have an amazing finishing time my first marathon, but I am hoping to finish it strong and healthy.
The only step that I've done toward this goal is to sign up for a marathon in October and to start researching different plans for my training plan. I know that I will need to begin training in June so I am hoping that I can finalize everything soon so that I know in advance what my commitment will look like.
Goal #4 Finish half marathon in 2:15.
After having the twins I thought that I would have a harder time coming back to running than I did. Being healthy and active prior to and for as much of the pregnancy as I could definitely helped my recovery period. As a result, I wanted to push myself to achieve a PR in the half this year. I did well on my first two half marathons considering I had never really run before I started training. I also knew I could do better. I didn't pay attention to nutrition and I didn't follow my training plan as well as I could.
I have been doing very well on my training and have stuck to my plan. I have researched nutrition ideas and I began keeping a journal of my runs and workouts so that I can look for trends in what worked and what didn't. It has been incredibly helpful to have a designated place for all of my workouts so that I can find the information I need quickly. It's also such a bright and inspiring journal, how can I not want to use it? If you're looking for a new one consider Erin Condren Design. I chose the notebook and added the extra calendar pages below. I have had multiple life planners and notebooks from them and I have never been let down!
Goal #5 Run 1,000 miles for the year.
I stumbled across the blog "Matters of Course" by Running Hutch that hosts a "Run This Year" Challenge. I saw a lot of people making the commitment to run 2014 miles this year. I was intrigued but I knew that I would never be able to run that many miles, especially because I had a strict training schedule for my races this year. After looking further into it, I noticed that I could make my own goal and still join the "Run This Year" community. I decided on 1,000 because I knew it would be a challenge, but could also be achieved.
As of today I have finished January with 45.75 miles. I know that I still have a long way to go to achieve my goal, but I'm pretty impressed that I was able to maintain as much consistency as I was. I am looking forward to seeing how many miles I add in the next few months!
I am going to do my best to keep up with at least a monthly update on how my goals are going and to write a quick post on my word of the month and why I chose it. I'm working on narrowing down February, but I only have a few days! I'll share it once I make a final decision.
I knew from experience that too many goals would never be achievable. I also wanted to try to have well-rounded goals that focused on a variety of aspects of my life. I ended up choosing five goals and tried to brainstorm a few ways that I can work toward achieving the goals
 |
| Goals written in my new training journal. |
Goal #1: Work toward balance in my life.
Last year was a big adjustment for my family and me, in a good way! Bringing the twins into our family was an amazing and rewarding experience, but it has definitely had its challenges. Finding the balance between myself, my family and our responsibilities has been a big adjustment for all of us. This year, I am hoping to try to find a balance between all aspects of my life so that I can be stronger mother, wife and friend.
As of now, I feel that I have more times of failure than of success. I am hoping that I can continue to communicate with my family and friends to help me understand how I am feeling and to brainstorm solutions to the challenges we face. Lately, I have been relying a lot on my husband, N, to help me. He's my biggest supporter and is working to help me realize it's ok to feel the way I feel. That being overwhelmed is OK and that by working together we can work toward a more balanced life.
Another strategy I am trying is to choose a monthly word or phrase that speaks to how I am feeling at that time. Whenever I have moments of self-doubt I am trying to remind myself of what I have chosen so that I am try and remain positive. January's word is "believe." I've been trying to remember this throughout the rough times and I posted it on my treadmill to remind me while I'm working out.
 |
| My little reminder while I run. |
Goal #2: Consistent healthy lifestyle.
Every year I strive to be healthier, but I always seem to fall into the same habits. This year I am determined to be more consistent with my exercise and diet. As a mother, I want to make sure that I am being a strong role model for my children so that they can begin the steps to their own healthy lifestyle.
So far I have been doing pretty well. I am working on following my training schedule consistently and to be better at meal planning. I'm not perfect, but I feel like I've learned some skills about portion control and healthier options. I hope to continue to be better about planning in advance and to find meals that our whole family can enjoy.
Goal #3 Complete 26.2.
I've always wanted to run a marathon, but I've always felt that it is out of my reach. After running multiple half marathons in 2011, I realized that with proper training and dedication I could run a marathon. I would love to go in and have an amazing finishing time my first marathon, but I am hoping to finish it strong and healthy.
The only step that I've done toward this goal is to sign up for a marathon in October and to start researching different plans for my training plan. I know that I will need to begin training in June so I am hoping that I can finalize everything soon so that I know in advance what my commitment will look like.
Goal #4 Finish half marathon in 2:15.
After having the twins I thought that I would have a harder time coming back to running than I did. Being healthy and active prior to and for as much of the pregnancy as I could definitely helped my recovery period. As a result, I wanted to push myself to achieve a PR in the half this year. I did well on my first two half marathons considering I had never really run before I started training. I also knew I could do better. I didn't pay attention to nutrition and I didn't follow my training plan as well as I could.
I have been doing very well on my training and have stuck to my plan. I have researched nutrition ideas and I began keeping a journal of my runs and workouts so that I can look for trends in what worked and what didn't. It has been incredibly helpful to have a designated place for all of my workouts so that I can find the information I need quickly. It's also such a bright and inspiring journal, how can I not want to use it? If you're looking for a new one consider Erin Condren Design. I chose the notebook and added the extra calendar pages below. I have had multiple life planners and notebooks from them and I have never been let down!
Goal #5 Run 1,000 miles for the year.
I stumbled across the blog "Matters of Course" by Running Hutch that hosts a "Run This Year" Challenge. I saw a lot of people making the commitment to run 2014 miles this year. I was intrigued but I knew that I would never be able to run that many miles, especially because I had a strict training schedule for my races this year. After looking further into it, I noticed that I could make my own goal and still join the "Run This Year" community. I decided on 1,000 because I knew it would be a challenge, but could also be achieved.
As of today I have finished January with 45.75 miles. I know that I still have a long way to go to achieve my goal, but I'm pretty impressed that I was able to maintain as much consistency as I was. I am looking forward to seeing how many miles I add in the next few months!
 |
| A pretty decent start, but I know that I have many more miles to go! |
I am going to do my best to keep up with at least a monthly update on how my goals are going and to write a quick post on my word of the month and why I chose it. I'm working on narrowing down February, but I only have a few days! I'll share it once I make a final decision.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Energy Bit Review
#poweredbybits ... I'm sure you've seen the hashtag on Twitter. Maybe even used the hashtag yourself. Or you've never heard it before. But today I am proud to say that I am #poweredbybits.
Energybits are a natural form of energy and a great alternative to gels and energy supplements for fueling before, during and after exercise. They are made from 100% spirulina algae and include tons of other nutrients. For more information check out their website (Energybits) or connect online by following on Twitter and Facebook.
I learned a lot about myself and nutrition while training for my previous two half marathons and I made a list of areas to improve on after the twins were born. I really struggled with choosing the right nutrition to increase my performance to avoid stomach issues and just feeling BLEH throughout and after a run. Since I hadsome lots of extra time while on hospital bed rest with the twins, I started to do some research about natural methods of fueling while running. I had always hated the taste of gels and I wanted to try to incorporate less sugar and more natural options while running. I wanted to find a fuel that I could use throughout running that decreased my worry about stomach issues. Throughout my search I kept noticing the hashtag #poweredbybits used by a lot of my running friends so I figured it was worth checking out.
I'm so glad that I did! I instantly loved that bits are all natural and organically grown. I also love that they can be used as a snack and are real food. Instead of using supplements I am using natural food to help increase my performance. I can even take them around that mid-afternoon lull when I am losing steam quick after being up with all 3 kids at 5 A.M.. They are convenient and don't take up much space if you want to pack them as a snack when you are on the go. The only downside, I am still not used to the "green" smell so I do pinch my nose when I take them.... I always pinch my nose when I take cough syrup so I guess it's all relative?
In addition to being so convenient, I have noticed an increase in my mental focus when running/training, as well as my actual physical performance. I have been using bits prior to all of my training runs for the past three weeks and I have noticed that I don't hit the "wall" as frequently. I am not a very experienced runner so much of my training isn't only working on my fitness, it's reminding myself that it's ok to push myself and conversely, it's ok to struggle. I find that I am more confident when running because I don't feel as hungry and fatigued during my runs. I don't feel like I'm dreading the end of the run because I feel strong enough to finish and push a little harder when I am more tired. And I know the bits are helping me increase my fitness level because I'm already back to my pre-baby run/walk/run interval only 4 weeks into my training. I can't wait to see how much faster I can get before my half in February!
I think the biggest determining factor in choosing to use Energybits while running was their awesome customer service. If I send a question via Twitter, I am amazed at the quick and informative response that I receive. Additionally, I received a hand-written response on my invoice when I got my first package. I definitely love the attention to their customers!
I could really go on and on about how great Energybits have been for my own training and I encourage you to try them! I am now looking forward to incorporating them mid run and after running. More updates to follow...
Looking for some suggestions...
Have you used Energybits before, during or after running? Did you find a drastic change in your performance? How many and how often do you use the bits while running longer runs?
Energybits are a natural form of energy and a great alternative to gels and energy supplements for fueling before, during and after exercise. They are made from 100% spirulina algae and include tons of other nutrients. For more information check out their website (Energybits) or connect online by following on Twitter and Facebook.
I learned a lot about myself and nutrition while training for my previous two half marathons and I made a list of areas to improve on after the twins were born. I really struggled with choosing the right nutrition to increase my performance to avoid stomach issues and just feeling BLEH throughout and after a run. Since I had
I'm so glad that I did! I instantly loved that bits are all natural and organically grown. I also love that they can be used as a snack and are real food. Instead of using supplements I am using natural food to help increase my performance. I can even take them around that mid-afternoon lull when I am losing steam quick after being up with all 3 kids at 5 A.M.. They are convenient and don't take up much space if you want to pack them as a snack when you are on the go. The only downside, I am still not used to the "green" smell so I do pinch my nose when I take them.... I always pinch my nose when I take cough syrup so I guess it's all relative?
In addition to being so convenient, I have noticed an increase in my mental focus when running/training, as well as my actual physical performance. I have been using bits prior to all of my training runs for the past three weeks and I have noticed that I don't hit the "wall" as frequently. I am not a very experienced runner so much of my training isn't only working on my fitness, it's reminding myself that it's ok to push myself and conversely, it's ok to struggle. I find that I am more confident when running because I don't feel as hungry and fatigued during my runs. I don't feel like I'm dreading the end of the run because I feel strong enough to finish and push a little harder when I am more tired. And I know the bits are helping me increase my fitness level because I'm already back to my pre-baby run/walk/run interval only 4 weeks into my training. I can't wait to see how much faster I can get before my half in February!
I think the biggest determining factor in choosing to use Energybits while running was their awesome customer service. If I send a question via Twitter, I am amazed at the quick and informative response that I receive. Additionally, I received a hand-written response on my invoice when I got my first package. I definitely love the attention to their customers!
I could really go on and on about how great Energybits have been for my own training and I encourage you to try them! I am now looking forward to incorporating them mid run and after running. More updates to follow...
Looking for some suggestions...
Have you used Energybits before, during or after running? Did you find a drastic change in your performance? How many and how often do you use the bits while running longer runs?
Sunday, November 17, 2013
It's Official!
I still have to write up my training journal from this week, but I figured I'd do a quick post on my big news.
Running a marathon has always been something that I thought was unachievable. So much so, that running a half marathon was on my bucket list. 13.1 seemed (and is) and incredible challenge for me. Now that I have grown as a runner, I'm ready to challenge myself in a new way. For the past year I've been watching all my run friends accomplish new PRs and new races, many of them the marathon. Feeling inspired I am throwing my hat in the ring... Next October I will run my first marathon!
Am I crazy or brave????
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Disney Glass Slipper Challenge Week 2
I know I'm a day or two off since I started week 3 today, but as part of my training I need to be better at reflecting on my training. So here it goes...
WEEK TWO SUMMARY:
Tuesday: 45 minute run/walk/run workout
Today's workout was definitely challenging. I was struggling with the 2:1 run/walk ratio at 15 minutes. Knowing that I wanted to increase my stamina, I continued to push myself through. I'm glad I did because I felt so much better at the end of the workout. However, the next day I woke up with the start of a cold, so I think I found the source of my fatigue the night before!
Thursday: 30 minute run/walk/run workout
I had planned to do a 45 minute run/walk/run workout, but I wasn't feeling 100 percent yet. I was able to maintain the 2:1 run/walk ration for the entire workout, but at the end I felt some calf tightness. I've never had calf pain while running so I made sure I stretched a little more carefully on that side and threw on my compression sleeves. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't overdoing my workout so early in my training.
Saturday: Long run 4 miles
Since my daughter has swim class on Saturdays, I need to get my long runs in super early in the morning. I run by myself so I didn't think it was safe to go running at 5:00 by myself. This left me with a 4 mile treadmill run. I know that most people think 4 miles on the treadmill is nothing, but I struggle with longer than 3 miles on the treadmill. I get so bored! Luckily, I was able to catch up on my guilty pleasure shows and the time didn't seem that bad. I was able to maintain 1:1 ratio the entire run and was able to keep my pace between 12:30 - 13:00 min miles, my goal long run pace.
Nutrition:
I am continuing to work on finding the right pre and post run fuel. My runs aren't long enough for working on nutrition during running. I know in the next few weeks though I will need to start experimenting on long runs to see what works best for me. This week I did find that I can't eat my breakfast after a half hour before my workout. I definitely did not feel well at the end of the run and I know it isn't because I exerted myself too hard, considering I was doing an easy pace on purpose. In the future I'm definitely going to have to wake up earlier to make sure that I have a little time to digest and find the perfect pre-run meal, definitely something I'll need for my early wake-up at Disney.
Next week (technically this week) I am hoping to increase my running intervals and maintain that for thirty minutes. From then on I will continue to increase my workout duration and intervals, hopefully arriving at a 4:1 or 5:1 ratio. I'm also looking at working in cross training and strength training on non-run days. However, I'm trying to slowly build into my routine as I know I am coming from no exercise since February of last year and minimal exercise since the twins were born. Although I'm looking to reach a certain time goal, I am also trying to be realistic with my fitness level and avoiding injury.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Disney Glass Slipper Challenge Week 1
Last spring Disney announced the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge at Disneyland. It was the first of what would become new additions to the runDisney lineup. Basically the Dumbo Double Dare is the 10K on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday. This race was scheduled for the end of summer 2013, so I knew that it would not be an option for me with the twins expected to be born mid to late summer. I was bummed until shortly after the Glass Slipper Challenge was announced for the Princess Half weekend in February. The Glass Slipper Challenge is the Princess version of the Dumbo Double Dare. Even though I was unsure if I would be able to commit to the race, I knew I had to sign up. Given the popularity of the new Disney races, I did not want to miss out on the inaugural experience, especially the chance to earn 3 medals.
Fast forward to this past week and the first week of my training. I chose to train and run the challenge using Jeff Galloway's walk/run/walk method. I used this same method for my first and second half and was able to accomplish both feeling strong and uninjured. This means that I have two days throughout the week of running where I build up my stamina and determine my appropriate walk/run ratio. The weekend long run is run significantly slower to build my endurance.
Since I was unable to exercise throughout my last pregnancy, I have had a lot of time to think about my goals and to research fueling, nutrition and training. Before beginning my training I had the number 2:15 in my head for my goal. Knowing that I would have to work my butt off, I was reluctant to say the goal out loud and to realistically find it achievable. Yet, the more I looked at what I wanted to achieve, I knew I wanted to push myself. I had done a lot of research about proper nutrition and training techniques to improve performance. I didn't want to sell myself short, so I decided to jump all in. What good is a goal if it doesn't force you out of your comfort zone and make you examine yourself? Right?? As part of reaching my goal, I am using this blog to summarize my workouts and to review my progress as a method of staying on top of reaching my goals.
WEEK ONE SUMMARY:
Tuesday: 30 minute run/walk/run workout
Finding time to train is hard, so most of my weekday workouts will most likely be at night on the treadmill. I chose to workout after all 3 kids were asleep and to use a 2:1 run/walk ratio. It was a little disappointing for me to use such a "slow" pace from what I was doing prior to becoming pregnant, but I kept reminding myself that I needed to build up my endurance and ability again. As tough as it was to get back in the routine, I am glad that I chose the pace I did. I felt tired afterwards, but I didn't feel as if I pushed myself too much.
Today I also kept track of my food using a food journal. In the past, I have had issues with proper nutrition. I often over-fuel and end up with GI issues or I feel sluggish. To reach my goal, I know that I need to be more aware of what I am eating and when I am eating it. One major benefit to my pre-workout routine was the use of Energybits. I'm not sure how many of you have tried them, but I have seen so much buzz about them on Twitter, that I knew they were worth a try. They definitely gave me the extra boost that I needed while running. I am going to continue incorporating them into my weekly training and after another week of training, I hope to do a full review on the blog. Stay tuned!
Thursday: 30 minute run/walk/run workout
Today I did another night workout on the treadmill. I stuck to the 2:1 run/walk ratio, but I found it to be easier and I think it had a lot to do with choosing the right time frame and pre-run fuel. Instead of eating dinner around 5:30ish with my daughter, I had a turkey sandwich as an after school snack at 4:00. By just moving my dinner back an hour and a half, I felt like I still had energy from the meal, but didn't have the sluggish feeling of just eating. This allowed me to use my Energybits as my only fuel prior to running. I definitely felt a difference in my mental focus and my endurance throughout the workout.
I also experimented with post-workout nutrition this week. I found that I liked baby carrots with hummus, glass of Nuun, and a glass of skim milk post-workout. Instead of waking up famished the next morning as I usually do with a night workout, I felt hungry but not like I hadn't eaten in days.
Major win!
Saturday: "Long run" 3 miles
When I hear long run, I always think of longer distances, but knowing that I needed to establish a base of consistent miles, 3 miles was enough for me. Prior to my run, I looked up the training paces and race paces to help me achieve my goal of 2:15. By determining the ideal training pace for long running, I was able to focus on my pace throughout my 3 mile run instead of pushing myself too hard and losing the benefit of the "long run." In past training, I didn't use this strategy appropriately and I definitely felt it when I was in the middle of my training schedules. I had overworked myself. My goals for long runs throughout this training is to keep a close eye on pre and post run nutrition and appropriate pacing. These are two areas that I struggled with when training for my past two half marathons.
The weather was perfect for a run on Saturday. It was mid 50's and was a clear day. I was so excited to be running outside and actually enjoyed a long run. Watching my pace and forcing myself to examine how fast and slow I ran really made me aware of my abilities as a runner. I am definitely looking forward to longer runs to analyze.
All in all, this was a relatively good training week for me. I am looking forward to adding some more time to my weekday workouts and extra mileage in the upcoming weeks. Until next time.... (hopefully for week 2, as I still continue to blame the twins on my lack of blogging skills....)
Fast forward to this past week and the first week of my training. I chose to train and run the challenge using Jeff Galloway's walk/run/walk method. I used this same method for my first and second half and was able to accomplish both feeling strong and uninjured. This means that I have two days throughout the week of running where I build up my stamina and determine my appropriate walk/run ratio. The weekend long run is run significantly slower to build my endurance.
Since I was unable to exercise throughout my last pregnancy, I have had a lot of time to think about my goals and to research fueling, nutrition and training. Before beginning my training I had the number 2:15 in my head for my goal. Knowing that I would have to work my butt off, I was reluctant to say the goal out loud and to realistically find it achievable. Yet, the more I looked at what I wanted to achieve, I knew I wanted to push myself. I had done a lot of research about proper nutrition and training techniques to improve performance. I didn't want to sell myself short, so I decided to jump all in. What good is a goal if it doesn't force you out of your comfort zone and make you examine yourself? Right?? As part of reaching my goal, I am using this blog to summarize my workouts and to review my progress as a method of staying on top of reaching my goals.
WEEK ONE SUMMARY:
Tuesday: 30 minute run/walk/run workout
Finding time to train is hard, so most of my weekday workouts will most likely be at night on the treadmill. I chose to workout after all 3 kids were asleep and to use a 2:1 run/walk ratio. It was a little disappointing for me to use such a "slow" pace from what I was doing prior to becoming pregnant, but I kept reminding myself that I needed to build up my endurance and ability again. As tough as it was to get back in the routine, I am glad that I chose the pace I did. I felt tired afterwards, but I didn't feel as if I pushed myself too much.
Today I also kept track of my food using a food journal. In the past, I have had issues with proper nutrition. I often over-fuel and end up with GI issues or I feel sluggish. To reach my goal, I know that I need to be more aware of what I am eating and when I am eating it. One major benefit to my pre-workout routine was the use of Energybits. I'm not sure how many of you have tried them, but I have seen so much buzz about them on Twitter, that I knew they were worth a try. They definitely gave me the extra boost that I needed while running. I am going to continue incorporating them into my weekly training and after another week of training, I hope to do a full review on the blog. Stay tuned!
Thursday: 30 minute run/walk/run workout
Today I did another night workout on the treadmill. I stuck to the 2:1 run/walk ratio, but I found it to be easier and I think it had a lot to do with choosing the right time frame and pre-run fuel. Instead of eating dinner around 5:30ish with my daughter, I had a turkey sandwich as an after school snack at 4:00. By just moving my dinner back an hour and a half, I felt like I still had energy from the meal, but didn't have the sluggish feeling of just eating. This allowed me to use my Energybits as my only fuel prior to running. I definitely felt a difference in my mental focus and my endurance throughout the workout.
I also experimented with post-workout nutrition this week. I found that I liked baby carrots with hummus, glass of Nuun, and a glass of skim milk post-workout. Instead of waking up famished the next morning as I usually do with a night workout, I felt hungry but not like I hadn't eaten in days.
Major win!
Saturday: "Long run" 3 miles
When I hear long run, I always think of longer distances, but knowing that I needed to establish a base of consistent miles, 3 miles was enough for me. Prior to my run, I looked up the training paces and race paces to help me achieve my goal of 2:15. By determining the ideal training pace for long running, I was able to focus on my pace throughout my 3 mile run instead of pushing myself too hard and losing the benefit of the "long run." In past training, I didn't use this strategy appropriately and I definitely felt it when I was in the middle of my training schedules. I had overworked myself. My goals for long runs throughout this training is to keep a close eye on pre and post run nutrition and appropriate pacing. These are two areas that I struggled with when training for my past two half marathons.
The weather was perfect for a run on Saturday. It was mid 50's and was a clear day. I was so excited to be running outside and actually enjoyed a long run. Watching my pace and forcing myself to examine how fast and slow I ran really made me aware of my abilities as a runner. I am definitely looking forward to longer runs to analyze.
All in all, this was a relatively good training week for me. I am looking forward to adding some more time to my weekday workouts and extra mileage in the upcoming weeks. Until next time.... (hopefully for week 2, as I still continue to blame the twins on my lack of blogging skills....)
Thursday, August 22, 2013
One Month Update
The Twins One Month:
Eating
Unfortunately I was unable to keep breastfeeding the twins for a variety of reasons. Since I was able to nurse my daughter until she was 10 months and had an enjoyable experience, it was a challenge for me to accept that I was unable to do it for the twins. However, it has proven to be the best choice for our family and I am seeing the babies grow and thrive so it has eased my mind. On the downside we go through a lot of bottles!
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| Our nightly bottles ready to go. |
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| Our sink the morning after. |
As of now we are trying to keep the twins on the same eating schedule, but they aren't always cooperative. Olivia is hungry after 2 - 2 1/2 hours and Jackson goes about 2 1/2 - 3 hours. My husband and I were trying to keep them on the same schedule and waking or stretching the other baby to keep them together. After many stressful feedings, I realized today that this philosophy wasn't working for us. I understand the concept or making everything easier and I'm sure when they are older it will be worth it to have them eat together. At this point, I need to make sure I'm meeting the needs of each baby individually. From the beginning I wanted to make sure that I treated them as individuals and not just "the twins." I realized by forcing them to conform to my schedule I wasn't recognizing each child's needs. After deciding this today, I found today to be less stressful and more enjoyable. I wasn't anxious about feeding times because I was taking cues from them.
Sleeping
Our sleep varies each night, but on average we get 2 1/2 - 3 hour stretches in between feedings. Compared to my daughter who nursed every 2 hours for the first 3 months, I am already getting at least an hour more in between each feeding. During the day, Olivia is more awake. She tends to take a few longer "naps," but sleeps pretty consistently throughout the night. Jackson needs a few more reminders about day and night. He's getting there though! With my daughter she never napped on her own and was more often held. The fortunate part of having twins is that we don't always have enough hands to hold them all. We have been relying on our swings and our infant napper. Both have been pretty successful. If neither of those are working, we resort to the car! I am looking forward to longer stretches at night, but I am just thankful that we are getting some sleep.
Milestones
There haven't been any huge milestones this month. Basically everything the twins do is a huge milestone. I am looking forward to watching them start to smile and become more alert in the next few months. This month we did get our first pictures taken of the twins and their big sister together. I guess this counts as a milestone since my daughter didn't have pictures taken formally until 6 months! I know I'm biased, but they make a cute family huh?
Big Sister
Big sister is starting to get comfortable with her siblings. At first she liked the twins from afar and only liked to talk about them. She's beginning to play with them and is actually asking to hold them. Though holding the two of them is a little scary to her as you can see above! She has her moments of jealously, but we are trying to do our best to give her special time and to include her in as much of her siblings day as we can. I know as they get older and begin to interact more, she may become less cautious around them.
Mommy
I think I could write an entire separate blog entry to just skim how I'm feeling. It's been quite an adjustment and I am trying to take it day-by-day as some are more overwhelming as others. I can't wait until my 6 week appointment and I am cleared to exercise. I can definitely tell when I need a good run or workout and it's killing me that I can't! I feel ready to workout, but I know I need to wait until my doctor's ok. With all the complications I had during pregnancy, I'm not taking any chances! Even though I don't have my usual way to relieve my stress and anxiety, I am very thankful to have the support my husband, family and friends. We are so fortunate to have had so many visitors this past month and extra hands helping out. I would never have survived the first month if we hadn't have had so much support.
Since the majority of this post is all my thoughts, I thought I'd share with you some lessons that hubs has learned form having twins. It's humorous, honest, and a great representation of the first month.
LESSONS I'VE LEARNED FROM HAVING TWINS:
1. You can never have enough dish soap
2. They spit up more on my clothes than they do their own
1. You can never have enough dish soap
2. They spit up more on my clothes than they do their own
3. I have a new found appreciation for families with multiples. If you are a parent of multiples I want to tell you how amazing you are.
4. I have completely forgotten what day of the week it is.
5. I have to buy diapers almost every time I leave the house.
6. Apparently, I do not have enough hands to hold and feed both children, yet.
7. Taking a shower and brushing my teeth can be completed in under 2 minutes.
8. Naps for parents apparently were never part of the "twin" deal.
9. I can't remember the last time I sat down and ate a meal uninterrupted.
10. I wouldn't change any of it for the world.
4. I have completely forgotten what day of the week it is.
5. I have to buy diapers almost every time I leave the house.
6. Apparently, I do not have enough hands to hold and feed both children, yet.
7. Taking a shower and brushing my teeth can be completed in under 2 minutes.
8. Naps for parents apparently were never part of the "twin" deal.
9. I can't remember the last time I sat down and ate a meal uninterrupted.
10. I wouldn't change any of it for the world.
Friday, August 9, 2013
Becoming a Family of Five
As I finally have the energy and time to sit down and write the blog that I've been trying to write for almost 3 weeks, it's hitting me that we have been a family of 5 for almost 3 weeks! I can't believe how quickly time has flown. I guess when you have 3 kids two years and under, life most pretty fast.
But... I guess I should back up. Our family was blessed to grow by 2 more on July 22, 2013. Although my husband and I knew we were expecting twins, we didn't realize how much our lives would change at the end of June when I went into the hospital with pre-term labor. Fortunately the doctors in Boston were able to postpone my delivery for a little less than 5 weeks and I stayed on hospital bed rest until 37 weeks, full term for twins. I'll share my pregnancy and labor story in another blog for those who are interested. I relied on a lot on other twin mothers' blogs throughout my pregnancy so I hope that my story may give others hope and comfort throughout their own pregnancy.
On Monday, July 22nd my husband and I were excited and nervous that we were finally going to meet the twins. At 6:32 PM Jackson Nicholas was born and at 6:44 PM along came Olivia Marie. Both twins were healthy and good sized babies for twins. Jackson was 7 pounds 2 ounces and Olivia was 6 pounds 4 ounces. I am definitely thankful for the extra weeks of delayed delivery!
From the start our neighbors, family and friends jumped in and helped out in any way possible. I can't even begin to describe how much we appreciated the dinners, extra hands and thoughtful gifts and time spent with our daughter Isabella. We would have had a much more challenging transition home without everyone's continued support. However, this week we've started to settle in our family with less help from others. We figured it was time to start getting our feet wet and figuring how to manage on our own.
We knew it'd be crazy, but it seems like a storm is on the horizon in our house. Between our independent two year old and the frequent needs of the twins, it feels like nothing is accomplished but diaper changing, feeding them and bath time. By the time we get the twins settled, our daughter wants something. Or as soon as we get our daughter settled, the twins are ready to be held or eat! I'm pretty sure that parents of twins should be able to adapt like wild animals and sprout a few extra hands... just kidding.. sort of. We were prepared as best we could be for the whirlwind that became our house, but it's still an eye-opener when you think of how frequently they eat and the amount of diapers that 3 kids go through! Sleep is really nonexistent, but we knew to expect that. Unfortunately you can't bank hours before the babies come.
Don't get me wrong. The past few weeks have been non-stop, exhausting and stressful. However, they also have been the best few weeks of my life. Welcoming Jackson and Olivia into our family has felt like the perfect fit. All 3 of us are filled with love for our new family and are enjoying getting to know the little personalities. It has also made us cherish our time with Isabella more and stop to take any free chance we have to make our time with her special. It's also strengthened my husband and I as a team. We continue to grow as parents and work together to do the best we can for all of our children. Three weeks have almost passed. I can't wait to see how many changes for the better our family continues to go through!
But... I guess I should back up. Our family was blessed to grow by 2 more on July 22, 2013. Although my husband and I knew we were expecting twins, we didn't realize how much our lives would change at the end of June when I went into the hospital with pre-term labor. Fortunately the doctors in Boston were able to postpone my delivery for a little less than 5 weeks and I stayed on hospital bed rest until 37 weeks, full term for twins. I'll share my pregnancy and labor story in another blog for those who are interested. I relied on a lot on other twin mothers' blogs throughout my pregnancy so I hope that my story may give others hope and comfort throughout their own pregnancy.
On Monday, July 22nd my husband and I were excited and nervous that we were finally going to meet the twins. At 6:32 PM Jackson Nicholas was born and at 6:44 PM along came Olivia Marie. Both twins were healthy and good sized babies for twins. Jackson was 7 pounds 2 ounces and Olivia was 6 pounds 4 ounces. I am definitely thankful for the extra weeks of delayed delivery!
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| Olivia Marie (Left) and Jackson Nicholas (Right) |
We knew it'd be crazy, but it seems like a storm is on the horizon in our house. Between our independent two year old and the frequent needs of the twins, it feels like nothing is accomplished but diaper changing, feeding them and bath time. By the time we get the twins settled, our daughter wants something. Or as soon as we get our daughter settled, the twins are ready to be held or eat! I'm pretty sure that parents of twins should be able to adapt like wild animals and sprout a few extra hands... just kidding.. sort of. We were prepared as best we could be for the whirlwind that became our house, but it's still an eye-opener when you think of how frequently they eat and the amount of diapers that 3 kids go through! Sleep is really nonexistent, but we knew to expect that. Unfortunately you can't bank hours before the babies come.
Don't get me wrong. The past few weeks have been non-stop, exhausting and stressful. However, they also have been the best few weeks of my life. Welcoming Jackson and Olivia into our family has felt like the perfect fit. All 3 of us are filled with love for our new family and are enjoying getting to know the little personalities. It has also made us cherish our time with Isabella more and stop to take any free chance we have to make our time with her special. It's also strengthened my husband and I as a team. We continue to grow as parents and work together to do the best we can for all of our children. Three weeks have almost passed. I can't wait to see how many changes for the better our family continues to go through!
Monday, March 25, 2013
A Letter to Non-Pregnant Friends
I know is supposed to be a running-related blog and that I haven't blogged in a LONG time, but I'm hoping that I can move my blog to a little bit more of an insight to my life, not just running. Plus, today I hit a breaking point and just needed to vent for a short period of time... I promise I will be positive.
After a handful of comments, both good and awkward, that were made this past week regarding my pregnancy, I decided to write a letter to my non-pregnant friends and family to share a little insight into what it is like to be on the receiving end of those comments. So here goes...
To my dearest non-pregnant friends and family,
I know that we, myself and fellow pregnant women, can be overly annoying at times and downright one-sided in our thoughts and actions from the moment we find out that we are expecting. I also know that our upcoming deliveries, how we are feeling and our fears are common conversation topics, even if people don't want to hear them. I've been the person to scroll down my Facebook and Twitter feed to to see daily belly pictures on social media and frequent updates about baby kicks, nursery decorating bargains and lack of sleep and roll my eyes at yet more baby sharing. Ok, I'll admit. I'm guilty of it too. It's an exciting time and it's easy to get caught up in everything.
But...I'll make a deal with you. I'll try to contain my baby-related topics to a minimum, if you can promise to remember that my being pregnant does not allow you to ignore social rules and say whatever is on your mind. It has seemed to me through my first pregnancy and now my second that some non-pregnant people feel it's acceptable to say whatever they'd like when talking to someone about their pregnancy. It is never OK to ask someone if they planned to have a baby, used fertility drugs, or to ask any other very personal questions about how the pregnancy occurred. On that note, it is never acceptable to ask about what negative side effects I'm experiencing (Trust me... pregnancy isn't always rays on sunshine and it's not really information I'd like to share.), or to give hours of questioning my parenting skill. It is also not an open invitation to touch my stomach and to comment on how "large" I am getting.
Pregnancy is a scary and wonderful journey. As I enter my "halfway" point of my pregnancy, I have taken some time to look back on my journey so far and realize that I am blessed to be able to say that I am expecting twins. However, I'll admit, some days it's hard to remember that between the early morning sickness, the constant back pain and stretching that your body feels and the ever growing weight on the scale. It's on those days that pregnant women feel most vulnerable and those days when we need support. We don't need the comments about our growing bodies or unwanted questioning. We see our changes daily and we are already trying to process and find the best in our journeys without the added stress. Yes, it is a blessing to be pregnant, but it is a lot to take in each day. All of these changes signal large life changes ahead and it's downright scary.
Please remember next time we talk with you, that although we are excited, we are scared too. We are feeling blessed and overwhelmed at the same time. Our constant changing emotions can be challenging to handle. Remember that a comment or question you make has the ability to make us feel down on ourselves or can make us feel supported and reaffirm our blessings. Remember in the end, it's all about the miracle of welcoming a little one (or ones...) into a loving and caring world.
With much respect and love,
Your pregnant friend or family member
After a handful of comments, both good and awkward, that were made this past week regarding my pregnancy, I decided to write a letter to my non-pregnant friends and family to share a little insight into what it is like to be on the receiving end of those comments. So here goes...
To my dearest non-pregnant friends and family,
I know that we, myself and fellow pregnant women, can be overly annoying at times and downright one-sided in our thoughts and actions from the moment we find out that we are expecting. I also know that our upcoming deliveries, how we are feeling and our fears are common conversation topics, even if people don't want to hear them. I've been the person to scroll down my Facebook and Twitter feed to to see daily belly pictures on social media and frequent updates about baby kicks, nursery decorating bargains and lack of sleep and roll my eyes at yet more baby sharing. Ok, I'll admit. I'm guilty of it too. It's an exciting time and it's easy to get caught up in everything.
But...I'll make a deal with you. I'll try to contain my baby-related topics to a minimum, if you can promise to remember that my being pregnant does not allow you to ignore social rules and say whatever is on your mind. It has seemed to me through my first pregnancy and now my second that some non-pregnant people feel it's acceptable to say whatever they'd like when talking to someone about their pregnancy. It is never OK to ask someone if they planned to have a baby, used fertility drugs, or to ask any other very personal questions about how the pregnancy occurred. On that note, it is never acceptable to ask about what negative side effects I'm experiencing (Trust me... pregnancy isn't always rays on sunshine and it's not really information I'd like to share.), or to give hours of questioning my parenting skill. It is also not an open invitation to touch my stomach and to comment on how "large" I am getting.
Pregnancy is a scary and wonderful journey. As I enter my "halfway" point of my pregnancy, I have taken some time to look back on my journey so far and realize that I am blessed to be able to say that I am expecting twins. However, I'll admit, some days it's hard to remember that between the early morning sickness, the constant back pain and stretching that your body feels and the ever growing weight on the scale. It's on those days that pregnant women feel most vulnerable and those days when we need support. We don't need the comments about our growing bodies or unwanted questioning. We see our changes daily and we are already trying to process and find the best in our journeys without the added stress. Yes, it is a blessing to be pregnant, but it is a lot to take in each day. All of these changes signal large life changes ahead and it's downright scary.
Please remember next time we talk with you, that although we are excited, we are scared too. We are feeling blessed and overwhelmed at the same time. Our constant changing emotions can be challenging to handle. Remember that a comment or question you make has the ability to make us feel down on ourselves or can make us feel supported and reaffirm our blessings. Remember in the end, it's all about the miracle of welcoming a little one (or ones...) into a loving and caring world.
With much respect and love,
Your pregnant friend or family member
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Wine and Dine Half Recap
I know it's been almost 2 weeks since the Wine and Dine Half and I should already have posted my recap, but I really have no excuse. Time flew by with getting back in the routine of teaching, report cards, and Thanksgiving tomorrow. Without any more excuses, here it goes...
After the excitement and energy from the Wine Dine Half Meetup (see my previous post), I could not wait for Saturday night. I visited the Expo on Friday and by Saturday morning I was counting down the hours until the race. My family had reservations to Le Cellier Steakhouse in Epcot and as much as I wanted to go and enjoy their company, I knew I would be way to tempted by the delicious food. If you have never eaten there, you HAVE to make reservations. I went on my honeyymoon
and seriously would eat there every night of the trip if I could. I decided that it was best for me to take my time getting ready, eat a light dinner and HYDRATE! I had learned some great tips about preparing for a night race the day before from Tara Gidus (the runDisney offical nutritionist) and I wanted to make sure that I followed them. I was so concerned about encountering GI issues on this run. I wanted to make sure I had time to enjoy the Food and Wine Festival afterwards!
I stayed at the Beach Club Resort and had planned on grabbing a bus to ESPN Wide World of Sports around 7:30, but my excitement got the best of me. I was on the bus by 7:05 and heading over to see what the runDisney pre-race experience was like. Looking at other people's blogs and catching up with fellow team #runDisney members I realized that if I had waited until 7:30 like I had originally planned, I would be waiting forever! Luckily I missed the bus backups that many people faced. The only downside of getting to the race so early was that there was A LOT of wait time until the race started. Lucikly I was able to hang out with some team #runDisney members and participate in some great runDisney entertainment before we had to line up in our corrals.
Before I knew it the announcers were asking the runners to head to the corrals. I owe a big shoutout to fellow team #runDisney member Linzie (@SeeSharpRun) for hanging out with me and easing my nerves before the race.
After about an hour, the first group of runners were off. I had heard stories, but I was amazed at the firework display and the excitement that the announcers generate before the start. I anxiously waited for corral C, said goodbye to Linzie, and made my way to the side of the group. I had planned on using the Galloway method for the race and I wanted to make sure that I was out of the way when I stopped for my walk breaks. After corral B left, we moved up and I could actually see the start line! When they counted down to the start of our group, I didn't expect them to set up fireworks as they had done for the first groups, but I soon realized that they give every corral the same, AWESOME, experience. Thank you runDisney for thinking of the slower runners too!
After the excitement and energy from the Wine Dine Half Meetup (see my previous post), I could not wait for Saturday night. I visited the Expo on Friday and by Saturday morning I was counting down the hours until the race. My family had reservations to Le Cellier Steakhouse in Epcot and as much as I wanted to go and enjoy their company, I knew I would be way to tempted by the delicious food. If you have never eaten there, you HAVE to make reservations. I went on my honeyymoon
and seriously would eat there every night of the trip if I could. I decided that it was best for me to take my time getting ready, eat a light dinner and HYDRATE! I had learned some great tips about preparing for a night race the day before from Tara Gidus (the runDisney offical nutritionist) and I wanted to make sure that I followed them. I was so concerned about encountering GI issues on this run. I wanted to make sure I had time to enjoy the Food and Wine Festival afterwards!
I stayed at the Beach Club Resort and had planned on grabbing a bus to ESPN Wide World of Sports around 7:30, but my excitement got the best of me. I was on the bus by 7:05 and heading over to see what the runDisney pre-race experience was like. Looking at other people's blogs and catching up with fellow team #runDisney members I realized that if I had waited until 7:30 like I had originally planned, I would be waiting forever! Luckily I missed the bus backups that many people faced. The only downside of getting to the race so early was that there was A LOT of wait time until the race started. Lucikly I was able to hang out with some team #runDisney members and participate in some great runDisney entertainment before we had to line up in our corrals.
Before I knew it the announcers were asking the runners to head to the corrals. I owe a big shoutout to fellow team #runDisney member Linzie (@SeeSharpRun) for hanging out with me and easing my nerves before the race.
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| Corral C. I loved the color changing balloons that directed us where to go. |
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| Waiting for the start. |
After about an hour, the first group of runners were off. I had heard stories, but I was amazed at the firework display and the excitement that the announcers generate before the start. I anxiously waited for corral C, said goodbye to Linzie, and made my way to the side of the group. I had planned on using the Galloway method for the race and I wanted to make sure that I was out of the way when I stopped for my walk breaks. After corral B left, we moved up and I could actually see the start line! When they counted down to the start of our group, I didn't expect them to set up fireworks as they had done for the first groups, but I soon realized that they give every corral the same, AWESOME, experience. Thank you runDisney for thinking of the slower runners too!
The beginning of the race waas a little slow due to all of the people that left at the same time. I'm glad though because it forced me to pace myself a little better at the beginning. I let my excitement get the best of me most races and I start out WAY too fast. We started out the race on the road and even though runDisney had characters and entertainment, I was much more excited for the parks. When I was about half a mile from the Animal Kingdom, I was lucky enough to be passed by the leaders on the other side. After meeting Anton van Zyl, it was so cool to see him in action. Boy is he FAST! When I came up into Animal Kingdom I was so excited to see the park at night. I loved that we were able to see it all lit up and that Disney cast members were cheering us on.
Throughout Animal Kingdom, I kept getting text messages from my mom, who usually texts me during races to see how I'm doing. Usually I ignore her until certain mile markers when I give her a heads up. As I left Animal Kingdom, I was getting a little frustrated with the constant buzzing of my phone so I figured I should at least respond to her. This time thought it was my husband, sending me this picture...
My mom and stepdad had organized a surprise trip with my husband to come down and see my run! I don't think I can even describe how touched and excited I was. I actually sped up because I wanted to get to my mom to give her a hug. I quickly slowed down when I realized I was only at mile 7 and that I needed to make it through the rest of the race in order to see her. At the pace I was going, I knew I would run out of steam.
The hardest stretch of the race for me was when we were about 1 mile from Hollywood Studios. At this point we saw the sign on the highway below so I was expecting that we were closer. I started to hit the mental block around this point, but luckily I was able to take in the sights and before I knew it I was at Hollywood Studios. I enjoyed entering the park by the Tower of Terror, but I was a little disappointed that we ran through a lot of the back lot tour that wasn't very visually appealing. At this point, I was just looking forward to seeing what Epcot looked like.
As I ran by the Beach Club Resort and over the bridge into Epcot, I decided that I was going to slow down a little and take the last mile in. As much as I wanted to run fast, I also wanted to enjoy every minute. The disappiontment with running through Hollywood Studios was soon forgotten because running through Epcot by Spaceship Earth with everyone cheering may be one of my most favorite memories of my experience. Even with my headphones on, I could hear everyone cheering and yelling and telling me I was almost there. Running through the laser lights and giving Mickey a high five at the end of the race was such a special runDisney detail. I couldn't wait to get my medal and run to see my family.
When I finally caught up with my family, I gave my husband a huge hug and thanked him for all his support on this long journey. However, when I saw my mom I lost it. I cried because I was so touched that she had surprised me and that she was able to share in this experience with me. Looking back to when I first signed up for the event, I had no way to expect it would be as amazing as it was. I can say with certainty that I am going to sign up for another runDisney race soon!
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| Moving up the start line after Corral B left. |
Throughout Animal Kingdom, I kept getting text messages from my mom, who usually texts me during races to see how I'm doing. Usually I ignore her until certain mile markers when I give her a heads up. As I left Animal Kingdom, I was getting a little frustrated with the constant buzzing of my phone so I figured I should at least respond to her. This time thought it was my husband, sending me this picture...
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| My husband, mom and stepdad surprising me at the race! |
The hardest stretch of the race for me was when we were about 1 mile from Hollywood Studios. At this point we saw the sign on the highway below so I was expecting that we were closer. I started to hit the mental block around this point, but luckily I was able to take in the sights and before I knew it I was at Hollywood Studios. I enjoyed entering the park by the Tower of Terror, but I was a little disappointed that we ran through a lot of the back lot tour that wasn't very visually appealing. At this point, I was just looking forward to seeing what Epcot looked like.
As I ran by the Beach Club Resort and over the bridge into Epcot, I decided that I was going to slow down a little and take the last mile in. As much as I wanted to run fast, I also wanted to enjoy every minute. The disappiontment with running through Hollywood Studios was soon forgotten because running through Epcot by Spaceship Earth with everyone cheering may be one of my most favorite memories of my experience. Even with my headphones on, I could hear everyone cheering and yelling and telling me I was almost there. Running through the laser lights and giving Mickey a high five at the end of the race was such a special runDisney detail. I couldn't wait to get my medal and run to see my family.
When I finally caught up with my family, I gave my husband a huge hug and thanked him for all his support on this long journey. However, when I saw my mom I lost it. I cried because I was so touched that she had surprised me and that she was able to share in this experience with me. Looking back to when I first signed up for the event, I had no way to expect it would be as amazing as it was. I can say with certainty that I am going to sign up for another runDisney race soon!
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| Crying with my mom and thanking her for being there. |
Friday, November 16, 2012
Wine and Dine Half Meetup
Last weekend I finally made it to my goal that I set back in the winter of last year. I ran the runDisney Wine and Dine Half Marathon and had a PR! But... more on that later, because I was also able to participate in one of the most memorable experiences on my life. The runDisney Wine and Dine Half Meetup (or #winedinehalfmeetup for anyone who wants to read the recaps onTwitter).
When I first began running, I also joined Twitter at the suggestion of one of my colleagues. I'm glad I did because I was able to join an online community appropriately named #teamrundisney. It is an amazing group of individuals who come together to share their love of all things running and Disney. Without this group, I would NEVER have learned about the runDisney meetups and how challenging they are to get into! For those of you that aren't famliar with runDisney meetups, they are on a "first come, first serve" basis. About a week or so before the race, runDisney makes an annoucement on the Walt Disney World Blog and people are invited to RSVP to the event. As you can imagine, it is a widely popular event and it fills up quite quickly!
From all of the information I had heard on Twitter and through fellow bloggers, I knew I had to be a part of this experience. I wasconstantly obsessively checking the blog beuase I didn't want to miss it. Luckily another #teamrundisney member, Krissy (@krissymurphy - in case you want to follow her or read her blog... I promise you'll enjoy it!), offered to help me out and keep me in the loop by sending me emails if she heard any news. With her help I was able to register within minutes of the "invitation." I was going to finally be part of the meetups I heard so much about!
The day of the meetup I was so excited, I didn't even mind the FREEZING weather! It was Florida and everyone was bundled up because it was so cold. We started the morning by spliting up into two groups. One group ran with 2 time Wine and Dine winner Anton van Zyl and the other group would run with Jeff Galloway, the founder of the Galloway Marathon Training Program, the program I used to train for the Wine and Dine. I chose running with Jeff because I was hoping to take it easy and learn some tips from him. Plus, I was intrigued because he was running in jeans! He said he didn't prepare for the weather, but I find it hard to believe that runDisney couldn't have helped him out with warmer clothes! The run was approximately 1.8 miles and we ran around the World Showcase in Epcot. It was beautiful to see the park open to only us and to see the sunrise over the lagoon. We even met Mickey on the run!
After our run, runDisney organized a short question and answer session with Anton van Zyl, Jeff Galloway, and Tara Gidus, the official runDisney nutritionist. In addition, we were treated to an athlete's spaghetti pie created by Chef Steff, a chef who specializes in recipes and meals for athletes.It was delicious! It had a little kick to it from the red pepper, which was right up my alley! I can't wait to make it on my own at home. It was so inspiring to hear each of these people speak because they are all incredible motivators. One of my biggest mental blocks as runner is that I can get in my own head and doubt myself. When I "slip" on my goals I start to compare myself to others and I am always afraid I don't measure of to them. One of the biggest things I took away was how each of them were honest and admitted their own challenges. It made me feel like when I am struggling I'm not alone. Even former Olympians have tough runs!
After we were throughly fed and even more excited for the race on Saturday, runDisney organized us for a few last photos and sent us on our way with a complementary park ticket, runDisney water bottle and pricessless memories.
When I first began running, I also joined Twitter at the suggestion of one of my colleagues. I'm glad I did because I was able to join an online community appropriately named #teamrundisney. It is an amazing group of individuals who come together to share their love of all things running and Disney. Without this group, I would NEVER have learned about the runDisney meetups and how challenging they are to get into! For those of you that aren't famliar with runDisney meetups, they are on a "first come, first serve" basis. About a week or so before the race, runDisney makes an annoucement on the Walt Disney World Blog and people are invited to RSVP to the event. As you can imagine, it is a widely popular event and it fills up quite quickly!
From all of the information I had heard on Twitter and through fellow bloggers, I knew I had to be a part of this experience. I was
The day of the meetup I was so excited, I didn't even mind the FREEZING weather! It was Florida and everyone was bundled up because it was so cold. We started the morning by spliting up into two groups. One group ran with 2 time Wine and Dine winner Anton van Zyl and the other group would run with Jeff Galloway, the founder of the Galloway Marathon Training Program, the program I used to train for the Wine and Dine. I chose running with Jeff because I was hoping to take it easy and learn some tips from him. Plus, I was intrigued because he was running in jeans! He said he didn't prepare for the weather, but I find it hard to believe that runDisney couldn't have helped him out with warmer clothes! The run was approximately 1.8 miles and we ran around the World Showcase in Epcot. It was beautiful to see the park open to only us and to see the sunrise over the lagoon. We even met Mickey on the run!
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| View as we entered the park. Beautiful I know... |
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| The start of our run. |
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| Getting a little morning run motivation from Mickey! |
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| The most unobstructed view from the World Showcase. It's a whole different experience when you are the only ones in the park. |
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| Group shout with our fearless captain. Copyright: runDisney |
After our run, runDisney organized a short question and answer session with Anton van Zyl, Jeff Galloway, and Tara Gidus, the official runDisney nutritionist. In addition, we were treated to an athlete's spaghetti pie created by Chef Steff, a chef who specializes in recipes and meals for athletes.It was delicious! It had a little kick to it from the red pepper, which was right up my alley! I can't wait to make it on my own at home. It was so inspiring to hear each of these people speak because they are all incredible motivators. One of my biggest mental blocks as runner is that I can get in my own head and doubt myself. When I "slip" on my goals I start to compare myself to others and I am always afraid I don't measure of to them. One of the biggest things I took away was how each of them were honest and admitted their own challenges. It made me feel like when I am struggling I'm not alone. Even former Olympians have tough runs!
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| Anton van Zyl sharing his race advice. I personally loved that he enjoyed potato chips while running the Ironman Kona. Now I know what I want potato chips every time I train hard... |
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| Jeff Galloway sharing his insights on how to enjoy the run, no matter how challenging the run may be. |
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| Tara Gidus sharing important nutrition tips. |
After we were throughly fed and even more excited for the race on Saturday, runDisney organized us for a few last photos and sent us on our way with a complementary park ticket, runDisney water bottle and pricessless memories.
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| So honored to meet Jeff. His training plan is the reason I am able to run. |
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| I couldn't pass up a picture with Mickey. My daugher was jealous! |
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| Group shot outside Germany. Copyright: runDisney |
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| Another group shout outside Norway. Copyright: runDisney |
I am so honored and grateful that I was able to experience this meetup at my first runDisney event. Not only did I learn some great advice, I was able to meet a great group of runners who share a common love for Disney. As a result of this experience, I have gained a network of runners and friends that I know I can rely on to help motivate me and to celebrate my experiences with. Thank you again to runDisney and #teamrunDisney for an amazing start to my Wine and Dine weekend!
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| #teamrunDisney group shot. Copyright: runDisney |
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
I am a Runner
Ever since I started running last winter, I've always had difficulty with declaring I'm a runner. I had always felt that I wasn't strong enough, fast enough or "hard core" enough to be considered a runner, especially because running has never been easy for me. It was always a source of punishment while playing high school sports or something I just needed to do to be part of the varsity team. It was something I pushed myself to do because I had to, not because I enjoyed it. I tried to pretend I enjoyed it throughout college, but I did it mainly to ease my mind because I was no longer involved in sports and knew I needed physical activity.
As I said before, I made the decision to follow the walk-run method because I felt stronger and was able to accomplish longer distances than if I just ran the entire distance. When I made this decision, I really struggled with calling myself a runner because I wasn't technically running the entire distance. I love Twitter and have found some amazing runners who inspire me to be better every day. On the other hand, seeing their amazing feats, that involve NO walking, made me question if I was a runner even more. You'd think after finishing my first half-marathon, I would be able to definitively say "I'm a runner," but no such luck.
The last few weeks I've begun a program to help me get quicker and stronger in time for the Disney race. I'm finishing more miles a week and building my endurance so that 13.1 miles doesn't feel like I've reached my limit. My goal is to cross the finish line and still have energy to party at the Wine and Dine after party! Yesterday I was running at the gym (school started again so week day runs are on the treadmill again... boo!) and I realized I only had 10 minutes left on my workout. For the first time since I began training for my Disney race I realized what it felt to be a runner. It didn't matter that I was doing walk-run intervals... I was a runner. I was getting stronger. I was getting faster. Best of all... I was gaining confidence!
I may not be the fastest runner or the most decorated, but I am a runner. I no longer fear saying that phrase and I look forward to growing as a runner and becoming a better athlete.
Did you ever feel like you weren't good enough? Did you have a moment when you knew you were a runner?
As I said before, I made the decision to follow the walk-run method because I felt stronger and was able to accomplish longer distances than if I just ran the entire distance. When I made this decision, I really struggled with calling myself a runner because I wasn't technically running the entire distance. I love Twitter and have found some amazing runners who inspire me to be better every day. On the other hand, seeing their amazing feats, that involve NO walking, made me question if I was a runner even more. You'd think after finishing my first half-marathon, I would be able to definitively say "I'm a runner," but no such luck.
The last few weeks I've begun a program to help me get quicker and stronger in time for the Disney race. I'm finishing more miles a week and building my endurance so that 13.1 miles doesn't feel like I've reached my limit. My goal is to cross the finish line and still have energy to party at the Wine and Dine after party! Yesterday I was running at the gym (school started again so week day runs are on the treadmill again... boo!) and I realized I only had 10 minutes left on my workout. For the first time since I began training for my Disney race I realized what it felt to be a runner. It didn't matter that I was doing walk-run intervals... I was a runner. I was getting stronger. I was getting faster. Best of all... I was gaining confidence!
I may not be the fastest runner or the most decorated, but I am a runner. I no longer fear saying that phrase and I look forward to growing as a runner and becoming a better athlete.
Did you ever feel like you weren't good enough? Did you have a moment when you knew you were a runner?
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Rock N Roll Providence Recap
It's been WAY too long! My last post was before the school year even ended and summer vacation began. I had made a goal of trying to be a better blogger this summer, but that goal was smashed when we sold our house and our new house wasn't finished being built... if anyone has ever been in that situation, you know how stressful it can be. Fortunately we were incredibly lucky and were able to stay with family for the 5 weeks we were waiting for our house to be done. We owe them so much!
With all of the moving and "vacationing" that we did this summer, my first half quickly came up. As much as I wanted to be well prepared, I knew this race was going to be one of the hardest things I had ever done. I knew I wasn't as ready as I would liked to have been, but I knew that I could do it. In true "Liz fashion," I over planned our weekend without even thinking and scheduled my daughter's first birthday for the day before the race. At first, I wasworried panicked that I would be overly exhausted and do even worse at my race. Thanks to Hubs' support, I was able to fall asleep at 9:00 at night and sleep straight through until my alarm at 3:30 am. Oh... I forgot to say that I live an hour and a half away from Providence so I decided to just get up early and head out to the race. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be and when I arrived and got ready for the race, I felt pretty good. Since it was such an early race, Hubs and Bubs decided that they would join me later and see me at the finish line. Since my mom is awesome, she even woke up early and drove into the city to spend time with before the race since I would be by myself. Even with most of my family at home, I felt blessed to be supported by so many people.
Waiting for the race to start was one of the most emotional experiences I've ever had. Yes, I have experienced childbirth, college graduations, and the passing of family and friends, and I will say that the feelings that I had at the start of this race could be included in the same group as these events. While I waited for my corral to leave, I couldn't stop thinking about how I had made it. Even though I hadn't run the race yet, I knew that I would finish (no matter how slow or hard it was), I knew I was going to finish. For someone who had never run more that 2 miles before I decided to run in Disney, it was an incredible feeling. The emotions hit me like a wave when my corral was let out and I held back tears while I had a gigantic smile on my face. Not sure if anyone else has felt this way... but I guess I now know what's it like to feel the true joy of running.
I could write for hours on what was going through my head and how I felt during the race, but since no one has hours to read my story, I'll keep it brief. I had decided this summer to try the Galloway method of run/walk - ing. I had chose the interval 4 minutes run and 1 minute walk this summer and was feeling very comfortable with this pace. However, my Garmin died after 4 miles (Iswear thought I had charged it the night before) so I needed to rely on how my body felt for my intervals. This was the most challenging part of the run because I usually use my watch to help me during the time times. It gives me something to focus on and I can remind myself that "I only have ..... to go." By mile 8 I had gotten in my head and I had hit a wall. I was quickly doubting myself and if it wasn't for the constant texts from my mom and hubs during the race I would have given up and walked to the finish line. When I reach the mile marker for mile 12, I decided that I was going to walk most of it and finish strong. Since this was my first half I knew that finishing was my only goal. I was feeling some soreness in my hip and I didn't want to injure myself because I still have my runDisney race in November. I walked about quarter of a mile and ran the rest of the way to the finish line. A shout-out goes to Katy Perry's Part of Me for my motivation! I crossed the finish line, took my medal picture and headed out to my family. I had finished! I had done something I had never thought I could do and I finished with a time of 2:35:25! Not a bad time for a first time.
Even though it's been a few days since the race, I still can't put into words how Ifelt feel about running my first half marathon. I am now working on building up my stamina, charging my watch (ha ha) and my speed. As I look forward to the race in November, I am hoping I can feel stronger throughout the race and finish with a better time. I also hope I can be better about blogging and share my experiences with you from now on! But... now I'll leave you with some pictures from race day...
With all of the moving and "vacationing" that we did this summer, my first half quickly came up. As much as I wanted to be well prepared, I knew this race was going to be one of the hardest things I had ever done. I knew I wasn't as ready as I would liked to have been, but I knew that I could do it. In true "Liz fashion," I over planned our weekend without even thinking and scheduled my daughter's first birthday for the day before the race. At first, I was
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| Best sign ever! |
Waiting for the race to start was one of the most emotional experiences I've ever had. Yes, I have experienced childbirth, college graduations, and the passing of family and friends, and I will say that the feelings that I had at the start of this race could be included in the same group as these events. While I waited for my corral to leave, I couldn't stop thinking about how I had made it. Even though I hadn't run the race yet, I knew that I would finish (no matter how slow or hard it was), I knew I was going to finish. For someone who had never run more that 2 miles before I decided to run in Disney, it was an incredible feeling. The emotions hit me like a wave when my corral was let out and I held back tears while I had a gigantic smile on my face. Not sure if anyone else has felt this way... but I guess I now know what's it like to feel the true joy of running.
I could write for hours on what was going through my head and how I felt during the race, but since no one has hours to read my story, I'll keep it brief. I had decided this summer to try the Galloway method of run/walk - ing. I had chose the interval 4 minutes run and 1 minute walk this summer and was feeling very comfortable with this pace. However, my Garmin died after 4 miles (I
Even though it's been a few days since the race, I still can't put into words how I
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| My cheering section waiting at the finish line. |
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| "Mom is working hard and I've got my feet up." |
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| Coming up on the finish line. |
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| Getting a hug from Bubs after the race. |
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| Not sure if you can see her shirt but it says "My mom is faster than your mom." Not necessarily true, but it still made me feel good! |
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| Post-race treats and snacks. |
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| Family picture after the race. By time I was pretty sure my legs would collapse! Thank you compression sleeves! |
What was your first race? Were you as emotional as me!?
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