Just a quick post

The plan I chose for my marathon training is… ambitious. It wants me to run multiple 11 min miles. I can’t do that. Cuddler might. But Little Bear cannot. Our last run on Monday, Little Bear made a classic runner error. She is not for drinking from strange items so it’s hard to get her to drink water. So after pushing my pace by 30 seconds/mi for 4 miles, her tummy did not appreciate the water. It was a hard run for me to get into. I was going to the Bristol Renaissance Fair that day as well and running 4 miles seemed silly. Call me silly. I managed to get 30k steps in Monday and 43 “flights of stairs.” After I got going, though, my legs were moving even though my head was saying stop. The dogs were pulling and it is nice to have their added momentums. It did feel really good once I got out there.

Backing up a bit, I taught aerial yoga Saturday. I feel like I was a little mean, because I was awfully sore. The first class was about challenging ourselves. Challenge our brain that says nope, hanging upside down seems like a very bad idea. Everyone did really well. I appreciate how much effort they put into class. I don't care if you do it. I just want you to try. Lyra practice. Private with some fun giggly girls.

And then worked on my house. My house is nearly a 100 years old. And it's my first house so i have no idea where to start. That's why my family is awesome. They've been helping me with all the maintenance. We all like projects and this is definitely one. It makes me feel so loved to see something they worked on. I'm so fortunate to have them in my life.

 My plan to catch up to my marathon plan is to build my pace and base. This week my plan is to do 4 miles 3x. Comfy pace. Next week, 4 miles, 4x with one fartlek run. Week after, 2 fartlek, 1 4 mile, 1 5 mile. Then, I’ll try to start that plan. It will put off my schedule but that’s ok. I would rather take it slow for my body and my new dog.

 I’m a renfair goer. And our fair happens during the summer months. And I dress up. In many layers some of which are constricting. Bristol is the only renaissance fair I’ve been to but I’ve heard it’s one of the better ones. Why do I do it? Adventure, mystery, escape. After my husband died, I went to the fair. There I was anonymous and my difficulties didn’t follow me.

Sometimes, escape is necessary. It gives you distance to see what exactly is going on in your life that you cannot see when you’re in the midst of it all. I could talk to people and no one pitied me or coddled me or avoided me because what had happened. I was just me. Not a widow. And so I talked to people who needed directions, or had questions about the joust. I talked to my favorite knight and other photographers.

This year I had a season pass and took full advantage of it. I feel like I was crafting my accent and persona a bit. I’ve got some comfortable fair clothing. I’m scouting the places I like to shoot the joust. I need to find a good perch to people watch and shoot. Sometimes, I’ll bring my DSLR, sometimes I don’t. Pushing myself out of the comfort zone, I tried talking to people. This is not comfortable for me. But there is no better place. There is so little judgement and everyone just gets to be themselves or whoever they want to be. People started to recognize me which makes the experience easier.Bristol is my happy place.

Now I get to go in for a sleep study and narcolepsy test. I am not thrilled. I will miss my dogs while I sleeping in a strange place. Or try to sleep.

Catching up

I’m married. I’ve honeymooned on the west coast. It’s time to get back to training if I can stay awake.

The honeymoon was great. There was a lot of walking so I did not run that much. However, I could not avoid a quick run in the Arcata Community Forest. It’s a beautiful redwood forest with some significant elevation changes.

Truth be told, it was all beautiful. We spent time along the coast and driving thru the redwoods.

Getting back to the run in the forest. I woke up a little earlier than my husband. I quick google search showed me two different options for a run. One was the marsh and one was the Arcata Community Forest. I could hardly pass it up. The trails didn’t look that bad in the pictures. And the pictures lied.

Just driving up to the trail, I knew that there was going to be some significant effort needed. The pictures did not do the steep path justice. I quickly decided to turn it more into a quick hike. I tried to stay on the trail as much as possible but I still got lost. All together I managed to go 3.5 miles. I did run some, and a lot of it downhill. It was hard because I kept stopping to look around. The trees were rather massive. The air was fresh and a little thin. I finally got on a trail and asked someone how to get back to the parking lot.

The trail was hard. I was drenched. And I enjoyed it. I’m not sure where I was getting lost but I kept losing the trail at some point. While I do use technology to help me with training, I was very grateful to have it help me to get back to the trail. Here in our area our trails are very well marked. ACF trails really did not have anything. Some of the regular trails looked more like animal trails. But the run was still totally worth it. Or hike. Whatever. It was half hike and half run.

Otherwise, there was a ton of walking. We walked on beaches and boardwalks. We wandered thru animal parks and aquariums.

I loved the trip. We explored Portland down to LA.

We got back last week and I’m still tired. I did run last week. It was a good run. It was hard but I added some elevation and speed here and there. I decided that I will be catching up on Person of Interest. I felt like it was a hard run and there was sweat everywhere but I need to be more comfortable being uncomfortable. I can’t go faster if I don’t train for it.

Yoga was fun. We had low aerial on Wednesday with some regulars. Class just flowed and it we worked on stretching and not bugging someone’s sprained ankle. Single point kept us a little off balanced even in the common poses. It added something a little different to class.

Feels good to be back in the silks

Friday, I went to Friday Night Live in Waukesha. The yoga studio I work at has an outdoor rig and the city closes the streets. There is live music and food and us demonstrating some of the skills we’ve learned and teach in class. There was some talk of lyra but I didn’t want it and my vote was listened to. Perhaps next week.

So that’s my story. I’m not sure that it makes a whole lot of sense because I think my head is still spinning from the honeymoon. It’s good to be home and good to get back into the swing of things with a head full of good memories. 

More photos can be found and will be posted on my flickr

Oh and I recently joined Instagram 

Karn and Dumpy are glad to be home. I can't get a picture of the dog because she's been stuck like glue to me. 

Post Wedding Report

The wedding is over. It was a success. My running not so much.

There was no running streak as I hoped. I underestimated all the errands and last minute things that needed to be done. I did run around a lot. A. Lot.

The wedding went off without a hitch. It was beautiful. I am more comfortable in running shoes and combat boots than peep toe pumps. The weather was beautiful. It was a wonderful day with lots of great people.

So I picked up a couple of runs this past week. Tuesday, I ran a fun run. I ran with varying difficulty with different levels of incline. And it felt good. It was hard but it was nice at the same time. I didn’t sprint that much. I wanted a smooth run. Not to say that I didn’t sweat. I did. And then I realized I forgot all my bath stuff at home. A quick sink bath had to do.

Stormy day=no outside running

Wednesday was a different run. I kept it flat and worked on sprints. Every five minutes I would bump up the speed to 6.7mph and sprint 30 seconds to a minute. I would keep the towel over the time so that I wouldn’t stare at the clock. Again, this was hard. Parts of it were unpleasant. But I understand what people mean by feeling rewarded by running. It wasn’t a fast run but it required a lot of effort.

After a 5k, I went to the stair climber for 15 min. That is a weird machine. I don’t like stairs. I will run thirteen miles but I still hate stairs. And why are they so tall? And why are the steps so small? If I didn’t need to improve my lung capacity, I would avoid this machine like the plague. Have I mentioned that I’m a sweater? I believe the stair climber and I will become friends in the future but right now we are frenemies.

Then, I did something I should have done a long time ago. I pulled a foam roller off the rack and used it. It’s pleasant torture. It is not pleasant but it hurts so good. I have to figure out a few other positions to get a few muscle groups I missed but why have I waited so long? I will be visiting the foam roller more often. I wish I had taken one to Door County for the HM. I might have been able to not walk like a cowboy the next day.

Yoga was quite interesting. We had three new students. One almost new student as well. There was a request for an abdominal focus. I like the challenge. It involves planks and inverted toe touches and my favorite; straddleback into bridge into straddleback to pike/plow. I think that series use all those adominal muscle groups. Sometimes, we are zen in class and sometimes we are a little more active.

There was a plan to run this morning but I ran into a small issue last night. Since Sunday, my left foot had been itchy. I thought it was athlete’s foot maybe but nope. I was stung by a bee. And while swelling was minimal, the itching was getting unbearable. With close inspection, I noticed a blister and in the skin beneath a stinger (I think). It doesn’t feel good and I thought a rest would be good. 

Hopefully, it will feel well enough for a quick run this weekend. 

Running to the Wedding

It’s crunch time. The wedding is less than a week and I have a wedding streak going since Monday. I hope to get at least a mile in every day till that morning.

Monday was a nice run. Well, it was hard but I got to 5ks in. I was doing the Global 5k with Runkeeper and Top Gun Run with Will Run for Bling. It just didn’t feel natural. Running more than 10 min together was nearly impossible. I’m not sure why. It could be medicine. It could be autoimmune. It could by bad aerobic ability which I know needs some improvement. Maybe I could do the Bridge to 10k again. Monday, I worked on sprints with some inclined moments. A few of the half marathon improvement plans included that. I worked with a fartlek mentality rather than a hard and fast 2 min of tempo and 30 seconds of sprint. I also added a walking component, since I was struggling. It just feels like my lungs don’t take enough air in. I’m seriously considering doing a stair stepper. Steps wind me right away. I used to work on the third floor of a building and for nearly five years I took those steps and puffed as much from the first day to the last.

Later that day, the dog and I went to a dog park. So I got some more walking mileage in. With hills. The little stinker didn’t want to go very long. In the past, I’ve had to chase her down after two hours. Monday, she was tired after a half hour and sitting next to me waiting to go.

This morning I went for a run. Again, I felt like my lungs weren’t getting enough air to my body. But truthfully, I just felt discombobulated. Even though I woke up at 3:59, wide awake, I kept dropping stuff. I forgot my phone in the car. How does one track one’s run and watch daredevil without my phone? I did some sprints, I did some tempo runs. Personally, I think my natural gait is 4.8mph. This means that some people walk faster than I run. I forgot running socks and only had some thin socks. So I ran sockless. Now I have chafing on the side of one of my ankles. The runs have been more rough than easy as of late. At the same time, I feel happier on days I’ve run. I feel more content and easy going.

So I hope to get a jog in tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow will be a good run. Maybe it will be a great run. 

Keep Moving

The weekend is nearly here. It was a long week.

I’m so glad to have a way to let things go. Between running and aerial yoga, there is a lot of peace to be gained.

This past weekend was my bachelorette party. Lots of love and lush Saturday. Sunday was a do nothing day. I think it was wise not to push and to recover from a once in a lifetime party/girls night out. I spent most of my day on the couch with saltines and sipping soda. Hung out with the dog, and Karn the Dragon. We also have a new friend. He has no name as of yet other than Dumpy, which is the kind of frog he is.

Before 

After

New Buddy

I ran Tuesday and Wednesday. I’ve been tired. And I’ve been slacking. I went to the gym and went for some good runs. Both these runs have been tough. I feel like I just can’t catch my breath. My legs are tired from the start and never wake up. Nothing has changed. But I’m struggling. A few other times, I’ve had these runs, the kind you just suck it up and do it. I could quit but really there is nothing wrong with me other than being tired. No reason to quit, just to keep going.

I really need to keep going. I’ve gotten two emails from the administrators of the Door County Half Marathon, including the one with the list of places to get my pasta the night before and a sneak peek at our shirts. Part of me is hoping I can snag a short sleeve version of the shirts for the 5k. The long sleeve shirt will not get a lot of wear with the seasons starting to change. I’m anxious and excited for the race and the trip up to Door County. We used to go there with my fiance’s family. It’s a wonderfully quiet place. The scenery is stunning and the food is even better. There is a fudge store in Fish Creek that is a required stop.

Anyways, Wednesday night I taught a class where is stayed in the fabric as much as possible. Fabric kept us warm in the chilly studio. We stretched out the quads and hamstrings, hitting all the basic poses. It was a small class.

Tonight I will be teaching at least 2 classes and maybe a third. We have some student teachers in house and a Girl Scout party. Beginners are always fun. Especially when we have a person who’s heart falls in love with this practice on the spot. And I’ve another class tomorrow. Subbing is a great way to meet new students and to grow in my own practice. Different students help me stretch my practice in different ways. It helps me learn new cues to give students and each student learns differently.

And I’ve got to run. May 7^th will come way too quickly.

The fudge better be worth it

Hello, Are you out there?

Well, hello again. I promise I haven’t abandoned you. As so often happens, life has gotten in the way. Between wedding and work, time has been at a premium.

Last Tuesday, I went for run before work. I’ve developed a plan to help increase my pace. It seems to be working and I can adjust it for the day’s need. I start with a regular five minute warm up and then start the work. Typically, I start at 5mph and each minute build up. And then build down. The first time around, I keep it slow, not building past 5.6mph. Second time, I build up to 6.7mph. And then back down again. How many times this is repeated is dependent on how long my run time is. It gives me an opportunity to work on pace and intervals at the same time. Even though it is an interval workout, it isn’t easy. I was dripping in sweat.

So here is the before picture

Wednesday, we had an airing aerial yoga class. The students and I had to let things go. We needed to air our frustrations out but not have any one try to fix it. Just say it and let it go. I would like to think we all felt a little lighter leaving class. In yoga, we talk about a mind body connection. Sometimes, where our minds go, our body follows. If our thoughts are kinda ugly, our bodies can go south too. In the beginning of class, we start with a seated meditation. Last Wednesday, we mentally swept our minds of all those things dragging us down. At the end of the class, we reminded ourselves that we are supported and safe and able to deal with whatever life was swinging at us.

I had the intent to run Thursday and Friday and Saturday, but it didn’t happen. I’ve been battling some exhaustion and a busy life.

We went to an Ani Difranco concert Friday night

So running on Monday happened. And I copied my workout plan but started at 5.2mph. I’m still slow. It’s ok. I remind myself that I just started running a year ago. I’ve been adding hills to my walking portions. A little birdie told me that my half marathon has some rather large hills. I don’t want to be surprised again like I was with the Great Pi Run.

Monday was rough. I felt like I couldn’t get going or catch my breath. Even before that, I had forgotten pants. No running pants. No running pants no run. Thankfully, my gym has clothes for sale and I got some shorts. They were super comfortable and unisex, so they weren’t short. They were long. I rolled them up so they weren’t knee length. It was an awfully sweaty run. But satisfactory.

Now this Wednesday, this Wednesday was fun. Last Wednesday, we did a little “foam rolling” with the fabrics. So I planned a whole aerial yoga rolling class. It was wonderful and painful all at once. In the past, I had a trigger point massage one day. The day of and the day after left me uncomfortable and sore. But the day after that, I felt so pain free. Foam rolling is of a similar concept. It is a popular way to work out sore muscles especially with runners. I’ve heard a lot of people with fibromyalgia use it as well.

I applied the concept to the low aerial yoga. It went really well. We used traditional yoga moves modified to let the fabric roll on certain muscle groups. The phrase “it hurts so good” surely applies here. Besides working out achy muscles and achieving myofascial release, it was great working on core, back, and arms. There was a lot of groaning after finding the spot. At the end of class, everyone expressed their happiness with the new class. I mentioned I might bring to a class I’ll be subbing for on the 22^nd and that sparked some interest as well. I think it was a successful class. Admittedly, I’m a little sore today but tomorrow will be better.

Studio was freezing this morning. Stayed in my coat for a bit.

Tomorrow, I plan on running. A few times, I’ve said I’m too tired to get up but I have found that I’m more tired and continue to get tired when I don’t get my butt up and run. Also, I don’t have to go to the gym to run either. I sometimes forget that I was a road runner first. When I run on the road, I don’t have the control that I get on a treadmill. The treadmill lets me fine tune what I want to do in a way that I cannot outside. They both have their benefits.

I love my active life. And it’s not as active as some and more active than others. At the same time, it’s really easy to fall into bad habits. I must be on guard. I’m looking forward to the half marathon. I just need to keep training and keep using my aerial yoga for recovery.

In the meantime, here is Karn sunbathing and straight up bathing

Also here are a few pets available at our local Hwy 100 at Petworld