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-Half Marathon

So what happens after a half marathon?

Well, I plan on how to improve.

Not a whole lot has happened since the race. I’ve had my aerial class which was nice. I enjoy the oasis in the middle of the week and I will take time to practice even when I don’t have a class. In some things, you can find joy and serenity all wrapped in one. I find I can do that, especially when I add a flow or strength element to it.

The week after the race I took the week off from running. I think it’s usual to maybe have a few jogs but I was hurting and I thought to take it easy. Lots of walking and stretching. My autoimmune popped up a bit but the rest nipped it in the bud.

Truthfully, the night after I ran the race, I was already looking at training suggestions. I could barely walk but I was already looking to torture myself again. Maybe the next race will be flat.

So I did run Tuesday morning. It was a hill and sprint run. It was hard. I was dripping in sweat. Sometimes, I would catch myself staring at the clock and not at Daredevil even though we’ve gotten to the Punisher part in the series. (Now there is a movie to be made that would benefit from an R rating. And I want to see it)

And it was tough. I almost fell twice while wiping sweat off my face. My chest feels a little gunky still. There may have been some bargaining going on too. Just make it 30 seconds, and then you can stop. I felt out of practice and I probably was. I did feel strong. I was wearing a Door County HM shirt. I felt comfortable enough but I just didn’t feel great. I need greater aerobic ability. I feel like that was my undoing.

I ran again on Thursday and that felt even worse. But the goal was slow and easy with some sprints and hills for part of it. I dialed it down a bit. I might be suffering a bit from over training. Or undertraining. It’s hard to tell when you have an autoimmune. Too much training and you’re tired and worn out. Too little and you’re tired and worn out. By continuing to work on my aerobic base and maybe doing some more strength training, I should be able to greatly improve my performance. But I have to do it. And right now running feels a little discouraging.

Maybe I should take up swimming. And biking. Maybe I should be a triathlete. Yup, this former coach potato suggested the possibility of me taking up three sports. Because why not? I can do a half marathon. So why not do other seemingly impossibly things?

And that was about it. We are getting ready for the wedding in two weeks. A lot of time is spent on final preparations. We did go to the zoo so that even though I did not run, I definitely was moving this weekend.

I also got the potted garden finished. The plan is that me and the husband to be can eat everything planted. And so can the bearded dragon, except for the herbs. The bunnies can be voracious so I hope the height will be a small deterrent. It was fun. The dog sat in the shade for the most part. The bearded dragon took off. There was hunting and scratches but she was found. And was very ungrateful about being found. Despite that she got to taste her first hibiscus and it was a hit. Someone is getting a leash ordered for her today though.

I hope to get some aerobic activities in these next two weeks. I want to make a little extra breathing room in the wedding dress. And I want to make room for any stress or convenience eating that happens during preparations.

These next two weeks will be interesting and busy and I will do my best to report in before the wedding. I will also try to make a couple of honeymoon entries. The scenery will call for a mile or two jog while we are traveling thru sea stacks and redwoods. 

Wedding Hair Dye Complete

From a previous trip

Flares and a Long Run

It’s been awhile. But I’ve got some running and yoga updates to do.

I yoga’ed on Wednesday. It was nice and full. I had some new faces which is always fun. There is something very nice about new students. It reminds us of how far we came and the joy in discovering something new. I kept with the basics and made sure to give accurate cues. With the regulars, it’s not as important and they have general concepts of aerial yoga. Once you have the basics down, the sky is the limit.

Random thought: Love these boots and leggings

The past week I had a cold and a flare. It was a rough week. I didn’t run but did get to yoga. I have to decide when this happens whether or not to suck it up or not. In general, but it felt like this week was a week where I needed rest. Sleeping was minimal and I was teary from the extra pain. It makes me feel powerless over my own body.

But Saturday, I had it. I went to the gym as the weather was unpredictable. I meant to just take it easy. No runs could lead to injury if I went too hard. So I went slow for my 13.2 miles. My pace was 13:26. When I first started, my knee hurt. Not too painful but still uncomfortable enough to notice. It went away after the first mile. Daredevil is starting to get good. I dressed as if it was 70-ish with light capris and my new favorite shirt. It quotes from Firefly. There was some near poetry in that show.

I’m hoping that I can get some more runs in this week. I feel much better but it’s important not to go too hard or I could trigger another flare. There is a fine line that I have to be careful. There is sucking it up and being conscious of what happened last week.

So that’s it. I hope I will be able to give more updates this week.  

Happy Pi Day

Happy Pi Day!

I have pie.

On Wednesday, I had a fun class. It was a class that was full of regulars and we adjusted some of the regular aerial yoga moves into low aerial. It was fun and challenging. I also finally figured out a move that has had me baffled for a couple of years.

Friday, I picked up the stepdaughter to be (SDTB) and we went to aerial yoga. It was a full class with lots of different faces and personalities and experiences. I am still not a fan of the leg warm ups. It feels like the hardest part of the class, the part where I sweat the most. It is also the part where my pants got super slippery and I slid out of my plank. I just laid on the floor and giggled at myself. Such a simple move and I slipped right out of it. While I was on the floor, I also realized how comfortable I was in the studio. In the past, I would have died from embarrassment and Friday, I really could have cared less. That is such a blessing to find such a safe place where I can exist.

Saturday, SDTB and I had a 5k in honor of Pi Day. We both received an individual pie, nice V-neck tech shirts. I had warned her the night before that there might be a hill or two after looking at the course online. The weather was one of those days where you weren’t sure if it was going to rain and the temperature made it difficult to figure what to wear. We both went in with goals.

There weren’t a couple of hills. There was 4 big hills. Big. Hills. And then a few other rolling rises. It was hard. People walked hills. People got sick from the effort. I ran, albeit, slowly up the hills. My left foot and knee niggled a little bit but after the first hill, it went away. Detachment had to happen quickly because my brain was very loud about how impossible this course was and how walking was ok. It reminded me that I hadn’t trained at all. I had brought music with me this time around. When things got hard, I started singing the lyrics. Anything to drown out my brain. And by the time I hit the second hill, I started feeling more confident. I knew I wasn’t going to win any awards but I knew I was going to finish. Seeing all the people being beaten by the hills as I slogged up them, I felt good.

The last hill took us right to the finish line. I didn’t see my SDTB except once in a turn around. She was a full minute ahead of me. She took second in her age group and got a medal. I found some speed out of somewhere and got up that hill and sprinted thru the finish gate. We waited around for the results and the medals. My time was 32:17 and I was 20 out of 36. The run seemed to be middle sized with 400ish people. It was more than two minutes faster than my last 5k. I can only imagine what my time would have been without the hills.

This morning I went to the gym. It was an easy run. The pace was nice and slow and comfortable. I looked at it as a recovery run. Some people ran next to me for a bit taking off at speedy speeds. Now don’t think I didn’t sweat, because I did. I’m a sweat-er. I was really glad to get some time in on the treadmill. I like running outside but there is something nice about the treadmill with easy access to amenities. And not need to be quiet because the rest of the house is sleeping.

No great revelations this time around. Just enjoying my time on the fitness journey. I’m happy to be able to do all this Bechet’s and myalgia. I wonder what the future holds.

Here are a few shots of my dragon and dog.

I caught her sleeping like this

 The dog watched Castle with me Saturday night.

 The dragon was not as impressed with the acting styles of Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic

Surrender

Life has been quite busy and my time to type has been limited. Hope all is well in your world.

So Tuesday, I tried going to the gym. I was running a little behind but nothing major, I would still have an hour to run. But then there was a detour, a left hand turn, bad driving conditions, a patch of ice hidden under unplowed streets, and an inconveniently placed Jeep. New used car is now getting babied at the mechanics. So no run Tuesday.

Wednesday, we focused on surrender in yoga. Surrendering to the pose. Surrendering to the discomfort of some of the stretches or tightness of fabric. Sinking into the fabric and accepting the effects of gravity in each pose. In a way, it was surrendering to life and all it entails. Some parts of life are not particularly wonderful and some are unbelievably wonderful. Accepting it all as molding who we are now and our futures. In yoga, I like exploring the mind and body connection. I think, aerial yoga emphasizes that even more because of we see the action and reaction of our poses, like when we push off the ground and “fly.” We see it in when we don’t quite get a pose but something wonderful comes out of our mistakes. And then there are the days that the fabric is just uncooperative for whatever reason. And you can fight it but you really just need to slow down and move with intention. I have to say after class I felt a bit more at peace in my mind. I hope my students felt the same way.

Thursday and Friday, I essentially slept. I slept in, went to work, ate dinner, and then fell asleep. I still feel tired but not nearly as bad as those days.

Then, it was Saturday. Race day. Another 8k, this time to support research to cure heart disease. I argued with myself about even showing up. There is this heavy blanket of exhaustion that is laying over me. It was 1F with a bit of a wind. It seemed like a super crazy thing to do. Yet, I still put on layers of leggings. The top half is always more problematic for me. I don’t mind warm or cold legs, but I don’t like being hot on top. I decided to go with the race tech shirt and jacket. I thought about the shoes too. I could use my trail shoes or my Brooks. Since the run was on the road, I went with the Brooks. Wool socks, buffs, headbands, gloves, and Spibelt came along as well.

The race was close to my house and had ample parking at a nearby college with a shuttle for the runners. There was coffee waiting for the runners, a silent auction and other items for sale to raise money for the cause. I didn’t see anyone I knew. There were lots of groups of people and not very many of us singletons. While I was waiting, my jacket drew people to me. It was the sponsoring running clubs anniversary jacket. It was warm and breathable with great pocket and zipper designs. This gave me a chance to talk to people and compare race plans and goals. I got a lot of congratulations for this being my third race and choosing this particular race.

The start was late and it was very cold. I hung near the back between the 8k runners and the 2 mile walkers determined the change from running tights to denim. About the time we started moving, I realized I forgot my phone back in the car. No splits for me. I did start my vivosmart. The people I had been talking to started at a faster pace than I. It took a while to get warm and start sweating. I used the buff over my face for about a mile and half. My hands grew warm and my gloves got tucked away around mile three. About mile 4, I truly considered taking off my jacket, I was so warm.

My brain was whiny. I was not floating with things. The out and backs down the same roads sorta made me feel like I was getting nowhere and that the turnabout cones were placed generously too far apart. I was hearing in my head to stop and walk, or go back to the start and wait for the shuttle. Each step was heavy but I am a stubborn person and willed my feet to keep moving forward. Those first three miles were rough. There was some chatting with others while paces matched. I had been passing people. I knew I was still on the back end of the racing group but I was improving my standing. And around mile four, I found some peace with the race and course. It was rolling and passed thru some very nice scenery. I was still willing myself forward. My stomach started to revolt a bit as turned in for the last half mile. But I kept telling myself that I just needed to put one foot in front of the other and breathe in and breathe out. It wasn’t really complicated. It was natural and I was capable.

Turning in to the last half mile with cheers from well bundled volunteers, I saw the hill. The race route was a big loop. It started downhill. I took a deep breath and dug deep. My legs moved on their own, sure and strong on the incline as others fell back into a walk. I passed people I had been chasing for most of the race. My final sprint wasn’t that much faster than the pace I had already been going. I was running on fumes. Volunteers cheered us up the hill. Focusing on the Finish sign, I surrendered to the discomfort and came in with a 53:37 time. A personal best (PB).

I paced around near the finish line, waiting for my gut to settle down. Bananas and chili and more coffee waiting for us back at the building but food was the last thing on my mind. Not barfing was key. Eventually, the nausea passed and I climbed back onto the shuttle knowing I ran a great race. My race selfie is me in the car. It would have been nice to get pictures of the race. Despite the late start, it was a well organized race. 

Again yoga and running ran parallel. I had to surrender to the asanas and to the course. Discomfort happens with both and it is temporary. Accepting it and continuing to move forward can lead to some pretty rewarding experiences.

Here is a video of a guy who ran the race. You can catch a glimpse of me on the bus.

I got my shirt from our running group on My Fitness Pal (MFP). So excited. It fits great and looks good, at least I think so.

And here are some pictures of the reptiles in my life because why not? 

Just do it!

Just do it! It’s so cliché but so true.

Yesterday, I did some aerial yoga at home. I worked on conditioning/strength and my flexibility. Both have taken a backseat to my running. I would probably even go to more classes but my running has made me a bit tired overall. So my aerial yoga has hit a bit of a lull. I need to get on that and keep improving my yoga vocabulary. Doing aerial yoga at home is nice because I can invert fully and use gravity to help me stretch. I’m frequently stiff when getting out of bed between getting older and myalgia. Doing some gazelles and downward facing dogs really gets me stretched out and ready to face the day.

This morning, I went for a run at the gym. Snow and rain fell last night and a quick look at the roads this morning showed somewhat slippery conditions. So far, I’ve made it with no serious injury and I’d like to keep it that way.

I got there earlier and I was able to park closer. As I was walking in, I wondered if it was ironic that I wanted a close parking spot to the gym entrance. Shouldn’t we all be parking as far away as possible in non-inclement or freezing weather? Mostly, everyone there was fit. There were “normal” people there but a lot of the people seemed very serious about their workout. There was a large turnout for the step class. It was encouraging to see all these people working hard to be fit or get fitter so early in the morning. It pushed me to sweat.

The run itself was hard. Not because of anything in particular but I couldn’t find a good, relaxed pace. I felt like I was breathing thru a scarf. Legs never hit a rhythm. Part of me wanted to quit, and do something else. Anything else. But I kept reminding myself to suck it up and enjoy my Netflix.

I still ran well. It was my second fastest pace. Maybe that’s why it was so rough. The only other time I ran that fast was during the Frosty 5k. I upped my speed running and ran a whole quarter mile at 7:00. My current plan is to slowly start increasing the length of my “sprints.” I’m also considering changing treadmills for my weekday gym visits, ones that have programs that have hills. This should help me with my road running.

I’m hoping some of this new treadmill running will translate into road running. The two are different and the same. I guess we’ll have to see.

In the meantime, I am waiting patiently for my dinner with friends tonight. Good food and good company. 

Birthday Week!!!

Welcome back. I’m looking forward to this week. Lots of social events. I’ll have to be sure to get my runs in the morning. Can’t be sure that I’ll be getting to the gym in the afternoons.

Friday, fiancé and I hung out. We both haven’t been feeling well. There have been some lingering colds and we managed to catch it. Plus, a mild flare for me. Achy joints, itchy and burning skin, plus a few other fun things. So I built up my Netflix cue. Also, we discovered that Karn does NOT like kiwi even though it’s supposed to be a popular dragon food. It reminded me of this video:

Saturday I to 11.3 miles in. I did it at the gym. I was lazy and I didn’t want to get dressed for an outside run. Plus, I feel more motivated to shower after. Sometimes, from outside runs, I just come back and crash for a nap. Again, I watched Jessica Jones. Last time I was there, I noticed that I could plug my phone in and watch Jessica on a bigger screen. I decided against after seeing some of the sex scenes. Small screen seemed like a better idea.

It took a while to fall into stride. A guy ran next to me for an hour and congratulated me on my persistence and distance. I played with the incline and the speed. My breath came easy but I could feel my body sucking up all the oxygen as quick as it could. My Brooks kept my feet comfy. I bought a revive Vitamin water when I get to the gym. I thought it a good idea after the 2 glasses of wine on Friday night. And strawberry GU Chomps. It’s my second favorite with watermelon being my favorite. A fellow runner complimented me on my distance and consistency as he headed off to a spin class. I enjoyed watching people get on the treadmill and then glance at me as they left.

My pace was 11:48. It was the best pace so far for that mileage. I don’t know if treadmill running is easier or not. I suppose it is in that you can set it and forget it but at the same time, very few people run at the same pace for an extended amount of time when running outside. It would vary on many factors, like terrain, weather, etc. I think for me, holding a pace is harder for me. And I’m lucky that I can lose myself in music or a TV show and forget that I’m running and getting nowhere. I was content being where I was and doing what I was doing. A long run really lets you get into your mind and explore feelings. There is no hiding from yourself when it’s just you and yourself for 2 hours.

This week should be fun. Stepdaughter-to-be’s birthday is today and we will being going out. Tomorrow, we will be going out for my birthday (on Weds). Wednesday, I have off but that was more incidental (Dr. appointment). I’m considering taking the dog to one of the good dog parks. 

Thursday, I will be getting some blue hair. And wedding stuff hopefully on Saturday.

I’ll be sure to be getting my runs in so I can clear my mind and enjoy all the fun things happening.

To Gym or Not To Gym

Happy Monday! We made it thru the weekend.

Friday I went to Level 1 Aerial yoga. Went with my stepdaughter-to-be (SDTB). She really enjoys it too. One of the actresses from Pretty Little Liars does aerial stuffs. We enjoyed the scene from Pitch Perfect 2. And of course, there is the fun and freedom of doing yoga in the hammock.

It was a nice class with familiar faces. I was feeling a little stiff going into class. Stiff and tired. I also got to finally pick up my Christmas presents from the studio. Which reminded me to actually purchase their presents sitting in my etsy cart.

I don’t know that we focused on anything in particular in class. It just felt like a good overall workout. I felt loose by the end of class. My flexibility is suffering due to the running. I need to recover it. I would like to eventually get my splits. I never had them even as a child. Backbends, however, I don’t really have any urge to improve. Anyways, the class reminded my why it’s good to go to other classes than my own. It gives me a chance to relax and enjoy class more. Not to say that teaching low aerial is high stress but you have to be aware of all the students in class and help them with their needs. We talked about running for a minute too, which I never mind talking about.

Not from Friday's class

Saturday, we drove the SDTB to the Madison area in the morning, when I normally do my long run. It felt good to sleep in. It was nice to get up and see the sun already up. At the same time, it did feel strange watching what I ate on Saturday. I think the dog was happy to take a rest even though she is a bundle of energy at this point.

My fiancé has been wanting to start going to the gym. I’ve resisted. I’ve got plenty of body weight and yoga exercises I can do at home and have all the equipment already. Plus, I’ve got running stuff for cold weather. What do I need a gym for? Hold that thought.

The gym he chose is a good gym. Close to the house and lots of equipment including a pool and lots of classes. The staff is all sorts of friendly. They even have a treadmill that is easier on the joints and TRX straps that I can work on aerial conditioning. There is even a nice hot tub, sauna/steam room, and roomy and clean locker rooms.

But still why do should I spend money on a gym when the world itself is my oyster? The answer is this morning. It was -7 degrees and even the roads were shiny with a layer of ice. Because of this, I’m pretty sure I’ll be joining this gym.

While I was there on Saturday, I managed to get in 4.75 miles. Since I wasn’t going to be able to get in my normal 3 hours, I worked on speed. I played around with the pace and incline. I ran my butt off. I tripped a couple of times when I was starting out. It feels weird to run but go nowhere. With such a steady pace, I realized too how much my pace varies. Even though I average 5.2 mph, I definitely go slow in some spots and get a little more speed in others. It was tough to hold a pace. The fiancé checked in on me a couple of times, which made it hard to find my rhythm but I’m glad he did. He knows I can get anxious in new places.

So I’m joining a gym. I’ve got plenty of work I can do in the morning on my rest days. But on days like this morning, I can run safely inside. I wasn’t so worried about the cold, but the sheen on ice on the roads. Sidewalks were nearly a solid sheet of ice. We are also dog sitting a little Jack Russell and I don’t think he is up for runs in the morning. Right now, I’ve got a week pass. I will see about running in the morning and running/walking in the afternoon when I go with the fiancé. When I was using the treadmill, I had to admit that it could be a great tool, especially for me and my need for speed and ice free conditions. Now I’ve got some research to do on how to keep my skin and hair healthy with gym work outs. I might have needed to do it before but now I feel like it’s really important.

Saturday and Sunday, we watched football and I held Karn. The dog is getting disinterested in it as it seems to do very little and doesn’t move very fast. Karn hangs out under my sweatshirt or scarf or even hair where it’s warm and goes to sleep. He also got a new background of Monument Valley which looks rather spiffy.

Here is a shot of Monument Valley that I took this Spring

 

 The dog was also super snuggly. She was cuddled into whoever was on the couch. For a collie mix, she sure can be a couch potato.

That’s it. That’s my report in. Nothing too ground breaking or earth shattering. No epiphanies or wise words. Just staying active and happy.