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Marine Corps Marathon 10 Mile Training Run

July 30, 2016

With the Marine Corps Marine marathon just 3 months away, I fell a little bit behind in my training. But I am picking it back up and am getting back on track. After my very difficult Marine Corps Marathon last year, I vowed that if I were to do it again I would be stronger, trimmer and more successful for the next time I run that race. So far I have been successful in getting stronger and fitter. I have been doing the 21 day fix program for 2 months and have lost pounds and inches. I notice especially, the strength in my legs. This has been helpful in tackling hills during my training runs.

I had been nervous about getting back into a double digit run routine again. I haven’t done more than 13.1 miles since the runDisney Star Wars Half Marathon. I wanted to enjoy this training run and take it slow and easy. I am still continuing to use heart rate training as part of my training plan. Ideally I would have liked to be out on the road early to avoid the heat and to get the run done early in the day; but I have also been valuing my seep much more lately. We are enjoying our summer with the kids which means late nights so on the weekends I want to get my extra sleep when I can.

I was out on the road around 11:30 which didn’t bother me. As I set out on my run I planned on going slow with walking in the beginning and end if necessary. I used my 30/30 intervals and they aligned nicely with my heart rate. The temperature outside was the high 80’s with humidity. So I was careful to make sure I chose a route that had a good amount of shade. I took my usual route which included the large hill in it so I could continue to work on my efforts to make it up that hill faster. I also remembered to make sure to fuel appropriately with food during this training run. I was listening to a special from Another Mother Runner about nutrition during and after running. I packed some pretzel fish and a Lara bar to use for my fuel for this run. I took in some pretzels around mile 4 after my large hill. Prior to my running I had oatmeal for breakfast. I was feeling good throughout those first 5 miles and my family met me at mile 5 to replenish my water and cooling towels. I love having their support.

I learned from the Another Mother Runner podcast special episode how to fuel appropriately for the runs. I continued on for my next 5 miles throughout my neighborhood and was feeling pretty strong. I had my Lara bar at the top of a hill under a shady tree with a nice breeze around mile 6 so that I would have enough gas in my tank to help me finish this run.

I continued down a steep downhill and ventured towards a new neighborhood where I could get in a good mile loop there. However, that loop was in full sun. At this part of my run I was feeling the heat. It was about 1:00 p.m. and the sun was strong. I was good about drinking my water and walking when I needed to. After completing one loop I determined that I would need to do another in order to finish with 10 miles under my belt. At the last part of the loop I was feeling really overheated so I took a break in a shady area and poured the last of my water on my head to help cool me down for the last half mile home.

I was very pleased with my run and am a little less nervous for increasing my mileage going forward to prepare for the Marine Corp marathon. Despite having many other races on my calendar like the Dumbo Double Dare, the Hartford Half Marathon and the Dopey Challenge, the race I am most concerned about is the Marine Corps Marathon. After my run I had some watermelon to replenish my fluids and also weighed myself. I lost 1.5 pounds of water during that run despite having had 32 oz. of water during my run. I also made an egg and avocado sandwich for my post run recovery meal and then enjoyed some time resting on our hammock and in the pool with the kids!

Sculptured Rocks

July 17, 2016

Last summer on our trip to New Hampshire my parents took us to a place called the Sculptured Rocks. It was an extremely hot day out so the cold cold river water, felt very refreshing. Since we seem to be a family that likes to partake in traditions, we visited this location again last week on our surprise trip with the kids.

The beginning of our trip started off very cold, rainy and grey; but as the days went on, the storms rolled out and the sun was out every day with temperatures rising each day. By Wednesday it was extremely hot. So we decided it would be a great day to head out to the Sculptured Rocks again and revisit this popular swimming hole. The river runs over rocks, and there are a few deep crevasses where those who dare, jump from the high rocks into the deep pools of water.

Here is a slideshow from our recent visit. If you happen to be in the Groton, New Hampshire area on Newfound Lake, you should definitely check this place out!

Marine Corps Marathon Training Round 2

July 15, 2016

Marine Corps marathon training is now under way. I had a great longer run recently. I contribute my success to the 21 Day Fix Beach Body program I am doing. I have lost a few pounds and I have been working out my lower body which is helping to make my legs stronger.

I did a long run using the heart rate training method I have been following for the past two months. I didn’t have my heart set on a particular route when I went out the door. I ended up running towards the reservoirs at the end of my street and decided to tackle the big hills for the return miles. I felt very strong on those hills. It was a very warm day but I held my pace within my heart rate range and was very consistent using my 30/30 intervals. I walked the large portion of the uphill and then ran the downhill. My intent is to run that part of my long runs each time I have a long run so that I build up my endurance for the hills.

While I was on vacation in New Hampshire I also took a route that was hilly and ran uphill rather than walk most of it. It was a very hot day so I did make sure to stay within my heart rate range; but I also wanted to push myself a little to run uphill. Funny when I compare the maps of the two runs the New Hampshire one doesn’t look as hilly as it seemed.

I’m planning on continuing to strengthen my glutes, hamstrings and quads with my Team Beach Body videos. Another Mother Runner’s coach Mary Kate also released a great video yesterday on how to use the bosu ball to work those delicate areas that runners have trouble with. Check them out from the Another Mother Runner blog. I’ll be trying these out and will let you know how they help me!

A New Chapter

July 8, 2016

I’m writing this blog post as we are traveling to New Hampshire for a much needed long weekend getaway. The past month has been filled with wonder, anticipation, hope, excitement and stress. Why? Well I am closing a chapter in my life that I thought was going to be open for a long time when I started it. Turns out, it was short for a reason. It was a stepping stone for me; to lead to where I am now heading.

Two summers ago I left my 24 year career at Honeywell to go work at New Horizons Computer Learning Center. I really really wanted that job and quite frankly the job fell into my lap. I loved the job and my co-worker, Heidi. Sundays were no longer depressing because I knew that on Monday I’d have work with Heidi to look forward to. That changed when Heidi left the following April to work at Slalom. When she left I inquired about a job a Slalom but they didn’t have a position available.

That was ok because it gave me the opportunity to stand on my own and make a reputation for myself without being in Heidi’s shadow. As much as I missed working with her, I created friendships with clients that I worked with and made great connections with people. During that time I did have some interviews with Slalom and was offered a job and given a contingency offer in October of 2015.

Fast forward 8 months and I will finally be starting a position at Slalom on July 18th. I will be doing something I have never done before but the owner of the company sees something very promising in me.

I’m looking forward to this new chapter and the challenges that will come with it. But I am mostly proud of myself for taking a chance at something new.

Yoga Lesson – Self Control

June 14, 2016

Last week when I was in Yoga class the instructor talked about self-control. Once again the topic she was focusing on was aligned with something I was focusing on in my life. Just the week before I was signed up as a Team Beach Body Coach because it was time for me to get control of my life. I had been struggling with weight gain from marathon training for years. It seems that as soon as I started to train for multiple marathons within a year my weight climbed along with my mileage. I am not the first person that this has happened to either. Many people have experienced this problem. But I was sick of it. It was slowing me down, I felt disgusted with myself and I wanted it to stop.

I started the Train Like a Mother Stride Into Summer plan to mix up my running with other exercises and also saw a lot of chatter on Facebook with several friends and acquaintances about achieving success with the 21 day fix. I had to find out more about it. One of my friends reached out to me and told me she was a coach and was very successful in losing over 40 pounds with it; so I decided to join. I joined as a coach in hopes that my experience will also inspire someone else. I also wanted access to all of the tools to make my transformation or commitment a success.

This was just the kick start I needed. In conjunction with the Train Like A Mother plan, which added a workout routine back into my life, I started to combine weight training back into my routine. I replaced one meal with a Shakeology shake and was very conscious about what I was eating and also drinking. I increased my intake of water and decreased my intake of alcohol. I was tired of the lack of self-control and failing at “trying” to lose weight. I wasn’t getting into a habit that was sticking for me. This habit seemed to stick.

As soon as I registered, I had access to many different workout videos to stream online. I used to do videos 15 years ago before I got into running. I wanted to learn how to get a full body workout with weights in a way that would also benefit my running. I didn’t want to do any dance type exercises because I am extremely uncoordinated. I came across Slim in Six and that was my first workout video that I started on Friday, June 3. The next day I discovered Chalean with Chalene Johnson and I was hooked immediately. Her videos included upper and lower body workouts and has three levels to it. The first is the Burn level, the second is the Push level and the third is the Lean level.

I can’t say enough good things about these videos. I don’t like to miss a day without doing one. What I like most about those videos is the fact that I am working out my entire body. I used to just do my arms, chest and back muscles and didn’t work out my legs. I figured all of my running was going to help my leg muscles. But I am seeing now that the exercises that help build my leg muscles will help me feel stronger when I run and will also support those lazy muscles that are being neglected from running alone; which in the past has been a cause of some of my running injuries.

I can’t see a different in my body yet; but I do feel the difference in my mind. And I think that has been the key element for me. I do think I noticed a little more strength when running up hills and I will continue to run the hills, while staying withing my heart rate zone, as I continue my heart rate training for the Marine Corps Marathon. So all in all, I think I may finally be on a road to success and I am proud that I have found something to stick to.

I took a before photo but that photo will not see the light of day until I have an amazing after photo to post next to it. If you are interested in my progress, what I am doing, how I am doing or if you need a coach, please reach out to me! I’d love to share the addictive good behaviors with you!

What I Will Do To Feel The Way I Want To Feel

June 2, 2016

I was listening to one of the pod casts from Another Mother Runner and they were reviewing some of their best of episodes and Dimity McDowell mentioned a quote “What I will do to feel the way I want to feel”. That is a beautiful quote. I was having a shitty day the other day. Ya know what, things happen and the day was off to a rough start for me so I was feeling irritable. I even told the receptionist at the chiropractor’s office that I was grumpy and sick of people! I wasn’t rude to her and Dr. Pat of course, but I had a bug up my ass.

On my way home I listening to the rest of the podcast I started when I was on my way there and they had a recap from when Kristen Armstrong was on an episode and she talked about her gratitude journal. I remember that episode two summers ago and I also started a gratitude journal. But it only lasted about a week. Then Dimity and Sarah were talking and Sarah asked if Dimity had kept hers and she said that she changed it up a little. That’s where the quote comes in. I sat on that for a few days. I went out with my girlfriends and we had a very nice dinner and conversation outside on a patio of a restaurant. On my drive up to the restaurant I was listening to a different podcast because I wanted to learn something new. I have been on a learning path the past few weeks. Learning new things from SharePoint 2013/2016 to project management and business analysis. I want to absorb as much information as I can. I’m at a point in my life that I have to do what I need to feel the way I want to feel. The fate of my life and my happiness is in my hands. I cannot depend on someone else or something else to make me happy. I am the only person who can be responsible for that happiness.

I was in a time of darkness a few weeks back where I was feeling like I was in the mud. I couldn’t get out of bed, I felt very sad and down and I was completely unattached. It was very visible to my husband and I can’t say specifically what was causing the problem. I know I was battling depression. It was creeping in and taking over me. I think some of it was the weather. But I also think it may be because there is something that I want but it is still just out of my reach. Again, this is where I have to rely on myself to reach the goals I want to achieve. So I am working hard to get there.

At the restaurant I saw the most beautiful scenery and it brought me peace. I needed to let go and get stuff off my chest to the girls and it was a great night for it.

So I will do what I need to do to feel the way I want to feel. Thanks Dim!