Let's Run About It // Half Marathon
Monday, September 25, 2023
I had originally set out to start a running “series” back at the beginning of June. I wanted to track my progress leading up to our local Spooktacular Half Marathon in October. However, I won’t be running the half marathon at this local race anymore. I’ve opted to downgrade to the 10k instead. And it’s not because I fell behind on my training or got injured. In fact, it’s the opposite. I had already started increasing my mileage by the end of June and was ahead of my training schedule. In August I had already done a handful of double-digit mileage runs. And then, this past Saturday, I actually completed the half-marathon distance goal I had for myself! So, I think this “series” will be more about running in general. New gear, speed work progress, new shoes, fuel options, and an overall update on my running journey.
My “training” wasn’t an actual training plan I got from somewhere or someone. Though, if you have a Garmin watch they have some great adaptable plans. My training consisted of building up mileage and cross-training. At the beginning of each month, I would increase my Saturday long run and then try to hit that mileage every Saturday for that month. For example, in June, my long-run goal was 6 miles. So, every Saturday I would try to run a minimum of 6 miles. In July, my goal was 8 miles. So, every Saturday I would try to run a minimum of 8 miles. And so on, and so forth. This helped me get comfortable with running those longer distances consistently. I would also run shorter distances twice a week. And in August, I also started to incorporate cross-training twice a week. This was just the standard weight lifting machines at Planet Fitness for 30-45 minutes each day. This helps to prevent injury, and I'm desperately in need of core strength. Anyway, I stuck to this routine pretty consistently and I noticed a big difference in my endurance.
Still, there were some days when I didn’t reach those distances or didn't feel like going to the gym. There were two weeks when I wasn’t able to run due to illness or previous obligations with Emery’s after-school activities too. I did do my best to stay on top of the long-run goals though. The plan was to hit 10 miles consistently by September, and then in October, I would hit 12. Finishing it off with 13.1 by the end of October - in time for the Spooktacular Half Marathon. This past Saturday, as my running friend and I started out the morning we discussed how much we didn’t like the idea of half-marathon and full marathon races. We each had started our running journey for fun, a want for a hobby, and for mental health benefits. There was this enjoyment and carefree attitude attached to it when we had started. And once we started training for these longer races we realized that it was taking up much more of our time than we had originally anticipated. Also, when we didn’t reach weekly goals it would affect how we felt about ourselves. It also caused us anxiety because we felt we weren’t going to be ready in time. Then there was the fear of getting injured or sick. Having to train had sucked the joy right out of running and we were both feeling mentally tired of all the stress that it was causing.
This past Saturday our goal was to just do 10 miles. But as the run progressed I was feeling really good! When we hit 10 miles I knew I could go further. So, my friend and I hit up one of our local running club aid stations and then pushed through the last 3.1 miles. I did one final little loop and heard the "DING" on my phone signaling my latest achievement of 13.1 miles. And I felt this huge wave of relief when we stopped. I was done! I had just hit one of my 2023 Distance Challenge Goals: Run a half-marathon by the end of October. There were no cheering spectators or a medal at the finish line, but I had done it! I had had a good run day, and still felt strong as I walked a bit to cool down. If you're a runner then you know that this isn’t always the case for some of us. This achievement came at the hands of super early mornings, a lot of run club encouragement, many failures, and several “dumpster fire” runs. It felt great, but also like I had been beyond ready to be over it.
While I'm super grateful to be able to run, and really proud to have finished 13.1 miles, I’ve come to the decision that races longer than 10k are not for me - right now. I think 6.2 miles is the sweet spot. Maybe if I get some more 13.1 distances under my belt I’ll feel comfortable enough to pursue those races. But for now, I’m going back to running for fun. I’m doing away with 4 a.m. wake-up calls, and going to focus more on shortening my interval times. I want to finish the year on a good, carefree note. I’m going to relax, and hopefully start out the new year with an overall yearly distance goal that’s challenging for me. Then I'll re-evaluate this decision sometime next year to see if I still feel the same. For now, here's to finishing out the year with easy runs and hitting my overall yearly distance goal of 350 miles!
I Neglected My Health & Now I Have to Fix It
Monday, September 11, 2023
If you’ve been around here you know that I have “yo-yo’d” in weight. I’ve been told by doctors that I have a thyroid problem, that my cortisol levels are always really high, and that I need to cut out gluten. I was told that I needed to eat less than 1,200 calories a day and work out for an hour, 4-5x a week just to stop the weight gain. But none of that worked. And no one ever really explained what any of my numbers meant or how it was affecting my body. Sometimes, others would look over what the doctors had interpreted and question why I was being “treated” a certain way if it wasn’t going to help or address my issues. The frustration of not knowing, continuing to gain weight, and struggling with conceiving finally came to a breaking point this past summer.
One of my sisters, Dr. Hogan*, is a Functional Medicine practitioner and part of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. At the end of July, I asked her for some help and she put in an order to have some blood work done. A week after having labs done, my results came in and there was a lot to discuss. I had a few red flags, but also some improvements - both my cortisol levels and thyroid looked fine. We went over every single result, and what it meant. She explained how it was affecting my body, and answered any questions that I had. Nothing was too dumb or off the table. Unfortunately, those red flags were pretty concerning so we went over a treatment plan. It consisted of a specific meal plan for the next 8 weeks (currently on week 5), exercise, supplements tailored to my needs, and learning the proper way to fuel my body. Goodbye, 1,200 calorie restriction. But y’all…it’s been an adjustment.
We’ve had to undergo a lot of changes. Getting rid of plastic food containers, and anything with perfume. I have to be very selective about the food I consume. There’s a lot that’s been taken out, and honestly, if it weren’t for Corey’s cooking skills I might not have made it this far. Also, the amount of supplements I have to take each day is just…UGH. But, if I want to reverse the damage, and prevent any major future health problems it has to be done. So, Corey and I dove right into it. We did a pantry/fridge cleanse. I got rid of all the beauty/hygiene products that I could without being wasteful. And while this was initially a bit pricey, we’ve been able to make slight adjustments to our grocery budget which helps. Sidenote: We CHOSE to make the majority of the changes from the get-go, Dr. Hogan said we could take baby steps.
Right now, the hardest part has been cutting out sugar. Chocolate, cookies, ice cream, coffee creamer, cake, and my beloved sweet tea. And because I can’t have creamer I’ve had to get creative on how I get my daily dose of caffeine. One word: smoothies. Even with a workaround, I’ve cut back dramatically on the amount of caffeine I consume each day and my body is feeling it. By 7 p.m. I’m ready for bed, and it takes a lot of mental strength to keep me going. Other “side effects” have been low energy, mood swings, irritability, and a small bout of depression. I’m hoping after week 5, these will start to subside. And fingers crossed that by week 7 I’ll feel much better. But isn’t that crazy? How my body is reacting to removing all of the crap I was putting into it. It’s been interesting, and somewhat surprising. I knew I would go through “withdrawals,” but I didn’t realize how extreme some of them would be.
All of this to say, prioritize your health. Ask the questions. Get second or third opinions. Listen to your body. Invest in a nutritionist if you can. Consider taking toxic products out of your home. Though trust me when I say that I totally understand sometimes you can’t afford to do that. Do some movement for 30 minutes a day. Get some rest. And know that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. My treatment is probably completely different from what yours could be and it may require more/less baby steps. But it’s worth it! From August 15 to today, I have lost just over seven pounds. Will that continue? I don’t know, but I’m hopeful. While I’m not feeling the absolute best during this stage, I can feel my body getting stronger. The brain fog I was in before is slowly lifting too. Now, I’m just praying that it’s helping internally as well. Though you better believe I’m having some dang chocolate cake at the end of these 8 weeks. Talk about a delicious incentive.
Gratitude Journal // Nine - Four - Twenty Three
Monday, September 4, 2023
Gratitude Series: Sometimes, the bad days get the better of me. Other times, I get so caught up in my little world that I forget to give thanks for all of the blessings in my life. And sometimes you just need to write down the things you're grateful for in order to see all of your blessings. Though, I admit that sometimes I find myself taking things for granted, I'm doing my best to be thankful for all of the good in my life. So, today, I’m choosing to give thanks for all of the things.
My fiance: We bicker a lot. It often feels like we’re the old married couple that just has to find something to argue about. I complain about everything under the sun too. He gets annoyed with me for not keeping some of those complaints to myself. But then we laugh, or hug, and say, “I love you.” We move on. And that is truly a gift. I’m blessed to have a partner that stays. One that sees ALL of my faults and chooses to love me anyway.Homemade Dressing: I’ve had to make some health changes - a post on that is coming soon. But one of the most “magical” things that has come out of it is a homemade dressing that I pour on everything. It consists of red wine vinegar, avocado & olive oil, salt, and lime juice (fresh is best, but do what you gotta). This goes on my salads, my veggie snacks, and my rice bowls. I’ve had to play around with the ratios - Corey prefers more oil while I prefer more vinegar. But the result is just *chef’s kiss*.Seeeesters: If you’ve been here for a while you’ve probably heard me mention Kim and Olivia. Or as we call ourselves, Seeeesters. While they may not be my biological sisters they have been in my life for over 20 years. Kim is also my sister-in-law. Anyway, they have been with me through ALL of the ups and downs. Since we are all scattered, we keep in touch as best as we can. We’ve been learning more about our faith together, and do our best to visit as often as possible. However, life happens. Still, I’m so thankful to be able to walk through this life with them by my side.My Job: Y’all, there was a moment when I wanted to return to my previous place of employment. I even reached out to my old boss, asking to be notified if any openings came up. At the time, I had been misled and I wasn’t comfortable with handling what was being asked - long term. The job was the issue, not the people. However, as I now know, God was just needing me to be patient. I was put in that original position to get the right person back in the office to help. And once I accomplished that, in April of this year, God opened a door for me. It was my dream job! And it’s come with so much grace, training, and healthy work friendships—the complete opposite of what I had before.Cool Weather: I don’t know if you have heard but Texas has been hot this summer. Electricity bill being over $350 a month, type of hot. The trees lost their leaves back in June. Our yard is a field of yellow, crunchy, grass. The insects have been terrible. TERRIBLE. And there were times when we couldn’t take enough clothes off - out of respect for others obviously. So, last week, when we woke up TWICE to temps being in the 60’s we all rejoiced. There was a breeze and the air had a tinge of crispness. A brief reminder that fall was coming. Before too long Halloween will be here and then Christmas! While I’m not one to rush, I am excited about cooler weather.
And that wraps up my gratitude post. What are you grateful for today? This week? This month? What do you do to help bring some positivity back into your day if it's been a bad one? What are you excited for this month? How do you make sure to stay grounded? And how’s the beginning of fall going? Has the weather changed much where you are? Have the leaves started to fall from the trees? Let me know below. Until the next post, I hope everyone has had a happy and safe Labor Day weekend! Adios!
“He will again have compassion upon us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot”
// Micah 7:19
❤
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