I've had this blog for several years. Of course, it hasn't always been consistent, but it's been the same theme for quite some time - the pursuit of achieving as many items on my list as possible.
And while that's still meaningful for me, I've been thinking about going in a different direction. I'm not sure that I have a lot more to say about the list - in face, several of my posts lately haven't been about the list at all.
As a result, I'm thinking about going in a different direction. Where? I am not quite sure. But stay tuned.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Reading All of the Books
I've always been a bookworm.
In fact, I have several memories growing up that include laying on the couch late at night (usually in the summer months) to finish a book - with my mom laying on other couch reading her own book. So, it's pretty obvious where I picked up the habit.
Goodreads has a reading challenge each year. You designate the number of books that you'd like to read in that year, and keep track of your progress on the website. Of course, when compiling my 1001 list, these reading challenges came to mind.
75 books seemed like a good number. For several years, that was the goal that I set for myself. But the first few years was during graduate school, and it was tough to find time to read actual books. Now, if I had counted research journals and publications instead, I'd have met my goal in no time.
This year, I decided to tackle the goal again. To be honest, I did choose some books that I might not have read otherwise, but knew that they'd be easy and quick reads (and therefor make it easier to reach my goal). I also got a subscription to Kindle Unlimited. You don't get a full section of Kindle e-books, but there's a fair amount to choose from, and that's where I found most of the books that I've read this year. Of course, I'm a frequent patron of the local library as well.
Anyway, I have not only met, but EXCEED my goal of reading 75 books in one year. In fact, we're in mid-October, and I've read 90 books so far. Since I was able to reach my original goal early, I've increased my goal and hope to have read 100 books by the end of the year. Since there's still more than two months remaining, it is a very realistic goal.
While I'm not done yet, here are a few of my favorites so far:
The Art of Hearing Heartbeats (Jan-Phillip Sendker)
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Junot Diaz)
Life and Other Near Death Experiences (Camille Pagan)
Yes Please (Amy Poehler)
Chocolat (Joanne Harris)
The Memory of Us (Camille Di Maio)
I would highly recommend all of these books (and many more, but these are the top of the list). I've got 10 more books to read this year, and I'll compile a Top 10 list when it's all said and done.
There is actually more than one reading goal on my 1001 list. The other goal, aside from the 75 books in one year, is to finish the Wheel of Time series. Those books are very long, however, and take some time to read -- so I will focus on reading those after I've met my goal of 100 books. I don't want to rush through them at the expense of missing important details!
I hope to report back soon, this time to tell you that I've read 100+ books in 2016.
In fact, I have several memories growing up that include laying on the couch late at night (usually in the summer months) to finish a book - with my mom laying on other couch reading her own book. So, it's pretty obvious where I picked up the habit.
Goodreads has a reading challenge each year. You designate the number of books that you'd like to read in that year, and keep track of your progress on the website. Of course, when compiling my 1001 list, these reading challenges came to mind.
75 books seemed like a good number. For several years, that was the goal that I set for myself. But the first few years was during graduate school, and it was tough to find time to read actual books. Now, if I had counted research journals and publications instead, I'd have met my goal in no time.
This year, I decided to tackle the goal again. To be honest, I did choose some books that I might not have read otherwise, but knew that they'd be easy and quick reads (and therefor make it easier to reach my goal). I also got a subscription to Kindle Unlimited. You don't get a full section of Kindle e-books, but there's a fair amount to choose from, and that's where I found most of the books that I've read this year. Of course, I'm a frequent patron of the local library as well.
Anyway, I have not only met, but EXCEED my goal of reading 75 books in one year. In fact, we're in mid-October, and I've read 90 books so far. Since I was able to reach my original goal early, I've increased my goal and hope to have read 100 books by the end of the year. Since there's still more than two months remaining, it is a very realistic goal.
While I'm not done yet, here are a few of my favorites so far:
The Art of Hearing Heartbeats (Jan-Phillip Sendker)
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Junot Diaz)
Life and Other Near Death Experiences (Camille Pagan)
Yes Please (Amy Poehler)
Chocolat (Joanne Harris)
The Memory of Us (Camille Di Maio)
I would highly recommend all of these books (and many more, but these are the top of the list). I've got 10 more books to read this year, and I'll compile a Top 10 list when it's all said and done.
There is actually more than one reading goal on my 1001 list. The other goal, aside from the 75 books in one year, is to finish the Wheel of Time series. Those books are very long, however, and take some time to read -- so I will focus on reading those after I've met my goal of 100 books. I don't want to rush through them at the expense of missing important details!
I hope to report back soon, this time to tell you that I've read 100+ books in 2016.
Monday, October 17, 2016
Weight Loss Lessons (My Weight Watchers Journey)
I am (fairly) thin. And I used to be thin, too. But there was a time in-between when I was most definitely not thin.
The lowest weight that I can remember (when I was aware of my weight), was in my sophomore year of high school and I was about 125 lbs. The crazy thing is that at the time, I was really self conscious about my weight. Of course, I was a cheerleader, and surrounded by thin and beautiful people, and was constantly comparing myself to others.
While I was still in high school, I started to put on a little weight. When I graduated from high school, I weighed about 135 lbs. If I hadn't been self conscious before, I was DEFINITELY self conscious at that point. Because, despite being well within the healthy weight ranges for my height, people (almost exclusively family members) began to make comments about my weight. For some reason, commenting on others weight/appearance is quite typical in my family, and these comments (mostly when I wasn't around) continued for years to come.
These comments, along with my own personal feelings, really began to further affect my self esteem. While my feelings were hurt, my reaction was not to try to halt weight loss, but to keep eating and pretend there wasn't any problem. And honestly, at that particular time, there really wasn't. I wasn't eating all that healthy, but I was exercising as a result of being a cheerleader, and my weight was in the normal range.
Now - let's fast forward to college. Because I was no longer a cheerleader, I was no longer getting regular exercise. But I didn't adjust my eating habits. So it's not a surprise that I started to gain some more weight. Yet, I was still in denial. I still thought that I could manage to eat the same way and things wouldn't be too bad. Of course, I was wrong. I steadily gained weight in college and was about 170 lbs. (just a rough guess) when I graduated.
After college, and during the first several years of marriage, I still continued to gain weight. I couldn't stand to look at myself in the mirror. I felt depressed. I knew I needed to change. And I did try and lose some weight, a couple of times. But I just couldn't seem to make any real, lasting changes. While I wasn't happy with my body and my weight, but I couldn't seem to let go of the habits that were the root cause of my weight issues.
Eventually, I got up to 213 lbs. I maintained that weight for a couple of years, and tried to lose it a few times, but with only temporary successes. At least I had stopped gaining (that's what I told myself at the time). Because of the failed weight loss attempts, I had started to think that I just needed to learn to be comfortable with my body. (DISCLAIMER: I'm not saying that others couldn't do that and be happy. I think it's possible to love yourself at any size. And I support body positivity. But I wasn't comfortable and I was fooling myself into thinking that I'd somehow magically become comfortable in this skin.)
In March 2015, my employer (at that time) began a Weight Watchers at Work program. I had tried Weight Watchers in the past. When I stuck with the program, I had successfully lost weight. The problem was that I'd quit and would end up gaining any lost weight back again. But since I knew the plan could work, I decided to give it a try. It helped that the group was going to be comprised of people at work, so these were people that I already knew and it was in a familiar environment. Because it was offered during my lunch hour, there really weren't any excuses for not signing up.
And as before, the weight began to come off. But this time, it felt different. And it needed to be different, because my other attempts hadn't lasted. I knew that I needed to be persistent, even if things didn't always go so well. I needed to stop sabotaging myself and accept that in order for this work, I had to begin to live a different life. I had to make different decisions. One important fact had really started to sink in for me: you either need to change your habits or be comfortable with your current weight. It's one or other - if you don't want to look different, that's fine, keep living life the same way. But if you want to look different, you need to be different.
This new mindset/realization was so simple, but so powerful. Now that I'd accepted it and adopted that belief, I was able to lay the groundwork for success. But it's important to note that this wasn't done alone. I had a large amount of support and encouragement from the Weight Watchers leader and receptionist, my fellow members, and my husband and parents.
As time went on, I continued to see success. The weight was coming off slowly, with an average loss of 1 lb/week (sometimes less and sometimes more), but I was consistently losing weight and feeling better about myself. I enjoyed attending the meetings and I felt like I was able to change my habits without much difficulty - the only difficulties were mental ones. The vast majority of the time, the challenges that I faced all had easy solutions, because the challenges were built up in my mind. For example, it's not really that difficult to navigate a movie or a sporting event without eating unhealthy foods - it's only difficult because made it difficult on ourselves.
In June 2015, I got a new job. The meant that I wouldn't have access my previous Weight Watchers meeting anymore, because it was through that particular employer. Yet I knew that continuing to attend meetings was absolutely crucial to my success. I found a Weight Watchers location near me. There were a lot of different meeting days/times. Because I knew that the relationship with the Leader and other members was so important, I went and tried out several different meetings until I found a group that really clicked with me.
I continued to follow the plan, eventually adding in running to boost my exercise (see previous post). And on April 12th, 2016, I finally reached my goal weight. At that time, I had lost 64 lbs. Because I had set my goal at the top of my healthy weight range, I was comfortable with losing a little more if my body was also comfortable with that idea. I wasn't going to push it, but I was going to continue to eat healthy and exercise and see where I landed.
Now, I weigh 140 lbs. That's a total loss of 73 lbs. And I'm quite comfortable at this point. Due to running long distances, it's not realistic for me to further restrict my diet. And I don't want to exercise less, and become less fit, just so that I could lose a few more vanity pounds. Would that really be the healthiest decision for me to make? No!
Really, that's the major difference between March 2015 and today. It's not about the weight anymore. It's about being healthy and fit. I cannot believe that I'm at a point where I'd rather continue the higher volume of exercise, even if that means not losing additional weight, but it's true. I'm eating healthy, and I view eating as a way to fuel my body for the activities that I enjoy.
That's not to say that I don't face challenges. I still face challenges every day. And I still make mistakes. But I'm more forgiving, and more able to look at the big picture than I was before I joined Weight Watchers. I'm a totally different person - not just a thinner one. And while I still have a lot of work to do, I'm proud of what I've accomplished.
The lowest weight that I can remember (when I was aware of my weight), was in my sophomore year of high school and I was about 125 lbs. The crazy thing is that at the time, I was really self conscious about my weight. Of course, I was a cheerleader, and surrounded by thin and beautiful people, and was constantly comparing myself to others.
While I was still in high school, I started to put on a little weight. When I graduated from high school, I weighed about 135 lbs. If I hadn't been self conscious before, I was DEFINITELY self conscious at that point. Because, despite being well within the healthy weight ranges for my height, people (almost exclusively family members) began to make comments about my weight. For some reason, commenting on others weight/appearance is quite typical in my family, and these comments (mostly when I wasn't around) continued for years to come.
These comments, along with my own personal feelings, really began to further affect my self esteem. While my feelings were hurt, my reaction was not to try to halt weight loss, but to keep eating and pretend there wasn't any problem. And honestly, at that particular time, there really wasn't. I wasn't eating all that healthy, but I was exercising as a result of being a cheerleader, and my weight was in the normal range.
Now - let's fast forward to college. Because I was no longer a cheerleader, I was no longer getting regular exercise. But I didn't adjust my eating habits. So it's not a surprise that I started to gain some more weight. Yet, I was still in denial. I still thought that I could manage to eat the same way and things wouldn't be too bad. Of course, I was wrong. I steadily gained weight in college and was about 170 lbs. (just a rough guess) when I graduated.
After college, and during the first several years of marriage, I still continued to gain weight. I couldn't stand to look at myself in the mirror. I felt depressed. I knew I needed to change. And I did try and lose some weight, a couple of times. But I just couldn't seem to make any real, lasting changes. While I wasn't happy with my body and my weight, but I couldn't seem to let go of the habits that were the root cause of my weight issues.
Eventually, I got up to 213 lbs. I maintained that weight for a couple of years, and tried to lose it a few times, but with only temporary successes. At least I had stopped gaining (that's what I told myself at the time). Because of the failed weight loss attempts, I had started to think that I just needed to learn to be comfortable with my body. (DISCLAIMER: I'm not saying that others couldn't do that and be happy. I think it's possible to love yourself at any size. And I support body positivity. But I wasn't comfortable and I was fooling myself into thinking that I'd somehow magically become comfortable in this skin.)
In March 2015, my employer (at that time) began a Weight Watchers at Work program. I had tried Weight Watchers in the past. When I stuck with the program, I had successfully lost weight. The problem was that I'd quit and would end up gaining any lost weight back again. But since I knew the plan could work, I decided to give it a try. It helped that the group was going to be comprised of people at work, so these were people that I already knew and it was in a familiar environment. Because it was offered during my lunch hour, there really weren't any excuses for not signing up.
And as before, the weight began to come off. But this time, it felt different. And it needed to be different, because my other attempts hadn't lasted. I knew that I needed to be persistent, even if things didn't always go so well. I needed to stop sabotaging myself and accept that in order for this work, I had to begin to live a different life. I had to make different decisions. One important fact had really started to sink in for me: you either need to change your habits or be comfortable with your current weight. It's one or other - if you don't want to look different, that's fine, keep living life the same way. But if you want to look different, you need to be different.
This new mindset/realization was so simple, but so powerful. Now that I'd accepted it and adopted that belief, I was able to lay the groundwork for success. But it's important to note that this wasn't done alone. I had a large amount of support and encouragement from the Weight Watchers leader and receptionist, my fellow members, and my husband and parents.
As time went on, I continued to see success. The weight was coming off slowly, with an average loss of 1 lb/week (sometimes less and sometimes more), but I was consistently losing weight and feeling better about myself. I enjoyed attending the meetings and I felt like I was able to change my habits without much difficulty - the only difficulties were mental ones. The vast majority of the time, the challenges that I faced all had easy solutions, because the challenges were built up in my mind. For example, it's not really that difficult to navigate a movie or a sporting event without eating unhealthy foods - it's only difficult because made it difficult on ourselves.
In June 2015, I got a new job. The meant that I wouldn't have access my previous Weight Watchers meeting anymore, because it was through that particular employer. Yet I knew that continuing to attend meetings was absolutely crucial to my success. I found a Weight Watchers location near me. There were a lot of different meeting days/times. Because I knew that the relationship with the Leader and other members was so important, I went and tried out several different meetings until I found a group that really clicked with me.
I continued to follow the plan, eventually adding in running to boost my exercise (see previous post). And on April 12th, 2016, I finally reached my goal weight. At that time, I had lost 64 lbs. Because I had set my goal at the top of my healthy weight range, I was comfortable with losing a little more if my body was also comfortable with that idea. I wasn't going to push it, but I was going to continue to eat healthy and exercise and see where I landed.
Now, I weigh 140 lbs. That's a total loss of 73 lbs. And I'm quite comfortable at this point. Due to running long distances, it's not realistic for me to further restrict my diet. And I don't want to exercise less, and become less fit, just so that I could lose a few more vanity pounds. Would that really be the healthiest decision for me to make? No!
Really, that's the major difference between March 2015 and today. It's not about the weight anymore. It's about being healthy and fit. I cannot believe that I'm at a point where I'd rather continue the higher volume of exercise, even if that means not losing additional weight, but it's true. I'm eating healthy, and I view eating as a way to fuel my body for the activities that I enjoy.
That's not to say that I don't face challenges. I still face challenges every day. And I still make mistakes. But I'm more forgiving, and more able to look at the big picture than I was before I joined Weight Watchers. I'm a totally different person - not just a thinner one. And while I still have a lot of work to do, I'm proud of what I've accomplished.
Friday, October 7, 2016
From 0.0 to 26.2 (My Running Journey)
Last weekend (Sunday, October 2nd), I ran a marathon. 26.2 miles.
To those that have run multiple marathons, or have always been fit, that might not seem all that impressive. But I'm very proud of myself.
See, I haven't always been fit. I was somewhat fit in high school, but was never a runner. I was a cheerleader, which required hours of cardio in the form of cheering at games and practicing dance routines - but I never ran.
After high school, I started to gain weight. Eventually, it became a lot of weight, but that's a story for another post. During this time of gaining weight (from 2005-2015), there were several points at which I decided it was time to lose weight, and that beginning an exercise routine was the answer. I tried to begin a running plan a few times. I'd start for a few weeks, but it wouldn't last. If I'd agreed to do a 5k as part of the plan, I never actually ended up running them. I still did them, but I would walk.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with walking. It is a great form of exercise. But the goal that I had set was to run in these instances. I didn't stick with the training long enough to complete that goal, and it was disappointing. In all honesty, I just thought that I probably wasn't cut out for running.
In March 2015, something started to click with my weight loss efforts. I began Weight Watchers, which was also something I'd tried several times before, but this time it felt different. I wish I could give you a reason that it was so different this time around, but I'm honestly not sure. For some reason, this time, I was mentally ready to tackle the challenge of losing weight and to be persistent in the effort.
Still, I didn't run. But I began to take a lot of walks. In October 2015, I walked a couple of 5ks. At that time, I had already lost over 30 lbs, and decided to once again try a run/walk training plan. I chose the Ease into 5k program. I think the confidence that I had gained after successfully losing some weight had provided me with the boost that I needed to try and start a running plan again.
And I had the support of my husband. He went on every run with during the Ease into 5k program. He helped me keep going when I wanted to quit. And because he was doing it with me, it was easier to get up and go for a run. If he were at home, on the couch, I'd have wanted to be there with him too. And while I can't say for sure, it's likely I would have lost motivation and quit.
Husband, if you're reading this, the simple action of doing that 5k plan with me changed the course of my entire life. You're amazing.
I began the Ease into 5k program on October 19, 2015.
Yes, that was less than 365 ago.
No, I wasn't doing any running at all until that day.
Yes, I did just run a full marathon.
At the time, running a marathon wasn't something that I even considered an option - it wasn't even on the table for future consideration. I wasn't sure that I could ever run a single mile, let alone a 5k, and most definitely not anything close to a marathon.
But yet, somehow, less than a year later, I am a freakin' marathoner. How is that possible?
When I completed the Ease into 5k plan and ran that first 5k without stopping to walk at all, I started to believe things were possible. I started to believe that I was capable. That first 5k was on December 6, 2015. I was elated to have ran the entire course. After all of those years of wanting to be a runner, I was finally running. But I still wasn't thinking about anything more than running the 5k distance.
I ran a few more 5ks in December/January. Then toward the end of January, on a whim, I signed up for a 10k. I registered the day before the race. And I only registered because my husband was running it and so I'd be there at the event anyway. Why just spectate when I could participate, right? I thought that I'd just run until I reached the 5k distance, or perhaps a little longer, and finish the rest of the course at a brisk walk.
But guess what? I didn't - I was able to run the whole thing! I went from a 5k and a 10k overnight! (SIDE NOTE: I don't recommend this - I did get tendonitis as a result.) That first 10k was on January 24, 2016.
And then I REALLY believed that I could do more than I ever thought possible. I decided to do something crazy - I registered for a half marathon. A 10k is almost half of a half marathon, right? I knew that with proper training (which I didn't do to prep for the 10k), running a half marathon was a realistic goal.
A few weeks later, after my tendonitis got better (see side note above), I began the Hal Higdon Half Marathon Novice Training Plan. Please keep in mind that this was in February, in Kansas. It was cold - so, so cold. But I was still enjoying myself and my husband was still running with me, so I kept training.
On May 14, 2016, I ran my first half marathon. It was the Running with the Cows Half Marathon (I live in the Midwest, okay?). I finished the half in 02:27:03. I didn't run for a time goal, but I ran for comfort level. I wanted to enjoy the experience and run at a comfortable pace. And I did, and I felt so good at the end! I could have kept running!
Then, when I ran the half and still felt so great at the finish...well, that's when the really crazy thoughts started popping up in my end. "I'm in the best shape of my life," my brain said. "If you ever want to run a full marathon, isn't now the time?", the brain said.
And after many conversations with my husband, who also wanted to run a full marathon at some point, we decided to at least commit to starting a training plan. In the Fall, there are several full marathons, and so researched our options and pick one that was going to best meet our needs. Despite it being our hometown race, we did NOT want to run the KC Marathon, due to the difficulty of the course (but we will be running the KC Half Marathon). Instead, we picked the MO' Cowbell Marathon. It was a few hours away from KC (in St. Charles, MO), but it is known for being an easier (mostly flat) course. And since my first half marathon was cow themed -- why not my first full as well?
Since Hal Hidgon was so good to us the first time around, we used his Full Marathon Novice Training Plan. I won't bore with the details of the training, because I talked about it a lot in my last post. But it was hard. It was so hard. And it was an 18 week training plan. 18 weeks! All summer, we trained in the miserable heat and humidity for a race that only lasted a few hours.
Finally, last week, race day arrived. And I had the same goal as I did in the half marathon. Run at a comfortable pace, a pace that allowed me to fully enjoy the experience and not feel miserable. I was able to accomplish this without difficulty. To my surprise, I felt amazing for almost the entire race. I had some hip pain at Mile 15, but due to being prepared and carrying Advil on the course, that was a short lived problem.
It was going so well that at Mile 24, I was passing people. I was passing people! I had paced well, and I'm guessing that maybe they hadn't, but I was still going strong. My husband was behind me, but I could still see him for much of that time, so he wasn't too far behind. At Mile 25, I became overwhelmed with emotion. I knew I couldn't cross that finish line without him. We suffered all summer together in training, I couldn't leave him now.
You see, he had a terrible head cold the entire week prior to the race. By race day, he was doing much better, but he still wasn't back at 100%. This man ran a full marathon while sick! Amazing! So I stopped at Mile 25 and I waited a few minutes for him to catch up. We took a few walk breaks in that last mile, but I didn't care because I was so proud of him and so proud of myself. We finished the marathon in 05:05:35.
And there is nothing that I can say that could describe my feelings about crossing that finish line with my husband. We trained for 18 months together, and we finished the race together. For better (that was me), or for worse (that was him) - we were in it together. And it was so awesome. So, so awesome.
It's really hard to describe the differences in my life between October 2015 and October 2016. Running as changed me in so many ways beyond the physical, but I'll probably discuss those in another post, because this post does need to end at some point.
I get asked all the time how I went from 0.0 to 26.2 in less than a year. It's a question that I've been answering all week - which is what inspired this post. This crazy journey, and the reason it worked for me, was because of a few things:
1) Consistency (I run 4 days a week, every week.)
2) Building Mileage Slowly (Trust me. If you jump in mileage too quickly, you might get tendonitis.)
2) Persistence (It gets HARD, you have to keep going.)
3) Support (There are people that will support you. Find them.)
4) Goals (I set small goals along the way. A new/longer distance, faster times, etc.)
5) Big Picture Training (I looked at rest days, sleep, and nutrition as all part of the plan too.)
I'm no expert. I've only run one marathon! But this is my journey, and these are the lessons that I've learned along the way.
I'm a marathoner. And I started from zero. And if I can do it, so can you. A realistic plan, hard work, and a little patience will get you to your goals -- running or otherwise.
What is my next goal? I'm not sure. Another marathon? A 50k? Time will tell. For now, I'm going to focus on the remainder of my Fall races (1 5k, 4 Half Marathons).
To those that have run multiple marathons, or have always been fit, that might not seem all that impressive. But I'm very proud of myself.
See, I haven't always been fit. I was somewhat fit in high school, but was never a runner. I was a cheerleader, which required hours of cardio in the form of cheering at games and practicing dance routines - but I never ran.
After high school, I started to gain weight. Eventually, it became a lot of weight, but that's a story for another post. During this time of gaining weight (from 2005-2015), there were several points at which I decided it was time to lose weight, and that beginning an exercise routine was the answer. I tried to begin a running plan a few times. I'd start for a few weeks, but it wouldn't last. If I'd agreed to do a 5k as part of the plan, I never actually ended up running them. I still did them, but I would walk.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with walking. It is a great form of exercise. But the goal that I had set was to run in these instances. I didn't stick with the training long enough to complete that goal, and it was disappointing. In all honesty, I just thought that I probably wasn't cut out for running.
In March 2015, something started to click with my weight loss efforts. I began Weight Watchers, which was also something I'd tried several times before, but this time it felt different. I wish I could give you a reason that it was so different this time around, but I'm honestly not sure. For some reason, this time, I was mentally ready to tackle the challenge of losing weight and to be persistent in the effort.
Still, I didn't run. But I began to take a lot of walks. In October 2015, I walked a couple of 5ks. At that time, I had already lost over 30 lbs, and decided to once again try a run/walk training plan. I chose the Ease into 5k program. I think the confidence that I had gained after successfully losing some weight had provided me with the boost that I needed to try and start a running plan again.
And I had the support of my husband. He went on every run with during the Ease into 5k program. He helped me keep going when I wanted to quit. And because he was doing it with me, it was easier to get up and go for a run. If he were at home, on the couch, I'd have wanted to be there with him too. And while I can't say for sure, it's likely I would have lost motivation and quit.
Husband, if you're reading this, the simple action of doing that 5k plan with me changed the course of my entire life. You're amazing.
I began the Ease into 5k program on October 19, 2015.
Yes, that was less than 365 ago.
No, I wasn't doing any running at all until that day.
Yes, I did just run a full marathon.
At the time, running a marathon wasn't something that I even considered an option - it wasn't even on the table for future consideration. I wasn't sure that I could ever run a single mile, let alone a 5k, and most definitely not anything close to a marathon.
 |
| 1st 5k - Great Santa Run |
But yet, somehow, less than a year later, I am a freakin' marathoner. How is that possible?
When I completed the Ease into 5k plan and ran that first 5k without stopping to walk at all, I started to believe things were possible. I started to believe that I was capable. That first 5k was on December 6, 2015. I was elated to have ran the entire course. After all of those years of wanting to be a runner, I was finally running. But I still wasn't thinking about anything more than running the 5k distance.
I ran a few more 5ks in December/January. Then toward the end of January, on a whim, I signed up for a 10k. I registered the day before the race. And I only registered because my husband was running it and so I'd be there at the event anyway. Why just spectate when I could participate, right? I thought that I'd just run until I reached the 5k distance, or perhaps a little longer, and finish the rest of the course at a brisk walk.
But guess what? I didn't - I was able to run the whole thing! I went from a 5k and a 10k overnight! (SIDE NOTE: I don't recommend this - I did get tendonitis as a result.) That first 10k was on January 24, 2016.
And then I REALLY believed that I could do more than I ever thought possible. I decided to do something crazy - I registered for a half marathon. A 10k is almost half of a half marathon, right? I knew that with proper training (which I didn't do to prep for the 10k), running a half marathon was a realistic goal.
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| 1st 10k - Groundhog Run |
A few weeks later, after my tendonitis got better (see side note above), I began the Hal Higdon Half Marathon Novice Training Plan. Please keep in mind that this was in February, in Kansas. It was cold - so, so cold. But I was still enjoying myself and my husband was still running with me, so I kept training.
On May 14, 2016, I ran my first half marathon. It was the Running with the Cows Half Marathon (I live in the Midwest, okay?). I finished the half in 02:27:03. I didn't run for a time goal, but I ran for comfort level. I wanted to enjoy the experience and run at a comfortable pace. And I did, and I felt so good at the end! I could have kept running!
Then, when I ran the half and still felt so great at the finish...well, that's when the really crazy thoughts started popping up in my end. "I'm in the best shape of my life," my brain said. "If you ever want to run a full marathon, isn't now the time?", the brain said.
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| 1st Half Marathon - Running with the Cows |
And after many conversations with my husband, who also wanted to run a full marathon at some point, we decided to at least commit to starting a training plan. In the Fall, there are several full marathons, and so researched our options and pick one that was going to best meet our needs. Despite it being our hometown race, we did NOT want to run the KC Marathon, due to the difficulty of the course (but we will be running the KC Half Marathon). Instead, we picked the MO' Cowbell Marathon. It was a few hours away from KC (in St. Charles, MO), but it is known for being an easier (mostly flat) course. And since my first half marathon was cow themed -- why not my first full as well?
Since Hal Hidgon was so good to us the first time around, we used his Full Marathon Novice Training Plan. I won't bore with the details of the training, because I talked about it a lot in my last post. But it was hard. It was so hard. And it was an 18 week training plan. 18 weeks! All summer, we trained in the miserable heat and humidity for a race that only lasted a few hours.
Finally, last week, race day arrived. And I had the same goal as I did in the half marathon. Run at a comfortable pace, a pace that allowed me to fully enjoy the experience and not feel miserable. I was able to accomplish this without difficulty. To my surprise, I felt amazing for almost the entire race. I had some hip pain at Mile 15, but due to being prepared and carrying Advil on the course, that was a short lived problem.
It was going so well that at Mile 24, I was passing people. I was passing people! I had paced well, and I'm guessing that maybe they hadn't, but I was still going strong. My husband was behind me, but I could still see him for much of that time, so he wasn't too far behind. At Mile 25, I became overwhelmed with emotion. I knew I couldn't cross that finish line without him. We suffered all summer together in training, I couldn't leave him now.
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| 1st Full Marathon - MO' Cowbell |
And there is nothing that I can say that could describe my feelings about crossing that finish line with my husband. We trained for 18 months together, and we finished the race together. For better (that was me), or for worse (that was him) - we were in it together. And it was so awesome. So, so awesome.
It's really hard to describe the differences in my life between October 2015 and October 2016. Running as changed me in so many ways beyond the physical, but I'll probably discuss those in another post, because this post does need to end at some point.
I get asked all the time how I went from 0.0 to 26.2 in less than a year. It's a question that I've been answering all week - which is what inspired this post. This crazy journey, and the reason it worked for me, was because of a few things:
1) Consistency (I run 4 days a week, every week.)
2) Building Mileage Slowly (Trust me. If you jump in mileage too quickly, you might get tendonitis.)
2) Persistence (It gets HARD, you have to keep going.)
3) Support (There are people that will support you. Find them.)
4) Goals (I set small goals along the way. A new/longer distance, faster times, etc.)
5) Big Picture Training (I looked at rest days, sleep, and nutrition as all part of the plan too.)
I'm no expert. I've only run one marathon! But this is my journey, and these are the lessons that I've learned along the way.
I'm a marathoner. And I started from zero. And if I can do it, so can you. A realistic plan, hard work, and a little patience will get you to your goals -- running or otherwise.
What is my next goal? I'm not sure. Another marathon? A 50k? Time will tell. For now, I'm going to focus on the remainder of my Fall races (1 5k, 4 Half Marathons).
Monday, August 29, 2016
Marathon Anxiety + Grit
In May, when I completed my first half marathon, I decided that I was going to begin the training for a full marathon. At that time, I was only committed to beginning a training plan, but not to actually signing up for a specific race.
Eventually, I decided to fully commit to doing this whole marathon thing. My first full marathon is 5 weeks away. I am terrified.
But I've registered. I've paid the registration fee and booked a hotel. So, I'm going to show up at that starting line.
The training has not gone well so far. I haven't been able to run more than 14 miles without taking some kind of a walk break. I guess if there is a positive, it's that I have finished each of these training sessions. Even if I've had to do a bunch of walking, I did not stop until all the scheduled miles were covered.
But the truth remains that my long runs haven't gone well at all. Even if they start off really well, things started to fall apart around 13-14 miles Newsflash: That's way too early for the wheels to starting coming off when you're trying to run a total distance 26.2 miles. And, as one would expect, I'm really starting to panic.
Part of the struggles is that I skipped a week and a half of training in late June due to travel and being lazy, which disrupted the aerobic based that I'd worked so hard to build up (which was stupid.. don't take a week and half off from training unless you're injured).
It's also been hot. And humid. And generally miserable running conditions, which hasn't helped me build up my endurance at all.
So... yeah. It hasn't gone well. But one thing that I haven't done, and won't do, is give up. I have questioned and/or flat out denied my ability to run this marathon SO MANY times over the last several weeks. And those doubts probably aren't going away. I will admit, in the spirit of full honestly, that my confidence has been pretty well crushed.
Can I run (or at least complete) a marathon? I don't know. I don't think so (I'm working on adjusting that attitude), but the truth is that I don't really know.
And I never will know unless I get myself to that starting line in October 2nd. Isn't that really the only way to find out? While it hasn't gone well at all, I have followed a training plan and worked at preparing for this race. And I'll continue to work over the next 5 weeks (and also hope that the heat/humidity skips town soon).
Will it be the race I originally hoped to run? No. But I won't give up. I won't stay at home and wonder what might have been if I'd just been willing to adjust my goals and give this thing a try.
If there is one thing that I do have in spades, it's grit. I've already committed to this race, and barring a physical injury that prevents my participation, I will show up and give it my all.
Eventually, I decided to fully commit to doing this whole marathon thing. My first full marathon is 5 weeks away. I am terrified.
But I've registered. I've paid the registration fee and booked a hotel. So, I'm going to show up at that starting line.
The training has not gone well so far. I haven't been able to run more than 14 miles without taking some kind of a walk break. I guess if there is a positive, it's that I have finished each of these training sessions. Even if I've had to do a bunch of walking, I did not stop until all the scheduled miles were covered.
But the truth remains that my long runs haven't gone well at all. Even if they start off really well, things started to fall apart around 13-14 miles Newsflash: That's way too early for the wheels to starting coming off when you're trying to run a total distance 26.2 miles. And, as one would expect, I'm really starting to panic.
Part of the struggles is that I skipped a week and a half of training in late June due to travel and being lazy, which disrupted the aerobic based that I'd worked so hard to build up (which was stupid.. don't take a week and half off from training unless you're injured).
It's also been hot. And humid. And generally miserable running conditions, which hasn't helped me build up my endurance at all.
So... yeah. It hasn't gone well. But one thing that I haven't done, and won't do, is give up. I have questioned and/or flat out denied my ability to run this marathon SO MANY times over the last several weeks. And those doubts probably aren't going away. I will admit, in the spirit of full honestly, that my confidence has been pretty well crushed.
Can I run (or at least complete) a marathon? I don't know. I don't think so (I'm working on adjusting that attitude), but the truth is that I don't really know.
And I never will know unless I get myself to that starting line in October 2nd. Isn't that really the only way to find out? While it hasn't gone well at all, I have followed a training plan and worked at preparing for this race. And I'll continue to work over the next 5 weeks (and also hope that the heat/humidity skips town soon).
Will it be the race I originally hoped to run? No. But I won't give up. I won't stay at home and wonder what might have been if I'd just been willing to adjust my goals and give this thing a try.
If there is one thing that I do have in spades, it's grit. I've already committed to this race, and barring a physical injury that prevents my participation, I will show up and give it my all.
Friday, July 15, 2016
Mawwiage
All of this tragedy and sadness has me thinking about life, and the things + people that really matter. Of course, the person that matters the most to be in the world is my husband.
Last month, we celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. Eight years!
Four years ago, I wrote this post about how we met/ended up getting married. So, I'm not going to re-hash that story again (even though it's my favorite story).
It's been a lovely eight years. I'm not a liar, it hasn't all been lovely. But what in life is lovely all of the time? And we're lucky. The less fun times are few and far between. At this point in our marriage, in our lives, it's pretty rock solid.
Do I think it will always be that way? No, of course not. I'm not an idiot. Sometimes, it will take work. It will take more effort to be happy than it takes right now. But I honestly believe that I married my true partner in life, and so, the effort is all worth it in the end.
Being married (and being married to my husband, specifically) is awesome. What's not to love? You get to live with your best friend. (You can do this without being married, but still.. work with me here.) Someone is always there to support and encourage you.
And, the coolest part - you get to watch that person learn, make mistakes, and change and adapt as an individual. You get to watch them as they evolve. And since we never stop evolving, there's always something new to learn about them.
Not that I would advise this to everyone out there, but I love that we got married young (in our early 20s). As our opinions changed, as our experiences became more varied, we got to discuss and share that with one another. We weren't "set in our ways". As we evolved ourselves as individuals, we evolved our relationship too.
And I think that's just so cool.
Last month, we celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. Eight years!
Four years ago, I wrote this post about how we met/ended up getting married. So, I'm not going to re-hash that story again (even though it's my favorite story).
It's been a lovely eight years. I'm not a liar, it hasn't all been lovely. But what in life is lovely all of the time? And we're lucky. The less fun times are few and far between. At this point in our marriage, in our lives, it's pretty rock solid.
Do I think it will always be that way? No, of course not. I'm not an idiot. Sometimes, it will take work. It will take more effort to be happy than it takes right now. But I honestly believe that I married my true partner in life, and so, the effort is all worth it in the end.
Being married (and being married to my husband, specifically) is awesome. What's not to love? You get to live with your best friend. (You can do this without being married, but still.. work with me here.) Someone is always there to support and encourage you.
And, the coolest part - you get to watch that person learn, make mistakes, and change and adapt as an individual. You get to watch them as they evolve. And since we never stop evolving, there's always something new to learn about them.
Not that I would advise this to everyone out there, but I love that we got married young (in our early 20s). As our opinions changed, as our experiences became more varied, we got to discuss and share that with one another. We weren't "set in our ways". As we evolved ourselves as individuals, we evolved our relationship too.
And I think that's just so cool.
Be a better human.
We live in a sad world. A world in which bad things happen.
Sometimes, it's really difficult to see the world as anything more than a place in which bad things happen. It can really make you wonder what it's all supposed to be about, anyway.
And it's frightening, because we have so little control over the vast majority of the bad things.
If I'm being 100% honest, sometimes it makes me (the lady with a mildly adventurous spirit) want to hide way with my husband and my dog and shelter myself from the world. I'd have no problem living life as a homebody. As long as I had those two (the husband and the dog), some good books, coffee/tea, and a few good television shows and games - I'd be totally fine with being a hermit.
That's no way to live (at least not for more than a few days, because let's be honest, sometimes living that life is really awesome). But if I do that all the time, and I do it out of fear of being out in the world - if anyone of us does that - then they (the bad guys) have won.
We need to remember to explore, experience, laugh, and love.
It's true, we don't have control over much of our environment, and sadly - we could find ourselves in the midst of something terrible - just as all those people did yesterday.
But we do have control over ourselves and our own behavior. We can live our lives in a way that makes us joyful. We can treat others with respect, and acknowledge that each and every person is a fellow human being with their own thoughts, feelings, opinions, dreams, fears, experiences, etc.
We can do our best to be a better a human.
So let's do that - let's be better humans.
Sometimes, it's really difficult to see the world as anything more than a place in which bad things happen. It can really make you wonder what it's all supposed to be about, anyway.
And it's frightening, because we have so little control over the vast majority of the bad things.
If I'm being 100% honest, sometimes it makes me (the lady with a mildly adventurous spirit) want to hide way with my husband and my dog and shelter myself from the world. I'd have no problem living life as a homebody. As long as I had those two (the husband and the dog), some good books, coffee/tea, and a few good television shows and games - I'd be totally fine with being a hermit.
That's no way to live (at least not for more than a few days, because let's be honest, sometimes living that life is really awesome). But if I do that all the time, and I do it out of fear of being out in the world - if anyone of us does that - then they (the bad guys) have won.
We need to remember to explore, experience, laugh, and love.
It's true, we don't have control over much of our environment, and sadly - we could find ourselves in the midst of something terrible - just as all those people did yesterday.
But we do have control over ourselves and our own behavior. We can live our lives in a way that makes us joyful. We can treat others with respect, and acknowledge that each and every person is a fellow human being with their own thoughts, feelings, opinions, dreams, fears, experiences, etc.
We can do our best to be a better a human.
So let's do that - let's be better humans.
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