Marathon Training

You get mad, you get strong, wipe your hands, shake it off…then stand.

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“Cause when push comes to shove,
You taste what you’re made of.
You might bend till you break
Cause it’s all you can take.
On your knees you look up
Decide you’ve had enough.
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off
Then you stand, then you stand!!

Ever feel like you have NO support from those who are supposed to have your back?  Yep…. me too.  That happened this week…… but someone recently told me that it’s your FRIENDS who will support you the most and stand up for you.  So, build a strong friend network of about 2-4 tight friendships and have each other’s backs.
I hear often from friends and clients that their own families don’t support their weight loss efforts and it brings them down.  I had one lady tell me that her Mother always said, “You look great, honey!” even though she was 75+ pounds overweight.  Was her Mom trying to keep her fat?  I sure hope not.  Instead, I believe it was her Mother’s way of trying to build her confidence.  Unfortunately, I believe she went the wrong way about it, because she could have added, “But I know you want to lose weight, and it would be better for your health.”  Sometimes, just a few small words make all the difference.

Another man I worked with said that his family were all overweight and he felt as though they were sabotaging him by always trying to get him to make poor food choices at parties.  “Hey Jimmy, you’ve been good and lost 10 pounds, have a piece of cake!  One piece won’t hurt you!”  >>>  Have you heard THAT one before??  YES???

Actually, that’s VERY hurtful to the person who is trying to get healthy.  Why try to ‘get them to eat’ a piece of junk?  Is it to make themselves feel better about their own laziness??  (I think we are onto something with that one!) 
Actually, when a person has been eating clean and enjoying the benefits, often times “one piece of cake/pizza” will hurt them and make their stomach upset.
So, why do we do this to each other?  Why do the people who are supposed to be the closest to us…. leave us out of family dinners, try to get us to ‘eat’ unhealthy foods, aren’t excited about our endeavors regarding our own health or even running a successful business??
I can’t answer that question, but I can tell you to stop trying so hard.  Those aren’t the people who ‘have your back.’  Sure, they will be there in a time of crises, but on the day to day situations…… if you don’t feel supported by them and they aren’t lifting you up and helping you to succeed……then you need to re-evaluate how much you want them to participate in your life.  Find people who empower you, who make you feel successful, who lift you up when you are down….people who ‘have your back.’

So, the next time you are feeling as if you have no one in your corner… if you are my client or friend, just know that you have me.  I may give you tough love, but it’s only because I have a keen 6th sense and you probably need it.  Don’t write off those other folks, but there’s no need to try to explain something they aren’t attempting to understand.  Just find others who ‘get’ it.  Your life will be so much better for it and less drama/disappointment.

If your goal is fit, healthy, and to weigh less, but you feel you have no support and have fallen off the wagon, YourFitness-411 is here to help.  I pride myself on giving others personal attention to get them started on the right path and then nudge them as needed.
I had a rough week on a few levels ….and then my 14 mile run was horribly long & painful.  I felt broken and doubted my abilities to complete another marathon.  Today’s 7 mile run wasn’t fun either.  But, thanks to supportive running friends, I was reminded that “The bad runs are the best teachers.”  I truly have amazing people from all over the world picking me up when I need it and I’m back to feeling as though I can do this.  Yes, thanks to Team Beachbody, I can say… ‘world.‘
“Everytime you get up
And get back in the race
One more small piece of you
Starts to fall into place.”

Rascal Flatts has it right…… it’s the song that I quoted in the beginning, that I must quote in the end.  I got back up….and I’m back in the race…. and through this past week I’ve learned how strong I really am and who I can lean on.  It’s all falling into place. I hope you can do the same.

(the song is called STAND, by Rascal Flatts)

Signing up tomorrow! (I think?)

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26.2My training for the marathon that I have yet to officially register for has begun!!

Yep, you read that correctly.  I booked a hotel room in January for the marathon in October and I’ve been training for a few weeks now, but have yet to register.  If you have followed my blogs, you will see that I wrote one about fear…. And it still seems to grip me.  However, that will change tomorrow.  YES, I plan on registering tomorrow.  Stay tuned to my social media outlets for the announcement!

I hope to blog about my training on a weekly basis, but I’m a busy Momma, so I can have the best intentions but some nights when I plan to write, I simply am too damn tired!!  Many people think the training is simply getting your mileage in, but there is so much more!!  A person training/running a marathon is NOT the same person who started.  It changes you and you learn far more about yourself than you ever wanted to know.  It’s a positive experience.  Mileage is important, but during those training runs, you figure out which foods & clothing work well for your body, along with mental strength, music, deeper relationships, solve personal problems, find strategies, brainstorm, and get stronger as a person.

I have been running between 9-12 miles on the weekends for 5 weeks now and maintaining a running pattern during the week of 3 runs which are typically on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.  Those weekly runs are roughly 3-6 miles.  The weather in July was absolutely perfect for running and by this time on the kids’ summer break, I need a break and thoroughly enjoy the time away.  That’s a reason I fell in love with running in the first place.  It was MY time to spend on ME…… without being reminded of the laundry that needs to be folded or children calling “Mommy!”  I love to just put my earbuds in, listen to my music loudly, breath in the fresh air and spend some time with my own thoughts and prayers while feeling my body work hard.  It revives me and calms me at the same time.  I long for the peace a good run brings to my life.  I’m quite the anxious person with constant ideas/thoughts in my head and when I’m surrounded by too much noise or commotion, I get irritated easily.  I’ve learned to accept it….. and deal with it through running.

Back to my training >>> Many times, I have a running partner who runs with me.  I feel much safer when someone else is running with me (a couple of females have been attacked in the area the past year), we push each other, the company is nice, and as an asthmatic I just feel better having a partner.  But, there are times when I NEED a solo run and there’s been more and more of those lately.  I need those solo times to spend some time with God and figuring ‘life’ out.

The weather has cooperated and is perfect for outdoor exercise.  (You better get out there and enjoy it too!!!!)  My mileage times have been improving and I ran 5 miles last week with each mile being roughly 8:19 – 8:50 minute miles.  My comfort zone is a 9:45 minute mile.   Last Saturday evening I ran 11.5 miles and had serious DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) for a few days.  I haven’t been sore like that in a long time after running.  My knees have been slightly sore, but it changes per hour.  This Saturday, I ran a 12 miler and my right hip got really tight/sore around mile 11.  I then showered, rode to the Cincinnati Reds baseball game, and woke on Sunday without any soreness!  I really think it’s time for new running shoes.  I can tell my shoes are feeling ‘flat’ and my hips/knees/ankles get sore when I need new shoes.  I’d like them to last a 2 more weeks though, so that I’m closer to the marathon.  My Saturday morning 12 miler was a lonely one as I ran it solo.  Because of the very strong storms that roared through Friday night, much of my path had puddles and draining water.  It was a pretty run, as the sky was bright blue and everything had been washed by the rain.  I worked through some personal struggles, talked to God about relationships, and really had to push myself to continue running when my body wanted to walk.  I’m not going to lie; it was tough, but exactly what I needed.  I’m finding that I really need that solo time these days.  Life is a mad rush with the school year starting, so I need time to think and not to be surrounded by social media.

I started a private facebook group for runners so that we have a place to chat, support one another,  give tips, and join one another for races if possible.  That group has provided me with a lot of inspiration and support.  I was told that it’s ok to decrease my mileage for a week and all I needed was another long distance runner to tell me that.  SO, while on vacation this upcoming week, I will slightly decrease my mileage.  Although…. I love running while on vacation.  New scenery, new energy, and it
feels good to be on vacation and still make my fitness a priority.  Too many times people go on vacation and simply want to be lazy.  For me…. I will be lazy after I get my exercise, because it’s a priority and I love doing what others don’t.  My plan for this upcoming week is to cont. with my running on Monday, Wednesday,  Thursday, and Saturday, but with less mileage and while doing the FocusT25 workouts.  (Only 25 minutes a day and it’s great for traveling).  Gotta keep the muscles strong and work them in other ways besides the same patterns (running) to avoid injury, boredom, and to keep them healthy.

What’s your workout plans for the upcoming week?  Did you know that planning your workouts increased the probability that you will actually do it?  When it’s not an OPTION, but a PRIORITY….you will do it.  Feeling stressed?  Workout.  Getting your blood pumping, adrenaline rushing, and focusing on your body, decreases stress and allows you to deal with it more easily.  Use exercise as a medication – a natural remedy.

Happy Running!!  Many people say they can’t run, but only a few truly should not.
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