The Art of Listening and Cross-training

  Saturdays are usually my long run days--unless of course I'm functioning on little sleep and/or experiencing an unfamiliar pain.  Today, it was both.  I worked my evening shift from 3pm-11pm last night and was on call from 11pm to 7am.  Typically I can sleep when I'm on call, but last night I couldn't for a couple of reasons:

1. The toddler came in at 3:45 am and 
2. The top of my foot started to really ache and got really uncomfortable whenever I moved it a certain way.  

  Anytime something is amiss and a strange pain pops up, that's usually a sign that I need to take a break from running.  So I glumly wrote my friend a text at 5am saying that I would unfortunately be skipping out on our run.  I felt like such a failure and really wanted to get my beloved long run in!  Needless to say, the jealousy and disappointment that I couldn't go on my 12-mile run with my friend was soon eclipsed by my more important and immediate need for sleep.

  The disappointment didn't last for long, though.  It was a gorgeous day and I was jonesing for a bike ride outside.  My son and husband were wanting a visit to the gym so we compromised.  Gym time followed by bike time.  But I made sure it was worth my while!  I decided to introduce my husband to his first set of CrossFit exercises (Mwahahaha...).  Our workout of the day (WOD) was as follows:

   Filthy Fifty (50 reps of each exercise):

• Box jumps
• Tricep dips
• Kettle bell swings
• Walking lunges
• Knees to elbows
• Burpees (complete with jump AND push-up)
• Thrusters

  I had wall balls and plank pulls planned but we ran out of time because of the daycare hours coming to an end.  And Jon was not sorry to miss those last two workouts!  So next up was our bike ride.  Jon pulled Vivi in our trailer and I had the WeeRide Co-Pilot trailer attached and ready for Luke, who had decided to start off with his scooter.

Kids are ready to ride!

  We rode all over our neighborhood which is laden with hills of varying sizes.  Luke decided to ditch his scooter on an uphill incline of all places!  Pulling trailers loaded with a 30+ lb. toddler and a 40+ lb. kid up and down hills made for a challenging ride.  But we all had a lot of fun as a family.  Jon and I rediscovered our inner kid picking up speed going downhill or racing each other uphill.  And it was a great workout, especially since Jon and I had already exhausted our muscles doing our CrossFit workout.  It was a perfect opportunity for us to get in some fitness together as a family and to enjoy this gorgeous and mild weather for a Saturday in mid-June.

                                         

Creating fun memories as a family...

  So it wasn't my usual slow, long-distance running endorphin rush.  But cross-training has it's own benefits.  I've suffered from previous injuries such as achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis because I ignored the initial warning pain signals that my body had sent out.  Both resulted in long, drawn-out recoveries.  And I would prefer not to have to repeat that.  When I had ignored my body before, I stubbornly thought that I would just get over that hump of "discomfort" and be ok.  I just had to persevere!  Well my cocky attitude got me nowhere except for being injured.  Cross-training is essential to my workouts to not just prevent burnout but to prevent those much-dreaded injuries as well.  And I get just as much of a calorie burn and endorphin rush when I do other challenging workouts that do not involve hard-core running.  Here's one example:

  Earlier in the week, I had attempted a 3-mile run after my CrossFit-based Total Body Conditioning.  But my knee has this sensation like something wanted to "pop" every time I tried to start running.  I had no desire whatsoever to discover what wanted to pop.  So walking on the treadmill it was, until my knee warmed up enough to get some running in on the last mile or so.  Check out my total calorie burn from that day:

  Nine hundred calories burned!!!  And I only ran for maybe 10-15 minutes out of an hour and a half workout!  

  I love running but I also want to be able to continue running for as long as possible.  So in order to do that, I need to maintain my ability to do other things besides running.  Spinning, yoga, and strengthening/conditioning in addition to running will hopefully keep me going for a long, long time to come!   In order to be healthy and fit, I first need to be kind to my body.  Simply listening and being in tune to whether or not my body can do what I'm asking it to do is just as important as a good workout.

Salud! To our health!!!

  I had two doctor's appointments between yesterday and today.  Last night I had a routine follow-up with my psychiatrist.  That's right, I said psychiatrist and I'm not ashamed to admit it.  I experienced postpartum depression with both children when they each hit 1 year of age.  With Luke, it was pretty obvious shortly after he turned 1 that I was quite sick.  Nervous breakdowns will do that to you.  With Vivi, the subtle symptoms of self-doubt and anxiety started creeping up on me when she turned one but I really, truly ignored them until 6 months later.  Thinking that, with the exception of the two children I cared for everyday, the world would be just fine without me really did not demonstrate a normal thought process.  Thank God there was a part of me that realized that and sought help.  Again.

  I had wanted to avoid Zoloft because of the weight gain I experienced with Luke so I went through 5 months of trying out Prozac (which did nothing) and Nortryptyline.  The Nortryptyline gave me dry mouth, made me more tired, and increased my appetite--all of which interfered with my desire to work out.  No thanks.  I went back to the Zoloft because I knew it worked and I was tired of being sick.  Fast forward 1 1/2 years later to now, and I admitted to my psychiatrist that I simply started forgetting to take my medication about a month ago what with the family's crazy schedules but hadn't really noticed anything amiss.  And, really, since I started running and working out regularly, I felt fine!    Sure, I had my days where irrational thoughts crept up on me or experienced horrible pre-menstrual mood swings.  But I knew that those thoughts and mood swings would pass, and tomorrow would be another day.  My doctor had this genuine look on her face that I appeared to be in a good place.  And she's right.  Physically, I feel stronger but I think that's because I'm a better, more balanced person on the inside.  Natural endorphins do wonders for your mental state and both of us were happy that I was managing just fine without the aid of medication.

  Today, I had my annual physical.  My physician and I reviewed my labwork which showed that my total cholesterol result popped up as being elevated at 242, quite higher than the 200 they want you to keep it below.  But, we went back to my labs from a year and a half ago (during the dark days of depression when I ate everything in sight), and my total cholesterol then was at 281.  I had dropped it nearly 40 points!  My LDL (the bad cholesterol) was elevated but my doctor chalked that up to my family history of high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  Aside from my total cholesterol and LDL, my other labwork was fine.  My triglycerides, glucose, calcium, sodium, liver enzymes, complete blood count were all within normal limits.    Aside from the suggestions of increasing fiber and taking a fish oil supplement, she did not want to prescribe cholesterol medication because what I had been doing was working.  It felt wonderful to have another doctor tell me that I didn't need to resort to a pill to fix things because my lifestyle habits were doing just the trick.

 So later on in the day, I coaxed my son to go riding on his scooter while I ran beside him.  He was engrossed in his Ninjago TV show and was whining that he was tired.  But I got him out there with me, riding along on his maxi kick scooter with me for most of my 3 mile run, even as a small drizzle of rain started falling.  I was so proud of my son in that moment.  He had wanted to turn around earlier on, had fallen off his scooter 1/2 mile into my run and skinned his knee, and was trying to keep up with me on all these inclines that were challenging for his 6-year-old legs.  But he still kept going!  After he realized he went most of the 3 miles with me, he was quite proud of himself for going that distance.  When I asked him if he ever thought he could go 3 miles before he replied "No, but I did it."  He says he'll try to run 3 miles with me sometime.  Although that may not be for awhile, I have all the confidence in the world that he can do it.

Big smiles after running and riding 3 miles together
 (And, yes, that's my favorite lululemon bang buster headband on...again.)

  I'm passing on to Luke and his sister the same genetics that have caused high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes in my family.  So far I have 1 out of 3 of those major medical conditions and I'm doing my best to keep them at bay.  But it's my responsibility to also pass on to my children the healthy habits that they can adopt so they can hopefully avoid those issues altogether.  I fervently hope that I'm leading them by example when they come with me to the gym so I can get a run in, go to a spin class, go to my Crossfit class, do yoga, etc.  In fact, yesterday, when I informed Luke that we were going to go to the gym so Mommy and Daddy could go to their Spin class, he says "It's not really fair that you have to drop us off at the nursery first before you work out."  Even at the tender age of 6 he knows how important exercise is.  I hope that sticks with him and his sister for the rest of their lives.
 

My 2 new loves!!!

  I went trail running for the first time this past Saturday and I.  Am.  In.  Love!!!!  My friend, Katie, invited me to run 2 loops of the 7.5 trail at St. Mary's River State Park in Callaway, MD.  I eagerly accepted as it had been more years since I had graced the intermediate trail and my first time hitting the trail since Hurricane Irene blew through last year.

 I celebrated my first trail run by donning my brand new lululemon Bang Buster headband in lieu of my usual running cap.  I love, love, love how it kept my thick, stubborn strands out of my face.  There's nothing more annoying than having a stray strand bouncing off your forehead, especially when I had roots and rocks to look forward to on this run!

    I wanted to avoid worrying about my pace when we hit the trail.  We got there pretty early because Katie had advertised our run with the local running club and some people were going to come at 8 am to hit the trail.  Since we wanted to do 2 laps, we got there at 6:20, giving us a good cushion to get our first lap in.  We met a 50k runner who frequented the park a lot and usually completed the 7.5 mile loop in an hour.  Yeah, not me.  I anticipated taking at least an hour and a half to finish one lap having never run on trails before.

  And I'm so glad I didn't worry about time!  If I had, I would have missed out on the beauty of the park and the blissful nature of the run itself.  Trail running is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical test.  My senses felt much more acute during the trail run, more so than my usual road run.  In the park, the absence of vehicles whizzing by me made me notice more of my surroundings.  I visually had to pay closer attention to my foot placement.  The sound of the birds singing, the insects buzzing, and the frogs peeping so early in the morning created this audible orchestra in the middle of this quiet forest.  I could smell the ozone that Katie (my biologist friend) pointed out but also that earthy smell that makes you feel connected to nature.  To me, trail running is running at it's purist.  Running through roots, leaves, and rocks made me think that this is what the runners were doing tens and hundreds of years before.  No iPods/iPhones, GPS, heart monitors to worry about.  It was me and the forest as my companion.  And, if I may say so myself, it was a truly fine-looking companion...

  

The view of the lake from the dam

My friend, Katie.  I felt like a greyhound constantly chasing, but never catching, that elusive rabbit running behind her...

 Our final mileage ended up being around 16.7 miles and we finished in a little more than 3 1/2 hours.  The first time I ever hiked this trail it took me 3+ hours to finish one loop of 7.5 miles so I'm happy with the time I ran it in.  This trail run made for a perfect long-distance training run.  Glorious inclines, mental and physical challenges, and a gorgeous setting.  A runner really couldn't ask for anything more.

  Except for a brand new pair of trail running shoes...:)

Everyone says they're too tired...

  But I'm tired, too!  I'm a full-time wife and mother of a 6-year-old boy and 3-year-old girl as well as a part-time OB nurse who works evening shifts twice a week.  There are nights when I don't get to bed until 1 or 2 am because I need to wind down from work or that's the only quiet time I have to myself in a 24-hour period.  Yet, it doesn't stop me from getting my slightly chubby self to the gym the next day.  Yes, I said chubby!  I have sweet friends who say I look fine but, seriously, there's some chub that could disappear.  And I don't mind because I love to eat!  I'm not going to stop eating carbs or meat or sweets.  I do intend to not stuff my face full of them and be more mindful of what travels from my hand to my mouth at meal times and in-between.  But I've only got one go at this life and I sure as heck intend to enjoy myself.  Because, unless it's from a Fear Factor/Bizarre Foods menu, I'm going to eat it.  I love my baguettes, my puerco asado con platanos y arroz con frijoles negros, belgian waffles, pasta carbonara, Juicy Lucy burgers, Pad Thai...  Well, you get the picture, right?  I love food.  It's the best ambassador out there and an easy way to experience different cultures.  But that "travel+food= love" soap box is for another blog.  (Although, once the kids are older and I have more money, traveling to run races in different countries could totally go hand-in-hand with this blog...)

  Anyways, back to running.  I never hesitate to post about my workouts on Facebook because I'm damn proud of what I can do with my body, especially since I spent the first 30 years of my life not exercising or taking proper care of it.  You can call me crazy, say I have a limitless amount of energy, etc.  The truth is that exercise makes me a better person.  I have more patience with my children and husband, more energy to get through my hectic day.  And this nugget of truth is the most important aspect of why I run.  Having experienced postpartum depression and living daily with a cloud of stress hanging over my head, working out is my natural anti-depressant.  There is nothing better than going on a long run for a couple of hours, putting in my earbuds, and listening to The Avett Brothers or whatever musical group I choose to be my running companions.  Speed is never my goal (although getting faster is nice).  Continuing to put one foot in front of another is what fuels my desire to keep going.  The more I run, the more distance I put between myself and the depression and the family history of high blood pressure and diabetes that chase after me.  Plus, if I'm still running at 70, maybe I'll actually win for my age group for one in my life...:)

With my fellow running warriors, Roselyn and Heidi

  Yesterday I participated in my 5th half-marathon.  I ran the Annapolis ZOOM Half-Marathon in 2:21:37 which was my fastest time to date.  I walked my first half-marathon when I was pregnant with my second child in 4:20:58 and vowed to never walk another half-marathon again.  And, while I wanted to stop people from passing me, I also took pure joy in the fact that I was able to just keep going.  Yes, my plantar fascia was acting up and, yes, if I was a few pounds lighter I could probably go faster.  But I was running, on hills no less, and running well for me.  I was surrounded by beautiful women of all ages, shapes, and backgrounds who were simply delighting in the fact that they were out there and running/walking/moving.  And that's the whole beauty of running, right?  We run for no one else but ourselves.

View of the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, from the top of the Severn Bridge

(Well, and a view like this doesn't hurt, either...)

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