Discovering my inner princess

  I see myself becoming a runDisney groupie for the rest of my life.  Quite frankly, I cannot think of a better vacation.  My hesitation in paying the $140 in race fees in addition to shelling out some big bucks for a family vacation at the "Happiest Place on Earth" were put to rest after running the Disney Princess Half-Marathon this past Sunday.  The weather was awful and closely resembled the humidity of Virginia Beach Rock and Roll 13.1 Labor Day weekend.  I was miserable in parts of it from the weather and the crowds (35,000 participants!) and the sheer fact that I forgot to bring my inhaler did not help things.

  But when Cinderella's Fairy Godmother sends you off with her magic words as some awesome fireworks light the sky, cool characters greet you on the course, throngs of supporters cheer you on as you run in the shadow of Cinderella's Castle, and Mickey and Minnie high-fiving you at the finish, it's super hard to not have fun on this race!  With the nifty Princess button they provide you (or with the even cooler Princess medal on), it's pretty cool getting greeted with "Good luck on your race," "Congratulations, Your Highness" or "Thank you for running, Princess."  One could definitely get used to being treated like a princess!  Add to that a Royal Family 5k through the World Showcase at Epcot that the whole family participated in the day before, super cool!

  Best.  Race.  Ever!

With my fellow princess, Katie

Hello Lightning!

It's good to be bad!

Storming the castle!

Getting our Buzz on!

Captain Jack Sparrow--need I say more?

Awesome hardware for the whole family!

  So totally planning the next Disney race.  Goofy Challenge in 2015 anyone?

Listening...(again)

  I'm sitting on my couch with a nasty cough and some oh-so-pleasant wheezing in my chest instead of going out for a lovely 4 mile run on this lovely fall day.  This normally would not bother me too much because I would be normally be on some kind of a running schedule.  But I'm not!!!

  Let me backtrack before I go off the deep-end from the lack of my running endorphin rush.  Ten days ago I finished my second marathon at the 2012 Under Armour Baltimore Running Festival.  Running 26.2 miles through Charm City was one of the best running experiences I've had so far in my limited running experience.  We had a beautiful day for running!

Sunny weather with a starting temperature of 42 degrees...

Good Morning Baltimore!

With my fellow sole sistas at the (slightly chilly) start

awesome crowds...

Running towards a DJ and cheering crowds at the UA campus at mile 11...

Getting cheered on by the penguins at the Maryland Zoo!

and a FANTASTIC finish running through Camden Yards amidst cheering crowds to that finish line and my 2nd 26.2 medal...

At the Mile 26 marker, where we ran past Camden Yards with crowds cheering us on!

We survived 26.2 miles!!!

  But, needless to say, my ankle was feeling the stress of running 26.2.  At work the following evening, I would simply be charting and my ankle would send me these short twinges of pain.  Just from sitting there.  Seriously.  So a recovery period was necessary and this leads me back to why I have not run since October 13.  I've been injured twice before.  My first was an achilles tendonitis that took me the better part of 9 months to recover from.  My second injury was an ignored plantar fasciitis which cost me another few precious months of recovery.  Yeah, I have no desire to endure another injury.  

  So last week, running was out of the equation.  I did some spinning, strength training, and yoga.   It hardly felt like I did anything but I was still moving and that's the most important point.  Sometimes I need to ignore what my mind tells me and simply listen to what my body is asking me to do.  And today, just like last week, my body is asking me to rest.  (Gah!)  It's annoying and frustrating.  But it's what I have to do if I want to continue with this sport that I love.  So, yes, running and I must endure a temporary separation.  But if I want to be healthy enough to be here again...

...then I need to obediently listen to my body and (sigh) rest.

What? It's October already??

  Fall is upon us and I have no idea where the summer went.  Getting a good handle on time is like trying to grasp fog with your bare hands.  It's just not going to happen.  A busy summer with little mini-vacations and entertaining two children at home all day has now turned into a busy fall filled with preschool, 1st grade, tae kwon do, and soccer for the kids.   Jon has busied himself with work and helping out as an assistant coach for Luke's soccer team.  I still work part-time, am deeply involved in our burgeoning Sunday School program, and have just signed on as secretary for our school's PTA board.  Yikes!

Luke and his buddy Noah on the soccer field

  Through all of this, I have maintained my marathon training, strength training, and yoga routines.  Not only because I love doing it but because I have to.  My next race is the 2012 Baltimore Marathon.  And a lot of people seem to always ask me the same question--"I don't know how you have the energy to do all of that."  I always respond with "Yeah, neither do I."  But the truth of the matter is I need to exercise.  Those long runs on the weekend that take me 3+ hours to do?  I'm a much better person to be around after running those 14 or 18 miles than if I didn't.  Just ask my husband...or dare to be around me when I've had no exercise.  (Really, I dare you...)

  And I need that block of time where all I focus on is moving my body and being with my own thoughts.  Yesterday, I had a run where it was just me, the open road, and the Avett Brothers on my iPhone keeping me company.  The headache I'd woken up with had faded to the background while my feet hit the pavement.  And, regardless if I'm running solo or with friends, my surroundings can usually soothe my soul and clear my head as the blood flows through my body and my muscles start to wake up.

One of my favorite views that makes my soul smile on my Saturday runs.  

  Now, usually, I can have a thoroughly enjoyable workout.  But sometimes you just have those days where working out is an absolute chore.  Yet no matter how I feel, I finish.    Putting my body in motion and slowly pushing it to new limits proves to me that I will survive anything--mentally, physically, emotionally.  There was as much joy and elation in crossing the finish line at the 2012 Virginia Beach Rock 'N' Roll 13.1 in the nastiest humidity known to mankind (74 degrees with 92% humidity-yuck!)...

Smiling because I finished!

... as there was when crossing the line at the Richmond Color Run 5K with my body and face covered in a rainbow of colors.

All colored up with my friend, Lyn

  On one hand, I was excited to finish the Virginia Beach 13.1 simply because I survived that race.  One cannot run in that kind of weather without having some kind of doubt as to whether or not you can  make it to the end.  But there was joy in finishing the Color Run because it was just some good ol' plain fun!  Two very different races but both further fueled my desire to run.  Why?  Because no matter what the distance or the environment on any given run or workout, to finish is to be empowered by what you can accomplish.  

  As I look to my next marathon in 8 days, this is the approach that not only applies to that race or future races, but how I endure the daily grind of life in general.   I can choose to let challenges block my way or I can choose to meet that challenge head-on and survive.  I choose to survive.  Soccer, PTA, work, outdoor CrossFit workouts in 87% humidity, 26.2 miles--bring it!

   

  

Running to Explore

  So, normally, going on vacation usually means a free pass to do whatever you want or nothing at all.  In my case it's usually eat whatever I want AND do nothing at all.  Particularly when we start our vacation by driving 8 hours up to NY state in one pass.  Oh, and did I mention the long drive occurred on my birthday of all days?  Jon tried to soften the blow by taking me to an authentic Baltimore Pit Beef place, knowing what kind of a foodie I am.  The succulent beef with the tiger sauce (a combination of mayo and horseradish) made up for the fact I was spending 8 hours in a car with two young children...

Oh, Al's Pit Beef, I daresay you're right about that...

Birthday lunch!  Yum!

  And then, once we got to Oneonta to meet up with the rest of the family, my in-laws brought us to the BBQ place they would go to growing up for a "night out".  So BBQ ribs & chicken followed by a birthday serenade accompanied by a free piece of cake from the wait staff completed by birthday food itinerary.

  So, eating whatever I wanted on vacation was definitely on the agenda.  The whole not doing anything bit, however, just wasn't going to fly.  I've gotten to the point where I crave a run or any type of workout.  Even if the East Coast was gripped by a sweltering heat wave with lows in the mid 70s and highs in the upper 90s, I was planning on getting a run in come hell or high water.  (With those temps, looked like I'd be running more in hell than a flood...)

  Now, for someone like myself who is NOT a morning person, running early in the day just usually isn't my cup of tea unless I'm going for a long run.  But for whatever reason (sleeping in a hotel, earlier sunrise in NY, etc.), I was up at 5:30 AM.  I threw on my running clothes, laced up my sneakers, and was out the door.  Downtown Oneonta is a quaint little town with a charming Main Street and close-knit neighborhoods surrounded by a local college and mature trees.  With the exception of a dozen or so people out for a walk or on their way to work, I had enough room where it felt like there was hardly any people around me.  Oneonta and I woke up together and she graced me with some of her natural beauty reserved for only for early morning.  She showed me how lovely and mystical she appeared as the fog rolled by at the base of the mountains and the sun rose from her shadows.

Sunrise over Oneonta

  A couple of days later, the family reunion moved to Windham, NY, in the Catskill Mountains.  A popular skiing destination, Windham displayed just as much natural beauty in the summertime when the Thompson clan arrived.  While the family slept in on a Saturday morning, I headed out for a 6 mile run away from Windham.  Mountains and meadows dotted my route as did little streams quietly bubbling alongside the road, their water baptizing the same stones over and over again.  Coming back toward Windham, I picked up my niece and we went for another 3 miles together into "town" (which was really a drugstore, a bank, a restaurant, and a ski shop).  

  Since our NY trip, we've recently traveled back home to Jon's hometown of Floyd, VA, where his parents own a Christmas tree farm nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and where I always love going for a run.  The various inclines and the elevation challenge me greatly but I can never resist enjoying my husband's childhood home while on foot.  My run took me past cows grazing on the mountainside, rabbits crossing my path, and white-tailed deer traipsing through the meadow.  Not to mention the sheer, stunning beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  

Sunday morning run in Floyd, VA

View of the Blue Ridge Mountains from Jon's childhood home

  

  As my love for being active deepens, I'm finding that going for a run, regardless of the distance or pace, really should be part of one's vacation agenda.   My friend Katie recently returned from New York City where she was absolutely thrilled to be able to run 12 miles in Central Park.  In every Runner's World issue I receive, I peruse the different races around the US and around the world that are being advertised.  I've come across links and articles to races in all areas of the country and on every continent.  Literally.  There's the Anarctic Ice Marathon, the Arctic Circle Race in addition to the popular ones as listed by Runner's World Top 10 Marathons, such as London, Paris, and Stockholm.  I would love to run from vineyard to vineyard in France's Marathon du Medoc just as much as I would love to experience Africa by running Victoria Falls.  And I would have no qualms going back to Italy to run the Rome Marathon.  (Just think of all the guilt-free eating you could do there!)

  Instead of just visiting a city, I want to be in the heart of it, feel the pulse of a new locale, and discover it's true heart.  Running offers a more intimate glimpse of a location.  Plus, I tend to eat my way through vacation (as noted above with the Pit Beef and barbecue).  So why not explore a new city through running?  Right now, running around the world will just have to wait until my children grow up.  I'm happy to set my sights on races within the US border.  I'd especially love to get a blinged-out princess medal from Disney's Princess Half Marathon!  

  Now if I could just convince Jon to take a Disney vacation next year...

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...:)