tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22856995157342277932024-03-12T17:52:27.463-07:00Get A GripAdventures of an Irish Mama on the Run. RRCA Certified Run Coach, Livingston County, New York.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comBlogger216125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-39677891585909117212016-12-29T10:11:00.000-08:002016-12-29T10:11:03.372-08:00That Time I had to Bribe Myself for 13.1 Miles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Once upon a time, I missed running Disney Races. Over the course of my running years, I had run the Princes Half, and the Tower of Terror races, and of course, the epic "completed while pregnant" Mickey's Marathon. I freaking LOVED Disney Races.<br />
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Apparently I had belly-ached about my longing to complete another Disney race loud enough for someone to notice. And so, for my birthday, I was surprised with the gift of entry for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon, Lumiere's Challenge: 6.2 on Friday and 13.1 on Saturday. <br />
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Friday's race went off without a hitch, I felt great, and was totes jazzed for Saturday's run.<br />
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And then I woke up on Saturday like this:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Eff this Shit. I have ZERO desire to run.</i></span></div>
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But whatever, I've felt that at 3 a.m. plenty of times, I thought I would rally while waiting for 3 hours in the start corrals, hanging with other runners can make you feel more excited, right? There were fireworks, and loud music, and we were OFF to the races.<br />
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Within the first mile I was like this:<br /><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Eff this Shit. I have ZERO desire to run.</i></span></div>
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<br />
But whatever, I've felt that way at mile 1 plenty of times. I'll warm up, I'll get excited to see characters, and I'll feel better. I cranked up my music and thought Flo Rida would rock my running world. I took pictures and was excited to show the family these things. And by mile 3 I was truly feeling like:<br /><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Eff this Shit. I STILL have ZERO desire to run.</i></span></div>
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But whatever, I have 10 more miles to go. So it is at this part of the race I thanked GOD for my degree in behavior science and my skills as a coach. <br />
"If you can make it to mile 7, I will let you walk until mile 10." And that is what I focused on. Running to mile 7. I figured, If I could tune out the noise and make it to 7, I would be good to go. But at mile 7, I was still feeling like:<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Eff this Shit. I want to die.</i></span></div>
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But whatever, if I walk now, I got 6.2 miles to keep my ass walking, and I PROMISED the family that we would be AT Animal Kingdom NO LATER than 10 a.m. for our reservations. Mama ain't got TIME to walk. And so, I bribed myself to "Just run to mile 10, please, you can do it. If you run to mile 10, you can walk the rest of the way and STILL MAKE it to Animal Kingdom." I was still feeling like:<br />
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<i style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"> Eff this Shit. I want to die.</i><br />
<i style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></i>
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But whatever, I have run 26.2 damn miles pregnant. I've run 13.1 miles on <a href="https://getagriplady.blogspot.com/2012/01/running-on-broken-toe-and-other.html">broken foot</a>. I've run 20 miles pushing a baby stroller. I can actually DO this. And so I bribed myself hard, hard, hard core.</div>
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"If you run the rest of the race and finish under X amount of time, you can eat as many Mickey's Magic Bars as you please today."</div>
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It was HOT. We were running directly into the sun on a Florida highway. The conditions sucked. My hip killed, but, bribery aside, I wanted to finish this race RUNNING, because it could very well be my last 13.1 ever. </div>
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I envisioned Luke out in front of me, pulling me along. After all, it had been quite some time since I had run WITHOUT him out there in front. I cranked up some really disgusting music, and I talked to myself. People may have thought I was nuts, but I didn't care. I dug in and cranked it out. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Eff that shit. I am done. </i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOD_aqf0hRwr9uj6J686Jten_sHLAtf_vcaCEYw9PICeIkc6qlT5ATiUIWVBfj2NwXqaX_F8GeC8bXlx6Pd7TDu4zp0tV5rxVNkFB2PttixmGiC6ysIBwmc9doDDxBIxjkp4Rk17oYPLwg/s1600/IMG_5864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOD_aqf0hRwr9uj6J686Jten_sHLAtf_vcaCEYw9PICeIkc6qlT5ATiUIWVBfj2NwXqaX_F8GeC8bXlx6Pd7TDu4zp0tV5rxVNkFB2PttixmGiC6ysIBwmc9doDDxBIxjkp4Rk17oYPLwg/s320/IMG_5864.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>The face of a tired MotherRunner</i></div>
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I've really never been more proud of myself during a race. It was in no way a PR, but it was a definite display of mind over matter, and that, my friends, is really what distance running is all about. When we've trained our bodies to accomplish the miles, it really about working our minds. Convincing ourselves that our bodies are capable of doing this, and being okay with the discomfort and pain. This is why distance running is crazy, and amazing. It's a total mind over matter game. </div>
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Which is great, because Disney doesn't even MAKE Mickey's Magic Bars anymore...so I basically bribed myself with nothing. </div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-55340787386966332062016-12-27T16:31:00.000-08:002016-12-27T16:31:24.535-08:00And When We Are Stressed We Play in the Woods... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I first moved back to New York, I was warned by the locals: Find a way to embrace the winter months. I laughed, because the major reason I left New York all those years ago was: It's too damn cold. "I'll NEVER learn to embrace the winter, these people are nuts," I thought.<br />
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And then we had last winter, which was probably the warmest Western NY winter ever. It was beautiful! I think it snowed twice and we rarely had below 35 degree temps. I came out of it thinking, "This winter stuff's not so bad, I got this!"<br />
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That idea worked until Mother Nature reminded me of the reality that is Western New York in the winter. This year. It is only December 27th and we've already had many days below 35 and some snowy days, as well. And because it is quite possibly my last year of running, I'm making the attempt to truly #EmbraceTheSuck of winter weather.<br />
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I am an outdoorsy girl. Being in the woods is a comfort to me, and it's where I can often be found, seeking solace. So when the going got rough (living with teenagers isn't always a picnic) last weekend, and the winter weather wasn't *so bad* I killed two birds with one stone: Embrace the suck of winter, and get the hell out of MomLife. I stowed my camera away at the start of the trail, and we did a run out, run back, and then some camera play. <br />
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Luke was overjoyed to hit the trails, as it had been a few weeks since he'd been able to RUN. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkiCPT1yidJZCZfHLRE3bJPfRoIy0tem5qgZ38rZs-ixOrXG0f9AIXFff_6yxid_NzBpt8jbNG6TtG1IfQsTxGGje-0nZLSco9QRNptNkTnsuXVya0juab3j1jCfKKCcgjb7s4texSGl5/s1600/IMG_7449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkiCPT1yidJZCZfHLRE3bJPfRoIy0tem5qgZ38rZs-ixOrXG0f9AIXFff_6yxid_NzBpt8jbNG6TtG1IfQsTxGGje-0nZLSco9QRNptNkTnsuXVya0juab3j1jCfKKCcgjb7s4texSGl5/s320/IMG_7449.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Everything on the trail looked monochrome. What had once been a trail full of colors such as greens, yellows, reds, and purples, was now all one color: brown. Even Luke matched the scenery. This, as much as the cold, wears me down from winter. <br />
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While most of the scenery blended in with one another, this rebel leaf caught my eye. It apparently forgot to fall to it's snowy burial and remained stuck, in stark contrast to the rest of the forrest. <br />
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While on our run/camera play walk, Luke continuously enjoyed playing in the snow. He would bury his head deep into the snow piles, and snort out, usually coming up with a few flakes still upon his snout. For a southern born boy, he sure did enjoy this snow play...and that is why I will continue to Embrace the Suck that is winter. Watching my boy run and enjoy the trail, despite it's depressing color scheme, was a true joy. He runs about in a way that reminds me of my childhood days in the woods, when there weren't chores and to-do lists, when the cold didn't hurt the joints as much. He is my very own Peter Pan. Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-64415360242007906422016-02-17T08:27:00.005-08:002016-02-17T08:27:56.073-08:00I'm a WINTER WUSS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<em>"I'm just not cut out for this kind of weather."</em><br />
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That's the phrase all of my Yankee friends are probably sick of hearing me say. But it's become painfully true within the last 24 hours.<br />
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I'm a Texas Girl. Okay, so maybe I grew up in New York, but I left here and slowly migrated south over the last 20 years. This level and duration of COLD isn't something I'm comfortable with. The lack of sunshine takes a serious toll on a southern soul's sanity.<br />
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But nonetheless, I committed to moving here. Which means as much as I love June-October, I've gotta put up with December-May. So I invested in all of the winter running gear. <br />
Craft Storm Pants, check.<br />
Saucony Nomad jacket, check.<br />
Extra Adidas Response Boost trail shoes, check.<br />
Smart Wool socks, check.<br />
Buff, gloves...all the nonsense...check check check.<br />
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All of the above being said, I have still spent much of this (very mild so far) winter running on a treadmill. Listen, I'm a wuss. And really accident prone. <br />
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But yesterday was so beautiful with the snow. I had already been locked in the house for long enough and wanted the "experience" of "running" in 2 feet of snow. So I bundled up, grabbed my dogs, and headed out to run/walk/climb trees through the (completely snowed over) trails in my woods<br />
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It was fun. I<em> really</em> had a blast. I even made <span style="font-size: large;">SNOW ANGELS</span>. On the ground<em> (holla! Craft Storm Pants, I stayed so warm!).</em> <br />
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And then came midnight. Where I was in SO MUCH <span style="font-size: large;">PAIN</span> that I couldn't sleep.<br />
<em> Y'all, running in the snow makes you use muscles you didn't KNOW existed.</em> <br />
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So after this Aleve<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (and coffee...lots and lots of coffee) </span>kicks in, I'll get my butt back out there again. Running and hiking in the snow has shown me that I've got<span style="font-size: large;"> a lot</span> more muscles to work on because snow is probably a lot like the muck and mud I'll experience on this spring's trail runs. Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-25522797173202081312014-07-13T13:12:00.000-07:002014-07-13T13:12:11.630-07:00Night Running is ME TimeThe most challenging thing about my July Run Streak is time. No excuses, seriously here. There really aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done that a Type A Perfectionist needs to get done! <br />
Most of my Run Streak runs have been done at night. And we're talking, real night. After the last of the dishes are washed, the baby's sound asleep, and the floor has been vacuumed is when I squeeze in my time.<br />
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The idea of heading out for a run at 10 pm sucked at first. Really? I can't just LAY IN BED and watch NETFLIX? Come ooooon. Plus, I am so used to running with a stroller, it felt sacrilegious to run without Isla. <br />
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But the more I sat on the couch procrastinating my run, the more I get this face...<br />
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...which always gets me up and going in a hurry. <br />
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Now that I've gotten into it, it's growing on me. There's something pretty magical about being out there in the quiet of the night. Less traffic. Less chaos. I don't HAVE to be back in time to rush anyone to soccer or a play date. No one "needs a snack!" It's just me and Luke, hitting the pavement. It's been even more therapeutic to take that ME time. This week we were treated to a pretty breathtaking moon on our night runs. I hope you had a chance to run in this amazing moon light! <br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-78623136893159043652014-07-07T08:18:00.000-07:002014-07-07T08:18:00.221-07:00Excuse us While we STREAK... #EveryDayInJulyAs I've written about many times before, I am the Q U E E N of excuses. I love running, but I love sitting my lazy ass on the couch too. I love running marathons, but I also love Netflix marathons.<br />
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Because I'm a working mom of three crazy kids, who has really bad asthma and arthritis it's REALLY easy for me to come up with excuses. <br />
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<i>"I'm tired"</i></div>
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<i>"The House needs to be cleaned"</i></div>
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<i>"My lungs feel wonky"</i></div>
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<i>"Laundry needs to be done"</i></div>
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<i>"I'm tired"</i></div>
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<i>"My hips hurt"</i></div>
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<i>"The baby needs to go to bed"</i></div>
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<i>"My wrists hurt"</i></div>
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<i>"It's too humid"</i></div>
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<i>"I'm tired"</i></div>
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<i>"My feet hurt"</i></div>
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Honestly, I really <i>AM</i> tired 99.9% of the time. And my joints hurt <i>most</i> of the time. But sitting on the couch has done ZERO to solve either of those problems over the last 30 years....In fact....sitting around makes me MORE tired and makes my joint pain WORSE.<br />
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So in an effort to prepare for the next stage of my running-life, I decided to EFF the excuses and make a commitment to RUN EVERY DAY IN JULY. <br />
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Now, it gets dicey since I'm going to be on a road trip for 4-5 days of the month, but...hey...NO EXCUSES. Hotels have treadmills. <br />
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I just completed the 5th day and I'll tell ya...."I'm tired" But my hip's holding up and I can see how necessary this challenge is for my mind!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-44089205794861944762014-07-05T20:08:00.000-07:002014-07-05T20:08:04.431-07:00Taking Charge...Road ID Rocks for RunnersAfter our run in with a car I got smart.<br />
<br />
I finally got myself a <a href="http://roadid.com/invite/4FPS4-TAF7GM9C8QT">Road ID</a>...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEht3jjXbdc_g2ZZf3yzkGJhPK-PrpkHKtkocD72N7Neb9ySEKzHpoK1ssxkpx-AfzXm8B5mg7UDUmCDURjXcA6cLTG9dP13uahSheTzI5NiT1zZq_JDcQ462nu_sIbb22EwsJku8tWpnL/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEht3jjXbdc_g2ZZf3yzkGJhPK-PrpkHKtkocD72N7Neb9ySEKzHpoK1ssxkpx-AfzXm8B5mg7UDUmCDURjXcA6cLTG9dP13uahSheTzI5NiT1zZq_JDcQ462nu_sIbb22EwsJku8tWpnL/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a>I've been running on the road for almost 7 years and for about 5 years I've been saying, "I should buy one of those <a href="http://roadid.com/invite/4FPS4-TAF7GM9C8QT">ID bracelets.</a>.." But because I abhor online shopping, I never bit the bullet and ordered one.<br />
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What a freaking brilliant product. For just $20 a runner/hiker/cyclist, etc gets the peace of mind knowing that if anything happens to you while on a run, your medical information can be readily accessed by an EMT. With just a simple phone call, paramedics can know what medications your on and who your emergency contacts are. As a severely asthmatic runner, I think it's freaking stupid I ever ran without one. <br />
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I opted for the sport band style, but you can bet your booty I'll be trying the other styles, and buying one for my runner/hiker dad, running kids, and running friends. Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-21703393205294303472014-07-03T19:59:00.000-07:002014-07-07T16:12:58.485-07:00And Then it Got a Little Scary... <br />
A few weeks ago I committed to something new and crazy (for me)...getting up at the crack ass of dawn and hitting the pavement to get in some miles before work. I had been enjoying it, finding that it left me more focused and patient in my classroom the rest of the day. Several weeks ago I headed out on a Tuesday morning around 6:50 a.m. (later than normal) for a run. I had my posse with me; pushing Isla and towing Luke along. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqCfO8luB64XCGutBCwVsHXfSwNAmcnPKXMPoyKP46eXpSgVzMI7npQXVOXdubwlWn0RGgpQIVkuEfoFMRo04CQfmyzj8icYnC1zG8jbs8IfIoteRiPV0c6OdBMAAdtkDtEJcGJLS8cFT/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqCfO8luB64XCGutBCwVsHXfSwNAmcnPKXMPoyKP46eXpSgVzMI7npQXVOXdubwlWn0RGgpQIVkuEfoFMRo04CQfmyzj8icYnC1zG8jbs8IfIoteRiPV0c6OdBMAAdtkDtEJcGJLS8cFT/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
About 3 miles into our run we had to navigate a double crosswalk. Meaning, we had to cross one street, then immediately cross a second. It was a four way stop, the first part across a four lane road. When I was crossing that section of road, I saw a car stopped in front of the cross walk I would need to cross next. As neared the sidewalk before the second crosswalk, I made eye contact with that driver, she nodded at me. I slowed. I stopped. Before heading into the crosswalk, I looked at her again. She was looking down, but still stopped. I went. About the time Luke and the stroller were 3/4 way across the front of her car I heard the engine go. Her SUV rolled into us. Luke was pushed into, then behind the stroller by her SUV. I panicked. I sped up, looked at her as I sprinted out of the intersection. <br />
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When I looked at her, from the safety of the opposite side of the road, I noticed she was on her....cell phone. I also looked around and noticed the other horrified drivers in the intersection. <br />
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Luke, Isla, and I almost became a part of one of the awful growing statistics in our sport...runners hit while out for their morning jog.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivI1hlB-hY1DpRyAlC3hHL7bm1-Qovm2V84xE7IFsnYTnrWBo8ma-5rCExyqsnrIKA01GbWmKyvjB43aVYo2CSFehgUaOfirDWttDy2pItICFPtzn1r7r40ySHssH_l-FO7PWYcrQ6Lh35/s1600/photo+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivI1hlB-hY1DpRyAlC3hHL7bm1-Qovm2V84xE7IFsnYTnrWBo8ma-5rCExyqsnrIKA01GbWmKyvjB43aVYo2CSFehgUaOfirDWttDy2pItICFPtzn1r7r40ySHssH_l-FO7PWYcrQ6Lh35/s1600/photo+(6).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>The only casualty...the Bubba (Isla's original name)</i></div>
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<i>plate that we've had attached to BOB since our first run ;-(</i></div>
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While Luke was technically hit- as he was pushed into the stroller, and the stroller was obviously hit, we all walked (okay ran) away from the incident unharmed, physically. I have never felt more thankful in my entire life. Especially in the wake of horrific stories like that of Meg Menzies, Jeffrey Prioitti, Jamie Rowley, and many more. <br />
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After our incident I was pretty messed up. I practically sprinted the 2 miles home. The accident shook me up for a few hours. I was stuck in the what if mode. I hadn't had my cell phone on me that morning...what if I had been badly hurt? I felt scared and shaken. What did I do wrong? How could I have avoided putting my daughter and my dog at such incredible risk?<br />
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But after I got to work and talked it out, I got pissed off. There was *nothing* I did wrong, as a runner that morning. *I* did not put my kid nor my dog in a dangerous situation. I crossed the crosswalk correctly. The driver was on her phone, not paying attention, and hit the gas instead of the brake. That's probably the reason more and more runners are getting hit...drivers AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZp82OcghfIf8ZVOt-5Rrl8LPLDrJ2m27hcezMdwUP9pXFdan_95SpMtXYdCO2pofSZOuNl6JEKCS0mVSOAIkHowmsp_FFqU-rHUKOaynKrHPqI8uPtTDuERmC4BzYcr-zlem_XLabNLj/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGZp82OcghfIf8ZVOt-5Rrl8LPLDrJ2m27hcezMdwUP9pXFdan_95SpMtXYdCO2pofSZOuNl6JEKCS0mVSOAIkHowmsp_FFqU-rHUKOaynKrHPqI8uPtTDuERmC4BzYcr-zlem_XLabNLj/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Thrilled baby at the police station....</i></div>
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After work I went to our police station. I filed an incident report and got a lecture on never running without my cell phone again. I also discussed the growing problem with the officer and urged him to watch that intersection for dangerous drivers. <br />
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But getting OVER the incident has proved to be a bit more difficult. My mom gave me the old advice that my horseback riding instructor used to say when we'd been thrown from a horse, "JUST GET BACK ON THERE AND GO!" But it was different this time. This time my daughter had been put at risk. Not just me. The first run after our incident sucked. I ended up in tears .3 miles away from home, where I had to navigate the first crosswalk since that Tuesday. But after a few weeks I'm back out there on my runs, crossing crosswalks with no tears.<br />
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We always tend to think that bad things will never happen to us. But now I know they can...as they did. The trick is to be proactive about our safety- make sure that we're doing everything possible we can to be safe and acknowledge that even if something bad happens, at least we were having fun....!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-54337334722981348572014-06-19T09:06:00.000-07:002014-06-21T10:00:14.053-07:00My Coach is 3 Years OldEverything I need to know about running, I'm learning from my kiddo, Isla.<br />
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If you ask Isla what her favorite thing to do is, she'll tell you, "Go Running." If she's asked why she loves running so much she'll tell you, "Because it's so much fun."<br />
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Every day after dinner, Isla asks to take her dog for a run. Running to Isla is fun. It's a kind of freedom, a way to play. She doesn't beg to run because it's in her training plan or because she feels the need to burn off a cupcake. She wants to run because it feels so freaking good. <br />
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Because I'm simply in the base building phase of my training, the playful approach works for me. I don't *need* specific miles or days or times or paces. I just need to get my ass off the couch and run. So I'm learning that it's important to run when you want, and it's okay to stop and say hi to the long horns in the middle of your workout. Right now, it's about bringing the fun back into the run. <br />
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To celebrate her running love, she wanted to run her first 5K. She was firm in not wanting to bring the stroller, and stated that she wanted to RUN the whole thing herself. And that's what she did! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vpQp_Yg8tIcuLdRwvO1eSDczc0x9TCfnlMOnzp0ncyc78otnhW2jxWeiTD7oq9vZK9xOD4DhHrnKf4vIfuuiGIOIPcT1utET9Xabtl-ju635cnr67oaOf-xaURNGtxwrXJQskpGMhK9V/s1600/IMG_0445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vpQp_Yg8tIcuLdRwvO1eSDczc0x9TCfnlMOnzp0ncyc78otnhW2jxWeiTD7oq9vZK9xOD4DhHrnKf4vIfuuiGIOIPcT1utET9Xabtl-ju635cnr67oaOf-xaURNGtxwrXJQskpGMhK9V/s1600/IMG_0445.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Approaching the finish....where the stadium was clapping and she was getting high 5's...</div>
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It was a totally awesome experience to run a 5K with my kiddo and not be obsessed with my time. It was F U N! And, I gotta say, my kid kinda rocked. 49 minute 5K for a 3 year old ain't too bad!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-27489584105914424772014-05-19T19:54:00.000-07:002014-05-19T20:02:20.168-07:00About a Boy...The Boy Who Got Me GoingEver since about November Running = Pain for me. It's a very strong association which has caused me to drop my mileage back significantly. For a while I just didn't run at all. <br />
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And then a <i><b>new boy</b></i> came into my life.<br />
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When I saw him, I instantly turned away from him. I didn't like his look. He looked a little <i>crazy</i>. I opted to meet the black lab who was hiding in the corner. I loved that black lab. He sat on the floor of the meet and greet room, looking away from us the whole time. But he sat there, calm and quiet as can be. <br />
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"<i>Mom, he's BORING! I want the brown dog! I want the brown dog! Can you please let us meet the brown dog?</i>" is what Quinn told the SPCA counselor. About 752 times. The brown, crazy dog. <br />
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And so, with some trepidation, I agreed.<br />
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The brown dog, who was named Buck, entered the meet and greet room as if he were Tigger. He bounced in, like tossing a rubber ball into an aquarium, heading directly towards Isla and Quinn. He proceeded to hop up into my lap.<br />
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As Isla and Quinn acted like typical children, Buck wasn't afraid. Instead, he seemed interested in what they were doing. He wanted to play with them. You could tell he wanted to be engaged with them. After a few moments of play, he came back to sit with me, resting his head on my lap for a moment, before looking up at me with those eyes of his....<br />
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And at that moment, I melted.<br />
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An hour later, the funny looking brown dog was headed home with us.<br />
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On the car ride home, we stripped him of his shelter name, which wasn't at all suited to him. Quinn came up with his new name, which we all instantly agreed on: Lucas.<br />
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Life with Luke was good for a week. He was quiet. Sleepy. Calm. "Oh my gosh I can't believe the perfect dog is mine!" I was so used to life with crazy labs. During this honeymoon period we all fell head over heels in love with him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMWmKsVQR9CLlXNdeKHs9LxiAKWNRDBuXzZYsJ01KrzVFUPlwjZlj8aMb-b3zBTxGT_S59cGEWddZUcoufFKLubN43EWWlgmDuVD9MPAo0Cy9vYqTSprAiDEQ3WOA7FrdEfImQkRg5YfB/s1600/IMG_3247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMWmKsVQR9CLlXNdeKHs9LxiAKWNRDBuXzZYsJ01KrzVFUPlwjZlj8aMb-b3zBTxGT_S59cGEWddZUcoufFKLubN43EWWlgmDuVD9MPAo0Cy9vYqTSprAiDEQ3WOA7FrdEfImQkRg5YfB/s1600/IMG_3247.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Our first morning with Luke - January </i></div>
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About a week after he joined our family, I got the flu and he slept by my side the entire time. And then I got better...<br />
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Luke began to act like a puppy. <br />
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He began to chew. <br />
And mouth. <br />
And jump. <br />
And pee. <br />
He. Got. <i>Crazy. </i><br />
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He was so bad...so awful...I thought I might need to return him to the shelter so the rescue group could find a more suitable home for him. One where there weren't children. Or toilet paper rolls. Or plants. Or walls. In doing some asking around, we learned that he was probably never fed well (he was malnourished and sick), socialized properly- if at all, and may have spent his life as a stray. I wasn't sure that we were the people that could help him. <br />
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But then I thought about it. We are crazy, like him. So our energy levels matched. We also love passionately, which is what he lacked his whole life. I also realized what makes a crazy, hyper person calm down? A fantastic RUN. <br />
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While I wasn't 100% committed to keeping him (<i>maybe he should be in a home where he's the only dog...maybe he should be in a home without children...maybe he should be in a home with a stay at home parent....</i>), I decided to try running and see if it helped. I also put into place a pretty solid schedule, which included crate training, fetch, and time outs when he got on the Crazy Train. <br />
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But it only took one run to realize that...this dog...was put on Earth to be someone's distance running partner.<br />
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Never having gone to an obedience class or really spent much time on a leash, Luke knew to heel properly during a run. Even more cool, Luke knew that he needed to heel to the stroller- that his job would be to keep his nose even with the Bob. He also never tired.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbUhw2QLtZdWpFsRn3cnR5jXHx5QkVDdIjifcgFipyRzIRmGsviP_S3RYH0IwJJ3gityyUUm6EzA85jawqXSy2IBr6xBXpLVPGYLQvHU8xrbauZk6wYdj2HZOKhootVSNLNpGipphXeiD/s1600/IMG_4176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbUhw2QLtZdWpFsRn3cnR5jXHx5QkVDdIjifcgFipyRzIRmGsviP_S3RYH0IwJJ3gityyUUm6EzA85jawqXSy2IBr6xBXpLVPGYLQvHU8xrbauZk6wYdj2HZOKhootVSNLNpGipphXeiD/s1600/IMG_4176.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a><br />
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<i>Heeling to the stroller, like a Boss</i></div>
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Luke has a chronic medical condition (because why adopt a normal dog) which requires us to visit his vet regularly. His vet has watched Luke grow, both physically, and mentally, before his eyes. Not only has Luke gained a much needed 10 pounds, but he has found a new sense of calm. This is something I think most of us who are runners can relate to. Running chills us out. It takes the chaos and craziness, and channels it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnxZRDUPl_Zj_cw-7TlQingYg49JPP9JPCda_Z6CEZ8YcG7mfmkRsu_ZhJR4DFbA17Bi81UndbQ5K_q3RmlhtEbBJSGBFQ73Jo25T54lxKENYl74-6yHqGCdqK2_vG61LxSlQqRM1e2yl/s1600/IMG_3262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnxZRDUPl_Zj_cw-7TlQingYg49JPP9JPCda_Z6CEZ8YcG7mfmkRsu_ZhJR4DFbA17Bi81UndbQ5K_q3RmlhtEbBJSGBFQ73Jo25T54lxKENYl74-6yHqGCdqK2_vG61LxSlQqRM1e2yl/s1600/IMG_3262.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i> Nothing is better than a nap with your running partner after 8 miles!</i></div>
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Luke got me back to running distance again. Before him, I was using excuses and pain to get me out of a run. But now, I use the excuse of, "Oh Luke needs some calm down time, he's really hyped up today!" While we're running, instead of being focused on my pain during the run, I focus on how HAPPY he looks. Like a distance runner gets in the zone, so does Luke. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKKuuI4uy0iCFVCIMYRSGvP0ytHIj334mWX7yCErnQkigwqO4Buv2eMSPgzW0hi5xbUhvbT8vWMkMb42BAzmaFGavHuVF8KjpPCjSHuVLp-s2nkEEIHRMuaTQegI2QQ6N3iqUBLadWXGL/s1600/IMG_3358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKKuuI4uy0iCFVCIMYRSGvP0ytHIj334mWX7yCErnQkigwqO4Buv2eMSPgzW0hi5xbUhvbT8vWMkMb42BAzmaFGavHuVF8KjpPCjSHuVLp-s2nkEEIHRMuaTQegI2QQ6N3iqUBLadWXGL/s1600/IMG_3358.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i> Luke instinctively took towards watching out for Isla and guarding her while in the Bob. </i></div>
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<i> This was his second Stroller Run. </i></div>
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Luke has only been in our family for 4 months, and things are far from perfect. He still hijacks toilet paper rolls. He stock piled soaps in the back yard, and he's chewed every pair of heels I own (<i><b>notice, he hasn't touched my Brooks or Newtons...hmmm....</b></i>). But things are so much better now that we're a running team. I like to think that I didn't rescue Luke, but rather, we're rescuing each other. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyrGsDcvdslxqWiTZdZpHQ_vaBk2KMJkZ2qEhnc_fyXx48ctm1kMs028FMfj3NFzxfCbFSih7P1aS5BdePJqHOvFugz7ocKRzODhFyf36_DrGO_r0olXfHAr48d4wY14LeCsqUq7KHqyT/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyrGsDcvdslxqWiTZdZpHQ_vaBk2KMJkZ2qEhnc_fyXx48ctm1kMs028FMfj3NFzxfCbFSih7P1aS5BdePJqHOvFugz7ocKRzODhFyf36_DrGO_r0olXfHAr48d4wY14LeCsqUq7KHqyT/s1600/photo.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Team Crazy Train, All Feet In</i></div>
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Running with a dog .... six legged running .... rescue dog .... shelter pet </div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-36058219100189729782014-02-23T12:14:00.001-08:002014-02-23T12:23:12.231-08:00Dear Long Run, I Miss Your Hurt (Running and Hip FAI)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Only know you've been high when you're feeling low.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Only hate the road when you're missing home.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>-Passenger</i></span><br />
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One of my runners recently texted me after she had finished a run. It was her peak mileage long run before taper to race began. After putting in 9 grueling weeks, she finally kicked 14 miles in the ass and finished the training run feeling higher than a kite. Her text read: This feels incredible. I never want it to go away. <br />
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That's the feeling I miss. The feeling only other distance runners get. Normal people don't get this...<br />
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The "<i><span style="font-size: large;">I'm so tired I might die but I'm so high I don't really feel it</span></i>" feeling.<br />
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Since destroying my hip <i>(</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 21.49333381652832px;"><i>Femoroacetabular Impingement with anterior labral tear)</i> </span>this past fall I've really let myself slip. When the physical therapist kicked me out deeming me too far gone, I hosted a pity party for myself. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">n case you're not aware, a lot of wine and brownies are served at pity parties. </span>I've been quite content sitting here stewing in it for a while. I stopped drinking enough water, switching to insane amounts of coffee. Eating right became passe. Driving home from work, I'd find myself taking the long road...the road that wound around my favorite 20 mile long run route. I'd stare at the hills I hated as I tackled them and craved a pause at my favorite pit stops. I really, really, really missed the road.<br />
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This is what injured distance runner depression is. It's a scary place. <br />
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Last Saturday it hit me smack in my face that THIS was the week I was supposed to run my first ultra marathon. And, instead, I was fighting to finish 3 lousy miles. It's time to Get a Grip again.<br />
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I decided to close the pity party and squeeze back into my CWX running tights and face the reality of this situation. <br />
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6 miles....what a way to get back in to the saddle. I wasn't left with the "I'm so tired I might die..." feeling. Or the high. But I did feel like I was actually accomplishing something other sitting on the couch. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbJ9nLQk-msjAPULVufzmLQ2R1H6CwZGoDye4doDguKgcDYhFDYjqZ33Nr7adr0Kb2kD9YYwdSCTEVjtjMydzO0FPslbr3FBF9ndMDFgRp0xjyy3i13-SFTALMZUBXBJS6F7rNTk8UQ37/s1600/GetAttachment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihbJ9nLQk-msjAPULVufzmLQ2R1H6CwZGoDye4doDguKgcDYhFDYjqZ33Nr7adr0Kb2kD9YYwdSCTEVjtjMydzO0FPslbr3FBF9ndMDFgRp0xjyy3i13-SFTALMZUBXBJS6F7rNTk8UQ37/s1600/GetAttachment.jpg" /></a><br />
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<i>At least these two are all smiles after our first long run in a long time...!</i></div>
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Dealing with the reality means that I now buy Aleve in bulk and I'm much slower than I like. But I'm committed to try and get back out there the best I can. <br />
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FAI and Running Information, Hip Strengthening Ideas and more on my Pinterest Board: <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/RunToStarbucks/running-hip-rehab/">Hip Rehab </a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-54333446803740157112014-01-12T16:32:00.000-08:002014-02-25T16:32:16.884-08:00What's more fun than running back to back halves?Supporting other runners who are out there doing it...or back to back full marathons!<br />
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On December 31 and January 1 I had the opportunity to work for one of my favorite Race Directors, Libby of <a href="http://www.theactivejoe.com/">The Active Joe</a>. Libby's races, <a href="http://www.newyearsdouble.com/">The New Year's Double,</a> is my absolute favorite event of the year. After having participated in back to back races for the last two years, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to be a part of the event, despite my injury! I was honored when Libby offered me the opportunity to help.<br />
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I was responsible for the bag drop tent, which was used mostly by the marathoners who would pass by my table several times. It was fun to bond with the runners. I quickly learned them by name, and knew what they'd be needing when they stopped at the tent. <br />
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Not only do I love Libby and all of her awesome events, I also love the people that run her races. I had several runners participating in the New Years eve and New Years day runs and I was beyond thrilled that I could watch them in their awesomeness.<br />
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Almost 1 year ago, I had the chance to run with our family's nanny, Tracie, in her first ever 5K. Tracie decided to step things up...just a notch...and attempt a marathon this year at the New Years eve run, and a half the next day. Even though it was absolutely bitter cold, (I was shivering despite being bundled like the Abominable Snowman in 4 jackets!) I was honored to watch Tracie run.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMV4nuYGC_WF1x59RQ3kD7kW66Ce-WsSfcDR4ZX0Nhcsip3JpZLYdrDbddmGJLWvba-XLh2NfPXenJym2grpLTBgnsCN1jiIf_ATbyYoUW-dGX4ylkZF2UGpf4Z3kbbd0rajpnmFxLcPd/s1600/photo+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMV4nuYGC_WF1x59RQ3kD7kW66Ce-WsSfcDR4ZX0Nhcsip3JpZLYdrDbddmGJLWvba-XLh2NfPXenJym2grpLTBgnsCN1jiIf_ATbyYoUW-dGX4ylkZF2UGpf4Z3kbbd0rajpnmFxLcPd/s1600/photo+(7).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a><br />
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<i>Freeeeeeeezing....but smiling and excited to RUN!</i></div>
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Tracie didn't quite make the full marathon cutoff time on New Years Eve, by just minutes. But she did manage to get in over 18 miles! I was so proud of this girl and the amazing journey she had taken in just 11 months!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdC4S7PQdogEKTGZQLg11caDxiTuHLuHYqXxKCJ25HZm-ixK5zmLYrEqyOh033T1U8r6DXRfGYBkfGcHJ3fucnlYv-XpCIPS7IhPc3ShabIm7jUiiu6hYN4HR8jj0E8-ra1eLNP3prav22/s1600/photo+(8).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdC4S7PQdogEKTGZQLg11caDxiTuHLuHYqXxKCJ25HZm-ixK5zmLYrEqyOh033T1U8r6DXRfGYBkfGcHJ3fucnlYv-XpCIPS7IhPc3ShabIm7jUiiu6hYN4HR8jj0E8-ra1eLNP3prav22/s1600/photo+(8).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a><br />
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<i>Check out Tracie's AMAAAAZING bling!</i></div>
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I really enjoyed working this event. Being around such dedicated runners really inspired me, and gave me a positive ray of sunshine in my "injured runner" depression slump. I can't wait to work Libby's next race, <a href="http://www.fairviewhalf.com/">The Fairview Half</a>!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-22232582415681296902013-12-05T04:00:00.000-08:002013-12-05T04:00:10.704-08:00Running is an ADULT PACIFIERWhen distance runners get injured, it's not fun. We are probably the worst group of people to have to be around. I'm sorry to everyone in my life right now. I'm not fun. <br />
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While I've had a lot of "injuries" over my running career, none of them have been terribly daunting. They've all been very "light at the end of the tunnel" and brief. Broken foot....not so bad. Busted shoulder...not awesome...but I was running after 6-8 weeks. Piriformis? Annoying but...do-able.<br />
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My hip injury, however...is a completely different situation.<br />
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What the heck am I supposed to do with myself? Running IS my adult pacifier.<br />
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Here's how it works:<br />
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I get Stressed out....I run....I'm all better.....I run again....I feel even better....My friends and I run....I'm happy because we talk....I run.....<br />
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Now, thanks to my stupid FAI, it's like this:<br />
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I get stressed out....I'm in a lot of pain....I can't run so I'm sitting on couch....drinking wine....I get stressed out because I shouldn't drink wine alone....I pace my living room....that hurts....I eat a cookie....I can't burn those calories because I don't run....I get stressed out....<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-75380000200455090212013-12-02T18:08:00.000-08:002013-12-02T18:30:22.646-08:00Should little kids be running distance? The topic of "Should little kids be running?" has come up quite a bit in my social circles lately. I have asked my opinion on the recent news reports of children running half marathons. Maybe it's because I'm a coach, maybe it's because Isla runs with me, who knows. At first I didn't really have an opinion. If anything, I tended to waver towards the "that's a dumb idea" side.<br />
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Initially I was opposed to the idea of a 6 year old running a half marathon. Ironically enough, the first "youngest half marathon finisher" ran the same race that I paced in October. When I found out about her, I really didn't like the idea. Their bones and joints aren't meant to take that sort of beating, right? I mean, that's what all "those running experts say." Then there was the story of the 5 year old in New Jersey who finished the Philly half marathon, and my opinion changed a bit. I started thinking about KIDS...what they are like....<br />
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Kids are meant to be a lot more active than they are these days. We keep our really protected. Umbrella parenting is the norm. It seems as if EVERYTHING is bad for our children, and so, our kids are kept inside, safely in front of the TV, or hidden behind their fenced yards. In other parts of the world, children are running 26 miles a day to get to school and back. And while our society is different, should it be? Are kids meant to be kept on satin covered pillows, limited to 1 mile per day?<br />
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When I watched the interview of the kid who ran the Philly half, the first thing that jumped out at me was how the kid was a really active, maybe even slightly hyper, kindergartner. That kid has ENERGY. I used to know a kid like that. I was excited to see that a kid's energy was being funneled into something awesome. And let's be honest, the kid ran the race in what, 2:35? Normal 5 year old kids are on their feet playing, racing and chasing for that amount of time. If you took your kid to Disney, he'd probably spend 2-3 hours straight on his feet. <br />
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I get the opinion of the mainstream; we shouldn't encourage this sort of thing on a regular basis. Running too much can be damaging to joints and parents should always work closely with a child's doctors. There's also the sad fact that most kids aren't fit enough to handle 5 miles, let alone 13. Pushing them too fast can have bad consequences. <br />
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I also agree that we should examine the motives. If a kid is truly being beaten because he DIDN'T want to race, okay, that's bad. But for a parent to say, "When you finish that race, you get a new batman" isn't a bad thing. I mean...hello...how many of us only run those races for the awesome medal or shirt or beer? (ME ME ME MEME!)<br />
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Many people suspected that the parents of the 5 year old pushed the kid to do it. Normal 5 year olds don't want to run half marathons!!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6-7j4BHe5f6nn8d8eRiCdaK9fXUmgcYPkl3NjRAjUbEV3rqBeb1pAFmrKK0CPS0hGVWj5D0A_AUB1-_GL0FFaKl74ogRKOdzwv4eO12zNgN-HjCok7He2oxhWPUJga4FX5unhau7PqNJ/s1600/photo(55).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6-7j4BHe5f6nn8d8eRiCdaK9fXUmgcYPkl3NjRAjUbEV3rqBeb1pAFmrKK0CPS0hGVWj5D0A_AUB1-_GL0FFaKl74ogRKOdzwv4eO12zNgN-HjCok7He2oxhWPUJga4FX5unhau7PqNJ/s320/photo(55).JPG" width="238" /></a></div>
Again, I disagree. If his mom and dad have been running his whole life, the kid doesn't know any better. Isla is a great example of this. RUNNING is a PART of her. She's grown up in the running community. We watch the Boston Marathon and NYC Marathon for fun, like it's Dora the Explorer. <br />
She dressed up as Kara Goucher for a Halloween race...and argued with me about how maybe she should be Shalane Flanagan, because Shalane is faster. Normal 3 year olds don't know who Shalane and Kara are...but when a kid's microenvironment contains constant talk of electolytes and carbohydrate replacement options, they are going to know the difference between Nuun, Gu, Gatorade, and UCan. For crying out loud, she's asked Santa for a GARMIN for Christmas. <br />
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Of course we have to be careful when opening up the race lines to kids. But to simply say that a 5, 6, or 7 year old shouldn't run is over reacting. I don't think a child should be PUSHED into a run...but I definitely think they should be supported should it be their choice. <br />
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I think it's exciting to see more kids join the sport, at any level. My biggest hope is that the experts (doctors, sports medicine, etc.) and I hope that the medical and sports medicine community does what they can to support more active kids. I'd love to see some research based information come about that can help us learn how to better coach younger kids and what to watch for, potential risk wise. If a kid wants to run...let 'em run! Let's just know how to do it safely, and in a positive way that can influence their lives for the better, forever!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-71834650816225243452013-12-01T19:03:00.001-08:002013-12-01T19:03:12.265-08:00Isla's First Attempt at Running a 5k!There's a girl in our Run Club who is a rock star athlete. At just 15, she's one of the top ranked cross country runners in our state and on the verge of being an elite triathlete. This girl is amazing. She also happens to be Isla's hero.<br />
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While some little girls want to be Princess Belle or Cinderella, Isla wants to be EK.<br />
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"Mommy, please do my hair just like EK's." <br />
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"Mommy, I want the same color shoes that EK wears."<br /><br />"Mommy, if EK is running then I want ta too!"<br />
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I'm not gonna lie, I love that my daughter idolizes a girl who is so motivated to be an awesome runner. <br />
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A few months ago, Isla started talking about when she could do her first "own race." While she's done plenty of 5Ks and 10Ks with me in the stroller, I knew that she wanted to run one. She may only be 3, but she's mentally 15 and the girl knows what she wants. <br />
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The opportunity came when it was time to graduate my 2nd 5K class. Their race was a small, local race that was very close to our home. Because I had to be there to coach my clients, I decided this would be the race that Isla tries first.<br />
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<i>Isla's first 5K bib and Tiny Tech-T (okay it's HUGE on her but....whatevs)</i></div>
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When the morning came, the weather couldn't have been more perfect for a 3 year old to run in. Just kidding. The weather was horrible. It was freezing and kept misting rain...or something. It was greatness. <br />
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Isla didn't love waiting in this awful weather, but, we found a hotel where they were serving hot cocoa, so all was right with the world.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Bf9uOTDl_X_whU6lc718UPKhQZwVZJW0ndf49INqLhpEai8pZ_qeRQXBB46rp4DSFqXhcxMTOCsAbMXmS99ZkuWmg1G46dFwFIHopa3yfZ1D0YKgTFAnPYHOuMS-ehlvZrc-scgZNM9A/s1600/photo(52).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Bf9uOTDl_X_whU6lc718UPKhQZwVZJW0ndf49INqLhpEai8pZ_qeRQXBB46rp4DSFqXhcxMTOCsAbMXmS99ZkuWmg1G46dFwFIHopa3yfZ1D0YKgTFAnPYHOuMS-ehlvZrc-scgZNM9A/s320/photo(52).JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<i>Nobody takes Baby's hot chocolate. Nobody. </i></div>
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After giving high fives to the Turkey and McGruff the Crime Dog, it was finally time to line up and get the show on the road. We got our clients settled, prepped, and they were ready to run. I gave Isla one last chance: "Do you want to ride in Bob or run?" She said "Run" and I brought Bob just in case (listen, I know what 3 year olds are like....). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iPfAmRbIuo9iuZCLYt_WpdzkhJ_2VZCSaUDVxlU3n0N3U2BFNjUvfk_i-goYxSRllu-A1s2RgQqPW-FNsmzrVyNiVcn_0_MrZRukCykvUjH8EX5WQNzI2Tbp1G1yFuHOtNUa6eC6aiC4/s1600/photo(54).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iPfAmRbIuo9iuZCLYt_WpdzkhJ_2VZCSaUDVxlU3n0N3U2BFNjUvfk_i-goYxSRllu-A1s2RgQqPW-FNsmzrVyNiVcn_0_MrZRukCykvUjH8EX5WQNzI2Tbp1G1yFuHOtNUa6eC6aiC4/s320/photo(54).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Bless her little heart. I carried her across the start pads, while pushing Bob, and then put her down so she could run. It was not an easy day to run, the misting cold raining stuff made her lungs "frozen!" but she tried and tried. I looked over and her little cheeks were as red as apples! But she kept trying. Finally by mile 1ish she was done. "Mama, I toooo cold! I go in Bob now."<br />
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So I put her in her stroller and we hustled on. She was so helpful in getting me to run fast. "Mom, you're not fast enough, the Turkey is beating you." I had no idea what my pace was, I just knew...it wasn't Conversation Pace and my heart rate was pretty freakin' high. "Mommy, you need to run faster." She's such a good cheerleader.<br />
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We hit the homestretch and I was simply glad to be done. My hip was screaming at me louder than Isla's cheers, and I was spent. When I saw the stop clock, it was no wonder. 34 minutes. And isla had run the first mile. That mean I hauled the second and third miles. <br />
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We were then able to stand at the finish and watch our 5k class come across the finish line! It was so exciting to watch my babies, who couldn't run more than 60 seconds in October, finish 3.1 miles straight! I just can't get ENOUGH of that! <br />
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Even though she didn't run the whole thing on her own, I'm still excited that Isla tried to run under the worst of circumstances. When we finished, she asked me why EK wasn't at this race. I told her that EK had a swim meet...that it was time for EK to start doing her swim races.<br />
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<i>"Mommy, I wanna do swim races too..."</i><br />
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And so it continues! <br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-80669819545205056212013-11-24T18:10:00.001-08:002013-11-24T18:10:37.787-08:00Du the Du: Duatholon Report!A few weeks ago I had the incredible opportunity to participate in my first multisport event, a Duatholon.<br />
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Thanks to Life Time, I was able to be an ambassador for the Esprit de She event. To make things even more awesome, thanks to Jorge at<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1828205161"></span> Sun & Ski Frisco<span id="goog_1828205162"></span></a>, I was given a bike to use for my training and race!<br />
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I had no idea how to train for this event, but just spent a lot of time getting used to being on a bike. My multisport friends took me out on a few rides and thanks to coaching I was able to get some speed work in. I still wasn't sure how the event would go, especially since I had come down with pneumonia in the middle of my training. For that reason, I chose to do the "easy" version of the race- a 2 mile run, 9 mile ride, and 2 mile run.<br />
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The event was such a positive experience! Right from the get go there were extremely helpful volunteers, staff members, and experienced triathletes. It was an all women event, so it was very empowering. <br />
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As soon as I entered, a Life Time bike pro inspected my bike and helped make sure I was good to go. Then I got my body marking done. This sucked because they wrote my age on my leg with the biggest sharpie I've ever seen....listen...I don't like to admit my age, let alone announce it to the world! <br />
Those more experienced with the whole multisport world helped me set up my bike transition area, and then we headed to the start line. <br />
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With only a bit more than 600 registered runners, it was a small group. What I loved, though, was knowing that it was only a 2 mile run, so I could bust it out of the start and haul it. I knew I finished my first 2 miles pretty quickly, but had a lot left in the tank for the ride. Which was good. The 9 mile ride on my bike was quite hilly. I had done some hill training, but not that much! It was funny that most of the runners who I flew by on the foot race, were passing me with ease on their bikes. It was at this point in time the event became some what of a race.<br />
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Typically in a half, or a 5K, I'm just there to run. I know I'm not fast and so I only compete with myself. This time, however, was different. Something about being on the bike made me feel like it was a real race and I needed to kick it up a notch. I tried to keep most of those faster cyclers in my view, but knew the key was not to kill my legs on the bike, because in the next run I'd be good to go.<br />
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I finished the bike ride and transitioned to the next run. For the first 1/2 mile my legs felt like Jello, and I was pretty sure I was running 16 minute miles. Something about being on my fast bike then switching over to running equated to feeling like you're running in quick sand. So I just kept pushing myself harder and harder. Soon enough I passed some of the cyclists who had kicked my butt, and got into the finish line. I was pretty psyched when I got that medal around my neck!<br />
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The post race party was one of the best that I've been to! Post race yogurt/fruit/granola bar! FREE post race massages! And....<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDH-aQ6IOL3acKgfv1gxjf38wxmlHLFjZBFLutsZqICc6XpBNnpR6ZN1XAbFHDFdgXzSD6k1w4RYaRfLsu0EmOp2IiF5r0AghN4-fbFUvTNW3b5CF8bPSj_NqRx0WAOoGMtojrvWCkZ6Ds/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDH-aQ6IOL3acKgfv1gxjf38wxmlHLFjZBFLutsZqICc6XpBNnpR6ZN1XAbFHDFdgXzSD6k1w4RYaRfLsu0EmOp2IiF5r0AghN4-fbFUvTNW3b5CF8bPSj_NqRx0WAOoGMtojrvWCkZ6Ds/s320/photo+(3).JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Post race mimosas! <br />
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Esprit de She was an awesome event that I can't wait to do again! They have events all across the nation, everything from triathlons, to road races. I can't wait to du another du!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-61542548116527717012013-10-28T19:36:00.001-07:002013-10-28T19:36:12.279-07:00The I Hate Running Club Needs a New PresidentThere's so much that I love about coaching, especially group coaching. I am very proud of my job and I find it to be incredibly moving. Through my work, I get to see people transform, not only physically, but mentally as well.<br />
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I have a lot of great coaching stories and some runners that I am really...really...really proud of, and I've only just begun. I feel blessed to have fallen into this job. <br />
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My first official round of group run coaching was a class of 11. Most of the people in the class had never run before. Several of them "hated" running and were only doing it because....they wanted to lose weight...they wanted to join their family of runners...their friends ran. <br />
<br />But there was one who really hated running.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A lot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">No, I mean. A <span style="font-size: x-large;">lot. </span></span><br />
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Despite coming to run club for a while, and always going out to join the group in the run, she still <i>hated running</i>.<br />
<br />Despite the fact that her daughter is a gifted cross country athlete and future elite runner, she still <i>hated running</i>.<br />
<br />Despite really wanting to do a triathlon, she still <i>hated running.</i><br />
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She hated running so much that she received a special title from me....<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: magenta;"><b>"President of the I Hate Running Club" </b></span><br />
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Much as she hated running, she still kept up with the program and was faithful in her attendance. She complained a lot, never really moved past hating running.<br />
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Eight weeks after starting the program, I had the honor of watching her finish her first 5K and it was one of the most moving moments for me as a runner. She was smiling ear to ear as she ran in and crossed the line. I knew the smile was a cover up, because deep in there, she still hated running, but she had put that aside for a while and reached her goal of finishing a race.<br />
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Much to my surprise, she decided to sign up for my half marathon class. I was really excited when she made the commitment. I knew that underneath the thorny <i>I Hate Running Club Crown </i>there was more, there was a runner. <br />
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And in the last few weeks....that runner has come out to play. No longer is she complaining about having to run 20, 30, 40 straight minutes. She is sailing through 6, 8 mile runs. Every run she finishes, there's a smile, and I think this is a genuine smile. I get texts that make my day, "I did it! I did 7 miles...!" <br />
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Her ability to put aside her true hatred of running and to keep on coming back for more, is what has been my biggest motivation into trying cycling and swimming. She held my hand while I went cycle shopping and even took me out on my first bike ride. Much as she hated running, I hated swimming. And so she helped me get over that, too! <br />
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While her <b>running </b>has been increasingly improving, this morning I got confirmation that her<b> attitude </b>was, also. As I was preparing for my crazy day of teaching, I got one of the most amazing texts a coach could ask for. <br />
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"Would you believe that I am actually sad about not being able to run today?"<br />
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And with that text....she lost her title.<br />
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Congratulations, Lisa. Welcome to the world of being a<span style="font-size: x-large;"> <i>RUNNER</i></span>,<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-87692189019966768512013-10-25T19:33:00.003-07:002013-10-25T19:33:38.000-07:00Pacing isn't for SissiesA few weeks ago I ran my annual "get your ass back in shape" half marathon. The race where I realize that I didn't keep up my training as much as I thought I had over the summer.<br />
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Last year the Showdown was the race that changed my life. It's where I met one of my best running friends...which led to my current status as a run coach.<br />
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The race it self was a beast; it was hot, hilly, and I was in horrible shape. But I loved the big burnt orange medal, the personalized bibs, and mostly, I love the race director, so I vowed to not only run it again this year, but give back, by being a pacer. I was selected to pace the 2:45 group and was excited.<br />
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I knew that pacing was going to be tricky. I'm an erratic runner. While some of my friends can "set it and forget it" my pace is all over the place. In a 6 mile stretch, I can go anywhere from an 8:30 mm to a 12:30 mm. In an effort to improve, I'd been working on a much steadier pace throughout late summer/early fall. To really practice, I did my 10 mile long run on the treadmill, at a 12:33 pace so that I could really learn what that 2:45 half was supposed to feel like. It was a struggle, since my "natural pace" is a bit faster. I thought that would just make race day easier. (I was wrong). <br />
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This year's race wasn't any better weather-wise. It was hot, the ozone was horrible. The course was challenging, and everyone who had started out in my pace group dropped off by mile 8. I chugged along, and as much as I wanted to quit, I couldn't because I was a pacer. And pacers aren't allowed to be sissies. <br />
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I think the way I was feeling from mile 8 to mile 13.1 is pretty accurately depicted in *the best race photo ever*<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-41204345413155070662013-10-25T18:57:00.001-07:002013-10-25T18:57:15.738-07:00Runner's FeetFull disclosure: I've never had "pretty feet." In fact, I've got probably the ugliest feet in the world, well, maybe my dad does, but I'm a close second. I like to blame it on being a runner.<br />
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"Ha ha, oh yea, my ugly runner feet!"<br />
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But the truth is, my feet have always been ugly, now I just have a really good alibi, and I use it a lot.<br />
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This week in school, my students painted their hands and their feet, and we made bats for our Stellaluna unit.<br />
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I joined in, because, really, I am a big kid. Even though we used Tempra paint, it didn't come off despite our usage of 157 baby wipes each. <br />
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The next day I went to school in flip flops. Big mistake. <br />
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Ugly runner feet with black paint residue is not something that little kids can really handle...<br />
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"Mrs. Amanda. What's wrong with your foot? Is it broken?"<br /><br />"No, that's just a crack and the paint won't come off"<br />
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"Mrs. Amanda, your feet are cracking? In half?"<br />
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"No, it's just like, a scrape."<br /><br />"Mrs. Amanda, I think you need surgery to fix your broken feet! It's really wrong."<br />
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"No. It's okay. It's just the skin."<br /><br />"Mrs. Amanda. When you go to the hospital to have your foot cut off, you will be in a wheel chair."<br /><br />"They aren't going to cut off my foot. It's not broken."<br /><br />"What is WRONG with your FOOT?"<br />
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"It's just UGLY RUNNER'S FEET! Get back to work!"<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-78483119475163118012013-10-06T19:01:00.001-07:002013-10-06T19:01:24.573-07:00Little Coach Knows Her StuffEvery Saturday morning my alarm rudely awakes me at 5:30 a.m. When most people are sleeping in, as one should be on a Saturday morning, I'm racing to get myself dressed, Isla loaded in the car seat, her snacks packed, Quinn dressed for soccer, and be at the gym by 7 a.m. Saturday mornings typically start out with me saying some choice words about my current choice in careers.<br />
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However, once we get to the gym it seems worth it. My earliest class is a group of over 50 people training for their first half marathon. It's a fun group, because they are pushing themselves with new distances every Saturday. <br />
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Isla typically sleeps or vegges out for the first run- BOB is her second bedroom. However last Saturday, she was in rare form. After we stretched and began our walk towards the course, Isla was talking with my runners and asking questions about how far everyone was going.<br />
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Then she says, "Mommy, when I get a little bit bigger, will you get me a Garmin, too, so I can know how far I running?"<br />
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The runners in my group burst into roars of laughter. You know that your kid has spent a LOT of time with runners when she knows what a Garmin IS, what it does, and asks for one. <br />
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I usually pace a group out for the first 30 mins, but have to turn back to start my next two groups at 8. After I got my group paced, and off on their way, I headed back to meet my 5K'ers. Isla told me that she wanted to get out and run, too. I was pretty hesitant to let her out of the stroller because once she's out, she never wants to get back in, and lately, she says she wants to run....and it lasts 15 steps before, "CARRY ME, CARRY ME!"<br />
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This time, however....she ran.<br />
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She ran for 3/4 miles straight without stopping, and then walked the rest of the way back in to the gym. The best part about it was...she ran in her zebra footie jammies.<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-70275994780281451172013-09-30T18:57:00.002-07:002013-09-30T18:57:38.620-07:00Just Keep Swimming....!I have a shocking confession....<br />
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I've been <span style="color: blue;"><i><b>swimming</b></i></span>...and I LIKE it. <br />
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No, I mean I REALLY like it.<br />
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In March I started swimming a little bit because I *had* to, in order to be able to pass a life guarding test. I hated it. It wasn't fun. I complained the whole time, and thought I was going to die with each lap. Certainly it helped my running, but I was only swimming in order to get through a test.<br />
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However, I had my first and second swimming lesson and now, I am enjoying swimming. Dare I say, I feel like I'm becoming a ... swimmer!<br />
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Swimming really and truly is all about breathing. Especially for a runner who already has pretty decent athletic ability, it's a matter of changing your breathing patterns and learning some certain skills. So thanks to a fantastic swim instructor and a motivational friend, I'm swimming! And I totally like it.<br />
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Now, whether I can actually survive swimming in a lake without going in to a total panic attack...that's another story!<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-87619571277728593572013-09-23T07:26:00.001-07:002013-09-23T07:26:21.086-07:00Go Ride a Bike...Let's do a DuathlonThere are times that I'm convinced that everything happens for a reason, and the whole darn thing comes together in the end. When you have a crappy day, or a crappy morning, maybe the news you got turns into the push you needed to try something new....<br />
<br />
Such as....the morning my Ortho told me to "take up cycling and swimming..." turned into the afternoon in which I received a phone call asking me to help promote an upcoming duathlon and participate as an ambassador for our company. Irony, right?<br />
<br />
A few more phone calls, some networking, and I'm at the cycle shop, getting fitted for my bike! I don't even know how to ride a bike! (I mean, I know how to ride a bike, but not, like really ride, for a substantial amount of miles!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6mw4qdNeupeAFwqc4C3vqRDeIklHVo4DlBqGmxwB-wSZwPCRclzSz3iTcE0E7iTBxCV3P6xsCNHjKYsdyfluEOW3uQfnev_hCZCoLjUOyraA0dYTk61EAVtkFJ8R-VTLj7mDf5LJGr5_/s1600/photo(35).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6mw4qdNeupeAFwqc4C3vqRDeIklHVo4DlBqGmxwB-wSZwPCRclzSz3iTcE0E7iTBxCV3P6xsCNHjKYsdyfluEOW3uQfnev_hCZCoLjUOyraA0dYTk61EAVtkFJ8R-VTLj7mDf5LJGr5_/s320/photo(35).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Thanks to <a href="http://www.sunandski.com/Frisco_Stonebriar_s/500476.htm">Sun and Ski Sports in Frisco</a>, I've got a bike to train on and participate in for this upcoming Duathlon and I feel ready! I was shaking like a leaf when I went in to see Jorge at the store. I know nothing about cycling, aside from sit and pedal. The concept of getting fitted to a bike was completely new to me. So I was incredibly thankful that Jorge took so much time to help me understand these things and get me on a bike that's perfect!<br />
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I took the bike out for my first distance ride yesterday, and got in an easy 6 miles. It was so much fun! I really liked cycling. It was a great workout, both for my heart and my legs. But without the pounding. Now, waking up this morning...I'm sore in places I didn't know existed, so that will be a new experience, but I'm super excited that I've got this new sport to try. Looking forward to joining the multisport world....Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-14990654096025975782013-09-18T16:14:00.000-07:002013-09-18T16:16:54.501-07:00Chia...the seeds...not the pets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am the first to admit that I'm a major sucker for every new healthy food fads that comes across my desk.<br />
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For example- when the big deal was no more plastic water bottles, because plastic water bottles caused cancer, we stopped buying cases of bottled water. We started filtering our own and stocked up on glassware.<br />
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When the big deal was no more soy, because soy gives you cancer we stopped buying soy and switched to almond milk.<br />
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When the big deal was that almond milk has carrageenan and that gives you cancer, we switched to coconut milk.<br />
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Similarly, when everyone was all about the Flax, we added Flax to our pancakes, muffins, cookies, and protein shakes. Quinoa? <i>Last summer's brilliant food innovation</i>, we ate that for breakfast and dinner. <br />
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So this year the buzz amongst endurance athletes has been all about the <b>Chia seeds</b>.<br />
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"<i>Oh eat the chia seeds before your run, they'll help!</i>"<br />
"<i>I don't use Gu anymore! I just bring Chia.</i>"<br />
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And I'm all like....Chia....as in....the PETS?<br />
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Of course, I had to check this out, because I'm all about sparkly new things. I hit up the Whole Foods and grabbed a big scoop of the black buggers from the bulk bin. I wasn't really sure, do we eat them...raw? Like? A handful of yumminess? Do I put them in my shake? I'm confused.<br />
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Not surprisingly, I got ambitious (read: didn't feel like taking the time to google or pinterest "how to eat chia seeds") and threw a handful of them in my mouth...<br />
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<i> Chia Seeds too... </i></div>
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Anyway, I liked them and started adding them to my pre-run vegan shake every morning. I felt like they were helping, I was able to crank out my 8 and 10 mile runs without needing any Gu/Stingers, and felt better over all.<br />
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When a friend came over, I was telling her all about my love of the Chia seeds, and, when she questioned whether I was <i><b>licking</b></i> a terra cotta critter I purchased from Walgreens or <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Mart, your choice)</span>, I broke out my fancy bag and showed her...she burst into laughter...<br />
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"Amanda...that's bird seed...you're eating BIRD SEED."<br />
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Some people just don't get my desire to be healthy..... <br />
Seriously, they work. I like them. <br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-20169268700306048032013-09-13T13:18:00.000-07:002013-09-13T14:33:28.040-07:00Exactly HOW old am I? Hip FAI and Running<div style="text-align: center;">
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So I've complained to most everyone in my personal and running circles about my stupid stubborn hip, and how much I hate it. But I haven't really talked about what the deal is. Mostly because it sucks (if you haven't gathered that, yet). I've had to spend the last week or so processing the diagnosis and learning more, and I'm a bit angry about the situation. So excuse the less than stellar writing and the colorful language as I explain what's going on....<br />
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I was beginning to plot out my training plan to venture into the world of ultramarathoning. For a year or so I've been "wanting" to do an ultra (as in a 50 miler), and I was nearing commitment. I'd already locked into the Cowtown Ultra (which is 31.something miles) and the plan was to use that as my launching pad into real training.<br />
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<i>And then I fell off an inflatable climbing wall.</i><br />
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I heard a funny "pop" in my hip and it hurt like a mo'fo. But like most things, I pretended it didn't happen, ignored it, and ran another 25 mile week after it happened. When I finally decided to see my chiropractor about the matter, it was a week later and we were looking at some big freakin' deal.<br />
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"You may have broken your hip, here genius. This totally
confirms you're old." is what he told me after the X-Ray showed some
"funky" looking stuff going on in my hip joint. <br />
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We also remembered that I'd experienced some funky pain in that hip last year around the same time, so it would be best to examine further and ordered me for an MRI and told me that there was to be zero running until further notice. <br />
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On my way home, <b>I cried my eyes out</b>.<br />
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We runners are addicts. <i> Like drug addicts</i>. If you told a meth addict that they were going to lose all their teeth tomorrow, and so you just stole their stash, they'd lose their shit. That's exactly what happened when running was taken from me. I lost any sense of ability to think rationally and went into pure, "<span style="font-size: large;"><b>OMG</b></span>, my hip is broken, I can't run, I can't coach, I'm a mess." Plus my hip hurt. A lot.<br />
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An MRI and a trip to the surgeon's office got me my diagnosis; which sort of stinks more than a broken hip. <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Though, at least it makes me feel 30 years younger. </span></i> While I don't have a fracture, I have an anterior labral tear, which is more likely a result of a condition called FAI, and the fall sort of helped the tear happen.<br />
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<b>WTH is FAI?</b> Someone who has Hip FAI (Hip Impingement) has a hip socket that's essentially screwed up from the get go. The "ball" of the hip joint is misshapen or set in the wrong way so that it doesn't work "smoothly" and the bone can become rough, spurred, and impinge the labrum. Mine has caused a tear, which will eventually require surgical repair.<br />
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The good news is that my hip doesn't typically hurt much when I'm running, after about 3 miles. Once everything is warmed up and loosened and I'm in the zone, things are good. The bad news is that it hurts like holy heck when I'm done.<br />
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I'm in no hurry to have hip surgery, which at this point would only be to correct the tear. There is no cure for FAI, only some relief from Physical Therapy. FAI could be a big deal as I get older, and as my surgeon put it, if I don't "chill out a little now" I'll pay for it in my 40's. <br />
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This is a new hurdle in my life and I'll have to adjust my goals. Instead of looking forward to training for 50 milers, I'll probably have to reconsider my future plans. My surgeon's recommendation was to "do less marathons, take up biking, or swimming" which I totally translated into: "50 mile runs bad- but Iron Man tri good."<br />
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Clearly I'm not ready to rent a walker and lay down on the couch for the rest of my life....2 hours after leaving my surgeon's office, I had successfully dealt with my frustrating diagnosis by spending quality time on a treadmill with my best pal....<br />
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Kiss it hip....I ain't got time for you.</div>
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-34022170084116289232013-09-05T08:35:00.002-07:002013-09-05T08:35:23.627-07:00Running with Style: My Obsession with Running Form Like a great training plan is periodized in 3 week increments, so is my obsession with pieces of run coaching. For a while I was really into learning about cadence, and focusing on my own; how many steps am I taking each minute? Then it was on electrolytes; Nuun vs. Baltic Sea Salts. Currently, I'm obsessed with Running Form. I'm into trying to make my own form better. You know, in case you didn't catch that, on my last blog entry.<br />
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But recently my interest in running form has taken a sort of stalkerish turn. I'm doing a whole lot of WATCHING runners. I watch runners at run club. "<i>Did you see his form? Ugh, it's HIDEOUS!</i>" or "<i>You have the most beautiful form I've ever seen, can I take a picture of it?</i>"<br />
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I watch runners crossing the street as I sit at the stop light, "<i>Oh my, please stop using your legs as brakes.</i>" Don't worry, I say that to Isla, I haven't (yet) rolled down my window and yelled it out. <br />
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YouTube is a great place for me to turn this obsession, as there's lots of video there of runners, who have beautiful form and we can learn from them. <br />
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One of my runners battles with her upper body form, and it's become a sort of ongoing joke for us. She loves to find her finish line photos and compare how funky her hand looks in the various races we do. Today we were discussing her form, and I suggested that she really focus on her arm movement, <a href="http://getagriplady.blogspot.com/2013/08/anniversary-run-and-working-on-proper.html">pulling back instead of pushing forward</a>, to help stop her from doing the T-Rex arms. <br />
To carry my obsession a little further, I tried finding some graphics of T-Rex Runners, when, I discovered this little gem. See...even Eric is guilty of T-Rex Arms when he runs. <br />
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<i>Hey, Alexander Skarsgard...if you need help fixing that hideous form...give me a call. I'll coach you any time. </i></div>
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2285699515734227793.post-88396546678686596902013-08-28T17:32:00.002-07:002013-08-28T17:32:24.680-07:00Anniversary Run and Working on Proper FormYesterday I had the most amazing run. It was almost a heavenly experience, one of those runs where you're on "the high" the entire time. It was my Runner-versary, 6 years since my life changed because I decided to become a runner. I decided to celebrate with a treadmill at work. <div>
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I have a half marathon coming up in October that I'm a pacer for. It's my first time serving as an official Race Pacer, and I'm doing it at a pace slower than my norm. So I've been attempting to spend more time at that particular pace in an effort to make it a comfortable "zone" for me. A treadmill is perfect for this sort of thing, since you plug in your pace, and get going. My goal was to do at least 5 miles, but not commit to anything. Just to...go!</div>
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When my music started, I was hooked. It'd been some time since I've run with music, since I'm almost always chatting with Isla or my running partners lately. My music was a welcomed change and really helped me sync into a great zone. </div>
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I struggled with the slower pace, as I had a lot of pent up energy and really wanted to run the crap out of myself. For that, I was particularly glad I had chosen to do this workout on a treadmill.</div>
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Another cool thing is that when I run at the gym, I have the opportunity to evaluate my form, as the treadmills are next to a wall of mirrors. I've been particularly focused on my upper body positioning lately, as my hands tend to do wonky things when I run without a stroller and I've caught myself in the T-Rex Runner position a few times lately. Not cute. Not effective.</div>
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Also, I've learned through Coach training that while you're holding your elbows at a 90 degree angle, you're not concerned about pushing your arms forward, only backwards. I've always been one to push my hands forward with every step, but really you should be pushing your elbows back with each stride. It SOUNDS the same, when you're talking about it, however, when you're practicing this in motion, it's a completely different sensation and much more effective at balancing out and lengthening your stride. Also, when you're focus is pulling back, you're less likely to T-Rex your arms, and cross your chest. </div>
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When I really focused on my arms doing this motion correctly, my stride was a lot easier, and my whole "run" felt lighter. It's definitely something that I'll continue to work on. I think that using a treadmill, especially one near a mirror, will be really helpful for monitoring and working on my form.</div>
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Thanks to Katy Perry, I was able to "ROAR" through 8 miles with a smile, and was sad to have to stop!</div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01889186732128796224noreply@blogger.com