Running
Less Stress, More Flexible
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I’m sure it’s pretty obvious from my posts, tweets, and photos that I’m still running and practicing yoga. Am I training for anything special? Nope. I still get up at 4:30a everyday to get a workout in, but it’s because it’s a commitment to myself. I can hear the comments now. ”Wait, you’re running just to run?” Yep.
Ever since I started running in 2007 I’ve never felt that I had to have a race to train for in order to push me out the door on a daily basis to get my runs in. Staying true to my promise, I haven’t signed up for a race and have no plans to do so in the near future. That’s not to say that I’ll never sign up for a race ever again, it just means right now I’m just simply enjoying my runs just to run. I still wear my Garmin but rarely use it and only wear it since my ID is attached. And I have absolutely no idea when the last time I signed into Daily Mile to log a workout.
Want to know what I’ve found? I actually enjoy running more. Other than my obligation to myself I have nothing hanging over my head. If I miss a run or feel like mixing it up for the day, it’s not the end of the world. What’s even more crazy is that I’m probably working out more than I ever have since most days I generally have two workout sessions. Don’t freak out. In no way am I wearing myself into the ground. In the past my job called for me to be on my feet anywhere from 8-12 hours, often at a high intensity pace. Now that I have a desk job I feel so stagnant during the day, hence why I’m all for the two-a-days. (I hesitate to call yoga a “workout”. Oftentimes it is, but that’s not the point to my practice)
Either way, this is basically what my weekly workout schedule looks like….
Mondays – Morning yoga at home (30 min), lunchtime Total Body class at work (30 min)
Tuesdays -Morning run (usually a simple 3 miler), lunchtime yoga class at work (45 min)
Wednesdays - Morning yoga at home (30 min), lunchtime Zumba class at work (30 min)
Thursdays -Morning run (usually a simple 3 miler), lunchtime yoga class at work (45 min)
Fridays – Rest
Saturday/Sunday – Hike or Run each day
I’m nowhere near burnt out like I have been in the past and I just roll with it when an opportunity like practicing yoga poolside with some of fave Cholla Chicks happens.
I seriously lack the ability to find a happy medium in almost all aspects of my life. Most often you’ll find me going balls to wall in a certain direction. It should come as no surprise then that I’ve never been able to master cross-training. In no way am I saying I’ve mastered it (far from it) but for once I can actually say I’m getting better at it…when I’m not even trying! Now, if I could only implement some strength training in there….that’s a whole different post….
The most awesome thing about this isn’t necessarily where I am physically (although that’s not half bad either), but where I am mentally. I love that I’m back to digging my workouts, am actually enjoying them (say what?!), and for once am accepting and embracing the flexibility of my schedule. All because I don’t have to workout. I get to.
Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)
Finding My #BrilliantRun With @MizunoRunning
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Although I have no focus to this blog I think I could consider the simple topic of ”change” as an ongoing theme. It’s amazing to look over the past months and see what all has changed…heck, even from day-to-day. So it should come as no surprise that here I am once again writing about change.
Unfortunately for me this past year of running has been straight up challenging. There’s not one specific thing I can pinpoint when it comes to this change…it’s just part of the journey. Weight gain, change in gait, different weather….all of those things add in to the change. With that being said I wanted to do my best to rule out any variables that could be contributing to this issue. I’ve hashed and rehashed how I love my Mizuno Wave Riders but one thing I wondered was if my shoes were complicating my existing issues.
Early this year I had the opportunity to try of a pair of Wave Precisions and fell in love in a heartbeat. I can’t put into words how awesome and light they felt but they weren’t quite minimalist. Sadly as time went on I started to feel ankle discomfort/strain during my runs. Having less shoe also meant less support and less control of my foot in the shoe. I was in denial that the Precision wasn’t my perfect shoe because I loved how good they felt. After the discomfort persisted I decided it was time to do something about it.
Last month I took a trip to my local Road Runner Sports store. Instead of just winging it I went ahead and met up with Shoe Dog, had my gate analyzed, and was fit with custom insoles. The analysis proved that I have crazy high arches (already knew that). However, unlike many people with high arches I don’t underpronate (roll my foot on the outside edge) when I run. I find this interesting because I most definitely do when I walk. Instead, I tend to overpronate (foot leans to inside, on the arch), causing more stress on my arches. I’m also a midfoot striker…this is a good thing, right? After my analysis they recommended I go with a support shoe that would correct my overpronating. I left the store with my bright blue Wave Inspires ready to run.
My first run started out pretty good. My foot felt more secure than it ever had, but at 1.5 miles my achilles started burning along with my cuboid. Although this is a problem I’ve dealt with in the past it was well over a year ago since I had any flareups. By the end of 3 miles I was in straight up pain. Bummer. But I stayed positive knowing that I needed to give myself time to adjust. Unfortunately things never really improved and I knew it was time to head back to the drawing board.
Thankfully with Road Runner Sports 90 day test run guarantee they didn’t bat an eye when I went in to get them exchange. They actually listened to all of my concerns and didn’t act like I was a crazy person (even though we all know that I am….). In a nutshell they determined that I needed to stay in a more neutral vs support shoe and basically the Inspire was almost over correcting my gait. In other words, I didn’t need that much support.
What’s up Shoe Dog?
After our discussion I tried on the Wave Enigma and Wave Creation. The Enigma felt great but I found it had too high of an ankle collar that rubbed my ankle bone simply from walking. Needless to say those were vetoed almost immediately. Next up, the Wave Creation. Ever since starting to run I never judge shoes by what they look like or their color, but I gotta say, these are some badass looking shoes. Something I noticed off the bat was that that they are heavier than I’m used too. I was used to the Precisions at 8 oz and Riders at 8.2 oz. The Creations weigh in a 9.7 oz…More than an ounce over the Riders, which is attributed to the solid heel. But I remained open minded.
So did the Creations work for me? It’s been more than a week since I started running in them and things are going very well. By no means are these as light as the Precisions but I must admit the don’t feel the extra weight and it hasn’t seemed to cause any issues. Although the Creation is considered a neutral shoe it provides a bit more support than the Rider but not as much as the Inspire, leaving it smack dab in the middle of their shoe line up.
Are they my perfect shoe? I will readily admit I have yet to fall in love with them as fast as I did the Riders and then Precisions, but they are what is working best for me right now. I don’t think I’ll ever totally give up Riders or Precisions and instead use my body as a gauge as to what shoe works best. And right now, the Creations are what are working best.
Although some may see this process as being frustrating and tedious I thought it was pretty cool. I am a self-proclaimed Mizuno Maniac and this allowed me to not only check out their line of shoes but gave me the chance to actually run in them and experience them for myself. This in turn has given me a better understanding of the difference between more of their shoes. Although I have yet to try the entire line of shoes I can check off Riders, Precisions, Ascends, Inspires, Enigmas, and Creations from the list. This experience also gave me the chance to check out the Shoe Dog analysis at Road Runner Sports and I got to see that the whole 90 day guarantee is for real. Pretty rad. Big high five to Road Runner for being patient with me.
I think the biggest takeaway from this experience was that it reminded me that it’s very important to listen to my body, check in with myself, and make adjustments instead of just doing something a certain way because it’s what I’ve always done.
Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)
Help! I Need New Workout Clothes
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Over the past year I’ve added a few pieces of fit gear here and there. Some of it I won from giveaways while others were to review. The majority of it has been yoga based. As I looked through my running clothes I realized it had been awhile since I had updated. Some items no longer fit (yep, gained some weight) while others just look sad and mangy. Like my fashion (or lack thereof) when I get set on something I like I buy in multiples and have some favorites. When it comes to fit gear right support and fit are deal breakers. As I took to the stores looking to replenish and update my gear I quickly realized it may be harder than I expect. Let me do some explaining…
I’ll start with the easier problem, shorts. For shorter runs I’m a Nike Tempo short wearer. Anything longer than that I wear Road Runner Sports compression shorts to reduce thigh chafing. I’m leaning towards shorter runs these days so I’m wearing my Tempos more. These are one of the items that have gotten tighter. I figured I’d just go up a size but going up a size made me feel like I was wearing a diaper. I need an in-between size. So…..I guess I need to search out a new go-to short.
As for tanks, this is where things get a bit more complicated. If the subject of bras and boobs isn’t your thing, stop here. A little TMI but I’m honestly reaching out for help….
Keeping it real, my boobs can cause some major issues when it comes to running. This is actually one of the things that kept me from attempting to run for so many years. Due to fibrosis it’s imperative that those suckers don’t move an inch. Thankfully after some researching and real-life testing I found some bras that worked.
I love Nike Pro Bras. Unfortunately for me they don’t provide enough support when it comes to wearing looser t-shirt tops or tanks without shelf bras. That’s where my Moving Comfort bra comes into play. It works perfectly for t-shirts but a no go for tanks without shelf bras as I have the overflow side boob chafing action. Not cool.
To break it down:
Tank with shelf bra = Nike Pro Bra
T-shirt = Moving Comfort Bra
Tank without shelf bra = ??
Ever tried running and taking photo at the same time? Not easy.
So you may think, “What’s the big deal? Just wear t-shirts or find tanks with shelf bras and avoid tanks without shelf bras.” If it were only that easy. It seems that the concept of tanks with functional shelf bras aren’t the thing anymore. Sure, some have them but they don’t help one bit. The tanks that I do find seem to fit me looser in the chest and tight around the waist. As I already stated, although I consider myself pretty busty, I have a larger cup size but am smaller around. Add that to my curvy hips. I’m the exact opposite fit for the tanks. Are my proportion sizes wacky compared to normal people?
I’ve scoured Dick’s Sporting Goods, TJMaxx, Target, Road Runner Sports, Old Navy, Nike, Reebok, Under Armor and haven’t walked away with anything that works. So this is my cry for help. Do you have any of the same problems? If so, do you have any “favorites” that I need to check out? Or, if you’re a brand that specializes in fit gear, help a sister out. I would LOVE to see tanks with snug chest areas with longish, looser waists. I can picture them in my head….Trust me when I say, my working out depends on this. That or I’ll have to keep running in my old stinky gear.
Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)
4/25/13: I Am Grateful For….
0April 25, 2013
You know, I could actually plan out my blog posts, like I used to…something like every Friday write my “grateful” posts. But that never felt right and let’s be honest, that sort of planning actually works against my whole “Be Here Now” plan. I’m over it. I’m going to write what I want to write, when I want to write. For those that are regular readers I’m sure you’ve already picked up on this transition since I used to post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, which is no longer happening.
Although I’ve always had control over my blog, (hello, I write it.) taking this thought and actually living it has felt empowering. I also have to say that my blogging voice is coming through much easier . My posts may not flow all that well (not that they ever did), but lately I’ve found that when I sit down to type there’s a much easier flow from my brains thoughts to keyboard.
So, with all that being said, it’s been several weeks since I’ve posted about things that I am grateful for I figured it’s time to share.
Mobile banking. Since we have direct deposit that last time we stopped at our bank was months ago. Direct deposit is awesome given that we bank with a credit union and there aren’t locations on every street corner. I recently received a check in the mail to be deposited but kept putting off depositing it because it wasn’t convenient to make my way over to our bank. However, I just happened to check if they offered mobile deposits, like Bank of America shows in their commercials, and sure enough they do! I simply downloaded the app, took a few photos, submitted, and within 24 hours the deposit was accepted. Now, I gotta admit, the whole thought is a bit scary but given that it’s not something I’d be doing regularly it’s a rad option to have.
Swanson Vitamins. After mobile banking and now reading this next one you may think I’m lazy. I swear, I’m not. It’s all about convenience! Coming from a small town I often had to order vegan products to avoid making hour-long trips to Whole Foods and such. Living in Phoenix has made things a lot easier, but heading to the store or mall drives me bonkers (can you believe D loves shopping way more than me?). So from clothes, food, and other odds and ends, I’m all about online shopping. The friendly folks at Swanson Vitamins contacted me and asked to see if I’d like to check out their products and services. Free goodies for trying them out? Why not? I must admit I was pretty blown away not only by the prices (the vitamins I normally order on Amazon are actually cheaper from Swanson) but they have so much more than just vitamins. I was thrilled I could purchase so many of the things I regularly use all from one source.
I also decided to order some Justin’s Nut Butter, which I had never tried. That may or may not have been a good idea. I’ll let you decide.
Running mojo. After several months off of running it may be back. I attribute this to listening to my body, taking a break from my daily runs, and adding in yoga. As you know over the past several weeks I’ve added in Zumba and Total Body classes to the mix. I have slowly pieced together all of this cross-training and am back to working out on a daily basis. I am no longer running everyday (like I used to), but I still workout everyday, with the exception of rest days, and still manage to practice yoga. It feels good and more importantly I’m having fun.
Amande Yogurt. I was never a big fan of yogurt prior to going vegan so it wasn’t something I missed. Several months ago I just so happened to see yogurt at Sprouts Farm Market that was made of almond milk. I was intrigued and grabbed the the coconut flavor. Delicious! I have since tried their other flavors, which are tasty as well, but coconut wins hands down. Unfortunately the closest Sprouts doesn’t carry the coconut flavor nor do they carry the large containers (hence, why David went on the hunt). I have since found the flavor and size at Whole Foods, but it takes a bit of a drive, so I stock up whenever I’m in the area.
Grateful Jar. Speaking of gratefuls. Just like many people we chose to start a Grateful Jar at the beginning of the year. Although I’m not great at putting something in each day I usually make up for it the rest of the days and the jar is slowly filling up. I look forward to reading them at the end of the year. Should be fun!
Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)
#BostonStrongPHX Recap
0April 23, 2013
in Running
My friend, Brian, also known as PavementRunner in the online community, came up with the idea of BostonStrong. I debated organizing a run in the PHX area. Would anyone even show up? After conversing with my friends and with their assistance, I went ahead with the plan.
The Phoenix event literally started a small idea….a few friends, meeting at the iRun running store, getting together for a run. I thought, “Why not make it public? Some others may be interested.” I went ahead, made a Facebook event, and waited to see what would happen. Within the first 12 hours we had close to 30 people commit. As the days passed the number continued to grow. With the help of Mark at iRun, an actual event began to take shape. Even more, I saw different events across Phoenix take shape. Some may say, “Well other events means more competition for your event.” This was never about competition. BostonStrong was simply about getting the running community out and running. Seeing the response, not only across the valley but the world, has taught me to never doubt the heart of my fellow runners
I cannot tell you how many people showed up to iRun yesterday evening since I lost count after 25. Mark set up a table with a ton of running gear. Any donation to the Challenged Athletes Foundation, no matter how large or small, allowed you to choose an item or two off of the table. Multiple pairs of shoes were given away through raffle drawings in hopes of collecting donations for the foundation as well.
Shortly after 6:30p our massive group of runners took off through the streets of Phoenix with everyone going their own pace. One thing is for sure, we had all paces and age groups covered.
The run ended with a moment of silence complete with candles followed by everyone hanging out and enjoying pizza offered my iRun.
What an experience….all from a simple idea. I reference this quote ALL of the time. It’s one of my faves and I could hear it ringing through my ears the entire evening.
Running is such an individual sport but we are still a community…a family. I know each person had a different reason for being at the run tonight. Whatever their reason, I am grateful they were there.
A big thank you to everyone who turned out tonight and a HUGE thank you Mark and iRun.
Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)
Come Run #BostonStrongPHX
0April 17, 2013
in Running
I’ve seen some people criticize runners that are wearing race shirts or running miles “for Boston” saying, “What’s running/wearing something going to do? You can’t change what happened.” What they don’t realize is that everyone deals with tragedy in a different way. Some pray, some cry, and some…run.
True. I can’t change what happened but I can focus on the love and community that surrounds the sport that I so love. A sport that no matter how many times I need a break it’s always there for me when I return. A sport that has created some of my best friendships and best memories. A sport that has nudged me past my physical and emotional limits. A sport that bridged the gap and helped me meet new people when I moved across the United States. A sport that changed my life 6 years ago.
My rad friend, PavementRunner, came up with a fabulous idea. One week after Boston, let’s all meet up for a run. Of course all of us from across the US can’t meet up in one location….but we can meet up by city. The idea?
A run for us to unite and show our strength.
A run for those that were unable to finish.
A run for those that may never run again.
A run for us to try and make sense of the tragedy that has forever changed something we love.
So what do you say? You. Me. Let’s go for a run.
It’s quite simple. We’ll meet up and run/walk 3 miles (or whatever distance you’d like). Nothing fancy. No worries about time or pace….just a group of people getting together to run.
Details for the #BostonStrongPHX
Location: iRun, 4730 E Indian School. Phoenix, Arizona 85018
Date: Monday, April 22, 2013
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Distance: 3 miles
Facebook Event Page: RSVP here
Spread the word. The more, the merrier!
For more details on organizing a run for your city visit PavementRunner’s site for more details.
Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)
Unity and Love In The Face Of Tragedy
0April 16, 2013
in Running
I had a post finished and ready to be published for Tuesday. I never got around to posting it. With all that happened in Boston I didn’t feel it was appropriate to share today. I debated posting anything today. I avoided the topic of Newtown and had actually planned to avoid this as well. At the same time I didn’t want to look like a total asshole by not mentioning it. But there’s a reason I avoid things like this. Because I suck at writing. Yes, I’m a blogger and yet I’ll be the first to admit that I suck at it. My grammar alone is horrible. Just look at the commas I like to throw in wherever I like. Always has been a problem….
Even more, I have a real hard time putting into words what I often feel, yyet I am a very sensory person, meaning I feel emotions so easily. I’m not claiming I have a special power, it’s just that I have pretty heightened senses. Mix the 2 together and I am just one big ball of emotion unable to express herself.
My thoughts are so often all over the place. I can have many opinions on a topic and sometimes they contradict each other. I am concerned my posts will come across as a bit schizophrenic and all over the place, which I feel is already the direction this post is heading. Needless to say, you’ll rarely, if ever find an eloquent post written by me.
Lastly, so often I try to avoid topics of conflict and/or try to make sure my wording is just right do I don’t offend anyone. Nowadays, you never know. Personally I feel there is so much more in the world to care about than being offended. Not to mention, 9 times out of 10 if you’re offended the problem is with you and not the offender…but what do I know.
So hence, why I avoid things like this, but I’m going to give it a go….let’s see what happens.
After the initial shock of receiving the news my first thought was love. I’m sure most people were sad if not angry. Although I had some time of sadness later on in the day I must say anger never entered my mind. Anger only drives darkness and there’s no room for that in my life. As for love? From giving to receiving, I want it to be in constant flow. And sure enough it was there. From the texts and tweets I received with people wondering if my running friends were okay (Yes, my friends were safe) to the outpouring of communication on social media, love was there.
Continuing on through today my social media feeds and google reader were full of posts focusing on the good and not the hatred that surrounds the situation. Sure there is anger out there, but what I’m seeing are individuals choosing to focus on the positive and coming together as a community.
I’ve seen this many times over. No, not the bombing, but something tragic happening that brings everyone together. My biggest fear is that just like every tragic experience we become lax and return to our old habits of judgement and discord. Why does it take such circumstances in order for us to make these changes? Why doesn’t it stick around? We’re having more of these unfortunate experiences and although we always have the time of unity we seem to return to our old ways faster and faster each time.
Our lives have once again been changed but we have the choice on which path to take. If I know anything about runners and Bostonians it is that we are passionate and neither of us are known to give up. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I’m grateful for all the acts of love I’ve witnessed. People donating blood, running memorial miles, wearing race shirts in support of the running community, and trending hashtags. This time around don’t let it end. I’m not saying we live in mourning. On the contrary, we need to celebrate life on a daily basis, continually uplifting each other as we face challenges, big or small. I’m not going to give up my hope on this idea even if I feel like I’m the only one trying.
Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)
If Fitness Is About Health Then Why Hurt Yourself?
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There once was a time when I didn’t care if I hurt my body while exercising. I just figured somehow my body would bounce back. Yes, I’ve gone down that road of pushing, pushing, pushing only to realize I was doing more harm than good. For instance, as I increased in mileage I found inflammation and pain in my bad knee. Then one day I thought, “WTF are you doing Heidi?” There was nothing that triggered this thought per se, it just happened….thankfully before I had done permanent damage.
This is what I believe: Fitness and physical activity should be challenging. There are times it should leave us tired and sore. Trust me when I say that allowing myself to fall deeper in an asana is not easy nor is it comfortable. However, barring the freak accident, fitness shouldn’t cause us pain, agony, or compromise our health and well-being. Yes, Exercise should make us push our limits, but not our breaking points.
As I scroll through my social media feeds so often I see fellow friends/athletes that are sharing their fitness injuries through photos. Torn hands from cross fit. Busted up runner’s knees being iced with peas. Bodies taped to the limit. I cringe at the sight of these photos. I don’t cringe because I feel their pain but at the thought of people voluntarily hurting their body.
Seeing these photos makes me realize that I’m in the minority when it comes to my beliefs. Then again, maybe people don’t really realize what they’re doing to their bodies? Or maybe they think it’s “proof” that they’re a bad ass? Or is it a one-upping type of thing? This all in turn begs the question, if instagram/social media didn’t exist would people be doing this to their bodies? Don’t get me wrong a little healthy competition or seeing other people out there pushing themselves may encourage others to get out there and move. It it can also have the opposite effect as well.
I’m no super athlete nor do I make a living off of my physical activities, which is the case for the majority of my friends. No doubt, the pros are out there pushing themselves, but most are in tune to their bodies more than the average Joe and are also in a different realm of physical capacity than most of us, right?
As always, the point of this isn’t to criticize anyone but more to share my recent thoughts and provide some food for thought. Physical activity/exercise is a commitment I’ve made to myself, but so is my health and well-being. From physical activity, to what food I eat, or even my everyday actions and choices, nowadays I ask myself, “Will this help me or hurt me?” and it makes my decisions much easier.
Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)
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There are only a couple days left to enter my Road Runner Sports Giveaway. Don’t forget to enter!
Bright & Versatile #FitGear From @RRSports – Giveaway!
104
It’s no secret that since moving to Phoenix I have fallen in love with Road Runner Sports. From the Adventure Runs to their other fun in-store events what’s not to love? Their fitness apparel is pretty darn cool as well and I’ve found it to performed amazingly well. However, they just upped the ante. With the help of the Road Runner Sports Tempe store I was able to grab a quick sneak peak of some of the newly released or soon-to-be released items. Wow! Bright colors and versatility are the two things that stuck out to me.
For me, the brighter the better so I’m in love with all of the colors.
I’ve also taken note of a few differences in the overall style of the clothing. Dare I say it’s more LuluLemon-esque? Which leads me to my next point. What I mean when it comes to versatility is the ability to transition from sweat to street with ease. Sure, the clothing is still active wear, but not all of it screams, “I’m a runner!” It can be easily worn for other active lifestyles….or in my case, even work.
Case in point. I have fallen utterly in love with my Out & About Cardi. I wear it a minimum of once a week and most often I wear it to work…in a business setting. Not only can I wear it to work but it can be worn 50 million (ok not really that many) ways. In all seriousness, it can be worn in more ways than you can imagine.
Having already connected with Road Runner Sports they reached out to me to see if I’d be interested in doing a giveaway. After consulting my own personal standards on holding giveaways, I think it fits perfectly, so let’s do this!
What’s up for grabs? This entire outfit below! Men, yes you can enter for the ladies in your life as well. Even better? Send them to this post to enter as well.
To sweeten the deal Road Runner has also included my absolute fave piece in the giveaway….
Yes, the Out & About Cardi! – dog not included 
There you have it. All 3 pieces of the outfit could be yours simply by entering. Cool, right?
Here’s how to enter:
-Leave me a comment below. With spring around the corner, what are you most looking forward to?
-For an additional entry, tweet about this giveaway and leave a separate comment here letting me know you did. Something along the lines of “WIN rad new #FitGear from @RRSports & @BananaBuzzbomb!!” or just click this to tweet.
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST March 20th, 2013. The winners will be chosen at random using Random.org and notified by the following Monday. Sorry international friends, this giveaway is open to followers with US shipping addresses only.
Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)
Do More Of What Makes You Happy
2February 24, 2013
Over the past month my workout routine has changed a bit. I’ve been running maybe once or twice (at the most) per week and the remainder of my physical activities consist of yoga and hiking.
With the change in my routine have come others as well. Am I in the best shape of my life? I guess that’s up for debate. Am I as thin as I was a couple years ago when I was pounding out the miles rain or shine? No. Does this leave me a little uneasy that my body is a bit different? Yes. Initially I felt that urge to get out and run. In all honesty, I still have that urge. But instead of it being about my weight on the scale it’s more about knowing that I’m one of those people that if I don’t use it, I lose it. I always want running to be a part of my life. Running came to me at a time when I needed it most. It helped me cope with anxiety and even some depression. Unfortunately through the years it transitioned to causing me anxiety. I’ve been at the point in my life where I feel that I HAVE to run in order to survive. I’m past that point. I’m grateful for what it’s given me but I’m ready to be open to other activities in my life as well.
Like most weekends, this past weekend several big events were being held in the running world. My social media feeds were filled up from those running Tough Mudder and Ragnar Relay here in Phoenix along with the Disney World Princess Half Marathon. I even made it a point to stop to see my fellow Cholla Chicks as they took on the Ragnar Relay as an ultra team (they are beasts!) Seeing all of these updates made me swell with pride realizing once again that I am friends with some pretty rad people. However, at no time was I envious or jealous that everyone was out there doing their thing. Sure, I’d still love to run a Disney race, but that’s not where I am in my life right now and I realize that.
Just because I’m not running regularly doesn’t mean I’m just letting my body go. I personally feel it’s important for everyone to make a point to be physically active. However, at this time I’m just listening to my mind, body, and soul, letting it guide me through my daily routines. More importantly, my focus is to do more of what makes me happy.
Not so long ago I was spending time figuring out my race schedule or training plans. That time is now spent figuring out what trail I want to venture to or what peak I want to conquer next. It’s just all part of my journey and I’m loving every second.
Keep Smiling and Be Grateful =)
