I Miss It....

...but is that enough? Is missing running enough to get me back out there, consistently, on the road? Maybe not. It comes in waves. Like I reminisce about the days when I was in half-marathon shape at any given moment. That was the best! Those were the glory days.

Not anymore.

I think I'd legit have to do a Couch to 5k program now if I wanted to get out there and do a 5k. No shame in that, it's just to give you an idea of where I'm at...I am at the Not in Running Shape place. And it sucks.

Now I can pick a 300 pound body up off the floor, or back squat 200 pounds....but I can't run a decent 5k without croaking. I want to be a combination of both...strong and cardiovascularly fit.

But that is going to take work, consistency, determination, grit, and effort. Can I do it? Sure. I think I can....if I decide to, if I want to, IF I WILL DO IT.

So what are my roadblocks?

1.) I do love doing Crossfit and I do it about 5-6 times a week. That makes it really hard to get into a running routine because Crossfit is hard and makes me tired and sore. something will have to give. Or I'll just have to run on my Off Days, but then when do I rest?

2.) I'm about a year out of foot surgery and it still hurts, still swells, still gives me fits....and I have nerve damage in the foot that causes numbness on my entire foot and up my shin and calf. It's OKish for now, annoying and mildly affects my ability to balance and whatnot. When I get much older if it doesn't improve I can see it causing significant trouble in my balance. I often trip on small cracks or stumble and luckily I can catch myself, for now.

3.) It's freaking HOT outside in the middle of the summer so I'll have to get up early or run late at night. Or make friends with the treadmill again.

But. I do want it. And I do miss it.

So maybe I'll get back to it! Follow along as I try to make it back to running and well, try to keep up with my blog again too...because its be honest, I miss that too.

Any tips for me to get back at it!~?

New Year...Same Me...

...and that's OK.

Same me but with a little more clarity and determination, maybe its the years of life and experience? This year I will be 40....can you believe it? I can't. I mean I can....but I can't! I don't feel a day over 30. Except sometimes I'm sore and achey and I can't keep up with the 25 year olds in the gym, shoot I can't even keep up with the 30 year olds any more....but I am still there. Still going! Still doing my best!

And that is what this is about. Doing MY best. I am only competing with myself to do my best and I just don't care to compare myself to everyone else. I don't have the energy. And I sure don't have the time. Last tine I tried to keep up with the young'uns at the gym I ended up hurting myself and taking nearly 8 weeks off! My 39th birthday I came back to the gym after 4 weeks off (ribs popped out of place, displacing my scapula that lead to a shoulder separation...OUCH). Anyway I tried to come back too soon and reinjured myself and ended up being out even longer. I am not doing that any more.

I remember when I used to write about Running Your Own Race. I meant it. I lived it! I believed it! Somehow when I started crossfit I forgot about that. My competitive side got ignited and I started trying to compete with those around me. In many ways that is AWESOME! I had fun! I got stronger and faster. Then I got hurt. 

These days I have shifted my focus and try to reel it back in when my competitive side rears it's head. Some competition is healthy and fun and I enjoy it. But I have to be smart and remind myself of my goals. I'd rather be able to stay active and fit and be able to come to the gym than hurt myself and be out for months....

Which I am reminded that I will soon be out for at least 8 weeks. Ugh.....But that is another story for another post.

I am almost to 4 years doing crossfit. FOUR years! And I do miss running but I realized that I have taken some of what pushed me and excited me about running and implemented it into crossfit.  Each time I ran a race I was chasing a PR. I wanted to beat MYSELF! Do better than I did in THAT race or THAT distance than I did the time before. I didn't always beat myself. But I ALWAYS tried. And that is what I do with crossfit. And numbers don't lie. 

At my gym (or what most call a box) we have a bell hanging on the wall and each time you pick up something heavy, heavier than you have ever picked up and put back down, when you enter your score into the computer you get a GOLD STAR. And if you get a gold start you get to ring that bell. and THAT is what I try to do. I don't get a PR start every workout. Sometimes I feel so strong and surprise myself. Sometimes that 35 pound bar feels so heavy I don't even think I can get it in to the rack. But I always try to do better than I did the time before.

I didn't really start tracking and paying attention to how may PR Stars I got until 2016. That year I got 65. 65 times I did better than MYSELF....I got stronger 65 times.

In 2017 I got 62 PR Stars. Not quite 65 but 62 is awesome and I will take it!

This past year, 2018 I did better than MYSELF 83 times. EIGHTY THREE. You guys....83 times I beat myself. 83 times I got to ring the bell....83 times I got proof that what I am doing, the effort I am putting in every day, the hard work....is worth it.

I .LOVE .THAT. 

The two dudes who beat me are amazing! They are also coaches! Jeremi logged in to I think 365 classes last year or something crazy like that! And see? Here I go comparing and being competitive....I can't shake it entirely! But I am so happy with my numbers and we will see what happens in 2019!

PR Leaderboard!!

The thing with weight lifting is that eventually getting stronger gets more and more difficult because, well, its HARD and form is important and many of these lifts are technical and require such meticulous form that it's hard to improve and add weight if you don't use proper technique...so we shall see if I can keep improving! It's a challenge and I accept.

I Got Punched in the Face and Lived to Tell You About it...

....ok, so it wasn’t an actual Fist-To-Face punch but let me be honest, that probably would have hurt less. And for sure been a MUCH better story to tell.

Danny Rand AKA Iron Fist. Any other fans out there??

So about a month ago I was contacted by Lyn about a cool opportunity to get a DEXA Scan. So this post is sponsored and the scan was paid for by them. But the review I’m about to give is an honest one of my experience and thoughts on the process, the information obtained, and the scan itself. And to be clear, the scan itself was NOT painful at all...it was simple, easy, and quick...the information blow about my body fat percentage? Well...THAT hurt.

So what exactly IS a DEXA Scan? I’m glad you asked!  A DEXA scan is a way to precisely measure body composition; muscle, fat, bone.... it is a great way to see exactly where you are right now and measure progress in the future, or no progress if that’s the case.  The scan can show you cool stuff like muscle asymmetry, which can lead to injuries, and visceral fat which is the dangerous fat around the organs. You can also check your bone's health to prevent any bone related diseases like osteoporosis.  So essentially it’s a cool way to take a look at what’s underneath our skin and what is inside our bodies.

The DEXA scan gives you the most precise information about your body fat, muscle, and bone composition, and it lets you track changes in your body composition over a period of time. Fitness enthusiasts, athletes, normal people who want to see what the inside of their body is doing, can use this scan to get a baseline of where they are now and to objectively measured progress. Four instance finding out that you have 112 pounds of lean muscle and a skeleton that weighs 7.7 pounds is super cool information! And to toot my own horn for a second the lady who did my scan said that my bones were "amazing" and my bone health was at the top of the charts, being excellent for a woman of my age (21 years old.....for the 19th time). She also said my lean muscle of 112 pounds was "really, really good." So my lean muscle mass and bone density where the two positive things about my scan.

The results show you your overall body fat, lean tissue, or muscle, bone weight and percentages, and gives you a breakdown for the right and left side of your body. This shows you if your arms and/or legs differ in comparison.  The scan can show you where your body fat and muscle is distributed, and the gross reality of visceral fat, the dangerous fat around your organs. The primary advantage of a DEXA scan over using a fat estimated device like bio impedance scales, calipers, tape measure or the displacement estimate device (like the hydrostatic dunk tank or the Bod Pod that I reviewed a few years ago-the red word Bod Pod is a link to that post) is that the DEXA scan is actually measuring your body fat and giving you precise measurements showing you WHERE on your body that fat is located.  The bod pod that I did just gave me an overall idea, it didn’t show me how much fat and muscle was in each arm, each leg, my trunk, my big toe, or my hands... it just gave me the overall breakdown of fat, muscle, bones and organs.

I was surprised to see that my arms and even my legs were symmetrical in muscle and fat distribution. The DEXA scan gives you a precise measurement of the fat and muscle distributed
around your body. This allows you to see asymmetry that can actually lead to injury if you don’t correct it. So if one arm is stronger than the other, or you feel like you might be stronger in one arm than the other, this can actually tell you for sure if you have more lean muscle in your right arm than your left arm, thus telling you you’re not crazy and you do know your body. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything. 

When I arrived to the Lamkin Clinic the actual scan was so quick and easy! I filled out a small questionnaire and was shown to the room with the scan. I didn't have to change clothes or anything, I even left on my Ugg boots....but had to remove all jewelry. I just laid down on the table, she strapped my feet together so  I could relax a bit, I held my arms close to my body, and she began the scan. It didn't take long at all, maybe 7 minutes, if that. It went the length of my body, slowly, making some kind of futuristic scanning sound that made me think I was either getting cloned or turned into a super hero (ok ok...too many DC and Marvel movies).

When the scan was complete I was given a three page report with the scan broken down for me. It was easy to read and interpret and detailed my results. The lady went over the numbers with me and we discussed any concerns and questions I had.


And this three page report is where I got punched in the face....not by the lady, she was great, but by the numbers....we already discussed the lean muscle and the bones...but the overall number of pounds of my body (which, blog to come about that mess soon....) and the percentage of body fat. Ugh...OUCH.

But now I know.  I know the truth, I know where I stand. I know what is happening with my body...and I know I have a ton of muscle, a strong healthy skeleton, and too much body fat for my liking.


So on one hand this information was hurtful and brutally honest. But on the other it was also valuable and necessary. It provided me with a wake-up call that I needed. I am working my tail off 4-6 days a week doing crossfit. I am strong! But my performance is lacking due to the excess of body fat and I now have a realistic idea of how many pounds, or I actually prefer a realistic body fat percentage, that I can shoot for losing. I don't want to lose muscle or strength. I want to lose fat. And knowledge is power....

So if you are interested in getting a DEXA scan check out this website for a location near you:  DEXAscan.com 

Have you ever had a DEXA Scan or a done the Bod Pod or any other test to give you this kind of insight? Thoughts about it?

Running In Circles....

....it gets a little bit old. 

Sunday I ran so many circles I covered 3.54 miles. And yes, that means I didn't Run Naked and used my Nike app to track my distance. What can I say, I couldn't help it. I needed to know! But the awesome news is that just moments ago my new FitBit arrived at my house and I am like a kid on Christmas morning and cannot wait to go home and get it! 

It is just waiting for me to come home and get it!

Anyway, I ran circles Sunday and used my Tabata App to help me stay on track with the prescribed Run 2 minutes then Walk 2 min.  The plan called for 6 rounds but I had time to kill and figured 10 rounds would be fun. But I didn't want to venture out too far from where I was running since it was kind of stormy and LB was doing his CrossFit On-Ramp class there at the gym.

Oklahoma Summer Storm Sky

Timer Pro App

So I ran circles. A lot of them. 

And then this morning I found a nice street in the neighborhood behind mine that has the slightest bit of incline, hard to come by around here, and ran circles around the small block. This morning though I only had time for 6 rounds of the 2 min Run/2 min Walk and only covered 2 miles in 24 min.

I can see potential with this plan. Although the walk gets shorter and the run gets longer but I like the idea of playing with the pace and speed and getting more of a Fartlek type of workout in. It is reminding me a lot of my Run Less Run Faster plan from back in the day. Where you don't have to spend a lot of time running but when you do run you run faster, intervals and sprints. It works. 

I am enjoying getting back in the swing of things and it helps that the time spent is manageable. I can still get the kiddo on the bus, run, and get home in time to get dressed for work. I have about 20 minutes to get ready but seriously, that is enough time. So far so good....I'm still at it and adding a piece of tech equipment is only going to help! 

Off to take an early lunch and grab my new toy!

The Struggle is Real!

Making a new habit it haaaaaaaaaard.

Last night I decided I was going to get my life together and deleted all the alarms I had set on my phone. And stop snoozing 57 times.

Anyone else relate??

This is only a few of them! 

Well it was decided we’d get up at 6:05 and get around for school. As LB heads to the bus I’d head out for my run. Good plan last night but when I woke up this morning I didn’t want to. I did snooze the alarms. A few times. We ended up getting up at 6:20, still plenty of time to get around and catch the school bus. But I was tired and didn’t want to run.

I kicked around and tried to talk myself out of it while simletaneously talking myself in to it.

I got dressed about 2 min after LB walked out the door and got my run under way.

Getting started is the hardest part. Once I decided to go and got myself out the door the rest was easy! I even got to see a beautiful Oklahoma sunrise. #worthit  Are hashtags a thing in blogs?

I did another 8 cycle run of 1 min run/2 min walk for a total of 24 min. I was back home and had plenty of time to get ready for work, I was even ready early.  So no excuses. I have no reason not to do this. Once I’m up, I’m up.

Day 2 done and done!

This is the app I use for Tabata type workouts:

It's called TimerPro and you can set the intervals any way you like. It works really well, even with my music playing. I set it for 8 rounds of 1 min run and 2 minutes walk. Tomorrow I'll set it for 8 rounds of 2 min run/2 min walk. So if you're looking for a cool app to help you out, especially if you are Naked Running, it works well and you don't have to keep looking at a watch.

Tuesday my new FitBit will arrive! I am pretty excited, even though it has been really nice to just get out and run without worrying about all the details; pace, distance, speed. But... I would like to know how far I go during my workout. And I want to start hitting my step goal each day. And well, if you're not logging or keeping track then are you even walking or getting the steps? I think not.....

Also Tuesday my new barbell arrives! Its gonna be a big day around here! I love getting presents in the mail....even if I did have to pay for them myself. Ahhhh!

Isn't it the pretties barbell you've ever laid eyes on??? So even though I am trying to run more I still can't give up the CrossFit and weightlifting. I love it....

Week 1, Day 1...

Today was Day 1 and it was a success. It wasn’t hard. It was fine.

My plan called for 6 rounds of 1 minute run followed by 2 minute walk. I decided to do 8 rounds. That put me at 24 min total. I spent most of my time messing around with my ear buds. Ugh! I also just enjoyed the fact that I was out for a run! It felt so good! And it was nice knowing I’d be done in 24 minutes. I’m not sure how far I went. My newest Garmin 25 flopped, won’t connect to satellites to even keep the time, much less track runs. It lasted barely two years. I am charging up my old school Garmin 405 but really it just felt nice to use my phone with an awesome timer app to tell me when to run and when to walk.

It was refreshing to not worry about pace or distance. To just go out and run until I’m supposed to walk. Tomorrow I’ll do the same thing, what we used to call a “naked run”. And I have to admit I’m kinda looking forward to it! But on the other hand I have ordered a new Fitbit and I’m pretty excited for it to arrive! So this week, week 1, will be Naked Runs, next week I’ll start with the geeky stats!

I've got my plan...

...YEP.  I've got my plan now I just need to implement it. No biggie. Right?

Starting is THE hardest part. Making the time...most people say they want to do something but then when it comes to actually doing it they never make the time, or are full of excuses. And when I say "they" I completely 107% include myself in that.

I remember when I wanted to start CrossFit and my biggest roadblock, excuse, or issue was time. WHEN? HOW? When would I do it and how would I fit it in? Well you know what? I figured it out because I wanted to! It was important to me, I tried it and liked it and wanted to keep dong it. Now it is part of my regular routine and just like waking up and going to work, I go to CrossFit.

Beginning my running routine is going to be the same. And realistically I am planning on three days a week, THREE. That's it. I can do that. I will do that. 

So I have picked a Couch to 5k then 10K plan. I realize I am not exactly starting from a ZERO fitness level but I  am starting from a zero endurance level and minimal running. I have been lifting weights and working out in short bursts for over three years. My endurance is nonexistent at this point. And it is tough to start with a C25K plan, it's hard on the ego for sure. But this isn't about ego. It is about doing something hard and making a change, taking a stand, and taking control and making a commitment. 

My plan is three days a week, starting with walk/run approach and eventually getting to an all run for 5k then 10k. So my next task: Find a 5k in the next 8 weeks then a 10k in 10 weeks (ish). 

I'm pumped!

The Plan

Most Recent Signature Pose

The Bug....

...the little bitty bug called the Running Bug has been buzzing about my head. I have seen it here and there, heard it on a beautiful evening, felt it on a quiet morning.  He’s after me. 

I’m not going to fight it. 

Now I don’t plan to get crazy but I do plan to start getting a few miles logged. And here’s the hardest part, I’m looking at C25k plans. No shame in it AT ALL. I feel like I want to start from the beginning. I am by no means out of shape. But I am for sure out of RUNNING CONDITION. I can lift 262 pounds up off the ground. I can squat 200 pounds. I can clean and jerk 142 pounds, from the ground to over head. I am strong. But if s bear, or bad guy, or rabid skunk, or mean dog, or zombie, or wasp, or parliament or raccoons were chasing me they’d have me in 400 meters. 

I’d be a goner. 

I don’t like that thought. 

I want to be able to run 15 miles no problem. 

So I think I’m ready to slowly start back getting some mileage and cardio in my life. 

Anyone have any great C25K plans they love? I’m going to be doing some research and planning and hope to have a solid plan by Wednesday. But I’d love to know any of your thoughts!