The Beat Goes On...

You would think that after such an epic week last week, I'd be in recovery mode.You would be right.

As I sit down to write my recap, I can't help but reflect on the ordinariness of my week. Even though it was a good week, after all the activities I've participated in this summer, I feel like I've got nothing exciting to share. While the low-key week was much needed, we've still got a few more weeks until the official end of summer and I plan on making the most of it.

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

Disclaimer: As a RockNBlogger, I received a complimentary race entry and VIP experience to the Rock and Roll Chicago Half Marathon. All opinions are my own.

I don't know if you were hoping for my race recap, but as I lay on the couch recovering from today's Rock 'n Roll Chicago Half Marathon, I'm still absorbing what was an epic experience. No, I didn't PR or AG, but RnR treated me like a celebrity. I'm not referring to the VIP experience, which was wonderful and would be worth the extra $$. No, in addition to all that, RnR and sponsor Humana wanted to interview me about running with RA. This also included meeting Kathrine Switzer, which was more than I could have hoped for.

Pinch me, because I can't believe all this has happened!

So while I process my race weekend, for today's post I'm going to recap my week of workouts. I'm not being a tease--I just need to get my thoughts together. In addition, I'm waiting for race photos to include in my recap. I have so much to share! For now, here's how my week leading up to the race went down.

Summer's Got Me Like....

Ah, summer! It's the time of year we long for during those cold, snowy winter days. The days are long, but here in the Midwest, the season is short. It feels like every free minute is packed as we try to squeeze in as much outdoor time as possible.

This weekend was no exception as I wrapped up my work week on Wednesday night and readied for a full three day extravaganza!

Saying Goodbye to My Coach

You're probably reading the title of this post and saying WHAT? Actually, I'm saying that. I'm still in shock. But it's true. My training sessions with Becky are coming to an end.

About 6 weeks ago, Becky told Steph and me that she was moving to Las Vegas to join the circus. Seriously. She is taking a job with Cirque du Soleil as part of their medical team. It's an amazing opportunity for her. I'm so proud of her for going out of her comfort zone and trying something new! After all, isn't that what she's been pushing me to do for the last 3 years?

Becky asked us not to share this information until the CrossFit box had a chance to let everyone know. I put it in the vault and there it has remained until today. This was a post I did not want to write. I've been struggling to put my thoughts into words. It's so hard for me to say goodbye to someone who has completely transformed my life.

Work Hard, Play Hard

Summertime and the living's easy. Right?

This year, not so much. Instead of feeling relaxed, I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed this summer as we try to pack in as much fun as we can in the limited free time on the calendar. Taking that leave of absence earlier this year left me with little vacation time. I've got a few long weekends and I plan to make the most of them.

The theme for this summer seems to be: work hard, play hard. 

The DNS: There's a First Time for Everything

Yesterday was the day I was supposed to run marathon #5, Grandma's Marathon. I signed up for Grandma's right around the time I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Loaded up with steroids at the time, I was feeling good and figured I could go ahead with my plans to run this spring race in the north woods of Minnesota. Heck, I wasn't going to let this disease get the best of me! I was going to show RA just who was in charge.

Right on! RA had other plans for me. While I continued to run through the spring, my endurance continued to decline. I was DNFing all my runs--I was struggling to even run a mile-- and frustrated with myself, I made the decision to discontinue my training and not run Grandma's.

It was not an easy decision but it felt like the right thing to do. Immediately after canceling my plans to run the race, I felt as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Instead of training for a marathon, I shifted my focus to the May race I also had signed up for, the Door County Half Marathon. I began doing run/walk intervals with success and satisfaction. Running became enjoyable again. I've never been good at listening to my body, but I was having no regrets about my plans to DNS for the first time ever.

I Get To Run

I do. I get to run. Never before has it been such a big deal to me. As runners, I think we take it for granted that we can run. Even when we are injured, we know that eventually, we'll be back on the road. We might not be happy to be sidelined, but there's always the expectation that there will be many miles ahead for us.

Even though I've been feeling pretty good, I get little reminders all the time that I have a beast inside me, that I'm not really the boss of me. Often it's my knees. Going downstairs is more of a challenge these days. They aren't painful very often, but they are stiff. The first mile of a run is always a liar now while I start slowly to loosen up my joints. My feet hurt almost all the time. My big toes keep me in good alignment as I run because if I land wrong, they send me a very strong signal to straighten up and fly right.

Still, I get to run. I've always been grateful to be a runner but never as much as I am now. I had always hoped to be able to run into old age. While I still hope for that, realistically I know that my running days are probably finite.

Stronger Every Day!

While nothing exciting or earth-shattering happened this week, what stood out to me the most is how much I am feeling like myself again. Even the heat can't stop me!

I am beyond thrilled with how my fitness is returning. I'm continuing to feel good again. I had several days this week where I remarked to my husband that if I didn't know I had RA, I wouldn't know I had it. Modern medicine and good nutrition are the best combination.

Hitting the Reset Button

This was the week that I got my life back on track, or at least tried to! It was all about trying to reset my equilibrium. I'm ready to find my new normal. My assessment? I think it was a good start.

Running on Eggshells

You all know I love a good pun or idiom. For this Easter Sunday weekly wrap up post, I really couldn't think of any phrase more fitting to describe my running right now. Running right now is just the craziest thing. I dunno, I look in the mirror and I look like myself. At rest, I feel like myself.

Once I'm up and moving, though, it's a different story. Any activities--running or walking--require careful pacing. There's no dashing out the door with reckless abandon, which has always been my MO. Gingerly placing my feet, now when I run, I continuously monitor my internal sensors. Is my heart beating too fast? Am I short of breath? Do my legs feel fatigued? I don't even have to remind myself to go slow because my body just won't let me push any faster.

I try not to focus on all the negative but it does really feel like I'm running on eggshells. As I reflect back on the week, there were some positive reminders that I'm still in this body. I might be down but I'm not out. Not yet. Actually, not ever.

Sisters, Doing it for Themselves

It's always hard to come back to reality after a really fun trip! My trip to Austin with my sister was a whirlwind of activity, food, and fun. Because even out of town, the workouts don't stop. I'm sharing some of the highlights of our trip on this post.

I'm also sharing a synopsis of the last 2 weeks of workouts. Since I was out of town last weekend, I didn't publish my usual weekly wrap-up post. In the interest of brevity, there won't be a lot of workout details in this post, but if you follow me on Instagram (and you should!), then you know I've been moving and posing.

Running with Mother Nature

It's been a steamy, stormy week but the running didn't stop! And yay for that. I took full advantage of the cooler air immediately after storms blew through several times and had some really nice runs that brought my confidence back.

I've been thinking a lot about how much the weather affects my running.

Clearly, the heat and humidity are a huge factor in my running. My half marathon times from hot and humid conditions are markedly slower than times from that distance run in much cooler conditions. I know that's pretty standard for most runners. But after watching the women's and men's marathons in hot and humid Rio this past week, I had to ask myself, is it possible to "heat proof" your running?

Runfessions for July

It's that time again...time to runfess! This monthly clearing of the conscience feels so good! Marcia makes it all happen and there's no penance. So come on in and share your deepest, darkest runfessions!

I refer to my early morning pool running sessions as a geriatric happy hour. Usually, I am the youngest person there. Mostly there are the pool noodle ladies and elderly men in speedos. Which shouldn't even be a thing, IMHO. But wait...hello!

Big Sur Marathon Training--Week 2

Ok--it's February and it's supposed to be warming up, not the other way around! This week's Big Sur Marathon training was remarkable for the frigid temps that hit as the week wound down. It's really Murphy's Law--I had my longest training run to date planned for Sunday--and the polar vortex returned. But you know I don't let the weather stop me...

Monday I went to yoga. I have no pictures but trust me when I tell you that it was another amazing class. Monday's instructor has such a calm, quiet way about her, and I felt really good when I left.

Tuesday was a very early wake up call. I had a class at work, and had to be there by 7:45. There were 6 miles on the plan and I was out the door by 5. I haven't run in the dark for a very long time. To top it off, it was snowing. This was a slippery, slow run, but I felt great. 6.24m/9:14m/m

It was 5 am. It was snowing. What else was there to do?

Wednesday I had hill repeats on the plan. I planned to go to Payton's Hill to do these but Mother Nature had other ideas--even though it was sunny, there was a -10F windchill. Since this was really a focused workout, I didn't think I'd get much out of battling the wind, so I took my repeats to the treadmill. I did 1/4 mile hill sprints x 10 at some unknown incline (my old 'mill doesn't tell me that information) and for recovery, I walked backwards for about 1 1/2-2 minutes. Becky talked with me about this last week, and she wanted me to do these backwards intervals slow as I drive forward, engaging my quads. As it turns out, there are all kinds of benefits to walking backwards on the treadmill that have nothing to do with fitness. Like improving your balance. I almost fell off when I first started. But after a couple of intervals, I was snapping along with the music. In a couple of weeks, I'll be ready to dance on the 'mill like this guy:

After I finished, I went to yoga. We had a sub, and her class was a little different from what we were used to. But it was a good class, and she had a theme for us, which was connection. She referred back to that theme throughout the class. On the way home, I couldn't help myself. I had to stop and make a connection to the brilliant sunshine. Too bad it was so brutally cold!

A cold king dancer

Thursday started with a ride on the bike trainer. I had some issues with my Apple TV, YouTube, and the Wahoo Fitness app. I started to get frustrated because I couldn't get anything to work and I just wanted to ride. So that's what I did while I troubleshot everything. I finally got things working, and did an interval workout. I'm not sure where I rode, but the video I used was a good one. I'm pretty consistent, apparently because once again I rode for 1 hour total, 13.03 miles. 

Intervals complete

After my ride, I worked out with Becky. She continues to up my weights, and I did front squats and deadlifts. I'm not sure how heavy the deadlifts were this week, but they were heavy. I'm not yet maxed out but I have to be close. After I lifted, I did a circuit of evil wheel aka ab rollouts (my abs still hurt) and split squats with my back foot on a box and a barbell. That required a lot of hip stability, and it is something I need some work on. Sometimes these "easy" exercises she has me do are way tougher than the weight lifting. 

Strength.

Friday was a rest day. 

Saturday was another bitterly cold day. The night before when I looked at the forecast, I made plans to run inside. When I got up the sun was bright and I couldn't pass it up. How bad could it be? I put on my layers and my ninja face mask, and headed out into the cold. You know what? It wasn't as bad as it seemed. I'm so attuned to what I need to wear for different conditions and I was completely prepared. I started off a little stiff--I was still sore from Thursday, but this was my fastest run in weeks! Who knew? 5 miles/8:34m/m

Like a winter ninja. No snow.

Sunday I had 12 on the plan. The weather forecast was not at all favorable for a long run (16F and snow) but the alternative, the treadmill, was even less attractive. Since there was no snow when I started, I headed to the bike path. This run was mentally tough--the cold and the wind really tested my resolve. I also had shin splints and foot pain when I started out. But once I loosened up, I felt much better. I couldn't feel my face when I got home (and now that song is going through my head) but after a hot shower and lunch, I felt much better. This was a solid run, and really gave me the confidence I needed to move forward! 12 miles/9:02m/m

I can't feel my face....

Overall, another great week of training. For the most part, my foot is feeling better. It still hurts, but between the night splint and those heel raises, I've got it down to a dull roar. Some days it doesn't even bother me. I'm relaxing into my training and feeling very confident. One month to go until I leave for Florida and run the Sarasota Half Marathon. It's happening!

Happy Valentine's Day
Thanks to HoHoRuns for this fun image!

Have a great week!

How was your week? Any fun training stories to share?

I'm linking up with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap! 

Trust and the coach

For the past week, I have been harboring a little secret. Today I shared it with Becky. After I told her, she shrugged her shoulders, which I took to mean it was ok. In Becky, I trust. Coach Extraordinaire. Super Woman. Wise Sage.

I knew my coach was a superhero, but it was confirmed today!
photo by Buckshot Images

I've been off the road for almost a week now, letting my foot rest so the devil in my plantar fascia can chill out. I've been pedalling away on my bike trainer, posting yoga poses for the Sweatpink #flexandflow challenge, and lifting all the weights with Becky. I can clean and I can squat. I've been wearing my deadlift shoes. I've been diligently stretching and rolling my foot.

By the way, Becky confirmed what I already suspected: yes, cycling does aggravate the plantar fascia. Certainly not as much as running, but yes, there is some aggravating going on. Damn it.

The one thing I'm not doing this week is running. And to tell you the truth, I'm not missing running right now. At all.

There it is. And it isn't even Runfessions...

It's no wonder I'm having night sweats...

I haven't told anyone this until today. I feel a little funny saying it here. After all, I'm a runner. I do all things running. I write about it. I talk about it. I love it.

But let's stop and think about it. To meet my mileage goal at the end of the year, I did run a lot more running than when I would normally be winding down. Becky told me today that I ran way more last year than she would have liked. She said she understood my need to meet the goal. But it was a lot of miles.

While I'm on this little break, I'm kind of enjoying pedalling in the comfort of my family room. I'm having fun picking out cycling videos on YouTube. So far I've ridden in Italy, France, and Australia. It's not all fun and games and pretty scenery, though. When I climb off the bike, I'm sweating profusely. And it wasn't because of that guy in the France video who was wearing white bike shorts. White shorts and endurance sports should never happen. Just sayin'. No, I know I'm working hard because I've been wearing my heart rate monitor, and I've been riding in my target HR zone--between 140-160 BPM.

And because my foot is still bothering me, I'll take one more week before I head back out to the road. No one even had to twist my arm. It's supposed to be brutally cold this weekend anyways. Icy. Snowy. Cold. Brrr.

What? The cold never bothered me before. Am I getting soft?

Nah. Just a little burned out. Wrecked. 

No worry, I'll be out there soon enough. I've got a spring marathon to train for! Oh, that. Today, I asked Becky about a training plan. Her response?

"This isn't like your last one. You're supposed to just enjoy this one!" 

Wait...no training plan? Yes, Becky's right, Big Sur is all about the experience, but it is still 26.2 freaking miles! With a few hills. 2000 feet of them. Says the flatlander. 

Becky is hoping that a lot of the weight training I'm doing will prepare me for the hills. After this strength cycle is complete, there's going to be more plyometrics and HIIT again. But mentally, I do need to do some hill training. Some speed work too. And some long runs. I'm going to piecework some kind of plan together. Experience will pay off here. I wouldn't recommend this approach if you haven't run a marathon before.

While I have 100% trust in my coach, I plan on working on that training plan this weekend. 

Today while I was at CrossFit, a woman from Becky's class introduced herself to me. She told me she reads my blog. She also told me she loves my pictures. Living in the area, she says can usually figure out where I take them, but she told me that they always look like some exotic locale. Well, how fun was hearing that? I always try to find beauty even in an area that isn't known for its ambiance. It's there. It all depends on your perspective.

Let's see if she can figure out where I took this one for SweatPink's #flexandflow challenge. Taking this picture was a mini-adventure. I was on my way home from yoga class and found the perfect spot for the pose of the day. As I was setting up to take this picture, I noticed a small dog running through the park. I watched him run, I realized it wasn't a small dog at all. It was a coyote! Luckily, he wasn't interested in me--they never are, I'm all gristle--and kept on going. Crisis averted. I set the timer on my phone and started to back up, getting myself in position to take the picture. I didn't realize I was standing on the edge of a hill, which was coated with an icy crust. My tree started to slide down the hill and I couldn't stop! I fell forward, put my hands down on the crusty surface, and clawed my way to the top of the slope. Just like a mountain climber, right? I looked around to make sure no one saw me, resumed the pose, and snapped the picture.

Completly unintentional.

Namaste.

Do you ever get burnt out on running or any other activity? What do you do to get your head back in the game? Any funny selfie stories?

Today I'm linking up this post with the DC Trifecta: Courtney, Cynthia, and Mar!