Pushing outside of the zone

"You want to have butterflies in your stomach, because if you don't, if you walk on stage complacent, that's not a good thing." --Joan Jett

One of my friends, who is training for her first half marathon, recently posted on Faceboook about her anxiety. She was heading out for a long run, and was, as she put it, "shaking with nerves, a little teary, highly emotional". She said she didn't understand why.

I understood completely.

The hardest part about racing for me is dealing with my nerves. That pre-race anxiety has almost caused me to DNS more than once. I've worked really hard on my mental toughness and I've chronicled that struggle here on the blog. I've done a great job of reeling in my nerves, and that hard work has paid off for me on the road. I'm happy to say that I've never DNS'd a race because of my nerves.

But I've never shown up to a race without having a little bit of anxiety.

I think that little bit of anxiety is a good thing.  Those pre-race jitters show how much you care about what you are doing. Once you become complacent, once you become overconfident, smug, even callous, that is when you fail.

I'd say that as a group, runners aren't complacent. We care about our finish times and we train to improve them. If we sign up to run a race, more likely than not, we're going to train for it.

But being in recovery mode right now, I can see the appeal of a comfort zone. I won't lie. It feels good to go out for a run without a time goal in mind. Right now, I get to run just to run. There's something to be said for that. It's kind of nice.

I'm looking forward to 2016. So far, I've got 2 races on the calendar, the Sarasota half marathon in Florida in March and a marathon in April, the Big Sur International Marathon. Both are destination races. Both are races that are going to challenge me out of my comfort zone.

The half marathon in March is going to challenge me with the heat and humidity. Living in the midwest, training in the middle of winter for a Florida half is tough. I'm going to do heat training again on my treadmill, to attempt to acclimate myself for running in warm conditions.

The full marathon in California is going to challenge me with hills. It's as flat as a pancake where I live. I loathe running hills. I'm going to have to do hill repeats as part of my marathon training. Oh, and in the middle of winter too!

Look who is at mile marker 24!!!

And then there's that whole destination race thing. I'm pretty lucky to live in an area where there are a lot of races practically in my backyard. There's nothing better than sleeping in your own bed the night before a big race! Even if I'm not running a race, I don't sleep well away from home. Add the anxiety of a race to that....

Why do I do this to myself? I can list a lot of reasons: personal satisfaction, setting and achieving a goal, physical challenge...they're all good reasons. But there is no better feeling than pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

It's a heck of a lot more fun out there.

How do you feel about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone? Do you get pre-race jitters? Any tips on dealing with pre-race jitters AND traveling to a destination race?

I'm linking this post with DebRuns and her linkup, Wednesday Word. Today's word is complacent. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else says about complacency!

So many books, so little time! #thefitfam #thefitdish

It should be no secret to any reader of this blog that I love to read. After all, I host a monthly running book club! Before I dive into this week's post, I have to ask, have you read this month's book? We're reading my newest boyfriend's book, My Life on the Run: The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Road Racing Icon by Bart Yasso. Holy moley! has he lived a life! If you haven't read this book, you need to. It's a real page-turner. I met Bart at the Chicago Marathon, and let me tell you what a nice guy he is! He agreed to an interview, and I'll be sending him questions later this week. Let me know if there's anything you want to know. He bares all in the book (literally) and I'm sure he won't hide anything from us.

Ok, back to the topic at hand.

Actually, yes, I always read books...

Yes, I love to read, but I don't just read books about running. I read just about anything and everything that sparks my interest. Quite often, I pick up a book just for pleasure. What I really like to read are books that inspire me, and those books span the genres. When Jill and Jessica posted this prompt for this week's The Fit Dish link-up, I thought it would be fun to feature books that I like outside of running and fitness.

One genre that I can't get enough of is historical fiction from the WW2 era. You would think that after reading multiple books set in war-torn, Nazi-occupied Europe, I would have my fill. But creative authors continue to come up with new twists on an old story. One of my most recent faves is The Nightengale by Kristin Hannah. Hannah is well known for her books in the "chick-lit" genre, and because of that, I was reluctant to pick this one up. But Hannah does write smart fiction, and this far exceeded my expectations. Her perspective as an author of women's fiction makes this story about women during this fascinating yet horrible time in history very readable, and she does a fantastic job telling their story.

I grew up reading the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In fact, I couldn't get enough of those books. I thought I had an obsession until I found someone more obsessed than me. Wendy McClure's book The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie is a hilarious chronicle of her pilgrimage to all the places Laura lived. I even went to meet the author at a book reading! Right now I have A Wilder Rose by Susan Wittig Albert, a fictionalized story of Laura's daughter Rose, in my Kindle to read library. Probably due to this Little House obsession, I also like reading stories about other pioneering women. One of the most recent stories I read was Paula McClain's Circling the Sun, a story about a young woman growing up in colonial Kenya. Raised by her father, the heroine is a strong, bold woman who makes herself known as a horse trainer. This was a fascinating read.

I do love a good thriller. Gone Girl hooked me and wouldn't let me go. Too bad the movie didn't live up to the book (but does that ever happen?) One book that I've recommended lately is The Bullet by Mary Louise Kelly. A young woman develops wrist pain and seeks medical attention. An MRI reveals a bullet lodged in her neck! I was inspired by her tenacity as she attempts to put the pieces together and figure out what happened. Lots of twists and turns in this one.

There have been some "chick-lit" books that come to mind--well-written stories about life that I've enjoyed. JoJo Moyes does a great job with that--if you haven't read Me Before You, you are missing out on a moving, inspiring, and well-written story. Recently, I read The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza, which is the story of a veteran magazine editor who returns from a leave of absence to find that her young assistant has been promoted to digital editor and is plotting her demise! This is all about ageism and staying relevant, and you know that is something I think about a lot! The story was cleverly written and at times jaw-dropping, but it's everything that The Devil Wears Prada wasn't. Purely fun, but with a bite--Imogen doesn't back down.

I would be remiss without mentioning any fitness books that have inspired me--after all, this is a running blog! The book that started it all for me, probably the best book ever written about running, and the book that set me on my journey to do more than just run around the neighborhood being Mrs. Kravitz was Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall. This is an adventure story, but it is so much more--I learned a lot about the marketing of running shoes as well as the sport of ultra running. I can honestly say I will never do an ultramarathon, but I continue to be inspired by those that pursue those distances. I certainly look at running shoes with a much more skeptical eye than I did in the past and I've learned not to jump on the latest trend in running shoes bandwagon--remember Vibram five fingers? And now we have the opposite trend--Hokas. This is a must read for any runner.

Finally, are you on Goodreads? Goodreads is social networking for readers! There are book reviews and ratings by other readers; groups you can join (my book club is on Goodreads), and you can connect with other readers! This is a great site. You can connect with me if you want under my name Wendy Rivard; you can join the Taking the Long Way Home Book club there too!

Are you drawn to a particular genre of book? What books inspire you? Any recommendations? Are you on Goodreads?

Full moon fever....and #fasterthanBOO10k

Does the full moon make you want to howl? 

Ok, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm not actually howling at the moon in this picture. I'm cursing Mother Nature. While I was stopping to take a selfie for this post on my virtual race, the skies opened up and it started to pour on me. Mother Nature doesn't always play nice, does she? 

On the run, I don't always mind the rain. If it is a warm day, I enjoy running in the rain. As long as it is a gentle rain, that is. Being pelted with heavy rain is a different story. Rain plus 45 degrees plus wind does not make for pleasant running conditions. Although I shouldn't complain at all. Perspective. My friend Penny ran a 50k on the Chicago lakefront in these very same conditions. Now that is badass. It was her party and she can cry if she wants to. I would have.

While I ran my 10k, I reflected a bit on the week. My week at work was crazy. I felt overwhelmed and frustrated. There may have been some tears shed at several points in time. Finally, my coworkers and I asked each other if it was a full moon. 

We found out that it was.

Do you think people act a little crazier around a full moon? Those of us in healthcare seem to think so. Although studies show that there isn't any more chaos when there's a full moon versus not, it sure seems like more than a coincidence. And it sure felt like it this week! All I can say is that I'm glad I can take to the road to pound it out. Some wine may have been consumed as well. 

I've got some pretty supportive partners and coworkers. We brought our best to the clinic for Halloween, and the patients loved it! 

When you work with kids, you get to do things like this.

As I mentioned, I had that virtual 10k to run this week--the GoneforARun Faster than BOO 10k! If you remember, I put this one on the calendar as a recovery run after I ran Chicago. When I planned to do this race, I didn't know what kind of shape my legs would be in, but as it turns out, recovery is going well. I'm pretty much back to my baseline mileage. Even though I don't love the cooler weather, it is much easier for me to run when the temps are in the 40s and 50s. Wouldn't it be nice if it could be cool in the mornings and warm up by noon? 

Oh wait, I live in Chicago.

Anyways, I did this 10k in my neighborhood. It was windy, and the trees were starting to bare their branches. I have really enjoyed the pretty colors this fall. My legs really wanted to fly for this one, and I was really happy with my finish time: 6.2 miles, 54 mins, 8:41 pace.

Thanks to Gone for A Run for providing me with this complimentary entry in exchange for this blog post. I received some nice swag! And I loved this medal. The ghost spins around and he glows in the dark. This is my first Halloween themed run and I loved it!

Do you think people act crazier when there's a full moon? Do you act crazy when there's a full moon? Did you run a Halloween themed run? Did you dress up?

I'm linking this post up with HoHoRuns and MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap! I bet some of the others are posting about Halloween! Check it out!

Runfessions: Hold on to that feelin'

Runfession #1: I can't stop thinking about my recent Chicago Marathon. I'm still smiling about it! And I can't stop talking about it! I know that. You know that. Have you ever known anyone to run a marathon and not talk about it? Some people accuse runners of oversharing. Apparently they would like more of us to be like this woman:

Yeah right! This would never happen! And really what is the point of this video anyways? It's clearly fake.

One more picture, because I can't stop thinking about it. I promise this is the last one, and thank you for indulging me one last time:

Look at that heel strike! And don't ask me what that yellow substance is on the ground ahead of me. It's early in the race, about mile 3 or 4, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't any bodily fluids at this point. Of course, you never can tell. Maybe a banana?

Yes, it was a great race, but I didn't meet my A goal of a sub-4 race and qualifying for Boston. When I looked at the weather forecast for the week, I knew that wasn't in the cards. Dialing back my goals and making a B goal, to finish strong, under 4:30, and to have fun was the new, updated plan.

Which is exactly what happened. Plan B, mission accomplished. Since then I've been basking in the post-marathon glow of that accomplishment. After a week off running, I started up again, slowly. My legs feel good. My plantar fasciitis is still there, but no worse from running 26.2 miles. I call that a win. I have foot pain when I start running for about 1/4-1/2 mile and then it is gone. Between yoga stretches and my self foot massage, I continue to keep it down to a dull roar.

yes please

Last week, on a beautiful fall day, I went for a leisurely 6 mile run. I took it slow because I was fighting bronchitis. This is Runfession #2. You've all heard the advice about not running if your illness is below the neck, right? Right. Well, I've never been much of a rule follower. Remember too that I'm a medical professional, so conventional medical advice doesn't apply to me. My rule? No fever=nothing serious. Never mind that I was coughing like a chain smoker and needed to use my inhaler. Joking aside, I know better, but I wasn't about to miss out on a perfect fall day to hit up the bike path. So I took 2 puffs of my albuterol inhaler, laced up my shoes and chugged along, occasionally having to hack up a lung cough.

Don't you kids try this at home. Do as I say, not as I do.

While I running, I let my thoughts wander. And they wandered to that Chicago Marathon and my missed A goal. And here's my big Runfession #3: I started to have crazy, uncontrollable thoughts about running another marathon this fall.

An argument ensued between my brain and my runner's heart:

Heart: Hey, you know what? The Naperville Marathon is Sunday, November 8."

Brain: "But I work Saturday, November 7."

Heart: "Work, schmerk. You could so do this thing. You know you want to."

Brain: "I might get injured."

Heart: "You're feeling great! Recovery from Chicago was a breeze. And think about all those people you know who are doing back to back marathons. They're not hurt! "

Brain: "Even if I didn't get hurt, Becky would hurt me. She'd make me do 26.2 burpees. Maybe she wouldn't coach me anymore."

Heart: "She'd never know. She doesn't read your blog, does she?"

Brain: "True story. Oh my God. But I couldn't tell anyone. They'd think I was crazy!"

Heart: "So don't tell anyone! The weather will be cool. You know that the heat was the main reason you missed out on that goal."

Brain: "My husband would divorce me!"

Heart: "So don't tell him! Just tell him you're running a half. Tell him you're going to volunteer!"

Brain: "And what if I fail? What if I get hurt?"

Heart: "What if you don't?"

At that point, I stopped to cough and to snap some pictures of the beautiful fall colors. Then I turned around to head home. With the distractions and the cough, my brain and heart stopped arguing, and I started to have sane thoughts again. I decided to discuss this with Marcia at our planned lunch later that morning. 

When I saw Marcia, we hugged, and my runfession came flooding out before we even ordered our food. Of course, I couldn't not talk about it! I'm a runner, and we must talk about all the things running, right?

But instead of telling me that I was nuts, she told me she was feeling the same way--she spent the morning looking up the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon.  We talked for a while about this crazy phenomenon--how we runners always think we can push harder and that we've got more in the tank. 

But we don't. 26.2 miles is incredibly hard on the body. Heck, why do you think I'm sick right now? My tank is on E, which in this case, stands for ENOUGH.

Enough running. Enough racing. Enough long distances. Enough coughing.

Enough.

I could blame my illness on my job. Actually, I know that is where I picked up this bug. I take care of sick kids every day, but I usually avoid illness. This time, I wasn't so lucky. I'm sure my post marathon dip in immunity had a lot to do with it.

All those arguments my brain was giving me are enough reason to continue on my planned recovery. My illness is kind of the icing on the cake. Marcia shared with me that she did chase another marathon after that crazy hot Chicago marathon in 2010 and ended up injured. Oh, yeah, that could happen too....

We both agreed that it's not worth it.

But.... oh so tempting!

Thanks to Marcia for hosting Runfessions but even more for the real life confessional and slapping some sense into me! What are friends for, anyway?

But Marcia, what was that about that Avenue of the Giants Marathon? Marcia?

Have you ever tried to redeem yourself by running a spontaneous backup plan? How did that work out for you? How do you determine when you've had enough? Do you run when you are sick?

Be sure to head on over to Marcia's Healthy Slice for Runfessions and spill the beans! I promise you'll feel so much better!

Falling for...food and family #hemphearts #sweatpink

My oldest son is clearly enjoying all the fall things! Yes, he carved this.

I have to admit that it feels so weird to not be training for anything. Since race season is over for me, I just updated the pictures on the blog header as well as my Facebook page cover photo. My friend Karen commented what great memories I have from this year! And she is right! I ran 3 halfs, a 10 miler, a 10k, and a full marathon, and had friends at every race! I had some PRs and AG awards as well. I'm most happy about no injures this year! Following my final race, the Chicago Marathon, I took a week off to recover and continue to ease back into running. I'm still nursing my plantar fasciitis (who isn't these days?), but other than that, I couldn't be more thrilled with how the year is coming to a close. Now to keep myself out of trouble aka signing up for another race to fill the void. Looking at the big picture is easier said than done. But with the ever-present threat of burpees from my coach, I think I'll behave.

My wingman!

Thankfully, between work and family I seem to be keeping really busy. This past weekend, I enjoyed watching my youngest play rugby! I have been working almost every Saturday since September, and this was only the second game I've seen this fall. His team lost, but these boys continue to inspire me with their heart and hard playing, right up to the bitter end. The team they played today was really good, and Matthew and one of his teammates joked that it was as if the opponents weren't quite human. Matthew said if they tackled them, he thought their skin might come off and there would just be wires underneath there. Kind of like running with the Kenyans, right?

Anyways, I've been busy in the kitchen, making some delicious fall recipes. My family is always happy to eat whatever I put in front of them. Manitoba Harvest sent me a package of their Hemp Hearts to try, and I've been experimenting with them. Since my boys are allergic to tree nuts, the Hemp Hearts are a great substitute for nuts in recipes. My oldest son Tom went pumpkin shopping a few weeks ago and came home with not only pumpkins but also squash. There was a butternut squash sitting on the kitchen counter, and I made a pasta sauce with it. I like to make a brown butter with fresh sage to spoon on top of the pasta, and instead of the pine nuts that the recipe called for, I substituted Hemp Hearts. It was a hit!

Here's the recipe:

Butternut Squash Pasta sauce
recipe adapted from Cooking Light 2006
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1# butternut squash peeled, seeded, and shredded
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups of water
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup/4 oz. shredded parmesan (I use SarVecchio, a cheese made in Wisconsin (it's got a nutty kind of flavor), but you can use your favorite)

12 ounces uncooked penne

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts
1 tbsp fresh sage

Directions: 
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 c pasta water.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add squash and 1 cup of water to the pain. Cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Gradually add the rest of the water, 1/2c at a time, waiting until the water is absorbed before adding more. Stir occasionally.
3. Once all the water is absorbed, stir in the sugar, salt, and pepper.
4. While the squash is cooking, melt 2 tbsp. butter in a small saucepan. Allow it to lightly brown. Remove from heat and stir in the Hemp Hearts and sage.
5. Combine pasta and sauce, tossing well to mix. If the sauce is too thick, add pasta water until mixture reaches desired consistency. Toss with 3/4c shredded parmesan.
6. Spoon pasta and sauce onto plates; top with remaining cheese and buttered sage sauce.
7. Serve and enjoy!

With a salad and a chardonnay...it's the perfect fall meal!

And yes, here's a running photo from the weekend:

What are you cooking up for fall? Don't you just love fall meals? I can't wait to see what else I can do with my Hemp Hearts! There are a ton of recipes on the website. If you want to try Hemp Hearts, I'm giving away one package below!

disclosure: As a SweatPink ambassador, I was given one package of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts to try and review here on the blog. Of course, all opinions and recipes and photos are mine!

I'm linking this post up with Holly at HoHoRuns and Tricia at MissSippiPiddlin and their Weekly Wrap! I'm expecting some race reports...and all kinds of fall fun! Check it out!

I'm also linking up with Debbie at Confessions of Mother Runner And Tina Muir at Fuel Your Future with Tina Muir for Meatless Monday! Yum!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Loving/Not Loving: The Friday Five Edition

There's just so much to love lately. 

I am loving the fall weather that we have been blessed with! It has been amazing, with temperatures in the 60s and 70s, and minimal rain. It was super windy earlier this week, but with those winds came the warmth. I didn't love that it was warm for the marathon, but it could have been so much worse. I have to admit that after crossing the finish line, it was nice to be warm. I'm not loving that the Farmer's Almanac is predicting a cold winter for us again. I hope they are wrong, and that this warm trend continues into the winter.

I'm loving not being in training for anything! My runs are easy and relaxed. With no paces to hit, I can take time to smell the roses--well, it's fall, so not the roses, but maybe the leaves? Do you know that smell? When I was a child, we used to rake the leaves. There were no blowers back then. We made leaf houses and leaf piles to jump in. Today the smell of the leaves took me back to those days. I love not having to hit a pace or meet a distance goal. But what I'm not loving is in spite of all my free time, I can't seem to get anything done! My house is still cluttered. My closet is in disarray. Maybe I shouldn't have been blaming my marathon training for all that...

Speaking of the marathon, I'm still loving that my oldest son came to spectate with his girlfriend. And he even put his arm around me for the picture she took of us. He and I have had a tough year or 2. I'm starting to feel like he's coming around. We actually have conversations now. This past week, he baked a pumpkin and used the filling to make pumpkin muffins, which were delish. He also made scones. This is stuff he used to do when he was younger. This really warms my heart. But I'm not loving that he quit his job (he's going back) and that yesterday, he decided he wasn't going to school. No reason, he just didn't feel like it. Sigh. Baby steps, right? He did go to school today... small victory...

Looking vibrant as always!

Yesterday I had lunch with Marcia. I am loving that I have met some really nice, like-minded friends through blogging and Facebook. Marcia is one of the first bloggers that I followed. I have gotten to know her pretty well over the past couple of years and I really enjoy her company. Plus we are supportive of each other, and not at all competitive. Marcia has given me a lot of guidance, especially with running and my blog. At lunch, we talked a lot about blogging and one thing both of us are not loving is the undercurrent of ageism that seems to be pervading the blogosphere. Why do sponsors need to know the age of the blogger? Isn't it enough to be a good runner? A good writer? Gotta love those comments I've heard from people (not on the blog thankfully) after running Chicago about how I did well for "someone your age". Yikes.

I'm loving my new Apple Watch. Do you have one? This was a totally indulgent, "I want it" kind of purchase. I do love my gadgets. I'm still figuring it out. But I can't get enough of Mickey Mouse dancing on my screen. I need a watch with a sweep second hand for work, and you can switch watch faces to one that has that feature. Pretty cool. My patients are really intrigued by it. There's a basic fitness tracker, which I haven't tested out yet. Nike Plus has an app for the watch, and I've been playing with that a little bit. I've never used Nike Plus in the past, but I like the look of the screen and maps. Using it with the watch requires a couple of extra steps, but I'm slowly figuring it out. For now, I'm wearing both my Garmin and my Apple Watch on the run. Stay tuned....I'll be writing more about it as I get comfortable with it. There's nothing not to love here.

What are you loving these days? Not loving? Are you training for anything? Have you met any friends through social media? 

This week's Friday Five Linkup hosted by the DC Trifecta is 5 Things I Love. They are also celebrating their 2nd Linkupversary, so be sure to not only check out all the posts, but congratulate them on hosting a very successful linkup! Plus Courtney at EatPrayRunDC is getting ready to run MCM this weekend, so wish her luck!

Heavy Medal Deprivation

Ok, all you runners! 

Tell me the truth. 

Do you run for fun? 

For the satisfaction of chasing a goal?

Or do you run for this: 

from the 2014 LRM
www.arkansasonlline.com

So many races are doing this, dangling ridiculous medals like candy in front of runners, who are eager to chase the bling. Heck, there are even challenges where you can run a series of races and collect even more bling. If you run Disney's Dopey Challenge, which consists of a 5k, a 10k, a half-marathon, and a full marathon, you go home with 6 medals. Would anyone do this challenge if their weren't medals at the finish?

Or would you feel deprived? 

I've written about this phenomenon before, this need for participation medals amongst runners. Don't get me wrong. I love nothing more than a volunteer slipping a medal over my head as I cross the finish line of a big race.

But do I run for bling? Do I choose a race based on the medal that they are offering? And would I feel deprived if I ran a race and there was no medal at the finish?

No, no, and no. It seems like I'm in the minority, though.

Did you know that finish times for all distances continue to increase? Could this be due to increased participation by runners? Maybe. Could it also be due to runners entering for fun and bling rather than the competition? Race directors, desperate to attract runners in the very crowded race world, are really upping their game with bling.

I choose races based on the distance, the location, and the reputation of the race. I look for races that I call "runners' races"--races that attract serious runners who know race etiquette. No color runs for me. I did one Hot Chocolate Race a few years ago and it was not my scene. Walkers lining up with runners. No, thank you. I did run the WDW half about 5 years ago, and it was for me, one and done. I found the whole experience anti-climatic. 

Don't throw your running shoes at me. This is just my opinion. And some food for thought. After all, what are you going to do with all those medals? Could you run a race just to run? 

Would you do a race if you knew there wouldn't be a medal at the finish?

I'm linking this post with DebRuns who hosts Wednesday Word. Today's word is deprivation. Let's go see what all the other bloggers are feeling deprived about...