I'm having an affair...with running

I've got something to confess. I know, runfessions isn't until Friday. But it's been weighing heavily on my conscience.

I'm having an affair.

Happily married? Sure. But my heart doesn't belong to one. Before you start to judge, my affair isn't with another person.

I'm in love with running. This isn't anything new. But for the last couple of weeks, it seems to have taken on a new importance.

Sing it with me: (with apologies to Billy Paul) "Me-eee, I-IIII, me and the road, me and the road, me and the roooad....we've got a thing, going on. We both know that it's wrong. But it's much too strong...."

This past weekend, my husband and I were planning the rest of our trip to California. We picked out hotels and talked about sightseeing after the Big Sur Marathon. We went to the California coast for our honeymoon, 27 years ago. This time around, we want to see some of the things we missed.

27 years ago in San Francisco

"It's going to be our second honeymoon!" I exclaimed.

"It is NOT a second honeymoon," my husband said. "We're going because you're running."

Stunned, I didn't know how to respond. I mean, so what I'm running? We would not be taking this trip if it weren't for running. Right? And who encouraged me to put my name into the Big Sur marathon lottery in the first place? Hmm? Mr Man?

He didn't answer me that one.

My husband has always had a love/hate relationship with my running. He supports me, no doubt. He's always proud when I finish a race, and he loves to hear my finish times. The medals always make him smile. I hear him bragging about my running accomplishments to other people. But he's always been a little ambivalent about it. He makes snide comments about all the time I spend training. The blog. I've never been quite sure why.

So when Deb posted this week's word prompt: faithful, I started thinking about this a little bit.

When I look at my running like an affair, well, I guess I can see things a little more clearly.

I looked up some signs that indicate your spouse is cheating on you and applied them to running:

-Your spouse starts dressing better. Well, isn't that the truth? I've made no secret of my obsession with running clothes. Who wants to run in baggy old sweats?

Tell me these Athleta tights aren't on point...

-Your spouse frequently disappears out of the blue. Well, I do tell him where I'm going but sometimes I run farther than I planned.

My 3 hour bike ride? ooops....

-Dropping another person's name into the conversation. I do talk about running a lot.

-Excessive internet usage is a red flag. Guilty as charged. I sit in front of the TV with my laptop opened all the time. Posting my runs, blogging, connecting with other like minded folks...

-Your spouse starts forgetting everything you tell them and/or you have to repeat everything you've told them. Their thoughts are elsewhere. What?

-Your spouse starts encouraging you to have an interest all your own. I've been really supportive of his home brewing. Sampling the beers. Isn't that what a supportive spouse does?

-Your spouse comes home and heads straight to the shower. To wash away any signs of infidelity. But really, is this wrong to do after a run?

When I look at it, the signs are all there. It appears that I may not be the faithful spouse that I pride myself on.

But if cheating by running is wrong, well then...I don't want to be right.

Do you have a jealous spouse when it comes to running? How do you balance your marriage and your love for running?

I'm linking up with DebRuns for Wednesday Word. Today's word is faithful. I can't wait to see what everyone has to say about this one!

I'm also linking up with Wild Wednesday: AngelenaMarie, Annmarie, Nicole, and Michelle are hosting the party! Check out Annmarie's bluetooth headphones giveaway!

Big Sur Marathon Training Week 7

This week started in Florida and ended back in chilly Chi-town. Not only that, but there wasn't a whole lot of running this week. Have you ever trained for a marathon without doing much running? Can you say anxious?

Anna Maria Island Sunset

Monday: Post half marathon rest day. I was incredibly sore--in my quads! I guess those downhills on the bridges took a toll on me. Who says Florida is flat? I did my yoga for runners workout and tried to stretch everything out. I also walked on the beach for about 2 hours. Secretly, I have an obsession with seashells, and I could spend all day, every day looking for the perfect shells. The gulf wasn't giving up anything, but no matter. It's always wonderful to be out on the beach. The waves crashing on the shore, the feel of the sand on my feet...it's like therapy, really. My foot was a little sore but no more than usual. I found this really encouraging after running 13.1 miles the day before.

Warrior one on the beach

Tuesday: I wanted to test out the legs before I headed home. Plus I just wanted to run one more time in Florida! It was really foggy! I went out for a 6 mile run around the island. From previous years spent there, I had a nice 6.5 mile loop and hoped to complete it. But around mile 3.5, I felt a strong tug in my right hip flexor. This wasn't the soreness that I experienced during the race, but a more sharp pull. People always give me a hard time about running through pain, but this was one of those pains I knew not to ignore. I stopped immediately to walk and rubbed the spot that was hurting. I started running again, and it hurt, but not so sharply this time. By mile 4 (my OCD likes even numbers), I decided to stop and walk back to my parents' place. There was no sense in risking injury. I was pretty sure that the pain was due to my bike crash from the previous week, but to be safe, I called the sports medicine specialist and set up an appointment for the next day once I got home.

Last run before I head home.

Wednesday: I had hill work on the plan, but since I wasn't running, I did intervals on the bike. I could not get YouTube to stream through my Apple TV, and so I just listened to my running playlist. Which turned out to be the best thing for me. I rode hard and fast. There was no pain with this ride.

Frog pose post bike ride

Later that afternoon, I saw my doctor. Of course, she shook her head when I told her what had happened last week on the bike. She was concerned about a femoral head stress fracture, although both of us discussed that it was pretty unlikely, considering that I ran a half marathon on Sunday. Still, she ordered xrays. No fracture was seen, although I do have some "degenerative" joint changes. You know, arthritis. Smh. My doctor told me to take a week off and try some gentle running after that. If it was still painful at that point, she would have me get an MRI. She did reassure me that provided I didn't have a fracture, she would get me to Big Sur. After the race, she told me I needed a real break and some rehab.

Thursday: I drove to the indoor park district pool to do some pool running. On the way home from work the night before, I had stopped to buy a pool running belt and a waterproof iPhone case. Armed with all my gear, I waded into the diving well. Alarms were sounding off in my head as I lowered into the pool with my iPhone. There was no one there but me and the lifeguard, and I started "jogging" around the perimeter. My tunes were playing and I started to think that maybe this pool running wasn't going to be so bad. After one lap around the pool, I heard zzzzzzttt in my headphone and yep, my music stopped. Dammit. When will I learn to listen to my gut? Why would I listen to the teenager at Best Buy? I took my wet phone out of the "waterproof" case, set it on the bleachers, and got back in the water to finish my workout. The teenage lifeguard didn't laugh at me, surprisingly. He walked around the pool while I jogged and we chatted. That helped the hour go by quickly.

After my pool workout, I went to see Becky for CrossFit. I talked to her about my week, my drowned phone, and my doctor visits. Then I started to cry. I hadn't cried at all since the bike crash, and when I finally do break down, it's in front of my tough as nails coach. She let me cry, and then we talked about what I was going to do. She talked about all the positives. How well I did in that hot half on Sunday. That I got back on my bike after the crash. That she seriously doubted I had a fracture since I ran that half without much pain. That I was going to get to Big Sur, no matter what. And that I wasn't going to cry anymore. For my modified workout, she had me do cleans into front squats, 3 sets of 10 alternating with squats/plate flips. Then I pulled the sled across the parking lot alternating with 3 sets of 10 slam balls. Finally, I rowed all out for 3 minutes. It was hard, it was therapeutic, I was pain free, and I felt strong and badass when I left.

Of course, I have no pictures from this day, since I had no phone. I know the rule, no pictures, the workout didn't happen, right? Trust me. If I could have a do-over for this day, I would. And yes, the workouts happened. Note to self: there is no such thing as a waterproof phone case. I spent the rest of the day getting a new phone and setting up all my apps. Second note to self: do not ignore those alarm bells. Trust the gut. Pity party? Over.

Friday: rest day. By the way, I got my attitude adjustment at work. Remember my patient Jolie? She and her mom stopped by the clinic to see me. Her hair is growing back, but she's decided she likes being bald and wants to shave it! She climbed on my lap and wouldn't stop hugging me. Life is indeed very good.

Saturday: What would have been 5 miles on the road ended up being 50 minutes of spin class on the trainer. I used one of the GCN's spin class videos, and it was a good one. The only thing I don't do is stand up in the pedals when the class does. I'm too afraid of aggravating my PF.

Post spin cycle!

Sunday I had a 12 mile run on the plan. I read somewhere that cycling and running time on the road are not equivalent, and that a cycling workout should be about 1 1/2 times longer than a running workout. I don't know if this is true, but it was incentive for me to plan on a 3 hour bike ride. There are a bunch of forest preserves around here, and I found a way to connect my usual 2 hour route to the preserve where I ran that half marathon last November. I layered up, as it was 40 degrees, and slipped on my neoprene toe covers that Kelli recommended. The sun was shining brightly, and that made it feel a little less cold. I had the path to myself. Getting to the other preserve was interesting. Even though the suburb I had to ride through boasts that it is "bike friendly"--yes, I rode on a well-marked paved path-- the people driving on the busy roads were not at all bike friendly. Part of the route took me over Interstate 90 on a bridge that was under construction. There was still a bike lane but OMG, it was a little hairy. I also had to ride past Woodfield Mall--who knew that would be on the bike route?--so I also had to contend with the shopping crowd. After that, I crossed under another highway and came to the entrance to Busse Woods. I felt myself relax as I was able to increase my speed on the smooth path without worrying about cars. This preserve is yet another pretty oasis in the middle of suburbia. I circled around the 8 mile loop and headed towards home. One more scary crossing--damn you road construction!--where I actually had to ride on one of the busy roads for about 1/8 mile. Then it was home free. 45 miles/3:16.

These pretty birch trees made me stop and strike a pose!

I know what you're thinking. Or maybe you're not, but I had this thought. Why didn't I go the extra 5 miles to make it a half century? I was going for time, not distance. This was the farthest I've ever ridden on my bike. It was also the coldest temperature I've ever ridden in. My quads were screaming at this point, and my hands were numb. I was more than ready to be done. And I was really happy with this ride. I hope it counts for marathon training. It sure was fun!

Have you ever trained for a marathon using cross training? How did it go? Any suggestions for making pool running more interesting? 

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

Book Review: Find A Way by Diana Nyad

While not a running book, Diana Nyad's memoir of her attempts to swim from Cuba to Key West is full of inspiration for any endurance athlete. You know how this one ends. But that's ok, because in Nyad's words, it's about the journey, not the destination. Sound familiar? We runners say that all the time! What an epic choice for this month's Taking the Long Way Home Book Club!

"This is a swimmer's Mount Everest, the great epic ocean endeavor of our blue planet."

I'm a runner, not a swimmer. Never have been, never will be. My idea of swimming is paddling around the pool on a raft or jumping from the boat to the waterski. But for Diana Nyad, swimming was her outlet. In Find A Way, Nyad shares her journey from the pools where she trained as a young girl as well as her traumatic childhood. Reading about the sexual abuse from her father and her coach was difficult. I wondered how she could overcome such horrible experiences and become so mentally tough.

Resilient. Driven. Focused. Determined. These are the words that came to my mind while I read this book.

Throughout the book, she describes her training in great detail. There were 16 hour swims. Night swims. Throughout her multiple attempts to meet her goals, some harrowing encounters with poisonous box jellyfish. In fact, the limiting factor to her achieving her goals were those box jellyfish. She invited an expert to join her team to help find a way to swim through those hazards.

I was impressed with the large number of people Diana had devoted to her dream. Besides the jellyfish expert, there were shark divers, medical experts, handlers, kayakers, navigators, so-called independent observers to verify the swim as authentic, meteorologists, support crew...the list goes on. The Xtreme Dream Team, as she called them, were pretty much intact for all 4 attempts.

What I loved about this book was the dedication and drive Diana demonstrated throughout her quest. Even after the failed attempts, she never lost sight of the ultimate goal, the Key West beach. Even when people suggested she try swimming a different route, to a different destination, she knew that she wouldn't be satisfied with that.

"The human will is far and away stronger than fear and common sense combined."

and

"Our greatest weakness is giving up. The most certain way to success is to try one more time."

Of course, I also loved that she refused to be limited by her age.  Diana was 62 when she reached her goal. Her training was intense. I was exhausted just reading about some of the swims. The fact that she was able to do this training 3 years in a row and attempt this swim multiple times tells the reader a lot about her spirit but also that an athlete should never be discounted because of age. Certainly, endurance sports are ideal for the aging athlete. Don't tell Diana Nyad she's too old to chase her dream!

"At sixty, in every way, including as an athlete, I am at the prime of my life."

and

"Don't put your assumptions of what one is supposed to feel at my age on me. I defy those suppositions of limitations. If you feel aches and pains, say so. But I don't, and I refuse to follow you or anybody else's conrolling and denigrating parameters of mediocrity."

Amen, sister!

If I have any complaint about this book at all, it was at bit tedious at times to read about Nyad's training. She describes her training swims in great detail, and sometimes I had to put the book down to absorb everything she was sharing. In her epilogue, she shares that 80% of the story is not in the book. I can't imagine the book being any more detailed than it already was. I think her editor did a nice job paring the book down to make it very readable.

For me, this book was very inspirational. Throughout the book, I kept reflecting on her drive and determination to reach the other shore. There were so many great quotes I pulled from the narrative.

"Whatever your Other Shore is, whatever you must do, whatever inspires you, you will find a way to get there."

At the end, as she's pondering her accomplishment, she comments on how the actual beach landing and achievement was kind of fuzzy to her. As she says, "in the end, it was the journey that inspired."

"So for that journey-versus-destination debate, to my mind it's all about the journey. Yes, I remember the end and the feeling of the walk up the beach still sparks euphoria. But the journey lives somewhere deeper than memory."

Isn't that the truth? Even though I've never accomplished anything nearly as grand as swimming across the Florida Straits, my dream was to run a marathon. I say it readily to people, there is no greater feeling than crossing that finish line after all that grueling training. But we learn so much about ourselves in the process of preparing for an endurance event. Finishing an endurance event is somewhat bittersweet. Sometimes it's hard for us to not sign up for another event.

"I share that same thirst to live that drama again. I do." 

What inspired you most from her story? Do you have any life dreams you want to accomplish?

Here's the link up badge! You can find the link up at the end of the post. The link up stays live for 2 weeks--it will close April 1, but the comments stay live forever! Don't forget to link back to this post, and please read and comment on the other reviews. If you want to review a different fitness-related book, please feel free to link up with us as well! Remember, sharing is caring! I'm so grateful to all of you who participate in the book club!

Next month we are reading How Bad Do You Want it: Mastering the Psychology of Mind Over Muscle by Matt Fitzgerald. I've heard great things about this one, and with everyone training for halfs and fulls and triathlons and oh my! the timing is right! Link up will go live Friday, April 15! And remember, you can read any fitness related book and link up your review.

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Sarasota Half Marathon Race Recap

This was the race that I didn't think I'd get to do. Last year I had to defer due to family issues. Then last week, my PF flared badly. I received treatment for that, and following my doctor's advice, took the rest of the week off running. As an alternative, I went for a bike ride and crashed when I hit a muddy puddle. Sore and bruised, I wasn't sure if I would be able to run 13.1. But some relaxation and aqua therapy in Florida allowed me to heal and line up Sunday morning, ready to run.

This race was supposed to be a training run, but you know me. Even with the best intentions, my inner competitor comes out. I headed to Sarasota early Sunday morning to run this half with no goal in mind but to finish and go with what the day decided to bring. With all that had happened prior to the race, I was determined to run this thing. And if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I don't give up easily.

My parents got me to the Van Wezel center about 6:30, and with a start time of 6:45, I jumped out of the car and headed to the portapotties. I received a text from Mary Beth from Tutus and Tennies, who I had planned to meet at the race. I came out of the portapotties, and there she was! We exchanged a quick hug and dashed to the race corrals. I was in corral A--what the heck?--but I was glad to be up front. I put my music on, got the signal on my Garmin, the national anthem was sung, and we were off! No time for nerves.

MaryBeth and me!

We headed immediately south on Tamiami Trail towards the Ringling Bridge to Lido Key. I was excited to run this portion of the race but it was pitch black and you couldn't see anything on the water. What I didn't anticipate was the bridge incline! I've driven over it a few times, but it's a different story on foot. By the time I got to the top, I was winded. I breezed back down, and before I knew it, we were running around St Armands Circle and back up the bridge again. This was already mile 4, but I had to walk. The famed Florida humidity was already taking a toll on me. The sun was starting to rise along with the temperature.

When we got to the top of the bridge, I started running again and flew down, trying to make up for some lost time. For the rest of the race, I used my walk-run strategy that worked well for me at Chicago. Most miles, I walked 1/10th of a mile and ran the rest. I did ok with that. I didn't always have to walk, but I was glad to have that safety net. The other thing I was really glad to have was my handheld bottle with my Tailwind. I ended up drinking about 2 1/2 bottles for this race.

We ran through a really beautiful residential area of Sarasota along the bay. The homes were gorgeous, and there was a lot of natural shade from those mossy oak trees that lined the streets. I felt like it was a little easier to breathe and settled into a 9:30 pace. It was all I could do, considering the conditions. So humbling! I ended up running with the same group of people through the rest of the race. Have you ever had that happen to you? There was a girl wearing black capris and a long sleeved black top. I spent the majority of the race pondering her wardrobe choice. Just looking at it made me hot. She was moving along, though, so I guess it worked for her.

There were a couple of medical aid stations and I saw a guy with the crotch of his shorts completely shredded. He was applying vaseline to his nether regions. I can't even imagine what his shower felt like after the race.

We finally hit mile 12, and the song Fine Again by Seether came on my playlist. Don't ask me what came over me--maybe it was because I could see the finish line ahead, but I started to sing. Out loud. I'm sure everyone around me thought I was a lunatic. I picked up the pace. Singing.

"And I am aware now of how everything's gonna be fine one day, Too late, I am in hell now, I am prepared now, seems everyone's gonna be fine..."

Whatever it takes, right? My music pushes me through those tough runs.

My face says it all. This was a tough one for me.

I approached the finish line. I saw the clock and shook my head. While I was glad to be done, I was disappointed in my ability to overcome the conditions. Damn it!

Someday I'll be a hot weather runner...

Happy to be done!
Official Finish time 2:08:38

I reconnected with my parents, and we waited for Mary Beth to finish.  Meanwhile, I enjoyed the amazing post-finish line spread--this has to be the best post-race party I've seen in a long time. There were two long tables of food and drinks.

Would I do this race again? For sure. The course was beautiful, the race was well organized, and the medal was amazing. Did I mention the free race photos? If I was to make the Sarasota Half Marathon a goal race, I'd incorporate heat training into my training regimen.

But it was, after all, a training run...

How do you do running in extreme heat and humidity? Have you ever trained for a warm weather race? Spill your secrets!

I'm linking up with DebRuns for Wednesday Word. This week's word is shenanigans. I don't know about you but any long distance race has some shenanigans, doesn't it?

I'm also linking up with the Wild Workout Wednesday ladies! Check out all their blogs: Angelena Marie, Annmarie, Nicole and Michelle host this fun linkup!

Big Sur Marathon Training Week 6

I'm halfway through my training for the Big Sur Marathon! Unfortunately, this week was not quite as epic as the last two. Marred by injuries, I was forced to take a couple of days off to recover and rest. Since I spent the latter part of the week in Florida, it wasn't hard to convince myself to put my feet up!

Monday: yoga with Megan. She started off the class talking about digestion and had us do some deep abdominal breathing. Throughout the class, she incorporated twists. It was a challenging class but I really enjoyed it. I also finally mastered side crow! I actually found it easier to balance than with regular crow. Go figure.

Side crow

Tuesday: I had 6 miles on the plan. It was 62 degrees, and I couldn't wait to get outside. I felt great. Until mile 6, when my foot started hurting. Badly. I got home and iced it. By the time I got to work, I was in so much pain I could barely walk. I texted our sports medicine doctor (I work in pediatrics) and he got me in to see his "adult" colleague over lunch. She was happy with all the work I had been doing at home, and said she would be willing to try a steroid injection if I was.

6 miles at sunrise

You all know how I feel about this. There is the risk of tendon rupture and fat pad necrosis with steroid injection into the plantar fascia. However, I was in so much pain that I made the decision to go ahead with the shot and take the rest of the week off of running. She was good with that, and prepped my foot for the injection. It hurt, but no worse than the pain I was in. Afterwards, she gave me a referral for PT to work on my kinetic chain, since I always seem to be injured on my left side. And she told me she would get me to the start line of Big Sur. She wasn't happy about my plans to run a half marathon on Sunday though.

Wednesday: In lieu of my scheduled hill training, I went for a bike ride. It was a little drizzly to start but still warm, in the 60s, and it felt good to be on the bike. About 4 miles into my ride, I passed a runner, went around a curve, slipped on the wet pavement and crashed to the ground. The runner came up to me and asked if I was ok. I was able to move everything, so no broken bones. I felt like crying but I let him help me up and I thanked him. I gathered myself and got back on my bike. I decided to finish my ride. Slowly and a little bit shakily. As it turns out, it wasn't the best day to be out on the path. There were workers cutting trees down, and they had their truck parked in the path. More mud for me to slog through. But once I passed them up, I was rewarded with singing birds and chirping frogs in the ponds. I do love spring! 17 miles/75 mins

After the crash. In shock, I think.

When I got home, I assessed my wounds, which were mostly road rash on the arm and leg where I fell. I was covered with mud, which must have been what made the path so slippery. I had some pain in my adductors and hips too, and as the day went on, the soreness took hold. I guess this was some kind of sign that I needed to take it easy the rest of the week. The good news? My foot didn't hurt much at all.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: I headed to Florida with a wish and a hope that I'd be able to line up at the start line of the Sarasota Half Marathon on Sunday. I rehabbed my sore body by doing yoga in the sun, splashing in the pool, and walking on the beach. Therapy. It was rough.

Tree pose 

King dancer

Crow pose

Camel pose

Sunday morning I woke up feeling good and ready to run. I'll post a full race recap on Wednesday, but since this was a training run (ha!) I wanted to include it in my summary. We started in the dark humid morning and I have to say how great it felt to be running. But I struggled with the heat and humidity and ended up really slowing down. My foot felt pretty good but I every time I started running again after a walk break, I felt a twinge in my right hip. When I finished, I was really uncomfortable. My foot started to throb and the hip pain became a little more intense. I'm pretty sure the hip pain is from the bike crash. I was pretty upset about it, but as the day went on, the pain subsided, and I felt a little more optimistic.

At the finish

I know when I get home on Tuesday I'll need to make another appointment with the sports medicine doctor as well as look into alternative training for Big Sur. One of my friends and fellow bloggers, Holly, trained for WDW doing pool running, and I think I'll need to explore that. I'm not happy about this at all. 

Stay tuned.

How was your week? Any mishaps? Have you ever trained for a marathon using alternatives to running?

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

5 fun things.. Yoga and Running and Streaking, oh my!

This one's coming to you from sunny Florida. With all the focus on Big Sur, I haven't talked much about it, but yes, I am running a half marathon this weekend! Pretty sure this one will not be a PR, but I'm hoping to respect myself at the finish line. Since I'm not taking the race too seriously, I'm not taking this week's Friday Five too seriously either. Can you say vacation mode?

You know someone who's streaking, right? I mean run streaking. I mean running every day. I see these posts on Facebook, and I think, wow! I'm lucky if my feet will let me run 4 days per week. But every day? I'm such a wimp. I went to the USRSA Active Run Streak list to find the runner who has been streaking the longest. His name is Jim Sutherland, and he has been running every day since May 26, 1969. As of this post, that is 17, 090 days. IN A ROW. I perused the list to find the longest streaking woman, and her name is Lois Bastien. She's 79 and has been running 13, 110 days, since 1980.

Where were you in 1969? Were you running? I was...on the playground at school. Does that count?

giphy.com

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And speaking of streaking... Did you know that last week, March 5 was World Naked Bike Day? At least in the southern hemisphere, it was. Don't worry, those of us in the northern hemisphere will get our chance on June 11. In the interest of research, I found out that the Chicago ride is the 5th annual Naked Bike Ride. Don't have a bike? You can skate. Don't want to be completely naked? You can body paint. There's a list of rules on the web page, and the location is not disclosed until a few days before the event. That's to keep the creepers away.

from the 2014 ride

I can't believe I've never heard of this event! You'd think it would be all over the news. After all, the purpose of the ride is to "deliver a cleaner, safer, body positive world". I'm not exactly sure how riding naked delivers this message. But you didn't think people just rode naked, for fun, did you? The seat on my bike is pretty uncomfortable. Sans pants? I don't even want to think about it.

Their motto is "less gas, more ass". Pretty sure they mean gas of the petroleum type, right?

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The next time you stop to take a runfie or strike a yoga pose think about this: more people die from taking selfies than from getting attacked by sharks. According to this article on Mashable, people are taking higher risks to get their selfies, in order to capture a memorable photo.

I haven't done anything risky for a selfie, but I have my share of fails:

Trying valiantly to get that leg up into side plank!

Headstand fail

No fail but balancing on a wall in high lunge?  Ok, some risk here...

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These T-rex Tuesday videos have been making my week. After seeing this ice skating video, I was hooked. This week they were roller derbying. Oh my! So much silliness, cuteness, and fun all wrapped up in one little clip. You can follow them on Facebook to see what T-rex is up to each week!

source

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And finally, if you haven't made up your mind about which candidate measures up, and you're not impressed with the Donald's claims about the little Donald, maybe you want to pick a candidate who claims to have been a runner. Runner's World analyzed the candidates for us. Of course, some of the ones they listed have dropped out of the race. Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders was a track and field runner in his youth, laying claim to a 4:37 mile. Bernie is promoting a healthy lifestyle as part of his campaign. According to this article, Bernie chops wood for exercise. On the red team, Marco Rubio claims an athletic past, running a 4.65 40 yard dash as a collegiate. Rubio was a college football player, and still works out regularly. While all the other candidates claim some form of exercise, none of them are runners. 

Of course, last summer, Donald Trump told a little boy he was Batman. So there's that.

source

In case you needed something else to help make your decision, Ted Cruz is offering yoga mats. With his name. Inspired by his advice at one of the debates to Trump to "just breathe". 'Merican made. Namaste off this one. 

It's the silly season...

What's tickling your funny bone these days? 

I'm linking this one up with the DC Trifecta for their Friday Five link up! Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia host this awesome linkup! Check it out!

Let's All Be Gracious

How do you respond to negative comments on social media? Or to negativity in general? Do you lash out? Or are you able to take yourself out of the situation? Today's Wednesday Word is gracious, and I've had plenty of opportunities to consider all of this lately.

Watching news clips from the political debates (I can't watch the actual events--makes me crazy) has made me reflect on how, as a society, we've become less respectful to each other. Instead of ignoring jabs and barbs, and responding with grace and consideration, the candidates come back with insults. It's like watching the playground bully go after another kid--we're all bystanders. It's truly fascinating and I can't help but wonder, where has all the civility gone?

I flex my grace muscle every day, all day at work. I don't write about my work much at all on the blog. After all, this is a running blog. But it's been a tough couple of months, and yes, being gracious has been a challenge for me.

In general, most of my interactions are positive. But patients show up late, and I have to explain why I can't see them or why they have to wait while I see the ones who came on time.

There are the frustrated parents who argue with me about my medical management decisions because they are exhausted from caring for a sick child. I understand where they are coming from. I am empathetic. Sometimes that's all I have to offer, and I feel bad about that.

Then there are those parents who come in with their own diagnosis and expect me to give them what they think their child needs. Those are the tough ones. They can be demanding and even insulting.

Already feeling stressed, sometimes it takes every ounce of self-control I possess not to lash back at them.

Has social media made us less accommodating to opinions that differ from our own? Certainly, we all joke about Dr. Google, which has empowered people to self-diagnose. But I see it everywhere. Everyone has become an expert on everything and have become intolerant of anything that differs with their opinions. I've been fortunate that on my own social media sites, I've had very little issue with negative comments. But when I read comments on other sites, I cannot believe the things people post.

Since I follow so many fitness pages on social media, my Facebook feed is filled with positivity. I love this. I forget that I have my running bubble. Where positivity reigns. Unfortunately, this bubble really makes the negative posts really stand out.

I've also seen people use social media to lash out. I recently experienced that personally, and as a person who takes enormous pride in her work ethic, it rocked me to my core. Even though I was right, this person felt the need to express her dissatisfaction with me via social media. There was absolutely nothing I could do about it. There is that whole First Amendment thing.

Instead, I had to rise above the fray. As difficult as this experience was, I had to swallow my pride and continue with a smile on my face. I can't make everyone happy. Taking the high road was the right thing to do. Even though it was the hard thing to do.

A couple of months later, I can look back on this very painful incident and know that I did the right thing.

"I give grace because I so desperately need it."- Lysa Terkeurst

Everyone has bad days. But before you post something negative think about the possible implications. Ask yourself: is this something I'd say to that person's face? Is this something I want other people to see? Do I want to be remembered for this?

And if the comment is directed at you, first ask yourself if there is any truth in the comment.

Don't get defensive. While lashing out via social media might immediately feel good, you'll regret it later.

A good rule to remember is: Say it, forget it, write it, regret it. Once it's out there, it's out there.

Take a deep breath. Put your head down and walk away.

Cooler heads prevail.

Instead of spreading the negativity, spread positivity.

Be gracious in all your interactions.

Grace and humility go hand in hand.

Maybe, just maybe it isn't about you.

"Be pretty if you can, be witty if you must, but be gracious if it kills you." -Else De Wolfe

How do you react to inflammatory posts? Do you read them and move on? Or do you respond? Have you every been cyberbullied or attacked on social media? If so, what did you do?

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