Posts Tagged ‘I must be crazy’
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When I started running long distances {5+ miles}, I was shocked at how the run was as mental as it was physical. I read in Runner’s World {which I think is perhaps the runner’s bible} that your body can keep running further than your mind. In other words, if your head’s not in the game, your body won’t be either. Over the last year, I’ve picked up some technics for staying trained mentally.
Half Marathon Training {The Mental}
{photo credit}
1. Prepare for the worse – Understand that running 3 miles is not easy. Running 13.1 miles is even harder. I don’t want to scare or discourage you, but it’s true. However, for me, if I start the run knowing it’s not easy but can be done, then I feel prepared. It’s like walking into a final exam – I know it will be tough, but I’ve studied hard for the test and plan to succeed.
2. Find a cheerleader – When I feel like I can’t accomplish something, I need someone to encourage me. My someone is Jonathan. Time and time again he tells me how amazed he is that I’ve completed a long run, or gives me a pep talk before I leave for a run. Even if he is rarely my running buddy, Jonathan’s always in my head cheering me on, telling me I can go that extra mile.
3. Talk yourself through the run – I don’t listen to music when I run. Some of you may think that is crazy, but it’s true. Now before you think I’m some running purest, it has nothing to do with not wanting to listen to music, but simply that my iPod broke 1.5 years ago and I’ve never replaced it. Since then, I started talking myself through my runs. I try to run familiar routes and set visual goals {park is 1 mile, crossroad is 2.5 miles, etc}. Talking myself through my runs looks like: a) encouraging myself as I pass my visual goals, b) sorting through personal issues, and, c) praying/mediating. As you talk yourself through your run, you’ll find that you don’t actually need music to run, and it brings the {good} intensity of running to a whole new level.
4. Make some compromises – This last weekend I was suppose to run 8 miles. I woke up and loathed the idea of running 8 miles. I wanted nothing more than to lay in bed with my family and then s-l-o-w-l-y start the day. I knew I couldn’t miss a training day, so I compromised: do 3 mile hill training, followed by 5 mile bike training. In the end, I cut my training time in half so I could get back to my family {but thanks to those brutal hills – I was much more sore!}.
5. Cut yourself some slack – Not every run will be great. You’ll cut a run short. You’ll walk away feeling defeated. It is okay. I’ve walked away from a 3 mile run in tears with how poorly it went. And I’ve walked away from a 7 mile run feeling amazing. Just like having bad days, you’re gonna have bad runs. Understand that one run doesn’t determine your life as a runner – it’s getting back on the road that does.
Just keep your head in the game {even if it’s insane}.
For Part 1 of this three part series, click here {Part 1 – The Physical}.
*Disclaimer: All tactics/tips are my own personal opinions and not medically backed. Please seek medical advice before starting any running program.
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Last January, on an impulse, I started training for a half marathon. I know that might seem strange, what about a 13.1 mile race is impulsive. But it was {as are so many things in my life}. After 12+ weeks of training, I ran my race in April. Sweet victory. I’m currently training for the Austin Half Marathon on February 20th. After getting some questions from friends about my training, I thought I’d spend the next three weeks doing a series.
{photo credit}
Half Marathon Training {The Physical}
I’ve thought it cliche to say “If I can do it, you can do it”, but I honestly believe it. I’ve never been a runner. And before I set my mind to running/training, the furthest I’d ever run was 2 miles. In high school. One of my favorite quotes about running {from Runner’s World} said “Running is hard. If it wasn’t everyone would do it”. I can’t tell you how incredibly true that is. Running is hard. Some days I hate it. But I do it anyway because deep down I really love it. Here are my tactics for training:
1. Run – Obvious enough, but something we can all put off. It’s too cold. It’s too hot. It’s too rainy. It’s too sunny. You name it, I’ve used it as an excuse {including “It’s too windy and will mess with my running time”}. You can’t train if you don’t run.
2. Schedule – Just google “half marathon training schedule” and you will get countless training schedules ranging from beginners to advanced. Pick one that you can tailor to your needs and stick with it. Here’s mine: Basic Half. It worked wonders for helping me stay on track with my first half last year. This year I’ve tailored it a bit more, since I’m training in half the time.
3. Food is fuel – I’ll be the first to admit I’m not always great about seeing food as fuel {as I lick brownie crumbs off my plate and type…}. But if running has taught me one thing it’s: bad food makes for a bad run. End of story. The more junk I eat, the harder the run. I feel bloated and nasty. Not something you want to feel when you’re staring down an 8-mile run.
4. Water is essential, but so are electrolytes – Perhaps I’m part fish, but I need water. Literally crave it. And aside from my much needed coffee {and occasional wine/beer} I steer away from all other drinks. Unless I’m running. Throughout the day I drink tons of water, but on a long run day {anything over 6 miles} I make sure to have a Gatorade on hand. I typically won’t drink it during my run {just water}, but Gatorade is my saving grace for post run hydrating.
Running isn’t just physical, but mental and emotional. In the next two weeks, I’m going to be sharing my tips for how to mentally and emotionally train.
*Disclaimer: All tactics/tips are my own personal opinions and not medically backed. Please seek medical advice before starting any running program.
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I have always loved animals. Even creepy crawly animals. Ok, ok, maybe I don’t love bugs, but I respect their life cycle and what they are made to do. But with out exception I love, love, love big dogs. Sure, I’ve come across some that are mean, a little scary, but mostly they are just big ole babies.
When we got our dog, Jack, nearly four years ago, I fell in love fast. He was such a cute puppy.
Serious puppy cuteness
Now as a 90 pound lap down {I wish I was joking about the lap dog part} he is such a gentle giant with our girls. Which makes me love him even more. We all still refer to him as “puppy”, though he is clearly not.
As this week’s adventure, I took Jack and the girls to an off leash trail yesterday. It was so much fun, until…
Jack jumped in the creek.
I don’t know if you’ve ever smelled wet dog, but let me tell you, it ain’t good. And since Jack is a “lap dog” that sleeps on our couches and beds, he was in serious need of a bath before I let him roam the house.
Thankfully we have a pretty large tub, and Jack {being the awesome dog he is} actually didn’t put up a fight getting into the tub. He either stood or sat the entire time.
Here he is before his bath:
Not too thrilled, but being a good sport.
He never once tried jumping out and just sat there while the girls and I washed him.
Here he is post bath:
Can you tell he is a little spoiled?
To make up for the trauma, Jack got extra love from the family:
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures Thursday and Jill at Diaper Diaries for more Things I Love Thursday.
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Our family will no longer be celebrating Christmas.
That seems hard to grasp, since without question, Christmas is my favorite holiday. But it’s true. Our family will no longer be celebrating Christmas in the American style. Our daughters will not open Christmas presents, there will be no exchange. We will not be checking our gift list and wondering who we missed. Instead, we will be turning our focus towards Christ.
I have to admit, we are still navigating what we think “no gifts at Christmas” needs to look like. How to be sensitive to others while following {and better understanding} our own convictions. It’s awkward, because I love giving gifts. Just little things, but something that shows my love for another. Jonathan suggested that we start focusing on gift-giving throughout the year. Spread the love to not just give in December, but feel free to give year round as we have people on our hearts.
So far, giving up gifts has been amazing. I’m not focused on myself or stressed about making sure Aunt Carol’s babysitter’s neighbor has her gift. I’m able to talk with the girls about Jesus, telling them how exciting it is to be leading up to His birthday. We are taking the money we normally spend on our family gifts and meeting the true needs of others with it. I have had a renewed love of traditional Christmas carols, singing of the coming of Christ, the longing for our Savior. Time after time, I have stood in awe of God’s amazing love for us. And that’s what Christmas is: celebrating Christ’s arrival and the end of our separation from God.
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Since being married, Jonathan and I have never spent a Christmas with our families. Not that we didn’t want to, we did. But we lived too far away and never had enough time off work to make a trip happen. Last year we were able to go to my parents’ for Thanksgiving and loved it. Now that we are in Texas, we are thrilled with all our family-for-the-holiday options. This year my parents, two younger brothers, and our family, will be meeting in Ft. Worth, where my older brother lives with his wife and kids. To make it even more fun, my SIL’s family will be there too. The last guest tally was 36 people. Eekk! {That’s a squeal of joy}.
I volunteered to plan out our meals for Christmas Day. And while it’s a big task {did I mention several teenaged boys will be there?!}, I am beyond excited to put my hosting, cooking, Christmas-loving skills to work. Here’s a small preview of our Christmas Day menu:
{photo credit}
Breakfast:
Lunch:
Dinner:
Pork Loin Roast with sides and clover rolls
Call me crazy {cause I know I am!}, but I am really looking forward to this cooking adventure. Being in the kitchen with my mom and stepdad {both fabulous cooks} and enjoying the hectic, loud, loving family reunion just feels too good to be true. *happy sigh*
What are your plans for Christmas? Any favorite holiday recipe I should try out?
Vist Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures Thursday.
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Jonathan and I started Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred last week. I have to admit I didn’t expect it to live up to much. After the first day I really thought “That wasn’t bad.” Maybe I should have waited until Day 2.
The workout themselves are challenging, but not undoable for me. However, doing it every day is what is challenging. My body doesn’t get to rest like it’s use to. In the past I’d workout, give myself three one day off and would feel pretty great once I went back to the gym. But not now. Now there is no resting. Jon and I do “Shred” every night after the girls go to bed and I’m impressed with what a good workout we are getting. I’m sore, but keep pushing through. Certain things are getting “easier” but other moves I dread {like side lunges with front raises – I hurt just thinking about it}. It’s been great working out with Jonathan, because he keeps me motivated and it makes things go faster since we are in this together. Here’s to hoping to be “shredded” in the next 30 days!
What are some of your favorite workouts? Have you tried the 30 Day Shred?
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures Thursday.
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Our family is packing up our house for a big move to Texas. We leave next Wednesday, so we are working hard to get everything squared away in time. Thankfully, a lot gets done when Jonathan is at home and we can work together. But, I’ve still found that there are some lessons we’ve learned NOT to do when packing up your entire house.
1. Pack up all your toys – While it might seem like a great idea to clean up the toy room, it’s dangerous territory when your two toddlers have nothing to play with.
2. Pack up all your medicine – Sure, you haven’t been sick in months, so why do you need 3 bottles of NyQuil? Trust me on this – packing up all your medicine is like asking to get sick.
3. Have your oldest get pink eye – See #2. Told you I was asking for it.
4. Have your youngest get pink eye – Could I really expect her not to get it, since big sister is all she has left to play with {see #1}?
5. Get sick yourself – See #2 and #3 and #4.
6. Start The 30 Day Shred – I blame this fully on Alicia’s amazing results. Once I saw her before and after pictures, I went out that afternoon and bought 30 Day Shred. I’m on day 5. And I’m really, really sore.
7. Volunteer for anything – I volunteer for things before I even think. It’s a good habit that comes at bad times. Thankfully all my friends are gracious enough to overlook when I back out of my responsibilities at the last minute {Sorry friends!}.
8. Be hard on yourself – Let’s just say I haven’t been the greenest human lately. Or the most time conscious. Or the most loving. Or the most hygiene prone. Or anything else I strive for.
9. Be overly hard on your kids – Moving is hard for kids. They don’t fully understand what’s going on. And while it’s frustrating to explain for the fourteenth billion time what it means to “pack” I need to cut the girls some slack.
10. Not ask for help – I’m blessed with friends just waiting to help us. And I take advantage of it when I can/need. And that means thankfully I have dinner provided for us every night this week. Can you say awesome? {Thanks friends!}
What are some of your packing tips? Any crazy stories of packing with little ones?
Visit Oh Amanda for more Top Ten Tuesday.
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{Be sure to check out my Fall Apron Giveaway!}
There are some of you who don’t even want to think about Christmas yet {after all Halloween isn’t even here}, but the planner in me can’t help but start making Christmas lists. Of course it doesn’t hurt that I just so happen to love Christmas. But, here are ten ways that you can start planning for Christmas without feeling like you’re slightly Halloween and Thanksgiving.
1. Christmas Cards/Pictures – Take your family Christmas picture in October or beginning of November so that you can have your cards ready to mail by December 1st.
2. Name Swap – Does your family do a name swap for presents? If not, I highly recommend it {especially if you have a larger family}
3. Gift List – You can start this early, writing down gift ideas for individuals; It helps you make sure you have everyone covered.
4. Shopping – I bought all the girls’ Christmas presents in August. I found some great deals at random stores and garage sales and have just stored them away for later.
5. Craft Ideas – Want a new Christmas wreath? Or does your husband need a new stocking? Start making your Christmas crafts now so that you can get good deals at hobby shops and don’t feel the holiday pressure come December.
6. Baking – I love to bake during the holidays. And for me, that means baking October – February. One trick I learned last year was to bake several batches of cookies, breads or pies and freezing most of it to bring out for parties or events.
7. Plan Parties in Advance – The holidays book up fast. And between family, work, church and friends it’s hard to coordinate larger events. One way to help is by setting a date early and send out invites a few weeks in advance.
8. Meal Plan – Along with planning parties, it’s important to start listing out a menu. This is where baking and freezing can really come in handy.
9. Check Lights/Locate Decorations – You can wait till closer to December {or November if that’s when you start decorating} to check your lights/find your decorations. I wish I’d done this last year when half way through decorating our tree I realized several strings of lights were out. 
10. Enjoy the Holidays – I remember Christmas being a carefree and wonderful time as a child. As an adult I can’t help but feel slightly overwhelmed at times. But I strive to enjoy the wonders of the time; the snow, the time with family, the magic of it all.
What are ways you prepare for Christmas?
Visit Oh Amanda for more Top Ten Tuesday.
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Last Monday started my no coffee diet and this past Friday started my no sugar diet. I’ve been without coffee or sugar for four days and I’m starting to ask myself “What have I done?!?”
My energy level was pretty high all week until Friday. By Friday afternoon I was exhausted. And exhausted pretty much describes my weekend. I don’t know if it was cutting out my afternoon sugary pick-me-up but I took a nap Friday and Sunday morning. Originally my no coffee diet allowed me to have one cup of coffee on Sunday mornings {during house church}, but this Sunday Hannah was sick so I stayed at home. By the afternoon Jonathan said I really needed coffee because I was running on nothing and it showed. I had 16oz mug and felt a ton better.
As for the headaches, they came around Friday and Saturday afternoon. Friday was more intense then Saturday, lasting for a couple of hours and forcing me to lay down for a little while. It had residual effects the rest of the day, but lost its intensity by the evening. Saturday was more of a dull ache and was easy to push through. I’m praying that perhaps they were both sugar withdraw headaches and that as the week goes on I will see them less and less. After all that is my goal.
Finally, Jonathan and I agreed to wait this week without coffee, but to perhaps start drinking it again come next week. If my energy level stays this low, I need something to help me get through the day. I’m juggling with whether to have decaf, half caf or regular. I might start off slow {half caf}, having a cup every other day and go from there. Although, my theory has always been: Go big or go home. So perhaps going back to regular coffee the best option.
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As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I really, really love sugar and coffee. But I’m wondering if my two loves could be the root of my long term headaches. While I haven’t been drinking coffee as long as I’ve been eating sweets, I do tend to drink a lot of coffee. {Depending on what you consider a lot. Maybe 2-4 cups a day – usually closer to 4.} Oddly, I don’t put sugar in my coffee, which might be a plus for what is about to happen:
I’m giving up sugar for the month of October.
Now there are a couple of ground rules:
1. I will continue eating yeast breads that contain sugar {i.e. yeast rolls, sandwich breads, etc}.
2. I will stop eating sweet breads, cookies, cakes, etc.
3. I will continue eating natural sugars – honey, agave, peanut butter {without added sugar}, fruits.
4. I will in addition cut back my coffee to once a week, drinking one cup at house church on Sundays.
I’m giving myself two weeks to see how my body handles the changes. If I don’t see much improvement in my headaches, I’m going one step further and eliminating all sugar {basically cutting out sugar from my yeast breads}.
I’ve already cut out the coffee this week. It’s not been as hard as I expected, but I do miss it something fierce. I’m not as concerned about eliminating coffee from my diet as much as I am cutting it back and being mindful the timing of when I drink {better before 9/10 am}.
I’m a little nervous about this new “diet” adventure. I’m imagining having night sweats when I just have to have something sweet and can’t. Hopefully my imagination is just a little overactive. I’m keeping a date journal to see how things go, chart my improvements {fingers crossed} and if there is anything more that might trigger my headaches.
*Please keep in mind that I am not a medical professional and my crazy no-sugar diet is my personal exploration for headache remedy and not medical advice.
Visit Alicia at Alicia’s Homemaking for more Try New Adventures Thursday.
A Wife Loved Like The Church 
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