Thanksgiving feasting strategy #47

Burn about a thousand calories in the morning! I ran my first 10K race in about 13 years this morning. Thirteen years ago I ran 6 minutes slower than I did today. Not bad, not bad at all. Now to indulge on the fabulous feast that I have created.

Tae Kwon Daniel

When you are seven and the size of your average 4-5 year old it can be a challenge. When you still struggle with some of the physical after affects of spending the first 132 days of your life in the hospital while you finished doing the work of four months of growing and developing that should have been completed inside the womb it can be a challenge. We all know that Daniel is challenged. But we all know that Daniel faces and works at each of the challenges that comes his way not unlike the Little Engine That Could.

Daniel is at an age where he loves being active. He loves to run and jump and play with his buddies on the playground at school or with his best friend across the street. Still he has his frustrations and his barriers. He wants to play organized sports but his physical challenges are augmented with some mental as well. Although we have yet to have a definitive diagnosis of ADHD along with his global delays, it is more than clear to us that Daniel has marked attention issues. No, he is not the bouncing off the walls type of ADHD kid but he is very easily distracted and often can’t refocus even when we attempt to redirect his focus. Most of his care and education team have suggested martial arts  as a great organized sport for him as it seems to help many kids  with attention deficit issues. Taking that into consideration, we decided the time was right to explore martial arts for our little man and see if this is the right fit for him.

Today he earned his white belt. I think that it quite possibly might be the right fit for him. He may be small but he still remains oh so mighty.

where the salmon run and the shredheads play

Yesterday I had the chance to run in my 3rd 5K in the last 3 months. Even better, I got to run with my Shredhead, Central Valley neighbor, Jenn. Jenn suggested this race to me this past summer and of course, being the joiner that I am, I signed up. In all seriousness I am glad that I did. Signing up for the races that I have just seems to motivate me all the more. I mean, I have paid the registration fees, I’m going to get (at least) a t-shirt out of the deal, I’m running with other people who signed up with me. What else can I do but follow through? Oh, and there is the added benefit that I haven’t felt this strong, this fit and able to wear skinny(er) jeans in a very long time.

So early yesterday morning, I met up with Jenn and her family up in the foothills below Yosemite ready for another fun run. This was Jenn’s first 5K and I was only a couple weeks post H1N1 flu so all I was focused on was enjoying a fun Fall morning run with my friend and our families cheering us on. Jenn’s Dad was running as well as going on to compete in the rest of the duathlon events that were part of the 5K.

We started out in the back of the pack, even behind the old guys in the 70-79 years old division. There’s no shame starting out in the back. Besides there is a lot of truth in the old adage about slow and steady in a race.

The biggest difference for me in this race is where I run, in my neck of the woods, it is flat. Don’t believe the scenery shots in Sons of Anarchy, the Central Valley is relatively FLAT. Well, mostly flat. But up around Knights Ferry there are hills and there were some hills to run up and down in this race. I had a nice easy going pace going during the first part of the race through the covered bridge until I came up to that first hill. I walked up that hill. I knew there was no way I could run up it so I accepted it and walked. It’s a good thing that I have long legs with a rather big stride because my walk up the hill was about as fast as the pack that I was running with. Once I got up to the top I knew that the next 2+ miles were going to be okay. I picked up to a faster paced run and waved at the bikers hanging out at the biker bar at the top of the hill as I ran past them.

Whoo-hoo!

But what goes up does come down and it seemed that in some places, like the dirt trail, running downhill was even harder than trying to run uphill. I’m old wise enough to look down at the dirt trail and know that it is likely that I will fall so I walked down that dirt hill. I wasn’t worried about losing time because I would have to run past the bikers again and I would definitely keep a fast paced run past them as they cheered me on again.

I crossed the finish line at 34:15, 1 minute and 47 seconds slower than my last race but still I was very pleased with my first race with hills and dirt trails.

Jenn did GREAT crossing the finish line at around 40 minutes. I. am. so. proud. of. her. So are her parents and kids.

As they announced awards at the end of the race, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that my fair showing was pretty damn good. How good? I was faster than the 3rd place finisher in the 40-49 year old women running that day. But wait…

Am I really 23? A 23 year old grandmother? Really? Amazing because that would mean I gave birth to Hazel’s mama when I was all of NINE MONTHS OLD! The race officials insist I registered as a 23 year old in spite of the fact that minutes before the race I signed yet another release form for them stating that I was 47. Whatever. Still they are trying to be fair and have yet to post the official race times while they check all of this out. But regardless of what they finally decide, I know I was the 3rd place finisher in my age division and that is so freakin’ amazing to me. Heck, if they don’t give me the medal I’ll make one myself.

Still, the best part of this race was sharing it with a friend.

Next for this running Shredhead? A Thanksgiving 10K Run Against Hunger followed a couple weeks later by a Holiday Run 10K with Karianna.

the very best thing about today

I had The. Best. Cheering-section. Ever.

I ran my 3rd 5K race this year and it sure was awesome to cross that finish line to this smiling face. Details about how it went, how awesome is my girl Jenn (her Dad is a rockstar too) and my invisible 3rd place medal later. For now, I think I will enjoy a nice long soak in a hot tub and perhaps a glass of zin

shred a cold? run a fever?

If you have stopped by the Big Top here anytime in the last couple weeks you would know that I have been sick. I’m not the most pleasant, long-suffering sick person so I complained…a lot…here…on Facebook…on Twitter…at ModMom’s Club …at home…all the time.  I complained so much it was probably even more annoying than my over-use of the ellipsis. I guess that I’m just not the silently languishing in my illness kind of girl. But I did have a lot of downtime and with that downtime I had time to reflect on a number of things including the fact that my next race is just around the corner and how in the world was I possibly going to be ready to run?

I reflect on the really important things here people.

But since is the season of the colds and flu and so many of my fellow Shredheads and Tiarathoners are/have been struggling with more than their fair share of the sickies perhaps we should be asking whether or not we should be working out when sick. Nobody (that I know) likes to get sick. There are so many other things that we could be doing besides hacking up a lung or feeling like our sinuses are about to erupt. It can be all the more frustrating when one is in physical training and conditioning whether it is for a big event or just to get and stay fit. So, do you workout when you are sick? Should you? Are you just a wimp-ass if you don’t?

The general rule of thumb among health and fitness experts is if your symptoms are above the neck (sinus drainage, watery eyes, scratchy throat) you can go ahead and exercise—but only if you really feel like it and if you keep it completely aerobic and if your symptoms are below the neck (coughing, body aches) or involve a bacterial infection (sinus, bronchitis, walking pneumonia) then it is best to take a few days off and just rest. Along with this simple, basic rule of thumb also keep in mind:

• Do not ignore symptoms that could be attributable to the heart, including shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, fainting, chest pain or lightheadedness. See a doctor immediately if you have any question about the health of your heart.
• Remember to have reasonable and lowered performance expectations after you’ve been ill.
• Listen to your body and practice restraint. Wait to resume training until your motivation and health have completely returned. You have only one body, take care of it.

While it might be tempting to push through the fever, the body aches, the pain, it is important to understand what is going on with your body and why you should just take it easy, rest, drink your fluids and exercise another day. During an infection, the body becomes catabolic (the opposite of anabolic) and breaks down muscle protein. The degree of muscle catabolism and protein loss is related to the height and duration of the fever caused by the infection. Your muscles have many good reasons to ache when you have an infection. Skeletal muscle is the main source of catabolized protein, but heart muscle contributes as well. Skeletal muscle biopsies done in feverish people and laboratory animals during acute infections demonstrate microscopic evidence of muscle damage.  The same chemicals that initiate muscle breakdown during infection also inhibit effective muscle building and repair, making it virtually impossible to build muscle during any infection more serious than a cold. Unfortunately, you can’t even lose body fat while you are sick, as fat metabolism is impaired during infections. This causes the sick person to rely more heavily on muscle as an energy source than it normally would during times of physical stress (e.g., starvation or heavy training). So any weight loss during a febrile illness is generally lean muscle mass.

The way I see it, it just is not worth it to risk muscle damage. I mean I have worked so hard these last nine months or so. Why do I want to tear down what I have built up? I don’t. I also don’t want to set my body up for even more potential damage like viral myocarditis or Guillan-Barre Syndrome. While complications like these are indeed rare, their effects and damage is irreversible. A bad chest cold, a strep infection or the flu is temporary. For me, after considering the advice of health and  fitness experts, I will respect the body I have worked so hard on building up. The way I see it, it is so much more than my 47 year old self looking hot in a swimsuit. I am in this for the health of it all…my health.

Deciding to take a few days off and rest was the best thing but what about resuming my training plan? Fitness experts advise:

• Miss between one and three days of a training plan, just forget about the days you missed and pick up on the next workout, though with these modifications. You may need to cut down the time of your workouts by 20 to 50 percent. Do enough so that you feel good and leave the workout wanting more. If you start a workout and feel worse as you get going, just stop the workout and try another day.
• Miss three to seven days of a training plan due to illness, forget about the days you missed and pick up on the next workout with these modifications. Definitely cut down the time of your workouts by 20 to 50 percent. Do enough so that you feel good and leave the workout wanting more. If you start a workout and feel worse as you get going, just stop the workout and try another day.
• Miss more than two weeks of a training plan due to illness, you’ll need to go back and rebuild lost fitness. Go back and repeat the three or four weeks prior to the onset of the illness. Definitely cut down the time of your workouts by 20 to 50 percent. Do enough so that you feel good and leave the workout wanting more If you start a workout and feel worse as you get going, just stop the workout and try another day. Once you begin to do faster workouts, you may need to reduce the accumulated time of the intensity scheduled by 20 to 50 percent.

Finally, use common sense. If you are sneezing, coughing and carrying on with your illness, most people (including you, if the roles were reversed) would prefer you stay home until you’re healthy. I know I feel that way. As always, health (yours, mine, ours) first, performance second. Get well soon!

from Shredhead to Pumpkinhead

Being the devoted Shredhead that I am I have wholeheartedly embraced and accepted this month’s challenge. I’m still running, sort of so I have signed on to the running challenge this month to keep me motivated and attempt to ramp up my training for the Tiarathon that we running Shredheads are looking forward to.

I won’t lie to you, my running has been sluggish lately. Oh, who am I kidding? I have been walking more than running the last couple of weeks. I have tried to push myself only to find that I just would not go and my running has become more walking. I was seriously considering starting the Couch to 5K training program all over again.

But being the finish what you start kind of girl that I am, I showed up early this morning at the Manteca Unified Student Trust’s 5K Pumpkin Run. I had to. I had already paid the fees. I wanted the t-shirt and my fellow future Tiara-wearing Shredhead Karianna sent me some awesome motivation. With her cheering me on and motivating me, how could I not at least show up and try? I had to. Plus I wanted that t-shirt.

So I prepped myself yesterday, getting well-hydrated and stretched. I laid out my running clothes for the morning. And I picked up a little personal motivator.

2GB of motivating goodness that clipped to my jogging bra with an awesome running kind of playlist to keep me moving. As much as I love my iTouch, I found it hard to run with it and I just can’t seem to run at a steady pace without a hard-driving soundtrack to keep me moving along. I doubted that this would make me run faster and longer but anything to motivate me more.

So I showed up at the Tidewater Bikeway and signed in, picked up my running bib and began to stretch out, warm up and get myself ready. The weather seemed just right for a run. The other runners were friendly and encouraging as we all lined up. Listening to the race instructions I am encouraged to hear that along the way are race volunteers to cheer us on and, if needed, come to our aid as well as water stations. Water stations, I believe are my friend when running. Have you ever tried running while you are having hot flashes? Try it sometime. You will see what I mean when I say water stations are my friend when I am running.

As promised, the course was flat and fast as we got off to a pretty fast start. After the first quarter mile, I settled into a nice easy pace letting it seemed everyone pass me by. Well, not everyone but it sure seemed that way. It was all good because I was determined to run this race rather than run and walk. Jai Ho was playing in my ears and I found it so easy to keep going at the pace I set for myself.

As I approached the halfway point and turn-around, I could feel my body begin to thirst. Where the heck is the water stations?! I saw no water stations. I saw a lot of football players from the high school team my kids’ high school football team beat last night sucking down Gatorade while they watched us run by but I did not see any water stations.

As I began to worry how much farther I could run without a sip or two, the wind kicked up gusting hard in my face. There is nothing like the feeling of running against the wind. I was definitely feeling like I was going nowhere fast and at the 2 mile mark I indeed was going nowhere fast. My whole right side just cramped up and I could not go.

I. Just. Could. Not. Go.

But just as I could feel myself not move a lady I met at the start line came up behind me and cheered me on to keep on moving. She talked and cheered me through the next half mile as I started running again. We bitched together about the wind, the Gatorade-drinking high school football players and how much we wanted to take their sports drinks away from them and the apparently invisible water stations.

The mile 3 marker loomed ahead and cheered on by my favorite Manteca P.D. officer, Bill-the-cop, I felt a surge of adrenaline. Yes, I was dying of thirst. Yes, my right side was screaming in it’s knotted cramp for water. Yes, I was a red-faced, hot flashing, sweaty mess but I kicked up the pace. I crossed the finish line at the unofficial time of 33:05, three seconds slower than my first 5K time but I did it! I ran. I ran into the wind. I ran and pushed through my thirst and cramping. I did it!

Official Race Times were posted in this morning’s paper and my time is 32:26!!!

The takeaway from this race? I am bringing my own water. I going to keep on training and running for sure focusing on an easy pace and going for the distance. I am not going tto let any setback in training psych myself out for the next race next month that I will be running with my local Shredhead bud and friend, Jenn and her folks. Oh my gawd, you should see what shredding is doing for Jenn. She is absolutely freakin’ hot!

So today I was a running Pumpkinhead. Does that mean that next month Jenn and I will be running Salmonheads at the Salmon Run? We shall see. But it is certain that we will be running!

I rose, I shone, I ran

What a perfect weekend to get out and run! And like my Shredheads sisters, Karianna and Kristen, I did! I ran my first 5 K race and my first foot race in over 12 years this Saturday at Ripon’s annual Color the Skies event.

The morning was sunny, clear, mild with Delta breezes that kept the balloons grounded but proved to be very friendly for running conditions. I was up and ready to roll earlier than expected which proved to be a good thing because Bill and I, as well as most of humanity it seemed crawled for well over fifteen minutes off the freeway and a just 1 mile down the road to where the event was taking place. But in spite of the poor traffic control, the rest of the event was well organized. With Bill following me around I tried to warm-up without letting my nervous energy get the best of me. The previous week I had suffered a calf strain during what was supposed to be an easy run and found myself limping in a lot of pain for a few days. Honestly, as this 5K approached, I was very worried if I would even be able to complete it. But the forced rest proved to be a very good thing as I was able to taper my training this past week leading up to the event just as running experts suggest.

Somewhere in this crowd I was as the race got off to a pretty fast start. It would have been easy to let the rush of adrenaline take over but I held back at a nice easy pace unsure of how my calf would handle it. I looked around and picked out a couple folks running at a similar pace and set myself to stay with them.  The group I was running in was a friendly bunch enjoying the cool breezes and the scenery as we ran through the almond orchards in the area. As we appraoched the halfway point of the 3.1 mile run,  the front runners sped past us in the opposite direction to clock in around 16 and 17 minutes at the finish line. SHEESH!

Just as I could feel myself slowing, I approached the water station manned by local cub scouts. Way to go kids! The water was just what I needed. I slowed a little to gulp down some water then picked up the pace quickly catching up to powder blue running skirt and the pink running lady. As we looped back past the water station I slowed down and drank a little more water. What can I say, I had to give some love to those hard-working scouts! I thanked them and soon took off catching up very quickly again with pink running lady but powder blue running skirt disappeared.  It was all good though because soon enough we were again running out of the almond orchards and headed back to Mistlin Water Tower and the finish line. Folks were lined up cheering us on and encouraging us all the way.

Pink running lady was still in my sight as we approached the finish line. I was almost there!

For my next race I am going to work on how I look when running so I won’t look like I am dying. Honestly, I was feeling a helluva lot better than I look.

I crossed the finish line at 33:02 which was absolutely thrilling. My average time running the same distance when training for this 5K was about 7 minutes slower. Yeah for adrenaline, a flat course and friendly Delta breezes at my back!

Even more thrilling, I felt great! My legs felt fine. I don’t believe that I could turn around and run the whole thing all over again but I have no doubt that I could certainly walk it. That was a very good thing because about 9 hours later I was at work ready to work a twelve hour night shift.

All in all, I am very proud of my first effort and more than ready to run the next race,  and the next as I get ready for the Disney Princess half marathon aka the birthday/tiarathon.

do (the) run, run, run do do (the) run, run, run

As I have progressed beyond the 30-day shred I am returning to running again. I declared recently my intention to celebrate my birthday next year wearing a tiara and running a half marathon…how else should one celebrate their 48th birthday? It’s been about ten years since I ran other than chasing after some random child or grandchild and although I have been shredding and working out regularly since March, I knew I needed to ease into any kind of running program so I began the Couch to 5K program this past June with pretty decent success…at least I have not died. Rather I have been thrilled with what a jogging/walking program has done for me overall. But I soon realized, like two weeks into this walking-to-jogging-to-running program that what I did need was a decent pair of running shoes..

So off toyour run of the mill sports shoes and apparel store in the mall did I go. I bought some really good shoes. However I have to say that my salesperson, wearing his skater shoes, was far more interested in hanging out and talking to his buddies hanging back at the mall entrance while he dealt with me, the customer. The kid really knew nothing about running shoes and clearly did not seem to think my explaining how much I run every week, what I was training for and offering how I wear down the heels of most of my shoes. He shrugged and brought out several pricey, but different pairs of running shoes. I settled on the brand I prefer and the model that seemed to feel the most comfortable as I walked around the two benches in the tiny little shoe store. Sorry Lady Foot Locker, but as I increased my running times and distances over this last month it was clear that Skatr Boi did not do right by me. It’s not his fault, really. He’s a skater. I doubt he runs much in those slouch pants and skater shoes. Why should he if he has a skateboard, right?

But regardless of Lady Foot Locker’s Skatr Boi’s inability to find and fit me with the right running shoe, I have been hurting and hurting bad. This is not good since I am only running 3-4 miles 3 days out of the week. As hobbled as I have felt immediately after my runs I was likely to die trying to continue to train. So I did what I do best. I loaded up on some naprosyn and whined, bitched and moaned to my Shredhead friends. Of course Bill, Shredhead-Wan-Kenobi sagely reminded me of how he and Kristen both got fitted properly with the right running shoe for them individually. Perhaps, he offered, I should do the same.

Of course I should. Yes, Bill, you are right…this time! Gloat all you want…this time!

A local tweep and new friend of mine, who just so happens to be in training with Team in Training for the Rock and Roll Marathon, followed my plight on twitter and offered her recommendations for where to find the right running shoe here in Central Valley Cali. Get thee to Fleet Feet Stockton, she recommended and so I did because I do sometimes do what I am told to do.

Sometimes…

The folks at Fleet Feet were indeed amazing measuring my feet carefully, observing me standing and walking barefoot as well as watching me run and evaluating how my feet land and my stride. Based on their assessments, I tried on 5 or 6 pairs of shoes running in each pair. I finally narrowed it down to the right shoe for my feet. Not for your feet, for my feet. The right shoes for my feet when my feet are running.

I have to say that it was worth the time (about an hour and a half), the effort, the money spent (which was no more than what I spent 2 months ago on those shoes I bought from Skatr Boi in the mall. The proof was in my recent runs how I felt while running and where I did not come home limping like a hobbled horse after the run or worse the morning after. I’m looking forward to continuing running and training for the Tiarathon as well as this 5K, that 5K and any other 5K or (gulp!) 10K that might pop up along the way locally from here until March and my birthday Tiarathon. I’ve got the motivation, I’ve got the time, I’ve got the peeps to encourage me, educate me and prod me along and I now, at last have the shoes and the place to get them replaced as needed. Time to run!

but I am THAT mom

No, I am not that mom who will put up with her children screaming or running amuck in public places where good behavior is expected…anymore! But I am the mom who will gladly, proudly celebrate that which makes me an awesome, phenomenal woman and joining Lotus of Sarcastic Mom and other equally phenomenal, awesome women and mothers in the Bewbfest ‘09.  It was all good, clean fun as we celebrated all the glorious shapes and sizes that we are. It was all the more fun because I am the second runner-up in this year’s Bewbfest. I have to thank everyone who voted for me…repeatedly including my darling hubs (nice to know he still appreciates the girls) and my older kids. It’s nice to know that the average sized, over forty, mother of five, grandmother of one rack can stack up to the 20 and 30-something mom bloggers out there. Thank you!

Of course right about now I am imagining my mother and her fellow “bra burners”  are cringing over what might appear to be blatant objectifying of my physical self. Perhaps it is a little objectifying but I see it more as celebrating and reclaiming a little bit of our physical selves. It seems that much is measured  in our physical selves as women, particularly our breasts: what is considered to be the ideal size and shape, our sexuality, our ability and decision to nourish the children we give birth to and how well we “hold up” as we age. No wonder so many of us complain about and dislike our own bodies, including our breasts. To me, The Bewbfest and The Boob Emancipation do a little celebrating and reclaiming the right to celebrate part of our own physical womanliness. There’s nothing dirty or tasteless in that. It’s just boobs, our boobs and we are pretty damn proud of them. I don’t see that as setting us back but rather liberating us even further. Being the mother of four daughters and grandmother of the most amazing grand daughter it is a big deal that I model confidence and a little self-love in the body that God has given me for my girls.

I have to say that I owe my size and shape not only partly to great genes (thanks Mom and Dad), a pretty great bra but also to my joining that cult that is the Shredheads. Remember when I posted my pre-shredding picture at over 180 lbs? Yeah, I’d like to forget it too. But I’m glad I did post it and share the beginning of my shredding experience. I am even more grateful for the accountability, support and beginning friendships that the Shredheads has offered. Most of us have moved past Jillian’s 30 Day Shred and Bob’s Yoga finding running, weights and other forms of exercise equally challenging in our quest for fitness. The results among my fellow Shredheads has been amazing and inspiring.  For mepersonally I have seen a significant amount of weight and inches lost and currently I am just 10 lbs shy of my personal goal. I’m not going to make the mid-July, family vacation date I set for myself to achieve that goal but I have to say that I am going to be very close. I couldn’t be prouder of that achievement too. Even better, the added bonus of all of this shredding and now jogging/walking/weights/yoga is my darling hubs is now heading to the gym working with a trainer and it is beginning to show.

Looking good in jeans,that little black dress, a swimsuit, and when I am brave enough, a bikini is pretty cool. Looking great for a forty-seven year old woiman and being told so, especially by my husband and kids is wonderful. Feeling good physically and mentally, feeling strong and feeling incredibly energetic so that I can do the juggling that I do is the best of all. Yes, I am THAT kind of mom. I am doing this for me, my hubs, my kids and my grandkid. I can’t think of a better reason.

a level three pretzel

With 20+ days under my belt so to speak it is time for another weigh-in and measure in. Here we go…

My changes aren’t nearly as dramatic as Team Bob’s fearless leader (you are so hot Kristen!) I am happy to report 0.5% loss in body fat, 1¼ total inches lost and no pounds lost. I’m really disappointed with the no pounds lost but it is better than pounds gained. Could it be because I don’t quite look like this when doing the revolved side angle pose (among others) with Bob?

I can’t believe that I look as graceful as this model, not when there are rivers of sweat pouring down my shaking body as I plow on through Level 1 and or Level 2 grunting and huffing much louder than Ali Vincent does.

Or perhaps it is because it is that time of the month when my PMS/perimenopause raises it’s ugly head. Whatever the reason I am pressing on to Level 3 of Bob’s Weight Loss Yoga along with my own cardio and weight training. I am encouraged and thrilled because as the spring weather here in Central Cali gets warmer unbelievably hotter, I am finding that I am liking how my summer capris, shorts and tanks are fitting…much better than last summer. I even like how a bikini I bought three years ago fits. I might even feel brave enough to wear it poolside in public if I wasn’t afraid of blinding people. Even better, I like the fact that my work scrubs are baggy and loose enough that I am needing a size smaller. Whoo-hoo! Time to go shopping! But best of all is that I am liking that people are noticing a difference in not just the physical but the whole package. I am looking better and I am feeling better.