Post Vacation & Return to training - Week in Reveiw

So after I had almost an entire week of running well 5 days :-) after Kiawah. The first week back felt good - the shin was better than ever and I felt okay body-wise. Although my second run back was 6 miles and I felt like crap and struggled to run a 9 minute mile that day. I had a few runs and one short workout sprinkled in week 2 post marathon and this week the mileage workouts & long runs resumed.

I felt pretty good overall. Hard to get serious about training with the kiddos home and the holidays in the air. I was suppose to run on Christmas day but I really couldn't get myself to get out the door. So I stayed in watching Christmas movies, watching my kids play with toys, ate sugar cookies and lots of leftoer goodies from Christmas eve dinner. I figured Christmas Day was the day to relax and enjoy my family and I had plenty days to get after it so relax I did. Yes the week would have been over 70 if I had done that easy 6 miler on Christmas but I will take 66 for the week back.

Here is how the week played out mileage wise -

Monday - 14 easy
Tuesday - Off
Wednesday - 10 easy
Thursday - 8 Recovery + strides + core
Friday - 2 w/u, 2x3 miles, 2 c/d
Saturday - Power Yoga & 8 recovery
Sunday -16 easy @ 8:30 avg

Mileage - 66 miles

All these little things

I was listening to this song cause it is my new song obsession but it had me thinking of all these little things I love about my body!

Yes, that's right I LOVE MY BODY not in a oh your so beautiful, look at me way but in Thank you God for gifting me with a body that can do amazing things.

All these little things that I love my body -

I love my feet - strong & high arches

I love my hips & thighs as they so strong.

I love the length of my legs.

I love my calves are they are so powerful.

I love my hands are they are so useful and beautiful.

I love my eyes as they allow me to see the world and smile with love.

My body has allowed me to carry, birth and nurse healthy babies.

My body allowed to chase and hug these babies and kiss on them endlessly.

My body allows my spirit/soul to express itself through hugging, dancing, yoga, walking and running.

My body has allowed me to follow my dreams, run endless miles, see some great sites.

When I talking with my sister about this thyroid condition and recent weight gain due to the thyriod. I said to her I will not say one bad thing about this wonderful body of mine. I am not the weight I am gained, I am not my body and I am a soul that was gifted with a wonderful body that I must take good care of .

My body is the a gift from God to carry out my dreams and I will treat it as such by taking good care of it. So it will be feed well, supplemented with iron, omega 3s and thyroid med, sticked, foam rolled, stretched, massaged and be subjected to regular ice baths cause I love it so much. It's these little things that allow me to contiune to run and BE ME.

Return to Getting After it

First workout back and I have so much gratitude and excitement coursing through my body. I went into this workout with no exceptations at all. I knew the pace guidelines but was ready to disregard in favor of effort. I was calm and not overly optimistic but knew if I stayed in the right place mentally to let something happen it would and it did! I have no idea how it happen but it was a miraclous run that gave me a glimspe into the fitness that is underneath just waiting for the right conditions to burst to the surface.

This workout gave me so much hope to hang my hat on and the will to keep on keeping on!

So the workout was a 2 mile w/u, 2X3 Mile @ 6:55-7:05 with 4 minute rest & 2 C/d

I did warm-up in the cold air that I love :-) It was maybe 40 degrees with a chilly breeze. Lovely! I didn't feel all that super during the warm-up and my pre-workout strides weren't all that fast but they did get the legs moving at a decent enough clip. Again I was in a state of no exceptations when I started and when I hit the first 400 comfortably at 7:10 and didn't feel like I was pressing I just let the run come to me and just relaxed into the pace..never pressing -just relaxing. I was so surprised and delight when I finished the first 3 mile set with these splits - 7:08, 7:10, 7:03  - Averge 7:07

So the first set brought my confidence up that I was going to okay running in that range because it never felt challenging. Than I started rolling in my first mile of my second set and I saw sub-7 minute pace. I tried not freak but just allow it if my body felt good enough to run that pace do not let my mind get in the way so I worked to stay relaxed and happy and had amazing second set - 6:58, 6:55, 6:52 - averaging 6:54. OMG! I was shocked, happy, relieved, hopeful and beyond grateful for this run!! I needed it so bad to help me work through these next weeks. I have big miles and workouts and hoping my body & mind stay with it and the thyroid meds kick in and allow for me to run to my potential this season!

I had an appt with sport med dr today and should have the complete thyroid blood work in a week so they can get me on the right meds and dosage level.

Good stuff ahead!!

Serenity Prayer Goals

 

 

My Fall Training Season required this Prayer and I do not think I gave this prayer enough focus for all the ups and downs that Fall provided - heat & humidity that would not go away when summer ended, Fall allergies & asthma that would contiune longer into the fall due the extended heat, developed funky shin issue from poorly laced shoes, and than the fogginest of extreme fatigued and poor race performances that would start up in September & October.

 

These are not excuses but elements outside of my control that I spent too much time trying to control or rather focusing on which distracted me from my goals.

 

 

Goal #1 - Let go of the things I can not control and pray that I can still do my best given any circumstance. Know that any obstacle is just a test to see how bad I  want it. Be happy with any outcome as long as I am giving it my all both physically and mentally. 

 

 

Goal #2 - Have the courage to change the things that need changing. There are several things I need to change so that can focus on this next stage of my goal. Limit distractions, stay in the moment, appreciate what is, stay positive in all circumstances, do more of the little things and always remember my purpose.

 

Goal #3 - Pray for wisdom and guidance to make the right decisions on this path and trust that the answers I receive are divine guidance. Let go of control and do not worry and TRUST.

 

 

Something I relearned on my cruise from all the amazing Jamiacan crew onboard -

Don't worry, man :-)



The Lessons of Patience

Ah life is often trying to teach you sometime to make you  into a better person and bring you closer to your divine nature/true potential. God/Universe/life is always using trials & obstacles to move you in the right direction not to stop you so the sooner you understand that fact the sooner you can get to the learning of the lesson.

I feel this so much from the trials of this fall. After getting my hypothryriodism diagnoise, I spent a lot of time reflecting and thinking about how I will move forward with diagnose and what it will take to get through this bump.

The biggest issue is now out of the way - we have a clear and definite answer which up until now it was still a bit murky as the iron supplementation had not done what it was suppose to do which was to bring me out of the fog of sluggishness and under-performance. I am hopeful with a visit to a sport med dr and getting on the right meds and dosage, I will be on my merry way to awesomeness this spring.

In a back and forth conversation with my coach about this issue, I came to a realize that this next stage in my training will take much patience. And maybe that is the BIG lesson that I am suppose to be learning in all of this was patience. As I was writing to my coach, I heard the words I was writing, they were calm, optimistic and patient  which was very unlike me this past year. I wanted everything yesterday and was becoming dissatifited with slow progress and maybe life said "HOLD UP SISTER - YOU NEED TO BE MORE PATIENCE AND LOVE WHAT IS NOW!"

I know this past 6-8 months was not meant to break me but build me up stronger as both a runner and person but in a spiritual growth that only true adversity can change someone's heart and mind.

Thank you God for these trials and what you are working to do in my heart and life. I will work everyday to have mindful patience and rejoice in all the gifts and miracles that I received daily.

May you all look at your obstacles/struggles as gifts to learn from and glim some deep meaning from!

Much love and light to you all as we celebrate the Holiday Season of LOVE, COMPASSION & RENEWAL.

Home & Big New Answer

Arrived home yesterday from a great family vacation onboard the Disney Cruise Line Dream. Our family loves our time on the Disney Cruise's. If you have not experienced this amazing world, I highly recommend it for so many reasons.

When I arrived home, I had a letter in the mail from my dr telling me that recent bloodwork came back with the iron now in the normal range but TSH is Abnormal at a 5.43 and I needed to get on thryiod meds. Funny thing is when I went for blood work I had asked her only for the iron bloodwork and the DR insisted I get a CBC and I thought she was silly that I just needed my most recent ferritin level. I guess elevated TSH levels and low ferritin go hand and hand.

I was totally freaked out when I read the letter as my Dad has lots of issue in his life with his thryoid, I have no history of thryiod issues myself and was a bit freaked when I did a google search on the my TSH level. Than I came across a couple articles that linked both Galen Rupp and Carl Lewis with hypothryiodism which lead me to a running forum with lots of people having thyroid issues. Many describe how their thyroid issues causes huge performance issues and are season enders.

Here is an except from the forum that shed some light on just how big performances can suffer -

Yet another male thyroid condition.

I had a PR of about 15:30 for 5K, then all of sudden I ran a bunch of terrible races. The breaking point was when I ran a 17:12 on an easy road course. I went to the doctor, they said there was nothing wrong with me, maybe allergies and I convinced them to do some blood work for the heck of it. Found a thyroid condition, then went on to make the Olympic Trials in the Marathon and had my best year ever (2002). I would said thyroid conditions are more common in women, but some men do have them and it is very heriditary. Good luck, get the test, and get the meds if you need them.

This news does excite me and really give me hope that with the continued iron supplementation and getting on thryiod meds that the work I have done for so long is going to shine through someday soon. And it makes me really happy that my body can run a marathon with a TSH of 5.43 when many runners say they need to be at or near a level 1 to be running well. I really have no idea but only for all the information I glimmed from the forum but it explains so much of my struggles in the past 4-6 months. 

I can only be excited and hopeful at what my body can do when it is regulated :-) 

Love Shall Set You Free

This blog should really be titled: Leap of Faith: Part 2 

Although love is what made this day possible for me. When fear and doubt started pressing on me, I prayed and stayed in faith and what replaced was lots of love that gave me the courage I needed to get out there.

I did have this initial fear that due to lack of training, I might fall apart out there on the course especially when the weather forecast came in but I had to block it out. I think what made it easier to block out when I had so much love and support.

Here is a picture of me at my PT office just 2 days before the race where I was greeted with so much love and they made this awesome hat for me that read Go Jamie and one of my favorite quotes from Raplh Waldo Emerson - Nothing great was ever done without Enthusiasm  I received so many hugs and well wish and got the biggest most loving hug from the gentlemen there in the background. He had so much strength in that hug that I knew that all would be well. For me, it was like God saying do not worry all will be well. That suppressed any fears that tried to come up.

Than the next day, I had to leave on my own to drive the 3 hrs without the usual support of my family. Okay anyone that knows my family has a good idea that Nick is my rock and to be leaving without him and doing this thing without his presence was causing my chest to constrict. I was sure I was going to have a panic attack trying to get myself out the door and on the road. Alas just at the moment, I needed to leave I received a call from my closet friend wishing me well and coaxing me out the door. Without that call, I am sure I would have been clinging to the front door for hours trying get myself to leave. As I got in my car, I saw few text messages from close friends wishing me well and which gave  the courage to open that door and get my arse driving and than I saw the card on sitting my dashboard from my husband - urging me to go, have fun and that I was in his thoughts. I literally bawled while driving for the first hour. I was crying not because I was sad because I felt this overwhelming sense of love and when I dwelled in that place my heart knew what I was doing was right. After the tears were dried and my heart was open, what remained was peace. No fear, No doubt..just peace and calm. When I prayed for strength to give me the courage to do this thing, God sent me love by way of family and friends support.

It really was all the love, well wishes and prayers you all set me that gave the courage and peace to get out there and be happy. I learned that there is something bigger than fear - it is LOVE. That in order to overcome fears we must dwell in love and know that we need each other and sometimes a simple note telling someone that they are in your thoughts and you are wishing them well is enough to proper them to were they need to be.

LOVE WILL SET YOU FREE!! 

WISHING YOU ALL THE LOVE TO FIGHT YOUR FEARS WHATEVER THEY MIGHT BE.

My Leap of Faith

So I think that I am still on that post-marathon high of happiness and being satisfied. Funny how having a very satisying experience can feel better in some aspects than achieving a PR.

I think I came away with some things that are more valuable than a PR.

*** First, I trusted my intuition on going to Kiawah. Somehow your intuition already knows what you are meant to do by learning to let it guide your decisions and than trusting it even when outside circumstances would let you doubt more than to trust. I did that - I trusted my intuition!

*** Second, I had an outcome goal that was not time related so it allowed me not to focus on pace and not get discourage if I was not on a PR pace. My outcome goal was I wanted to have fun, renew my love for the marathon, encourage others on the course, let it come to me and above all else BE IN THE MOMENT. All of those were accomplished.

- I had fun, I smiled alot, I sung to my ipod, I slapped hands with kids, I threw my arms in the air for the people cheering, I smiled at and thanked volunteers at water stations.
- I took the time to help fellow runners when they were struggling, I coached several people out of the mental spiral when they were slowing, and I am encouraged runners that were hauling ass or looking weary.
- I never forced my pace and never let my mind get down even in the last couple of miles when I could feel the heat, humidity and my body not being use to running this long. I encourage myself with all the good stuff I could find in my head. I can not remember one negative thing I let in my head cause I really don't think I ever had a negative thought.
- I let the race unfold as it was meant to and never felt like I needed to control it and I ran on effort.
- I stayed in the mile that I was in - never looking past that mile in my own head which allowed me to stay in the moment.

Another big win for the day was my fuel strategy, I had exceuted perfectly and with no tummy problems. Uhm! Finally after 14 marathons, I think I have figured out what works best for my body. I actually think I could used one or two more gels without tummy distress. I will be working on going from 4 gels to 6 gels in my next marathon.

So when my mind threathen to bring up details like you have only ran long 2 times since September and the last long run was 3 weeks out not two weeks out.  I am still in awe that I would able to block that the fact that I had only a couple runs under my belt and my mileage had been low trying to get out from the fatigue and my leg and that most of miles were on the AlterG up until 2-3 weeks before the Kiawah. If I would have let my mind and logic in before this event tham I think that would have mentally crippled on that startline. I would just never let any of this in after I made the decision to go to Kiawah telling myself that no matter the training, just trust your instinct and all will be well. Go and do what is your heart and all will be well.

Do More

Kiawah really fired me up! I can not believe it had been almost 11 months since I ran a marathon! Really I frickin love the marathon. They are so different that short distance races. I think I am physically, emotionally and mentally best suited to the marathon. I almost always under perform in shorter distance races as compared to what I am suppose to be able to run but I always over perform for my level in the marathon. I think it comes down to a few things the marathon is not just a race. It is a journey for everyone out on that course. By nature I am not a competitive person in any realm so it is hard for me to put myself in a competitive mindset needed to be successful in the shorter distances whereas my cheerleader mentality comes in handy and is a huge strength in the marathon. When I can reach out to others on a course and help them along, I can help myself. Cheering others to success only fuels my energy level so this mindset what helps me be successful at the marathon.

I am very fired up about my decision to run more marathons and less half marathons or shorter distances. I want to focus on the distance that I love and is best for my strengths. Yes I will work on the speed stuff in the off season of not marathon training but I will not be racing shorter distances especially in the summer! That about wrecked my confidence!

SO MARATHONS FIRE ME UP!! YOU BET I WILL BE RUNNING A LOT MORE OF THEM IN 2013!!!!

Kiawah Race Report

Surprise! I ran a marathon today! As most of you know, I decided last minute to run a marathon well last week I decided. It was apparent that the inflammation in my shin was not going to go away 100% till I rested it and I was not able to get in 2 important long runs for Jacksonville due iron issues and leg. I had to make the decision not to run Jacksonville but was not ready to give up running a fall marathon. With the go ahead from my coach and under the care of my PT and ART Therapist to keep inflammation to a minimum while I prepared for Kiawah, well tapered and running 63 miles the week before is not really tapering. I had upped the iron supplement and was hoping that with 14 days on the upped iron dose my body would feel good.

At the beginning of the week and after I registered and decisions were made, I starting feeling the affects of this warm weather pattern we have had in the Carolinas. We went from cold AMs and mild afternoons to just plain warm and humid. This caused my body to think it was spring and my body reacted to this weather pattern by giving me bout of spring time allergy fun.  Headache, silly tummy, stuff/runny noise, congested chest and overall blah. This gave me pause to even be thinking of running a marathon feeling like this but I knew I was suppose to be there so I kept rolling with the punches and praying for the highest god. I was doing a good job staying positive as I knew I could run through it even though it would not be pleasant. Than Thursday came and I saw the weather forecast. I will be honest  it did bum me out of first and put the first bit of fright in me that I would have to work hard to shake off. Yeah starting temps lows 50s with 100% humidity warming to upper 60s and with humidity at 90% by 10AM. Great! Now I get to fight my humidity-induced asthma. By Thursday, I was a ball of nerves - Did I make the right decision to go? I was sure I was following my intuition and had no doubt that I was suppose to go to Kiawah but why did this freak heat wave hit in what is usually my best training month because I can usually count on December to be low humidity and the continual frosts to keep allergens down - no such luck this month.

After I had my initial freak out, I calmed myself down and just worked to accept what is and not what I wanted. I knew there was a reason for this that I may not understand now. I started focusing on the things I could control to have a great day. One being I could go and HAVE FUN! I could go and HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE! Those are things within in my control! I could SMILE, I could encourage others and I can run. So many people have worked so hard to get me to that line I owed it to all of them to be the best me possible on this day!!

I knew I had to start conservative given the weather and drink early and often. I stayed conservative for first 3 miles and than got on a comfortable 7:55-8:05 pace range and was so enjoying myself for the first 18 miles at that range even with the slight wheezing in my chest I was pretty happy but starting coming off that pace a bit and had  to focus a bit to stay on pace and it was no longer easy. After 20 miles, the realization that I had only done 2 long runs hit me since September - one 18 & 20. I decided I would take my mind off that being singing with my Ipod Call Me Maybe. That was great fun as I would pass people smiling at them singing Call me Maybe :-) and doing the phone sign. Not only did that help me out of my funk but I was able to bring a few smiles to weary faces. Who knows - they may have lost that smile and thought bitch after I passed but it help distract me from thinking about the distance. Than around mile 23 my glutes starting talking to me big time. Funny how my shin never bothered me but glutes were pretty much screaming what the frick are you doing!!!! You have not run this far in a long time! That is not what got me though in the final 2-3 miles, it was just that I could not breathe at all! My chest had been getting progressively worse as the miles past but especially difficult to breathe in the final 2 miles. I could have pushed though any muscle discomfort but the fact that I needed air was enough to slow me by 30-45 seconds in the final miles. But funny thing all I could think in those final miles is, I am so glad I came and did this!!!

I am super happy and so thankful for all the love and support that everyone gave me. I could not have done this without it.

I am proud of myself for seeing this through even if a PR was not on the line. I had fun and really enjoyed myself. I am happy that I put my fears aside and ran with heart today. I am happy this will not be one of those things in my life that I wonder what would have happen if I would had done that. I did it and it was marvelous! Just marvelous!

I am looking forward to my rest period and catching up with holiday activities that I had been back burning in the last couple of weeks. Oh it does help that we are going on cruise next week and than to Disney World.

Fighting for your Dreams

One of the biggest things I have learned is that you really have to fight for your dreams! It is simply not enough to say Oh I want this thing or achievement or I would love this....

Cause the minute you put it out there the world will start testing your resolve in so many different ways. The declaration of the dream is the first act but that act will be followed with many situations that will make you fight or crawl away towards your goal. You have to make the decision every day to fight! Even on the days when there is no fight and you are tired. The only choice you have is to fight.

You will have people that do not believe in you, would rather you not chase your dreams because it forces them to look at themselves and what they are not doing in their life, you will have circumstances that test you, you may hit points in the road where you wonder if it is all worth it, you may work so hard and have very little show for it, you may have times that your fear can get bigger than your faith.

That beautiful dream that you conceived in your heart can fade very quickly in the background of your mind when all these things come at you.

One simple truth - You must fight to keep them alive!

God will not be there every morning putting the fight in you. You have to put the fight in you and know that God has your back. God is on the other side of NEVER GIVE UP.

Yeah it would so much easier if every moment of the day that someone was whispering encouragement into you ear. Not how it works! You must nurture the fight and than believe that your miracles/blessings will happen when it is God's time.

Another simple truth that I have learned - Do the work and the results will show up when they are suppose to!

Run Vlog

Giddy up marathon pace run - averaged 7:28 - A bit quick but I used the miles to focus on what the final miles of the marathon were going to feel like and how to push myself.

Praying for the highest good!

Believe

I believe in miracles! I see miracles!



I keep meaning to write about this and truly believe it was my miracle. The weekend of Thanksgiving my daughter made me another one of her book marks. Little did I know that the words she would write me on the Thanksgiving Eve would have the power to pull me through a tough weekend and give me the emotional power to believe in something that seems illogical. I will to do a vlog later so that you can see the book mark but it read - Believe in Yourself, Believe, Believe in your Dreams

Yes, I was speechless when she handed it to me. I was like Joey where do you hear these words and her response was I just thought them in my head.

It was really miraculous that she had written these words down. Little did I know that I would need these words in the next few days as I literally start struggling with my iron and my leg would be flared bad and which would prevent me from running 2 important runs in prep for Jacksonville. Even when my mind would want to dwell on the impossiblites of all this my heart would sing just believe something good is coming.

I believe in Miracles! I see Miracles!

Settle Down

There is this song that when I hear it I often feel as if this is the song my husband would sing to me to comfort me through all lifes ups and downs.

Especially over my bumpy last couple of months when I have been struggling. My sweet hubby always there to comfort and help me set aside doubt and fear. Helping me to settle down and navigate the uncertain waters that I try to swim in. Somehow he always know how to help me and I feel so blessed :-) Somehow I feel like God/Universe knew I would need such selfless, loving, and kind man to help me reach my potential. What a gift!! I am reveling in gratitude for this beautiful man and the amazing gift that I have received from the heavens above. He is my anchor! He allows me to fly as high I need to and always at arms reach should I need a hand to pick me up if I fall or a shoulder to cry or a heart to listen to me. Love it is a beautiful thing! I count my blessings that found my soul mate 16 yrs ago and that God has strengthen our bond over the years.

Does not look like a taper or feel like a taper but in fact is a taper - Week in Review

I think the title says it all - Taper Time but this week doesn't exactly look like a taper but hey not much of my fall marathon prep has been textbook.

Monday 8 easy
Tuesday 14 miles - 6 easy & 8 marathon pace miles
Wednesday (AM) 4 recovery & (PM) 6 erecovery
Thursday 30 minute ellitpical & Stretch
Friday 2 easy w/u, 6 @ MP, 2 easy
Saturday 12 easy
Sunday 9 easy

Total miles - 63 miles

Reminding myself to enjoy everyday of my taper. Relax, Enjoy and Let go!