WEEK IN REVIEW - Its been a long time

For anyone that continues to read this blog as I haven't written much lately. I am going to try to be more diligent about writing. I am just been doing lots of growing and working to come back to myself. I recently told someone I will not let Hashimotos define me - I DEFINE ME!!!!

I am excited to come here with my thoughts and scream "I AM COMING BACK -YA'LL"!!!

I have come a long with my health and running in the last 3-4 weeks. The improvements in my health have allowed me to continue to reach for my potential in my running. The 3-4 weeks have been baby steps but also really AWESOME steps. I have worked back to 60 mpw with some workouts and long runs. I have done this in the heat of the Carolina summer with having kids home from school. I am pretty proud to have juggled that this summer and not lose my frickin mind. 4:30AM, 5AM, and 6AM wakes ups all in the efforts to escape the worst of the heat as well as be home with kids during the day.

Recently when 4:30AM alarm went off, I took to telling myself today you have an opportunity to make yourself better today. No whining - get up and do the work! You see, 6 months ago I didn't have the opportunity to do this as the deep fatigue was still very real and still struggling with Hashimotos symptoms which not allow me to push myself to these improvements - I would lay in bed from fatigue dreaming of the day I could run hard again. So I will not complain when my opportunity to run hard happens to be in the wee hours of the morning and in the worst heat/humidity of the summer.

I am still working the coach I had with Grandmas and he is more than just a training plan. He carefully watches over all aspect of my training and most important over my mental attitude and pushing outside of my comfort zones. He is not only writing my training plans but is teaching me how to become a better runner/athlete. I am blessed!

Here is how my week played out -

Monday 7 easy
Tuesday 10-11 miles with 5 X 3 minutes (6:00, 6:00, 6:05, 6:04, 6:02)
Wednesday 7 easy
Thursday 11 miles with 2.5 @ 6:27 pace
Friday 9 easy
Saturday 15 easy
Sunday Off

Miles - 60

I have a half marathon next weekend that I am super excited to run & to practice my racing skills. It is in Santa Rosa, CA. I have a soft goal in mind and yes it a PR goal but it is conservative. It allows me to practice racing on effort and not guided by pace or pressure to hit a home run on my first real race while I am healthy. I will also get to spend 4 days with my sister driving up and down the coast. Looking forward to this most awesome adventure.

Pulling back the layers of an Onion

I feel like I am making big process with my health. It is like pulling back the pieces of an onion. One layer by layer. When I have started to feel discouraged when things are not exactly perfect, I look back at how far I have come and how much progress has been made. I am pretty darn close to perfect!!!

I have changed my diet and have been gluten free for 8 months which has normalized my thyroid antibodies which are the marker for autoimmune disease.

I have lost the weight that came on when thyroid went wacky town. My body is feeling like my old body. I am fitting into my old summer clothes. I no longer fear putting on something that I fear may not fit me. Pretty pleased about this especially since there is plenty of summer left for wearing those clothes.

My TSH is lowering which means the new meds are working. Another 4-6 weeks and I just may be where I need to be in order to be optimal. I have been on these new meds for 4 weeks and my body seems to be adjusting much better than the first time I tried to go on Armour which means my Adrenal glands are healing. Something I have learned in this process is that our body can not utilize thyroid hormone if the adrenals are off.

My Adrenal glands which produce coritsol are healing!!! We still have a little more room to make some improvements here but I learned a lot on how to manage coritsol and feel like perfect adrenal health is so close!!

I also cleaned up my overall diet in terms eating for health and remembering that food is medicine. The food I take in has the power to heal, restore and help me recover so I can be both a healthy person and run to my potential.

So today I celebrate how far I have come and the improvements in my health.