What a week - RoundUp, Frustrating Moment, and Announcement!

Hey There, Readers!

I get a blogging minus for this week.  What I feel today, which started on Tuesday and continued through the remainder of the week, is more like me than I have in about 5 months.  In other words, it is time to rejoice and celebrate!

Also - I tried my ice cream maker (yay) and made my first batch of Dairy Free ice cream.  I still need to work on it, but it was not awful.  Does it taste like ice cream?  Um...no...it is sweet though and I don't feel guilty about eating it.  Now - to just find a way to make it taste delicious is my next goal. Who does not like ice cream?

Due to a nutty week, I finally got out and ran on Thursday night.  Go Me.  Then, I went for another run this afternoon.  Frustrating note - a car dinged my newly registered 4 month new-to-me vehicle.  I am not happy.  In fact, I almost posted something to Facebook reminding people to be careful.  Back to running - I am loving the changing leaves.  How can you not enjoy a run with views like this?

A photo posted by Runningwithallergies (@runningwithallergies) on Oct 29, 2016 at 12:18pm PDT

Also..starting Monday, I have a new coach!  After taking some time away and realizing I work best with some in-person and local coaching, I met with Coach Runacious (www.facebook.com/runacious).  The prices are reasonable and she is personable!  I am excited to get back into it and to work with her.  While I am not setting any major goals for the first three months, I am settling on developing a strong base, working on core and the myrtle routine, and attempting to cut back times on my mile and 5k.

Happy Fall weather!

It's Friday...not quite but close...

Hi Again!

Yep, I am posting two nights in a row and you can now express your shock.  Mimic the monkey's expression below and be sure to feed him bananas, since I am fresh out of them:

Sometimes ditching responsibilities, while tough, is the right approach to take.  Does this mean I like it?  No - it does mean, though, I am putting myself first.  Given the day I had, it is jolly good thing I did.  Tonight, I was supposed to drive 30 minutes, run with a group, browse running products, and drive back to my abode.  Note - it rained hard or steadily all day and I was not feeling the drive.  So - I went running in a new-to-me area and forgot the headlamp, bad me, but remembered the vest and got in a decent run.  After stopping, I checked out my garmin's minute per mile.  It read 12:07!  Now - you are correct in reading that this is slow and for me, yes, it is slow.  Right now, though, this is a pretty decent pace for me and I am thrilled.  Need a comparison, check out the picture I took after a run awhile ago:

While I have not been the best at consistency, I am improving and, better yet, I felt pretty great the entire time.  Yes, I can still predict - almost within .25 of a mile - when I am close to two miles, which tells me my current long run between three and four miles is probably where it should be.  

For anyone getting back into running, take it from me - it is worth it!  Push through those slow miles and you will return to running the paces you want.

Happy Almost Friday/Weekend!

Happy Wednesday and Late Posting

Hi All!

It took me almost a month and I have an answer for why, I think, the move and adjustments have been so tough.  Part of it is where I am living.  My dust and mold allergies are acting up and I am not taking my usual amount of allergy medication.  Answer?  I am congested and feeling awful.  Not fun - I am working on it.

Secondly, I started drinking Kombucha daily.  It makes my budget really unhappy in some ways, but oh feeling better makes the extra cost so worth it.  Besides - my desire for beer, wine, or hard cider is essentially gone!

Thirdly, I am not quite ready to do hard workouts and pushing it in the race, while fun, led me into a bit of tailspin followed by reacting horribly to the flu shot.  I am getting back into a good pattern, but two days of running under stress last week and a trip for training left me dead tired all weekend.  What's the solution?  Use the elliptical more and pull back on workouts, until normal training is back to being easy at faster paces.

Yep - my tweet of yesterday indicated new changes.  I am not quite ready to share all, but I will say that I am excited to see what the next few days and weeks bring into my soon-to-be established running routine.

I plan to finish up the Plank Challenge in the next few days and I won't be taking the rest day, since I fell off the wagon this time last week.

Happy Wednesday!

Thankful Thursday

Almost exact a year ago, I was in a pretty dark place.  The looming decision (race or not to race a dream distance) loomed over me.  My meals were a disaster and I, if I was being honest, could sleep for hours at a time.  Energy - rare an issue for me - was non-existent.  I was living on a diet of between 500-800 calories a day and I expected my body to crank out long runs.  Thankfully, I wised up and deferred racing for a year.  I stepped away from a coach and online community to figure out what exactly was happening.  While I am better - a year later - the struggles continue.  This is what I have learned in the past year and maybe it will help someone, who has family members or friends with allergies.

1)  Provide labels or ingredients for all foods!

• Yes - this makes spontaneity a challenge, but it will decrease the stress of the friend or family member with allergies.  If you think watching them have a limited menu is tough, reverse it.  They will try not to look enviously at the other food, which they cannot eat, but they will try to be a good sport about it.

2)  Do not draw attention to a plate with not much on it!

• This only heightens the overly aware person with allergies.  Just try - really hard - to ask if the person is enjoying the food, eat your own and, if they ask you eat to something from the plate, do so or find someone who will.  It is not easy for the person with allergies for the people around them.

3)  Encourage the allergy prone individuals to bring snacks, beverages, and other foods to help them maintain a good energy level.

• Try bringing a main dish or dessert, if you can, and then protect enough servings to help balance out foods that cannot be consumed.
• Pack snacks!  If the gathering is large and someone asks to try it, explain calmly why sharing is not possible or, if the food is not overly expensive, have enough on hand to share.

4)  Do not take offense - especially if questions are asked about food preparation or if labels are examined with microscopes!

• By following tip 1, this is easily avoidable.  Or invite the allergy prone person to assist with food prep to extent the individual can.  This requires a good knowledge of the allergy by both the family and the individual.
• Depending on the household, I have been know to avoid visits due to knowing I will react and have to handle the side effects for multiple days on top of facing open criticism at every meal.  Bringing a set of food, that would work for me, was not an option.  Avoiding it was easier than facing a meal.  

5)  Unless you have a special diet to follow or prepare foods regularly for someone with a special diet, do not pretend to understand.

• People will try to sympathize with you.  Or say, "Wow, I cannot imagine how tough that must be.  How do you handle grocery shopping?"  Simple - a person with allergies knows what will work and accepts what won't.  Experimentation - depending on the severity of the allergy - is possible.  It has side effects, though, and in some cases can lead to allergic reactions for multiple days.  Asking these questions multiple times or at every visit only serves to draw attention to the limited diet.  While the question asker might feel better, it rarely helps the individual with allergies.

6)  Last but not least - Make the individual's with allergies as comfortable as possible.

• This does not mean one should add stress to an already stressful atmosphere by making a special menu or creating a special place.  Instead - contact the person with allergies and work to find a menu or items that the person can eat.  Lastly - help protect servings for the individuals with allergies, which will then make life more comfortable for everyone.

Between now and Thanksgiving, I hope to experiment with my new ice cream maker (not opened yet).  If I can find a semi-normal tasting one, perhaps I will bring it with me.  I do not expect dairy free ice cream to be delicious, but being able to have it at all would delightful!

Happy Thankful Thursday!

How I am surviving the Plank Challenge & Long Run Route Discovery

Hey All,

As of tonight, I have six remaining plank challenge workouts and one rest day.  Had you asked me if I would still be doing this nearly a month ago, I would have laughed and said, "Um...nope!"  I can say, though, that this has helped get me back into a routine - even with setbacks (pointing at the flu shot, now!) - and I am so glad to be doing it.  I am not gonna lie, after this 30-60 seconds of planks at one time are my limit.  How I am accomplishing this?  Simple - two suggestions are listed for you next:

1)Break it into smaller segments of seconds (5,10, 15, 30, 45, 60).  Remember - the only person to be upset about this break in routine is you.  Also keep your form as it should be.  If it fades, stop the clock and reset.  Then restart it.

2)Try different plank positions!  I now rotate 30 seconds with a reverse plank.  15-30 seconds on each side.  Then, lastly - I move to the original plank position.  I try to hold that one for 60 seconds, but I stop sooner if I need to do so.

This plank challenge is tightening up my stomach, arm, and core muscles.  It is something I needed and I will continue with it, but not in the lengthy increments of the challenge.  I will be happy to keep up the build up to 60 seconds of each.

Today - I tried out a route, which was new, and I think it might be perfect for long runs.  Immediately after I finished, though, the rain drops started and then quickly stopped.  This tweet sums up my run mentality this evening perfectly:

"Want to see me run faster than usual? Simple - tell me it will be dark soon. Or say a horrific storm with lightening is on the way."

Meanwhile, I have no exciting pictures, but I will fix that next time.

Happy Running!

Newish Place, Short Run, It's Fall!

This morning I got up and went for a run in a new place.  Ok - so I started in the same location but I went a different way.  Also - I had not been in that location for close to 1.5 months!

As the panic started to grow - remember new route - I reminded myself that I would get back in time to shower, eat, and still be out of the house in time to arrive at work in a timely fashion.  Part of this I believed, but part of it was tricking my mind into not panicking.

What I learned:

• Plan for 30 minutes of driving time.
• Wear capris, tights, or sweats - it is 40 degrees, folks, and shorts don't cut it at my current pace.
• Oh the joys of starting the day with running are impossible to beat.

I am hoping to make this a new thing.  Maybe I will run in my neighborhood a few days a week and then travel to this location a few days a week.  The distance was shorter than I would have liked, but you can only do so much when trying out a new location.

Also - when you are driving a car with fancy technology, sometimes the following happens:

I could not get the beeping due to an unbuckeled passenger to stop without doing this.  Lesson learned - put the groceries in the trunk and then this will not occur a second time.

Happy Monday, All!

The Blinking Light Brigade (aka early morning running is the best)!

A few weeks ago, I made a cryptic comment on twitter, which included a typo - sigh, referencing the blinking light brigade.  If this statement made little sense, let me enlighten you.

In the mornings, I wear the following gear a headlamp - picture is close to being accurate)

and some things around my wrist which blink.  I got them for free at a professional conference.  The vest I added after learning of a runners death and because I was living in an area with poor lighting.  Below is a picture of one, but mine is a bit less bulky and it is designed for runners:

The lighting where I live now is a bit better, but I am still not taking any chances.  When in doubt - be cautious, take it slow, and stop or sprint to safety if you feel nervous.  The headlamp sits more comfortably when I am wearing a cap or winter hat.

Also - I only wear headphones, when I am running on a treadmill or using an elliptical.  I don't like to remove my ability to focus on cars and my surroundings.  

After racing and feeling quite drained all day Saturday and most of yesterday, I am getting my flu shot today.  Since I usually react and have some other necessary but draining things planned for today, I will be content with doing 90 seconds of planking tonight.  The jump from 60 to 90, folks, was not fun!

Happy Early Morning Running!

First Race in 2016

Hi All!

What a week - I have learned some new tricks and discovered at least part of what needs to happen for me to stay healthy.  Kombucha is the key!  Dairy free living is not the most fun, but it also means I do not spend 85% of blowing my nose.  Also - I can breathe, hah, when running.  I probably do not snore as much when sleeping either.  At any rate, I am committed to keeping this feeling good dairy free going until I get answers.

Today, I ran my first race in 2016.  Granted - it was a 5k and I have decided not do any more this year.  I did it and it was pretty well organized.  I am looking forward to doing more races by this group and eventually I will get my time down to where I think of it as normal.

Happy Saturday and Happy Running!