March 11 - First Race of 2018 & Tech Free Days

Hey All!

It's been about 10 days since I written anything beyond random tweets.  Overall, I think I am doing better, but I am still working on controlling what I can and just pushing past/ignoring what I cannot.

This past week, I decided to work on getting up earlier and doing my run and what I could of foam rolling/stretching before work. I managed this on Monday and Tuesday, but then fell into the evening routine the rest of the week. Saturday, I had two pieces of toast with almond butter and honey. Oh did it feel good and then I ran 7.43 miles an hour later without any issues. I need to test this a few more times, yet, but I might have a solution!

In non-running land, I had brunch at a new-to-me restaurant on Saturday. It was ok and so was the company. I will probably not repeat either and then I got a haircut. Since I have to give a Presentation Wednesday and a week from Friday, I really wanted to be looking "ok" for both.

In late 2012-2013, I rediscovered my love for puzzles and I figured out that they are an excellent way for me to relax, even if I go to do it and when I am stressed. 15 minutes or so later, I am in a much better mood. The puzzle I am doing right now is really tough, but it still gives me great satisfaction. I might just have to keep a puzzle going more frequently or rotate puzzles and tough knitting patterns.

On March 11th, I will fulfill one of my goals for 2018, since I am running a 6k. Given how my early training went, I am still not sure how this race or my half marathon will go. Instead, I am just enjoying the process and working with my coach to be as prepared as I possibly can.

The next two weeks are going to be crazy and I will be tech free for most of next weekend. It is always fun and getting back to technology is always a bit stressful.

Happy Sunday, All!

Hello, Weather & Controlling the Controllables

Hey All,

I am still healthy, yay, and the chest x-ray came back clear. Whew - I am so glad to hear this. Yes, I may still play the wimp, but pneumonia is no joke. I will get back to being gutsy, but this time I will be a smart gutsy runner.

By May, I will have an established home gym. Right now, the long days and hours of training for a half marathon and work are taking a toll on me. My current way of handling it is to prioritize getting exercise each day. This reduces the stress level. A home gym will mean I can exercise first thing in the morning or get started directly after work without any detours. Also - when I have guests - they can use the gym setup.

Last week, Anna Weber, who is a professional runner for Oiselle, wrote a blog post describing how she got her confidence back and identified four points that helped her. You can read all about it here. I had the privilege of meeting Anna, before I ran my half marathon in November, and I have been following her on Facebook, Twitter, and (since November) Instagram. Two things she said really resonated with me: Change and Control the Controllables.

Change is something many people dread and, while it is not easy, it is something that comes more easily to me than others. I had to make a major change in how I approach my office time last weekend. It was tough and in many ways, I am still adjusting. On the other hand, I also got a lot done this week and some things were easier than I anticipated. Almost seven months ago, I made the conscious decision to get my life back. Does this mean I party, hangout with friends all the time, and have an active social life? No - it does mean that I am letting myself dream and think outside the box more. It also allows me to plan for a race and get back into music, running, reading, and knitting, and other activities, which make me happy.

Controlling the controllables - this is something that any distance runner, especially the marathon and ultra runners, will tell you. Hearing a professional runner say this, however, really made me stop and think. I can control how I approach each day. Also - I can be thankful that I have my health and that I can run again. I am gainfully employed and I am moving, albeit more slowly than some, in the right direction in my current position.

My goal for 2018 is to focus on maintaining control over the controllables and to be appreciative of the good things I have. No, I might not improve my house as much as I want. If I am healthy and the house looks much the same next year, that is ok. 

Also - I signed up to race on March 11th. It is a 6k (new distance) and it my first race of the year. 

Happy Thursday, All!

Running Journals - Getting Back to it

Hey All!

This week went from feeling great to cold symptoms appearing out-of-the blue. So, I ended up taking things much slower and easier than I planned. I did, however, locate my Believe Journal and I started using it. I will be curious to see how it goes. With my coach, I fill in how the day went, but I do not look back over it. Maybe this is something I will start doing again?

Also - I went it for a routine service check on my car and left with four brand new tires. Wince - I am glad I got them, since we got snow and icy roads today, which did not make driving as frightening as it had been.

Next weekend, I go in and get some follow-up Pneumonia tests. I am hoping that they reveal any issues and, not so secretly, a healthy stamp of approval would be lovely.

Lately, I have been on a hot chocolate kick, which I am sure @hungryrunnergirl will understand and approve of 100%!

Today, I hope to race a 10k, but I settled for 5.37 (sorry @runacious) miles in the drizzly overcast weather. I am bit late on the recovery fuel, but I could not resist the hot chocolate courtesy of @mbigloo and @hoog10. Happy Saturday!

A post shared by Runningwithallergies (@runningwithallergies) on Jan 27, 2018 at 1:14pm PST

Happy Sunday :D