Excellence

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."  ~Aristotle

As you can see from my side bar, I collect quotes.  A Facebook friend posted this gem a while back and I immediately wrote it down.  I liked it alot. 

This thought is reassuring to me in a way.  Like, people aren't born with excellence - they achieve it.  It's not a gift that a lucky few have been bestowed with.  Anyone is capable of excellence.  Even me.

So the lesson is that whatever it is that you desire to be excellent at - whether it be running, singing, baking bread, or underwater basketweaving - with perserverance, dedication, and a good measure of grit (for nothing worth having comes easily), you too can be EXCELLENT.

And who doesn't want that??

Catch Up

Well, I guess it's time for my monthly post.  Ha.  Seriously, where has the last month gone? 

In an effort to get ya'll caught up on my riveting life, I'm resorting to that format which allows me to hop gracefully from one nonrelated topic to the next without any kind of meaningful segway, our friend the BULLET.

• I am so excited to be able to report PROGRESS with my attempts at becoming a runner.  Just about 6 weeks ago, I ran an entire mile for the first time in I-don't-know-how-many-years.  It wasn't easy and I really couldn't imagine a time when I'd comfortably run that distance, much less further, but holy moly friends, I AM THERE.  This last weekend, I ran 4.54 miles only stopping twice for a brief minute to drink some water. And even though that is a HUGE accomplishment that I never thought I was capable of, I still have doubts about my ability to go further.  Like, I think I may have reached my max.  But I'll keep trying.
• A fabulous side effect of all this running and eating healthy is the physical changes I'm seeing. I took my measurements about 18 months ago when I started going to the gym and I recently came across those measurements.  I whipped out my measuring tape to see if there'd been any change, not really expecting any major changes, but I think I counted a total of about 9 inches that I've lost!  I'm totally digging the muscles that are popping out in my legs.  A downside is that not many of my pants (or bras) are fitting very well anymore.  Yah, I know...woe is me.  :)
• Work is still rather slow for Josh, although we're hopeful that things will pick up with spring & summer approaching.  He's also applying for other jobs with other companies, but of course, with the economy the way it is, positions are at a premium.  So for now, I do alot of praying and try to have faith that it will all be okay.  But boy am I tired of barely hanging on.
• There are potentially some big changes on the horizon for us as a family.  Sam has really been struggling in school the last few months.  Issues that we dealt with the last half of last year are resurfacing, as well as new ones.  Academically, he's fine.  He scores at or above grade level in everything, yet he hates school.  Most mornings are a fight to get him ready and out the door, often involving tears and such a level of frustration on his part that it breaks my heart.  He struggles to pay attention, he struggles to stay focused on work, he struggles to sit still, he struggles to ignore his classmates bad behavior and language. We've seen his confidence in himself and his abilities go down, we've seen his attitude change, we've heard him using language we don't use at home, we've seen him lash out in frustration.  This whole situation is KILLING me so much that it's no wonder I suspect I have an ulcer.  I hate, hate, HATE that my sweet boy is having such a hard time; a boy that is SO quick-minded, so naturally curious, so sensitive.  He is learning to hate school because of external influences and expectations and I'm not sure we can allow that to happen much longer. 
• Yes, I think I have an ulcer.  I have a constant, gnawing pain in my stomach, which occasionally gives me chest pain. I feel hungry, bloated, and achy most of the time, yet when I eat it doesn't help.  I don't have much of an appetite and I'm constantly burping.  Pleasant, huh?  I had an ulcer back when I was 25 and remember feeling much the same way.  It was diagnosed with a blood test and I ended up taking 18 pills a day for two weeks. So I need to have that blood test again.  Which means I need to go to the doctor.  Which I hate doing. 
• I'm doing my very first 5k run in April.  It seems a little backwards to finally get around to doing a 5k considering I've completed two half marathons, but I WALKED those and intend on RUNNING this 5k.  So maybe it's not backwards at all.  I'm just starting out as a runner, so I guess a 5k is a good place to start.  And it's for a great cause:  the proceeds benefit the Behind the Badge Foundation, an organization that supports law enforcement and their families. 

Well, I guess that about sums it up.  Life is very full and busy these days, and probably will get more so with some upcoming changes, but what's a girl to do?

Ups and Downs

I certainly am not turning this into a blog solely about running, but for now it's what I'm working on, so for now it's what I'm writing about.

I headed back to the gym on Tuesday and hit the treadmill, still riding the high from Saturday's run.  I quickly snapped out of it and realized it was a WAY different day and I was not feeling great.  I almost immediately developed a stitch in my side that I couldn't get rid of, I was swaying all over the place, banging into the sides and front of the treadmill, and breathing kinda hard early on.  I tried my hardest to just run through it all, but it became evident with every passing minute that I wasn't going to be able to run like I did on Saturday.  I seem to remember wanting desperately to stop after only 10 minutes but I kept mentally yelling at myself and pushed on until I'd been going for 19 minutes. I really wanted to hit that 20 minute mark but I simply couldn't go another minute and slowed to walking at 19.   I was hugely disappointed and started to think maybe Saturday was a fluke.

Today I again hit the treadmill and really just went with the mentality of doing what I could, trying to forget Tuesday's poor performance.  Last night when I was vacuuming, I rammed my 3rd toe on my left foot with the vacuum and kinda bent back the nail, making it bleed. So I wasn't sure how running on it would feel.  And on the way to the gym I discovered a hole in my sock on my right foot, right under a toe.  And I'm pretty sure I need new shoes. So my feet were not happy to start with.  (I have very fussy feet and have since I was a little girl. They're very sensitive. Or something.)

I did my usual 10 minute brisk walk and then upped the speed to 4.8mph and started to jog.  My first goal was to do a mile...about 12.5 minutes at that pace.   On Tuesday I had started out at 5mph and I wondered if just that little bit of extra pace did me in.  So I figured I'd start off nice and easy today.  My legs felt great, no burning or pain, expect just a little discomfort in my right foot, probably from my shoes.  The 12.5 minutes flew by and I kept going.  I finally stopped at 30 minutes because my mouth felt like the Sahara desert and I needed a drink.  So I took a 3 minute walk break, slurped down some water, then upped the speed to 5mph and went another 12 minutes.  The last couple minutes were challenging - I was breathing harder and had a side stitch - but I powered on, feeling again a great sense of accomplishment.  When I slowed to a brisk walk, I felt like I was floating and the side pain went away.  It was great. 

I think on Tuesday I should've started at the slower speed.  I really am not concerned with my speed right now.  I just want to be able to run continuously for a good period of time.  The speed will come.  For now, I'm working on my endurance.  So, lesson learned:  run slower for now.  Also, I ate a banana on my way to the gym on Tuesday and I think it contributed to the side pain.  Today I drank a glass of Odwalla Superfood (aka "pond scum") and didn't have the side pain until the very end.  So, lesson #2:  don't eat much before trying to run.

Becoming a runner is a learning process, as well as a physical process.  But progress is being made on both fronts.  And I can't tell you how cool it is.

Crossing Over to Belief

Over the last few months, I've read articles here and there about running, training to run, technique, etc. all in an effort to figure out how to go about becoming a runner.  As multiple places have suggested, one should start off doing intervals - run for a bit, then walk for a bit - gradually increasing the amount you run and decreasing the amount you walk.  So I've been doing that. But I'm impatient and competitive and I probably haven't done enough of it.

Another thing I've read is that you should do two short to average runs during the week and then a longer one on the weekend.  I haven't done that as much because I haven't really gotten to the point of actually running much yet.

Or so I thought.

Yesterday, I headed into town to the Y, planning on doing more intervals on the treadmill.  I picked my treadmill in front of a big window, looking down on the street where I could watch the traffic and people strolling around town on a Saturday morning.  To my left was a gal that was full-on running, around 8.0 mph.  Wow.  She looked so smooth and just kept running and running...

I started off walking, working up to my quick walking pace (between 4.0 - 4.3 mph).  I figured I'd do a 10 minute warm up and then do a 12 minute mile.  I started out jogging and felt pretty good.  As I was nearing the 12 minute mark, I thought "I'll try to go about 18-20 minutes".  So I forged on. 

About that time a girl got on a treadmill to my right and started walking.  After a few minutes she started doing some intervals, jogging for a bit, then walking.  I was silently cheering her on, recognizing what she was doing.

Before I knew it my 20 minute goal had come and gone and I was feeling no pain.  My legs felt strong and solid and I was in a good rhythm. I had previously been jogging at 4.8mph but wondered how I'd do if I upped it a bit.  So I increased it to 5.0.  And it didn't really make much difference.   My main challenge all along was my breathing. I have a tendency to concentrate on my breathing too much instead of just letting my body breathe when it needs to.  So instead I focus on my music, singing in my head, and try to just forget about regulating my breathing. 

All along I kept expecting to "hit the wall" any minute. I couldn't believe I was cruising along, actually RUNNING (albeit slowly) for longer than a few minutes.  I dare say I felt a bit of that "runner's high" you hear people refer to, and MAN it felt good. 

I started philosophizing and realized that I was in a bit of a metaphorical situation.  On my left was the fast runner-girl, obviously with all kinds of endurance and strength, and on my right was the girl trying to train her body to run, pushing herself a bit at a time.  And I was in between them, literally and figuratively.  Not too long ago I was that girl just starting to train her body to run.  And I dream of being the runner that can just go and go.

I ran for 40 minutes straight, managing to go a bit under 3.5 miles without stopping. I'm not going to win any races at that pace, but I'm not worried about speed right now. I'm just going to cling to the knowledge that I AM capable of it and use it to build on.

Yesterday showed me that, for now, I'm solidly in between those two girls.  When I realized that I was crossing over into actual "I'm a runner" territory, I felt myself fill with a huge feeling of accomplishment and pride.  I suddenly was running with my head held higher and a bit of a grin on my face.  I'll admit, I even had to stem the sudden sting of tears that threatened.  I was just so damn proud of myself and surprised that somehow I had managed to teach this old body to RUN. 

At this rate, I'm starting to believe I may actually get to cross off one of the goals I set for myself in 2010.

True Story Tuesday - Bookworm

Well, look at that...it's Tuesday again. 

I have read three books in the last seven days:  Mina and Bread and Dreams by Jonatha Ceely, and Food Rules by Michael Pollan.

True story.

I think the two by Jonatha Ceely have secured themselves a place on my All-Time Favorite Books list.  I couldn't read them fast enough yet didn't want them to end. 

True story.

I was awake until 12:30am last night devouring the last hundred pages of Bread and Dreams.  I HAD to know how it ended.  And today I'm sad I'm done with it.  I already miss the characters.

True story.

 

Now that I've read one of Michael Pollan's books, I want to read the others.  And soon.

 

True story.

 

I can't imagine a life without books. 

 

True story.

True Story Tuesday - Brought to you by Puffs Plus & Dayquil

I have been fighting some crummy bug/illness since Thursday. And while it started out as a simple annoying sore throat and a little stuffiness, it has evolved into a full blown snot-fest, complete with incredible sinus pressure, neck achiness, a barky cough and a headache that multiple Canadian codeine tablets only barely helped.

True story.

The whole time I have been under the weather, I have been worried about my training.  Like, how far am I going to be setback because of this stupid bug?  And it's making me very cranky to think that I'll have to start off walking again, instead of continuing to increase my running.  I'm VERY ANXIOUS to get back to the gym. 

True story.

I have layed around and watched more crappy TV in the last two days than I have in the last six months.  Prime example of my illness is the fact that I watched multiple episodes of Real Housewives of Orange County.  On purpose.  Me watching that crap?  A sure sign of sickness.  And boredom.

True story.

BUT. I think I may be on the mend.  After calling in sick to work for two days (which I loathe doing) I'm actually upright and showered this afternoon and feeling a bit hungry, something I haven't felt in days. 

True story.

True Story Tuesday - Blech Edition

Yesterday I strayed from my healthy eating plan, back to my old ways.  Zoe and I had to return something at the mall and she was hungry so we shared a personal size cheese pizza and breadsticks at Target.  I barely made it home, I was suddenly SOOOO sleepy while driving.  I came home, crashed on the bed and zonked out. 

True story.

For dinner, I made shredded chicken tacos and only had two.  And I felt like I'd eaten a horse.  I ached like a bloated cow.

True story.

I decided a beer sounded good with dinner so I indulged in one.  It tasted wonderful but I was left with a headache and feeling mildly queasy.

True story.

I don't think I'll be eating two meals like that again in the same day.  I felt horrible!  Even though I didn't eat a large quantity, it was the quality of the stuff that really did me in.  Ugh.  I don't think I'll be doing that again anytime soon.

True story.