The Things She Carried

Ok, so the name of this post is slightly misleading. This won't be a post about all the stuff I actually carry during a race (food, gum, body glide, etc). This post is more about what I carry emotionally when I run.

It's finally Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend. A weekend that we've been planning for what seems like forever. This is supposed to be my second marathon- my "comeback 26.2" from my stress fracture this fall. But life has thrown me a few other curve balls in the last few months. Arthritis in my big toe. Peroneal tendonitis in my ankle. Major stress at work. And one more unplanned change: I'll be traveling to Pittsburgh solo today.

After lots of discussion, Matthew has decided to forego the races this weekend to go home and spend some quality time with his Nana. He'll also be completing the distances he would have completed in Pittsburgh; a 5k on Saturday, a marathon on Sunday, while running around his hometown. While I'm sad he won't be coming with me, I know this is what he feels is right in his heart. I plan on heading home to see Nana next week- and hopefully I'll be able to show her some shiny new Steel Challenge bling :-)

Without a doubt, Nana and Matthew will be on my mind this weekend when I run. I often think about the people in my life and our relationships when I'm out there slogging through the miles of a long run. I also think a lot about running- shocking, right? :-) I reflect on my training, previous races, PRs and everything in between And on Sunday, it won't be any different.

The first time I met Coach Jeff, he gave me the blue "Love to Sparkle" bracelet. It was during Dopey Challenge 2014 and I wore it for all the races. At this past year's WDW Marathon Weekend, he gave me the "Sparkle Princess" one. Every time I look at these, I think about Coach Jeff and all of my running Ohana. You'll find both of these on my wrist this weekend.

My former roommate and best friend Kelly bought me this necklace before the Dopey Challenge. I gave it to Matthew for safe keeping until I'd officially completed the races. Now I wear it for almost every race. It reminds me of all the support of my friends and family while we were training for Dopey and it reminds me that I'm capable of doing hard things.

I have two BeeCause charms that I wear on my current pair of running shoes: a custom one with my Mom-mom's initials, and a 48.6 one to remember my Dopey accomplishment. I love knowing that my Mom-mom is with me every step of every race. And when I get tired, I look down and find encouragement to keep going.

A very sweet friend gave me this Fellow Flowers a few weeks ago. It reminds me of the basic promise of sisterhood and friendship: to lift each other up and help each other get to the finish line. I am truly blessed to have many "sole sisters" in my life that I can count on for motivation and inspiration. You can bet I'll be thinking about them while running 26.2 miles this Sunday.

My amazing Matthew got me this commemorative Dopey Challenge necklace in 2014. It's special to me because Matthew bought this when he signed us up for the races- nine months before we would complete it. His belief in me has never wavered. Because he believes I can do something, I believe I can do it. He's my biggest cheerleader and I'm so grateful he's in my life. I'll be wearing this necklace close to my heart all weekend.


With lots on my mind and lots on my heart this weekend, I'll run the Pittsburgh 5k and Pittsburgh Marathon. To be honest, I'm nervous. My training didn't go exactly as planned and I didn't get in all the long runs I wanted. My plan is to stick with the six hour pace group for as long as possible and then continue on to the finish.

The things I carry will hopefully help carry me to the finish. Game on, Pittsburgh. Let's do this.

Pittsburgh Runners: The Newbie, The Veteran, & The Elite

Good morning, friends! I've got an awesome treat for you today- three of my amazing running Ohana have graciously agreed to be featured on my blog as they are all running a race as part of Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend. Let me introduce these rock stars to you:

Lauren, aka "The Newbie," will be running her first half marathon in just a few days. 

Gloria, aka "The Veteran," had completed the Pittsburgh Half Marathon and many other races around the city. 

Nathan aka "The Elite," who will claim not be be elite but I say he is and it's my blog so there. :-) He also has a marathon PR of 3:30:13 so that makes him elite in my book. 

I sent them all a list of the same questions and this is what they had to say:

Why are you running Pittsburgh?

Lauren: Pittsburgh is my home! I knew that I wanted to run my first half here – it is a major milestone in my running journey and I want to do it with my hometown crowd.

Gloria: Pittsburgh is the closest city to where I currently live, so that means the closest half marathon race! But besides living near Pittsburgh, it is an awesome city to run in! This will be my second time running the half marathon in Pittsburgh which means redeeming myself from my first half marathon last year. 

Nathan: I have a goal to run a half marathon and marathon in every state, so it didn't take much convincing when my running Ohana asked me to join them for Pittsburgh marathon weekend when I meet up with them at the Akron marathon weekend.

Pittsburgh offers a half marathon, marathon, marathon relay and a 5k. How did you choose which distances you’d run during race weekend?

Lauren: In 2014, I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon 5K and it was my first (ever) race! I knew after that race that I loved running and set my sights on longer distances! I am running the 5K again this year, in addition to the half marathon. I am looking forward to earning my Steel Challenge medal and cheering on a friend as she runs her first race at the 5K.

Gloria: Last year, I started running not knowing how much I would fall in love with it. Last year my goal was to run a half marathon which I did in Pittsburgh last year. However, training did not go as plan but I still completed the miles of the half marathon but not with the time I wanted. So this year it’s all about redeeming myself from last year’s half marathon.

Nathan: I’ll be running the 5k and the marathon during race weekend. My thought for the 5k was that I’d be running a shake out run the day before the marathon anyways, so why not just use the 5k as my shake out run.

What are you most looking forward to about Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend?

Lauren: Being with my running friends! I’m also looking forward to seeing my family out there cheering me on (and celebrating my birthday with them - my birthday is 5/6).

Gloria: Definitely meeting up with the many running friends I was able to meet through Steff Rubel! I am also looking forward to the expo as well meeting new people in the corrals and on the course. Last year I met a sweet old lady in the corral I was in who had surgery on her arm two weeks prior. She told me her doctor told her not to run but she wasn’t going to miss it. She also told me not to worry that I would be able to get through the race and will be in love that I will be ready to run my next half right when I get my half marathon medal. She was right and was a huge role model through that race.

Nathan: I can’t wait to see my running Ohana again! They are an awesome group of people, and besides all the support they give each other they just make race weekends fun! Also, I’d be lying if i didn't say that I’m a little excited about escaping the FL heat, summer has already arrived here.

This one’s for the veteran Pittsburgh runner, Gloria: what advice do you have for folks who haven’t run this half or run in Pittsburgh before? 

Watch out for the Brimmingham Bridge, its literally a pain in the ass! JK, lol. But Pittsburgh is such a diverse city, you’ll experience the different neighborhoods as well as the people who live there. Give high fives to the people you see! They will have smiles on their faces which makes you smile and keeps you going towards the finish line. Also, enjoy the wonderful skyline and beautiful landmarks!

Question for the newbie, Lauren: why did you choose to train for a half marathon?

I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon 5K as my first race last year, and have since run several  5Ks, 10Ks, and a 15K. A half marathon is the next logical step! 

Here’s one for the elite, Nathan: how do you train for elevation and hills like Pittsburgh while living in a relatively flat area?

Bridges, overpasses, and parking garages are great man made elevation obstacles. Another good option is sand, even though that’s a little harder to find in Orlando. The challenge of running in sand is sort of like having a flat hill.

What is your goal and/or goals for your race?

Lauren: This is a tough one. From the day I registered, I hoped to run a sub-2.5 hour half marathon. In January, I selected a training plan and added all the runs to my calendar. After that, my training went downhill and I faced one setback after another. While I've had a few great runs in the last few months, I've had a lot of not-great runs and I know at this point, my training is what it is and I just need to go out there and do my best.

On race day, I’m planning to stick with Chelsea (who is running her first full!) and Coach Jeff for the first ~12 miles and I hope they can help me keep a good pace and then take it from there. Regardless, I know I will have a new PR and new PDR! 

Gloria: I am hoping for 02:45:00 but anything below 02:50:34 will mean a new PR, also to meet new runners, and just enjoy the run!

Nathan: I’d love to walk away with a new PR, so that means I’m looking for a sub 3:30.

The most interesting running fact about me is….

Lauren: This is a tough one…I’m going to run a half in Alaska next month? 

Or….I have Crohn’s Disease and there were years of my life where I was too sick to even think about running. I am grateful to be able to do so now. 

Gloria: I hated running when I was younger, absolutely hated it. I don’t know if it was just because I didn't realize what pace meant or what but now I absolutely love running. 

Nathan: I like running in colder weather as much as the next runner, but I've grown up in FL and tend to get cold easily. Because of this, when it gets cold (read below 60°) you’ll most likely find me running in (at least) two pairs of socks.

What has been the most challenging part of your Pittsburgh training?

Lauren: As I mentioned before, my training plan hasn't gone according to plan and I've yet to have a week where I completed all of the scheduled runs. I've faced bed bugs (the bites caused my legs and feet to swell), illness, sub-zero temperatures, and a grueling travel schedule for work. But in contrast, I have an amazing and supportive group of running friends and family who have cheered me on from the start and their encouragement will carry me through on race day. 

Gloria: Getting my training in with work. I work as a technical director of a venue. We are busy 24/7 it seems but really busy from January to May so training around the 12 hour work day is a bit much. 

Nathan: Trying to incorporate elevation into my training runs.

On race day, what mantra/quote/inspirational thought will get you to the finish line?

Lauren: When I’m struggling through a run, I always think of Ben Comen. His ESPN feature is several years old, but it always puts things into perspective for me. 

I also read Haruki Murakami’s “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running” a few months ago and really liked his mantra, “I’m not a human. I’m a piece of machinery. I don’t need to feel a thing. Just forge on ahead.” and have adapted it on many runs. 

Gloria: I usually think of how far I have come. I usually have different inspiration for each race. My last half marathon was in Columbus, OH. They had a child from children’s hospital and their story sponsor each mile... needless to say I was sobbing the entire race and my inspiration of getting to the finish line was to run for every child who was on the course who could not physically and for those throughout the world who can’t. I can’t wait to see what my inspiration on the course in Pittsburgh will be!

Nathan: A few of the things I’ll tell myself during a race are-

                    “There will come a day when I’m not able to do this, and today is not that day.”

                    “Get uncomfortable.”

I also think back on all the training that has gone into getting me to where I’m at, and just remind myself to have fun and enjoy the “victory lap."

So there you have it- three super cool runners that will be crushing goals this weekend in Pittsburgh! I hope you enjoyed meeting Lauren, Gloria, and Nathan. 

Don't forget, if you want to meet me and lots of new runner friends (these three included!), come to the meet-up/tweet-up Saturday morning at 7:30 am. 

Are you running Pittsburgh? If so, which race?

AM: 4/27/15

Good evening, friends!

Many apologies for the lateness of this post- Matthew and I had to unexpectedly go out of town this weekend.

For the last few weeks, Matthew's grandmother (Nana) has been in the hospital. On Sunday, while we were out on our last long run before Pittsburgh, we got a call that Nana wasn't doing well. 

Long story short, we made the trip home on Sunday, visited with Nana, and then came home this afternoon. At this point, she seems to be stable and not in any pain. If you're the praying kind, we could use some sent our way. If not, some positive vibes would also be great :-)

So tonight I've got an abbreviated Accountability Monday post for you but I promise I've got some good stuff coming later this week- it's Pittsburgh Marathon week!

Training:

Monday- Rest day

Tuesday- 2 easy miles in 22:41

Wednesday- Core and hip workout

Thursday- Rest day

Friday- Rest day

Saturday- Runner's World Strength Workout, hip workout

Sunday- 7 easy miles with Matthew and our friend Ford. 12:13 pace, 3:1 intervals. 

9 total miles.

Beautiful day for a run. 

Weight-loss:

140.4 as of 4/23 weigh-in.

-2.2 from last week

-50 since January 2013

So yeah. Finally back to 50 pounds lost after a few weeks of up and down. Now I'm officially only 1.4 pounds from goal. I'm hoping that I'll be at goal by my birthday- May 26th!

Hope your weekend was awesome and your week is off to a great start! Make sure to check back here on Wednesday and Friday for some Pittsburgh-goodness! 

Race Recap & Review: Sole of the City 10k

This past Saturday, Matthew and I ran one of my favorite races of the year, the Sole of the City 10k race in Baltimore, MD. The 10k is probably my favorite distance to race but it isn't very popular- so that's why I love this race so much; it's rare AND awesome.

Last year, I didn't have the best time with this race. It was hot, hilly, and I had some awful stomach cramps. We also got there so late (due to a crappy parking debacle) that they were already singing the national anthem. Anxious and flustered is not how I like to start a race.

This year, we left the house at 6:30 am for a 9:00 am start time. We were determined not to get caught up in traffic :-) We parked literally right around the corner from the finish around 7:30 am. Luckily, my former roommate/best friend Kelly met us there so we spent the next hour and a half catching up- it was awesome!

Around 8:45, we headed to the start line. With 4,500 runners, it was pretty crowded. Same as the last two years, we started under a ginormous American flag- so cool.

Kelly, Me, and Matthew at the start

I can't imagine a better start than this. 

It was a beautiful day for a run. Clear skies and temps in the mid to upper 60's. Since I've been struggling with ankle and toe pain, I just wanted to enjoy the race and finish with a smile. I kept my intervals to 1:1 and focused on good form, keeping a close eye on how my feet were feeling.

Just like last year's course, we ran through three miles of Baltimore neighborhoods then turned back and ran along the Inner Harbor for the last three miles- including some major hills.

But unlike last year's course, I felt amazingly strong throughout this race. Every hill I saw, I conquered, passing lots of people as I charged forward. "Not this year, not today." I kept repeating those words, out loud (which I'm sure made folks think I was crazy!), all through the race. I was determined to have a better race and a better time on the clock than the last two years (2014- 1:14:55, 2013- 1:14:19).

On the left, my favorite museum in Baltimore: the AVAM aka the American Visionary Art Museum.

Seriously, I love running in this city. 

Beautiful day for a race!

After the final hill (which felt a hell of a lot better this year!), the course started it's long descent towards the finish. I kept checking my phone and knew that I was going to be close to a PR for this course. I gave it one last push and got across the finish line at 1:11:00. A full four minutes faster than last year! And I felt great!

The best part about this race? I mean besides the amazing Under Armour premium, fun course, and awesome finish line party? Free beer! This year they had the standard Miller Lite AND Summer Shandy! What an awesome surprise!

After getting my sweet free beer, I met up with Jes from Runs and Crafts. We talked all about Baltimore running, team sparkle skirts, and runDisney races. I hope we run into each other at other races this summer!

Other highlights of this race included seeing a few high school friends on course, a random lady bug landing on my arm around mile five, and seeing a bunch of people dressed in full-on pirate costumes at the Inner Harbor. I wish I snapped a picture!

Matthew and I got our free food- bananas, granola bars, and wraps- and headed back to the car. This year parking was a breeze and we were on our way home in minutes.

Overall, this was another wonderful race put on my Charm City Run. My only complaint is the lack of water stops, similar to last year. Again this year, it was sunny and warm and we could have used more than two water stops on a six mile course. Other than that, this race gets an A+ from me!

Summer Shandy is Sparkly Runner approved!

What's the best finish line treat you've received at a race?

AM: 4/20/15

Good morning and happy Boston Marathon Monday! Today is like the Super Bowl of running- I can't wait to track all my friends as they race- including Dani from Weight Off My Shoulders and Pam from We Run Disney!

Quick update on the ankle: I wore the boot almost all week and alternated icing and heating while elevating it every night. I ran the Sole of the City 10k (recap coming this week) and it felt totally fine. Later in the day, still felt great. On Sunday morning, I tentatively stepped out of bed and felt....nothing. Literally, my ankle felt fine all day long. Since I'm still not 100% sure what's causing the problem, I'm going to keep icing, heating, elevating, and stretching. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Training:
Monday- Rest day
Tuesday- 40 minutes of yoga
Wednesday-Rest day
Thursday- 30 minutes on the bike, 7.3 miles
Friday- Rest day
Saturday- Sole of the City 10k race, 1:11:00 total time, 11:27 pace
Sunday- Runner's World Core Workout, foam rolling, 20 minutes of yoga

6.2 total miles

Yoga makes me feel so amazing and so inflexible at the same time. 

Nutrition:
If you love apple pie, you'll love this new recipe I found this week in my Weight Watchers Weekly (weekly booklet full of recipes, tips, and helpful WW advice). Slice and microwave an apple until soft, then drizzle it with two tablespoons of non-fat plain yogurt mixed with splenda and a few drops of vanilla extract. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!

While it doesn't taste exactly like apple pie, it's still pretty delicious. Technically, it's 0 points if you only use two tablespoons of yogurt- if you use three tablespoons, it becomes 1 PPV. Either way, it's a great, healthy alternative to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Not a bad substitute for the real thing. 

Weight-loss:
142.6 as of 4/15/15
+.8 from last week
-47.8 since January 2013

Here we go again on this weight-loss roller coaster. I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing- I know the scale will eventually reach the goal I want it to. Just keep moving forward and stay focused on goal :-)



How was your week? Are you watching the Boston Marathon today?

Jeff Galloway Says: 4 Ways to Energize Your Day & Clear Your Brain

I don't know about you, but it's been a stressful, non-sparkly week for me. There's lots going on at work, my ankle is still being a brat, and there are things happening that are out of my control and causing me loads of anxiety and stress (I'll explain in a later post for the vagueness of that statement).

But yesterday I got some goodness in my inbox from Mr. Run Walk Run, aka Jeff Galloway, all about how to keep your mental game in check. The only thing I'd add to his list is meditation- I've been trying to take a few minutes each day to relax, reflect, and basically calm myself down. Reminding myself that "the universe is a good place" helps too :-)

Enjoy Jeff's latest tips!






Four Ways To Energize Your Day & Clear Your Brain
By Olympian Jeff Galloway
www.RunInjuryFree.com 

It's natural to become focused on the big things in life, and worry about outside forces, building stress.  A few simple lifestyle adjustments can result in greater control over attitude and energy, while reducing stress and fatigue.  Yes, you can exert more control over your life, produce positive attitude hormones, and blend together body, mind and spirit by planning and taking action.

- Walk or run, one day and walk (or cross train) the next.  While the exertion will wake up the muscles, you're away from the phone, allowing the mind a little freedom.  Most who start with a blank mental state, finish their exercise session with the day planned, and a few new ways to deal with problems.  Others like to walk/run during lunch hour, while munching on an energy bar.  This can clear out morning stress and prepare mind-body for the challenges of the afternoon.  Many evening exercisers believe that the weight of the day's stress is erased or contained with the after-work workout.  Scheduling these outings gives you control over your existence.

- Don't sit--walk!  The addition of a few extra short walks, throughout the day, will energize the body and activate the mind.  Park farther away from work, the food store, the transit station, etc.  Many of my clients use a step counter for motivation and calorie counting.  It helps to find one that is consistent and reliable (usually @ $30).  Shoot for 10,000 steps a day.  You are rewarded for  getting out of your chair (or  the couch) more often.  These short walks burn fat, which adds up (up to 30 pounds a year!).  The best reward is the head clearing effect, which can power you through the mid morning or mid afternoon energy crises.  Even a 3-4 minute “recess” walk at work, can result in clearer thinking, more energy, and greater self-confidence.

- Eat more frequently.  Each time you eat, even a small snack, you'll boost your energy level. The longer you wait to eat, the more likely your metabolism will slump into drowsiness and laziness.  This also means that you're not burning many calories.  If you divide up your daily calorie budget into 6-9 snacks a day you'll burn more fat (up to 10 pounds a year).  Eat a snack every 2-3 hours, and you can feel better all day.  It helps to choose foods that have (percentage of calories vs total calories) about 20% protein, about 15% fat and the rest in complex carbohydrate.  This combination will leave you satisfied longer with fewer calories consumed.  To experience fat loss, consumption can be managed through websites or journals.  For more information, see "A Woman's Guide to Fat Burning" by Jeff and Barbara Galloway.

- Help someone exercise. The psychological benefits are significant when you help someone improve the quality of their life.  Offer to walk (run, hike) with your spouse, parent, friend co-worker, child—or all of the above.  My books "Walking" and "Getting Started" have proven programs with motivation which can lead you  and your “coach-ee” through the training. 



What helps you deal with stress or fatigue? Any good tricks or tips you use?

AM 4/13/15

***THANK YOU for all the love, encouragement, comments, tweets, and fb comments on my post about bikinis- y'all know how to make a girl feel supported! Thank you for being so sweet! This blog continues to keep me accountable and allows me to have awesome and inspirational conversations with all of you- from the bottom of my heart, thank you!***


So... this week brought the return of the dreaded boot:

In short: I've been having intermittent pain in my left ankle. My bones are fine (Podiatrist did an xray and examination) so we are pretty sure it's peroneal tendonitis or just plain overuse. Ugh.

I've kept it in the boot since Thursday to protect it in addition to using ice, compression socks, and resting my feet. But I had a bit of a dilemma this weekend. The Pittsburgh Marathon is only three weeks away and Sunday was supposed to be the last long run of 20 miles. I considered not running at all- thinking that I could just rest it for the next few weeks. But I wanted to at least try. Matthew and I ran 12 pain-free miles and my feet/ankles/toes felt fine on the run. I'm going to wear the boot- if needed- this week and play it all by ear.

Training:
Monday- Rest day
Tuesday- 2 miles in 20:03, 10:01 pace
Wednesday- Rest day
Thursday- Rest day
Friday- Rest day
Saturday- Rest day
Sunday- 12 miles in 2:21, 11:47 pace

14 total miles

I'm supposed to run the Sole of the City 10k this weekend, one of my favorite races of the year. Fingers crossed this weird pain goes away and I can run or walk it.

All smiles after our 12 miler!

Nutrition:
A little known Sparkly fact; I love to cook but I usually don't have much time to do so. I like recipes that involve very little prep and cook time. This week, I made one of my favorite quick-and-easy sides: Cajun Broccoli. Here's how simple this is- chop up some broccoli, spray it with olive oil Pam spray, coat it with one teaspoon of cajun seasoning. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Done. Delicious. Seriously, I think I ate four cups of broccoli this week. It's only 1 PPV per serving/cup.

Cajun Broccoli, sweet potato rounds with cinnamon and brown sugar, and grilled chicken breast. 

We spent the weekend at Matthew's parent's house so I was away from my usual routine breakfast- a greek yogurt and a KIND bar. So I improvised- I had a nonfat French Vanilla Greek yogurt and a 1/2 cup of Fit & Active Low-Fat Granola for a total of 7 PPV. Yummy and simple.

Super easy and filling.

Weight-loss:
141.8 as of 4/8/2015
-2.2 from last week
-48.6 since January 2013

A good chunk of the weight gain from last week was lost this week (yay!) and I finally declared goal weight at 139. Since I've been hovering around 140 for the last six weeks or so, I think I can comfortably say that 139 is a solid goal weight for me. My Weight Watchers leader agrees. Just 2.8 pounds to go!

Also, here's another random Sparkly fact- I got acupuncture for the first time this week at my work's Wellness Fair. The acupuncture dude said that my feet were sending me a message- slow down! He also said that I am carrying too much anxiety/nervous energy around and that I should focus on meditation, deep breathing, and yoga to relax. I know I need to work so much more of that into my routine. This week, my goal is to do at least two sessions of yoga. I expect y'all to hold me to it :-)

It's a little hard to see, but there are nine pins in my feet and five in my ears!

Do you regularly incorporate yoga or meditation or tai chi into your workout routine?