Running On Heavy's First Blogiversary!!!

Today is such a special day!  A year ago today, I got up the nerve to tell my story of weight and fitness struggles to the world.  I made the conscious decision when I started Running On Heavy to not sugar-coat anything I shared and to put my embarrassments aside.  I thought perhaps my posts could be a beacon of positivity in a world that tells us that being heavy means we are lazy, sedentary, ineffective and hopeless. I like to think that my blog has succeeded in being that to all of it's readers.

What I have received in return as a result of putting myself out there has been immeasurable.  My little blog has taken me on an amazing journey and has brought me to an exciting new place in my life.  Thank you all for your continued support, words of encouragement, and for helping me to do what I love most.  I am forever grateful.

I look forward to many more adventure-filled years with you guys! 

Hugs to you all!
Valeka

Joy

Joy delights in Joy - William Shakespeare

One of my favorite childhood memories is one of running in my grandparents yard and feeling the soft grass beneath my feet.  It was fun to play a game of chase with cousins and other neighborhood kids on warm Sunday afternoons.  The world was filled with laughter and fun.  Running was effortless and joyous.  Somewhere along the way, most of us lose that sense of joy.  We grow up and take on adult responsibilities that zap that joy from our activities.  When life throws you a curveball or knocks you on your ass, it's nice to do something that makes you  smile.  For me, that activity is running.  It does so much more than just bring me happiness.  Running relieves my stress, helps me lose weight and keeps my heart healthy (and it gives me killer gams, if I do say so myself!).  It's nice to run with purpose (training or weight-loss) but it's also nice to run just for the sake of running.  I don't get enough of those opportunites.  Most days, my activities are planned out which can take the fun out of things.  I look forward to going back home to visit my parents. When I go there,  I run for fun and never plan my route.  I allow my feet to be my guide.

I love running through my old stomping grounds, taking in the sights, seeing what has changed since my last visit.  It's like a trip down memory lane.  Running by my old elementary school.  Running past the giant oak tree that I use to climb and scrape my knees on.  Stopping off for a drink at the high school water fountain before I make my way towards downtown and past all of the little boutique shops that have existed for as long as I can remember (although some now have different names).  The laidback pace brings a relaxing element to any of the runs I do when I visit and restores that sense of joy.  My hometown runs always end with a big smile on my sweaty face.  Wouldn't  it be nice if joy could be regained in all aspects of our lives that easily?  

I will do my best to carry that sense of joy with me as I begin my half-marathon training in the next few months.  Once the hard work begins, I will have to make an effort to keep things light and relaxed.  I will have to do things during my training that make it fun for me.  Taking my big puppy with me during a run always makes me happy.  Jumping over rocks on the trails makes me smile.  Enjoying the sounds of nature soothes me.  Running is my happy place where I lose myself in the limitless possibilities that lay before me.  Knowing that I can do anything I want makes me happy and gets me through the hard times when I hurt and want to stop.

 
What gives you joy?  Seek it out.  Embrace it.  Try to hold on to that sense of joy as long as you can.  And never forget to enjoy the little joys along the trail. 

Happy Trails,
Valeka

Patience

Have patience with all things but first of all, with yourself - Saint Francis de Sales

Have patience.  All things are difficult before they become easy - Saadi 

Now that reality has set in and I realize I have signed up for a race, my fun REALLY begins.  I can get very single-minded when it comes to training.  I focus so much on running that I forget that I need to wash dishes, do laundry, put gas in my car and, every once in a while, eat.  I do enjoy the months before a race and everything that is involved like forming a training plan, mapping new routes so that I can include some challenges (especially hills), tracking mileage and creating running schedules.  For lots of people, that part is pretty tedious but I relish it.  I view it as a good opportunity to learn what works for me and what doesn't when it comes to training.  Sure, I could get a training plan from a book or pay someone to do it for me but part of me feels like the victories and failures become more meaningful if I do all of the preparation from inception to completion.  It's kinda like building a garden - you plan it out, enrich the soil, plant the seeds, care for them and enjoy the wonderful things the garden yields for you.  It's very gratifying but requires patience.

The wogging I've been doing is giving me a good foundation to start my training work outs.  I love how running 3 miles seems strenuous at the beginning of the program and by the time race day arrives, those same 3 miles feel more like a warm up.  Our bodies are pretty amazing when you really stop and think about it.  A person can go from being a couch potato to marathoner in a year!  No, really, it can be done with patience, persistence and consistency.  Patience really is key.  I think back on how many times I have given up on things or tossed them aside because I didn't have the patience to see them through to fruition.  There were times that I stopped running because it was taking me too long to get under the 10-minute mile mark and I just didn't want to wait any longer.  How silly was THAT?  In hindsight, I should have toughed it out and kept on working at it instead of giving up.  Who knows what the outcome could have been!  So this time around, I have made a commitment to myself to be patient and to not put that sort of pressure on myself.  My body will let me know when it is ready to do what it needs to do and I will be wise enough to listen.  Anything worth gaining is worth waiting for and gaining a healthy, fit body is worth the wait.  My hope is that my new found patience will trickle over into other aspects of my life as well (hey, it CAN happen!). 

Think about the things in your life that you lose patience with because they are/were taking too long to achieve.  Let your passion for whatever it is you love or want to achieve breed patience.  Take a deep breath and keep moving in the direction your heart tells you is best for you.  The results will be worth it.

Happy Trails,
Valeka    

And so it begins....

If you're going through hell, keep going. - Winston Churchill

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent - Eleanor Roosevelt 

This week has been the sort with more downs than ups but, as cliche as it sounds, everything happens for a reason.  Sometimes we need a swift, hard kick in the ass to get us moving.  That is the kind of week it was for me (I am referring to my professional life, all else is pretty darn great).  I've decided not to devote any more energy to the problems there and redirect it in a more positive way - one that benefits ME.  Even though I've been progressing in my work outs, it has been a slow climb.  That could be because, even though I have been working towards becoming more fit, I didn't have an actual goal in mind.  So, my BFF and I made a bold move on National Running Day (June 1st) and signed up for the Livestrong Austin Half Marathon!!  I am soooooo very excited and am really looking forward to the race.  Of course, I would have preferred signing up for the full marathon but the training for that would have been such a huge commitment and it would have been hard for me to devote the necessary time to it.  The half marathon is a distance I am very comfortable with and there is plenty of time for me to prepare for it.  Plus, if I decide I'm ready, I can always upgrade to the FULL marathon (provided there are still spots available).  Of course, I will be sharing my training triumphs (and pitfalls) with you all.

I guess that's how life is sometimes - it ebbs and it flows.  The same can be said of training - we have good days and bad ones.  It's how we rebound from the tough times that makes all the difference in the world.  The Churchill quote I listed is one of my very favorites.  I recite it to myself any time I am going through a rough patch in my life or when I'm facing a difficult running route.  It is my mantra.  Hell, I may even get that printed on a t-shirt that I can wear to my race!!  I refuse to let anyone hold me back and I refuse to give them the power to determine my worth.  If I sound a wee bit angry, it's because I am.  There will always be people that don't appreciate you, tell you that you aren't good enough, that you aren't the right fit for something or that you can't do something.  You can let it eat away at your self-esteem or you can move on into a more positive direction.  And that's exactly what I'm going to do (in more ways than one).  I may not be fast or skinny but I am going to kick some ass at that race and I know that my family and friends will be there to cheer me on (some, in spirit only).  Because ultimately, the ones that love you aren't the ones that try to make you feel inferior.  They are the ones that lift you up, are there when things get hard and don't ever let you forget how fabulous you are.  Their positivity is what we should carry with us when things get hard and we doubt ourselves.  

So, let the games begin!!  I'm ready for the challenge and I'm ready to begin a new chapter in my life.....and there will be no looking back. 

Happy Trails,
Valeka  

Ouch - That Hurt!!

"Top results are reached only through pain.  But eventually you like this pain. You'll find the more difficulties you have on the way, the more you will enjoy your success." - Juha Vaatainen

Running in general creates lots of different pains, aches and whatnot in our bodies if we are a "regular" sized runner.  Now, add about 40 pounds or more to that and things are intensified.  There is the regular discomfort from getting sunscreen in your eyes and from a sock that slips down inside your shoe which causes a screaming blister and then thereare the other pains that most people just don't talk about.  As a big girl runner, I have experienced some humbling (and embarrassing) pains.

One of the cardinal rules of road racing is to NOT wear something new for your race - don't wear new shoes, socks, shirt, shorts/pants, undergarments.  You should ALWAYS wear things that you have already road-tested for comfort.  I failed to follow my own advice a couple of years ago at the Austin American-Statesman Capital 10.000.  I wore a new pair of Nike shorts because they were just like the pair I normally wore for casual short runs.  The weather that particular day was humid and warm after a morning rain (translation - it was muggy and gross).  My best friend and I were running and I decided to splash in some puddles because I was happy to be out running a race on a Sunday morning.  The splashing was not a good idea but I will get to that later so, for now, back to the shorts.  I had to keep pulling the shorts down because they are riding up from me being so sticky from the humidity.  Eventually, I got tired of doing this every few steps so I left the shorts alone.  After a short time, I started to feel a burning between my upper thighs.  I stopped at a water stop with my BFF and found the inside of my thighs to be the color of a tomato.  My thighs were on FIRE.  I had been attacked by the chafing monster.  Since it was a shorter race, I didn't take any emergency supplies with me like vaseline or lube (sounds disgusting but both items are lifesavers when running long distances because they put an end to friction from shoes rubbing or in this case, chafing).  So, lesson learned - NEVER, EVER wear new shorts to a race.  In fact, I no longer wear regular running shorts ANY time I run.  I always stick to my compression shorts (see last week's blog for a little more info about compression shorts).

Now back to those puddles I splashed in during the Statesman 10,000.  As I mentioned earlier, I was excited to be out running on a Sunday morning and took the opportunity to splash in some puddles.  My socks and shoes became soaked.  The excessive moisture caused some pretty large blisters on my feet.  I could feel them developing on the balls of my feet and on my heels but I had to keep going to get the race over with.  So between the chafing and the blisters, I walked the last 2 miles like a cowboy that had been riding horseback for a little too long.  Needless to say, we didn't attend the post-race expo.  When I got back to my car to take my shoes off and put on a pair of flip-flops (I do this after every run), my suspicions were confirmed - there were large, water-filled pockets of ickiness under my feet.  Next lesson learned?  Don't jump in puddles when running because it will only lead to large blisters which then leads to the need to drain the blisters.  Both are not fun to experience.  

On a separate occasion,  I went out for a morning run.  The morning was pleasantly warm but overcast so I did not take water with me and I didn't drink anything before leaving home (which I normally do).  Besides, I was only going to run about 6 miles so I would be fine especially if I took it slow.  The run felt nice and I had a great pace going so I decided to extend my run.  Texas weather can change at the drop of a hat and that is EXACTLY what happened on this outing.  During the course of my run, the sun decided to come out in full force.    It is no exaggeration when I say that the temperature went from the lower 70's to just over 90 degrees and sunny in a matter of minutes.  To make matters worse, I was no where near home or a location where I could get water.  I started to get very fatigued and my lips were very dry (I had major cotton-mouth going on).  It ended up taking me an extra hour to get home.  I was so dehydrated that I couldn't pee (even after downing a bottle of Gatorade).  I had a massive headache and stomach ache not to mention a sunburn (yep, I didn't wear sunscreen on this run.  Overcast, remember? Another lesson learned).  Lesson learned?  Always, ALWAYS take water along even if it's a short walk.  You never know when you will need it!!

There ya have it, a few of the hard lessons I have learned during various runs throughout the years.  Hope you guys learn from my mistakes so you won't have to experience any of these discomforts!!


Happy Trails,
Valeka

Toxic

It's choice - not chance - that determines your destiny.  - Jean Nidetch (founder of Weight Watchers)

So far, I'm doing pretty well with sticking to the healthier eating and regular work outs.  The last couple of weeks have been challenging but I am doing the best I can.  The temptation for a burger came up several times during the week but I resisted (and as you know, I am a total burger gal).  I did allow myself some nachos to celebrate my heritage on Cinco de Mayo although I didn't even finish half of a half order.  I can say with a smile that I am proud of myself for doing so well!  YAY ME!!

During my walk the next day, I recalled how I use to eat poorly every day.  Nachos weren't just a "special occassion" food.  I use to think nothing of a morning stop at the "Arches" to pick up a fat and sugar laden breakfast on my way to work.  That would be followed by hours sitting at my desk and a lunch consisting of a greasy burger and fries that was delivered to me in a brown oil-stained paper bag (and we must not forget the addition of a large, corn syrup filled drink).  Dinner would have been anything from pizza to fried chicken tenders with gravy to another burger.  Yes, my friends, I was turning my body into a toxic dumping ground.

As I trodded on, I thought about our strange and disfunctional attraction to all things toxic.  We smoke, drink, eat poorly, stay in bad relationships, etc., knowing that these things are toxic to our wellbeing.  Trust me, I am not above this.  Goodness knows I've done my fair share of toxic things.  We take terrible care our bodies and souls but expect them to serve us without fail.  You know the saying about our bodies being a temple?  It's true.  Treat your body well and it will return the favor by giving you years of good health and longevity.  Treat it like it's a place to retain rubbish and that's what you end up with in a few years - a wasteland filled with the reminders of bad eating and abuse.  Think about it - would you want to live in a home full of trash and filth?  No?  Then why would you ever want to treat your body like it's a landfill?

The way I look at it is, right now, I'm sending a mini haz-mat team into my body in the form of fruits, veggies and whole grains to clean up the toxic waste I have subjected my body to over the past few years.  I visualize the little haz-mat guys inside of me eliminating inflammation and bad cholestrol while scrubbing all of the cells in my body clean.  During my daily runs or walks, I imagine that my sweat is the noxious run-off from the cleansing going on inside of me.  I can see and feel many improvements over the last couple of months that I attribute to my healthier choices.  Aside from losing a few pounds, I have more energy, my skin is more vibrant and I sleep more soundly at night.  I don't get as stressed or as edgy during a crazy day at work.  Who would have thought that choosing a bowl of berries instead of a bowl of ice cream could make so much of a difference?

Eliminating the toxicity in our lives is never easy because, as we all know, old habits die hard.  But we are all about moving forward and to do that, we must leave our poisonous pasts and habits behind.  Easier said than done, I know, but keep taking baby steps towards tossing the bad stuff and make a conscious effort to embrace the good.  Don't freak out if you have a small set back because they do happen.  Forgive yourself for it and then get right back on the path.  Show yourself some love.   

Happy Trails,
Valeka

Inspiration

I'm just an ordinary Amazon, but I feel that I can do things, so - I can do them! - Wonder Woman

Inspiration can come in many forms and from many different sources.  We all have our own story and our own reasons why we are trying to get healthy.  The things that inspire us may be just as unique as we are.  Do you wog because you have a friend or family member that isn't mobile because of an injury or illness?  Do you wog because you want to prove all the naysayers wrong?  Do you wog because you want to keep your thighs from rubbing together?  Whatever your reason(s), find your inspiration and pull from that when the last thing you feel like doing is tearing yourself away from the latest installment of the reality show flavor of the week.

I wish I could say that I am always able to motivate myself to keep moving but, nope, not that lucky.  There are times when all I need to do is remind myself why I am doing what I am doing but other times, I need to be inspired.  Different things inspire me at different times.  It may be a quote (thus the quote at the beginning of each blog), place, person, animal, song or movie/TV character that inspires me.  Lately I've been gleaning inspiration from Wonder Woman (the old-school totally awesome version, or course!!).  I pretend to be her - this beautiful Amazonian princess that is strong, confident  and who happens to have a bustier that I would LOVE to have in my closet.  I imagine that I am running as fast as she does and that I'm using my golden bracelets to deflect bullets of negativity that are coming at me (no, I don't actually flail my arms up and down as I run but that would be kinda funny to see if I did!).  When I trained for a marathon a few years ago and spent a lot of time running alone, I pretended that I was Forrest Gump running through all of these beautiful, scenic locations with nothing more than the clothes on my back.  Sometimes I feel really aggressive and run to nothing but Metallica music. It's all about what works for you and gets you through the workout.  My Ipod play list is a hodge podge of music - aside from Metallica, there are some very introspective pieces of music on there along with some bubble-gum pop selections and a few vintage country tunes.  They are all there for a reason - they take me to another place when my mind is telling me to STOP.  If they can distract my brain and keep it off of the pain in my legs or the fatigue that is setting in, then it's doing it's job.  Our brains may still remember how nice it felt to lay around and watch Golden Girls as soon as we get home after work but if we have our inspiration, our motivation, then we can push through and accomplish great things (and, yes, walking for 30 minutes when you don't really feel like it IS a great thing).

What inspires YOU to do great things?  This week, when you are out there being your wonderful self and you are getting your wog on, think about what motivates you to keep moving forward.  Use that as your inspiration when you need a boost to stay on your path towards a healthier you.  You can do it!


Happy Trails,
Valeka

Progress

Our ambition should be to rule ourselves, the true kingdom for each one of us; and true progress is to know more, and be more, and to do more.  - Oscar Wilde

Eventually, after we spend enough time eating and working out like we should, we start to see some small but encouraging signs of progress - we don't get winded walking to the mailbox, it's easier to bend to tie our shoes, our pants are looser. This should be exciting for us so why do we find ourselves thinking that what we have done isn't good enough? Too often we shrug our shoulders in dismissal at the things we have done because we don’t think they are so great. We dwell on the fact that even though we have lost 3 pounds, we still have 47 more pounds to lose to meet our goal. We wait for others to be our champions and give validity to our actions when we should do that for ourselves. We become our own worst enemy and harshest critic. I'm guilty of this. I find it very hard to accept praise or compliments from others. I find it difficult to give MYSELF kudos for my achievements and victories so I find it hard to believe that anyone else would do otherwise but - no more. I promised to be kinder to myself and that is a promise I intend to keep. There is no reason why we shouldn't pat ourselves on the back if we just walked 2 miles for the first time or if the lettering on the front of our favorite t-shirt isn't stretched out anymore - those are big deals! Enjoy the feeling!! Celebrate it!!

I think back to all of the races I have done and the praise I received for doing them. The only person that didn't praise me was ME. All I could think of was that I wasn't fast enough, my strides were too choppy and that I got passed up by a lot of people. Even though only a few short months earlier I wasn’t able to run far, I didn't allow myself to enjoy my victories (and in my mind, finishing a race IS a victory). I couldn't give myself credit for the remarkable progress I had made and I found it unfathomable that anyone else would find what I had done to be impressive. That is now in the past. That's why I post my daily mileage for all the world to see. I am proud of the miles I am racking up no matter how small they may be because each of the miles represents progress - progress of action and progress of thought. All of the miles are significant because they are miles that are getting me closer to my ultimate goal of running a 50-mile race (yep, I'm a bit of a masochist). Each mile represents my choice to not sit around and be unhealthy. Each mile symbolizes my decision to do something rather than nothing. Each mile is a step in the right direction and we are all about moving forward, right?

So this week, say a big “hell yeah” when you do something you didn’t think you could do. Smile and accept praise or compliments that are given to you and know that you are worthy of the accolades you receive. But most importantly, believe in yourself.  Be proud of yourself and your decision to stay on the path to a healthier you. Now, lace up your shoes and get out there to show the world what amazing things you can do.

Happy Trails,
Valeka


   

Running Around

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" - Benjamin Franklin


Have you ever had one of those days where you run from work to pickup kids or fur babies (one of mine goes to daycare - yes, daycare for dogs but that's a story for another time), then run to the grocery store, then run to the pharmacy, then run to meet friends, and then.....you run out of steam?  You have no motivation to run much less cook dinner.  Most of us have busy lives and find it challenging to work out and eat well while juggling hectic schedules.  This is when we take a tumble down that all too familiar slippery slope and end up rolling smack into those golden arches and ultimately landing on the sofa to watch a junky reality show.  Goodness knows it happens to me (remember my pizza encounter last Monday?).  Running around sometimes keeps us from doing something that is very important - taking care of ourselves.  So what do you do to keep this from happening?   

The best solution I have found is to plan ahead.  I try to plan out meals (lunch AND dinner) the previous week.  I will be honest with you, it's a pain and requires lots of organization but boy does it help out during the week!  I wash, chop and package veggies during the weekend.  I split containers of Greek yogurt into individual portions.  I cook chicken breasts ahead of time and pack them away so they are ready for post-run meals and/or lunches.  I even make a batch of oatmeal the night before so that in the morning, it just needs to be warmed and some fresh fruit added.  Trust me - the moment I deviate from this plan, pizzas get ordered or burgers get picked up at drive-through windows.  Why?  because those foods are CONVENIENT.  Chopping broccoli is NOT convenient; french fries ARE convenient.  That's why drive-throughs, take out and delivery have become our "frenemy".   Let's face it, there are going to be times when we have no other option but to order something at the local greasy spoon because we are too busy to chop six different veggies, steam rice or cook a piece of salmon.  We just need to try our hardest to not make that a habit - again.  Running requires a lot of energy and as we learned in science class, calories = energy.  If we follow that line of thinking, then a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and fries should give us TONS of energy for our run, right?  Wrong, wrong, wrong!  Running requires clean burning fuel and junk food is far from clean. If you want to be able to have a productive run (or insert your exercise of choice here), it's important to watch your diet.  I am very proud to say that I have been doing this for the last couple of weeks (unfortunate pizza encounter aside) and feel SUCH an improvement in my energy level.

Finding time for work outs can be tough, too.  Back in the old days, my brother and I use to be out at 4:30 AM to run before I had to be at work at 7AM.  It was insanely early but he and I both knew that if we didn't do it then, we probably wouldn't run after work because we would be so pooped we would just lay around like slugs.  I'm not saying that you should get up that early but I did find that getting my workout in before my day started helped to get things going in the right direction.  An added bonus was that I didn't have to worry about squeezing in a run at the end of the day if something unexpected came up.  My best friend, on the other hand, prefers to run in the evening.  She has said that she feels like she is letting go of all the crap that happened during the day if she runs after work.  There is no right or wrong time to run or work out, do what works best for you, but by all means do SOMETHING.  Even if you take a quick thirty minute walk during your lunch break, it's better than skipping a work out. The point is to have more work out days per week than non-work out days.  That's gonna make all the difference in the world and help you reach your fitness goals.  

So this week, be kind to yourself, eat well and get in a few walks if you aren't able to hit the gym.  You are worth the extra effort.


Happy Trails,
Valeka

Direction

"An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion" - Newton's First Law of Motion

"Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that." - Lewis Carroll, Through The Looking-Glass

This was my first week back to reestablishing my habits of healthy eating and consistent running.  I don't run right now as much as I "wog" (half walk and half jog) but at least I am making my body move.  I'm really not up to speed (no pun intended) but I know that is something that will come with time.  I fell off the wagon on my first day though - I had pizza for dinner.  I know better but I did it anyway and found myself thinking that it was okay because I had just run 3 miles.  The evil pattern had reared it's ugly head on my first day but I stayed strong and didn't give in to temptation the rest of the week.  In the past, I would never have given it a second thought and would have kept right on doing that even though it was counterproductive.  I think that is a sign of progress - a glimmer of hope.  So, YAY ME!!!  Hey, gotta celebrate the small victories because if you get enough of those, it means you are on the right path.  I am trying to be better about patting myself on the back when I do the good stuff and to not beat myself up when I mess up because, I'm human and I'm gonna mess up from time to time.  The key is to do more good stuff than not so good stuff.  Stay on the path.

One of my favorite running movies is Run Fat Boy Run.  It's a far cry from being Chariots of Fire but there's a theme in it that resonates with me - there is a difference between running toward something and running away or in the wrong direction (not all running is created equal).  There was a time in my life where I ran because I loved it and damn was it awesome (running in the right direction)!  I didn't run because I was overweight or because I was stressed.  I did it because it felt good.  When I started running a few years ago I did it because I needed to lose weight for my brother's wedding (running in the wrong direction - it was done to fit into a dress).  Once the wedding was over and bridesmaid dress was packed into the back of my closet, I relaxed and put some (fortunately not ALL) of the weight back on.  This time, my hope is that I can recapture the love I have for running AND lose weight.  I don't want it to be one or the other.  I need to run towards a healthy happy me rather than running from the weight that is holding me back.  I want to look at this from a more positive perspective.  Maybe being kinder and gentler to myself will help to keep the weight off this time.  I am the only one that can make that happen and I will do it one run at a time.    

Happy Trails,
Valeka

Human

I've mentioned before that I'm an imperfect runner.  I'm also an imperfect human.  I know that in order for me to lose the weight that has seemingly crept up on me, I must:
 1 - Work out
 2 - Eat healthy
 3 - Get plenty of rest

Normally, at least two of these things happen on a regular basis but I am human and don't always do what is best for me.  When I'm sad, angry or overwhelmed, I eat.  Yes, I am a stress eater.  My "favorite" vices are cheeseburgers, pizza and chocolate.  When I run on a regular basis I don't eat those things because I recognize that I need to eat healthy to be able to perform.  When I haven't run in a long time and am struggling to get off the sofa, I eat poorly.  I mindlessly inhale so many pieces of chocolate that before I know it, I've eaten all of the hand-dipped gourmet truffles that I bought as my "occasional treat".  I don't think about what I am eating or how much or how bad it is for me - I just down it in mass quantities until I end up in the precarious position of finding that my "fat" clothes are now leaving red marks around my waist from where they are digging into me.  There is nothing like having a bright red outline left where your bra should be - VERY sexy (kidding, of course).  Then my ride on the weight loss roller coaster starts all over again.  I've never liked roller coasters because they make me sick.  They give me headaches and upset my tummy.  The weight loss roller coaster is no different.

After working so hard to lose weight in my previous "life", I learned to use my workouts as an outlet for anything that was stressing me.  I viewed food as fuel to help my body perform at the level I was requiring it to.  I ate clean and healthy 90% of the time.  So how did I fall back into such a terrible pattern of stress eating and inactivity again?  Good question.  It's a question I'm still trying to answer.  I can be very disciplined in my eating habits and can get very hardcore about the intensity of my workouts.  I know how to lose weight.  I've done it several times throughout my life and I am very good at it.  What I am NOT good at is keeping it off.  Once the honeymoon with my new, fit body is over - I relax.  I think it won't hurt me to eat a double cheeseburger with fries and not exercise one day because I can always make up for it the next.  And then the next day rolls around and something else becomes a barrier and once again, I put off my work out or make myself believe that it's okay that I had that extra scoop of ice cream.  That's how I have ended up at a size 18 again.  So how do I keep from repeating this pattern?  I have no answer but when I find it, I will let you know.  In life, we are dealt only so many second chances and I need to realize that this may be my last one to get to a healthy weight.  For now, I'm going to take it day by day and try to keep my imperfect human body running.

Happy Trails,
Valeka    

Starting Over...Again

"When I first started running, I was so embarrassed I'd walk when cars passed me.  I'd pretend I was looking at the flowers." - Joan Benoit Samuelson - American marathon runner and Olympic medalist (1984)

I've had a long lay off from running.  Two years long.  I have run a few times here and there over the course of the last two years but nothing has been consistent in my running schedule.  Actually, I take that back - the one thing I HAVE been consistent about is being INconsistent. 

My first attempt at starting over was just over 5 years ago.  I was very out of shape, tired all the time, stressed at work.  I got winded walking up the stairs at my office building.  I couldn't bend over to tie my shoes.  My sedentary lifestyle was turning me into an old lady at age 30.  I knew I had to do something so my best friend and I started walking around my apartment complex every evening.  I was exhausted after one round through the complex (one time around is 1/4 mile).  Eventually, we added on extra laps, "ran" the short ends and then moved on to the long ends.  My conditioning was so bad that I couldn't run 1/4 of a quarter-mile lap!  That was a far cry from when I was living in my hometown and could literally run for hours.  

The nightly circling of my apartment complex continued for a couple of months.  I felt too intimidated to venture out on actual sidewalks where people could SEE me.  I especially didn't want to do it during the day time when people had an even better view of me.  No, the driveway in my apartment complex was just fine and comfortable enough for me, thank you very much.  And then I realized what I was thinking.  I was holding myself back because I wanted to be "comfortable".  I wasn't giving myself the chance to expand and improve because I was so concerned about what people I didn't even know would think of this girl running down the sidewalk with her tummy and butt wobbling with every step.  A couple of days later, I bought some proper running shoes (Mizuno Wave Riders) and during one of our evening "wogs" (part walk, part jog), I surprised my friend by deviating from our comfort zone and out onto the sidewalk.  It was liberating and after a while, I didn't care who was watching me or what they were thinking.  I was doing SOMETHING and that was better than nothing.

Once again, I am at a similar starting point - I am out of condition and I've put on weight.  What IS very different is that I am no longer intimidated by what others think of me or embarrassed to have parts of my body other than my legs move when I run.  I am not ashamed to run on the sidewalks, streets or trails of Austin because, even though I am an imperfect runner, I am still a runner.  So, let the sun shine down on me as I run and to those who don't like the view of my jiggle, eat my dust.


Happy Trails,
Valeka

I am a runner

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run." 
- John "The Penguin" Bingham

My name is Valeka and I am a runner.  Anyone that knows me (and if you don't, you soon will) knows that I am passionate about running.  I have run several half-marathons, many 10k's, loads of 5k's and countless fun runs/walks.  Heck, I have even put in MONTHS (literally) of training for a marathon (but didn't get to participate in the event because of a death in the family).  I hope to some day run an ultramarathon (a race more than 50 miles) and one of my dreams is to qualify for the Boston Marathon.  If I had my way, I would run every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner - come rain, shine, snow or wind.  In my heart (and sometimes in my head), I am a Kenyan that runs gracefully and efficiently.  I have had a subscription to Runner's World and Running Times for years and read them from cover to cover (and more than once, I might add).  I am not an elite runner like Kara Goucher, Paula Radcliffe, Haile Gebrselassie or the great Steve Prefontaine.  I know that I never will be.  I can (sorta) accept that but it doesn't diminish my passion for the sport.

What does a runner look like when you visualize one?  Slim?  Long limbs?  Sinewy body?  That is not me.  I'm a chubby, slow runner but I have just as much heart and enthusiasm when I line up at the start of a race as any of the "regular" runners.  Being slow limits some of the races I can participate in and what I can qualify to do (the Boston Marathon is a VERY elite race and has strict time qualifications) but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop doing what I love.  True, there are some days where I struggle to get off the sofa to even walk around the block but once I get out there, I can run all day long.  

Running is my "ME" time.  During the hour after I lace up my running shoes and smear sunblock on my face, I reconnect with myself.  The troubles of the day (or week or month!) melt away and I am absolutely joyous.  Yes, my legs eventually begin to feel like cement pillars and yes, I get tired but it makes me happy.  When I started running again about 5 years ago, it would upset me when people would pass me during a race or out on the running trail.  I felt inferior as a runner because I wasn't as fast.  I now reject that school of thought.  I now look at every run as an adventure and something that I am very lucky to be able to have the good health to do.   


I plan to get out and run this week.  I haven't run in a while and I have missed it the way I would miss a dear, old friend.  My shoes are begging to get dirty out on a dusty trail.  I think I will have to oblige them.  

Happy Trails!

Valeka