Rate: Asthma in the cold

I'm a firm believer than physical activity and exercise substantially minimizes asthma symptoms. I believe this for a number of reasons, but the most recent being that since I have started running by asthma has improved greatly. I used to have attacks weekly, and I was constantly using my inhaler, and now I rarely have a major attack and for the most part, I only use my inhaler before and after runs.

Well that was until winter came. But for some dang reason the cold air really gets my asthma riled up. (that may not be a scientific statement... but I swear it's true!). And this has really affected my running routine. I'm trying to incorporate speed work into my running schedule (did a fartlek workout yesterday-- so much fun!) but it's difficult when I start wheezing within a half a mile with no other logical explanation besides the cold air is making my lungs angry.

So what's a girl to do? Just keep running.

So now I'm learning to continue running, even after I am wheezing and slowly bringing my shoulders to my ears as it becomes difficult to breathe.

Well it's always good to have a new challenge to over come :)

And that's all, I just wanted to share. Any one else have trouble breathing in the cold (especially any of you asthma folk)?

(Disclaimer: I'm on my lunch break and therefore didn't have time to proofread this thoroughly so I apologize for any typos or poor grammar).

Run: Turkey Trot 10K

The Mi Amigos, Red Mountain Turkey Trot was my first "real" (timed and fast) race... not that I really raced it or anything; I just ran it. My ITB is still very fragile so I had low expectations. I did however, have higher expectations for my pre-race routine, which failed miserably:

6:00 AM: Wake up; real excited 
6:15 Am: Have somehow gotten ready at lightening speed, however I'm sadly out of coffee filters 
6:16: Drive to Starbucks, buy coffee, get gas, drive home 
6:50: Pack up bag, drink protein shake 
7:00: My cousin arrives 
7:05: Can't find keys 
7:06: "Oh, they're where they should be" (on key hook).  
7:07: [in car] "Oh sh**, where are my keys? I just had them!" 
7:08: Walk inside, grab keys (still on hook) drive to deep east Mesa (45 minute drive).  
7:30: "OMG! [step on brakes] Am I on the wrong 202?! (There's two 202's in Phoenix... God knows why) 
7:32: [After two minutes of panicking, pull off road, check GPS on phone, realize I am indeed on the correct 202, flip a U, and get back on 202.] 
7:50: Arrive at Red Mountain Park, race destination 
7:51-8:00: [Realize my water bottle leaked inside my bag. My running cap, which keeps my ears warm, which is a CRUCIAL necessity to my running capabilities, is soaking wet.] 
8:05 Walk up large hill to sign-up booth, realize I forgot cash 
8:12: Jog back to car 
8:20: Jog back to sign-up booth, sign-up, jog back to car to prepare and stretch
8:30: I have to pee 
8:45: The line for the bathrooms is too long. Must hold it. 
8:46: I forgot my inhaler in my car 
8:48: Run back to car 
9:00: Run up to starting line, seconds before the race starts with a very full bladder 

Next time.. I'll be better prepared.

I ended up having horrible ITB pain in the last 3 miles (probably because of all those warm-up runs to the car) but I didn't walk even though at times it was excruciating. We started off at a fairly fast pace for me, and it felt comfortable and good, however as soon as the knee pain kicked in, we had to take it down a notch.
 
To make a long story short, I apparently overcompensated profusely and ended up pulling a muscle on the bottom of my right (not the leg with ITB pain) foot. I've been limping for days.

I think the lesson there should be not to push myself too hard, but hey, it was my first race and I'm glad I ran through the pain! So there. 

I am not as glad that I am apparently the most forgetful person on the planet.

Rate: First week back for realsies

 (Mount Lemmon, Tucson AZ)

It's good to be training for something again, even if what I am training for is to be able to run for more than 30 minutes without knee pain-- that's something!

Monday: Ran 20 minutes and felt pretty good. I have to run really slow, I mean I think someone could walk faster than me if they wanted to. But it was worth it because I didn't have any knee pain until the last five minutes. My lungs felt good, my muscles felt good and me knee felt like it was improving. I stretched before and after, iced after and the pain went away almost immediately, which is exactly what my PT wants to happen. Which means I'm free to run two more times this week! Yippee.

Tuesday: Decided that since I'm virtually broke, I should become a commuter. So I packed my backpack with high heels, makeup and an extra shirt and hit the road at about 2:00 PM. I was heading for Tempe, about a 13 mile ride, which should be easy, in order to meet the ladies for our weekly girl's night. It has cooled down quite a bit here... but it's not THAT cool. In fact, it was 95. When you're so accustomed to triple digit temperatures, you start to think that 95 sounds refreshing. Also, Phoenix is far from bike-friendly, so I ended up hauling it as fast as I could to keep up with traffic on very busy streets in order to avoid getting hit or at least in order to get honked at less. So to summarize, I was pedaling as fast as I could, in jeans and a tank top (as in, NOT a kit) and in 95 degree weather. Brilliant. Well 5 margaritas later... I took the light rail home. But I still most definitely consider that a decent work out for the day.

Wednesday: Drove to Tucson, messed with camera. Will make up for the lost day over the weekend. Oh and for those who were curious, it's a Minolta Maxxum 5 SLR. It's kind of old, but I'm so excited. I'm going through a photography book and teaching myself all there is to know. Should be splendid. Also received notice of an interview today!

Thursday:* Ran 20 minutes. Tucson is a bit hilly, so that put some extra strain on my knees, but it was pretty much the same as Monday. Now I must do some strength training. Splendid. Killer abs here I come.

Friday:* I know it's not Friday yet. But I am absolutely positive (ok unless there's an earthquake or I have an asthma attack or something) that Mr. Wonderful and I are going for a ride tomorrow morning. Should be about 30 miles with a few small hills. He suggested we do Mount Lemmon.... ya right.

So far, so good! 

 *The above days are a bit switched around from my initial schedule. This is only because I usually need a week to get in the swing of things. I am doing all the workouts on the schedule, I just mixed up the days a little.

Run: Rehab

My PT says I MUST start at 20 minutes every other day, and move up very slowly from there. So this is my somewhat pathetic climb back to being a distance runner. I've only schedule about a month out, because I have to see how the pain goes. I'm also training for a short bike tour with Mr. Wonderful.

The schedule includes riding, running, stretching (which means 30 minutes of intense stretching) and my PT exercises, which include the foam roller (oh the torture) and many other strengthening tricks she taught me. My rides are usually about 30 miles with a few hills, but I have left the exact mileage blank so that I can fill it in as I improve and whatnot.

It's going to be torture to train this slow... but it'll be worth it if I can run again!

Run: My weekly attempt to run again

I was feeling rather rambunctious on Saturday and I thought I'd see if my knees could handle a little two-three mile run. I mean, two-three miles is nothing right?! I should be fine. My physical therapist said that I should only do about 20 minutes of cardio that engages my knees so I don't get too inflamed. So I'm thinking sweet, I can AT LEAST get in two miles. (Oh how my goals have changed..)

I head out the door and I'm a little stiff, but feeling good. My ankles need a a couple minutes to warm up, and then I fall into my pace. I feel a smile creeping onto my face, Oh running, how I miss thee.
 
And then I hit the sidewalks. The ground is really uneven and it puts some pressure on my right knee. No problem though, I'm allowed to keep running if the pain stays below a "3."
 
Man, I'm not even breaking a sweat! I'm still in great shape. Yippee! Maybe I'll do five miles instead. I mean if I feel okay, why not?
 
And after about about ten minutes, my left knee starts to tinge a little. Both knees are creeping up to that "3" threshold. It's definitely the ITB, not the tracking problem. So that's good... I guess. I'm good though. I'm good. Must. keep. going.

11 minutes in: Ouch! The shot up pain runs up the outside of my right knee all the way up to my hip. I stop and walk it out. Maybe it will go away?
 
So I walk for a few minutes and then try to get in the groove again. But, sadly, no can do. The pain is entering the "4" and "5" zone so I have to stop-- unless I'd like a severe lecturing from my PT.

20 minutes into my run/walk, I am clearly nowhere near five, or even three miles.

Boo knees. Boo.

The good news? My lungs felt great. True, it was only a couple miles but I think all this cross-training and gym time will pay off because I didn't feel out of shape at all. I felt a little stiff, but I think if my knees would have been able to handle it I could have easily busted out an eight mile run. Or so I tell myself.

Wulp, I get an A for effort. I think I'll try this again next week. Now it's back to the gym.

Run: Personal Training and Cross Training

So after days of moping, eating and coping with the loss of my training plan. I'm ready to move on. Best case scenario: I cross-train my butt off for the next month, fly through physical therapy and as a result will be able to do a 14-week marathon training schedule, which, being a newby to running, is pretty short. Worst case scenario: I have to do a marathon in February or March instead. No big thang. Either way all is well.
 
So my new training schedule looks like this:

M,W,F: Spin class at the gym and/or cycling at night with cycling buddies 
T, TH: Running 1-2 miles until there's pain; strength Training and such with Personal Trainer 
Other stuff: yoga, swimming and physical therapy and a strict diet 
Goal: Lose 5-10 pounds, tone up and get in fabulous shape to start training 
Mid October: Start Marathon Training Plan!! Woot! Woot! 

And here's some stuff in my head concerning running:

* There's something so peaceful and wonderful about spending two hours with just me and my thoughts, pounding my feet against the pavement and canal dirt, fighting through the pain and letting my thoughts wonder. I miss it already.

* It's about time for a new shoe. I'm thinking I'm going to go minimalist. I think it will be good for me. Any thoughts?

* I passed out again. I was with my personal trainer and I passed out. Someone explain to me why I pass out on random occasions. I don't think it's often enough to be considered a condition. But it is scary. And it's horrible. Fainting SUCKS. I get nauseous and clammy beforehand, and when I wake up I have no idea where I am and my body feels like it weighs 500 pounds. And it happens at such random situations. I mean always when I'm working out, but never when I'm overly fatigued. It's usually when I combine resistance with cardio, but it also happens at other times. So who knows. Blah. I hate it. Boo.
 
* I'm sorry that my running blog doesn't only concern running. But to me, a blog should be a personality encompassing platform. That's why we like blogs, right? Because they've got personality. So if I only blogged about running, that would be a completely inacurate portrayal of myself. I would be lying to you. Because, believe it or not, I don't think about running all that much in comparison to the rest of my life. I mean gosh, I hope that's not a mood killer for ya'll but it's only one part of me and... I think I'm rambling. You get the idea. I just think we like blogs because of the people who write them. And I don't like to write only about running.

* I'm really jealous of people that have been running their entire lives. I'm jealous of them for a long list of reasons, but one of the biggest ones is that they're fast. I'm never going to be fast, I just don't have that many miles under my belt. That's fine. It is. But I do love the thrill of competition. It must be such an amazing feeling to win a race. So for those of you that win races, cherish it. For those of you who might be able to win a race some day, cherish it. For people like me, it's all about accomplishment and PR's. Which again, is fine. But it's not the same.
 
That's all for now. I love running. I love life. I love this blog.

Toodles!

Run, Rest, Rate: Knee Problems

Run: 11 New things that mean serious

When I was a kid, my friend's dad would always turn my simple requests (like can I have some juice?) into a sarcastic joke. He would push my buttons and say, "Kelsey stop kidding around." And I, without fail, would yell out a loud and pouty, "I'm serious!" The next response? "Oh Hi Serious! It's nice to meet you!" This would go on for several minutes, and although I usually started this exchange with a giggle, I'd be almost in tears with frustration by the end. At 7, communicating with adults was hard enough without someone switching my words around. I know he was just trying to tease me, but still!

I've avoided saying the phrase "I'm serious" ever since. But today, I'm giving you a quick running/life update so that you know... I'm serious! I'm serious about running. I'm serious about work. I'm serious about my future. I'm serious about my family and friends. I'm serious about living my life happily, passionately and with drive and discipline.
 
So here it is, my serious list. Take it as you see fit.

11 New things that prove I'm serious:

1. I put my 5-month, detailed training plan onto a blank calendar, and then taped it onto my door. I also put up a motivational blog post that I read by one of our fellow bloggers. I have posted them on my bedroom door so I am constantly reminded of my goal.

2. I made an appointment with a knee doctor. Enough is enough and I don't want to have to quit training in the middle of all this. Please send your good thoughts, prayers, good vibes, luck, crossed fingers and positive visualizations my way so that the doc doesn't give me any bad news that would interfere with my training schedule. My appointment is Tuesday. 

3. I've started dieting and eating way healthier. Last night, I even passed on the ice cream. What?! I don't even know me any more.

4. On my mirror, I have posted personal affirmations and life goals that I read and believe every day. Cheesy? Yes. Effective? YES.

5. I have decided that maybe "experts" really are experts. And I hear Dave Ramsey has some pretty great budgeting ideas so I'm giving him a shot. Per his recommendation, I put a detailed budget together, on paper, listing every detail of my cash flow down to shampoo and dog food. I'm also going to a seminar next week. I even made little money envelopes and put some cash in there.

6. I signed up for three webinars on marketing/social media/email blasts, and I will continue signing up for them so I can continue to excel at my job.

7. I joined a gym. The heat is no longer an excuse. No siree.

8. I went to a spin class!!! Ive always wanted to go, but I've always been too nervous. I assumed I'd be too out of shape and look like a total idiot. For some reason gym classes always scare me. Well the new, very serious about life, Kelsey gave herself a little pep talk and waltzed right in there. IT WAS AWESOME! I highly recommend it to anyone. I am going to attend every Monday.

9. I talked to my sister and brother-in-law and they are hooking me up with a friend who is going to help me get an IRA account. Is that what it's called? Oh god, I don't even know.. But yay for saving!

10. I got a personal trainer! I am meeting with him once a week and he is going to put me in tip top shape. I met with him yesterday and my legs feel like jelly today. Sore and stiff jelly. Awesome! Yay for Simply Fit AZ!

11. Monday night is official girl's night! Which means i have a consistent day set up to see my buddies and be a good friend. AND it will be oh so much fun. Thursday is Grey's Anatomy night (I know--Nerdy!) which is another name for Sissy and Me night (Why hasn't ABC posted a season premier preview yet????) AND I think we're setting up a Havens family day a couple times or once a month which will be awesome!!! And the weekends, obviously, will be dedicated to the boyfriend. I just love good relationships :)

See????? I'm serious.

Rate: 4 Things I have learned through running, work and then some

I realize that I am in a pivotal point in my life, even though it doesn't feel like it; I'm starting my first job/hopefully-career-- and that's pretty dang cool. I'm going to look back on this year(s) and laugh at my naivety, idealism and enthusiasm. Maybe I'll look back and miss the uncertainty and excitement of it all. Or maybe I won't. Either way, whether your my age, older or younger, you might appreciate hearing a few of the life lessons I've been learning. These lessons apply to both running, work and a social life. So here are a few of my thoughts, spoken from myself, to myself:

1. Dress the part. Always. In a perfect world no one would care what you wear, but this world is far from perfect. Not to mention, it will make you feel more comfortable in the given environment.

2. Never forget this: You really are capable of what you set my mind to. Whether it's 26.2 miles, financial stability or a change in a personal flaw, it takes hard work and persistence, but it's doable.

3. Get tough skin- you need it in order to succeed. But make sure you've got a soft layer directly under the rough. Always be prepared to do a skin change in any situation.
 
4. Surround yourself with people you respect-- people that you respect for different reasons. There's nothing worse that a close group made up of 15 of the same person. Surround yourself with those who have individuality, enthusiasm and integrity.
 

Ya know, after I write them down, they sound a bit basic. But I guess, basic isn't a bad thing. In fact, if you can't get the basics right, you're not going to get very far with the harder stuff.

Run: Why you should train smart and not faint

How could anyone ever say that running is boring? So far, my running adventures are full of mishaps, surprises and drama—hilarious drama. Let me bring you all up to date. Try to stay with me because the last parts a doozy.  

In April, I made a few summer goals. Although I have not completed them all within the time I allotted myself, I’m doing an okay job of crossing them off slowly. You know how I love lists, and this is quite amazing since, looking back, I set completely arbitrary standards for myself and didn’t take into consideration the science behind training, mileage, injuries and all that jazz. So after going from probably 12-mile weeks to 20-mile weeks over the course of a month or so, lo and behold…. my knees are feeling very angry and resentful.  

They were feeling a lot better after the icing, stretching and pouting involved in my group run preparation, and during the run I didn’t feel any pain. So, naturally, I was healed. I did, however, run much faster than I usually do in an attempt to stay with the group... and yet I still was dropped. Fabulous. It was fun anyway. So there’s bad decision number one: increasing speed on a junky knee.  

And then came Saturday: long run day. I woke up a little late, but I was determined to get closer to my eight-mile, eventually ten-mile, long run goal. The high on Saturday was 115, and it was probably well over 95 by 7am. From 7-9 am, I drenched myself in water, stayed clear of the stray dog pack and attempted to ignore the knee pain. Seven miles later, (the two hours included a lot of walking as a warm-up and cool-down), I almost fell over when my knee completely gave out. Ouch! I was also close to facing heat exhaustion. I guess I should stop. And how did I recover? Pizza and beer. Bad decision number two.


And then came Monday. After a weekend of celebrating, eating and hours in the sun, I thought it would be a great idea to go on a short run with my cousin around Tempe Town Lake. I didn’t eat dinner the night before, I only got six hours of sleep, and I was feeling extremely dehydrated. So guess what folks? After 15 minutes, I actually fainted! I mean eyes rolled back, cuddling with the pavement and twitching — fainted. The faint occurred after we stopped due to cousin’s side stitch. I suddenly became severely nauseated, had a jolt of pain to my stomach and then everything began to close in on me as I sat down and notified my running partner. Why exactly did I faint? No idea. I felt fine before that.  

I’m sure it’s not surprise to the rest of you, but today I’m feeling exhausted, unmotivated, and my knees still hurt. I'm not sure if it's my ITB or what. It hurts on the outside of my knee, but also below my knee cap and on the inside side. Any ideas? Any suggestions?  I guess I’m going to have to take a few days off until they feel better. I’ll definitely try to fill my week with cycling, walking, jump roping and maybe even a swim or two. So stay tuned.  

Grr, I hate the ten percent rule.

Random: Ouch my knees!

How annoying! I finally have mustered up the courage to join a running group, and my body is saying no, no, no. I am supposed to meet with other runners, for the first time, and my knees are ki ki killling me. So I left work early to stretch, ice and pout. 

I am showing up for the run anyways, but now I have knee pain to add to my already skittish nerves. What a great way to start off my newest running adventure. Ugh, I do hope this goes well. 

Rate: Barefoot Running

I'm pretty skeptical of this fad. I had no intentions of trying it. But then, something happened.

One of my good friends decided the best way to spend her 40th birthday is to fly to France for two weeks, alone, for an introspective and wild adventure. I am so jealous... however I've still got a ways until 40 :) This friend and I have spent many an afternoon walking our two pups through the moderately charming streets of Tempe. Her dog is a rescue, used to be a wild pack dog, and therefore is extremely skittish. However, I've known the dog for a while and she likes me and my pup. It was only natural then, when my friend politely asked if I would watch her dog, Sarah, while she is away, that I agreed. It also didn't hurt that she offered me $20 a day, and money is something I desperately need. So all is well, right?

Wrong. The dog has been terrified and shaking from the second she was dropped off. She won't sit down and continues to pace my house for hours at a time. I tried treats, walks, pets-- everything. But she wouldn't even let me near her. And then something terrifying happened: I opened my front door slightly to get something out of my car, and Sarah pushed the door wide open with her nose, and bolted-- at a full sprint. I grabbed a leash and immediately sprinted after her. There was no time to put on shoes. 

Well to sum it up quickly, although there were a few breaks when Sarah slowed down to consider the treats I was waving at her, I ended up sprinting through my neighborhood sidewalks, barefoot, in my jeans, screaming for all the neighbors to see all while dodging piles of glass. Sarah, luckily, just ran home. I finally caught her as she was waiting at her owner's backyard fence, about a mile from my home. Brilliant. Once I had her captive I started bawling. Why? because I was stressed, exhausted, feeling emotional and so completely relieved that I didn't lose my friend's dog.
 

The point of all this, is that I did barefoot sprints... even though I wasn't intending too. 

When I woke up the next day, I was in an incredibly sore state. I could barely walk. My ankles-- ankles of all things!-- were throbbing. My calves were so excruciatingly tight. And now I get it. Minimalism running builds muscle. It builds muscles that I do not usually use when I am wearing shoes. And apparently, those muscles are going to take forever to loosen up again.
 

Even with that said, I don't intend on incorporating barefoot running into my training any time soon. If for no other reason, because it may give me horrifying flashbacks.

Run: Homemade vegan recovery shake

I faint easily. I also get nauseous easily and I have asthma. No. Big. Thang. But I do feel like I need to eat more than the average person my size in order to compensate for my woozy tendencies. In fact, I even feel the need to have a recovery shake after a five, or even three, mile run. On the days when I pretend I’m a cyclist and hit the road on two wheels, I chug through my water bottle within the first 15 miles and by the end (about 30 miles), I’m taking deep breaths in hopes of postponing any medical emergencies before I can get my hands on a power bar or doughnut. It’s kind of pathetic. But really, I require a lot of nutrients so I am always on the look-out for good recipes and dishes.

I’m a pretty busy lady, so shakes are becoming a staple part of my life. I have been determined to find a tasty recovery shake that really helps me feel better. I’ve tried diet shakes, Muscle Milk and more, but all leave me feeling exhausted later. So, I came up with a new recovery shake recipe, that seemed to really work after my five-mile treadmill run yesterday (I've been coming pretty close to my five mile base run days, however I'm still working on the ten mile long run goal) Although I am sore today, I never felt like crashing yesterday. I maintained energy after my run and felt my body getting stronger. Here’s the vegan recipe in case you want to try it. The Life’s Basic protein is a pretty intense flavor that I tried to cover up with the apple juice, so you may want to try a better tasting powder. I tried to stick to the right ratio of carbs, protein and sugar, but I'm totally open to suggestions! 

(measurements are approximate)

2 cups frozen peaches

1 cup oatmeal

1 scoop of Life’s Basic Plant Protein Greens Powder

    * I think this was the key ingredient. I’ve never used protein powder before, and I think it made a huge difference.

½ cup of apple juice

2 cups of vanilla Tempeh milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 teaspoon of cinnamon

Put all ingredients into a blender and add more milk if it seems too thick. Serve cold and enjoy!

P.S. Will some one just drag me to a running club? I can't seem to get myself to do it. Thanks.

Regalia: Heel insoles

I’m not going to lie, I kind of have a WebMD addiction. The tiniest pain or ailment, and I’m looking it up on the symptom checker and self-diagnosing. I’m assuming my doctor’s hate this. So it was no surprise a few weeks ago when I diagnosed myself with an Achilles heel strain, and came up with a recovery regiment consisting of ice and massage, that I had hit the nail a bit too far from the head.

A few days ago I finally gave into the reoccurring pain, and took myself back to that little chunk of heaven, Road Runner’s Sports. Ah, the smell of rubber soles and moisture wicking sports bras.

After less than five minutes of analysis, I was told that no, I have not strained, hurt or ruptured my Achilles tendon.  I’m just running incorrectly and it’s hurting my lower Soleus muscle (pretty much my calf muscle). Luckily, I was speaking to a storeowner and he had no interest in making commission. He instructed me to take the original insoles that came with my shoes (I bought specialized ones to wear instead) and cut the heels off. Then place the cut up heels under my new insoles in my running shoes. If that doesn’t work, come back. I walked away with a sly smile attempting to imply “you sure do seem cocky about this little magic trick, but you’ll see, I’ll be back.”

Well folks, it worked. The pain is gone. Better yet, since I’m running on my toes more, my calves actually look better! I swear, they’re growing, and I'm a sucker for a big calve muscle. So the Running Regalia feature today is heel insoles. You can buy them, or just cut them out of some old insoles. If you decide to go the cheap route, make sure to use insoles that didn’t get much running action, otherwise they’ll be too worn down. If that doesn’t work, come back and talk to me. 

Rate: Runner's first injury

Bad news. It hurts to walk. I have apparently strained and/or torn my achilles tendon... I think. However this is my own personal diagnosis and I have yet to visit the wise old doctor. After a bout of intense google searching, I have learned a bit about running injuries, Achilles tendonitis being one of the most common. Apparently, if I'm not careful this could become a major reoccurring problem. Sadly, I have to work tonight, which means I will be putting hours of strain on my ankles and their linking tendons. So let's hope that my next post won't consist of groans and sobs of how badly I am in pain and of how sad I am to cancel my first 5k. It's only three days away, you know?


They say that you can hurt your Achilles tendon by doing speed and/or hill work, by not stretching appropriately or by not warming up and cooling down properly. Unfortunately I'm guilty of all charges. So I've been icing, massaging, stretching and hoping for the best. I am also wearing my black Asics to work, which is something I thought I would never consider since tennis shoes are almost always a fashion disaster, especially when worn with a dress shirt and fancy necklaces. But I must give my ankles as much support as possible.


If anyone has any suggestions or tips on how to heal faster, or even a charming anecdote of similar experiences, then please share.


On a side note, I am 3/4 into Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, and I have saturated myself in the writer's gradual climb into insanity. I feel like a bit of a weirdo for getting so enthralled with a book with such repulsive subject matter, but the thing is so well written and enticing that I can't help it. Consequently, it makes me feel a bit insane myself. So please forgive the abrupt sentences and any other change you see in my writing voice today. I am a Literature nerd at heart, you know.


Work Out:


Run: None :(
Resting: TONS
Thoughts/Emotions/Concerns: I do hope that I get better quickly!

Run: Nervous purvis

Well with one interview out the way (however, I can’t seem to stop shaking) I can provide you with a bit of a work out re-cap.  You’ll be proud to hear that I went through with my cross-training endeavors on Monday. I rode my bike for about 18 miles, which isn’t much, but it was a pretty bad day for my asthma.  It’s amazing how different cycling and running are for a work out. They work very similar muscles, and they are both moderate-intensity, endurance sports, and yet I find each activity to work my lungs and muscles in a different way. If I can come up with the cash to invest in a new bike and kit, then I’ll be able to incorporate cycling into my schedule more consistently. Other than the cycling, my off days consisted of four birthdays, more rain, and a lot of pre-interview anxiety.

I was glad to discover that I didn’t feel rusty at all for my run yesterday. I ran for 30 minutes and a quicker pace then usual and it was pretty easy. I’m starting to sweat less, breathe slower and be able to take in the neighborhood scenery. I assume this means that I have reached a changing point in my training schedule. I’m no longer just training myself to be a runner, but rather am actually training to race. It’s a good feeling.

Tuesday Run: 32 minutes; moderate intensity

Strength: Very light, with crunches and a few upper body strength exercises 

Thoughts/Emotions/Pains: I am a runner hear me roar! 5k anyone?

Be ready for another post tonight with a summary of today’s workout.

Run: You Run How You Eat

If it hadn't been for the giant double mirrors in the trusty boyfriend's his/her bathroom, I might have gone weeks without realizing that my once-decent abs have gone into hiding under a happy, but fluffy, tummy.  It only took a few seconds of gazing into that glossy, self-degrading reflection for "Eye of the Tiger" to start playing in my head. Must have six-pack-- I am AMPED.


So, I began today's strength and run work out with trusty boyfriend's medicine ball. I did some basic core moves and a few varieties of squats and then head out to do laps around trusty boyfriend's gated community. It was like running a track, I imagine, because I was running in circles. I was expecting to have a decent work out due to plenty of rest and lots of energy, but it took about three strides for the stabbing pain to creep into my left side. Am I dehydrated? No. Do I have to pee? No. Oh right, for lunch I ate a bounding bowl of clam chowder, paired with a sandwich and oodles of fries. The sandwich wasn't too unhealthy, but I definitely over ate, and the fried food paired with heavy cream was overly indulgent. Only a few minutes into my run, I'm remembering: what you eat will directly affect how you run (I'm pretty sure I've read that somewhere...). I kept running in hopes that the cramping would go away, but it never did. I ended up running at about the same pace that my frigid legs were growing back my hair.


Wulp, lesson learned. Hopefully this will inspire a healthier diet (which wouldn't hurt the six-pack dreams, which, as I mentioned before I am feeling AMPED about).


To make up for the lazy 30 minute run, I marched inside, picked up the medicine ball and dedicated myself to doing as many crunches and drills as possible until my ab muscles start shaking and my stomach feels queezy. I didn't push myself quite that far, but it was nice to feel my ab muscles get tired for a change. It's been a while since I focused on abdominal stretches and strength.


For dinner, I'm sticking with a protein shake. I've got a big work out tomorrow and the last thing I need is lethargic legs and a bloated tummy.

Rest: Rainy Sunday

Today is my first scheduled long run. The goal is to run for forty minutes today. But Kelsey, today is Sunday. Sunday is for resting and drinking and screeching "Sunday Funday!" at the most inappropriate, rude or obnoxious moments. Unfortunately my work schedule is off this week and I have to work tonight. There is no sense in taking a rest day when I have to spend five hours lifting chairs, carrying drinks and speed walking in drill-like motions. Serving tables is quite tiring, so I cannot take my rest day today. But do not fret because after today my week will look exactly as posted.

The day began similar to a rest day: I laid in bed two hours after officially waking, hoping that if I kept my eyes closed long enough I would wake up in a good mood. Surprisingly, this plan kind of worked. By the time 9:30 came around I actually wanted to get out of bed, and shockingly felt quite motivated to "seize the day," as I like to call the act of getting things done productively. However it's been raining again today, which has oddly been happening at least once a week for the last two months. This is the desert. We desert peoples do not like having to plan our days around the weather, unless the weather is 120 degrees Fahrenheit in which we then avoid all plans all together. So, since the time I crawled out of bed I've been wasting time on the internet, setting up a LinkedIn account and scoping for journalism jobs on every job posting imaginable.

"Oh shit moment:" I have to go buy some allergy medicine before I run today. I can't run without my allergy medicine or I turn into a puffy eyed, running nosed, sneezy mess that is not only annoying but I'd imagine incredibly gross to look at. I've been out of my prescription medicine for a week and it hasn't arrived yet. So as I wander out the door, into the rain and towards my car, LO AND BEHOLD: Clarinex in the mailbox!  As I fist pump with glee, I stroll into the house while opening that precious bag, open up the bottle, pop a pill and sit down to put on my running shoes. DOG COMES SPRINTING, leaps into my lap, knocking over the container of 100 tiny pills all over my linoleum floor.

Sunday Funday.

Emotions/Aches/conditions before run:

Skipped a birth control pill yesterday so my endometriosis is causing some major cramping. And after two cups of coffee and two puffs on my inhaler, I'm feeling abnormally shaky.  I do, however, feel very well-rested.

Post Run:

Well the endometriosis was a real problem today. I haven't had endo pain in a while, so I was not accustomed to dealing with it while I ran. I just kept telling myself it would go away and eventually it did. I've already written enough in the post to bore any potential reader so I'll just sum it up with this:

I ran for 42 minutes, which was about 3.65 miles. I felt like I could have ran for much longer, which means that maybe I should push myself a little harder on my next run. Speed, however, is the real enemy. I'm not sure when a person is in shape enough to be working on speed, but I don't feel like I'm there yet. But a 12 minute miles is pretty slow and if I want to run a 5k any time soon, I've got to bring my time down to at least a ten minute mile. Well, that's something to think about anyway.

Introductions: The Blond Bullet

So before I start rambling, you should know that the point of this entire blog is to get me to run a marathon... in a year. To some of you this may seem like a small feat, and to others, this probably sounds like an insane and completely unenjoyable goal. But to me, it's a terrifying, somewhat laughable and yet somewhat realistic, objective. 

Why is it a terrifying and laughable objective? 

First of all, because I have asthma. I've had asthma since I was about seven, and although, in my twenty somethings, I have gotten it under control, I still would consider it "severe" asthma. I use my inhaler almost every day. I'm on allergy and asthma preventatives, and I have asthma attacks easily. yada yada. yada. I also have Endometriosis, which (as most people don't know, and if you do, high five for you) basically means my uterus has malfunctioned. It sounds way scarier than it actually is though, and it rarely interferes with my daily life (never forces me to call in sick or anything). Basically it causes cramps once in a while, especially when I exercise.  I played softball in high school but since then I have merely attended the gym for three month increments every six months.


So the point of all this is that I am not a runner. I never have been, and the idea of running a marathon sounds impossible. But I want to do it. Which leads us to the next question: Why is this also a realistic objective?


I'm not severely out of shape or over weight. I am not boasting here at all. I maintain a weight that is barely within my BMI by biking around town and serving tables. A few months ago, I started jogging. The first week I couldn't even run half of a mile. Since then, I've maintained an extremely sporadic and inconsistent running schedule that has lead me, after threeish months, to be able to run a mile easily. Therefore I think this is a good time to set some long term goals. 

Running, however, is not my passion; writing is. But I also believe that disciplined fitness and health can promote overall well-being, which, contrary to popular belief, will contribute to my success as a writer. So this blog is a combination of my experiences training as a runner, my experiences in life, and my experiences as writer. Most importantly, this blog combines and connects all the experiences that make me thrive. This is a blog about running, but not only about running, and more about everything I think and get out of running, and some other things too.