Good Friends Can Make for a Good Run!

The weather here in the Midwest has been a little crummy lately! I guess I should be grateful that we haven't had too many single digit days, but I'm really not a cold weather girl. Maybe it's the Greek blood in me longing for a warmer climate...let's conduct an experiment..who wants to send me somewhere warm and test the affects of climate on my overall attitude. Heck, let's make it even better...I'll train in the warmer climate and see what difference it makes on my half marathon time in May! Any takers.......just leave a comment and I'll message you my info so you can buy my plane ticket. (*wink)

Until I have a sponsor for my "science experiment" I'll keep meeting our local roadrunners on Saturdays for my long runs. This year the Mr. is joining in on the fun. Yesterday when the alarm went off at 7AM I rolled over and said "Ya wanna sleep a little longer and run later with me instead of going to meet the group?" and he was already dressed...hmmph! (I'm not a morning girl either) So I drug my butt outa bed and got my layers on and we headed out to meet the group.

Group runs are good for social reasons. I like meeting new people! :) Finding new friends with similar interests and talking through a longer run can make it seem a lot shorter. I don't talk too much (gotta breathe)but if your a talker, I'll be happy to listen. Also, group runs can be challenging...at least it is for me. (maybe I'm a little competitive) There's always someone in front to catch, and someone behind to stay in front of. 

These are a couple pics from last year:

Courtney and I are blurry cause we are so fast!!!

Hope we get to warmer days like this soon!!

Until then, either bundle up and find a buddy. Or make the "deathmill" your new bff. But either way...... happy running!!

~later

Sometimes Being a Diabetic Just Straight Up SUCKS!

Okay, I realize that this probably doesn't look real good being the post right after a post about "encouraging yourself". But hey, it's the way I feel right now. And maybe by the end of this post I'll find something positive to say....but for right now, this moment DIABETES SUCKS!!!!

So, I was a good girl and went to swimming tonight.  I've been several times now, and each time seems to get a little easier. Mostly mentally, but physically as well. I still get a little stressed in the deep end for whatever reason, which I know makes little since but it is what it is. My method for coping on this front is to close my eyes and focus on breathing. So far it seems to be helping.

As always before any workout I checked my blood glucose (bg) before getting in the pool - (105-a little lower than what I would like, but normal), I had a decent meal about an hour before, and I felt confident that I could swim without much issue. I would just check in about 30-45 minutes. And that's what I did, and found out that my bg was 36!! Normal range is 70-110. Typically I begin to feel a little loopy, or edgy somewhere between 80-65, but for whatever reason I had no sign that I had dropped so low....by the way most people would be passed out, or seizing in the 30's.  I truly thank GOD that I have never had a reaction like that and pray that I don't. So I went and changed and ate my snack as I walked out to the car, as I not so patiently waited to be able to drive home.  Hmmmpff!!!

Clearly my body reacts differently to swimming than it does to running or cycling. I just need to learn the right combination of pre-workout fuel, and how long I can swim and stay alive! (BIG CHEESY SMILE!) Each time I have gone, I have made a minor adjustment. I just really thought this time I had done the right thing. The weird thing is...I felt great swimming. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....... well, back to the drawing board it is.

My first endocrinologist Dr. Roufagaren, who moved away (boo!) gave me this wise advice. You control the diabetes, don't let it control you. I'm trying, and I won't give up!!

~later

Don't Believe Everything You Hear!

So I was perusing through one of my favorite running sites Runnersworld today, and came across a blog that really kinda hit home with me. I don't often read Kristin Armstrong's blog. I enjoy her writing, I just don't have a lot of "sit-down" time during the day, and by the time I get home, the kiddos, homework, dinner and just "life-stuff" get the majority of my attention. But today's read was about talking nice about/to yourself.

Why is it so hard to do this?

Growing up, my dad and I had this thing...he would tell me I was beautiful- then it was my turn- I would add "and gorgeous" he would add- "and smart" then my turn- "and intelligent"...and whatever else we could come up with. I was very small when he started this...and he would occasionally remind me of this when I was well grown and had kiddos of my own. Yes, he trained me well (wink*) and I did expect to hear this the rest of my life (boy, I miss him sometimes!!)...especially from anyone that decided to tell me they  "loved" me.  But, in reality if I don't feel that way about myself....who else will see those qualities in me?

Too many times we say things without thinking about the consequences. Once words leave our mouths it's impossible to retrieve them...kinda like trying to put toothpaste back into the tube. I've unfortunately found myself on the giving end and the receiving end...and really neither is a pleasant place to be.

Praise is important. Encouragement is essential. Unconditional love is HUGE in relationships. People will disappoint. Heck, I disappoint myself sometimes. You blow off a training day, hit your head or stub your toe and say something not so nice, yell at your spouse/child because you let the stress of the day build up without thinking....But If you don't get back up, brush yourself off and believe in your God given talents and abilities (cause we all have them!!)  ask for forgiveness! if necessary and move on, you just get stuck... stagnate... rotten.. and just simply Blah!

And when all else fails....which it sometimes does...sometimes you just have to encourage yourself!

~later

Being Stretched...

So.....I've been thinking....which usually leads to DANGER! Ha! I really would like to try and complete a triathlon this year....well, really at least two-one for the experience, and at least one for a let's see what I can do. The thing is this means I must learn/develop a new skill - swimming. Soooooo this is going to take me being stretched in new ways. I realize that in order to grow and learn new things you have to be willing to put yourself out there and be vulnerable to the coaching and teaching of others and trust in not only somebody more knowledgeable than you, but in yourself so that you can accomplish said new goal.

I've never really been a swimmer. As a matter of fact when I was 3 or 4 ish years old, I came very close to drowning. I thought I could sit on a kickboard and learned a quick lesson in gravity. Luckily I had a family member near me that pulled me out, but only after I swallowed a whole lotta water. I never really had much to do with swimming when I was younger. I think I took lessons in 6th grade, and managed to pass PE class in high school, and that's about it. Soooooo why even try a triathlon? Well, good question I guess...I've been running and cycling for a couple of years now, and most people that I say that to ask "So do you do triathlons?" Uuuuh....well...I'm not really a swimmer so....blah blah blah goes the rest of the conversation. 

So it's time to put on the big girl panties and give it a go!!  Learning a new skill, and developing it can be humbling, humiliating and painful....like dumping on my first ride with clips and pedals into a flower bed infront of new friends, and then of course at least two more times that day...eh hemm yeah I'm a little bit of a slow learner ;) or eating waaaaay too much food the day before a half marathon and having to make a pit stop and forgeting to lock the porta potty door only to be opened by a hot guy runner dude! Not that it woulda mattered much more or less or been less embarassing if the guy wasn't hot i'm just sayin'. Or here's one....having to stop and tie my shoe during a 1 mile race TWICE!! yes again.... very slow learner! Ha!!  ...and these are just a few examples I could go on!

Ok! So what does the above paragraph tell ya? Maybe I should start swimming in floaties so that I don't drown myself????? I may tend to learn things the hard way...they may be unpleasant at first...or maybe the best thing I've ever experienced, but if there's anything that I've learned over the last year or two it's that if I don't try I'll never know how good life can be!!!

So hopefully in being stretched I'll end up like a Super Hero:

...Like Elastagirl in The Incredibles

And not like these two guys: 

Dude! Really?? This is why I won't try Yoga ;)

If you've been part of my journey so far....you have no idea how much I appreciate you! If you're just now coming along for the ride?? hold on because I think it's only getting better!!!!   ~later



Okay!!! Time to Shed the Winter Coat!

Sooooo....It is waaay past time to shed the "winter coat"! Back in the chubby days I used to think nothing much of putting on a couple of winter pounds. I often referred to it as my "winter coat" and that I would shed it in the summer. I guess if I lived outdoors in an igloo, it would benefit as extra insulation. However, I live in a small, but nice home in Indiana and we paid to have insulation put in a couple of years ago. So no excuses! Darn!

Sportin' the Winter Coat + a few

I don't have many upcoming races on the schedule yet, but I am looking and will start training for the Indy Mini this week. I would really like to shatter my time from last year so I am planning to focus and train hard this go round. Last time it was a goal of finishing and let's see what I can do.  

Next month I will have been running for two years!!! woohoo!! Last summer was kinda casual competitively speaking, and I finished first in a couple of races for my age group.....soooooo this got me thinkin' "What if I really tried and trained with some real focus??" Then what? Well, that's the goal for this year! Focus! and Train hard! What do I want to achieve, and how do I get there? There will be challenges and obstacles along the way, but those come with anything worth doing.

So, priority number 1: Don't fall back into old mindsets like "It's okay to put on a winter coat" - no time for that! If only I lived someplace warm!!!!!

A couple of pics of my run today! A word to the less wise than I-take pics before a run, not at the end...if you stop at the end your body gets cold really fast, and could lead to a very cold half-mile run the rest of the way home.

More fun! Just less insulation! :)

Part of my route today!   

~later