Renovating Kaeti

This Sunday, one of my bestest good friends and I are running the Minneapolis Recycle Run 5K. There are many reasons this event will be awesome:

• Free Twins tickets (and a T-shirt AND a water bottle). I love swag.
• There won’t be a sheet of ice around the lake like last time.
• The finish line isn’t positioned at the top of a hill.
• I will be running 3.1 miles rather than, say, 26 odd miles.*
• I am not prepared (at all) and will be running for the sheer joy of it. Any shaving of my 5K time will have to happen later.

I wonder if it’s going to be anything like Steve’s donut run in Iowa. Maybe if I recycle things during the race, it’ll knock seconds off my overall time? I’m particularly good at recycling and reusing dirty clothes from my laundry hamper, other people’s humor and the same three stories over and over again.

Hopefully there will be loads of embarrassing inspirational pictures to post on Monday. Have a great weekend everyone.

---

* Good luck Boston marathoners J-Money, Nitmos and Robin (and anyone else kicking it up Heartbreak Hill). I’ll be cheering you on from my very-comfy office chair on Monday.

After taking almost a full week off of running (there was an attempted run last Wednesday, but it’s best we don’t even talk about it), I went out last night feeling recharged and ready to go.

The pros: It was my first run in over a month with no pain. I felt comfortable. Gave me a chance to clear my head after a weird week.

The cons: I was dehydrated. It was short. Right calf started hurting about an hour after the run, and is still sore today.

This is like the injury that wouldn’t leave. It has hunkered down in my calf, and just when I think it’s better, I wake up feeling like my leg is attached to my body with a bungee cord. I’ve stretched, stretched some more, done my calf raises, taken a week off running and even cried bitter, bitter tears taken time to reflect on any sloppy running habits. Still, nothing seems to help, which leaves me to conclude that I have one of these conditions:

• Some sort of flesh-eating bacteria is noshing on my leg muscles in a very localized and persistent way
• One leg has recently grown longer or shorter than the other, creating all sorts of muscle imbalances and corresponding calf strains
• Or, I have a severe sleepwalking disorder and whilst roaming at night I spend a lot of time wearing high heels.*

In the highly unlikely case that it’s actually something I didn’t mention above, I’m going to keep trucking along slowly and surely. Following Matt Fitzgerald’s advice in Back in the Game, I’m going to work diligently to rehab this nagging pain before it becomes a chronic nuisance. As he says:

Your injury is not fully healed when the pain goes away. The healing process is truly complete only when the affected muscle or joint is back to full strength, but this may never happen if you don’t actively work on strengthening it.

While I’m at it, here are some sources to check out if you’re interested in avoiding injury, recovering from injury or injuring others:

• Active Recovery by Kara Douglass Thom
• An Ounce of Prevention (Cool Running)
• Injury tips and articles at Runners Lounge
• Some riveting charts and graphs at the Virtual Sports Injury Clinic

---

*Sleepwalking may lead to awkward confrontations in your neighbor’s kitchen.

The UltraDetox extravaganza is over over over.

Seven days later, I’m feeling good and definitely more in control of my eating habits. And while I usually don’t put much stock in inches and pounds, I was curious just how much weight my body was holding onto because of inflammation so I took some measurements. After seven days, I have lost:

9 pounds overall

3 inches off my waist

3.5 inches off my hips.

All of that without resorting to one of those “TurboPump SuperMax” workout videos that are always hawked on infomercials Saturday morning (it can’t be all Meet the Press all the time, after all. A girl needs balance).

So overall, this detox thing was a smashing success. Unfortunately, because of a calf injury and resulting hip soreness, my running has been … lacking. In fact, that 10k training schedule looks something more like this now:

OK, maybe it’s not that bad, but I definitely don’t foresee that whole “10k” thing happening. I am running the Recycle Run 5K on April 20, so I haven’t given up completely. But all the chutzpah in the world isn’t going to get my injured butt ready for a 6.2 mile race in three weeks.

This is my plan for getting back on track:

• Keep doing long runs, even if “long” ends up being short.
• Cross-train to avoid imbalances.
• Amp up strength training.
• Get back into yoga classes.

Because, really folks, missing your weekend long run because you just had to sit at home and watch the Home Shopping Network is not a good excuse. Unless of course they’re selling Tahitian-print high-water pants — then who could blame you?

On Saturday morning, I got up early after a fitful night of sleep so I would have time to eat and relax a bit before going over to the race. Even in the 6 o’clock hour I was ready to put my game face on.

When we got to the race, they were running a little behind schedule (maybe the race officials were celebrating St. Patty’s early), so we stood around freezing our bums off for 45 minutes before we started. Finally, we lined up for the start and I positioned myself somewhere near the front-middle of the pack.

The course was so icy that the entire mass of runners slid down the first hill we encountered. The route was incredibly slick, so my race-day mantra ended up being “don’t fall, don’t fall, there’s less ice over there, don’t fall.” But the condition did have its advantages. For example, it was kind of hilarious to watch the elitist-elite types pass me and then start skidding around on the ice. That’s what you get for running fast.

But all kidding aside, I was very impressed by both the 10-mile group and 5Kers. Especially the 10-mile runners who finished before I finished the 5K — way to make me look bad, guys. Thanks.¹

(Click to enlarge.)

So after running around the lake on a sheet of ice trying to pass as a road, I finally made it up the hill to the finish line.

Notice the stylish green gloves. I was getting into the spirit of things. So much so that my holiday cheer propelled me across the finish line with a 26:?? time! They haven’t posted the official times, but my watch put me at 26:38. We weren’t chip timed, so this is my best guess (I’ll have to wait and see if they post the 5K results online). I’m just so excited to have finished my first race — the 26 on my watch is just icing on the cake. And speaking of food . . .

Mmm . . . the post-race breakfast was definitely a highlight. And that was the day in a nutshell. Thank you everyone for your support and encouragement — I couldn’t have done it without y’all!

---

1. To my credit, the 10-milers started 15 minutes before the 5Kers.

I’ve been training and building a fitness base for the past seven months, and that will help me actually cross the finish line tomorrow. But even more than muscle strength or cardio capacity, I think how I prepare mentally will make or break the race. Here some of my favorite resources, tips and thoughts on whipping your mind into shape — something that can help you accomplish whatever it is you’ve set out to do.

Have courage as you face your challenge. Whether it’s weight loss, taking time off to heal, changing careers or running your first race, there will likely be something that scares you — questions like What if I don’t make it? As race day looms for me (lessthan24hoursI’mtotallyfreakingout), I keep reminding myself that whatever happens, it’s not about my final time. It’s about crossing that finish line knowing that I’ve run fearlessly and celebrating how magnificently hard (but rewarding) it was for me to get here. Like Steve Prefontaine said, “A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts…”

Surround yourself with positive energy. This applies to the people we spend our time with, the media influences we encounter, and the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. (What’s that quote? Something like “Whether you tell yourself you can or you can’t, you’re right.”) When my mind starts veering into negative territory, I often try to get out of my own head for much-needed perspective and inspiration. I read blogs by real people who have made incredible feats, I turn off the TV and avoid the media blitzkrieg of negative messaging (there’s a great post over at Half of Me about this), and I remind myself that if someone like Buster Martin can run a marathon, we all have the capacity to do some amazing things.

Be present. When I’m facing a particularly difficult challenge, I often find myself worked up into a nervous ball of energy (job interviews are the worst). Some experts, like Zen teacher Cheri Huber, recommend that instead of fighting those instinctual butterflies-in-the-stomach feelings, you take them along for the ride. Accept and acknowledge how you are feeling, but don’t dwell on it. Meditation and mindfulness are both tools that will allow you to relax and focus on the task at hand.

Visualize success. I always thought this idea sounded hokey. But it turns out that just imagining crossing that finish line, or being at a healthy weight, or any number of other things, has helped push me forward and kept me going. Turns out there’s science to back this old maxim up: Studies have shown that athletes imagining themselves performing at their peak level or winning a race experienced corresponding physical responses — their muscles twitched and their neuropathways fired as if they were actually competing.

Building these neuropathways with regular positive thinking is just one more way to boost your performance and stay on track with your goals. If you’re anything like me and have a hard time keeping track of your thoughts, let along controlling them, The Sport Psychologist has an interesting article on how to train the way you think.

Find your mantra. The leader of my running clinic, a Boston marathoner and all around nice gal, told us that when she gets to those last six miles she will pick out a woman running in front of her and think “I will catch you, and I will pass you.” She repeats this mantra over and over again, which helps her make it through that final leg of the race. So far, my mantras have varied from “don’t fall down” to “just a little further.” Maybe tomorrow, I’ll pick something a little more inspiring.

For more tips, check out this article by Jason Gootman, MS, CSCS.

If you don’t already know (and own one), Garmin is a company that makes these nifty sports watches/computers equipped with GPS and many other fantastic features. While I honestly believe that you can get a great workout sans all the gadgets that are hawked these days, there are many reasons I’m thinking about making the investment. Here are just a few (feel free to add to the list)¹:

• It tracks your pace, heart rate, route, blood alcohol level, etc.
• It can read minds.
• It cooks dinner and does laundry. Generally very helpful with household chores.
• It knows why bad things happen to good people, among other of life’s greatest questions.
• When you get tired it runs for you.
• Nuclear disarmament function.
• Street cred.
• A Garmin will always love you back.

Perhaps I’ll reward myself after finishing the race on Saturday. Do any of you have tips or suggestions for my Garmin and me²? Is it worth the hefty price tag?

---

1. Portions of this list may have been, shall we say, exaggerated for dramatic effect. It has not been verified or approved by Garmin or any other party. Other than myself, of course, but I approve of most things I do so I’m not the best judge.2. Now that would be a good blog name.

Yes I realize that I haven’t actually completed my first 5K yet, and that this whole thing might need to be revisited if I, say, collapse into a puddle of blood, sweat and tears¹ after getting only 400 meters into the race. In that case, this training plan will be revised immediately to create a more suitable schedule involving Hostess Fruit Pies, America’s Best Dance Crew marathons and excessive wallowing.

I’ve drawn up a seven week plan (starting this Sunday) to get me ready for the Get in Gear 10k. It’s a mash-up of Hal Higdon’s program, Cool Running’s schedule and my own insanity. While I was making the chart, I realized that it was bo-ring and decided to add pictures of rewards I would get after completing a week. So I did what well-meaning high school teachers and corporate PowerPoint specialists² have been doing for decades — I spiced it up with some Clipart. Which explains why, instead of giving myself “awesome” things like a Garmin or a massage, I get to harass city employees and foster illegal pets.

In any case, here’s the plan (click to enlarge). Wish me luck.

---

1. Cue “And When I Die.”
2. Best. Job. Ever.

A short synopsis of last night’s run:

Miles run: 4.5

Total miles: 5.2

Time spent on treadmill: 48 minutes

# of times I thought about burritos: 5 … or maybe more like 12

Pain in right shin: moderate, improving

Minutes spent thinking about Sawyer from LOST/any number of Minnesota Twins players: 20+

Average HR: 170 (I’ll call this run a “tempo lite”)

Times I swore off running forever: 2 (both happened in the first 10 minutes)

Days until first race: 10

Running longer and faster than the guy next to me who stared the whole time and talked on his cell phone: Ah, well now, that is what we call priceless.

Over the past few months, I’ve learned a lot — about myself, about fitness, and about the idiosyncrasies of putting those two together. So in honor of Runner’s Lounge “If I Knew Then What I Know Now” Take It and Run Thursday (a day late), here are some of the lessons I’ve learned:

1. Dark running tights are my friend. Aforementioned Mizuno running capris? They’re comfortable, don’t ride up anywhere they shouldn’t, keep me cool. Unfortunately, the light-gray color shows off just how much I’m sweating. Needless to say, when I finished my miles last night it might have looked like I’d peed in my pants.

2. The first mile is always hard. I read this “Natural Law of Running” at Runner’s Lounge and wholeheartedly agree. I might modify it a bit, though, to say, “Beginning is always hard.” Eating healthy? It’s tricky when you’re first starting out, but it gets easier and eventually it becomes downright fun. Just starting to exercise? Those first few weeks (and months) are tough. I think everybody can attest to this, whether you’re just starting out or getting back into peak shape after a long hiatus. But after getting past that initial hump, you start to feel the positive changes, momentum builds and it gets easier.

3. Make sure your workout clothes fit before you take them for a run/workout. I had this one pair of pants, and they fit just fine when I was walking around the house. When I ran in them, however, I was pulling them up from my ankles every five seconds (OK, I may be exaggerating a bit, but it was pretty bad). Now I test run all my clothes inside and carry a safety pin with me just in case.

4. Change your workout music/route/routine regularly. If I run the same loop over and over again, my body will start to automatically get tired at the same place I’ve gotten tired during previous runs. The same goes for music — hearing certain songs will trigger physical responses. To get around these mental blocks I need variety to keep my mind and body guessing.

5. Don’t go it alone. During the first months of my life overhaul, I felt pretty isolated. Honestly, it seemed like I was sooo far behind everyone else that I would just embarrass myself it I reached out for support or advice. I didn’t want to join a running club because I was convinced that I would be too slow/fat/inexperienced. I didn’t want to talk about the changes I was making because that would mean owning up to the, in my mind shameful, fact that I was incredibly unhealthy. Thank God I’ve gotten over that. Now, I love having the support of my running club (and friends and family and coworkers), and I talk about my successes, challenges and setbacks a lot. Incessantly, even.

6. Shin splints aren’t inevitable. Neither is pain. For a long time I thought that pain is just part of running. Turns out that the right shoes make a huge difference. So does building up your mileage and speed slowly. Now when I feel pain, I pay attention, make the necessary adjustments and take time off if I need too. I’ve also started to recognize the difference between the DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness) and pain related to my running biomechanics.

7. Dieting is for chumps. Maybe it works for some people, but I definitely couldn’t maintain a restricted eating regimen for the long haul. Why diet when, instead, you can eat an abundant amount of delicious, satisfying food? When my focus was on eliminating foods from my diet, I was miserable. These days, I focus on how much I’ve added to my cooking repertoire and don’t waste time counting calories. Like I said here, your body does a perfectly good job of adjusting to your caloric intake if you’re fueling it with fresh, whole foods.

These are just a few of the things I can think of off the top of my head, and I’m sure there are many more lessons to be learned down the road. When you look back at where you’ve been, what have you learned? What would you do differently?

If you’re new to my blog, welcome! You can read more about me here or in my first post “Does This Blog Make Me Look Fat?“

It’s amazing how running inside spoils your legs. I ran outside on Saturday and Sunday this weekend, and I am definitely feeling it today.

Despite my minor soreness, though, it was great to get back to the lake. Running outside is so much more rewarding than putting in 40 minutes on the treadmill. In Minnesota, the runners who stay outside for the winter are part of a special, secret club (well, not really secret, because we’re the ones that always garner a lot of scornful comments like “Are those people crazy or something??”). We’re the proud few who trudge around the lake in ice, snow, sleet and 40-below wind chills (my eyes actually froze shut the other week). There are a lot of understanding smiles and knowing nods exchanged when crossing paths with other winter runners. It’s all very . . . heartwarming.

At least, it usually is. During my running clinic on Saturday, we were making our way around the lake and came up to a man running so slow that he was barely picking his feet off the ground. I’m no speed-demon myself, and we were clocking somewhere around a 12-minute-mile pace, so you can imagine just how slow he was going. Now all of this is fine and good, and I’m the first one to proselytize about the importance of doing everything at your individual level. So we passed him, gave him a friendly nod (which was not returned) and kept trudging along.

Then, with no warning, he comes barreling between my running partner and I, sending us scattering. And despite almost knocking us to the ground, he offers no acknowledgement whatsoever. Once he is about 10 meters ahead of us on the path, he resumes his snail’s pace forcing us to pass him again. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Eventually, my friend looked over to me and said, “You know, he just doesn’t want to get passed by a couple of girls!” She was dead on. It’s like we were offending his prescribed world order: one where the girls finish last, and certainly don’t pass him — no matter how painfully slow he may be running. I believe this is what Vanilla at Half-Fast refers to as “getting chicked.” All in all, it made for an amusing (though somewhat awkward) run.

Anyway, this display of ego got me to thinking about how preconceived notions can hinder us in our many life pursuits. I talked about this idea a bit in this post — how definitions we carry around about ourselves can be awfully outdated and inaccurate (for example, thinking “I could never be an athlete,” when, in fact, you most definitely can be one). (A quick aside: There’s a great story coming up in our May issue about this exact topic.)

I think it was my preconceived notions about the fitness world and Those Who Are Fit that made me so reticent to the idea of exercise. I mean, how could there possibly be a place for my birthin’ hips in a sea of hard bodies rocking the spandex lifestyle? (Yes, apparently I based my preconceived notions on Bally commericals and my perennial favorite, Jane Fonda’s Complete Workout video.)

Right now the current preconceived notion I am fighting against is: There is no way on God’s green earth that I could ever — EVER — do a triathlon. But encouragement to sign up for my first sprint-distance tri is coming from all arenas of my life (and I mean all — even my financial planner is a triathlete). It’s got me thinking and weighing my options. And then dismissing the idea outright because it’s completely ridiculous, only to find it nagging at me again a few days later. But then I think that maybe I should focus on running this year. On the other hand, I’ve always been a multitasker, and this would give my training some much-needed variety. And round and round the indecision goes.

Any opinions or advice would be ever so appreciated!