What *Not* to do When Injured

July was the beginning of the build up of running mileage from my average of only 20 per month, previously. I ran 40 in July, 55 in August, and I was set to run nearly 70 miles in September when I realized my sore legs were more than just sore and tired. I was flirting with an injury if I didn't take time off.

So, I took a few weeks off and I learned a few things that I wanted to share with y'all! 

Don't-cry for too long....
 Yes, I might have shed a few tears. I was so disappointed after working so hard...too hard...that I was ready to just spend a few days in bed crying. But that can't happen when you have seven children. So, remember this is a season and no injury should last forever. Cry those tears of frustration then decide to move on. 

  Don't-wallow, gorge, binge eat B&J's, etc....
Emotional eating can go hand in hand with crying for days on end.... some of us cope with stress via filling our mouth. Identify your trigger (sadness/frustration at being sidelined by an injury) and seek to replace the negative habit of emotional eating with a positive habit. Call a friend, paint a picture, visit a nursing home, anything positive you can do instead of stuffing your face! 

Don't-give up....
Its really easy to just throw in the towel and walk...er hobble...away from this crazy thing called running but don't give up just yet. Find out exactly what is wrong, what you *can* do about it, and make a plan to move forward. 

Do-find the positive....
There are so many benefits to being a glass half-full type person. Will you suddenly have extra time to hang with the kiddos? Will you finally be able to sleep in past 5 a.m. on a Sat. morning? Will you get the opportunity to try a new activity while you rest your weary legs? 

Do-strengthen other areas....
Every runner can benefit from spending time strengthening areas of the body that are not injured. If your knee is hurting it can be helpful to work on the hammies or quads. If your ankle or shins are hurting it can be beneficial to spend time working on stretching and strengthening your calves. Be in tune with your body and consider having an assessment of your stride done to determine if a change in basic mechanics might solve the problem.

Do-cross train....
Picking another activity, one that is less stressful on the body or complements your goals for healing, can keep your endurance boosted and your mind active. For us runners, cycling and swimming are at the top of the list for continuing activity that is less stressful on the body but can preserve your current fitness level. 

Do-find a new love....
In the midst of finding new ways to stay active you just might find a new love! I've been flirting with the idea of a triathlon for about a year now and after my first Half Marathon I just might take up cycling and open water swimming to prep for my first Tri. Who knows, maybe I'll find a new activity to love! 

How do you handle the setback of an injury? 
 

Finish Strong

Did you start 2015 with the greatest of intentions to eat healthier, be more active, to swap bad habits for good ones? Well, put down your #PSL so you don't choke but 2015 is almost over! 

In just 12 short weeks it will be 2016!

What goals did you set? What habits did you want to squash? What productive and healthy habits did you want to start? 

Its not too late to start...in fact, 12 weeks sounds like a great time frame to do a challenge! 

I started a new journey toward a healthier version of myself in November of 2014. I lost over 30lbs during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. I learned so much about myself that it carried over into 2015. I am over 50lbs lighter....but its the inward changes that have made all the difference. 

My goals for 2015 included consistency, endurance, and patience....which means that many of the life lessons I focused on carried over into all aspects of my life, including as a mother, a wife, a friend, a daughter, and an athlete. 

It is not too late to refocus on your 2015 goals and finish the year out strong!

What are your goals for the next 12 weeks? 

Sweat Pink Bulu Box Review

I was so excited to share my #Bulubox review that I can't even picture all the items it came with...because the chicken jerky is already gone! 

My Bulu Box contained 

Which was so yummy it was gone in a flash!

Double thumbs up for this product!

Also in the box

• Movit Energy Gummies
• Simple Being Nutrition Green Coffee Bean Supplement
• Runa Focused Energy Tea
• Earth's Care Anti-Itch Cream 

 Movit: After fiddling around with multiple types of running nutrition in the past few months I have realized I can't stomach anything gooey or too liquidy. I've been sticking with Gu's Chews and Chomps so I was excited to try something new.  These were great! I had a boost to finish out my long run but never had a "crash" moment when it wore off....protein loading afterward helps with that, too!

Simple Being Simple Diet Supplement is loaded with caffeine and I am very sensitive to high levels of caffeine so I was extremely nervous to try this...in fact, I never did try it! While the other ingredients might be healthy supplements I won't put tons of caffeine in my body when I know the results will be awful! I'm sure for those who need a "healthy" energy boost this would be a good fit but I'll skip for now. Two thumbs down!

Runa Focused Energy Tea:
Very yummy but smelled awful...don't let the smell fool you! It was very tasty and seemed to give me a boost of energy without all the caffeine garbage. 

Earth's Care Anti-Itch cream smells just slightly like Vix Vapor Rub and seemed to work quite well on a variety of late summer bug bites that my kiddos popped up with. So, a double thumbs up for this product! Smells great and works, too! 

I really enjoyed receiving new products to try out and I am excited to give you a chance, too!!

If you go to BuluBox  and enter this following discount code you will receive 50% iff a 3-month subscription! 

SWEATPINK

I was sent the Bulubox as part of my partnership with SweatPink, all opinions are my own!

 

Runner's Flu

Runners Flu

Bonk

Crash

That feeling of overwhelming exhaustion, nausea, and headaches that happen during/after a long run or other event of strenuous physical exertion. 

(No, its not stomach flu...your thinking of the trots and that's a whole other sorta post)

After several weekends of unpleasantness after my long run I went back to the drawing board and began to take a good hard look at the many areas that could affect my ability to handle the demands of a long run.

Nutrition:

Nutritionally, I have found that my body runs extremely well on a low carb and high protein diet.  I have found that certain carbohydrates and the timing of many carbs affects my gut in an unpleasant way. I am still figuring out what carbohydrates negatively affect my stomach but wheat is currently taking a vacation from my plate and my gut is grateful for now!  I will give my gut a few more weeks without wheat before adding in other carbs. I know that glycogen stores are rebuilt by carbohydrate intake and with mine being minimal I could possibly expect to be affected by lower glycogen levels.

Hydration: 

I drink primarily water, having given up soda a few years ago because it upset my stomach. I do drink the occasional unsweetened iced tea. I made sure to pay more attention to the amount of water I drank before and after my long runs. I don't carry water on my current long runs but as I am ramping up the miles I should start to carry some with me.

Rest:

 Two days of rest was beginning to look ideal for me after the long run, however, I am finding that my legs are so sore two days later that I need to add in a short shake out run....going from 3 runs a week to 4.

How does nutrition play a part in the success of your weekly long run?

  

Before and After

Before

(Can see it in the belly area)

After

(Belly is less fluffy)

 

 

I have lost over 50lbs since November 2014 with about 25lbs left to go. A new fitness lifestyle, including running, has transformed my sedentary life! I can keep up with my ~7~ children much easier now!

#1millionminutes 

#liveinprana 

#sweatpink 

#transformationtuesday 

@prana

Goal met!

My goal has been pretty selfish and mostly focused on improving my own personal fitness level and health. What I didn't account for were the folks that would message or email me or catch me at church to tell me how inspired they are.

How fantastic to see others get movin' or take up healthier habits!

What you don't see are the 5:30 a.m. wake-up calls, the groggy husband who got up with the early-rising 2 yr old after a late night hockey game so I could get my hour-plus run in, the seven children at home who get wide-eyed hearing about the beauty of the country lane I just ran along....

What you don't see are the blisters, the sweat, the snot-rockets, the chaff (chub rub), the sunburn, the muscle aches and foam rolling out those aches, the sitting like a dude because it hurts too much to sit like a lady, or the post run picnic because I just burned 900+ calories (I can smash a protein salad the size of my largest mixing bowl...um, actually I do use my largest mixing bowl)....

Just keepin' it real here folks!
     

Building August's Goals

July was a great month for me. I met my goal of running 30 miles for the month, after averaging 20 miles per month for the previous 6 months, and upped my goal to 40 and finished with 39 miles for the month of July. Yes, I am sure I could have squeaked another mile in there somewhere but it wouldn't have added quality mileage and I really treat my rest days with respect. As an injury prone person I have learned to embrace those days of rest.

August's goal will focus on continuing the consistency that I have built this month. It will include quality runs with no "junk miles". Each run will have a purpose and will continually build in length with my first 10K scheduled for the end of the month.  The Hastings Summerfest 10K for those that have been asking. Wanna join me?

Overall, I am hoping for a total of 50-60 miles of running and 20 miles of cycling. 

What are your August fitness goals?