long over due...buckle up!

Well my fellow blog-o-rific readers...if in fact you are all still out there...Lord KNOWS I have been awful at keeping up with this thing. And for that, well I could apologize but I'm even sick of hearing me say it!

Anywho...here's the latest rundown.

So I'm currently STILL out of work on medical leave. I will leave that there and not go into any more detail than already provided (its boring and frustrating anyway) but I can tell you that the blood pressure is SLOWLY coming down but the body is still out of whack from the stress of all the job related stuff. 

In the meantime...here's what's been going on NOT related to the medical leave crap. I have broken it out by titles because so many times i intended to write a post and just didn't have the energy to get it all down - so instead its all being combined into this one.

7 MILE WALL

I am not sure what it is, or why it is...but in my running, any time I have hit 7 miles, I literally HIT it, like a wall. As you may, or may not know I've been half marathon training. It was going beautifully. I mean REALLY wonderful. I was meeting my weekly mileages and despite the stifling heat, I managed to still find ways to get it done. My long runs were ending at 6 miles for a couple weeks and then I felt more than ready to go for mile 7. Well, I did mile 7. I completed it on June 28th. I finished it feeling strong and hopeful. At the start of the next week, I kicked off with a 4 mile run.

And that's when I got hurt.

Again.

This time, a pulled groin muscle. I suspect that it was the wear and tear of June's mileage that pushed me over the edge into injury land once again. The last time I did 7 miles in early spring, I hurt my knee. Badly. There is something about hitting that 7th mile that pushes my body to the breaking point. And at first, I panicked. I mean, in the midst of all the other crappy life stuff going on, I end up not even being able to run for a week. But then...something occurred to me.

What am I trying to prove?

I can hear my die hard runner readers already shrinking away from the screen. But its true. Would I love to be able to run that half marathon in September, God yes. YES! But must I be realistic about how much wear and tear this body can take? YES. The thought has occurred to me that my goal, real goal is to get stronger. And for whatever reason, when I run hard, run fast, run really long, I seem to be breaking down more than building up. Up until a few weeks ago, I didn't care. That would be my badge of honor.

But now, after a week off from running, with time to reflect, I realize. I AM RUNNER. Whether I run that half marathon or not. Whether I run 11 minute miles or 9 minute miles. Whether I run 4 short runs every week or 2 short runs and 1 long run. It does NOT matter. I am now, and forever, a runner. I don't need to compete with anyone. This is about me and what gives ME peace.

This morning, after 7 days off, I did a 2 mile run around the neighborhood. It was slow (compared to my normal pace) and it didn't feel 100% but it was enough that it didn't make the injury flare and it gave me what I needed. Which was to just run. So I did, and it made me happy. And I'm going to make peace with that. I love running, forever and always, but the insane drive to go further, get faster is just not something my body can tolerate. I am looking for balance in my world and running will always have a place in that balance as long as I can now accept it for its true purpose - to just feel good and feel free.

Next Up...

PERSONAL TRAINER'S NEED TO KNOW STUFF, A LOT OF STUFF - PART I

Now that I have some time on my hands, I have been studying, pretty aggressively, for my Personal Trainer certification. The hope is to be able to take the test at the end of August. That said, half way through Chapter 3 (yes only 3) - PT's need to know A LOT OF STUFF. Important stuff...like how the body processes oxygen, how it transforms carbs, protein and fat into energy, how the cardiovascular system works (IN DETAIL)...and a whole other list of horrifying difficult bits of information. Anyone who thinks they could just breeze through that material better be someone that already is well acquainted with mechanics and processes of the human body. I will admit, I thought I'd easily adapt to the material and remember it all in flash...

...not so much...

That said, I do LOVE it. I am learning so much its incredible. And yes, of course I knew I'd need to be familiar with this type information but did not expect to need to know such intimate details of how, well, EVERYTHING works. I'm well into Chapter 5 and keep reviewing and reviewing and reviewing because what awaits me next is the actual "training" information - the parts where you learn how to recommend certain exercises for certain needs. Sounds easy right? Well not unless you fully get all the crap in the first 5 chapters. So I shall review and review and review....good thing I have so much time on my hands. And I plan to put it to good use!

AND BECAUSE OF LEARNING A LOT OF STUFF, QUICK FIXES ARE BUGGING ME - PART II

In the midst of learning such in depth information and how truly complicated the human body is...right down to how there are three different ways in which your body breaks down energy and based on what the source of that energy is (I really am fascinated!)...I realized how IMPORTANT it will be for me in my PT practice to stress that I do not believe, nor endorse a quick fix. I will never, EVER, judge or deter a person from trying to make a healthier change for themselves, but they will not do it under my professional advisement or atleast without a wealth of knowledge shared with them to help them understand a better way, or a way to incorporate it into a plan I create for them. My focus is looking like it will be with special populations - childhood obesity, women and weight management and active older adults - all with a "health coach" angle to it. I want to empower people and inform them about diet, exercise and help them understand how THEY control their bodies. And if they do not take control, the body will control them. You can exercise all you want and drink or eat whatever quick fix product you want or take whatever diet pill you think you need...but if you are not LIVING a healthy lifestyle it is all a temporary and just a band aid to what is truly ailing you. I just can't get behind that. And that's a personal choice for me and I will never rain on anyone's parade...but its been very eyeopening since starting to study this "stuff". And i'm grateful for heading in this particular direction...I KNOW I'm meant to do this. 

And that feels awesome.

So, I guess I'll stop there...told ya to buckle up! Hopefully I'll update this thing soon and not make you poor folks wait so long!!! Here are some pictures from the days gone by that I failed to keep you in the loop on!

Today's RUN!!!! And it made me SO happy :)

Damn skippy!!!

The 7 Miler....I was feeling STRONG and so happy and focused...and then 3 days later...major injury. 60 miles in one month for me were just too much. But guess what, I'm still a runner no matter what!? :)

Have I mentioned HOW MUCH I love running in the rain?  I am SO ready for another rain run, this heat and sun has been brutal!