Training: faking it versus the real deal

March 3, 2014 by Meridith

Once upon a time, there was a girl who signed up for her first half marathon in November of 2011. The half marathon was runDisney’s Princess half marathon, for in those days you didn’t have to sign up the day registration opened to be able to participate.

She trained for the February 2012 race in two and a half months (in hindsight it probably wasn’t enough training for the distance) but she ran the races with supportive friends who whispered encouraging words in her ear and walked with her when her IT bands no longer wanted to run.

And she did it!

From there, she went on to run another half a month later, where her IT bands fared much better and she helped Cam achieve her first half marathon.

She continued to register and run the half marathon distance, although her long runs weren’t always quite long enough and she didn’t always follow the training plan exactly like she should. Read: SHE WAS FAKING IT.

Faking it got her through the half marathons. Not as fast as she wanted though, and not without injury. Make that injuries, plural. After her most recent injury, she said, “Enough is enough.” (Actually, she used more colorful language, F this S… just so we are keeping it real.)

Her injuries have lessened significantly, for which is she very grateful. She’s been treating her Plantar Fasciitis with medicated gel and Thorlo socks. Custom orthotics just joined the mix as well and while she’s not 100%, she’s feeling about 85% better.

Thanks to Thorlos for connecting on Twitter and for assistance. Very grateful!

Thanks to Thorlo for connecting on Twitter and for assistance. Very grateful!

She’s been pushing herself harder than ever before with training. She doesn’t skip or skimp. Three days a week she’s achieving at least five miles a day. She is following the training schedule to the letter; her long runs on the weekend have been accomplished as she works her way toward her next half. Her A, B, and C goals are in place and she’s confident in her abilities to hit one, if not all of them. And while the winter-y weather might have deterred her in the past, she is saying I can and I will now more than ever. She’s hoping for a happily ever after in the land of PR.

Have you ever faked your way through a race (or two, or three)? Come back after an injury (or two)? What types of goals do you set for races?

Random Picture Post: Jess Edition

February 27, 2014 by writeitdownjess

I was so in love with Brooke’s post last week that I decided to rip it off and do the same thing. I am a random person at heart, so this is right up my alley. You can often find me wandering around with things in my hand while I’m doing another thing while thinking about five million OTHER things.

I don’t think I had a point to that entire paragraph, but that fits in nicely with this post.

First thing: last Friday was an epic mail day for me. One thing you should know about me is that I get really excited about checking the mail. Don’t ask me why, because 9 times out of 10 my mailbox is filled with bills and junk mail. But the possibility of it is so exciting!

Anyway, Mister Postman didn’t disappoint. I hit the jackpot with my latest Stitch Fix and three of my weekly magazines. Earlier last week, I got my latest Birchbox shipment. Pretty amazing, right?! Another thing you should know about me: I love to shop, but I’m extremely lazy. Anything that delivers me awesome or pretty things right to my door is an automatic obsession.

Hello, Stitch Fix!

Hello, Birchbox!

Hellooooo, gossip mags (don’t judge).

So, Stitch Fix is this awesome service where you get sent a box of fun clothing, jewelry and accessories each month that fit your style, based on a survey you fill out prior to your first shipment. When you get your Fix, you have three days to try everything on, decide if you like it, and keep the stuff you love. Whatever you don’t like, you send back. This month I kept an adorable zip-up cardigan and the PERFECT pair of skinny jeans. The other items – a sweater, a messenger bag (the absolute last thing I need), and a gauzy blouse – all went back to the Stitch Fix office! So fun. Thanks to my best friend, Ali, for signing me up as a Christmas present!

Birchbox is a more well-known service where you sign up, then get makeup, skincare, haircare, and other beauty-related products every month. They’re always sample-sized so you can try it out and decide if you like what they’re selling. I’m especially obsessed with this one, because I love love love trying out new beauty products. Thanks to my other best friend, Anna, for signing me up for that one! I have great friends.

In other news, while the rest of the country was freezing, we had some epically beautiful weather here in California. The whole fam took a trip to Crissy Field and frolicked a bit. Bug even dipped his toes in the water! Super cute.

I said, brrrr….actually it’s not that bad.

Bug was 100% obsessed with the dog’s Chuck It.

On the food front: last week, my co-workers and I discovered a food truck called Me So Hungry. I love that there are so many food trucks carrying so many delicious meals inside their wheels. They are crazy popular here and I was shocked – SHOCKED – when we came across Me So Hungry and it didn’t have a line around the block.

The food. Is. Incredible. I got the Flyin’ Hawaiian Sliders, which have chicken, crispy Maui onions, and chipotle aioli on them. I also got sweet potato fries, which were garnished with garlic and parmesan cheese.

Yeah.

Just take my money and put this food in my mouth.

On a related note, I started the South Beach diet, phase 1 this week. The no carb thing is not my favorite thing by a long shot. I think that carb rage is real. I want pasta. I want bread. But I’ve already lost a couple pounds, so I guess that’s okay.

Related to running: I went to this great running shop called A Runner’s Mind and had my stride evaluated so I could find the perfect pair of shoes. I absolutely adore my Nike Lunarglides, but I figure since I’m going to be running the half in August, I might need to find a different shoe that offers a little more cushion and support.

Enter the Saucony Ride 6! I tried them on, along with a few others that I can no longer remember, and absolutely loved the feel of them. So cushy. So comfy. They only had an unattractive color option in the store, so I ordered the berry/coral/blue ones and am just waiting impatiently for them to get shipped to the store.

Finally, I made a quick trip to my favorite card store here in the city, the adorably named Avant Card. They have the best – and wittiest! – selection of greeting cards there. I could honestly spend hours there. I picked up this one because I loved the message. I decided I would buy it and just keep it for myself because everything written there are things I want to remember. But I am happy to share it with you all, too!

TGI-almost Friday, everyone!

Do you subscribe to any fun mail-order services? Love gossip mags? Have experience with South Beach or the Saucony Rides? How’s your week going? Talk to me in the comments!

2014 Disney Princess Weekend- Expo Edition

February 26, 2014 by beewhobabbles

Well, after a spur-of-the-moment 3.5 mile run with Sara yesterday (we were supposed to be walking) and an hour long strength session with Trainer Jen this morning, I guess I’ve recovered from Disney’s Princess Weekend. Victoria and I participated in the Glass Slipper Challenge- running the 10k on Saturday and the half-marathon on Sunday. It was a weekend filled with girl time, running and not nearly enough sleep, and concluded with the award of three gorgeous medals. (Victoria’s weekend also included some vacation time! She’ll fill you in on that soon.)

Let’s back up a bit though- to Thursday afternoon (for Vic) and Friday morning (for me), when we visited the race expo.

Disney doesn’t do small- even the expo is a Major Event. Tons of shopping, seminars, and even a beer cart! It’s very well organized, and also has some of that Disney magic we all know and love.

Here are some expo moments we captured-

Vic and Heather outside the expo entrance. Glass Slipper Challengers, holla!

An overview of the expo.

Run Disney nutritionist Tara Gidus and the mother runner authors; Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea speak at a seminar.

Dorothy and me with Sarah Bowen Shea (and cute baby boy who couldn’t stop staring at SBS.)

Dorothy’s haul!

Favorite booth from the Princess Expo? I bought a few new Sweaty Bands and a six pack of cupcakes from the Yum Yum truck. Victoria got the very last Glass Slipper Challenge Sweaty Band.

Random running moments…is that Ryan Gosling?

February 24, 2014 by vfreile

Most runners have a collection of random running stories to share.

Me? I must have random happenstance juju, as I have too many to count.

I’ve seen snakes, dodged a family of deer and been caught in a horrendous downpour in what was eerily similar to the woods in Oz. I ran into a flower shop delivery van (ouch) and was nearly clipped by a distracted contractor who then flipped me off. (grrr)

And I’m pretty sure I witnessed more than one drug deal while running along a nearby river trail.

I ran alongside Amish men and women, still wearing their plain clothes. I ran laps around Sydney Harbour, including the famed Opera House and bridge. I ran around the Hollywood Reservoir and along the carriage trails of Acadia National Park drinking in the incredible vistas.

Part of what I love about running is that it gives you a whole new view of the world.

Often, as you watch the world unfold, you encounter the unexpected.

So I thought I’d share my top random running moments with you, a la Golden Girls style.

– January, 2012, Rochester N.Y. in a heavy snowfall. I’m running with several of my regular running partners on an 8-mile loop that felt like the death of me as we trudged through piles of snow. On the backside of the loop, our group ran on the shoulder of a main road. The sidewalk was buried and we wanted to make sure we stayed upright.

Cue the snowplow.

It was headed straight for us. And to the driver’s defense, we were in the road and it was quite snowy. But that plow, it wasn’t slowing down or veering to the side. So we dove head first into the snow bank. The plow went by, the driver smiled and waved. We got up, brushed ourselves off and finished that run!

After the snowplow “incident” with pals Audra and Gary

– August 2012, Central Park in NYC and it’s nearly 90 by 7 am. I snoozed my alarm one too many times and started my 12-miler later than planned. It was hot and horribly humid and I was in town to visit with Meri and take in a show.

I stopped at every water fountain I spotted and was seriously considering climbing the fence to the reservoir to dunk my head. The run wasn’t going well, the hills at the north end of the park made my legs feel like lead and all runners on the road passed me as though I were standing still.

About 5 miles in, I saw him.

I was running at the south end of Central Park, staring toward the hi-rises in Columbus Circle, thinking about how bad the movie Cloverfield really was.

Ryan Gosling ran past me in a pastel T-shirt and dark shorts. Our eyes locked for a second and on we went.

Wait a minute? I thought. What’s Ryan Lochte doing in New York? He should be in London prepping for his next big race at the summer games.

I shook my head and looked back over my shoulder. That wasn’t Ryan Lochte. That was Ryan Gosling.

I laughed. Still running, I looked down and thought what a sweaty mess I was. I laughed again, rather loudly.

And then I missed a turn, sending me back toward New York’s East Side instead of north. I laughed again and shook my fist. Gosling, you distracted me! Yep, people stared.

The run itself was awful. I was slow, overheated and thirsty. But the eye candy, that was real.

Searching for Ryan Gosling in Central Park (not really, just posing!)

What’s the most unusual thing, or ransom person, you’ve seen while running? Tell us about it in the comments! And we’d love to see photos via twitter!

And most importantly, should I have turned around to chase Gosling down?

A Bunch Of Random Things, With Pictures

February 19, 2014 by beewhobabbles

I wanted to tell you all about the two yoga classes that my fit friends and I hit this month (Take that, Fit Club Fail!) (Spoiler: Neither one was Bikram.) but I am just crazy busy this week. Instead, I present to you some things I am doing and loving and thinking about right this second, along with some pictures. In other words, a completely self-indulgent blog post.

First- this arrived at my house yesterday.

photo 5-7

We visited the tasting room for Thumbprint Cellars on our 5th anniversary trip to California a few years ago, and this Christmas, J gifted me with a membership to their wine club. This is chardonnay, and they even sent a bar of chocolate. It’s like they know me.

Second- it is Girl Scout cookie time and I am eating all the cookies. My friend sent me one of those cat meme pictures that says “ATE 4 BOXES OF THIN MINTS. NOT FEELING VERY THIN.” That cat is my soul sister, you guys. I mean, really- could those cookies be any more delicious? And the scouts are just too cute to deny-

Alright, so that is my adorable kid. (You may think she is channeling Vanna White here at our cookie booth, but that is really her Elsa pose. She does it for all photos these days. Don’t you want to build a snowman? And buy some cookies?) I’m her troop leader, so I really can’t say no, but next year I am buying two boxes and donating the rest to the military. Remind me, okay?

Our council is one of the test councils for the Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Shortbread and I bought a bag for one of you! I’ll be posting a giveaway for that soon.

Third- A Fresh Market opened in my city and it’s a Very Big Deal. I popped in last week to check it out and took home this bag of popcorn-

photo 2-14

Which might taste better than Boom Chicka Pop. LE GASP. But really. Black pepper! It’s delightful. (It has an odd smell though, which I can’t figure out because the ingredients are normal, non-chemical-y things. But still. Tasty. Just don’t stick your nose in the bag. Which would be a weird thing to do anyway.)

In non-food related things that I love this week, my daughters are now proud owners of Nike sneakers.

photo 1-10

They’re very excited to be “matchies” with me, and now beg every day to go for a run. I know I gave birth to them, so I have to think they’re adorable, but really. SO ADORABLE.

More on the topic of running- Tonight, I get to hang out with THE MOTHER RUNNERS. Well, not “hang out” so much as listen to them talk about running at a local fitness store. But yay! I love their books and the way they inspire women, and well, I’m also looking forward to the swag bag.

And finally, this weekend is the Glass Slipper Challenge! Sara and I are working on our matching costumes (we’ll be dressed up as the same character that our daughters did for Halloween this year. That’s all I’m sharing for now.), and I’m making plans to see Vic and Heather. There will be lots of squeeing, hugging, merriment and pictures of it all.

I’ve been doing my long runs with my friends, Sara and Dorothy, and this weekend will be Dorothy’s first half marathon and Sara will most likely PR in both races. Even though I won’t be setting any personal records, I’m really excited to see my friends reach their goals. As much as running is a solo sport, it can also have the feel of being on a team. We’ve all worked hard, and we’ve done it together. On Sunday, I’ll be as happy for them as I would be if it were my own personal victory.

On a completely superficial note, I cannot wait to have that shoe medal. Because SHOES.

So…favorite wine? Favorite Girl Scout cookies? Favorite expensive health food store snacks? Talk to me! Who is running Disney this weekend?

All You Need is Love?

February 14, 2014 by camoozle

There are just certain things that I absolutely love. My fella, my friends and family, of course, and my animals. My children…I love them the most. But there are other things in this world that inspire me. That make me just a little bit happier each day.

Like The Beatles. I love The Beatles, especially circa Sgt. Pepper. I love vanilla ice cream splashed with a little milk so that little milk ice crystals form. I love eggplant and sushi and well-prepared coffee. I love shoes and knee socks and clever t-shirts. I love that show Intervention and I love Meg Ryan movies. I love Bethesda video games and board games and old card games. I love math. Yep, math. It’s so reliable.

I love exercise. I love the way my legs feel like jello after Barre class and that post workout soreness, despite the fact I can hardly sit down to pee without wincing. I love it when I can’t breathe because my abs hurt so bad. I love when I inhale during yoga and exhale just a little bit deeper into a pose. I love that point in my run when I forget that I’m running and my body takes over and I truly believe for a minute that I can run forever. And I love when I’m done. Oh, how I love the finish.

I love me. I really do. But I’m not taking care of myself like I should be. Which is why I’ve signed up for Body Back, an eight week diet and exercise counseling program that is offered at my gym. The classes are capped at 12 people and from what I’ve heard, the hour long session consists of some body conditioning and some mental conditioning. We’re given a plan for food and we’re asked to journal everything we eat. All of this sounds fantastic. I like the idea of combining the physical with the mental because as we all know, if you’re not at peace up in the noggin, you can’t really find peace anywhere else. I really want to fix my relationship with food. There’s just one tiny thing that’s making me a bit nervous.

We’re weighed each class. Like on a scale. With a number.

Here’s the thing, I haven’t weighed myself in over a year. I won’t even look at the number when I go to the doctor. I gauge everything by how I feel, how my body feels, how my pants feel, how I feel about what I see in the mirror. Numbers used to rule my life…the number on the scale, the number of calories I ate versus the number of calories I burned, the number of days I worked out, the number on my clothing tags. Those numbers made me feel like shit because they not only quantified my success, but my failures as well. I put the numbers behind me because I don’t like to fail. And I really don’t like to feel like shit. But now I’m putting myself in a position where numbers will once again dictate my success.

I’m in a much better place now, emotionally, mentally, physically, than I was back then. I’ve learned to forgive myself for my failures and accept that failure is the only way we grow. Mistakes are just learning experiences. And I love learning things. I’m really excited to start this program because I don’t like the way I feel right now. I don’t like the way I feel about what I see in the mirror. I don’t know what to expect but I’m going in with an open mind. And maybe I’ll even learn to love those numbers again.

Oh Kiddo, My Kiddo

February 10, 2014 by Meridith

Nine years ago tomorrow, at 9:49 in the morning, I became a mom.

Since then I’ve learned what it is to be a parent and it’s a continual learning process. The role of a parent isn’t the same as mom, which might surprise some, while others might be nodding their head in agreement. I’m always a mom. But I bring out the parent hat in teachable moments, when I need to guide and lead my children.

Recently (and here’s where it gets really cool) Pooks and I have been establishing our friendship. Now, the roles of mom and parent always supersede the role as friend, but we are growing into this new found part of our relationship.

It’s freaking awesome!

Going into our 9th year of being us, there are things that we enjoy doing together that are ours.

He recently read a book that he loved and then suggested that I read it because he knew I would love it, too. The love of reading is something I shared with my mom and it’s so cool to see this continue on to the next generation.

Furthermore, he’s more in tune with me in an emotional sense. When our dog got sick and my husband was at the vet with him, Pooks was there with me when I got the call from Jay that Jack wasn’t going to be coming home with him. To have him with me in that vulnerable moment, when I couldn’t put on the mom or parent hat, and just needed to have him as my friend was invaluable. He’s starting to see me as a person. For so long, I think it was really easy to only relate to each other as our given roles in a family; now it’s more than that.

In honor of Valentine’s Day coming up, I’ve been decorating my family members doors with hearts and reasons why I love them. There are currently nine Valentine’s on Pooks’ door.

1. I love you because you are musical and want to learn more.

2. I love you because there are so many things you want to do and explore.

3. I love you because you are Principal of the Day.

4. I love you because you always ask if I am okay if I’ve been sad or upset.

5. I love you because you’re a good big brother.

6. I love you because you sing in the shower.

7. I love you because you are ridiculous!

8. I love you because you care about animals.

9. I love you because you are a great kid.

Here’s to my son, my friend, my nine year old.

Ch-ch-changes

February 7, 2014 by writeitdownjess

I’m a fan of routine. I like it. I crave it, even. Most of the things in my life have been there for years and years, have integrated themselves into my day-to-day so that they’re second nature. I hardly have to think about it. I’ve been very, very comfortable.

But for me, comfortable turned into safe. I told myself when 2014 rolled around that I would shake things up, that I would put myself out there and make decisions that would challenge my status quo. I was hoping that some opportunity would come along that would force me to be decidedly uncomfortable.

That opportunity did come along in the form of a job offer and yesterday was my last day at the company I’ve called my second home for nine years. For lack of a better phrase, I grew up there. I was fresh out of the gates of college when I started there. I got engaged while I was there, got married, had a kid. Ticked away my 20s and welcomed my 30s there. I worked – and became great friends – with some of the most incredible, smart, funny, talented people there.

It was a really, really good place to grow up. It was not an easy place to leave, but sometimes the things that aren’t easy are the things we need in order to keep growing. It’s easy to be comfortable. It feels nice to know what your next step is, what your minutes look like every day, exactly how your time is filled. But there is also a real exhilaration that comes along with forcing yourself into a new normal.

The end of an era in my comfy seat (with a great view).

I’m sharing this with all of you because sometimes we all need a nudge to be brave and get out there, to blaze a new path, even if it means getting a little bit burned along the way. That’s how we learn and grow. If you’re thinking about doing that thing you’re scared of, intrigued by, itching to do but not really sure about because it’s kind of uncomfy, I say do it. Let it scare you and overwhelm you and then do it anyway, because you’ll be amazed at your bravery and it will just spur you to do something else. It will turn into an avalanche of discomfort and bravery! That sounds fun, right? I promise it is. And it’ll be worth it.

2014 is turning into a year of newness and change for me: a new job, a new haircut (okay, fine, that’s a little superficial, but hello, it was like six inches), a half marathon on the books for August. I’m excited – and scared, if I’m being honest, which I always try to be with all of you – to see what other new things will come my way. I can’t wait.

What new things do you have on the books for this year? Is there something you’ve been wanting to try but haven’t yet? Have I spurred you into action?? Talk to me in the comments. 🙂

Swimming: love it or hate it

February 4, 2014 by vfreile

Last weekend I went for a swim on a whim. And it felt great.

Swimming is no longer something I regularly do. It was once the center of my life. I swam, daily, for more than a decade.

With my sister in our first swim team photo, 1984

I was a fish and I loved the water. I proudly reeked of chlorine and my hair felt like straw. You couldn’t drag me away from the water. For years, kicking and pulling my way through a pool was my favorite place to be.

Circa 1986. Can you spot me? (hint: top row)

I swam year-round and by the time I was in high school, I competed for one summer team and two winter teams. I often wore my pajamas to school over my swimsuit for early morning practices. My weeknights were spent at one practice or another (occasionally I had two in one day). And my weekends were spent at meets around southern Pennsylvania and Delaware.

I loved to swim, until I didn’t.

All of a sudden, competitive swimming wasn’t fun anymore. Yes, I learned such incredible life skills through the sport, including the importance of teamwork, the vitality of one’s attitude and that one had to put in the work in order to see results.

I learned numerous life lessons that shaped me into who I am today – thank you Coach Dan! I wouldn’t trade my swimming years for the world. But I was done. It was time to move on.

Eighteen years have passed since I raced my last race – a states meet as part of a medley relay. I remember it like it was yesterday. As part of my YMCA team, I was the 100-butterfly leg of our four-person relay. We swam at an indoor pool at a university in Philadelphia. We fared well and left it all in the pool. It was a fantastic way to end my competitive swimming career, the end of an era.

My summer swim team photo in the early 90s. I think I’m 15 here?

More than once, I’ve since hopped back into the water with goggles and a swim cap to attempt a few laps. I’d always complete my laps, but my heart was never in it.

Instead I walked, I hiked, I ran and I rowed.

Several friends tried to encourage me to tackle triathlons. I politely declined. Later, as those same friends repeatedly pressed, citing my swimming skills as an asset for triathletes, I “not-so-politely” declined.

Swimming was no longer fun for me. Why put myself in a position where I’d most likely loathe each workout? That would be a recipe for disaster.

Then last summer, I joined my friend Jess in the pool as she trained for her first triathlon. Together, we swam laps at a local indoor YMCA.

Stroke after stroke, I started to smile. Unexpectedly, my attitude had shifted. Swimming again became enjoyable.

There was no pressure to go fast. There was no coach shouting improvements for my stroke. It was just me and the open water. And finally, I found myself looking forward to a swim.

It’s funny how you can fall right back into old (swimming) habits.

I can still don a latex swim cap one-handed.

I still count my freestyle strokes on every lap. (It’s typically 21 strokes, if you were interested.)

Backstroke flip turns are still the bane of my existence.

Those rainbows surrounding indoor pool ceiling lights? Yep, they haven’t gone away.

I’m still an awful breast-stroker, but that doesn’t stop me from using it as a “rest lap.”

I still inhale way more chlorinated water than one person should ever consume.

Even when swimming alone in a lane, I still swim on the right side. I have to make room for my fellow swimmers.

Sunday evening, I headed to the pool to tackle a cross-training workout. I laughed at myself as I jumped in the water. In all, I swam more than a mile.

Some strokes were easy, others were hard. But I wanted to swim every one of them. And that, my friends, is something worth cheering about.

Have you ever burnt out on a sport or beloved activity? How do you handle it? Did you ever go back?

Channeling My Inner Janet Jackson

February 3, 2014 by Meridith

I’ve been feeling very out of control of situations lately.

It’s not a good feeling for someone who spends their life being the leader, the one who is in control, the one who (mostly) has their shit together.

However, it’s where I’m at right now and it’s a bit scary to me because I don’t typically function well in this type of environment. I’m not a complainer by nature, but I also don’t like a lot of change. Because change = me not in charge.

Earlier in January I blogged about my dog’s sudden passing. (Thank you for all the love, support and comments.) I’m still trying to deal with that and I’ll admit, it’s taking me longer than I expected to heal from that emotional punch in the heart.

Furthermore, I’m dealing with an injury. Yeah… another one. I came back too fast from my previous injury and developed a heel spur. Which, on its own, wouldn’t actually be a bother because heel spurs don’t hurt.

Except that it’s digging into the plantar fascia tissue. Not cool, heel spur. Not. Cool.

I’m in pain. And have been since November, really, but finally went to the doctor a few weeks ago. (Again with the control thing and thinking that I could fix things on my own. Note to self: I cannot. Also, I’m not a doctor.)

My doctor is very proactive and said that I can continue working out, as much as I can tolerate. I have anti-inflammatory cream, and exercises, and I’m getting custom orthotics (ooooooh, fancy!). If all those exciting things don’t work, we’ll discuss arthroscopic surgery to cut the plantar fascia. He suggested that if something hurts, I do not do it. This includes box jumps, step ups, jumping jacks, and… running.

Let’s get back to that control thing for a minute. That’s a lot of things right there that I’m not able to do. And ordinarily, it would send me into a tailspin. However, I’ve made the conscious decision to focus on the positive and what I can do. Because I can control my reactions to when things don’t go my way.

I can continue working with my trainer and do most things that he barks at me. Furthermore, I am able to speed walking without too much pain, which is exactly what I’m doing. I’m taking charge of the situation and while it’s not ideal, and it sure as heck isn’t running, it’s something. And in my world, something is always better than giving up.

And it really leads back to my motto, I can and I will. Rather than focusing on all the negatives, all the limitations, I’ll be focusing on what I can do to move ahead with my goals.

I’m training for my third Atlantic City April Fool’s Half on April 6^th and I’m committed to getting the training done. By making the speed walking modification (walking on the treadmill at 4.0-4.5) and playing with the incline (anywhere from 2% – 15%. If it’s on 15%, I’m at 2.8 mph), I’m able to get in a good workout. I logged 94 miles in January. My goal is 40-60 minutes three days a week and long “runs” on the weekend. And I doubt this very much since we are in winter forever, but if it ever warms up, I’ll head outside.

So, friends, that’s where I’m at at the moment. Again, it’s not ideal and it’s not where I want to be but as long as I’m breathing and moving, I consider that a win. Yay me!

What do you do when life doesn’t go as planned? Are you a crazy obsessive planner like me or more of a go-with-the-flow type of person? Also, I hope you’re singing Janet Jackson songs for the rest of the day like I’ll be. No, my first name ain’t baby.

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