Kickin' Up The Pace

Trying to live a healthier lifestyle; a more active lifestyle.

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Happy #globalrunningday.

I actually went to our local Wednesday night 5k run. Didn’t quite do a 5k, but 3.00 miles is close enough.

I really had no plan for what I would run tonight since I know I can’t run a full 5k yet. So I chose to jog 5 mins/ walk 1 min. My time slows down over time, sure enough. But I did get to 3.00 miles, the longest “run” I’ve had in quite some time.

3.00, 35:44, Average pace 11:54/mile.

We signed up for a 5k in about 2.5 weeks. If I just keep going out for runs like tonight, I might be able to run the whole thing with no walking.

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Wow, it has been so long since I’ve been on here. Lately I’ve been thinking about how out of shape I’ve become. I can barely run a straight mile, no walking. I used to be able to go out for a 4, 5 or even 6 mile run anytime, just on a whim, no big deal. I could plan on a 4 mile run then decide to add on a couple more because I was feeling it. And I loved running. I miss those days. I really miss those days. What happened?

Ah, yes. Life. Happiness and a lot of heartache, then more happiness, then just busy, struggles and laziness. I think I’ll keep this a shorter post and go more in depth in future posts. For now I just wanted to try and identify where it all disappeared.

Now the question is, how will I get back there? Strength and determination. Support. Goals. Desire to want to change. I’ve already got that. That’s part of the reason I’m making this post. I want to change. And one of the tools that helped me before was writing about my activities, my fails, my successes (woohoo). I need to come back to this tool.

We have a sign in our garage that says “if it doesn’t challenge you it won’t change you”. I love that. I haven’t been challenging myself and that changes today.

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Wildlife while golfing.

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Well we know who’s not afraid to get dirty. Runnin in the Ruff 2 Mile and 10k in Milaca.

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Our Sunday mornings. Dirt bike races and morning snoozes for the furbaby.

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So I mentioned in my last post that I’m getting used to crossfit. Mostly I’ve been going 1-3 times a week. Lately I’ve been making myself go 3-4 times a week. I think the increase in my attendance is due to improving physically. This week at the gym starts 7 weeks of squats, so every other day will include some sort of squat, and every week will include pain, so much pain.

This week so far:

Monday: Warm up - 350 m row 4 rounds Tabata - Squats, Ring Rows, Push-ups (elbow touch)

Strength: 10 min. Back Squat 6x 65% 1 rep max of front squat (5 sets)                              Front Squat 3x 65% 1 rep max of front squat (5 sets)

WOD:  4 rds for time 325 m row 8 push ups 10 Wall Ball (12#) Time: 10:31

Tuesday:  Warm up - 3rds, 10 Walking lunges, 5 broad jumps, 3 walk outs 2rds, 5 pull ups, 10 Russian KBS, 200 m row

WOD: Helen “on a boat” 3rds 350 m row, 21 American KBS (.7 pood), 12 jumping pull-ups Time: 10:09

Today should be interesting. More front squats and 5 rounds of too much, including more rowing. 

And every week I feel like this

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Be kind, please just be kind

First, I know I haven’t posted anything in a long time. I just really felt it necessary to make this post, both because it’s a good reminder to just be kind, and I really needed to get it off my chest since I’m too shy to say anything to the ones making the comments.

Today I went to my crossfit class, which I’m starting to get more and more in to. Before class we usually foam roll, mash muscles and stretch. Today in this start to class there were two people by me that were having a conversation, and I’m not going to say specifically what their conversation was about. To make this a little easier to follow I’m going to use a few labels; Alvin, Simon and Theodore.

So Alvin was telling Simon about Theodore, who neither of them know personally and I also do not know Theodore. Apparently Theodore ran a certain distance in a certain amount of time that Alvin felt was really slow, even for a girl. To be clear, Theodore is a male and Alvin is a female. Alvin kept bashing how slow Theodore’s run was and how Theodore should feel soooo embarrassed. Simon seemed to agree and was saying Theodore was going to have a rude awakening because he is going to be going through basic training and, if that specific run was that slow, Theodore is going to have a rough time.

Through this whole conversation I just kept doing my mashing and foam rolling and stretching, being silent. What I should have done was tell them not to judge Theodore. They don’t know his story. Maybe that distance is the longest he’s run in one shot. Maybe that time is the fastest he’s run that distance. Maybe he had something terrible happen in his life and he’s trying to get back on track. You don’t know him or his story. Even though Theodore wasn’t there, that doesn’t give you the right to talk poorly about him. It just makes it easier for people who don’t know you to make bad judgments about you.

Anyway, there’s my two cents. Just be kind to people who might be trying to change their lifestyle. Everyone starts somewhere. Don’t knock them down, encourage them and show positivity. 

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New adventures

This summer has really gotten away from me. Definitely not the summer I was expecting. I continue to struggle with my running. In fact, I have not run in a couple weeks because I just don’t want to deal with the pain that comes to my lower legs. 

Then in the middle of July I was let go from my job, unnecessary. And a week later my puppy of 14 years crossed that rainbow bridge. It was a very difficult week. But then a week later I got to spend a little over a week up at our favorite vacation spot in Northern Minnesota. Just my mom and I, and we did absolutely nothing. Nothing, other than reading, sitting on the beach, playing cards, bingo, and napping. It was fantastic and relaxing. Exactly what I needed.

After I got home from “vacation” I looked more into something I’ve wanted to try for some time. Crossfit. I had reached out to one gym a while ago but never heard back from them, so I reached out to another crossfit gym in the area. This gym got back to me and I started my onramping classes last week. I have my last one tomorrow and then I can go to the regular classes! 

I am so excited to see what this adventure brings. 

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Nice day for some outside time with my running shoes and pup.

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A little exercise was needed today.

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A little Sunday project. My first time reupholstering anything, so I'm happy with the outcome.

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First hump day of the year. I survived...even though my foot went numb.

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Out for a walk on this nice weathered day.

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Believe you can and you're half way there

Theadore Roosevelt

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A fresh start

I have not posted in a very long time. I actually do miss documenting my athletic/physical activities. I’ve had a lot of changes in the past year, mostly the last few months of 2016. Good and bad. So to find myself at my highest weight yet is not surprising. 

First, a quick run through. Work was stressful. I was the only receptionist covering the majority of the phone calls coming in and the only one taking care of the chart prepping for upcoming clinic days, making charts, filing charts, check-in, check-out, and other many miscellaneous duties. At the same time I was planning my wedding to take place the end of October. AND at the same time my dad was going downhill fast with his fight with stage four lung cancer. My main concern was that he was able to be there to give me away because I knew he would want to give me away, as well as I wanted him to give me away. We made it through our wedding day and dad was able to be there, albeit not feeling so well. We got our dance together and then he was whisked away to go home and rest. And the rest of the night was kind of a blur. Exactly 4 weeks later Dad passed away, surrounded by his family. Then another exactly 4 weeks later we had to go through our first Christmas without Dad. It was a rough Fall. 

I cared about gaining weight and being unhealthy, but I also didn’t care because I wanted my comfort vices. I wanted my pizza; I wanted my Dr. Pepper; and I certainly wanted my high fat, high sugar, empty and high calorie coffee treats. I cared. It has bothered me the way I look now. I’m not comfortable in my clothes. I can’t stand my muffin top.

Recently, though, I feel like I’m coming out of a fog. I want to be more active, I want to be healthier. So, because I know blogging helped me before, I need to return to it. This morning I started a 5 day trial of a product a friend is selling. I took my initial weight, measurements and pictures. Hopefully after these 5 days I have some results and I can have some really good before and after posts. 

Until then, here’s a run from today. 2.00 miles | 19:36. I hate starting over, but you have to start somewhere. 

Laters

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Most memorable race I almost didn't get to run.