Fit & Happy

I'm Corinne, 28-year-old runner, artist, and Coast Guardsman. I started my foray into fitness in late June/early July of 2011. Since then I have lost 50 lbs and gained a passion for all kinds of new activities. :) TAGS Running Workouts Weight Loss Coast Guard FIND ME ELSEWHERE Dailymile Art Tumblr

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It's tradition for me to do handstands after a lifting session! Being upside-down makes me happy. 👌

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2 miles in 18:51

2 miles in 18:37

2 miles in 18:46

I’m still running, still lifting heavy things, still traveling, still taking Coast Guard photos and writing Coast Guard stories, still burning the candle at both ends!

Life is good.

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2 miles in 19:28

Hello all! I know I’ve been MIA, but I was on a long vacation in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, then at Disney World. (I know, I lead such a wretched life).

The pain in my hips was worsening again, so I decided a few weeks off from running might help. While they’re still stubbornly tight, I’m ready to ease carefully back into a modified version of my normal routine.

I’ve also started dedicating more time to lifting weights again, because I realize strengthening my overall musculature, especially my legs and core, can only help my hips.

This 2-miler today was pretty rough, but I expected it would be. The icy wind didn’t help, but my weakened endurance was the real issue. I’m looking forward to building myself back up!

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2.02 miles in 19:07

Friday miles, Friday smiles!

It was pretty damn cold outside today; I even saw some snowflakes tumbling down earlier in the afternoon. My fingers were cold during this run, and I instantly wished I had gone for the full glove. I listened to the “Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids” podcast, which is adorable and funny, and I enjoyed myself!

Now I eagerly await my husband’s arrival. I love Fridays!!

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3.1 miles in 29:15

Carving out time at the end of each work day to exercise, no matter how busy or stressed-out I feel at the time, is so important to me.

I’ve taken on more projects and tasks during the last few months, and for a while there, I was working late in the office nearly every day. I eked out my workouts later and later into the evenings, and as a result, they became more sluggish and harried.

For the past week and a half, I’ve been back on track, more disciplined in pausing my work to run or work out a certain time each day. Damn, I love structure. Structure is so  alluring, even sexy, in a way. (Said no one except me, ever).

Anyway, I felt queasy during this run, so it wasn’t the greatest experience ever. But I’m happy I made time to do it as planned. Structure. Ahh.

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1.5 miles in 13:56

It was painfully windy outside, so I kept this outing brief! Because I cut my run a bit short, I did a long, grueling abs workout when I got home, then thoroughly stretched my hips. 

My cat does not appreciate me doing scissor kicks; it’s a little difficult to work out properly with a lanky kitten flinging himself at your feet every three seconds!

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Me and Meri chillin’ like villains after my run!

3 miles in 29:25

I ran right at dusk, using up the last few ounces of sunlight. The air was cold, but being the human oven that I am, I needed to unzip my fleece after only a few minutes. I felt pretty sluggish and heavy on this run, but I coached myself through it.

My husband and I are serving in separate branches of the military in separate locations. We’re currently closer than ever before (~3.5 hours), so he’s able to spend most weekends with me at our apartment. To combat the inevitable pangs of sadness I feel every Sunday evening when he leaves, I like to immediately lace up my shoes and go for a run. Even if it’s a semi-shitty run like this one, it helps me channel my sadness into something physical, something therapeutic. And that is invaluable to me now.

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2 miles in 19:24

Happy Friday, y’all! The wind was pretty nasty today, drying out my hands and slapping me in the face n’ shit. But I tried to enjoy myself and enjoy the sunshine anyway, which I did, to some extent. I had hoped for 3 miles today, but the wind deterred me, as did the presence of two creepers lurking in the parking lot and leering at me/making remarks both times I passed by. Sigh.

I look forward to living in a more runner-friendly (or at least runner-peaceful) neighborhood this summer. We are also looking to get a puppy in about a year, a puppy that will then grow into a lovely big dog who hopefully will enjoy running with me, and subsequently make some of the creepers think twice about making stupid-ass comments, or worse.

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3.1 miles in 29:35

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy / Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry / Sunshine on the water looks so lovely / Sunshine almost always makes me high

I’m so pleased that it’s possible to experience sunny, 70-degree weather in late January in Virginia! This would’ve been unthinkable in Rhode Island. I enjoyed this gift of beautiful weather during my run today, and focused on the warmth of the sun on my face and the loveliness of the trees and lake.

My right hip felt a little tight, sending a few warning twinges down the side of my leg, but for the most part, I felt good.

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Two nearly-identical runs in two nearly-identical outfits within the past week:

2 miles in 18:52

2 miles in 18:56

It’s been a busy week for me; I spent most of it working in D.C. for the inauguration.I was doing behind-the-scenes stuff in concurrence with the Secret Service, which I promise sounds way cooler than it actually was. But I can’t deny that I love getting the chance to represent the Coast Guard in these situations!

My hips have been painfully tight all week, hence the stretching seen above. Chair-sit is one of the most grueling stretches for me in my current state, but it’s the “hurts so good” kind of pain, and I’m hoping all the stretching pays off in the long run.

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2 miles in 18:19

By the time I got off work, it was already too dark outside to safely navigate the icy, snow-laced roads by foot. I’m not trying to sprain my ankle again this year. So I stayed inside to lift weights (chest, shoulders) and run on the ‘mill!

I felt really springy and happy during the first 10 minutes of this run, probably because my tunes were on point. It became a bit less appealing during the second half, but before I knew it, I was done!

Now to make like Meri and curl up on the couch.

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Artist currently stationed in Virginia. Fancies obnoxiously bright colors, portraiture, and Prisma pencils. E-mail: [email protected]

Because my gal @madeforthesoul a few anons asked to see my artwork... :)

This reminds me I have a few very recent pieces I need to upload. Must get on that!

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3.1 miles in 29:25

I had the day off today, and I spent the vast majority of my time finishing two paintings I was commissioned to do a couple months ago. I’m not jazzed about the subject matter, which is partly why I was dragging my feet, but at least I’m getting that $$$!

Anyway, I was eager to leave my den of reluctant painting for the duration of this run. I still felt some tightness in my hips, but it wasn’t terrible, and for the most part I enjoyed this.

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Day 38: 1.01 miles in 8:47

Day 39: 2 miles in 18:56

With these two runs, I can officially proclaim...

Streak: complete!!

This experience was pretty damn great, this time around. This is my third time completing the Runner’s World holiday streak, and it was by far my best experience out of the three. Some days were rough, of course, and I went through a week of awful stress at work when finding time to run was daunting, but I still found a way to eke out my daily miles.

I realized long ago that this streak is more about mental endurance than physical prowess, to me. It teaches you how to begin, maintain, and complete a simple goal, no matter how inconvenient it feels on certain days. You make a commitment to yourself, and force yourself to follow through, until one day it feels natural and you settle into the routine.

On the physical side of things, I love that the streak helped me shave about a minute off my “comfortable” mile pace. I started off running a 9:40/mile average at autopilot, and can now churn out an 8:50/mile without thinking too hard about it. That’s the beauty of repetition and practice!

With that said, my hips have been aching pretty badly the past couple days, and I can tell my body is ready for a break. I’ll be back on that horse soon, though! I just need a couple days to stretch, foam roll, and take it easy.... easier, that is.

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Day 37: 3.1 miles in 29:32

I was so excited to get out of work early, head to the lake, and tackle a cold, windy 5K! I just had a feeling this run was going to be great before I began, and I was right. I wanted it to be good, so it was!

Only 2 more days left in this streak, and while I’ve really enjoyed it this time around, my hips are starting to ache. I’m looking forward to a break.

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Day 36: 1.5 miles in 13:42

I reeeeeallly wasn’t feeling this today. I woke up early and had to handle some work business, and the duty phone kept ringing incessantly, so I didn’t get to go back to sleep as planned. That set the tone for my whole day, though I managed to be productive and run a bunch of errands.

When I finally got home, I felt lackadaisical and not in the mood to run. An icy rain was falling, and my energy was low. But I’ve gotten this far in the running streak, and there’s no way in hell I’m going to stop now!

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Day 36: 1 mile in 9:00

Sometimes a long, stressful, mentally-taxing day at work yields a quick, satisfying run. I wish I had time for a longer one, but it just wasn’t in the cards today.

I am so relieved to have a day off tomorrow! I need a mental break from work, and it’ll be nice to run when I choose, for how long I choose.