Speck Runs

Speck also: hikes, lifts, and generally aims to be awesome. Speck never: body shames or perpetuates unhealthy body images. Speck has: PCOS, anxiety, depression, and rad ankle tatts. Speck loves: sunrises, books, lifting callouses, snowy trails, and you, just the way you are.

[speckruns]

Lifting friday! Week 2 of 3x5 stronglifts. Here I am doing a very easy clean. Butya gotta start somewhere. The little wave at the end was at my wife who was standing in the kitchen window, watching. Creep. (Jk)

[speckruns]

I'm back! Let's see if it sticks this time. All depends on whether the baby sleeps, so... we'll see. Starting with some basic strength exercises. Today is working towards a max combo power clean + push press. This is 95# - I did 100# after this, but it was too ugly to really count. My limiting factor is definitely the clean portion. I need to work on form. Pretty surprised I can still push press 95 after all this time.

[sarahfitfoodie]

[speckruns]

Today in a Little Goes a Long Way:

Idk how many minutes (>20) run at 18 degrees over ice and snow, followed by a short snatch practice sesh. 

This is my unimpressed face.

[speckruns]

Hullo!

It’s been a while, but I need to get my motivation back on. Pregnancy and post partum and general Having a Kid has hit me much harder than I thought possible. At first, I was severely limited in what I could do, then I was recovering, then I didn’t have the time, then I didn’t have the energy - woo sleep deprivation - but now things are stabilizing and even if I have to start small, I must still start.

I miss feeling strong and I miss being able to fit into, oh, all of my clothes. But I’m also working with some pretty hardcore limitations, namely:

1) Like legit, not even kidding, no time. My only downtime is when baby is sleeping, during which I also have to hit wordcount and occasionally sleep myself. Unfortunately, moving my body has fallen to last on my list of priorities, but it doesn’t need to be that way. Baby naps for 30, 40min during the day. I can do a 5min workout. 

2) Sleep deprivation. Honestly, I’m not sure how helpful exercise is when one is sleep deprived, but the exhaustion isn’t going away any time soon and even a little exercise has to be beneficial, right?

3) Being super duper sore interferes with my ability to take care of baby, so I have to keep workouts relatively easy.

4) I can’t get away from the house to workout because a: baby, b: no time, and c: no car.

5) It’s midwinter in Michigan and really fucking cold. Okay, the cold isn’t so bad, but the ICE, the ICE is the worst. 

All of these together mean getting out for a run or to the garage for a lifting sesh have become legit difficult. I have to plan and prepare and even then, everything might be thrown off by a meeting at work or a pumping session or an unpredictable baby. 

But.

BUT.

I will not let that stop me. Moving my body, being fit, being healthy is important not only for me, but baby. I also don’t want to shell out money for new clothes come summer. So.

I’ve got a new mantra: a little goes a long way. And I’m going to try and stick with it. A HIIT here. A mile run there. Some push-ups in the morning. A long walk with baby. A 5x5 workout in the garage. Something. Anything. Every. Single. Day.

Yesterday it was 28 degrees and I went out to the garage and did a Starting Strength 5x5 sesh:

5x5 Squats @ 77.5# 5x5 Barbell Rows @ 65# 5x5 Jumping pull-ups @ ***.**#

[thelatestkate]

[whiskandwhittle]

[sass-ily-recovering-blog]

[just-shower-thoughts]

In the USA, it’s 100x cheaper to take an Uber to the hospital instead of an ambulance.

[lachatteestvivante]

I don’t know if this is true or.. Like, having to pay for an ambulance that is taking you to the hospital? That doesn’t make any sense. What kind of distopian world is that?

[witwitch-deactivated20160508]

It costs thousands of dollars to ride in an ambulance

[ireallyluvdogs]

In America some people with chronic health conditions like epilepsy literally have to wear medical IDs that say “don’t call an ambulance/911”. Some well-meaning person calling an ambulance for you will turn into a thousand (or couple thousand) dollars that YOU are on the hook for, even though you didn’t make the call. So, PSA: if you see someone having a seizure, look for a medical ID! You should only call an ambulance if: the person is elderly, pregnant, or the seizure lasts more than 4 minutes. Otherwise, wait for the seizure to pass, then ask the person if they want an ambulance when they regain consciousness.

[numberoneblind]

wtf

[moonblossom]

Oh my god what. Here in Quebec, if you call an ambulance for something they deem non-emergency, you get a bill later for like $180. But if it’s anything like a loss of consciousness, chest pains, labour, whatever, or if you’re in a public place and a a well-meaning samaritan calls 911, it’s paid for by the government. Seriously, everything about healthcare in the US makes me want to cry.

[fenominus-blog]

Imagine a world where you have to wear tags to tell people trying to help you that “It’s ok, don’t try to help, I can’t afford to pay if someone tries to save my life. I’ll just take my chances and hope it’s not life-threatening.”

[speckruns]

I wish I’d had one of those tags when I fainted in a public place and someone called an ambulance. I fainted easily at the time and it wasn’t anything worth going to a hospital for (doctors never figured out wtf it was, but I eventually did: chronic low blood pressure). Unfortunately, I wasn’t 18 yet and my parents weren’t anywhere nearby to deny the medical treatment for me, so I was carted off to the hospital in an ambulance despite my protestations.

3 hours later and after asking me 100 times if I was pregnant, they released me with no meds, no diagnosis, no treatment, and no way home. Thankfully I had my roommate’s number and she had a car.

Then I got to fight with insurance for two years over the $600 ambulance bill. Eventually it went away - idk if insurance ever paid it - but that experience taught me to never ever ever call an ambulance unless someone is literally dying. Also to shout “don’t call an ambulance!” before I pass out in a public space.

Always drive. Always take a cab. Fucking walk. But don’t call 911. 

U-S-A, U-S-A

[speckruns]

Saturday Walk

I have been dealing with/battling/succumbing to gastrointestinal issues these last few days, to the point where I had to stay home from work yesterday. Suffice it to say, I have not been feeling well and did not lift on Thursday or run on Friday.

But I think/hope things are starting to improve, so today to curb my burgeoning restlessness I did a Zombies! Walk. Which is Zombies, Run!, just, you know, walking. Something the creators of Zombies, Run! have always been very good about encouraging, but I’ve never taken them up on.

Now I’m glad I did. It was more fun than a normal walk and I went further than I usually do when I walk and I got to watch the sunrise and feel the below-boiling air and have a little enjoyment for the first time in days.

I harp about listening to your body, taking it easy, and doing what you can, now, but this is the first time I feel like I’ve really listened to my own advice. I tend to think that if all I can do is walk, then I might as well just sit on the couch, but that’s not true at all. Walking isn’t going to give you mad muscles or train your heart for a 5k, but it’s still movement and we are creatures of movement.

Every little bit helps.

[enlightened-health]

EXERCISING IS MORE THAN JUST HOW BIG YOU CAN GET YOUR ASS

[speckruns]

Is it, tho?

[stupid-jogger]

[speckruns]

I'm an obesity doctor. I've seen long-term weight loss work. Here's how.

Don't let the Biggest Loser study get you down! There's hope.

“But what if, like running, the goal with weight loss and/or healthful living was for people to simply do their best? For people to determine their own best efforts, and respect their realities? For a person's reality to include potentially unchangeable limitations like genetics, medical illnesses, socioeconomics, caregiving requirements, job responsibilities, and travel — as well as the fact that food is not just fuel, but also something that we as a species use for comfort, for celebration, and as the substrate of the world's oldest social network?

Embrace the healthful living imperfections of reality, and suddenly the impossible may well become possible...

... if the key to your success is actually liking the life and diet you're living with while you're losing, one person's best diet, if not enjoyed, would be another person's worst.”

[cwote]

The first step is often the hardest… but also the most important. You won’t regret starting something beautiful :)) 

[speckruns]

I’m 99.99% certain I’ve reblogged this before but it’s still perfect.

[expressions-of-nature]

by Maddy Minnis

[speckruns]

Tuesday Run

Woof. 46min. Zombies 5k, you’re killing me. But it’s good cardio, which I don’t usually do, so there.

I used the intervals as sprints again, which might not have been the best idea. Sorry, Baby Speck. Maybe you’ll be really into boats and rollercoasters when you’re older.

Loving these gorgeous spring mornings.

[cardioqueen]

I’m here for the Fitblrs who don’t have name brand workout apparel.

I’m here for the Fitblrs who don’t have a gym membership but they still kick ass anyway.

I’m here for the Fitblrs who are overweight and still shine through.

I’m here for the Fitblrs who don’t have thousands and thousands followers.

I’m here for the Fitblrs who try their best and don’t get the recognition they deserve.

Keep it up you guys. You’re amazing!