It's true. Racing can be scary as all hell for so so so many reasons.
I have a race coming up this Satruday, and I'm straight up terrified. I'm running the Airport Challenge at Race the Runways. That means I'm running a 1 mile race, and following it up with a Half Marathon. I've run a zillion half marathons--this shouldn't be a huge deal.
But it feels that way.
I've trained up to 14 miles, and I have lots of 11, 10, 9, and 8 milers under my belt. But you know what? With this #$%^^&%$$# (pick your favorite swear word to fill in the blank) knee injury, my training's been totally spotty.
That said, my training's been a lot faster than usual, too.
Here's the bottom line...my race could be surprisingly amazing, horribly terrible, or anywhere in between.
So that was the bottom line, now here's the kicker...20ish people I know, love and coach will be there running the 5k. That means they'll finish before me and probably witness the whole unpredictable event. Hoo boy. High potential for ugliness, embarrassment, and an overall sense of wanting to die.
I've weighed my options, and here they are:
a) Race the mile and do the half marathon as an easy training run.
b) Race the mile and pace my girl Tara during her first half marathon.
c) Run the mile as a warm up and race the half marathon.
d) Tell everyone my knee still hurts (because it kind of does) and forget the whole thing.
e) Race both.
As much as it's my dead last choice, I've picked option e. (side note: typing that phrase just induced genuine dry heaving).
If I run like total and complete crap, so what. If I run super well and set a PR, so what. In the grand scheme of things, I'm a life long runner. Every race comes with different circumstances. Some races are ridiculously amazing, and some straight up blow.
One time, I was the 6th place overall woman in a marathon. Another time, I dropped out at mile 20 and took the quitter bus to the finish line. Really, I survived both and I'm just plain old me.
So I'll give it my best and see what happens. Either way, I hope I'm a good example to everyone who trains at Kennebec Valley Coaching.
Some days you have it some days you don't. Either way, you just freaking keep on trying.
Showing posts with label no excuses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no excuses. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
10 Reason You Should JUST FREAKING EXERCISE
I guess you can say I've always been an exerciser.
Sports? Absolutely not so much. Sticks, balls, shin guards, scores...oh my word, I have the cold sweats just typing those horrifying words. But regular old exercise? I've always been able to do.
I'm lucky, I like to work up a sweat and feel all burny. My husband on the other hand? He'd rather grow a boob on his back than skip to the corner and jog back home.
My point is this: Some people like to exercise and some people hate to exercise, but either way, you should really freaking exercise! Allow me to convince you...
1) Exercise makes your brain release endorphins and makes you feel all happy. Aside from that, exercise is now recognized as an anti-depressant. For real. Check out this article by this really smart professor from Boston University. He's cute and I believe him.
2) Sweating is good for you. Why? Well, a lot of reasons. But think about this...sweating is one of the major mechanisms for your body to get rid of muck, and gunk, and biproducts, and toxins. Really, if you're a regular heavy sweater, you don't have to worry about shopping around so much for colon cleanses and whatnot--you're already doing a pretty good job of sweating your excess crud right out through your pores.
This is also why you should never lick your treadmill.
3) If you're an exerciser, you can justify all kinds of adorable purchases from the active section of TJ Maxx. For real, have you been there lately? If you don't have an interest in wearing the world's cutest NorthFace half-zip for only $17.99, then let's just face it, you're a wreck of a person.
4) Once your find what you're into, exercise is honestly fun. Is it fun every single minute? No. But in general, bike rides, interval walks, dodge ball, ultimate frisbee...fun.
5) Movement and endurance are basic life skills. A few weeks ago, I saw a little boy dart into the parking lot at Sam's Club, and his mom wasn't able to chase after him. She had a really hard time changing directions, hopping a curb, and generally keeping up. My heart totally sunk for her. Motherhood is so stinkin' exhausting all on it's own--a basic level of fitness makes it more manageable.
Maybe you don't have a toddler who makes you feel like your hair's about to burst into flames, but you probably do have big bags of flour to lift at the grocery store, a lawn to mow, a fun run to benefit a friend....see where I'm going?
6) At our core, human beings like to move--and that's why I have a hard time believing it when people say things like, "I have no interest in exercise," or "I really hate moving and sweating." Don't get me wrong, on the surface, people hate these things, but deep down, we all want to be active. Think about it--out all these activities, in your wildest dreams, which ones seem most appealing to you?
Now don't get me wrong here. I looooove TV as much as the next guy, but my wildest dreams only have me watching TV while I sit on Dr. Drew's lap in Southern California.
6) Any idea what gives people heart problems? Family history, diet, lack of conditioning, and stress. Stress. Stupid, stupid stress makes people sick in so many ways. Now I'm stressed that I'll get sick from stress. But guess what? Exercise is an awesome stress reliever, and does a good job of helping people move on from disappointing and difficult parts of their days. It's almost like a magical reset button.
7) Exercise has a good chance of giving you a longer life, and making that life a lot more healthy and enjoyable.
8) Every time you finish a workout, whether it was your best ever or your worst ever, you just accomplished something hard. That feels good. Tackling hard things helps people a good sense of self. When people start exercising, they often worry that they'll feel inferior, or fat, or silly, or embarrassed. Honestly, 99% of the time I see the opposite effect. Exercise builds self esteem.
9) Exercise can be a hobby, and it's cool to have hobbies. Trust me, there's nothing worse than going on a date and when the hot guy's all, "So...what are you into?" You're like, "Ummmm....errrr.....well....Twitter? Shopping? I love to sleep!" Way more awesome to be able to say something like, "Tennis."
10) And finally, exercise is a great way to make new friends. Join a bowling league, or a spin class, or a soccer team, or a running club. Sweating your balls off, it builds bonds. Commiseration is a foolproof way to make a new friend.
So. Did I convince you? In the next post, I'll help you learn how to get started!
Sports? Absolutely not so much. Sticks, balls, shin guards, scores...oh my word, I have the cold sweats just typing those horrifying words. But regular old exercise? I've always been able to do.
I'm lucky, I like to work up a sweat and feel all burny. My husband on the other hand? He'd rather grow a boob on his back than skip to the corner and jog back home.
My point is this: Some people like to exercise and some people hate to exercise, but either way, you should really freaking exercise! Allow me to convince you...
1) Exercise makes your brain release endorphins and makes you feel all happy. Aside from that, exercise is now recognized as an anti-depressant. For real. Check out this article by this really smart professor from Boston University. He's cute and I believe him.
2) Sweating is good for you. Why? Well, a lot of reasons. But think about this...sweating is one of the major mechanisms for your body to get rid of muck, and gunk, and biproducts, and toxins. Really, if you're a regular heavy sweater, you don't have to worry about shopping around so much for colon cleanses and whatnot--you're already doing a pretty good job of sweating your excess crud right out through your pores.
This is also why you should never lick your treadmill.
3) If you're an exerciser, you can justify all kinds of adorable purchases from the active section of TJ Maxx. For real, have you been there lately? If you don't have an interest in wearing the world's cutest NorthFace half-zip for only $17.99, then let's just face it, you're a wreck of a person.
4) Once your find what you're into, exercise is honestly fun. Is it fun every single minute? No. But in general, bike rides, interval walks, dodge ball, ultimate frisbee...fun.
5) Movement and endurance are basic life skills. A few weeks ago, I saw a little boy dart into the parking lot at Sam's Club, and his mom wasn't able to chase after him. She had a really hard time changing directions, hopping a curb, and generally keeping up. My heart totally sunk for her. Motherhood is so stinkin' exhausting all on it's own--a basic level of fitness makes it more manageable.
Maybe you don't have a toddler who makes you feel like your hair's about to burst into flames, but you probably do have big bags of flour to lift at the grocery store, a lawn to mow, a fun run to benefit a friend....see where I'm going?
6) At our core, human beings like to move--and that's why I have a hard time believing it when people say things like, "I have no interest in exercise," or "I really hate moving and sweating." Don't get me wrong, on the surface, people hate these things, but deep down, we all want to be active. Think about it--out all these activities, in your wildest dreams, which ones seem most appealing to you?
Hiking around Acadia Park with some friends.
Playing soccer with your kids.
Doing tricks on a trampoline.
Playing video games.
Taking a Dance class.
Facebooking for a few hours.
Water skiing.
Watching TV.
Now don't get me wrong here. I looooove TV as much as the next guy, but my wildest dreams only have me watching TV while I sit on Dr. Drew's lap in Southern California.
6) Any idea what gives people heart problems? Family history, diet, lack of conditioning, and stress. Stress. Stupid, stupid stress makes people sick in so many ways. Now I'm stressed that I'll get sick from stress. But guess what? Exercise is an awesome stress reliever, and does a good job of helping people move on from disappointing and difficult parts of their days. It's almost like a magical reset button.
7) Exercise has a good chance of giving you a longer life, and making that life a lot more healthy and enjoyable.
8) Every time you finish a workout, whether it was your best ever or your worst ever, you just accomplished something hard. That feels good. Tackling hard things helps people a good sense of self. When people start exercising, they often worry that they'll feel inferior, or fat, or silly, or embarrassed. Honestly, 99% of the time I see the opposite effect. Exercise builds self esteem.
9) Exercise can be a hobby, and it's cool to have hobbies. Trust me, there's nothing worse than going on a date and when the hot guy's all, "So...what are you into?" You're like, "Ummmm....errrr.....well....Twitter? Shopping? I love to sleep!" Way more awesome to be able to say something like, "Tennis."
10) And finally, exercise is a great way to make new friends. Join a bowling league, or a spin class, or a soccer team, or a running club. Sweating your balls off, it builds bonds. Commiseration is a foolproof way to make a new friend.
So. Did I convince you? In the next post, I'll help you learn how to get started!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Nothing But a Chair: A Workout for the Office
I'm gonna be really honest with you here. Before I started Kennebec Valley Coaching, I had absolutely no idea how hard it can be for people to stay fit when they work behind a desk. A desk job is far and away the number one answer I hear when I ask people why they started to fall out of shape, or when their weight initially became a problem for them.
This is due to two different factors: lack of planning with food choices, and a good old fashioned shortage of moving around.
I've worked a desk job for about 4 years, and so far, I've been lucky enough to have stayed pretty fit. But believe you me, I can see how it happens.
I try hard to do two things to keep me on track. First I bring enough healthy food to keep me going without an everyday candy bar trip to the gas station:
And second, I do little exercises in my office all day long. Which, you'll be lucky enough to watch me do on my webcam.
Who wants to watch me try to do one-legged squats in a pair of jeans that are way too damn tight?
You do? Well okay!
I like to do walking lunges to the bathroom, too.
What do you do in your office? We're talking exercise here people, not facebook.
This is due to two different factors: lack of planning with food choices, and a good old fashioned shortage of moving around.
I've worked a desk job for about 4 years, and so far, I've been lucky enough to have stayed pretty fit. But believe you me, I can see how it happens.
I try hard to do two things to keep me on track. First I bring enough healthy food to keep me going without an everyday candy bar trip to the gas station:
Pear, Apple, Greek Yogurt, Carrots, Pistachios, Tuna, and Dark Chocolate
About 800 calories, with good fat and lots of protein.
And second, I do little exercises in my office all day long. Which, you'll be lucky enough to watch me do on my webcam.
Who wants to watch me try to do one-legged squats in a pair of jeans that are way too damn tight?
You do? Well okay!
I like to do walking lunges to the bathroom, too.
What do you do in your office? We're talking exercise here people, not facebook.
Friday, January 6, 2012
An Airport Workout
Once upon a time, I actually ran 5 miles in the Chicago O'Hare Airport. James was a toddler, so I had his stroller with me for a 2 hour layover between Dallas and Hartford. I've got to admit, the run took a little bit of pre-planning--I wore sweats and a sports bra, and I wore my running shoes. When we landed in Chicago, I packed all of our carry-on craps down below, and ran up and down every single hallway I could find. It kept James busy and happy for almost an entire hour, and you'd be surprised how many nice little hills there are inside an airport.
The beautiful thing about that airport run? As far as I know, no one--not a single person--thought I was crazy. They probably just thought I was late for a flight. And when I did get a handful of weird glances I just told myself what I always tell myself--Amy, they're clearly jealous of your mid-grade stroller and average looking body.
Today, an airport run just isn't an option for me. I'm flying solo, so I'm lugging two bags everywhere I go. I guess I could finagle an airport cart, but I thought I'd show you another option (since I'm too cheap to spring for the $1.25).
Behold my first ever webcam blog video. Let me tell you, I catch all kinds of flattering angles in this lil' masterpiece. And fair warning, she's a little hard to hear:
All in all, this workout takes between 12 and 20 minutes to get through. You can take as much time between sets as you need to, but make sure you to the 4 exercises back to back to back to back.
Not gonna lie, this is a kickasstic workout no matter where you are. I do this kind of this at home all the time. In front of the TV. When I feel guilty for eating too much pie.
In other camera-magic related news, I'm totally putting a webcam in Kennebec Valley Coaching's new fitness studio, that way, all the long distance coachers and jump in and snicker at me from all corners of our fair nation (and Canada. We have a real-life Canadian.)
The beautiful thing about that airport run? As far as I know, no one--not a single person--thought I was crazy. They probably just thought I was late for a flight. And when I did get a handful of weird glances I just told myself what I always tell myself--Amy, they're clearly jealous of your mid-grade stroller and average looking body.
Today, an airport run just isn't an option for me. I'm flying solo, so I'm lugging two bags everywhere I go. I guess I could finagle an airport cart, but I thought I'd show you another option (since I'm too cheap to spring for the $1.25).
Behold my first ever webcam blog video. Let me tell you, I catch all kinds of flattering angles in this lil' masterpiece. And fair warning, she's a little hard to hear:
All in all, this workout takes between 12 and 20 minutes to get through. You can take as much time between sets as you need to, but make sure you to the 4 exercises back to back to back to back.
Not gonna lie, this is a kickasstic workout no matter where you are. I do this kind of this at home all the time. In front of the TV. When I feel guilty for eating too much pie.
In other camera-magic related news, I'm totally putting a webcam in Kennebec Valley Coaching's new fitness studio, that way, all the long distance coachers and jump in and snicker at me from all corners of our fair nation (and Canada. We have a real-life Canadian.)
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