The Emotional Side Of Injury

"Relish the bad training runs.  Without them it's difficult to recognize, much less appreciate, the good ones."  - Pat Teske

Apparently I'm now in full "relishing" mode of my bad training runs and emotionally trying to handle the discouragement that comes alongside injury.  It's not an easy road.  Not for me and not for anyone that's close to me and has to hear me b*tch about the frustration that comes along with it!  The moments of sheer madness when I can't complete a run or when my pace is over a minute slower than it was the same time last year.  It sounds silly to some but if you're an athlete you understand that not being able to perform to your potential is a very hard emotion to "just get over."

Mackenzie Lobby from Runner's World wrote an article (http://www.active.com/running/articles/how-to-cope-with-the-5-stages-of-injury-grief) comparing a running injury to that of mourning and tragedy that happen in other forms in our life.  She wrote how runners go through the same 5 stages of grief when suffering from an injury.

1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

I look at my own injury and realize how I've gone through all of these steps.  Some I've spent more time on then others, but at the end of the day I've gone through (and continue to do so) all 5 stages.  After today's run and my sheer frustration when I got home, I realized that there's no point in dwelling in the "poor me" stage of depression.  I've accepted that I'm not where I was or where I want to be but I do know that I will get back to that level and then exceed it, I just need to give it a little time and be smart about everything!  So after my 30 minutes or so of frustration, I realized what I get to focus my time on now while I'm continuing to actively recover from this injury.

1. After a recent trip to Seattle and spending time with my childhood friend Shannon, I found a new passion for rock climbing!  My first time ever and I was going up pretty difficult runs and smiling all the while.  It's a great new found way of stress relief and is definitely a workout!
   
2. Golf!  With numerous charity events looming over me I've had to set some time aside to take lessons and then practice my newfound knowledge out on the course.  This was at a Children's Hospital charity scramble in Seattle where our team won first place for our course!
   
3. When living in a place as beautiful as Colorado, I have friends and family making the trip out to experience this bluebird life we have out here!  Most recently my brother Shaun and his girlfriend Ali came out to Colorado and we found ourselves hiking in Boulder one day and then running the stairs at Red Rocks the next.  
   
   

There are definitely plenty of ways for me to stay active and enjoy my fitness based lifestyle in Colorado without doing the trail runs I was so accustomed to before.  The above 3 are just the first set of examples of how I will find my stress relief and workout fix!  But more importantly than all of that is the one thing I've been able to really notice and appreciate now that I'm less focused on me.

I have two very close friends (Jennie & Pamela) who used to be my workout buddies...who would look to me for encouragement and support and who are now kicking my butt with their running!! While both of them are training for their first ever half marathon, I couldn't be happier and more proud of them!  So during this running down time for me, I'm very excited to cheer them on from across the country while they set out to accomplish one of their goals! 

So while they are finishing up their last few weeks of training, I want to leave both of them (and all of you) with one final thought...

"Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience.  You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head."  - Joe Henderson

Success Can Be Found In Numbers

"Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."  - Vince Lombardi

It's so amazing to me how in every walk of life we can find such greater success when we work alongside others.  We all like to think we can do things on our own, and to some extent we can.  But when you take a step back and lean on others you realize you are capable of rising above any goal you had originally thought unachievable!  It's in these moments where we find our deepest strengths, our smiles and a new found love for success!

This past week I have been a guinea pig and have given up my normal workout routines to try out a new program.  My friend Cory Skillin has been hard at work creating a workout program that helps people simply move.  It's fun, it's creative, it gets you down on your hands and knees and offers up many moments for a smile.  It's challenging but not to the point where you can't move the next day.  It gives you that feeling of accomplishment and yet has you craving more.  It's filled with movements I used to do as a kid (I mean seriously, when was the last time you did a crab walk?!!), it gets your heart rate up and yet at the same time forces you to slow down a bit and really work on some stabilization, strength training and stretching.  In my opinion it's a very good, well rounded workout that can fit any fitness level or inhibiting schedule (in fact I did this in a hotel room one evening...no excuses).

For everyone that knows me on a personal level you know I'm slow to endorse anything unless I truly believe in it...this program I feel so confidant in that I offered to teach it to a few friends and old coworkers while on a business trip in Virginia last week.  I have to give my friends Mary and Michell all the credit in the world...not only did they get up early to meet me for a 6am workout, but they had to deal with my bubbly little morning personality, which for some can be a lot to handle before a cup of coffee!  In 45 minutes we completed one of Cory's workouts, we all broke a sweat, shared quite a few laughs and had a GREAT time simply MOVING.  

Last night I did a second variation of this workout with Cory and a group of his friends/clients that have all signed up to test out this program as well.  We were outside in a beautiful park and together we represented various ages and fitness levels.  To see the encouragement that each of these participants gave each other was incredible.  They cheered each other on, helped each other out and really pushed each other to achieve their own personal level of success!  They laughed, they sang and they had a GREAT time simply MOVING.  At the end of our 1 hour workout, there were high fives all around and a beautiful sunset for us to all gratefully appreciate.

It's not that we can't workout alone, a lot of us do (myself included at times) but this past week has made me truly realize the additional benefits that come from working out with others.  Cory's program is one that you can do with friends, with colleagues, with your spouse and even with your kids.  It gets you up and moving, gives you a challenging, yet rewarding workout and makes you smile.  You wake up the next morning with a reminder of what you did the day before (haha a few sore muscles) but you remember what fun you had, the bonds you formed with others and the encouragement you both gave and received to reach the next level and you want to jump right back into it.  This is what fitness should be about...FUN mixed with a little hard work and discipline!

I challenge you to try something new...to find your support system who not only encourages you but also celebrates your achievements with you.  And if you are looking for some help with a program, looking to try out this new program I've been doing or have any fitness/wellness related questions, I encourage you to reach out to Cory at Coryskillin@yahoo.com.  It doesn't matter if you are here in Colorado, across the country or halfway around the world...if you're looking to get moving and have fun while doing it, a simple email is the first step down that path of success. 

"As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration.  Other people and other people's ideas are often better than your own.  Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life."  - Amy Poehler  

After all, isn't this what life is all about...working hard and then celebrating/enjoying those moments of success?!  

Mixing It Up

"The only way that we can live, is if we grow.  The only way that we can grow is if we change.  The only way that we can change is if we learn.  The only way we can learn is if we are exposed.  And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open.  Do it.  Throw yourself."  - C. Joybell C.

It's amazing how quickly we can all get stuck into a routine and not really be too adventurous on branching out of it.  Be it with work, our personal life, our exercise routine or just everyday life...we get into the rhythm of a routine and that's how we see the world...through our tunnel vision.  Well this past weekend I decided to change up the workout routine that I've been doing for the past few months. To try and challenge myself in new ways and to try and bring some excitement back into my workouts.

On Friday, I drove down to Manitou Springs with my friend Cory to do the incline.  Now it's been months since I have last done this and given the setback from my injury, my level of endurance is nowhere near where it used to be!  About a third of the way up I could already feel my hamstrings becoming increasingly tight and it felt like someone was standing on my chest.  Haha to say it was rough, is a HUGE understatement!  By the time I made it to the top, I was happy of the accomplishment, but was so beyond exhausted!  The good part of doing this and mixing it all up a bit was to enjoy a view such as this...

After Friday's crazy workout, I was able to enjoy an outdoor yoga session in Denver on Saturday morning.  Yet another new turn in the workout schedule that I'm finding is increasingly important to mix back into my workout routine.  Taking 1 hour out of my day to just be grateful and reflect on what was and is going on in my life was a great reminder to slow down a bit.  What was also a great reminder was realizing just how tight and sore my muscles were and how important deep stretching is.

Sunday...the day of "rest" was anything but that!  I woke up early and took my first ever golf lesson.  With a handful of charity golf events looming in the near future, I felt it was time to step up my game a little and learn the proper techniques.  In that one hour, I learned SO much about form that it was unbelievable.  After hitting approximately 200 balls, my session was over but not without me wanting to test out my new found knowledge out on the course.  So 5 hours later, Cory and I made our way back to the golf course to play 9 holes.  I learned a few key things out on the course that afternoon...

1. Golfing at 3pm on a Sunday afternoon is never a good idea...it's too busy!
2. Walking 9 holes and golfing in 90 degree sunny weather in Colorado exhausts you faster than anything else!
3. I need to buy a ball marker...lol nothing says "rookie" like a penny marking your ball on the green!
4. I clearly need to learn how to hit a ball out of a sand trap.  If strokes counted that day, I think I racked up about 4 just trying to get my ball out of the sand!
5. Hip mobility is something I seriously lack...time to start working on that!

It was for sure an eventful weekend...one full of new challenges and now sore muscles that I never knew I had!!  It's great to have a routine and it makes us feel good when we know we can excel at that routine because we do it so often.  But how do you grow if you constantly just do the same thing over and over again?  Growing oneself is about challenging yourself to do things that you might not have once deemed possible.  So get up, get outside and try something new...who knows, you might find something you absolutely love and with a little time, practice and patience....something new to excel at!!

"Listening" Pays Off

Persevere (verb) - to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly.

Yesterday morning I woke up bright and early and was able to see another glorious Colorado sunrise. It's mornings like those that make me realize how blessed I am and how every morning is another chance to shine.  How we should never take the little things for granted...how there is such peace in an early morning when most of the world is still sleeping.  It's a time for reflection, a time to plan for the day ahead, and a chance to be thankful for the day that has past.

After a lot of travel over the past 6 weeks and being completely out of my workout regimen, I was a little nervous to go to the PT yesterday and hear what he had to say about my hamstring and my road to recovery.  I had followed his guidance and had cut way back on running, had been working on my strength training and stretching as often as I remembered.  Like everyone, I have goals...some I have vocalized and some I have not.  Playing soccer this fall, running the stairs at red rocks...those are goals for sure, but ones that give me a little bit more time to heal.  The Manitou Springs Incline closes this weekend for the remainder of the year as they do some much needed trail maintenance.  For those that have been reading from the beginning, you know my obsession with this thing and also how I haven't been able to do it in months because of my leg.  Secretly, all I wanted was a green light to attempt the incline one more time this calendar year.  And this brings me to yesterday's appointment...

First off Marty Levine, my physical therapist at Push Fitness (http://www.pushfitnesscolorado.com) is so amazing!  Not only is he super easy to talk to, but he explains everything that's going on with my body.  Because of my background he gives me a very scientific explanation as to what's happening and why and what I need to do to try and fix everything.  He always makes sure I fully understand what he's said and then walks me through the next set of exercises I'm allowed to put back into my workout routine.  Yesterday was no different.  After explaining to me that my medial hamstring on my left side is still weak, we went through several exercises to help strengthen that as well as work on my glute strength.  Because your glutes act as both a stabilizing muscle and a source of power/strength...working on them has been a key component in my recovery.  After some work on the PT table, we then found ourselves on the gym floor working on a few new things.

After our session was over, Marty asked me if I had any questions.  After I hesitated for a minute, he knew something was up and I was deciding whether to ask or not...so I bit the bullet knowing that he could possibly say no and then I would be disappointed.  Me:  "What do you think about me doing the incline?"  Marty:  "When are we talking?"  Me:  "This week."  Marty:  Silence.  After a bit of a sly little smile on my part, he knew that this was something I really wanted to do and knew that the trail was closing, so....he agreed, but not before he gave me some tips on how to do it and not lose everything I've worked on for the past 6 weeks.

So...with that being said, the incline it is this week!!  Marty couldn't help but smile when I walked out of his office because he for the first time saw my genuine smile...the smile that was brought on by LISTENING to him and others regarding my recovery, by my own perseverance to not let this injury stop me from my goals, and by me finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel!

It might not seem like much of an accomplishment by many, but being given the green light to go ahead and do the incline was monumental to me yesterday!  Like Martin Luther King Jr once said, "If you can't fly then run.  If you can't run then walk.  If you can't walk then crawl.  But whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."  So moving forward is what I'm doing, and later this week...moving up as well...about 2,200 feet up that is!!!

Accountability - No Excuses

"You must take personal responsibility.  You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.  That is something you have charge of."  - Jim Rohn

It's pretty amazing how fast time can sneak by us.  Be it the hours in a day, days in a week or weeks in a month.  Somehow life keeps moving and we sometimes fall behind in the things that we have comitted to doing.  It took two separate people yesterday sending me texts saying that they missed the blog posts and wondered what had been going on.  Well I can sit here and say that I started a new job, have been traveling a lot and just purely did not have the time, but those are excuses...there's always an additional 10 minutes that I can find to help motivate the same people that motivate me on a daily basis.  So here it lies...me being held accountable.

In preparation for this week, I spent yesterday catching up at home.  I set up a very OCD organized home office, complete with a wall system that allowed me to use my newly purchased electric screwdriver (haha that's a completely different story, but lets say there might be a few extra holes in the wall given the serious power involved in this)!!  I finished laundry, cleaned up a bit and set my weekly goals so that I could wake up this morning and start fresh.

Because I'm still not able to sleep, I woke up at the crack of dawn and started in on some work stuff.  After spending the past week in Seattle with coworkers I had a lot to try and figure out.  Thankfully I have a pretty amazing team and they have helped me work through this transition.  At about 7am, I put on my sneakers and hit the ground running.  Although still on a very strict running regimen, I decided to do a run/walk mix for 3 miles.  In 28:34 (at a pace of 9:30), I finished those 3 miles.  Definitely not where I want to be BUT it's a step down the road of recovery.  Post run, I did all of my "at home leg workout" stuff that the PT has me doing.  Lunges, dead lifts, leg lifts, etc..I threw in a few abs and some push ups and there it was...my workout completed.

It's true that life can be an excuse at times as to why we are not doing certain things, but I am no longer making excuses...I'm holding myself accountable and am looking forward to both my recovery and some serious personal progress.  In fact, it appears that on 8/1 I will be part of a trial group for a new exercise program designed by a close friend of mine...I can't wait as it should be fun and a great experience.  Even better, I can't wait to share my results with everyone afterwards and have the opportunity to sell you all on this wonderful program!  Stay tuned...many updates to come on all of it!  In the meantime, please join me in holding ourselves accountable for our own personal successes and failures!

Get Outside

"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity." - John F. Kennedy

It's amazing how much time you can actually spend outside being active when you just "live."  After having a close friend's 10 year old son drive with me from NYC to VT for a few days, I realized just how exhausting, yet rewarding it is having a child around.  Not only did I find out that I am my own mother...crazy tendencies and all (neurotic seat belt checks, chew with your mouth closed, don't drag your feet...those kinds of things) but I realized that I'm going to be one active, constantly on the go mother one day.

Noah and I were so jam packed with activities so that he could truly experience Vermont, that I don't think we stopped for much more than quick meals the entire time he was here!  From a visit to the State Capitol building, to a Ben & Jerry's plant tour, fishing, boating, jet skis, hiking, morning runs, baseball in the front yard...you name it and we did it!  There are SOOOO many opportunities in life to get outside and play with your children, there should be no reason to not take full advantage of the days when they are young enough to make an impression on them.

Hiking with Noah and my two little cousins in Vermont!

Noah was a trooper on our morning runs!

Working on our pop fly catches in the yard!

Granted, these few days I was on "vacation" and wasn't working full time, but Noah was also here full time and not in school so we were truly able to maximize all of the day together.  But even if it means you wake up in the morning and do a quick walk as a family and then eat breakfast together during the week, it's setting a good example for your kids.  If the mornings are too crazy, play outside with them when you get home from work.  It's just so important for children to understand the meaning of "play" and that being active can and should be fun!  And truthfully, if you're like Noah and I, you do these things and have a blast while you're doing them!  And the best part...after a crazy, action packed day, you're able to enjoy moments like this in the evening! 

It was very obvious during this time spent together that Noah's parents have raised him the same way that I was raised.  He doesn't sit in front of a TV playing video games and doesn't sleep in late...he gets up early and wants to spend as much time as he can outside and being active.  His parents are the same way and are constantly being active as a family.  From an outsider's point of view, it makes a HUGE difference on the life of a child.  As Alan Thicke once said, "Fitness needs to be perceived as fun and games or we subsequently avoid it."  So get outside, play and have fun!!!

Thrill Seeking

"Sometimes we are so stuck in a past that we cannot change, or so afraid of a future over which we have limited control, that we don't really appreciate the present - the very moment before us.  We worry about what happened or what will happen, and we forget about what is happening.  We squander the one thing we have for certain - now."  - Sandy Eisenberg Sasso - God's Echo

For all of us, I'm pretty certain that I can safely say we are guilty of not always living in the present but worrying about what's to come next or what has happened before.  We get caught up in these thoughts and lose sight of how precious the moment we are in is.  Today's adventure was about forgetting everything that has happened or what lies ahead of us in the coming weeks, but instead living in the moment and laughing all the while.

Today we found ourselves down in Idaho Springs, CO with the Arkansas Valley Adventures company (http://www.coloradorafting.net/) for a full day of white water rafting.  After arriving at AVA we found ourselves gearing up...fully covered with wet suits, bootie socks, PFD's, splash jackets and helmets.  The woman in the store let us know that the water was a balmy 38 degrees!!  In fact, the runoff from the mountains literally had ice coming into the river!!  After we were all geared up and listened to our safety training, we were in the van on the way to our drop off point.  We went over a few paddle commands and from there we were in the water and on our way down the river!

Our guide Kevin was truly amazing!  Not only did he answer EVERY single question that we had but he kept us laughing (and safe) the entire trip!  Now the first half of the trip I was fortunate enough to sit in the middle section behind my friend Brett.  To say he helped break the impact of those waves on me is probably an understatement.  After going over some pretty crazy class III and class IV rapids, we found ourselves "eddying" off and grabbing a terrific BBQ lunch.

After lunch we geared back up and headed back down the river for the remainder of our trip.  Now, the second half of this experience I was not so lucky and ended up sitting right up front.  I got CRUSHED by the waves...CRUSHED!  And although those wet suits are great, they are definitely not waterproof. Teeth chattering and all, fully soaked from head to toe in 38 degree water, we continued to paddle our way over some amazing white water.  Ducking under bridges (because the water is at record highs and moving UNBELIEVABLY fast) we found ourselves going over not one, but 2- 10 foot drops!!  

The trip was incredible!  From Kevin, our guide, to our driver, to our safety kayaker the team at AVA were amazing!  Nobody fell out of the boat, we laughed all day, and walked away with another Colorado experience checked off of the bucket list!  For those 5 hours, I can safely say that none of us thought about the past or worried about the future...we just truly enjoyed the moment and held on for dear life! 

All Checked Off

It's AMAZING how good you can feel when you accomplish something!  How reaching a goal or completing a task can just bring a smile to your face.  Well I'm for sure a competitive person, even if it's just with myself and now with running on the back burner I have had to find other ways to experience that feeling of accomplishment and achievement.  As I said in my last post, I was creating a goal list daily to try and organize myself and get more done in those 24 hours.  Yesterday was day one and man did I accomplish quite a bit!

I woke up yesterday morning and decided to take a 30 minute walk outside just to get myself into the mode of work for the day.  Nothing really beats the sunshine and the fresh air first thing in the morning.  Throughout the day I was able to fit in a 30 minute bike ride, a bicep/tricep strength training session, two sets of the exercises the PT gave me (along with a little core work) and complete over 15,000 steps (my daily goal) on the FitBit.  I kicked butt at work, truly following up on everything I needed to do.  I was able to get some housework done, a small tan at the pool, grocery shopping, and even remembered to take my vitamins!  By 6pm I couldn't believe how much I had done and how great it felt!

After all of that I was able to join a friend for a walk at Wash Park with his three furry friends.  Now walking around Wash Park is fun all in of itself as there are SO many people to people watch.  It's a breeding ground for the "outside of the box" kind of people.  From rollerbladers, to volleyball players, to a string quartet and runners it is filled with so many different people from so many different walks of life.

But in true Heather fashion nothing is ever quite simple or as relaxing as it should be.  So these "three furry friends" are labrador retrievers...all of which are pretty strong and fast moving and fully grown.  Now imagine me, holding these three dogs by myself with a gigantic mastiff walking down the path towards us.  Now if you don't know how big a mastiff is, I suggest you google it.  This dog was AT LEAST 150lbs and would stand taller than me on his back legs.  As my friend had walked away momentarily and left me with the 3 labs, I'm now seeing this mastiff get closer and closer.  I don't know if I was more afraid the mastiff was going to snap at us, if the three labs were going to take off after him and leave me on my back with my feet in the air or if it was going to be an all out brawl.  But in that moment, I had all 3 labs sitting, their leashes clenched tightly in my hands and a sheer look of panic in my eyes.  The whole event ended up being very anti-climatic as the mastiff was super sweet, the owner completely friendly and the 3 labs so UNBELIEVABLY well behaved!  But for everyone else that could see my face, I'm sure it was quite the hysterical moment.  :)

So my point in all of this, because I become so easily distracted is that I found such happiness and accomplishment in creating that list yesterday.  I was able to get so much done that come the end of the day I was able to truly enjoy myself and not worry about what else I needed to get done.  So much so in fact that I was able to take in this fantastic sunset just as we were leaving the park!

Time Or Lack Thereof

It's amazing how fast 24 hours can go by.  How fast a week, a month, or even a year can slip past us.  Lately I find myself wondering where the hell the time has gone?!  How is it that I wake up at 4:30 in the mornings and yet still can't find enough time in the day to get done the things that I need and want to?!  It's crazy, simply crazy!

The past few weeks seem to be a whirlwind for me.  Professionally, I'm in the process of winding down one job and starting another.  I couldn't be more excited as it's a great step for me in my career and I'm eager for a new beginning and a company that I feel I can dive right into.  Physically, it's been a tough few weeks as I'm still actively seeing the Physical Therapist and working on this issue with my back and legs...all which seems to be stemming from a sciatic nerve issue.  But when you take two big milestones and mix them with social obligations, personal workout schedules, and just everyday life, you realize that you find yourself wondering when you get to eat or sleep.  So begins the OCD style of me again...

I have decided that every morning when I wake up, I'm making a goal list.  These are things that I hope to get done that day.  I have two pages to this list.  One is professional and the other is personal.  It doesn't matter when or in what I order I accomplish these tasks/goals, but that I complete them by the end of the day.  Hopefully this will help me to keep everything in order professionally, kick my friends butts on the FitBit steps :), increase my strength and endurance for upcoming adventures, and be able to maintain a good work/life balance with everyone.  So tomorrow it is...tomorrow is the day that starts this new OCD process of organization...maybe then I will get back on track with posting workouts/recipes and overall fun stuff on this blog!  :)

A Small Step Backwards

I'm holding onto the saying, "two steps forward, one step back."  After meeting with the Physical Therapist today and hearing how running is out of the question for a little while I was ultimately discouraged.  Running is not something that I just do to stay in shape, I use it as a stress reliever, a chance to enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful trails of Colorado and just to be able zone out and have some "me" time.  Running is part of my daily regimen...so now without it, I have to get creative.

After my PT appointment today, I was thankful to have a few things lined up in order to enjoy the sunshine and get a little workout in.  In addition to the exercises I have been told to do by the PT, I was able to spend a little time at the playground with an adorable little two year old!  While we played on the jungle gym and ran around the park, I was also able to get a little upper body workout in climbing around on the monkey bars!  What's better than a lunchtime hour spent outside in the beautiful sunshine, on a playground with a little munchkin?!

After the work day was over, I met a friend for a little vinyasa yoga at the Prana store in Cherry Creek. Throughout the hour class we worked on several inversions and had a hardcore ab workout.  Knocking out my headstand was definitely the highlight of my practice tonight!  But it was during our meditation at the end of class that I had a chance to really free myself of a few things and set forth my intentions for the next few weeks.

On my walk home from class I decided that I was not going to let this "no running" thing discourage me.  So while this might be a step back in my fitness regimen, I now have the opportunity to focus on a few different things.  I can step up my yoga practice (something I've been meaning to do for months).  I can work on my upper body strength (something I've always been horrible about doing) and I can focus on working more on my core strength.  So even though I'm discouraged about the no running, I'm definitely excited to take my fitness in a few different directions.

Sometimes it takes a step back and a few weeks of "rest" for us to be able to fully gain acceptance for who and what we are so that we may leap forward and take those next two really big steps!  In all walks of life, that's what it's about.  Two steps forward and one step back...  This time it's the opposite...one step back and two steps forward...I'm looking forward to those leaps!

Roller Coaster Rides

It's crazy how many ups and downs life is filled with.  How in the course of one 24 hour period you can experience so many highs and yet still feel the lows.  But then again, that's what makes life life...and without those lows we would never fully enjoy the highs.  Just like today's weather...without the rain and storms how would we ever truly appreciate the sunshine?

The past two weeks have been nothing short of a ride on the world's tallest roller coaster.  Just like the Kingda Ka located at the Six Flags in New Jersey which is the world's tallest roller coaster (at 456 feet high) and the world's second fastest (as it launches to speeds of 128mph) my life has been full of slow creeking climbs and then some thrill seeking drops.

After running Bolder Boulder's 10k on Memorial Day and realizing that my leg injury had not yet healed, I've been attempting the slow road to recovery.  It's definitely not an easy task to give up something you enjoy (running) to try and allow your body to heal.  It's frustrating and outright annoying to not be able to just throw on sneakers and go outside for a 5+ mile run whenever I want.  I've tried everything to find the "quick fix" but just like fitness, there is no quick fix.  So I gave in and have my first PT appointment on Tuesday...hopefully then I will find some answers.

And even with all of those feelings of struggle based on frustration, there have been oh so many highs! Between amazing new opportunities in my own life, to weddings and babies in the lives of my friends...these two weeks have been fantastic and full of smiles.  So while I might be on a bit of a hold in regards to my fitness regimen, my life itself has been on fast forward.

Life can catch you by surprise...it can be hard and yet so rewarding...all you need to do is sit down, strap yourself in, look straight ahead and enjoy the ride!  Guaranteed that the view from the top will be worth any plummeting drop or winding corner!

Accessorizing With Function

There are a few things I can't workout without....music, gum, and my keys if I'm away from home.  Everything else I could care less about, but those 3 are a must.  In fact, I probably own 8 pairs of headphones because I've had to stop at gas stations to purchase them on my way to Red Rocks or the Incline just so that I didn't have to go without music.

Now those 3 things I need for any workout I do...an outdoor run, a plyometric workout at the gym, a bike ride or a hike, but when it comes to something like a race you have to add on top of all of that your license, possible cash and a credit card.  The amount of "stuff" adds up quickly and usually your pocket space runs out especially with running shorts.  So unless you're going to start stuffing things in your sports bra and in your shoes you have to get creative!

Meet my new favorite running accessory...the Flip Belt (http://flipbelt.com/)!!!  And as a side note, I wish I could claim the below picture as my rocking hot body, but it's definitely not!  :)

The Flip Belt sells for under $30 and can be found in many different running stores across the country.  It's amazing.  It fits everything from my keys, to my license, to my iPhone.  You simply put everything in the little slots and then flip it over to secure everything into place.  I've used it for my daily runs, at the gym lifting weights and even for a race.  It fits snuggly over the waistband of your shorts or pants and comes in many fashionable colors.  

I bought the bright pink one in XS and love the way it adds a pop of color to every outfit I wear!  My only suggestion is to make sure you buy a size that will fit you snuggly so that it does not move around.  Just think...this is the slimmer, sexier version of the ever so popular fanny pack!!  

Hyatt Regency - Chicago

Too much travel lends one to become VERY picky about where they stay, where they eat and the amenities that come with the place that they call "home" when they are indeed away from home.  Back and forth across the country, I've stayed at my fair share of hotels, inns, motels, B&B's and luxury resorts.  This week's trip to Chicago for work had me calling the Hyatt Regency (http://mccormickplace.hyatt.com) home.

First off, this hotel was convenient as it was directly connected to the convention center where my work was focused the past few days.  In addition to the convenience, I had a room on the 27th floor with amazing views of the lake and even more amazing views of a CRAZY thunderstorm that Chicago experienced last night.

If the views and convenience weren't enough to come back, the fitness center had me ready to spend money just to stay another night so I could get another workout in!  The Hyatt Regency, hands down had the BEST fitness center I've ever seen in a hotel.  With a full weight room consisting of everything one would need in regards to machines or free weight, it was easy to get some strength training in.  In addition to the weight room, there was a cardio floor that had the most state of the art treadmills, elliptical machines, spinning bikes and rowing machines.  And if that wasn't enough, they had all the "extras" that put a smile on any fitness minded individual's face.  They had jump ropes, weighted bars, bands, stability balls, medicine balls...literally everything one would need to get creative in a workout.

So after getting a very enjoyable workout in this morning filled with multiple forms of cardio and weight training, I then headed for the stairs.  Talk about the perfect finish to a workout...running from the 4th floor back up the 27th!!!

So if you find yourself in downtown Chicago looking for a hotel, I HIGHLY recommend this one...you will not be disappointed if you are looking to fit a workout in while you are traveling!  And major kudos to the Hyatt for making their "Stay Fit" motto one that their guests truly will enjoy!

Temptation - Sweets & Snacks Show

I'm fortunate to be working in an industry I love.  I'm a VP of Sales & Marketing for a brokerage company that works primarily with Costco.  I get to be innovative, creative, and work with companies from all over the world each and every day to try and both design and sell their products into the club channel.  Honestly, I eat for a living!  Now with that kind of job comes a level of temptation that is not always easy to resist.  Case and point...today's trade show.

620+ exhibiting companies with more than 3 acres worth of products...15,000 qualified professionals and participation from over 90 countries.  This is what makes up the 2014 Sweets & Snacks Show at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL!  What I want to know is how the hell ANYONE has the will power to walk a show like this and not give into temptation?!!  I'm no different than anyone else and I definitely have my weaknesses...chocolate being one of them!

I'd be lying to myself and everyone else if I told you that there wasn't at least a 5lb bag of trade show samples sitting on the desk in my hotel room right now.  Everything from fudge, to chocolate covered almonds, from jerky to popcorn...it's all there in my room in little sample sized portions!  Not only was I faced with temptation all day long, but now it's staring back at me from across the room!

There's a level of guilt that comes from sampling your way through at least one meal of the day, eating nothing but sugar and not having a chance to exercise because you have the earliest flight of the morning and a client dinner in the evening.  It's an awful feeling BUT I declared today my "rest" day in regards to my workouts.  Now, even with that being said, all the crazy walking between airports and the trade show floor accounted for approximately 4.25 miles according to my FitBit.  I guess it wasn't too bad overall.

I pride myself on living a healthy lifestyle...working out, eating right, practicing yoga/meditation, etc...but I am human and I definitely give into temptation every now and then.  But...even when I give into temptation, I still do it at a very moderate level compared to most.  For all of you who have ever attended a food based trade show, you know how crazy it is and how many hundreds of samples you are expected to try.  My trick?!  One bite (out of respect) and then toss it in the trash can.  Once it's in the garbage you obviously aren't going to have a second bite but you've given yourself the ability to taste the product and give the client your ample feedback.

Tomorrow is day #2 of a sugar high tradeshow and I'm sure it's going to be as equally tempting as it was today.  As with anything in life, I'm a huge believer in "everything in moderation."  I won't give up trying products again tomorrow but I will not overindulge and I will definitely make sure to be up bright and early and running the streets of Chicago first!!

Running Through Rhode Island

5 girls and 10 years since our college graduation...what better way to celebrate our accomplishments and friendships than to have a house on the beach in Rhode Island together for a few days?!  Absolutely nothing.  For some a reunion is about partying, staying out late, having nights you can't remember with friends you'll never forget...but for this group of 5 it was all about laughter, walks on the beach and plenty of much needed rest and relaxation.

Waking up early in the morning, I found myself going for runs on the beach.  I've been asked what music I listen to to motivate me on my runs and to increase my pace.  It's funny, because most of the time I'm a pop and hip hop workout music kind of girl, but this time, in the middle of such beauty I had country music playing on my pandora station.  There's something about the ocean and the sand on your feet that just makes you feel so thankful for everything you have and country music just further brings that out.

On our last day in Rhode Island, after a fantastic few days together, I woke up early and ran on the beach for a few miles.  After I finished the run, I sat down on the rocks, turned off my music and just meditated.  Everyone that knows me, knows I don't sit still well.  I don't take time to just relax and clear my mind.  Well on Sunday morning, I needed to and I did.  I feel so incredibly blessed to have the friendships that I do with these girls.  We have all individually and together been through a lot and these 10 minutes of solo meditation was the perfect finish to an incredible few days together.  It gave me the opportunity to reflect and to feel gratitude in the present...something I rarely do.

We all know how important cardiovascular exercise is for our health, how strength training helps our bones and joints, but we rarely focus on the health benefits both physically and mentally that come from meditation.  I challenge you to take at least 5 minutes a day to rid yourself of all of your external and internal "noise" and just feel the gratitude that is in your heart.  

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."  - Buddha

#TeamDiscoverYourself - Michell J.

One of the biggest things in life that people look for is a sense of belonging...something that makes them feel that they are not alone.  In speaking with some close friends, I thought it was important for you to not only hear my words but the words of others that read this blog and allow them to share their struggles and triumphs.

Michell and I have known each other since 2004 when I moved to Virginia.  We worked together and we enjoyed life together.  Her family welcomed me into their home for my first Thanksgiving away from my own family and in fact, I was the Maid of Honor in Michell's wedding.  Now married, with two children, Michell has an amazing life and one that she is now finding more able to balance.  Here's Michell's story (and thank you Michell for being willing to share this)...

Motivation: the general desire or willingness of someone to do something. 

Back in early 2008, I was motivated to look and feel healthy.  I ate healthy and I worked out almost daily.  For a good eight months, I worked so hard to do "boy" push ups, to go through my Abs/Core class without feeling like I was going to faint and to be sexy again.  It took a few months but I got to that point and it felt great...AWESOME in fact.  Then in August 2008, my husband and I wanted to start trying for kids.  After two miss carriages, we were pregnant again and we had a healthy baby boy the following Fall.  Once I became pregnant, I was more focused on being pregnant and not losing him than I stopped working out.  Once I had my son, my motivation was now...my son.  My thoughts and mind were consumed with being a mommy that I didn't start to think of losing that baby weight until two months before he turned one.  So, after almost two years away from the gym and eating healthy, I started again.  I started working out at the gym and lost some weight.  Then, about two months after my son turned one, I found out I was pregnant again.  What??!!!  I finally just started to get back into my routine!  I felt discouraged and not happy.  It didn't help that I had a medical condition that I was not allowed to work out or stand on my feet for a long period of time for the first trimester.  Of course I was concerned for my new baby inside me but that just made me feel more unhappy that I wasn't able to "get my body back".   My daughter was born healthy that following July.  Throughout the last six years my body went through a lot.  Between trying to get pregnant, two early miss carriages, two full term somewhat healthy pregnancies and nursing both for each thirteen months.  It felt as if my body wasn't really mine anymore.  I was always so tired and became out of breath easily that I didn't really play with my kids a lot.  Fast forward almost THREE years later after having my beautiful daughter, I finally...FINALLY got my motivation back!  My motivation at first came from my friends.  Three in particular.  One that has been by my side for the past nine years and who is a married mom of active crazy kids like me and I consider her one of my best friends.  The second is a woman that has a boyfriend but no children, that I just recently became friends with that runs marathons like every week (or at least it seems like it)!   Lastly, is a woman that is single with no children, that I have known for nine years and has moved here and there and seems like everywhere and has recently started a health & wellness blog!  These three women are so different but yet so alike.  Their main common goal is to be healthy.  All three love to run or be active.  At first, I would say to myself, "Eh, I'll get there".  I was just so busy with working full time, teaching dance part time, being a mommy to two rambunctious children and a wife.  For me, I didn't have time to do "that".  I would try at times but then end up making excuses.  My best friend that is married and has children, kept telling me to do things for myself.  She knew that I always felt my best when I looked my best.  Then, my friend that runs marathons, kept hanging up motivational pictures in my cube at work.  Geared towards running and being healthy.  I felt as if it was a leaky faucet (in a good way).  Kept dripping (or reminding me) that I can do this...I can be healthy and especially happy again.  Then, my other friend started this health and wellness blog.  That was the kicker.  Reading her words and thoughts was like a light bulb that just finally came back on and STAYED ON!   My second motivation came from reading one of her recent blogs about a Fitbit and how she just got one and loved it.  I started researching it and had some other friends that had one and I got their advice.  After a great informative and encouraging conversation with my step mom, I wanted one.  It was just my luck that my  birthday was right around the corner and that's what I asked for.  I was blessed to have gotten one and I haven't been the same since.  It has been a week now since I got it and I am completely obsessed with it.  I love seeing those dots light up and when I reach five dots (or 10,000 steps) I get so tickled and excited.  I did it!  I am also a competitive person in general.  So having friendly competition with friends and family is perfect for me.   Just like that, I am finally back on track to being healthy and happy again.  I can now jog more during my power walks, I now run up or downstairs and no longer out of breath, I have more energy with my kids and husband and honestly I feel happier.   My family and I go for nightly walks now and I take them on a longer route than we used to because I gotta light those dots up!  I want and need to be healthy for myself, my husband and most important my children.  I want to be able to run around with them and play until the lighting bugs come out.  I want to be around for when my children get married and have children of their own.  I want to be a grandparent that takes my grand kids on walks, plays with them and rolls around the floor with (like my father and step mom).  I want to be...happy and happy is what I now am. 

Happy: feeling or showing pleasure or contentment

Happy Belated Mother's Day to all the moms out there.  Please remember that YOU are Amazing and YOU are beautiful and YOU can do this!  God Bless you!  XOXO

Girls On The Run

First off, Happy Mother's Day to all of those AMAZING moms out there!  There are so many reasons to thank you, to applaud you and to celebrate you.  You are not only the protector, the listening ear, the supporter, the encourager and the guiding light to your children, you are also the most important educator to them.

Yesterday I had the privilege of running the Girls On The Run 5k as a running buddy to a little 9 year old girl named Sadie.  The Girls On The Run program (http://girlsontherunrockies.org/) I overall think is a great one.  It teaches young girls the importance of self esteem, empowerment, and how to live a life full of self-respect and healthy habits.  This 5k was Sadie's first and she rocked it with an overall race time of 42:53 (a pace of 13:50).  Definitely not too shabby for 9 year old legs!

Now as much as I love this program and I love spending time with kids, as a woman with many little children in her life and an educated background of health/fitness and coaching, there are a few things I must admit I disagreed with.  One, in 2014 how is it possible that someone can spend 1.5 hours ultimately alone with a child with no background check?!  In the middle of City Park in Denver, with tons of spectators I was ultimately running side by side this little girl and then walking around the park alone with her afterwards.  Her coaches didn't know me...her parents didn't know me and yet I took their precious little girl with all of their trust in the world.  Seems to me like this could ultimately be a dangerous situation.  Again, don't get me wrong, I LOVE this program and what it stands for and I personally appreciate all of the coaches and running buddies and them volunteering their time to help encourage these little girls.  But I do feel that this day in age, we should be background checking our volunteers just a bit more to ensure the safety of all of those involved.

Lastly, this race was geared towards 8-13 year old girls.  When we crossed the finish line there were protein bars and water.  What preteen do you know eats protein bars?!  Not only is the taste not appealing to a child, but it teaches them meal substitution when ultimately a child is developing and should be eating well balanced meals.  The program is intended to teach young girls healthy habits...so why not have healthy food options available and fun and active handouts afterwards?  How exciting would it be to cross the finish line and be given a jump rope, a frisbee, fruit, healthy granola bars...food choices that are healthy and appetizing to a child and "toys" that encourage outdoor active movement?!

Again, the morning was amazing and I don't want to take away from that.  These kids and volunteers all got up and moving instead of watching Saturday morning cartoons and for that reason alone, it's a great way to encourage unity and fitness.  But to go back to Mother's Day...health, nutrition, fitness, self esteem, healthy lifestyle habits...this all starts with the parents and how they treat their own bodies both physically and emotionally.  Keep in mind that your children look at you as role models and the natural reaction of any child is to replicate what they say and hear their parents doing.

Teach your children the way we all grew up decades ago...that life wasn't about "dieting" and wasn't about exercise being something we "needed" to do but instead something we enjoyed doing.  Get outside and play with your kids.  Show them that exercise doesn't necessarily mean running a 5k, but can be playing soccer in your backyard for 30 minutes.  Show them that healthy habits don't mean dieting but are instead a lifestyle.  That sitting down for a well balanced meal is better than any meal replacement bar you could eat in the driver's seat of your car.  Make healthy choices a lifestyle habit for you and your family and relish in the joy that comes from that!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there!  I hope you enjoy an active and healthy day together!

Advice From Others

I've said it before...I'm a stubborn individual and that's not something that you can necessarily change overnight no matter how much you recognize that it can be a problem at times.  After pushing myself a little too much with an incline climb and an 8 mile hike back to back, I've been nursing some super tight hamstrings.  I've realized that I've been doing too much of the same type of workout and overtraining the same muscle group...never a good thing.

Well sometimes you have to humble yourself and ask others for their opinions and advice.  While I know what I SHOULD do to get better, sometimes hearing it from somebody else makes it a little more real and a little bit more plausible to change.  So after speaking with my cousin Sarah who is a Physical Therapist and my friend Cory who is a Personal Trainer and Coach, I came up with a plan based on their suggestions of actually taking "rest days" so that I'm not overtraining, mixing up my workouts a bit and getting a massage.

Yesterday morning I decided to follow through with the workout part of the suggestions and created my own version of a 30 minute plyometric cardio workout!  To say it kicked my butt is probably an understatement...I'm sure I looked like a crazy person doing burpees and mountain climbers in the gym by myself, but one thing is for sure, I maximized those 30 minutes!  And yes, as soon as I can figure out how to upload my workouts to this site, I will make sure I add it so you can try it as well.  :)  Later in the day, I attempted a very easy 1 mile trail run...not my finest form or time for that matter.

After all of that yesterday I decided last night to go and get a massage from Maxi at Hand & Stone in Cherry Creek (http://www.handandstone.com/spa/Colorado/Cherry-Creek).  Simply put...she's UNBELIEVABLE and I highly recommend this place!  That followed by an epsom salt bath (ok with a glass of wine) truly helped to loosen up my muscles and rejuvenate me a little bit.

I guess listening to other's advice was a good thing because today I did a two mile run on the trail and rocked my time with a 7:39 pace...back to where I wanted to be!  I'm hoping that I can maintain this by continuing to mix in plyometric workouts to my routine and by taking time to relax and rest my muscle groups as well.

So as stubborn as I might be, and others as well, sometimes it's important to reach out to the people in your life that have the expertise to give you good advice.  I encourage you to take advantage of the different resources you have available in your own life so that you too are able to maximize your training potential!

Gratitude

Six days since my last post and the only thing that comes to mind is gratitude.  Gratitude for my health, my family, my friends, and the sheer fact that I live in a place that brings a smile to my face every single day.

This past weekend I spent my 32nd birthday truly living life.  I did everything that makes me who I am and had a genuine smile on my face from Friday evening to Monday morning.  From flip flops, to sneakers, from barefoot to stilettos...I ran around this state with some of my most favorite people.  Others would choose to celebrate their birthday based around eating and drinking and wake up at the end of the celebration ready for a vacation to relax from all of that craziness, but I celebrated mine with a mix of good food and drinks and a ton of outdoor activity!

Now don't get me wrong, I started my birthday weekend with a terrific girls' night out consisting of delicious steaks and amazing wine.  And truthfully it ended with an amazing sushi dinner and an ice cream sundae that would render most people speechless!  But in between all of that calorie consuming, I sure as heck did my fair share of workouts!  From a 6 mile walk and a 75 minute outdoor yoga session on Saturday to another trip up the Incline and an 8 mile hike on Sunday...I ensured that my birthday was filled with as much sweat as it was calories.

Gratitude can be defined as, "a feeling or attitude in acknowledgement of a benefit that one has received or will receive."  I feel like this "benefit" I have already received and that's why these past 6 days, I can truly say that only one word clearly defines my thoughts...gratitude.  I'm thankful for the people that made my birthday an unforgettable one (both near and far), I'm thankful for the fact that I have an internal drive that pushes me to my physical limits, I'm thankful for this gorgeous state in which I live, and I'm thankful for the fact that God has allowed me to truly see all of the blessings in my life.

I challenge you to think about why you're thankful...what defines gratitude in your life?  Have you already received these benefits or are you seeking out to receive them in the future?  Many times gratitude is what pushes us forward...what motivates us.  But one thing is for sure...we all have at least one example of gratitude in our life and we should use that as a motivating drive to accomplish what we set out to conquer!

Perspective

I feel like this quote alone could be my motto for life, especially when living in Colorado.  It's amazing how quickly we all can fall into slumps and get down on ourselves for so many reasons.  Life is a test, there's no question about it and when it rains, it pours!  We all face struggles every single day whether it be in our personal life or our professional one.  It's inevitable...it's part of life.  And truthfully, if we didn't have the lows, we would never appreciate the highs.

At 3:30 this morning, I found myself completely unable to sleep.  To be very straightforward...there simply is too much going on in my life all at once.  So instead of laying in bed staring at the ceiling, I got dressed, got in my car and drove down to Manitou Springs to climb the Incline for sunrise.  I figured that maybe being outside in the fresh air and alone would give me a new perspective on everything in my life.  I was right...what an amazing way to start the day.

The initial quote of this post says it all...the fact that right now everything seems like it is an uphill battle is definitely accurate, but the view from the top of the incline put everything into perspective.  I climbed it.  I had the physical strength, the mental focus, and the internal drive to get to the top.  I have my health, my friends, my family...as rough as others things might be, when I took a step back, I realized just how grateful I was to have what and who I do in my life.

The famous saying says, "the world is your oyster."  And it's true...you truly have the power to hold your world in your own hands.  Sometimes it takes looking at everything from a different perspective, but once you do, you see that ultimately your happiness is up to you!