My New Job

So yesterday I tweeted that I was so excited about landing my dream job. I felt bad not sharing all the details, and I still will be a bit vague with all the details for now, but really 160 characters makes it hard sometimes to share everything.

So I promised to share via the blog!

I was excited yesterday because I got a new job! Not just any job either, really this job will allow me to carry out a lot of my dreams. Que celebration time!!!!! :)

(website for image)

You know, when I began changing my life 3 years ago, I began changing more on the inside too. I gained this enthusiasm and confidence that was burdened under all the weight for a long time. And, once I was transformed into a healthy lifestyle, I felt very grateful. I really feel like I have been given a gift, the gift of my life back. The day I came off that final of all 7 of the medications I took daily while I was obese, was a wonderful day.

Almost as wonderful as the day I crossed the finish line of my very first half marathon. I felt so accomplished and so lucky to be in that spot. You see when you are almost 300 pounds and get out of breath climbing your stairs at home, everything else seems bleak too. And I lived feeling that way for a very long time.

My body was transformed, and I was fit and healthy, but I began to yearn for more. I wanted to be able to share this gift, I was so thankful for getting a second chance at life, I wanted to pay it forward and help others get their own second chance too. I began to look for ways where I could use my business background and personal journey to do just that.

I am happy to say, that now  I have been given that opportunity!!!!!!

I am studying and will be getting my personal trainer certification from the International Sports Sciences Association next week. I have already gotten CPR and AED certified too! And my job will be managing and working in a fitness center!!!! I will be helping people change their lives through personal training and nutrition counseling!!!!!!! I am so excited to put my 2 passions of business and healthy living together and begin my career. I cannot wait to go help people transform their lives every day. I cannot wait to share my own journey and help inspire them to start their own.

It will be epic I just know it!

I am so so excited to begin this new adventure and open a very big chapter on my life. Once again, I am reminded that when God closes a door he always opens a window, and lets you make the choice to crawl through when you are ready to leap.

Why I am Now a Confirmed Believer: Run Less Run Faster Plan

If you remember in the spring I read and reviewed the book Run Less Run Faster from Runner's World. I began to process the concept of running less and being able to maintain a level of fitness. I liked it and trained for my marathons in May that way.

It worked out well. I would have probably PR'd at the Vermont Marathon at the end of May, had I not been sick and gotten even sicker while running. Anywho, that is long since gone.

When I got injured, I tore my calf muscle :/ was in a boot and on crutches for a few weeks and told there would be no running for 8 weeks I had a panic attack. Ok, well we all know it was much more dramatic than that, but anywho, those days are luckily behind us too ;)

What I want to talk about is cross training and just how beneficial it was to me.  I was running marathons and had a strong base mileage built up. I was really worried how not running for 8 weeks would take my base away and take months to build up. I felt defeated for a few days following injury and then I made a choice. I got a bathing suit, I got to the YMCA, and I got moving.

I took the training plans in the book and I used them again. I swam and rowed on the rowing machine every day. I was not going to give up. I also maintained core and upper body strength by doing modified strength training and trx still. I was amazed at just how much I could still do while wearing the boot.

The important thing I learned is the body will maintain some level of fitness and cardiovascular maintenance while doing other forms of exercise outside of running. Running is not the end all be all. And this book, really helps you realize that cross training can be very beneficial, it takes the weight and pressure off your legs but allows you to mimic the running training and form in some ways.

I trained like that for 7 weeks. I got sick of seeing the inside of the pool and the gym walls and I longed to run again, but I was grateful that I at least had it. I maintained a hope that I would be running again soon and that it would not be like starting over on day 1.

When I got the OK from my physical therapist to start running again, easy runs, I went out for a 3 miler and remember feeling like wow this is not that bad. I think that first 3 miler I maintained a steady 9 minute mile pace and I was kind of surprised. I added in 2 other 6 mile runs that week and when Sunday long run day came did 7. I felt ok.

The week after I did the same thing 2 week runs around 5-6 miles and that weekend, I ran a half marathon 13.1 miles in just shy of 2 hours. I could not believe it. I was happy and proud of myself that I was able to maintain my training somewhat enough to be running so well again. The next weekend was 16 miles and this past weekend I knocked out my first (of many hopefully) 20 miler.

After last weekend, I had the feeling of ok this is doable, I really think this cross training works. But after this weekend I can firmly stand here and say 'I Believe'. Everyone is asking me how I do it, how did I do it, and how is it possible?

Train Less Run Faster, in my case it was no running for 7 weeks but cross train like a determined relentless crazy person and you will run again. I started running again 3 weeks ago and am already back to my 9 minute mile long runs and doing speed work once again in the low 7s. It is not quite as speedy as I was early spring (8 min long runs and low6s for speed) BUT it is much closer than I had anticipated I would be. It is much much better than I ever dreamed possible in such a short time. I honestly did not think I would be able to run 20 miles after being back to running for only 3 weeks, but I knew that I had to give it my best and try.

I am so glad I did. I am so glad I never gave up. I think about what might have happened if I sat around for 7 weeks just being injured and doing nothing. I know that 20 mile run would not be possible. And I probably would not be able to run my fall marathon and ultra.


Have you found cross training to be helpful during times of non running or even to supplement running?

Why I Love the Long Runs

It will make or break you.

The marathon distance. 26.2 miles of pure pain, sweat, and sometimes heart break and ache.

But I keep going back for more.

I realized this weekend that it is not even specifically the marathon that I adore, as much as the training that goes into it and those long runs.

When I talk to most people (especially those who are nonrunners) they have a hard time even fathoming why a person would want to run that many miles all the time. I love the quizzical gazes I get as I list off my races and watch their eyes glaze over. It is kind of like a little game I play with them, sometimes I hold out on the ultras or if I really want to amuse them I throw those in too.

But, for me it is all about the love of running over a distance. When I set out to run my long runs I cherish the time. It is the only time away from everything that I get some peace and comfort. When I am out there listening to my music, phone and peanut less, it is pure quiet and bliss. Do not get me wrong I adore her but she is a handful ;)

There is just something about running for more than 2 hours that I adore. I cannot even explain it. Most people have a hard time at certain miles, 15, maybe 19 I am not sure. For me, there is no wall usually it is more the getting going that is tougher. For the first few miles I feel sluggish. But my body comes alive over the course of those first 10 miles. It is like once I get into my groove and get going I feel I could run forever. And so this is what I try to do :)

When I got injured and was walking around on crutches, all I dreamed about was running again. These last few weeks I have been running again and it has felt great. On Sunday, I set out for my first 20 miler since the VT marathon on May 27. I was nervous, I honestly did not know how my legs would take to the distance, how my body would do.

But, it turned out to be good. I headed out around 10:30 after watching the men's marathon and dropping peanut off. In the beginning my legs felt sluggish and it was kind of warm. By mile 3 I started to settle into my groove and by mile 8 I felt strong. I knew by mile 12 that all 20 miles would be mine, and I was right.

It is something that springs to life when I cover the longer distances, its a true love for running that comes from inside of my heart that really pushes and drives me to keep training and going back for more. I love long runs because it is one of the few times I always feel like an athlete. I feel strong and accomplished after a long run. No matter how much it hurts, or how bad I want to quit sometimes, marathon training just keeps me going back for more and more.

Plus, my post run long run treat, a soy latte from Starbucks (the only time I get one now) does not hurt either :)