Failure and then Success

I only made it six straight days of running 2 miles a day. Then I took four days off from running for no really good reason. But today I ran the Amy Thompson 5k and set a new Post Pregnancy Personal Record. Somewhere around 34 minutes and 30 seconds.
I was averaging 11 minute miles. And this was a hilly course on a humid morning, with a crowded field of runners. I could have dipped into the 10 minute mile range had it been less hilly I think.

This week my goals are to take my thyroid medication faithfully, so that I have the energy to get out the door and exercise. I am now focusing my eyes on my several future 5k races. One is June 16th, a little charity race for an amazing interfaith retreat center, called the Sanctuary of Hope. Then I run my first trail 5k in July. I hope to put up better and better times at each event.

Cheers!

20 day update

Day Five: Monday, May 21st ran to Waldo Pizza on the Trolley Trail from our house. I was very slow due to it being eight hours since I ate or drank anything. This was a full 2 mile run with hills. Husband and baby ran with me!

Day Six: today, plan to run Loose Park. or do another late night run with husband.
Oops never mind. Didn't get to the park yet again. But I did set a new record for myself, I will call it the nursing cool down. Had to go for a run at 10:30pm because I put it off all day. Husband came with me and pushed baby in the jogging stroller. 1.25 miles into the run we are three blocks from home and baby wakes up very confused and crying. I take him out of the stroller and nurse him while we walk the rest of the way home. I guess I was burning lots of calories doing a nurse/walk; I wonder how many... ;)

Cheers!

20 days, 2 miles a day

Attached is a picture of my team at the Brew to Brew on April 1st of this year and me at the hand off point. I always want to be in shape enough to run a 5k with no problems or do other road races like this one. I will be running a 5k on Memorial Day with family.

So here is the summary of how my current goal to run for 20 days in a row, is going.
Day One: Thursday May 17th, 20 minute run around Overland Park midday.
Day Two: Friday May 18th, 30 minute walk/run around Crown Center during my lunch break.
Day Three: Sat. May 19th, 25 minute run around neighborhood at 10pm, I gutted this one out, really wanted to just go to bed.

Day Four: Sunday, May 20th, ran 1.5 miles, out and back route from my house. I bit hilly but makes for a quick 20 minute or so run.



This does take planning and focus...

Two Miles a Day, to infinity and beyond.

My Coach from when I ran my first marathon, is an inspiring ultra-marathoner, named Koach Karl. Karl is currently running 26 marathons in 26 days around the Kansas City area to raise money and awareness for Team in Training.

I saw him on his tenth day on May 10th and was inspired. I figure if another human being can run a marathon A DAY for weeks in a row, I can at the very least run two miles a day for at least as many days in a row as he can.

Karl had to stop after 10 straight days of marathons.
I am going to make it my goal to double his 10 days.

I therefore commit to run 2 miles a day for 20 straight days.
I've already completed 2 days, as I started this endeavor on Friday, May 17th.
I will take my first day off on June 6th, IF I need it!

I ran on May 17th, during my lunch break while I as down in Overland Park. I ran probably 1.5 miles during the midday heat.

I ran on May 18th, during my lunch break around Crown Center, up and over the WWI memorial. I need to make this a daily habit, and next week should bring all my gear to work with me and start and end from the same place. I am a creature of habit and it would be especially good to start this workout habit within my workday.

Today I will run later tonight, right before dinner.

To many this might not seem to be a big task, to others it might seem insurmountable. The goal here is that I want to become a person who is consistent and disciplined about something. If I make it past 20 days and increase my daily mileage to 3 or 4 miles A DAY, that is even better! I figure trying to set these daily endurance records is a way to motivate myself to be in better and better shape.

Update on my thyroid: I decided to take the medication to help with my hypothyroidism. I have my first doctors appointment on June 1st, and I will ask lots of questions about whether all this is related to just having my first child.

Update on my anxiety: Slowly but surely God is calming my heart about being in my house on my own. The burglary earlier this month made me very jumpy, but I figure I can't be afraid all the time.

Cheers!!!

Sarah

RE: Roadblocks

This past month I've gained back 10 pounds.

I've been hit with two roadblocks:

1) Hypothyroidism - apparently my thyroid was hyper, which helped me lose all that weight and has now swung to hypo (underperforming). This condition can lead to rapid weight gain. I've diagnosed myself with post-partum thyroiditis, which occurs to 10% of women after having a baby. Doctors don't talk much about it but it basically means our body goes on a hormone rollercoaster for awhile before calming down after 12-18 months. Then our thyroid returns to normal functioning. My doctor instead called me on my cell and said, "Your thyroid is underperforming and now you must take a pill for the rest of your life, because hypothroidism is a life-long condition." When I called him back and asked if he had ruled out post-partum thyroiditis he said you can never rule anything out and that if I was unhappy he would refer me to a specialist. I am so frustrated that I can't get anyone to talk to me about post-partum thyroiditis, which is what most women say happened to them when they brought it up with their doctors. After much research on my own I decided to take the thryroid hormone prescribed by my doctor until I get to see a specialist on June 1st. But I am really just hoping my thyroid will come back on its own in its own good time.

2) Anxiety - I was hit was a big dose of anxiety after I was a victim of a first degree burglary in early April. I heard footsteps on the stairs at 9:30pm at night. I was in bed with our baby and my husband was talking to me. I stood up and yelled and my husband ran towards the stairs. The burglar ran out of the house, thank God! But now any noise makes me jump and showering and relaxing when my husband is not in the house are impossible. I find I just like to go over to friends houses or stay outside gardening.

With both these roadblocks sapping my energy and cluttering my brain, running has been far from my mind. Although perhaps it should be at the front of my mind, as a life preserver helping me to escape. John "Penguin" B. has a quote on this matter:

"Lately I've noticed that in times of stress I reach for my running shoes. Earlier in my life I might have reached for a cigarette or a beer or food or the company of another person. And, when I once would have turned outside myself for help in tough times, running now allows me to turn inside.

I've noticed, too, that in times of celebration and joy--when before I would have reached for something to eat or drink--I now reach for my running shoes. I find myself running when I'm happy as well as when I'm troubled.

Through the activity of running, more than through the sport, I have come to be a much better friend to myself. Through running I have learned to console myself, congratulate myself, and be accepting of myself.

There are times in my life, though, when there are not enough miles to run. There are times when the movement of my feet seems like the only measure of control I have in my day, in my life. On those days--on the days when circumstances conspire to show me only the worst of who I am and, more discouraging, the worst of who I am becoming--my running shoes become life-preservers."