Walk vs. Hike

I've been walking. Not running. Just walking.

A few weeks ago my knee reminded me why regular running hasn't worked for me in a long time. Just when I get back in a groove, some nagging part of my body shuts me down.

So....walking.

I like to move, but move quickly. It takes patience to walk. Even the dog leans forward, pulling (though he's trained not too), straining to pick up the pace. He looks back at me. Why aren't we jogging his face asks. "I can't," I say out loud to him and the pavement and the trees and anyone who will listen. He and I are both happier when we take to the trails and the mountains. There it's okay to slow down. He is off leash and so am I. My mind doesn't race on the trail. It's distracted by the landscape and sounds. It has a job to do. Watch out for rocks, snakes, bears. My brain is simultaneously soothed and stimulated in the woods. It might just be the best form of therapy.

This morning we walked. While the car was being worked on we hoofed it to a nearby neighborhood around a small lake and walked three miles. The exercise felt good, the fresh air felt good, the chill that has finally hit our mornings felt good. But being on pavement, walking past houses, listening for traffic...none of that calmed me. I came away from our walk even more wound up than when I started. Which means its settled. I can no longer walk. I'll just have to hike.

9 minute Miles

The other day Warren and I were slogging through a 5 mile run. It was kind of brutal. Not as bad as some runs I've been on when I was literally doing the death shuffle by the end, but still pretty unpleasant. We have been working on slowly increasing our miles so we can run in the Styx n' Stones 15K in March and this was the longest run to date.

As we are limping along I could see the frustration building up in my husband's face. Then he says, "Didn't we used to have no problem running 8 and 9 minute miles?"  I totally felt his pain because at this point Runkeeper told me we were holding steady at about a 10:45 pace.

I am trying to not be so hard on myself about it. Sure, I remember flying through my miles a few years ago. There is nothing better than watching your pace get faster and faster. And I keep reminding myself that the only way to get back to that pace is to lose some weight, log more miles, and incorporate speedwork.

Day before yesterday we were scheduled to run. Since our last run was 5m, this one was scheduled to be shorter. We didn't have a lot of time so I decided to make it a two mile run at race pace. We had virtually no warm up. Right out of the front door I locked in my pace and just ran it for 2.06 miles. It felt so good. When we got back home we clocked in at 18:11 for time. Pace was held steady for each mile at 8:48.

Pushing yourself can be scary sometimes, but its encouraging to know what your body is capable of. That itty bitty two mile run put a smile on both of our faces.

Return to Running

It's not pretty. Some days I feel great. Other days I think I'm going to die. And right now I'm really wondering why I signed up for that half-marathon that goes straight up the damn mountain.

Fitbit and First Run

I finally broke down and joined the masses of Fitbit users. I've had my band on for four days and so far I am really happy with the ease of use, the comfort of the band itself, and the motivation it has provided. I'm a numbers girl. As in my weight, how many miles I ran and what my pace was, calorie intake vs. calories burned. This little gadget is enabling my obsession.

And in big news!!!!  I went on my first run post surgery. We had gone on a couple of hikes and a few days ago I took the took the kiddos out to do three laps around the pond (which is a mile). I was hoping to run a bit then but I took about twenty paces and said no way. The kids ran the straight stretches and walked the ends. I just walked the whole thing. But on Friday I was determined. I'm six weeks post op and I should be able to run damn it! We did three laps again and I ran the straights and walked the ends and we walked one more lap to cool down. I realize that is only running about 3/4 of a mile but its a start. After the first twenty steps the feeling that my guts were gonna fall out went away. I plan on taking it slow but I truly can't wait for that first complete 5K.

Cossatot River Half-Marathon

The 4th Annual Cossatot River Half-Marathon Trail Run was this morning. Since I couldn't run in the race, I did the next best thing and volunteered. I basically spent my morning traversing trails, backroading between aid stations, and acting silly so runners would smile at me. It was exhausting, but I truly love runners and the race atmosphere. Especially a trail run. And my helper was pretty cute too.

Yep. I love runners. Happiest people around. 

Want to read my post from the time I ran this race? Here ya go.

Eats & Workouts

Lots of yummy Paleo foods! Including me finally mastering (with the help of a new immersion blender) Paleo mayo.

I've ran in the pitch dark, in the pouring rain, and in my newest pair of Vibrams (cause the Brooks were killing my knees).

Also! Also! I'm ridiculously excited about the fact that I completed a 4.7m run with my friend. It has been literally forever since I have done anything over 3.75m. This coming from the gal that used to run 6 nearly every day and 10 on the weekends for fun. I really do miss my running addiction. It kind of feels like that love is rekindling but I'm going to take it slow and not read to much into it. Just go the distance when I feel like it and not force it. Oh relationships are hard, aren't they?

Primal Hippie Eats & Workouts

A week's worth of totally non-Paleo foods did a number on me. I stepped on the scale when we returned from vacation and nearly cried. I've done my best to stick to strick Paleo this week. The sugar cravings hit pretty bad yesterday and today. I ate some dried fruit and a Larabar even though I know I should have starved those sugar cravings right out.

But workouts have been terrific. I finally conceded that my Vibram Toe Shoes had bit the dust. I've been a devotee of them for three years now. There is no telling how many miles I ran in those bright pink and orange five fingered shoes. Rather than buy a new pair right now (because I'm trying this thing called not spending as much money) I pulled out my like new pair of Brooks Pure and did my workout in them today. My feet felt much heavier than normal but I'm sure I will get used to them again.

Today's workout was especially nice because the weather was gorgeous and I got to do the whole thing in my backyard. Have a peek at my playground...

I've got a tire for flipping, a slackline for core, nice soft grass for planks, a trampoline for fun, and I drag my kettlebells out when needed.

I use the closest log for log jumps and presses.

It's pretty much my favorite place to work out. There is a very steep hill where I can do repeat hill runs.

This morning I started with a 1 mile run on the treadmill and then did 2 rounds of:  
5 log jumps
10 inclined pushups on the log
15 squats with a 20lb kettlebell
5 hill sprints
2 min. plank

Primal Hippie Eats & Workouts

Right now I workout about 4-5 times a week. One to two of those days consist of a run while the others are primarily body weight, bar, or freeweights routines. Sometimes I head outside for hill runs (I have a very steep backyard!), log jumps, and a bit of slackline (which I still suck at) practice.

For example yesterdays workout was:

1 mile treadmill run for a warm-up

followed by:

30 jumprope
1 min plank
25 squats
5 pushups

repeated 4 times with an additional 20 squats at the end.

Not too strenuous. But enough to get a good workout.

As far as eats go....

I decided to reintroduce dairy last week and my skin is paying for it. Otherwise I've been sticking to pretty strict Paleo. Everytime I indulge in some GF bread or some Paleofied dessert I just don't feel my best. So I've been keeping it pretty clean. I will start another Whole30 at the end of August and this time I am really looking forward to it.

It really is a journey. Forward and backward. Fall off, get back on. But you just keep going.

Planned Off-roading and a Redemption Run

First of all if you are not on a Whole30, go make this now! So, so, so good. I've tried several Paleo banana bread recipes and this is the one.

We were on the road for most of the day yesterday. I took along a cooler with drinks and breakfast. In my opinion finding primal breakfast on the go is the hardest. I had some planned indulgences. We were celebrating being done with the school year and so a trip to Five Guys and Bliss Cupcakes was in order.

At Five Guys I had a bacon cheeseburger with no bun topped with grilled onions, mushrooms, jalapenos and hot sauce. And I ate the fries. Of course I ate the fries. Wouldn't you? A family friend owns Bliss Cupcakes in Ft.Smith and they have some absolutely delectable GF cupcakes. I thought I was a chocolate devotee to the very end until I tried the GF Blueberry Cream Cheese cupcake. I will never eat another flavor again. Not that I need to be eating cupcakes more than once a year. I won't. I promise. Thanks to Kerri though I can do it without too much guilt and gastric distress. They also have a few varieties with all natural color and flavor so my kids get to have a treat too. After that we saw Maleficent. Which was................oh ma gah! Amazing! Great movie! Loved loved loved it!

Once back home I was quite exhausted and shamelessly threw Amy's frozen pizzas in the oven. Rice crust for Warren and I, regular cheese for the kids. It was one of those nights were we just wanted to kick back, eat pizza, and watch Star Wars. Any maybe drink some wine.

 

 

This morning I was up with the sun and at the track with my friend for a few miles and a few bleachers. It felt good to work all the gunk out of my body from yesterday. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed my indulgences yesterday. I don't feel guilty because I planned to eat that stuff. It's not getting me down.



I polished off the last piece of banana bread after my run and the rest of my day will be clean.  Have a great weekend!

Eats Day 6 & Fall Garden Hopes

I have really noticed a major increase in energy over the past day or so. I put it to good use with a 3.5 mile run at 7 am, followed by working at our business for about 4 hours (our monthly organic delivery came!), did some major major grocery restocking, came home and proceeded to build a raised bed in the backyard.

We have lived in our home about 5 years and have had variable luck with gardening. One year we had more squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and jalapenos than we knew what to do with. This year, everything I planted was killed by a late frost, and everything I replanted became so overgrown with weeds that I gave up. Before I went on vacation I noticed a few squash plants holding on but by the time I got back they had succumbed to the heat.

I have been dreaming of a collection of raised beds for some time now and yesterday I got out the tools and scraps of wood from our shop and got to work. Hopefully I can get some stuff in the ground to have a small fall crop. Turnips, and kale, maybe acorn or butternut squash.

A few of my hens were hanging around watching me build the raised bed.
Chickens are actually really sweet.



Tired and glad I was able to construct a box without my husbands help, also very glad I didn't lose a finger to the saw.
Or break my wrist with the drill.



 

 

After the run, I was starved but had to rush to open the store. My sweet husband made us a big Sunday breakfast and called me to come home and eat. We live very close to our business so I was able to run right over and enjoy having someone else cook for a change. Funny thing was, he made Paleo pancakes and instead of using coconut flour he used shredded unsweetened coconut. They tasted fine but the consistency was off. He kept commenting on how they weren't cooking right and then I noticed what he had used. It was comical but he was very adamant about how I should start labeling my mason jars better since we have coconut in 7 different forms in our house. Shredded, flaked, fresh, flour, water, milk, and oil....all coconut!

 

Breakfast was still delicious. I topped my pancakes with a bit of organic blueberry jam and a splash of maple syrup.

 

 

 



For lunch I had some Wild Planet sardines in marinara sauce, with pickled asparagus, and a nectarine.

After this amazing lunch I pulled the dutch oven out of the well....the oven. It had been hard at work braising some ribeyes. Benefit of having a grocery store....lots of meat to eat!

I shredded it and nibbled on a little and then put it away for dinner later. I had a spoon full of Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut butter and a bottle of GT's Kombucha. I fixed dinner for the family but skipped it myself. I just wasn't hungry. Energy and not feeling hungry all the time? Well, its pretty awesome I have to say.

Giant platter of meat. Yum! We now have emergency protein for days.