The Midlife Reframe

Category: Running With Amy

  • Remembering Who I Am

    img_0986
    Pic courtesy of George Inglis Photography

     

    It’s been a while since I’ve posted.

    I wanted to wait until I was “situated” in my “new home” to do so.

    I’ve moved the blog from one platform to another.  So feel free to let me know what works and what doesn’t work!  Feedback is appreciated while I continue to tweak some things 🙂

    TeenThing has a job and is working.  She is finding her way and I need to find mine again.  I’ve been a mom for so long I forgot who I am, lol.  So now I begin the whole process of “Finding Amy” and remembering what it is that I want to do with my free time (this is outside of running, lol, that I got covered).

    In other news, I have been slowly getting my physical fitness back.  Early morning yoga and HITT workouts have been keeping me going until I rejig my gym schedule and get some classes/swimming/track time figured out.

    Half Marathon training begins full force in January.  I will be running inside and outside this year.  So when it’s full on bitey wind and bitey snow, I will be at the Canada Games Centre busting up the track.  A nice option to have this year, lol.

    I should be back to regular posts this weekend, so keep your eyes peeled, I have LOTS of stuff to share!

     

    @crazymamaruns

     

  • The Things I Struggle With During Injury Recovery

    I’ve Been Absent

    Photo courtesy of Bitmoji 🙂

    I have found it hard to express everything I have been doing/feeling lately.

    It dawned on me that this is what I should right about.

    I haven’t been unable to run for a bit.  I injured my left calf when I attempted to bolt out of the apartment with my daughter’s lunch after she left early one Sunday morning for work and had left it on the floor.  That was before Thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving, lol).  I have been in physio ever since, and was just cleared for fast walking.  I had my first DNS because of this injury, and I was not overly upset.

    At 44 I am more concerned about being able to continue my running journey into my retirement years than I am about running a race.  I was more bummed that I had just planned my reboot and was sidelined in an instant, lol.

    After fast walking, leg day!

    Needless to say that since the onset of this injury, the schlump has been around.  I think every injured runner goes through it.  Lethargic, doing other activities hardheartedly (even though you really should suck it up and get at it), and just being absolutely miserable.  I could not get myself out of “that place”.  I tried other things to get me out of the schlumps, but no go.

    It was like I was stuck in molasses.  When I talked about my racing stripes (physio tape) and where I was with this injury, I just wanted others to know I was in “that place”.  We all have been and will be. You’re cranky that you can’t run.  You don’t care about anyone else.  It’s very self centered really.  A selfish pity party.  I share my  pity parties because I think it’s important to let other runners know it’s okay to be in that frame of mind.  It’s human to feel that way.    I am not looking for anything, I just want to share the good and the bad.

    (It also wasn’t helping that we are entering into Fall/Winter darkness.  That makes me want to hibernate.  Arrive home – enter PJs – become one with chair.)

    I didn’t need inspirational quotes (we all know how much I LOVE those – see HERE). I didn’t need a motivational speech.  I didn’t want a “well it could be worse” blurb.

    I needed to figure it out on my own.

    Why On My Own?

    Because unless I am going down the rabbit hole, I am the only person who can kick myself in the ass.  I know what my motivators are.  If I can’t kick myself in the ass, then I know something bigger is looming, and I ask for help.

    Once I was able to start stretching and doing small amounts of activity, I started to feel better.

    Now that I can do full on “Leg Day” (without explosive movements, not there yet) and fast walking, I am more optimistic.

    I struggled with how to write this down without sounding like I was complaining.

    I struggled with how to lift myself out of the schlump.

    I struggled with how I was dealing with it.

    I am struggling with how to remained focused on making myself a stronger runner before my half marathon training in January.

    I Won’t Struggle For Long

    Because I know what needs to be done.  I just need to sit down and plan it.

    If I need to, I’ll ask for help.

    I will get over this schlumpy schlump, hopefully better prepared for the next one 😉

    @crazymamaruns

  • Race Recap: Maritime Race Weekend Sunset 5k and Sunrise 5k

    Arrrrrgghhh Matey!

     

    This was my first time running Maritime Race Weekend.
    It did NOT disappoint!
    I registered for the “Tartan Twosome” Challenge, which gave you entry into the Sunset 5k on Friday evening and your choice of race on Saturday (I opted for another 5k as the route is relatively flat).  This would give me an extra medal and some sweet swag!

    Sunset 5k

    So, since I worked on Friday, I hopped on the Ferry and took the Public Limo to Fisherman’s Cove in Eastern Passage which is the backdrop for this Pirate themed weekend 🙂  It consists of small “houses” which have local merchants selling their creations and restaurants to quiet your rumbling belly after walking (or running, lol) around the boardwalk.  It is the Start, and Finish Line for each race.
    I arrived early and checked my bag with a couple of the awesome volunteers. There are so many people that gave their time to make sure everything ran like clockwork.  (A HUGE shout out to all the volunteers who make Maritime Race Weekend happen!)
    Corrals were set up so that you could line up according to your finish time with a spot for the 5k walkers as well.
    There were Pirates everywhere (lots of runners ran in costume) and of course, music to match! 
    When we started out there was some congestion.  I ran with my friend Shannon for the first half, but when we got to the turnaround point, I got tied up in a kerfuffle of people and lost her.  I took a walk break to get back to a spot where I could run without running into anyone, lol.
    The views on this race are amazing.  I wish I had taken out my phone to take some photos, but I had forgotten my Garmin and my phone was my GPS (Strava) so I was trying to NOT look at it, lol.
    Once I got back to Fisherman’s Village and hit the corner before the Finish Line I kicked it into high gear.
    I PB’D MY 5K!!!!
    29:25 was my chip time.  Strava had me at 29:30.
    I was able to RING THE BELL 🙂
    Medal #1 – LOVE IT!

    It’s the PB/First Race Bell!
    Oh yeah I rang that PB Bell!  Eeeee!

    My friend Andrea gave me a lift home.  I had a hot bath, a quick snack and got ready for bed.  I had to race again the next morning!

    Sunrise 5k

    Saturday started at 5am.

    Good Morning Moon!

    In order to get half decent parking I had to leave at 6am.  Coffee, dry toast, gather gear (and yes, I remembered my Garmin, lol) and get out the door.
    It was chilly.  I wore my Badass Mother Runner shirt with a very light jacket.  (Thank you Another Mother Runner Store!)
    I met up with Andrea in the parking area we scoped out the night before as we sat in traffic on the way home, lol.  We hung out and had a quick snack before joining the throng of runners walking down to Fisherman‘s Cove.
    This is THE morning.  5k, 10k, half and full marathon.  We hit the porta potties right away and it was a good thing we did.  That lineup rivaled the corral lineup, lol.  We met up with another RunAtCan Twitter bud (Catherine) and had a little shake out run.
    We corralled and had a mini warm up (both races they had 3rd Degree Training do the warmup for the runners – thanks guys!) and waited for the race to start.
    And not to worry, the Pirates were out in full force on Saturday as well 🙂
    Did I say how beautiful this run is??
    It was congested getting out of the gate and for the first little bit, but we found a “spot” and kept that as much as we could.  Andrea was running the 10k, so we bid each other farewell as I hit the turn around point.   Now I had room to move 😉  I had an issue with my water (it would not slip back into the belt, lol) so I had to walk to get it rectified.
    I was able to wave at Tim on my way back (that is my first picture above, lol) and enjoyed the view as I came back into Fisherman’s Cove.  I kicked it and came in at 30:33!
    The Pirates gave me my second medal and my super awesome challenge medal!

    Yahooooooooooo!  Medals 2 and 3 🙂
    I met up with my friend Jill at the finish line.  She had her PB that morning!!  We are both running the BLT 5k in October (look out world!)

    Super Happy Jill and Amy!
    I got myself a bagel (from Izzy’s Bagels, soooo gooood), some trail mix, and waited for the rest of my friends to run in.  
    (There were quite a few of my RunAtCan and Twitter peeps running, it was great to see some of you!)
    The weather was amazing.  You could not have asked for a better weekend.
    Once “The Gang” made it in and got some food, we went and took the ticket off of our bibs and a got our post race beer!

    Part of The Gang, having beer, lol.
    All in all, this is one race I would definitely recommend for anyone looking to run here in Nova Scotia.  It was well run, the volunteers were amazing, and the atmosphere is fantastic!

    A girl with her Pirate Booty!

     @crazymamaruns
     
     
     
            

  • When Life Gives You…..Shingles

    Yes, You Are Reading That Correctly

    Pic courtesy of Bitmoji 🙂

    This is NOT an “old people” thing.
    Your risk of complications increases over the age of 70.
    TeenThing had them when she was 10/11 years old.
    They appeared on the right hand side of my stomach, just across from my hip bone, just over a week ago.
    At first, I though something had bitten me in my sleep, as I discovered them within an hour of waking.  I stripped my bed looking for the culprit.  NOTHING.
    They were itchy, and warm.  So I took a picture and sent it off to my mother.  She told me I needed to get to the doctor, because it looked like shingles.  So off I went.
    My doctor (she was on duty at the walk-in clinic, yay!) confirmed that I did indeed have shingles.  She wrote me a prescription, which I filled (and started taking) right away.
    Now, before this happened, I thought I was getting a chest cold.  A day or two before that I had a sty in my eye.
    Those shingle things were itchy and burning.  They also “tingled”, like electric shocks.  I, thankfully, did not have much pain.  I was very, very fatigued.

    Everything came to a grinding halt

     

     

    My training had to stop.
    I had to rest.
    I had to try and bring down the stress levels.
    (I know what you are all thinking: Exercise is supposed to eliminate stress.  It does.  But sometimes you are burning the candle at both ends and you are blind to it.  As a single mom I can sometimes get tunnel vision thinking I can do it all, when I can’t.)
    I am still following the group I was training with on Running Moms.  Still watching the running form videos.  Still downloading my workouts and the meal plans.  Carey’s HIIT workouts and running workouts were really showing me what I was neglecting in my training.  This is going to come in handy for the rest of my running season and when I start my half marathon training in January.
    For now, I am slowly going to work my workouts back into my day.  Being on vacation for two weeks is going to make this easier 😉
    So, anyone else out there had shingles?




     

  • Week 1 With a Coach and a Plan – Not Dead Yet!

    Holy Crap I Am Still Alive…

    Also, still able to walk.  Hahaha.

    I received my workouts for the week late last Sunday eve.

    HIIT workouts with running workouts, a rest day, and a cross training day.

    What I loved about the HIIT workouts is that I could adjust to my level of fitness.  I chose to do modified push-ups on the floor.

    My speed workout was a killer.  I live where there are hills EVERYWHERE.  Some of my sprints were UPHILL, lol.

    I tried to do my HIIT workouts in the morning as our weather has been hot and humid. 

    I slept in Friday.  Hot sweaty mess after supper workout.  Blargh.  No more sleeping in 😉

    Being accountable to a coach and a group of people works well for me.  I made sure my workouts were done each day.
    I took my rest day on Thursday (it was supposed to be Saturday) as my muscles were sore.  Carey was glad that I was listening to my body and totally endorsed the rest day on Thursday.  I am feeling the muscles I was definitely neglecting, even with my gym workouts.
    Saturday’s workout was a pyramid (5 min warmup – then x2 of each one fast and one regular pace -> 1 minute , 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute).  This is what I was supposed to do on Thursday.  I really enjoyed this run.  It was hard, but I felt really good and aware of my running, my form, etc.
    I was asked to track my food for a couple of days.  I used My Fitness Pal for this, which I used during my half marathon training earlier this year.  I learned then that I was not eating enough during my training.  This time I also made note of what made me feel good and what made me feel not so good.  (I still ate my feelings a couple of times, lol.)
    Today was cross training day.  After I watched the Olympic Women’s Marathon I did some yoga for 30 minutes.  I was tight for sure, lol.  Felt really good afterwards though.
    I was given a meal plan for the week ahead.  Can’t wait to see how I feel after this week is over with different fuel for my run 🙂
    Being aware of my body and being told every day to be aware of my body is really making a difference.  I don’t ignore pain, I am noticing the muscle groups I am neglecting and focusing on my plan.
    I am currently awaiting my workout plan for next week and I am super exicted!
    If I am still alive next week, you’ll be seeing another post, lol.
    If you went from doing your own thing to a coach, what differences did you notice?  Let me know!

  • August: Training, a Plan and a Coach!

    Yes, You’ve Read That Post Title Correctly 😉

    Last week I signed up for a 5 Day Faster Stronger Challenge at Running Moms.  Carey is a physiotherapist and running coach looking to get moms into badass running shape with her programs.  Last week was HIIT, strides, hills, core and just straight up running 🙂   (Want to try a few of her HIIT workouts?  She has 3 of them, FREE, right here:  3 Simple HIIT Workouts)

    I did my strides on the indoor track at the Canada Games Centre.

    I did this HIIT at home with TeenThing.  It kicked our butts!
    Carey is super supportive and was ready to answer any of our questions in the challenge (there was a Facebook page for us to talk/vent/share our experiences).  Her workouts are made to fit into a busy mom’s schedule (she IS a mom, so she gets how hectic we can be!) She even had a quick Q&A with a nutritionist who gave us tips for what to eat before and after a run.  Carey also has a Running Moms Facebook page (you can sign up for free through her website) where we can post our successes, our not so good days and get support.

    I am now signed up for Carey’s 28 Day Faster Stronger Challenge.
    This challenge starts tomorrow and I am super excited!  I am ready to have someone tell me what to do, lol.  This Challenge comes with a workout/running plan, nutrition plan and Good Form Running Series.  
    As a runner, I am stubborn and will not always fall back on my own personal training knowledge.  
    I am sometimes also less inclined to kick my own ass, lol.  
    I really needed something to push me (wisely) to get over my current running/training plateau.  I have two back to back 5km races in September (Maritime Race Weekend – WOOHOOO!) and this was the perfect avenue to amp up my fitness.
    Having a plan set out for me and knowing what I will need to eat each week will make my life so much easier! 
    So, the road to a faster and stronger me starts tomorrow.
    Stay tuned for my weekly updates, I will be sharing everything here on the blog!!
     
     

  • Why I Will Sometimes Run Tech Free

    I Get Caught Up.

    In looking at my Garmin.
    Checking my pace.
    How much time has passed.
    How far I’ve gone (and sometimes I have not even hit 1km before I am looking down).
    When the anxiety kicks in I get caught up in things that are out of my control:  the weather, my body, etc.

    FitSnap works for my tech free post run pics 🙂
    I forget why I am out on the road.
    I get concerned with things that steer me away from what I love: that feeling you get when it’s just you and the road.  The early morning air.  The feeling of awareness.  Seeing things you may not see later on in the day.  Deer, muskrats, herons.
    Being able to work out your issues before you start work, look after your family, or just kick back and enjoy the day.
    Running tech free takes the expectation off of myself, I don’t log much in my apps or online.  To me it defeats the purpose.  I started out running as an addition to my workout routine and loved it.  When I can recapture that feeling, it charges me back up again.
    Then I remember Garmin/Strava/Social Media are tools, and not definitions of who I am as a runner.
    Let’s face it, I don’t want my most favourite tools to end up like my FitBit.
    @crazymamaruns  

  • Lessons Learned from a Less Than Ideal Race – Canada Day ‘EPIC Canadian’ Edition

    My 10km Epic Canadian Race on Canada Day was Hot and Humid!

    Post Race Me 🙂
    We went into the long weekend here on the East Coast of Canada (Nova Scotia) with some hot and humid weather.  This was my first summer race.  Ever.  My previous 10km races were a while ago.  A Bluenose 10km and a Valley Harvest 10km.  I was a sub 1 hour 10km girl then.  Three years ago for the last one, lol.
    Lesson #1:  Keep on hydrating the night before, even if you think you are adequately hydrated and keep an eye on the weather.
    I woke up a little late on Friday, had my usual coffee and oatmeal and got dressed.  The meal was a little later than I would have liked, but I needed food.
    Lesson #2:  Stick to your alarm and get up on time to make sure you eat long enough beforehand.  Also, drink more water.
    I met up with some friends after hanging around the post party area for awhile.  We chatted and then it was time to head up to the start line.  I was feeling the heat and my body was sore from increasing my weights at the gym.  We hopped in close to the front and soon we were off!
    Lesson #3:  No matter how excited and pumped you may feel.  STOP STARTING FAST!  For some reason, at at least one race, I forget this lesson and start out faster than I should.
    I ran with a RunAtCan Twitter bud and did 10 and 1s with her up until 4kms.  Then I was not feeling so great.  With the heat, the late breakfast, and going out fast, it was a recipe for nauseous stomach.

    Lesson #4:  Always have 3 “goal times”.  One for an ideal day.  One for an okay day.  One for a “Oh My God I May Not Make It Through This Day Alive” day. 

    At 4kms with my stomach wanting to empty its contents, I knew I was not going to pull out a good time.  It became an “Oh My God I May Not Make It Through This Day Alive”  goal time day.  I took water at every water stop after that.  Some for me, some over my neck.  I had electrolytes in my water belt (Nuun).
    Lesson #5:  All races teach us a lesson.  Good and bad.  Embrace the run and if you can, finish strong.
    I got a little of my mojo back in Shubie Park and felt okay.  Hit the turnaround (with some tunes being played on the race route) and started back downhill.
    Cruising along and hit 7kms.
    Bottom of the hill.
    PAIN IN MY CALF.  Similar to the pain during my training run for the Bluenose Half.    I was pretty close to crying.  For real.
    I stopped for a minute.  Walked.  Ran a bit.  Walked.  Ran a bit.
    Chugged along in the gross hot and humid conditions.  Water and Nuun when I needed it.
    I sucked it up after my freezie fix about 500m (give or take) out from the finish and ran to the Finish Line.
    My chip time was 1:08.  Two minutes less than my last goal time.  And really, not a bad finish at all considering the conditions.  But I will admit, in that moment, I was so upset that I did not finish in under an hour.
    Final Lesson:  STOP BEATING YOURSELF UP.  (For me:  Remember that your surgeon told you to run and enjoy it.  You are NOT going to pull out a fast pace like you used to do with the OCD in the knee.)  Run because you love to run.
    So,  I am back to my physio exercises for my calf.  Will continue to do my gym workouts.   Back to yoga classes at the gym (I need a teacher to guide my form).  Keep my weight training going and ease up on myself.  Do some nice easy runs once the calf is happy and enjoy the ride until the next race in September 🙂
    What lessons have you taken away from your bad race??
     

  • My Love/Hate Relationship with June

    The Month, Not a Person

    June:
    The month where summer starts.
    We (kind of) get warmer weather.
    Kids are gearing up for their summer vacation.
    Everything is in full bloom.
    June:
    The month I was diagnosed with a mental illness 5 years ago.
    The month I was lost.
    The month I broke down.

    Photo courtesy of the American Psychological Association

    Every year I mull this over.  Awful, right?
    Yes and no.
    I take time to try and remember the signs.  I want to remember so that I never forget.  Knowing the signs reminds me of how I felt before I broke down.  This is important.  If I remember then I know when I need help.
    That being said, there are times that I have a bad day.  As someone with a mental illness, I can say that I worry about that day becoming the next.  And so on.
    This is where Anxiety is a big jerk.  This is when I take some Ativan.

    But you’ve said in the past that movement is medicine.

    Yes, it is.
    But sometimes moving itself is a struggle.
    Every day is different and it is on the days I DON’T want to move that I struggle to move the most.  Getting out of bed, getting dressed are sometimes the biggest ones.
    Making sure I keep moving is why I have been signing up for more races.  Having a goal, a target, works best for me.  Keeps me moving forward.

    “The Plan” to keep moving.

    I have signed up to do Maritime Race Weekend in September to give me a month to work on my 5k pace after Epic Canadian 10k on Canada Day.
    Will be looking for an October/November Race of a smallish distance and will probably end off the year with the Resolution Run.
    After those races, I can plan for 2017.  No half in the spring though, lol.  Will save that for the fall.  Smaller distances so winter training isn’t so daunting 😉
    What does your race calendar look like until December?

    @crazymamaruns

     
     

  • BlueNose Marathon 2016 – Half Marathon Playback!!!

    I DID IT!!

    I am totally dying here.

    It was a greyish cool day for running.  Perfect weather.

    I played it safe with my usual coffee and oatmeal combo.  My nerves were ON FIRE.  It was super hard to eat.  I thought I was going to barf.  For real.

    I had everything laid out, so gearing up and heading out was super easy.

    I hopped on the public limo, along with a few other runners, and listened to my “Race Day Jams” playlist to psych myself up for the race.

    Once I was down there, my nerves eased up.  The atmosphere on Race Day is wicked amazing.  I ran into one of the Clayton Park Runners on my way in and we had a quick chat before we both went up into the Scotiabank Centre.

    I hung out and waited for my BRF so we could check our bags and gear up.  I fuelled with Cherry Lime Nuun and Chocolate Chip Clif Bar.  I had my trusty Brooks Glycerin 13s on my feet 🙂

    Every single volunteer associated with an event as this are WONDERFUL.  They make everything run like a well-oiled machine.

    Because my nerves were shot, I forgot my Garmin in my bag!  Good thing I had my phone with Strava ready to rock and roll.


    My BRF and I decided a while before the race that we would get with the 2:15 Pace Bunny.

    I am glad we did, she was awesome.  We did go out fast, but her plan was to bank us time for Point Pleasant Park and the HILL OF DEATH.  (Yes, there are a few hills along this race route, but PPP has the sloggiest one!)

    Blurry me! Just after we started.

    My Twitter friend Sarah caught me around the 5km mark.  I saw her on the sidelines and yelled at her, lol.  She got this picture of me.

    SARAAAAAAAAAAAAH!



    We had a great group running with the 2:15 Pace Bunny.  We laughed and talked and had a great time.  We actually caught up to the 2:10 Pace Bunny on Devonshire. Our group can be seen in the BlueNose Video on YouTube around 9:57 underneath the MacDonald Bridge.

    I was very lucky to see so many Twitter friends and other people I knew along the race route.  It made such a big difference.  I am also grateful for every single person that stood/sat along the race route cheering us all on.  It really makes a difference to those of us running, especially when we start to tire.

    I made it through Point Pleasant Park relatively unscathed.  We were able to walk up the hills and save up what energy we could.  I felt strong coming out of the Park.  I knew I was getting a little tired, but with most of the race behind me, I knew I could keep going.

    I fuelled a little too late in the race and had some nausea around 19ish kms.  I told my BRF to go and took a walk break until it subsided (a deal we struck previously – if something happened to one of us, the other would keep going).  I picked it back up at the 20km mark and ran like I was on fire.  Every step hurt.  My lungs cried and I thought I was going to throw up.

    Running down Brunswick Street is a surreal experience.  Every single person is cheering you on.  They are calling out your name, pushing you forward.  I put my head down and ran.

    It was not a PR, but pretty damn close (2:12:20).  Two minutes over my last half time two years ago.  Not too shabby for an old broad 😉


    I wanted my first half after surgery and recovery to be here, at home, in Halifax.  I am glad I did.  It felt great to pull this out with people I knew and a city that loves BlueNose Marathon Weekend 🙂

    As I recover today, I am now trying to choose my next race!  I think I will keep to shorter distances for the rest of this race season.


    Thanks for coming along on this journey with me.  Can’t wait to share my next race with you!!

    @crazymamaruns