Last Summer in the desert

This is our last summer in the desert and hopefully the last time we have to endure running in extreme heat.  I tried doing the treadmill thing for a few weeks, but that thing just beats up my body.  Plus, the gym has had air-conditioning problems and hasn't been all that cooler than early mornings.

My goal is to just do a very short run every morning and then do weights, pilates or HIIT when I get home.  You have to find what works in the heat and this is my remedy: ice cold water + wet wash cloth + running in the shade = survival.

I'm thankful for a shaded path around our neighborhood!

Even just running 2 miles leaves me drenched in sweat.  When I walk in the door, I always find this:

"Please take me with you?  I'm such a good girl."

Occasionally I'll take Maya back out for a short walk, but I have to be very careful that the sidewalk isn't too hot for her paws.

Proof

Netflix and Hulu really need to get their act together and not leave people without something to watch all.summer.long. Actually, it makes me a little nervous for the fall when all my favorite shows get new episodes...I guess this is a heads up to Ben that putting the kids to bed will be his job then. As a result, I've been watching YouTube in the evening and have found some really fascinating clips. I got hooked on documentaries of The Western States 100 mile endurance run.  I was especially inspired by Katie Lickteig, not because she won, but because of her amazingly positive attitude.

Then I watched this video , about Elle Ip, and I cannot stop thinking about it.  Basically, she signed up for an athletic swimsuit competition when she was 8 months pregnant and not living an active, healthy life.  She documents her 10 month struggle with losing the baby weight plus getting toned for a swimsuit competition.  She doesn't have a nutritionist or a coach or a babysitter or even a gym membership!  She has a treadmill and some free weights and a scale+tape measure.  I sympathized with her through the tears of sleep deprivation and caring for small kids and trying to do a little something for yourself.  This is what I cannot stop thinking about: she found that what worked for her was, light training and allowing herself one day a week to eat whatever she wanted.  She didn't starve herself the rest of the days; she was very conscious of getting enough nutrients to feed her baby but made healthy choices and those "free" days would literally eat anything that sounded good to her, no matter what it was or how much it was.  As for the training, she walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes a day and lifted light weights IN HER CLOSET.  I was just in shock.  Her body didn't immediately bounce back, like most videos you see of women just easily dropping the weight.  No, you could see that it was a struggle and I found that so refreshing.  What I found the most remarkable about the journey was that you could see a shift, when she really started losing the weight and it wasn't until her baby was about 8 months old and the competition was close!  I was getting nervous!  The shift happened when she started getting more sleep, which made her stress levels go down and as she saw some results, her mood improved.  Sleep+low stress+ positive thoughts=amazing results.

If these two videos aren't proof of the power of the brain in fitness, I don't know what is.

Strength of the mind

Being completely vulnerable.
If you look through my journal, you will see a theme.  Actually, you probably don't even have to look at my journal to know this theme in me.  I have a very natural tendency to be negative.  Give me any situation and I can find the negative...some might say that I even look for it.  It's not depression, it's just a negative script that runs through my head.  I have been fighting to change that script; those journal pages are filled to the brim with scripture and prayers.  I finally came to a spot where I knew something had to change TODAY.  I need to accept that this is a struggle I may always have but equip myself to fight.  Why TODAY?  Because what runs through my head effects my words and my attitude towards my family and that in turn effects their words and attitudes, especially one very impressionable little girl. 



While this much needed change was on my heart, I listened to a podcast (while running on the treadmill to make it a little bit enjoyable) by Marathon Training Academy, called "How Running Changes Your Brain-Interview with Dr Wendy Suzuki"...you can also watch a similar video here.  Oh, how I needed this!  Dr. Suzuki has done extensive research on how exercise changes our brain, but I would say she equally found that our brain changes our exercise.  Things I found interesting about her podcast and really needed to hear:

1. We are the most productive (our brains are functioning at their highest capacity) right after exercising. 

2. When we have negative scripts running through our brain, those negative synapses are stronger and therefore fire more naturally.  Saying positive things will strengthen the positive synapses over time and hopefully, will eventually take over that natural position.

3. Say out loud positive things during an exercise. 
**This goes hand-in-hand with runners having mantras, but takes it one step further.  A suggestion would be to say while running:  I am strong.  I am committed.  I am fast.  I am more than enough.  I am on fire!

4. In a study between running, HIIT and walking, walking actually won for the best exercise for our brain.  Surprising, but it won because running and HIIT both put stress on your body (it's good stress, but it's still stress).  I probably won't be taking up walking, although hiking is intriguing, but it is a good reminder to make sure you get in some slow, easy runs.

5. Brain health is more important than most want to give it credit.  Things to do to keep this very important organ healthy:
~Sleep!  At least 8 hours a night.
~Eat a healthy diet...more on that later
~Meditation or prayer
~Learn a new skill
~Learn a new language
~Do something you enjoy
~Listen to music
~Drink tea and say things you are thankful for
~Don't check email and social media.  Obviously for work purposes, you probably have to check email a couple of times a day, but the idea is to not let it fill your thoughts.

6. She addressed being down on yourself during working out.  I found it refreshing that I wasn't the only one who compares myself to other athletes around me.  BUT it doesn't matter what they are wearing or how fast they are going or how far or how big their muscles are...

 boy, did I need that kick in the pants.

7. She did some interesting research studies.  I have a secret love for research like this.  In one study, they had a green drink and told one group that it was a tea full of vitamins and protein and was only 100 calories.  They gave the same drink to another group and told them that it was full of sugar and chemicals and was 800 calories.  The group who believed the drink was healthy, felt better about drinking it (had those positive synapses firing away), but the group who thought it was basically a milkshake felt terrible about drinking it.  It's amazing how our thoughts affect even our food choices!

Running is 90% mental, which means that all these years I've been running on 10%, which also means that running is amazing because that 10% has really helped my mental status stay somewhat positive. I'm really curious to see how my running changes after I put some work into a healthy brain.  Interestingly enough, I ended that treadmill run feeling like I could have kept running; it was the best I've felt in a long time.

My journey on this subject is just beginning, but it is clear that all aspects of my life will benefit from this endeavor. 


I am strong.  I am committed.  I am more than enough.

Small regrets

I'm excited to announce that I have finally conquered getting up early in the morning to run and there is no going back!  It's the small victories in life...

Anyway, I was running one morning, thinking about this past year and realized how much I regretted not documenting our running.  I so wish Ben had blogged through intense training while being deployed and getting a medal every single race they had on base.  I felt like there wasn't much to say about my running, but really, there was.  It may not have seemed like much, but just the fact that I was able to run at all while Ben was deployed is huge.  More than huge.  His first deployment, I was so stressed I could barely make it through 2 miles.  It was amazing to not have that stress this time around (not that it was all roses) and to be able get in some decent miles.  This time around, it was a stress reliever and even though it was just circles around my house, it was refreshing.

When Ben got home from deployment, he gave me Faster Road Racing, a book he used while deployed and he helped me to see that I was actually in a big time running rut!  I was so thankful for those rut miles, but I was literally doing the same run (same miles and pace) every.single.day and it was actually have somewhat of a negative affect. 

This is a quote from HungryRunnerGirl:

"Some warning signs for when you know you need to make a change in your training—>  you are experiencing constant fatigue, a change in your sleep patters, you are sick more often than normal, moody, loss of menstruation, change in your weight, lots of worrying, forgetfulness and anything else that is off to you and your normal self."

I definitely had some of these symptoms, but just contributed it to deployment.  Crazy enough, I have more energy now when I get up early and mix up my routine.  Ben's also home, so that helps too :) 

Ben helped me to realize that I was running all of my runs too fast and helped me finally accept that it's okay to slow down.  Now I have a tempo run, interval run, aerobic run and long run throughout my week with some strength training and am feeling on top of that rut.

I also regret not documenting running in the winter here because we are sadly back to summer, which equals the treadmill.  Blech.

Every once in awhile we like to pretend it's not summer and run outside.  And then there was that one crazy time Ben tricked me into running to Mexico and the border patrol came after us.

Some how I have to find a way to make treadmill run interesting posts for awhile...

Completely random

I love this video:
I feel like Meb is the father of running.  I've heard him say multiple times that his focus of each day is doing small things to make himself better; from strength to nutrition to stretching.  However, it's not to look better or be better than the next person, but just a better self.  It's refreshing.  I also completely needed to hear what he said about posture.  I've been working on more core training, but it's still easy for me to not put as much effort into it as I should.


We started taking Maya with us on short jogs around the block this week.  The vet said she shouldn't run more than a mile until she's a year old...but that was also before we knew she was a greyhound.  It's been the most hilarious experience taking her.  My 7:30 pace is a s.l.o.w trot for her.  She definitely helps with the speed work and I forget all about running because I'm so entertained by her.  She absolutely LOVES being out with us and comes back acting like she's the coolest dog in town.

Surviving July

Every day in July was above 100° F. In fact there were only 5 days in the month where the high was below 106° F and we had 12 days where it got to 110° F or higher! I was nervous about this month long before I moved here. Running and desert heat is just a bad combination. Yet I survived.  I managed to run 141 miles this month. I won't say that I thrived because that would be a stretch. I slogged through some miserable hot runs, I plodded along on the treadmill, and drank gallons of water. Here are the four things that helped me survive the month:

1. Get out of town.
I spent the first few days of the month in Canada (and got one run in after my fishing trip), and I spent 6 days in San Diego for work. I made sure to run each day in San Diego and enjoy the cool weather. These brief respites from the heat were mentally necessary. Not only did the cooler temperatures feel great, they let me run outside without feeling like I was being cooked alive.

Running Mission Trails in San Diego

2. Embrace the treadmill
Maybe embrace is too strong a word. Mentally I have come to accept the necessity of the treadmill. But I still loathe the machine. Given the choice I'd rather be a hamster then not run at all.  I logged most of my miles in July on the treadmill. On a positive note I found that there is a certain brand of treadmill called Woodway that actually feels pretty good. They have two of them at the gym on base. Their unique slat belt tread actually feels like running on the road. If you ever see one I highly encourage you to run on it you should give it a try if you can't run outside.

I have a great treadmill running partner!

3. Ditch the long-run
I normally do a 10 mile run once a week. I love this routine because it gets me a lot in terms of fitness and endurance and it also gives me a great sense of accomplishment every week. I only did one 10 mile run this month and it was while I was in San Diego. While I miss the long-run and can't wait to to incorporate it back in my routine, I've accepted that I just have to let it go in these conditions. There is a time for everything and right now it's not time to run 10 miles. 

No big runs but at least I caught a big fish.

The perfect stride

I've been running on the treadmill for the last 3 months and it's killing me.  My feet started hurting, so much so that I was only able to make it 1 single mile before having to jump off.  Ben took a slow motion video for me to see what could be causing this pain, besides the hard surface of the treadmill.
   

It didn't take long to see how horrible my stride was.  It makes sense, though.  First of all, I have poor posture to begin with and second, the treadmill makes my running feel so artificial.  It almost feels impossible to run well on it, but perhaps that just a mental thing.  Does anyone really love running, but not going anywhere?

I committed to working on my form and began with research.  We watched some Youtube videos and I got a few workouts off of Pinterest.  Ben got me some new running shoes, which always makes running way more fun.  Still love my Brooks!

I followed this workout plan from runfargirl.com and this and this strength training workouts from diaryofafitmommy.com.  Only 2 weeks in and I can tell a difference.  I was reminded how quickly I drop strength training off my workout schedule.  Running is my priority and whatever time I have left I'll do a few things, but it's not my priority.  I realized how much better running will be if I invest in my strength as well.

I was so fed up with running on the treadmill that I started getting up crazy early this week to run outside.  It was *only* in the 90's, but it actually felt fine.  You know you've adjusted to life in the desert when you type a sentence like that.  It actually felt amazing.  Watching the sun rise and smelling the flowers and hearing the birds chirp were fuel for my soul.  And guess what?!  My feet didn't hurt!  Nothing hurt.  I felt like I could run forever.  Well, until my water ran out that is.  After months and months of a running slump, it was crazy encouraging to enjoy running again.

The perfect stride is out there.  Just don't neglect strength training and take some time periodically to check yourself and make sure your form is right.

Whole 30 turned Whole 10

I wrote this post a week into Whole 30:


Don't you love how Ben scientifically proved that I'm SUPER stinky now?
It's true.  The sweat that pours from me during a workout is a whole new beast without carbs.

115 outside means Ben will finally run on the treadmill!

It's funny how a week can seem like eternity.  Ben and I were reminiscing last night about the one time we attempted the Atkins diet *back when we were young* and only made it 5 days!  I finished this week feeling strong, like I had conquered this huge battle, and then realized it's only been 7 days.


Some things about this week:

1.  The hardest part is being the only one in my family committed.  Everyone has jumped on board with 96% of how I'm eating, but the 4% that's left is hard.  Ben will offer a sip of his beer in the evening or make rice to go with dinner.  The ultimate test of self control was taking the kiddos for ice cream and non of them finishing their cone!  AGH!  That was hard.

 2.  The book outlines for you day by day what you will most likely feel.  I found them to be really accurate, but also couldn't fully blame it on the way I was eating.  Sure, I was a little cranky on day 5, but then I was also woken up at 6am by a puppy and 3 year old and missed my precious, quiet, coffee time.  I was a little more tired on day 7, but we also had a full week of homeschool and errands and some fun activities.

3.  This challenge has opened up a whole new door of dinners for us and we are loving it.  I borrowed the book from a friend and have tried a new recipe every night and each meal was delicious.  I was also really impressed that my kids ate and were satisfied with the food.  I did add a grain for them on a couple of meals, but I think they would have been content without it.  I'll be posting all of our favorite new recipes on our family recipe blog if you would like to get some new dinner ideas.

4.  I can already see positive change.
No giant zits this week.
I noticed our consumption of honey go WAY down.
For the first time in history, I didn't feel the need to have a snack before bed.
Haven't had the afternoon "crash" that I usually feel where I reach for some espresso beans.

5. I love that the challenge emphasizes pre and post fueling for workouts.  Honestly, I am terrible with this in general and usually just grab a snack when I feel hungry after a workout.  I find it refreshing that they lay out what your body needs 15 minutes before a workout and 30 minutes after and emphasize that it's not a meal replacement, but a refueling.  I love that it's not about less calories or losing weight, it's about taking care of your body the right way.

6.  There have been times that it's really bothered Alison.  She notices what I eat why more than I want to believe.  For example, she requested pancakes for breakfast one morning and helped me make them, but then was disappointed that I didn't eat them.  I'm very nervous for how she'll react to my food choices on Colin's birthday this week.  I may just have to break the rules for the sanity of my 8 year old.  We shall see...



Then my Whole 30 came to a crashing hault when our puppy was let out of our yard without us knowing and got lost.  We spent 36 hours searching and searching and searching for her.  We stopped everything and made phone calls and put up fliers and drove around and around.  Our neighbors brought over a basket of giant blueberry muffins and I literally lived off those and coffee for the entire time we searched for her.  I didn't have the brain power to think about cooking food or what I was supposed to eat.  I know it's just a puppy, but it felt like my child...my child lost in the blazing hot desert.  The night before we found her, I broke down in tears and cried to Ben, "I've lost my puppy and I failed the Whole 30!" (I felt like I was in the scene of Dumb and Dumber when he cries about his birds head falling off).  We did find Maya, barely alive.  She has miraculously made a full recovery and I am thankful for the 10 days of the diet.  It really has changed my thinking about food and we have continued to cook some of the recipes.  I have continued to eat what I was eating for about 80% of the time, but have not been strict on dinner.  I think Ben would say that it's good I stopped because it was creating a constant conversation about food among our kids; conversations of things they didn't need to worry about. 

The Heat Is On

Before you can read this post you must press play on the video. It'll get you in the right frame of mind. Seriously, press play. Then scroll down.

I hope you pressed play. So...the heat is on here in Yuma. And yes, it is a dry heat. But if I hear that one more time I might go crazy. When it's 120° it doesn't matter if it's dry, it's HOT. Sure, when it's 98° and 85% humidity I don't want to run in that either. What makes the Arizona heat different is the sun. The UV index is consistently in the 9-11 range. This basically means you are being fried by the sun. Take a look at my forecast. Now tell me it's a dry heat...I dare you.

I've come up with a few strategies to run in the heat. First, don't. Second, run on a treadmill, and third, run early before the sun comes out to kill you. Of these strategies number two is my go to choice. I'm not much of a morning runner and I feel weird when I can't run at all so I don't have much of a choice. Unfortunately I don't like treadmills much. I had to comes to terms with the treadmill when I was deployed on the ship. It was either run on the mill or not at all. I choose the mill. I find running much easier physically on the treadmill, but much more difficult mentally. 

I don't listen to music when I run outside, but I do when on the 'mill. Don't let my smile fool you, I hate this machine.

The perplexing challenge I have is how to get in my long run day. Since January I've consistently done one run of at least 10 miles per week. This is something I've come to enjoy. It also gives me a great sense of accomplishment on top of giving me a fitness boost with more endurance. I don't think I can do 10 on a treadmill, that's my problem. Last week I got up early and knocked it out. That's how I re-discovered that I'm not a morning runner. I also ate no breakfast before the run so that' didn't help. My body didn't wake up enough to know it was hungry until about mile 7.

So what do you do in the summer? Do you embrace the treadmill or just go early in the morning? I'm just hoping that the heat in the summer is a fair trade-off for 9 months of perfect running weather here in the desert. For now....the heat is on. 

A Whole 30 challenge

Well, I've been working on a post about how fabulous running in San Diego was, but Ben has pretty much taken all of my points...he likes to do that :)  The jest for me was; it was so encouraging to run there!  My pace was back to what it was pre-move and I felt like I could run forever.  It helped me to see that running in the dessert does condition your body in a way no other condition can and that my slower pace and feeling like I'm going to die is an affect of the heat and not my fitness.  It was nice to feel like old Jen again and it was SO refreshing to be by the water.  Plus, I got to really barefoot run, which was one of the most fun things I've ever done.

Now that you get the jest of the post I've been working on for way too long, here's the real reason for this post.  I decided to take on a Whole 30 challenge and what better way to stay accountable than to blog about it!

Challenge=NO dairy, sugar, grains, legumes or alcohol for 30 days.

I'm sure you are wondering why I would want to do this.  The main reason is because of my skin.  I have been prone to really deep pimples since the teenage years, but the last year my skin has taken a turn for the worse.  It seems that I always have a giant zit trying to eat my face and I've tried everything I can to prevent/take care of it and I've had enough.  I believe that dairy may be the culprit and have tried to eliminate it from my diet several times, but it always seems to creep in.  Since I haven't been 100% committed, I would be halfway through dinner and realize that I put parmesan in the sauce or oops, I'm eating 2 slices of pizza!  How did that happen?

The second reason is I realized that my clean eating may not be as healthy as I thought.  I took my kids to the dentist a few weeks ago and it was a completely horrid experience.  My two older kids have an enamel "condition" due to having acid reflux as babies.  Because of this condition, they are extremely prone to cavities and we are very careful about their hygiene and sugar intake.  However, this dentist told me that my kids' teeth problems are a direct result of all the sugar I'm feeding them and I need to find out where they are getting all their sugar from.  I invited him to my house to look through my cabinets because I can tell you exactly where their sugar intake is from.  Yes, there is a form of sugar in the Chobani yogurt we have and there is honey in the homemade granola bars they have for breakfast and in the homemade bread they have for lunch.  He didn't buy my answer and basically called my a liar.  I had wine for lunch that day and cancelled all further appointments with said dentist.  BUT, I sat down that afternoon and thought, "Am I really that naive?  Am I really feeding my kids a ton of sugar and I don't even know it?"  We eat "clean", but honey and maple syrup are clean and are still sugar.

All that to say, my goals for this challenge are to for once and for all see if food is causing my skin problems (or if it is just hormones) and to open my eyes/redefine the food we are eating.

I'm just finishing day 3.

I thought it wouldn't be that big of an adjustment since we already eat a healthy diet.

I was wrong.

You can take dairy and you can take sugar, but I need carbs!!!

My eyes have already been opened to how much I rely on carbs.  It's my go-to, quick and easy, fill me up quick and make me happy food.  I have also realized how quick I am to eat mindlessly.  I'll finish Eli's sandwhich or eat that last muffin so I can wash the tupperware or munch on things as I make snacks for the kids.

Ben has jokingly called this my "30 days of black coffee".  I LOVE creamer in my coffee and while I buy "natural" creamer, I fully know that it's not healthy.  I tried green tea the first morning and it's just not very satisfying.  I'm hoping this challenge is just what I need to get me drinking black coffee!

Does Your Sweat Smell? Eat More Carbs!

 
From time to time I notice that during a run I really smell bad. I don't mean the normal sweaty smell, but very acrid and funky. It's almost an ammonia smell and it's extremely gross. I was worried that I am dying so I turned to google to help me out. This, by the way, is almost always a bad idea. It seems to me that any time you search symptoms on google you will end up coming away from the experience assured that you have cancer are are going to die. If you are a runner, or do a fair amount of cardio, then you may have stinky sweat like me. The reason is not cancer and you are not dying. The reason is simply that your body does not have enough carbohydrate energy and is breaking down amino acids for energy. The best explanation of why this happens is from a great article from www.bodybuilding.com. Here's an excerpt from the article:

The chemical make-up of ammonia is NH3. This means that there is one Nitrogen atom bound to three Hydrogen atoms. Ammonia can be a weak acid or a weak base, depending on what type of chemical it is suspended in. Ammonia has a strong, pungent odor that is easily recognizable in cleaning products, cat urine, and, for some people, sweat!  The key to ammonia in urine and sweat is the nitrogen. The only macronutrient in your body that contains nitrogen is amino acids, the building blocks of protein. In fact, many bodybuilders are always seeking a "positive nitrogen balance" meaning that less nitrogen leaves their body than enters their body. Since nitrogen is in every amino acid, and amino acids are the building blocks of muscle, someone in positive nitrogen balance is more than likely gaining muscle mass.
Your body uses amino acids for energy every day. There is no way to avoid this. Your body constantly goes into catabolic (tissue breakdown) and anabolic (tissue building) phases. When you accumulate mass (lean or fat), your anabolic phases exceed your catabolic phases, but you still experience both phases. When your body uses an amino acid for energy, it must convert the amino acid to a useable form of energy.

It does this by stripping the nitrogen atom off of the molecule. The skeleton molecule that is left behind is then further converted into glucose and used as fuel. In order to get rid of the excess nitrogen, your body typically processes the nitrogen in your kidneys and forms urea, CO(NH2)2 - basically, a carbon dioxide molecule bound to nitrogen and hydrogen. Urea is then excreted in the urine. If your kidneys cannot handle the load of nitrogen, then the nitrogen will be excreted as ammonia in your sweat.

One other factor to consider is water intake. The methods used for getting rid of excess ammonia, such as urine and sweat, all require water as a transport mechanism. If you are not getting adequate fluid, then the solution (ammonia + water) will not be diluted. Therefore, water plays a definite role. If you are not drinking enough fluids to have at least one or two clear urinations every day, you should drink more.
Based on this explanation, it is clear that your sweat will smell like ammonia only if an excessive amount of amino acids are being used for energy, or you are not receiving adequate water. This helps us find a solution to the problem. (source)

Having stinky sweat does not mean that your protein intake isn't high enough. In fact, it may be the opposite! You may be getting plenty of protein but not enough carbohydrates. They key to avoiding the 'smell' is to eat enough carbs for your activity. If your body does not have sufficient carbohydrates it will break down amino acids (protein) and you will smell like cat pee. Don't smell like cat pee, eat more carbs!

Since I learned this I have made sure to eat some carbs before I go on run. It can be as simple as an eating an apple or a granola bar. The upside is that the carbohydrates will be used by your body to provide you with an energy kick. That means you will have more energy to run harder faster or longer. So if your sweat smells like a litter box just eat more carbs before you exercise.

Heat Acclimation

I've noticed a two-fold phenomenon since I've moved to the desert. First, most of my runs have been slower. Second, when I've been able to run in cooler temperatures (like in San Diego) my pace for the same effort level is significantly faster.

This is me running near the ocean in San Diego. I was rather easily doing a 7:15 mile/pace for 10k due to the cooler temperatures and benefits of heat training.

This makes sense in a lot of ways. Running in hot weather impacts performance. The hotter it is, the slower you go. If you tuned in for the US Olympic Marathon trials in February you probably saw the athletes comment about how the heat made it a slow race. The temperatures for that day in LA reached into the mid 70's. If you live in the Arizona desert, like me, mid 70's sounds anything but hot. But these athletes are not just being divas, the science shows that temperature above 60° start to impact running performance. This is why, for example, the Berlin marathon has hosted the last 6 men's marathon records. Berlin is a flat course, but it is also a cool course. The average temperature for the Berlin marathon is between 53-64°, right in the 60° sweet spot.

So why can I run faster in San Diego than Yuma? It's the heat. The heat slows me down, and the cool weather lets me run my best. But there is one more thing going on. I've been running outside in the heat for almost three months. I've logged about 380 miles since moving to the desert. I've run outside even when it's been in the 90's in the full sun. My body has become used to the heat and has gained an advantage from it.

Heat acclimation is a real thing, science proves it! A study in 2010 exposed 10 cyclists to heat when they trained for 10 days. The scientists then measured how the cyclists performed in cool conditions. They had a control group as well. The group that went through heat acclimation performed 7% better in cool conditions after just 10 heat acclimation exposures. That's a HUGE gain! Think about it; if you run an 8:00 min mile and then get a benefit of 7% in your performance you can run a 7:26 mile for the same effort! That's shaving 34 seconds off your mile time just by doing 10 sessions in the heat!

Why does training in the heat work? Heat acclimation improves the body’s ability to control body temperature, improves sweating and increases blood flow through the skin, and expands blood volume allowing the heart to pump more blood to muscles, organs and the skin as needed. In other words you become a super running machine. And unlike training at high altitude you get the benefit of heat training in as little as 10 sessions.

This is what you will look like after doing heat training; a super running machine.

Another study also concluded that the heat may produce changes in the exercising muscle, including enzymatic changes that could improve the amount of work done by the muscle.

But there are dangers. Overheating and heat stroke are very real and dangerous concerns. Dehydration can also sideline you and ruin your day. Some signs of overheating to watch out for include:

• If you are no longer sweating
• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling sick to your stomach
• Headache
• Feeling dizzy
• Feeling a chill with goosebumps on your skin 

If you feel any of these symptoms, it's time to stop and cool off.  It's not worth damaging your body to train in the heat.

I, unfortunately, have no choice but to 'heat train'. It's just the norm living in the hot desert. If you decide to give it a go here are three tips that will help.

First, hydrate a ton before you go and as you go. Drinking water cools you off and keeps you going.

Second, slow your pace down. The slowing of your pace allows more blood to flow near your skin where it is cooled off by sweat. The point is not to go fast. You will get the benefit of heat training even if you are running at a very slow pace. Let go of any pace expectations.

Third, stay alert for signs of overheating. It's not worth damaging yourself to train in the heat.

I've personally seen the benefit from running in the heat, but it comes at a cost; lots of sweat and suffering!

My daughter does

I channeled my inner Barefoot Ted this week and did my home workout without shoes.  I love the idea of building the muscles in our feet and making them stronger, but also afraid of running on a burning surface with rocks and glass and who knows what else.  I chose to work on it this week in the safety of my home, where the only danger I face is a stray Lego.

I did my usual TRX workout but added this cardio from Pinterest:

This week I also rang in the big 34.  My sweet mother-in-law spoiled me rotten and sent me a box of new running gear.  It was a good reminder that new running stuff is always a great motivator to run more!  I was excited to try it out!  Even at the gym, I get SO hot.  I'm not sure they understand the concept of the air conditioner and fans.  My current beast is not fatigue, it's heat.  I'm not much of a sweater, but am learning how to love sweat pouring down my face that's on fire.

I took this towel one day and was able to tame the beast a little.

I'm sure I was a site, but not any more than the man walking backwards.

My mom called on my birthday and told me that she was reminded of my birth after hearing a family share a similar birth story and it made her so thankful for the life I've led.  I was born 6 weeks early, which now days may not be a very big deal, but in the early 80's it was.  I was in the NICU for a month and had some touch and go moments.  They told my parents that I would likely have life long health problems as a result of my early birth and being on assisted oxygen for so long.  But I haven't.  And over the years, my mom has heard lots of families that have gone through just what she did and have lost their child.  Even after 34 years, it's still amazing to see God's mercy to me and I can still see it today.  I am so thankful for the health that He's given me and so thankful that I can run.

Ben and the kids also did a good job of spoiling me too.  Eli got me yellow flowers and Colin got me peanut butter M&M's because they know those are my favorite.
(P.S. whatever you do, do not try the new coffee nut M&M's!  They are gross!!!)
 

Ben has a secret talent of being able to find the perfect clothes for me (and that includes running shoes) and brought home several great things from California.  He also got me a set of weights so I can workout even more at home!  Is it weird that we're excited about a set of weights?  No...it's sad...because we used to have a set and I got rid of them and then we had to buy them again, which is a crazy phenomenon that happens in our life.

My sweet daughter found this necklace and scooped the puppy's poop to earn enough money to buy it for me.

Ben said later, "You may not always think of yourself as a runner, but your daughter does."

Sweetest gift ever.

I have 2 fitness goals for my 34th year of life.
#1: To stand up straight.  I have always had poor posture and I would really like to conquer that.  I started looking at stretches and strength training to do to help and have tried a couple of measures to make myself think of it throughout the day...hopefully a combination of these things will help.
#2: Run my 3rd half marathon, hopefully in San Diego.

Bragging; Three Pictures

Warning! Short bragging post ahead! I was in San Diego for work this past week. Fortunately I had some down time and managed to get in some good runs. I was sick at the end of last week and had to take four days off running so my runs in San Diego were my first ones after being sick.

The sun didn't want to come out at first, but it was still refreshing. I get enough sun in Yuma!

I did a long run along a beach path in Del Mar. It was beautiful. It was refreshing. It was perfect. Yes, I am bragging. But when you live in the desert, sometimes you have to brag when you can run in a place as pretty as this. The only downside is I got sun burned, but not in the usual way. I normally run with a tank-top on so I have a tank-top tan line. I only got burned where my tank-top normally is. So now I look like I am wearing a red tank-top! Oh well, it was worth it.

Telegraph Pass

Believe it or not there are mountains surrounding the Yuma valley. On one mountain is a peak called Telegraph pass (I know a pass is not normally a peak, but that's what they call it). It's part of the Gila Ridge and it is a popular hiking spot for locals and visitors alike.

It's only 0.8 miles to go from the gate at the base to the top but it is incredibly steep. I thought it would be fun to make this climb part of my long run day. So I drove out towards the range and parked near the access road. I calculated that if I ran from my car to the top and back it would be about 10 miles (it actually was 11!). And most of that would be on the rocky path leading up to the base of the mountain.

It was warm when I took off. Most of my run was in the low 80's with full sun. I brought my hip water bottles which gave me about 18 oz of water. I wish I had also brought my handheld water (learning). I also brought no food.

The path was way more rocky and rough that I anticipated. I had to be careful not to roll an ankle as I tried to run. Running may be a stretch. It was more of a trot. I kept my feet moving quickly, keeping my steps per minute high. This is a good strategy over rough terrain. It prevents you from overextending and possibly falling or getting injured.

I finally got to the gate and saw that the path to the top has very nice pavement. However, it looked too steep for me to run. But I went ahead and tried to run for a bit.

The rusty gate the marks the start of the ascent.

My plan to run to the top went out the window pretty quickly. Even though the 0.8 miles from the gate to the top was paved it was way too steep for me to run. I'm just not in hill shape, let alone a hill with an 20% grade. So I walked. The view from the top was impressive to say the least!

The path is paved, just steep.

Almost to the top!

You can see the green irrigated fields below.

You can see the path winding up to the top.

What's great about this trail is you don't have to run it. You can park near the gate and make it about a 4-5 mile round trip hike. Though steep, it is accessible for people of all abilities. I hope to make it back and actually run up it at some point. I did run on the way down and my legs were sores for days because of the beating they received.

My mile splits were nothing impressive but I was just out enjoying the scenery. It's a good reminder to not pace get in the way of actually enjoying what you are doing. The only bummer is I will have to wait until the weather gets cooler to try again. I don't think I can carry enough water with me to do this in the summer.

Running with a potentially broken finger

I finally got back the gym after a full week of a weird bug in our house.  I'm not a fan of the treadmill, but it's going to be my best friend for awhile...it's only May and it's already in the 100's here! I'm trying to view this season as our "winter" (aka don't go outside), but it's really making me long for real winter.  Anyway, I'm picky about my treadmill experience.  There are only 2 at the gym that don't have TVs and while I love watching me some Chip and Joanna Gaines, I don't want to kiss them.  I seriously don't understand how people can watch TV so close and be running and not barf.  So my strategy is to snag a treadmill behind one with HGTV on and I'm set.  Naturally someone always breaks my perfect plan and gets on my TV viewing machine and I get to watch a head bobble in between my show.  Today, the gentleman who stole the machine decided to walk backwards and it was super awkward.  I need to find a short friend to conspire with me on these treadmills. 

Anyone else ever run with a potentially broken finger?

I've been trying to read this book for months.  Literally.  I get a paragraph read and get interrupted and I'll be lucky if I finish this book by Christmas.  But what I have read has come at the perfect time.  Here are a few points that have really hit home for me:

*"because of rampant obesity, one in three children born in the United States is at risk of diabetes--meaning, we could be the first generation of Americans to outlive our own children.

*"If you have a choice between one step or two, take three."

*"Think Easy, Light, Smooth."  Don't fight the run, enjoy the scenery. 

*"Instead of cringing from fatigue, you embrace it.  You refuse to let it go.  You get to know it so well, you're not afraid of it anymore."  

Lisa Smith-Batchen said, "I love the Beast.  I actually look forward to the Beast showing up, because every time he does, I handle him better.  I get him more under control."  

"You can't hate the Beast and expect to beat it; the only way to truly conquer something, is to love it."

*Simply the joy of life will make you a great runner.

 

*Don't have a quote, but it talked of a man who began to run barefoot to really feel how he runs instead of letting highly cushioned shoes do all the work or tweak how he runs.  He just thought about how his body felt and he ran the best he's ever run.

This week was the first time I truly enjoyed running in a very long time.  The book made me realize that in the past, I only focused on the goal of completing a run and completing it "well", or to a certain standard.  So this week, I changed my thoughts and I only thought about how I felt and tried to take more steps per minute and didn't worry for a second how fast or how far I've gone or if I stopped for water.  I kept getting a little stitch in my right hamstring.  It's happened several times before on the treadmill, but this time, I took the time to really think about it and figure out why it was happening and how to make it stop.  I really wanted to ask the guy walking backwards to look at my form and tell me what I was doing wrong, but that would just add to the awkward.  I learned that if I leaned forward (I would really be kissing Chip Gaines if my machine had a TV) then I didn't get a stitch.  It was exciting to really solve the problem instead of just ignore it and complain about it.  

Here's hoping the running streak continues!

A Stinky week

Literally.

Colin has had diarrhea since Monday.  Never, in my almost 9 years of being a mom, have a dealt with diarrhea.  Okay, it wasn't too terrible, but bad enough that we were not leaving the house.

I am terrible at working out at home, but I am trying hard to commit to working out from 8-9am no matter what, even if that means making something up at home.  Ben graciously bought me a TRX system when I first began homeschooling, so that I would always have a workout option at home.  I confess that I have not used it as much as I should, so I hung it on our schoolroom door and busted out my handy-dandy notebook.  Yes, I'm that oldschool that I write everything in a notebook, including my workouts.

The kids were gloriously occupied with some bonus electronic time that morning and it was the puppy that quickly became my obstacle.  She thought it was great fun to lick my face as I was in plank and run away with my mat as I switched positions and would walk underneath me as I did push ups.  I finally had enough and shooed her outside, but in my haste to getting back to my workout, I slammed my finger in the sliding glass door.  Yep, that's how cool I am.  If I was one to use curse words, many would have been flying in that minute.  I grabbed a coffee mug, filled it with ice and plunged my finger in it.  I have no idea why, that's just the solution that came to my pain filled head.

I spent the rest of my workout time doing leg lifts with my hand in the cup.  I tried to keep positive and remind myself that even a little is better than nothing.

I finished up with some lunges across the backyard and Maya tried to say she was sorry for causing my crushed my finger.  Although, I can't say it's her fault...I think it's really my slow reflexes fault. 

This was my home workout:

TRX upper body (10 reps each):

• Chess Press
• Tricep extensions
• Chest fly
• Tricep push ups
• Lateral pulls
• Bicep curls

HIIT (30 seconds each)

• Burpees
• Jumping jacks
• Mountain Climbers
• Frogger (plank to squat)
• Run stairs

TRX lower body (10 reps each):

• Squats
• Single leg squat
• Calf raises 
• Front lunges
• Hip raises

HIIT (30 seconds each)

• High knees
• Lateral hops
• Jump squats
• Walking lunges

Finished with planks, pushups, pullups and leg lifts

 

I almost quit

It's the truth.
I knew moving would be tough in regards to working out, but I wasn't prepared for how hard it has been.

Obstacles I've faced include:

• Business of unpacking and setting up a new home.
• Trips to explore a new state and visit friends.
• Ben's ever changing work schedule.
• A YMCA that only offers childwatch for ages 6 and up after 5pm.
• A puppy to potty train and that means not leaving her for too long.
• Trying hard to give our kids a consistent homeschool schedule...and started back up school in general.

Alison doing school with Maya right under her feet...her favorite spot

• And the biggest one is the fact that the desert is trying to kill me.

When the stars do align and I actually get out on the road (or even the treadmill) I'm pretty sure I'm going to die every second of the run.  A week before we arrived in Arizona, I ran my fastest 5k and was averaging in the 7 minute pace range for my training runs.  The second I landed in Arizona, my pace slowed a whole minute and I can't make it more than a mile without stopping to regroup.  And heaven forbid I forget water, because then it's just plain over.

I have researched every possible possibility to get a run in.  I signed up for 'Stroller Warriors', convinced that there would be other homeschool families and my kids could ride their bikes along with me.  Much to my dismay, there are only babies included in the group and they run the canals which make the pathway too narrow for multiple bike riders and strollers and runners.  Leave it to my kids to fall into a canal...

Running the canals solo

 
I thought this was the perfect push to get me active with my kids and include them in my workouts.  One attempt proved that theory false.  Eli is slow as molasses...really hope that he finds his speed and confidence to ride a bike soon.  I even attempted to put my much too big boys in our bike trailer turned "stroller", which equaled us splitting the front wheel in half, 1/2 a mile down the road.  That was fun.

Our ONE attempt to run as a family

I got up at 5 am every morning for a week to run before Ben left for work, but it left me dead tired the rest of the day and my runs were very short and slow.  Then Ben's schedule changed again, and he had to leave for work by 5:45 and that plan was shot. 

I even went as far as to look into what it would cost to rent out a space and make my own "Homeschool Mom's Gym".  Then I priced out making my own gym in our garage, but it's no where near safe to workout in an Arizona gym.  There is a gym in my dreams, where all the homeschool moms of kids who are older than 3, can come to get a good workout, maybe take a class together or meet with a trainer, and the kids can play and be active together.  There would be room with a tutor so they could do school if needed and a gym where they could learn a new sport.  If only I was a millionaire who knew an abundance of these so called moms, I would create it.

One time, I was so desperate that I ran laps in our backyard!  The kids were really starting to get worried about me that day.

I started to feel alone, defeated and tired of working crazy hard to get a small workout in, one in which I was pretty sure was going to kill me.  The desert, my friends, is no joke.  One day I thought, "They say if you run, you are a runner.  So, if I'm not running, I guess I'm not a runner.  I guess I should just quit trying so hard to be something I can't be."  I let that sit for a few days.  What if I don't run?  Maybe I should quit?  And you know what?  I was crazy sad.

If I was that sad about losing it, then it must be something important to me and worth fighting for.  What I need to quit is believing the lie that it's easy for everyone else and that there is no one else out there who struggles to fit in a workout.  I have to believe and have hope that there is someone out there who is in similar shoes and can relate to the crazy obstacles I face every day.

I've started the last several weeks like it was New Year's Day; ready to start my new plan and make it work!  My plan?  Here is my morning plan for working out and homeschooling:

6:00 wake up, GET DRESSED (key to success) drink coffee, read the Bible
7:00 cook breakfast for kiddos
7:15 Breakfast
7:30 clean up dishes, kiddos get dressed, make beds, brush teeth
7:50 Out the door to go the Y
8:00-9:00 Workout at the Y.  Alison can workout in a small section in the fitness center, then works on independent school work by my treadmill.  No one has yelled at us yet.

Selfies in the gym are always awkward

9:15 Home for snack time while I shower
9:30 School time until lunch

My "perfect" schedule worked a handful of times.  I struggle feeling guilty taking my kids to the Y in the morning; I feel like I'm inconveniencing the workers and boring my kids by putting them in a baby room.  I should probably just let it go, but that's just how I'm wired.

By this week, I realized that this is just becoming comical.  After I took the above picture, I picked up the boys from the childwatch and Colin informed me that he didn't feel good.  Super.  Sure enough, he threw up later that day.  Awesome.  Now I'm the mom who takes sick kids to the Y...I hate those moms.  Why couldn't he just have a cold?  But of course he's sick.  Naturally, it was due time for one of the kids to get sick. 

In light of all this, I figured why not blog through all the obstacles.  I'm tired of complaining, but there has to be another mom out there who has the most obscene obstacles to overcome to carve out some sanity-saving-workout-time and maybe will be encouraged by my sweaty life.

Day 1 coming up and it won't disappoint.