Back at it.

Wow- so time flies when .... well, you know.

It is time to get back at it and get serious about being healthy and fit.  After being out of running for the past year, I have also been out of most all exercise, eating to manage pain and... well, everything.  It is like I just threw my arms in the air and said 'why bother' when I couldn't run.  That is SO not ok, but it is what I did.  I am probably normal here, but not healthy.


The last while I have been in pain.  A LOT of pain.   My joints all hurt and just not feeling well.  I decided that I had had enough and I am again working to eliminate all grains from my diet.  This is going to require some planning on my part with regard to lunches and snacks.  Mostly because if I don't, then I will either grab easy (read not healthy) or just not eat (also not healthy).  Neither of those will get me to my goal. 

Yesterday I pre-cooked items for lunches for this week.  I also cut up a bunch of veggies and now just need to make up some hummus to go with them for snacks. 

Today, I purchased some chicken (thighs on sale for 99 cents per lb) and baked it off.  It is in the refrigerator now cooling so I can pull it off the bones and freeze to grab and go later.  For now, the food is looking like I am on the right track for daytime meals.

Moving, is going to come later.  Not today.  Today has been about getting things done and powering through.  Today I HURT.  I mean really, really hurt.  I don't know why so badly today, but I do.  Not just my joints, but everything.  I feel all swollen and stiff and achy.  Nothing doesn't hurt except my eyelids.  The good news?  It reinforces that I am making the right changes and not a minute too soon.

Wishing you health, happiness and a great nights sleep :)
Alex 

My heart is breaking.

As I read the news feeds and see the pictures my heart is breaking.  My beloved running community has been attacked and will never be the same.  I have met the most amazing people in the last couple of years as I have come to know this group of people and consider them my safe place.  I will keep them all in my thoughts and prayers.  I am honored to be a part of the group that ran toward the danger in Boston to help others.  Thank you for continuing to be amazing in the middle of this tragedy.

Spartan Season

It is here.  The Spartan Race Season and my quest for the 2013 tri-fecta! 

Proud Mom Moment

After I participated in the AZ Super, I was watching some you tube video from the race.  My 18-year-old son was watching over my shoulder and we started talking about the races and course.  This evolved to discussing doing one together.  He got excited about it and I signed us up for the PNW Sprint right away!

 

  I have to share how PROUD this kid made me. It is not that he finished the race although he did amazing. It is HOW he did it. As 300 of us took off for the course from the 'gate', there was a gentleman next to us I had met briefly that morning. He was meant to do the Hurricane Heat, but twisted his ankle walking from the parking lot. He had taped up and was going to DO the race. When we hit the first steep hill, he had to walk and it got painful. My son, at 18, told his buddy (who he had talked smack with for weeks AND during the 7 hour car ride from Boise, ID to Washington) to go ahead, and he walked with this man. They talked and I know this man shared some great life insight, etc. with my boy. My son checked on him, encouraged him and NEVER got impatient or in a hurry. Not even as the next heat caught up to us.  He never, EVER, left him behind. When the man decided, he had to bow out, my son stayed with him until the medic quad got there, loaded him, and took him down. (this was about 1/2 way through) he then kicked it in high gear and finished only 5 minutes behind the buddy that he sent ahead at the beginning. As soon as he finished the race, he went to find Dave (the man he walked with), to check on him and make certain he was ok. Daniel was in such a hurry that he missed getting his finishers shirt.

Daniel mentioned to me several times that Dave had been headed back up to finish when he saw him afterward.  He also told me what a great person Dave is.  Not even once, has he said anything about wondering what his finish time would have or could have been.  There has been absolutely no mention of disappointment or the race being different from planned. 

This Spartan Mom has never ever been prouder of her Spartan Son than she was during the PNW Sprint in Washougal, WA.

 Also - this is what Dave (the wounded Spartan) posted on the PNW Street Team where I had been bragging Daniel up

Trujillo David E OK so let me set the record straight here there would have been NO WAY i could have done this without your son. I made it a little more than half way with his help then i told him i needed a medic and he should go he didn't leave till i got a medic to help me out. I got to the tent the medics were awesome cut off my shoelaces my sock and my nasty Ace bandage, little ice, little Motrin, and a lot of wrapping and one taped on shoe later a lift back up to where i ended up. Your son was just finishing his heat up and i saw him on my way back up the hill he told me i was nuts:) i must admit though i didn't climb that hill again but did do burpees. Thanks for the medic who drove me back up there so i could complete the race. wish i had my tracking tag that they cut off my foot in the medic tent. BUT I DID FINISH they even have a pic of me limping over the fire it was on the wall at the after party. PS after the Doc visit today and X-Rays i have a cracked Talus bone small ankle fracture wish i could scan the xray but my pic will have to do as proof hahahahaha ill post it shortly hard getting around at the moment :) AROOO my Spartan Brother who helped me through you wont be forgotten and your story will be told my friend. Next year we run it together start to finish

 A few more pics of my amazing son from the race.

Only Spartan Women give birth to Spartan Men.

Aroo, Aroo, AROO!

Spartan Race PNW Sprint

I have delayed writing about this last weekend's Spartan Race because I am not quite certain what to share.  This race, for me, was much harder than AZ.  I am certain that all the hills had something to do with it.  Running the Hurricane Heat at 5:30 am prior to my race time I KNOW had something to do with it.  This bad boy definately had something to do with it :

That is  a barb wire crawl, uphill, 100 yards.  It was so steap that the placed ropes on the top 1/4 of it because otherwise no one could have gotten up.  Oh, and guess what?  I did that thing TWICE.  Yep- 2 times.  Why you ask?  Because I am crazy.... CRAZY AWESOME!!! 

Seriously though, it is because I participated in the Hurricane Heat.  This was the most fun ever.  If you get the opportunity, I would strongly suggest doing it.  I had a blast and met some fabulous people.  Here is our team afterward.

Now, to the race itself. We were in the 10:30 heat. I have to say that as each heat was going off and the announcer, Billy, was asking who it was their first time for a Spartan Race, I couldn't believe how many fell in that group. It was so exciting to see all these new Spartans!!!

This course, although shorter than Arizona, was certainly just as hard or harder because of the terrain.  Just like Arizona, I failed the rope climb, spear throw and traverse wall all in a row - so 90 burpees.  I am certain they put those 3 together intentionally, just for people like me, lol!

This video on you tube is a pretty good one of the course.  Many of these obstacles I did multiple times because of being part of the Hurricane Heat.

I am also very, VERY proud of my Spartan Son. He ran with me in the 10:30 and has an amazing story. That is for another day though.

Only Spartan Women give birth to Spartan Men

Update on Paleo/Primal eating

It has been a couple of weeks since I changed my dietary habits and I want to share an update, observations, etc.

This has been a lot easier than I thought it would be.  I am guessing it is because I am doing it as a long term dietary change approach rather than the more negative 'diet' idea.  Also, I am not trying to find substitutes for things.  Some things are just 'out' and no longer foods I eat.  I am not using sugar substitutes and trying to bake bread or cakes with acceptable substances.  I just plain don't eat them anymore.  Period.  I seem to do better with an all or nothing approach, so this nothing works for me.

I am NOT hungry.  I have not limited my food amount intake.  I don't think - oops, too much fruit or I should have a small piece.  I am doing portion control in general and working not to eat when I am not hungry.  But trust me, if I am hungry, I eat. 

I am feeling really good.  I had no idea how much pain I was dealing with on a daily and consistent basis until it was gone.  I knew about the aches and when things flared up.  I didn't know that it really hurt all the time.  That was 'normal' for me.  Now it is gone, WOW!!!  A side benefit I never expected, the stiffness and occasional ache in my knee that I have had since my surgery is gone.  I thought that was just part of it.  I realized this morning I haven't had it for over a week and the activities I would expect it to accompany have happened! 

I didn't make this change specifically to lose weight, although my research suggested that might be a benefit.  I can tell you that I saw a number on the scale last night I haven't seen since before my knee surgery either.

On a side note about weight loss, since that is how this BLOG got started.  I started running in Jan of 2011.  I can tell you that I trained for 2 half marathons and a full marathon with out any weight loss.  People say- but yeah, I bet it is more muscle and you really did lose.  Um, NOPE!  Know how I know?  My body fat % stayed the same.  So yes, I am stronger.  My heart is stronger, my lungs are stronger, my muscles are stronger, but no, I did not lose any weight.  I lost a tiny bit training for the Super Spartan and then the half marathon this spring, but it was a tiny bit.  Having this be a benefit from the dietary change is exciting, but not the reason for the change.

Another observation, this is not all in my head.  How do I know?  I went out last weekend for dinner.  We went to Mexican food, which I love.  Mexican food is not Paleo friendly.  Once I decided that it wasn't going to happen, I let lose and enjoyed my meal.  From the corn chips with salsa to the rice and beans.  I darn near licked the plate and it tasted amazing (it always does at this particular restaurant).  I also could hardly move my fingers the next morning and my hands ached for 3 days.  Only yesterday evening did it finally subside completely.  Do I feel like I undid all that good?  Yes.  Am I glad to know that the changes really are what is making the difference?  Yes.  Will I probably do it again at some point?  Yep- you can bet on it.  I will know the trades off though and it will be part of the decision making process.

I would love to share information and answer any questions you all might have.  Please let me know what you want to know and I will post responses.

Going Primal

Now, before you freak out or get too excited, I mean with food.  Some of you may have heard of the Paleo diet and some of you may not.  I have been researching it for some time and decided it is time for me, personally, to give it a go.  There are several reasons, but for me, the primary one is the anti-inflammatory properties.  I have been having some problems with developing arthritis in my hands.  An ache is one thing, not being able to properly grip the pull up bar or weight bars is quite another.  Time to take some action!!!

I decided to start with Mark Sisson's book - 21 Day Total Body Transformation.  It is giving me the information, reasons, etc. that I need to understand the 'why' of it all.  It is pretty fascinating reading.  It then also gives me a 'plan' to get started.  I was hoping for pretty specific meal plans, but it doesn't have that.  The intent being that I can have what I want and customize it.  I was hoping for lazy and follow directions, lol! 

The good news is I also got the Quick & Easy Meals cookbook.  I am trying a few things from it bit by bit and will let you know how it goes.  There are also a lot of resources online, blogs, recipes, etc. that I am finding. 

Now, to see how I feel in a few weeks.  Hopefully I am going to be swinging across those monkey bars at the Spartan Races like nobody's business!!!