Running and The Hunger Games

Ran for the first time in two weeks. Maybe it’s my post-THG depression or my hubby waking me up telling me to go that essentially pushed me out the door. No matter the reason, I am so happy I went. It was definitely needed. I finished the final book of THG series yesterday. It was definitely bittersweet.

I get like this after I finish reading a book that has truly captured my full attention (happened with the Twilight series). I’m a little embarrassed to say that the chapters of the books still haunt my thoughts constantly. I dream about it as if I’m actually there in the games with them. So running this morning was a great way to get out some frustration and a great way to kick my pity party to the curb. Even though I did think about THG a few times…

The question I’m left with now is….now what? What do you read after THG? What could help me transition away from this obvious and somewhat embarrassing obsession???

**update: Ok so I am so impatient...just ask anyone I know. I went and bought Divergent by Veronica Roth and have only read 5 pages...so far. All I can think about is how I wish I was reading more about Katniss and Peeta (so team Peeta by the way :)). I'm sure I'll love it once I get into it more, since so many THG readers have said what a great read it was. I'll keep going deeper in the book and see what happens :).

Hope everyone is having a great Friday :)!

I can so deal with this...

getting some muscle thing :). So amazing to actually see some definition in my legs and especially in my arms =)! I haven't ran since Saturday...BUT I have been working out at home and using weights. Light weight and high reps and boy does it BURN after awhile and I have learned to keep PUSHING. It is definitely paying off and the best part is I feel great! I want to be strong and toned, and I am finally working for that for the first time in my life. My stomach is SO SORE which is so exciting because I know I really worked out my abs ;). Now I just need to kick up my running a notch so that nice layer of fat on my tummy can disappear and show all my hard work. Granted I still have my stretch marks from my amazing littles, and I would not trade those for the world. My littles ARE my greatest achievement and I am PROUD to have my "memories" on my tummy. Speaking of my littles they are just LOVING working out at home with me. They try so hard to do all that I do and they give me that extra push to keep going even when I am dead tired. Hearing "come on mommy keep going!" is all I need to hear for that second wind to kick in. I sure hope that they carry on these good habits and enjoy being active for the rest of their lives :). The greatest blessing in our lives is to have each other and to be HEALTHY. We are so fortunate to be HEALTHY and have the ability to eat good food, and to drink CLEAN water. I have taken these things for granted far too much in my life. We're now teaching our littles to appreciate every little blessing in our lives and to give thanks for them. I'm a very proud mommy because they have the purest of hearts and care SO much for others and truly are the epitome of innocence. I love them more than words can describe and they ARE my happiness. It is a blessing to watch them grow and to be the one to help guide them towards being the BEST they can be.

One of our favorite books is Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss and our favorite line is "You can move mountains", and I truly believe that they will :).

finally

After 5 LONG weeks of not running I did it! I ran this morning and it felt great! Yes, it totally kicked my butt and I even felt a little nauseous at the end...but I loved it! A bonus was that my knee didn't hurt and my ankles feel fabulous :)! Granted my ankles tend to act up when I've ran for a few days in a row so we'll see how they are next week. I followed one of the days from C25K where I did an easy 5 minute warm up walk, ran for 3 minutes, walked for 90 seconds, ran for 5 minutes, walked for 2 minutes, ran for 3 minutes and then 5 minutes cool down. There was another run to do before the cool-down but I decided to take it easy. Sad how when I was running everyday I thought that this program was too EASY and now it is kicking my trash!

So that was on Friday 11/11/11 :) Great day to start getting back into something I literally can not go a day without thinking about. I got up Saturday 11/12/11, got the littles ready and headed to the gym. My friend Katie works in the gym daycare and was there that day. Thank goodness she was there because mr. man hates that place. If she hadn't been there they would've came out to get me because mr. man was crying :(, but being the AWESOME lady that Katie is she held him so that I could get a workout in. Unfortunately I think this means no gym until he grows out of this phase. Anyway I went straight to the treadmill and got in a run. I did the C25K again and did the whole thing this time:)

5 minute warm up walk
3 minutes run
90 sec walk
5 minute run
2 1/2 minute walk
3 minute run
90 seconds walk
5 minute run
5 minute cool-down

Now I was TIRED and sweaty BUT I was pain FREE :) Seriously a HUGE thing for me. So I walked for probably 15 minutes after that and wanted to run some more....well my issue is I push too hard too fast and I had knee pain immediately and only lasted a minute. I stopped to stretch it out which helped but thought it wise to walk to out. I walked until I got to 3 miles and stopped to stretch like crazy. I ALWAYS want to do more and obviously my body can not handle it. I NEED to LISTEN to my body and just BE PATIENT. Anyone who knows me, knows how good I am at that lol.

I did not run yesterday...obviously and I have no knee pain today. I plan on running tonight so hopefully it will go smoothly. I'm DETERMINED to get through this and be able to run miles and miles without having to stop. I KNOW I WILL get there I just need to be DEDICATED and persistent.

Here's to a pain free run tonight :)!

Inspiration

This had me on the verge of tears. Such an inspiration.

8 Common Running Myths Busted!

Myth: You Should Always Stretch Before You Run
The Truth: “Static stretching is not the optimal way to warm-up before you run,” Olson says. Believe it or not, you could actually strain your muscles with static stretching, and it might even slow you down. Instead, focus on getting oxygen to your muscles and warm them up—literally, Olson recommends. “Start out by walking and trotting: swing your arms; shrug your shoulders and slowly elevate your heart rate for about 10 minutes before you pick up your pace.”
That doesn’t mean you should skip stretching completely, Olson says. Just make sure to do it after your run, when your muscles are very warm and full of oxygen and nutrients; and then engage in static stretching, focusing on your leg, hip, and low-back muscles
.
Myth: Muscle Cramps are Always Caused by Too Little Potassium
The Truth: Muscle spasms can certainly put a cramp in your running style, but that doesn’t mean you need to load up on potassium to prevent them. “Cramps are primarily caused by either being low on glucose (the form of sugar your muscles thrive on for energy) or low water and sodium levels,” Olson says. When you are working out very hard (like lifting weights or with intense intervals), you use up glucose faster than what can be delivered to the muscles, and this causes that muscle-burning lactic acid to form. The best way to get rid of cramps caused by low glucose levels is to take a 60-90 second break to help rid your body of lactic acid and allow glucose to travel to the muscles, Olson says.
To prevent cramps caused by excessive sweating during steamy outdoor runs, be sure to stay well hydrated and nourished, Olson says. “When you sweat, sodium is also excreted, and water and sodium go hand-in-hand. Losing significant levels of potassium is actually quite hard to do. Potassium lives inside our cells and is not excreted as readily as sodium. Sodium, like water, resides outside the cells in your body.”

To read the rest click on Shape below :)
Shape

Sprinting Vs. Long Distance Running

Running can be used as a tool for weight loss, no matter your goals or your current conditioning. The speed that you start out jogging or walking depends wholly on your beginning fitness level, but will likely increase with time, endurance and practice. Either way, lacing up your running shoes and heading out the door is a step in the direction toward improved health and weight maintenance.

Beginning Stages of Running for Weight LossIn the beginning of your running regimen, you can likely only run for short periods of time. Implementing a walk/jog cycle into your early stages of running will help you run further and, therefore burn more calories. Jeff Galloway, Olympian and running coach, estimates in his book “Galloway’s Book on Running” that “running burns about 100 calories per mile,” no matter the pace. Particularly in the beginning of your training, walk and jog to build exercise endurance.

Slow, Steady-Paced RunningAs your endurance increases, you will be able to jog further for longer periods of time between breaks. The more miles you are able to accumulate during your runs, the more calories you will be burning and the more unwanted weight you are going to be able to shed. At this stage in your running, keep your pace slow and steady. Do not push yourself to go faster than you easily can, as that will keep you from running as far or for as long as you could at a slower pace. 

Speed WorkAs your body acclimates to running, your pace will likely increase naturally. According to authors Michael Mejia and John Berardi in their book “Scrawny to Brawny,” high-intensity running burns approximately 1,323 calories per hour and low-intensity running burns approximately 514 calories per hour in a 150-pound person. The harder you push, the greater the calorie-burn, even if you have to take breaks between high-intensity run intervals.

The Fast vs. Slow DebateFast or slow, you will be burning essentially the same number of calories per mile when running. The harder the effort, the fewer miles you will be able to cover, and vice-versa. Keep in mind that your body tires of doing the same workout every day, no matter the sport. If you head out to run three miles every day at the same pace your body will slow its response to your efforts, and your weight loss and performance will likely plateau. Change your training up from day to day, incorporating fast and slow days into your weekly run plan, and your body will continuously respond to your training.

Running for Weight LossGalloway states that in order to mobilize fat and lose weight, “it is better to run 40 to 60 minutes three times a week, than 20 to 30 minutes six times a week.” These longer training sessions help you to lose unwanted weight while building endurance and overall fitness. You can incorporate 40 to 60 minute runs into your training through long, slow distance or speed work with periodic rest breaks, and your body will respond by burning calories and losing weight.

Source: Livestrong.com