You cannot outrun a poor diet

I wrote this post several months ago but I needed to muster up the courage to confess something that Im not proud of. I run for health and freedom but I also run to eat. You've heard the stories...running torches calories right? Well, to a point. I found out the hard way that you really cannot outrun a poor diet. No matter how hard you try.

I'm not in the habit of weighing myself. Body image and weight issues have crowded my happiness at various times in my life and regular weight checks seem to trigger feelings of dependency on a number. So I avoid putting myself through that if I can help it. But...in April I stepped on the scale and the number revealed something I had long suspected. My comfort zone and my waist line had expanded quite a bit. Even with all my running. At the time I was averaging 50 miles of hard core training every week plus 2 sessions of weight lifting and lots of activity with the kids. And I was over compensating with food and wine. I was shocked! Confused? In denial, sure. I went about my day as usual but I simply could not take that number out of my head. I had plenty of soul searching to do.

I would often hear of people having such realizations when looking at their image on a photograph, a video or a reflection and commenting that they didn't recognize themselves. I always thought this was so bizarre. How could you not realize you are growing? Ridiculous! Funny thing is that weight distribution is a tricky thing and a person of my height and frame can easily carry 20 extra pounds without looking overweight. But the weight doesn't come on suddenly. It accrues slowly and we somehow adapt to the growing waistline by discarding clothing items that reveal the truth. I guess that was the case for me.

I began to casually journal everything I ate and drank, without judgement. And therein I found my answers. I am not a junk food eater, and my sugar consumption is minimal, but I have a big appetite, and I was consuming too much food. Additionally I was stress eating, and drinking. I felt unhealthy, depressed, and unmotivated to make a change. A few months passed before I actually started doing what I know works best: Counting calories. A friend recommended a site called loseit.com and I promptly began logging all my food and exercise. I was nervous at first, I'm not particularly fond of food restrictions but something about having to log all my calories made them a bit more meaningful to eat. I also cut back on my wine consumption, mostly because by the end of the day I was out of calories. This went on for about 4 months. I slowly dropped the first 9 pounds. And then something incredible happened, my birthday was soon approaching and I wanted to do something good for myself. In August I took a 30 day sobriety challenge. I was empowered by the changes I had already seen in myself and I wanted to find out just what role alcohol played in my life. It was tough at first but by the second week I gained an unprecedented level of confidence and the assurance that I was not an addict. Addictions can creep up on us so its always good to keep them at bay.

My weight plateaued since my original weight loss and I was getting a bit discouraged, but I was motivated by all the other changes I was noticing. I began taking my marathon training more seriously and gaining more confidence that some day soon I can strive to get a BQ. I stopped making excuses and claiming the space I allowed myself for training. My general anxiety dissipated and I found myself more at ease with my life and roles. All this as a result of taking charge of my daily choices and yes, it all begins with what we put in our bodies. I have dropped 2 more pounds and I'm getting really close to my goal. It makes me nervous for the what then. But I must remember that the process is just as important if not more than the end result. Being open and honest about myself is very important to me. This isn't meant as a bragging board. Its more like an accountability forum. I do hope it motivates someone else to make any necessary changes in their lives.


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Marathon training week 16 and Coyote creek trail run

To say that this was a challenging week would be a huge understatement. On Monday I woke up with puffy eyes and a massive sinus headache. Another sinus infection! Boo :( Luckily this time I was able to bypass the antibiotics by just upping my home remedies which consist of essential oils, saline rinses, soups and sudafed. By Thursday I was feeling almost back to normal. Also this week I had plantar pain on my right foot and shooting pain on my left ankle. Rolling, icing, and stretching seemed to help, as well as yoga. On Friday I had a tummy bug that had me wondering if I would be able to do my 20 mile run on Saturday. Fortunately I had just ordered oregano oil and probiotics from vitacost and I received them in the morning. I started taking them right away. I also made a big pot of chicken soup and had 2 big bowls for dinner. The combination of those three things seemed to do the trick. I was up the next day at 5am with no aches, pains, or discomforts to speak of. I was very grateful!

Yesterday's run was fantastic! Hard to put into words the majestic views we encountered and the multitude of emotions that ran through my body in the 5.5hrs it took for us to finish. This is by far one of the toughest runs I've done in a while but also one of the most scenic. I share pictures below but first I want to give this week's stats (planned vs actual)

Sunday: 5 miles
Monday: 10 miles / 1.5 mile warm up plus 8 x 800
Tuesday: 5 miles / 6.25
Wednesday: 8x 800 / 40 min tempo
Thursday: off
Friday: 10 miles race pace/ 7 miles near race pace, 3 miles at race pace
Saturday: 20 mile run/ 20 mile hike/run on hilly rough course

Total mileage planned: 57
Actual miles: 55


























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Marathon training week 15

I read an article this week about the importance of knowing the training level at which one's body begins to break down. I had never pushed this far but I have finally learned what that is for me. From Friday to Wednesday I ran a total of 56 miles with no rest days in between. By Wednesday my body felt broken down, achy, and lethargic. A level beyond 50 miles a week will likely put me in injury prone territory so I need to beware. I can of course push little by little to increase this threshold, the same way one would increase weekly mileage, but I need to do it with great caution, especially a month before my race.

Another realization I made this week is that my blood sugar is still sensitive to what I eat as my first meal. Protein is essential for my body in the mornings as well as limiting my carb intake. This is tricky when I'm needing the extra fuel for my runs. I've observed that my body has become more efficient burning stored calories (ie, glycogen and fat) so I don't really need a huge meal in the mornings. When I begin my day with protein and little to no carbs my blood sugar is stable all throughout the day. Otherwise I get hypoglycemia and mood swings as well as higher levels of cortisol, since insulin drives this hormone. Cortisol is no good for this mama :/

This week's stats (planned and actual)

Monday: 6 miles/10 miles (too much cortisol!)
Tuesday: 5 miles/6.5 miles (3 running and 3 on stair master) plus lunges and weights.
Wednesday: 45 minute tempo run
Thursday: off
Friday: 6 mile run
Saturday: 12 miles /10 miles (ran at gym, it was a sauna in there, I overheated and quit too soon.
Sunday: 5 miles

Miles planned: 37
Actual miles: 42.5

This coming week will be my last and most intensive training week before my taper. I'm running a 20 mile trail run on Saturday with lots of hills. I'm also doing a 10 mile pace run on Friday and speed work during the week. I pray that my body holds up well.
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Marathon training week 14

Nothing like running through beautiful San Francisco in great company to bring someone's spirit up. I had a great run this morning and I'm still riding the high. I never take our gorgeous city for granted, with its picturesque landmarks and lively communities, including its colorful diversity of people. Today was an especially warm and clear day and we took in wonderful vistas of the bridge the city and beyond.

This week's workouts looked daunting on paper but to my amazement were easier on my body than I expected. I'm beginning to reap the benefits of my training. Both my pace and stamina have improved. I also realized that I'm burning through shoes and I desperately need a new pair...or do I? I alternate between two pairs but one is so worn out I can almost feel the pavement on my big toe. But, they are the most comfortable pair of the two and I have no pain or injuries...yet! I think I'm just going to wait and see if Santa drops off a pair under my tree again ;)

This week's stats:

Monday: 10 mile run, with a stroller and a 30lb babe :)
Tuesday: 8 x hill repeats plus evening yoga
Wednesday: 5 mile run
Thursday: off
Friday: 10 mile, 8 at race pace
Saturday: 20 mile run (woo hoo!)
Sunday: 6 mile run (planned)

Total mileage: 56


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