Wednesdays

For me, Wednesdays are my most challenging days to stay active. I work 9-6 and then turn around and go to choir from 7-8:45. I often will get a Wednesday off every other week, as I work a weekend every other week (that's a whole other issue) and that can help, but otherwise I have to cram a run in and sacrifice dinner or do the opposite.

The logical explanation here is for me to just get up early and run, right? Well I do track workouts late on Tuesdays (sometimes not over until 8 or 8:30) and so I am not ready to get up and do it again at 6AM on Wednesdays. I also really suck at waking myself up, whether it's 6:30 or 8:30... like this morning =).

I've tried running to choir (it's about 2.8 miles, not far), but I got SUPER gross and sweaty and felt bad having to sit so close to other people for 2 hours. It's just impossible in the Georgia weather not to get super sweaty, even nearing sundown.

My traditional rest days are fridays, as I like to feel rested for my long run then run on tired legs on Sundays as recovery.  Since my goal is consistency for this training cycle, I've got to figure out something that works. I guess trial and error can work for the rest of June and July, but after that it's business time!

Any suggestions?

Finding My Pace

I thought going in to the last marathon that I could run between 10:30-11:00 min miles. But that was simply not the case. When I think about the last training cycle all I think about is pain and inconsistency.  I battled foot pain, blisters, and a pretty tough achillies pain (tendonitis?). Coming off the marathon the only thing that seemed to help get over all the stupid aches and pains was to just take a break. So I didn't run for about 6 weeks and now I feel like I'm starting over.

I decided to actually pay for a training plan so that I didn't just run whatever I thought would work during the week and then do a long run on the weekend. There were a lot of different requirements in my search, as I have a very inconsistent work schedule, get bored easily and am really wanting help build a strong base.

I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a plan built just for me and a lot of the plans were very structured and repetitive.  Run the Edge offered the perfect plan (Level Up Ultimate 26.2) for me as it's all time based, I can move through it at my own pace, and it's interactive and ever changing. Hopefully it will work out! 

This brings me to my original point. A lot of the weekly miles are based on effort. Today I decided to do my "long run" (I'm going to my sister's graduation this weekend and wanted to save the shortest workouts for Saturday and Sunday) and it was supposed to be done at "medium" effort. Finding a medium effort is super hard for me. Running at an easy pace (around 12:00 min/mile) is a piece of cake, and finding a hard pace (around 8:45-9:30) is not challenging, but getting somewhere in the middle and holding it is something I haven't quite mastered yet. Luckily I have another 4 or 5 weeks of "easy" or short distance running to figure it out. I still have to find what my goal marathon pace is too. I'm still at the point where just running a race that I feel I did as well as I could is my goal, not so much for time. 

As always the biggest challenge will be forcing myself to stick to a plan the whole way through. Especially once my schedule starts to interfere.

Pity

Today (ahem yesterday, as it is now 12:30AM Saturday) a coworker of mine said, "so what have you been doing besides work lately?"

"Nothing new." (It felt like an odd question to me. There was clearly a follow up coming."

"Katie, I feel bad for you. You need to make something out of your life."

--insert jaw dropping-to-the-floor-face here--

...

Pity. I get it from this particular person a lot. Why does it bother me so much? Is it because I'm not used to being pitied? I certainly haven't felt like I deserved anyone's pity in the last few years (let's call AFK for after fat Katie). Or is it because I see some truth to it? 

Is being single (and not really mingling) in your mid to late twenties pitiable? Or is it just that in the eyes of twenty something it is? Because I don't go out to eat; because I don't go to bars; because I don't spend lots of money (I don't have) on fancy cars and clothes; does that mean they pity me?

This is crazy! How have I even been brought to the point where I think I should be pitied?

Let's recap what I've done, the good and the bad, AFK.

I moved back home. I moved to Atlanta. I got a full time, regular income kind of job. I ran a marathon. Then I did it again. I ran 4 half marathons, 3 10ks, a 4 miler, and 4 5ks in 2 years. I've run hundreds of miles. I've run over a thousand miles! I learned what a chaturanga push up is. I got to the point where I could actually do one. I forgot how. I traveled to Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Townsend, Vegas, Dayton and of course, Savannah. I went to the Grand Canyon for the first time. I found out in good at property management. I got a road bike. I've only road 50 or so miles on said 7 month old bike. I walk to work. I was asked to be a bridesmaid. I found a mentor, who became a friend and who is now more like an annoying older brother. I joined a choir. And then joined another. I was a member of a cast in a production of Oliver!. I learned I can run for over three and a half hours, but I usually feel like crying half way through. Running brought me back 2 friends I'd never thought I'd call friends again.  I found a roommate. I went to a funeral. Ian Somerholder offered me his tea, then got mad when I didn't drink it. I learned that letting go is so much easier than holding a grudge. Then I found another. I'm more independent then ever. I'm alone a lot. 

Being alone is not pitiable.

I'm fine being alone.

Alone.

A Year Later...

http://pages.teamintraining.org/ga/nikesf13/katiekerkhoff

It was a little over a year ago that I made the decision to raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma society by running a half marathon. With your help I was able to raise OVER $1300. Now I'm asking for your help again, but this time I'm going a little bigger and running a FULL marathon and hope to raise $3,500. So keep an eye out for more updates on my training and fundraising efforts, I'm getting pumped to start this journey and can't wait to share it with you!

Be back soon.

Promise.

12 Miles and Other Running Things

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." 

-T. S. Eliot

This Saturday I ran 12 miles. It's a good thing I don't have to do those long runs on my own because I really don't know what I would think about for 2 hours while I run, run, run. What do I usually think about? I think about finishing. I have to convince myself to keep going (ok trick myself, is closer to the truth).

"Only one more minute; only to the end of the road; just till you've been running for an hour; think of all the skinny cow ice cream/pancakes/potato chip you can eat after burning 1100 calories...etc."

But luckily I only have to do one long run in the week by myself, so I only have to bribe my brain a few times.

So I'm going press pause and talk about how much Team In Training has changed my running.

• I went from thinking I HAD to just run all the time, and that walking was weak, but now I know walking makes me stronger. 
• Running went from a very independent, solo action for me, to a social, group activity. Don't get me wrong... I still really like running on my own. A lot of the time I prefer it, but I also love having a pace partner. Even if there is no talking, just having someone there makes a big difference when it comes to how far you can push your legs.
• I've gotten a lot faster, even though I run slower on long runs (I credit my determination + having a great training schedule on that).
• I've started to actually enjoy running.

Wait, huh? You mean to say this girl has been running for 9 months and didn't like it? Yes. Yes, that's correct. Running was torturous for the first 3 months. The only reason I've kept up with it (until recently) is because I like the way it makes me feel after and I like the results. Now? I like it a bit more. I like the people. I like the accomplishment. I like seeing my surroundings in ways I never would have before. I like pushing myself. (I like the clothes.)

The lesson here is if you hate running, maybe you should join a running group (in Savannah there are all of the C.R.E.W. groups and the Savannah Striders, but nationally check your local running stores or meetup.com) or you should raise money for cancer and join Team In Training or DetirmiNation. I mean stop being so selfish while you hate running, geez.

p.s. Check out my post over at GeekChic: The Blog! It's the first of many! And look out for more posts every once and a while from my girl, Caity.

Amazing Fall Smoothie Recipe

Hello everyone! My name is Caitlyn. Katie and I decided to do some blog collaboration. Like her, I am a member of Weight Watchers. I love cooking and have been adapting some recipes to fit my new lifestyle a little better.

One of my favorite new discoveries is an adaptation of a smoothie I found on Pinterest, the Pumpkin Pie Smoothie. The original recipe calls for greek yogurt and since I try not to eat a lot of dairy I changed it a little bit.

Here's what you need:

• 1/2 a banana
• 1/3 cup pure pumpkin (canned)
• 1 cup soy/almond/hazelnut milk (preferably vanilla)
• 5 ice cubes
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

 Put all ingredients into a blender and enjoy! The best thing about this recipe is it's only 1-3 points depending on what kind of milk you use. I used original almond milk and added a few teaspoons of vanilla and it ended up being only one point!

This is just a preview of some other healthy recipes you can find on my blog, GeekChic: The Blog. I'll also be posting recipes here every now and then!

Until next time,

Caitlyn

I am a Runner.....?

I've struggled with this for a long time. I feel weird calling myself a runner! 

That probably sounds cray-cray to some of y'all. If you don't run, surely you'd look at me, a girl who runs 3-5 days a week, and say "Of course she's a runner!" But I look at all these people I've met through the running community and I just pale in comparison. They run faster, or the run longer, or they are more active in the community. 

On top of that I never in a million years thought I'd come close to calling myself a runner, so I guess it's taking longer than a few months to get used to it.

A week or so ago a customer at work (kind of creepily) said I had muscular legs (haha that's so creepy) and I said "Oh, well I'm a runner." And it felt so weird! 

When does one become a "runner"? 

Did I become a runner the moment I decided to do couch to 5k? Or was it after I ran a 5K? Or maybe it was when I got my first pair of running shoes? Or was it when I joined Team in Training... or when I actually completed C25K and then kept running without the program? 

I don't know! What are your opinions on becoming a "runner"?

Getting back on the train after having a bad week

I find it really challenging to get back to my healthy habits after having a few days of not following my plan. I end up trashing the whole week because I'm already behind. Starting over at the beginning of the week (a Wednesday for me) always seems to be the way it works for me. 

I think I live in constant fear that I will just slip back into my old ways. I've done the dieting and weight loss before. Sure, I haven't ever made it this far but I can still remember all those times I just started to forget about living a healthy life. I turned off the side of me that cares. I've done it a few times during this trip down the Weight Watchers journey but I've always restarted at the end of the week. That's the important part! I can't forget to get back into my routine.

I had a great weekend at the beach and stuck to my VEGGIETARIAN ways! I've had a few bites of meat here and there over the last two months but I've tried my hardest not too. Some days it's easy, other days it feels like all I want is a piece of bacon. Everyone seems to be really supportive of it though and that makes it easier.

It's a new month so I'm trying to come up with some new goals, but right now the only two I have are continuing to get all of my weekly miles and work on my core strength. 

Oops! I did it AGAIN!

Well once again it's been over a month since I posted. I guess I just run out of things to say for a while. But here I am again... for an update on maintenance (BTW I have a hard time spelling that word).

Beginning of August

Beginning of July

Not much changed measurement wise in July (I've switched my picture outfit to something that fits now that I'm in maintenance), my weight only changed by a pound or two so I wasn't expecting much. I'm hoping to really get back on the exercise train and see some tone start to develop. I really just want to feel stronger though, the visual aspect is an added benefit. So far I've really been at it this week, in the last 7 days I've run about 24 miles and gone to two yoga classes. I just gotta KEEP at it.

The first few weeks have been challenging for sure, but it's so freeing. I love not feeling that pressure to see the numbers go down on the scale! Since I had my week long eat-whatever-I-want-fest I haven't been above (or at) my goal weight. 

But all this is boring, and mostly for my sake. Next post I'll find something a little more interesting to blab about.