Grateful

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Jen

Ever since my last marathon, one of my favorite visual cues has been “Grateful” (thank you Believe I Am). Whenever I’m getting a little off course in life/running I think of it and quickly snap back into reality. Here’s are two examples of my inner dialogue lately:

Me: I hate treadmill running!
Me: Jeff is always working! I have no time to run!

Then I went and changed my attitude to GRATEFUL had my longest treadmill run ever. Yes, this is small potatoes for some, but 8 miles on the TM is HUGE for me!

Longest TM run ever, started at 7.0mph and ended at 9.7mph.

During the run, I started thinking about how Erin commented on my last post (when I talked about surviving on the TM) saying I was lucky to have a treadmill at home. How true! My husband travels a lot, and there’s no way I could run with Currie in the stroller when temps are below zero. The treadmill allows me to run on days I otherwise wouldn’t have other options. So grateful!

This is what Currie did while I ran. Craft time!

As I ran, I listened to music with PBS Kids on the tv. The first song that played on my Pandora station was one that reminded me of my mom (because she always knows “cool pop music” before me and I remember the first time she told me how much she liked the song). I instantly felt grateful that she’s still alive through multiple struggles with cancer, that she and my dad have always been so supportive of us and just what a cool family I have. Do you wonder what the song was?

Yep, David Guetta’s Sexy Chick

Less than 10 minutes later, I heard a song that reminded me of my sister. It was Sean Kingston’s Fire Burning. My sister is a cheer coach and she used the song as competition music one of her first years coaching. I always think of her when I hear the song. Since I was running, I thought of what a talented runner she is, and how she can’t run anymore because of problems with vasovagal syncope. I know she misses it and it makes me sad. My mind wandered and I thought of all my friends, both IRL and virtual, who are injured and not able to run. I was overwhelmed with emotion, knowing how lucky I am to be able to run every day. So grateful.

Reminds me of my sister every time!

Right after that, Kid Cudi’s Day ‘N’ Nite came on. My husband and I used to sing this song in the most ridiculous way. It always makes me laugh. I felt grateful to have met someone who is just as strange as me, who also happens to love running, hard work and me! So grateful!

Next, I started thinking about a few life goals outside of running and how they are beginning to fall into place. So grateful!

Before I knew it, 8 miles were done. Well, the time didn’t fly, but it also wasn’t horrible. I can’t see myself ever loving the treadmill, but we can have our moments. So grateful!

What are you grateful for? What’s your favorite visual cue?

Surviving + My Spectacular Water Bottle

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Jen

I’ve been on the treadmill the last 3 days. Not because of the cold – Jeff is out of town and that’s my only option. I know I could hire a babysitter, but I haven’t hit that level of parenting maturity. I’m proud of myself for hiring a babysitter so Jeff and I could both race at the end of 2012. That was a big step for me. I haven’t gotten to the point where I’m ok to do it for a training run. The time will come, just hasn’t happened yet. So, I’ve been surviving on the ‘mill. Here’s how it went.

Day 1: PBS kids on TV. Craft table set up. Sketchpads and markers on the floor. Currie happily played for just over 30 minutes. I got in 4.1 miles easy. Currie could’ve survived with her activities longer, but I was looking for a way out on my first treadmill day. 4.1 was enough.

Thank you Michaels for cheap little ceramic items that can keep Currie occupied for 30 minutes, sometimes longer. Also, thanks to my in-laws for lots of washable paint!

Day 2: PBS kids on TV. I made a Twitter vow (@jenbigham) to run at least 5 miles. I set up one notebook and Currie sketched for awhile, then decided to play with her Wheelies Rampway and Garage which I thought she totally lost interest in until recently. Whatever works! I made it 6.27 miles, starting at 7mph and ended at 9mph. I counted it as a speed day.

Currie drew a picture of “a family” while I ran.

Day 3: PBS Kids on tv. And… when I was done running on Day 2, Salty tweeted me to listen to music. Well, there’s an obvious answer I didn’t think about!

So I added some music today and the run was more enjoyable. I kept a steady pace the whole time and made it 10k, pretty easy breezy. I was fueled by my “Boom Boom Pow” Pandora mix. Got some motivation from:

and…

I made it through 3 days on the treadmill! Yes! Jeff gets home tonight (hopefully) and tomorrow should be back to outside running.

*************************************************************************************************

In Spectacular Water Bottle News check out my newest prized possession!

Yes, that’s a 22oz. water bottle adorned with a picture of Currie! It’s made by a local company called Aquavation. I love the high quality picture (better than it looks in this iPhone photo!), slim bottle that’s easy to grip, and the leak-proof lid (since my water bottles always end up sideways at some point during the day). Some more cool features of the bottle:

20% of the purchase price goes to a charity you choose during the creation process. (very cool)
Creating the bottle is quick and very easy – just 3 steps.
BPA free. Dye free.
Detachable wrist strap.
Can customize picture and add text
Production and shipping were incredibly fast. Not sure if this is always the case, or maybe since I’m a local customer, but I made this on a Tuesday around 10pm and it came in the mail on Thursday morning. Thumbs up!

The text on my bottle includes cues from my Believe I Am Journal

My only gripe with the bottle is it’s hand-wash only. I’m lazy and don’t like hand washing dishes or laundry! Other than that, I love this bottle and have been using it daily. I heard of these bottles through a friend who is doing PR for the company. I received a complimentary bottle, and will be purchasing a few more. The bottles are $20 plus $3 shipping. I just saw on their Facebook page that you can get FREE SHIPPING using the code WinHearts now through Valentine’s day! You can buy a spectacular Aquavation bottle here.

How has your running been going this week? What’s the most boring treadmill entertainment you’ve ever used? Tell me about your favorite water bottle! I don’t run with a water bottle in my hand but I carry one around all day!

Running at Disney, Family Runs, Chilly Runs

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Jen

We are back from Florida! Did you know I was in Florida? I posted a few pics on Twitter and Instagram. We were in Florida for my older brother’s wedding and decided to stop by Disney World a few days beforehand since my daughter has never been there. It just so happens she’s just a few weeks away from 3 years old which means she’s free for meals and entry into the park. Nothing else is inexpensive about Disney, but it was a nice little vacation.

Lunch at the Crystal Palace our first day at the Magic Kingdom

We arrived just a few days after the Disney Marathon/Half/5k. I was a a little crushed that we didn’t plan to arrive a few days earlier so I could race. Speaking of running, we stayed at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and we couldn’t find any decent places to run. My parents were there as well and able to take Currie to the park while we ran, but doing loops around the resort was less-than-enjoyable so we went about 4 miles a day and got the rest of our exercise walking the park, riding rides (screaming at the top of our lungs) and carrying Currie around. I guess I should have asked this beforehand, but does anyone know of good places to run from the Contemporary? I would love to know for future trips!

Dinner at Chef Mickey’s! Although we had the BOB stroller, I ended up carrying Currie quite a bit on vacation.

On Saturday, I was so excited to get in some major miles on the beach on Marco Island, where my brother was getting married. Unfortunately, our rental car didn’t have cruise control and after driving over 4 hours without cruise, my hips were sore so I settled with 4 gorgeous miles on the sand. Thankfully, I was feeling good on Sunday and was able to do 11 miles with my husband, both brothers, and younger brother’s girlfriend. What a great way to start the day. I wish at least once a week that we all lived closer and were able to train together. *Sigh*

After the run we quickly showered and went straight to hair and makeup. It takes pretty much all day, but it’s SO WORTH IT to chat with the ladies and be pampered for a change. It was just wonderful. Of course I had to take a selfie!

My daughter and my sister’s daughter were so cute at the wedding:

Is there anything cuter?

Well, maybe this…

Currie was supposed to be taking pictures of the wedding with my phone while Jeff and I did the video. Let me show you how that turned out:

Want to see up our noses?

And finally, a nice one of my little family after the ceremony:

Early the next morning, we were headed back to Rochester and back to freezing cold temps. I think it was 16 degrees, with a much colder windchill when I went out for my run. I wore 6 layers on top. It was a bit dramatic, but I like being toasty. Talk about feeling heavy! It was worth it!

I’m hoping for some more miles this week, possibly some speed. I have no races on the radar for the near future as it’s winter and I usually let my husband do a the local Freezeroo series while I work on building miles. With windchills below zero for most of this week, I will most likely be on the treadmill. More on that later!

How does your running usually look on vacation? Do you get butt/hip pain when you drive long distances?

Experimenting with Running Shoes

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Jen

Two weeks ago, a good friend from high school asked me what running shoes I wear. This is a question I’m asked often, and I never know how to respond. Despite running for all these years, I don’t know much about running shoes. I’ve never worked in a running store, I’ve never studied the structure of the shoes, I really only know what has and hasn’t worked for me. So, I always respond the same way – this is what I’m wearing now, this is what has and hasn’t worked for me.

Current lineup of shoes I’m cycling through.

My friend’s question got me thinking how much more adventurous I have been in the past year with my running shoes. My early running career had me riddled with injuries. I don’t really remember what brand of shoes I wore in middle and high school, but I know I wore Nike shoes all through college and was injured almost every season. When my collegiate career was over, I started wearing Asics shoes and I was injury free for the longest period ever. I don’t know what Asics shoe I was wearing in the beginning, but I know I was eventually in the Gel Cumulus and I remained injury free so I stuck with those.

Brand new Asics Gel Cumulus. Gonna start running in these any day now!

After I had my daughter, I got serious about training again, and started (a month after her birth) in the Asics Gel Cumulus. I added Saucony Guide into the mix and ended up with bad plantar fasciitis in both feet and pain under my right ankle. The pain was so intense I took 3 weeks off before my peak marathon (still ran the race and had a big PR). There’s no way I can say it was the shoe and not my intense training for the first 6 months after my daughter was born. But… once I got better I was very worried about shoe choice again.

I went back to the Cumulus and had no injury problems that disrupted my training. I decided I was going to be an Asics girl for life. Despite every running magazine, runner friend, and running blog telling me I should be alternating shoes daily, I wore one pair of shoes until it was dead then bought another pair and it was always the Asics Gel Cumulus.

Then, a friend who was a New Balance Tech Rep sent me the NB 890s and I had success in them. No injuries. The 890 is a lightweight shoe that is cushiony enough for everyday training. So, I added that shoe into the mix, mostly on faster running days, and still wore the Asics on my easy runs.

New Balance 890s, in desperate need of replacement!

Next, I started winning shoes in races. The first time I won shoes this year, the gift certificate said I could get any shoe in the store. The race was in Seattle and I was only there for a few more days so I had to take whatever they had in stock. They didn’t have my size in the Asics so I ended up with what the employee said was a similar Saucony shoe, the Ride 5. I did pretty well in it. So at that point I was alternating a pair of Asics, New Balance, and Sauconys in the training mix.

A few months later, I was online shoe shopping and saw Nike Pegasus for really cheap. Since they are a neutral shoe (what I usually go for) I decided to try them. I wasn’t a big fan, but they were ok. They irritated my heels and hips, but nothing a good dynamic stretching session couldn’t eliminate.

Not my favorite shoe, but hasn’t injured me yet…

Then I won the Saucony Kinvaras in December and while I’m not a huge fan, they work. For some reason, they make me feel slow and make my legs feel flat, but they don’t give me any aches or pains and they were free so I can’t complain! I wear these for faster stuff. My younger brother races marathons in them!

A few weeks later my brother gave me some Saucony Peregrine trail shoes and they have been amazing on snow. They feel great on my feet and are my favorite Saucony shoes I’ve tried. Success!

I’m a big fan of the Saucony Peregrine on snow! They are a little narrow for my wide foot, but I love everything else!

Finally, I’ve been curious about Newtons for a long time. I’m a natural midfoot striker, and have been told by many people I should be running in them. So, I got the Gravity a few weeks ago. I’ve done a few miles in them and so far they are great. VERY different in a way I can’t quite explain in so few miles. I just feel like my entire body, from neck to ankles, changes when I’m running in them.

Newton Gravity – so far, so good!

I started this post right after my friend asked me for shoe advice, but was hesitant to make it public because every time I talk about not being injured, I get an injury! But, after reading Kristy’s post, I decided being a little adventurous in my shoe selection *might* be a good thing.

Maybe after all this, I will end up back in my good old Asics. Maybe I’ll become 100% devoted to another brand. Or maybe I’ll be able to choose from multiple brands, depending what’s on sale. Time will tell!

So tell me, do you run one shoe into the ground before switching? Do you rotate multiple pairs? Do you stick with the same brand? Do you wear the same exact shoes but rotate different pairs?

@#$%!*& – ME Monday

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Jen

It’s ME Monday! The day when I reveal something about myself that has nothing to do with my running life, yet always ties back to running somehow. I haven’t done one in awhile, mostly because I haven’t been posting on Monday. Oops! I’m back!

Today I’ll tell you something that might be a little unbelievable… I’ve NEVER said a swear word! That’s right. NEVER.

I grew up in a household with a strict no swearing rule. For some reason, I listened to my parents on this for 18 years until I left for college. At that point, how would I start? Why would I start? It just wasn’t me.

I really couldn’t have a potty mouth if I tried. I don’t even say things like h-e-c-k or f-a-r-t. I’m not offended by people who swear. I think it’s funny/entertaining. My parents swear, and so do all my friends, my husband has quite the potty mouth… everyone I know swears. “Bad words” just don’t cross my mind.

The most common 2 things people say when they find out I don’t swear is:

A) I am going to be the person who makes you swear for the first time!! (Sorry…)
B) What do you say when you stub your toe/get hurt unexpectedly? (Ouch!)

So there you have it! A ME Monday that only related to running in the picture!

Do you have a potty mouth? When did you start swearing?

Some Snowy Runs

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Jen

I only had 30 minutes to run (outside) today. 30 minutes exactly. I was in a little bit of a grumpy mood about it, as it was the first day where the snow was decently melted in my neighborhood, the sun was shining, the wind was minimal and everything was pointing towards a nice outdoor run.

Of course, within minutes of being outside, the grumpiness was gone. Sunshine (even if it’s 27 degrees) plus outside running will do that to me. I decided I might as well get in as many miles as I could in 30 minutes. So after the first 1.5 miles at 8 min pace, I did pickups for the rest of my run. I got over 4 miles in, which was great considering the slow beginning and few icy patches where I had to go slow. So, grumpy Jen crisis averted.

Going to retrieve my daughter after a snowy run a few days ago.

Speaking of crisis averted… I’ve been running on snow and ice every day since December 27th and I haven’t had a fall yet! This says nothing for the future, as I know I could slip the second I walk out my door, but this is very impressive. Especially considering I’ve been running on sheets of ice in my neighborhood the past 6 days. What’s my secret? Lots of REALLY SLOW RUNNING! I’m ok with that. Because honestly, I love winter running and enjoy running in snow. I don’t exactly love running on ice, but I get through it. I think I like running in snow because:

I go slow. Snowy running forces a change of pace. There’s no “fast running” in the snow so it’s one time of year I’m on a guaranteed break. I think my body needs the break each year. It’s just a time to build miles and enjoy the beauty around me. If I had a big race coming in February or March, things might be different, but I usually don’t race any goal races until May.
Spring racing is even more fun. I know eventually all the snow/ice will melt, and we will be blessed with warmer weather and near-perfect racing conditions. It feels even sweeter after running in the elements.
I feel tough. Every time I run in crazy winds, snow, ice, etc, I tell myself how tough I am. The more times I tell myself how amazingly tough I am, the more I believe it and it translates to my racing.
I’m used to it. I’ve been running in snow for 18 years.
I have some good shoes for it. I’m currently running in the Saucony Peregrine on the worst snowy days and I love them. They really grip the snow/ice better than any other shoe I’ve tried. Thanks little bro for getting these for me! (I also have Yaktrax but rarely use them because if I hit a patch of paved road they bother my feet.)

It’s gorgeous. Snow is just plain beautiful. Snowy runs makes me appreciate nature and the world we live in.
Warm body, frozen cheeks. Snow can’t come without freezing temperatures. I LOVE bundling up for winter runs and feeling super toasty everywhere except my cheeks. Maybe no one else can relate to this feeling, but it’s my favorite. I adore the feeling of frosty cheeks coupled with a warm body. That feeling is followed by stepping inside my warm house as my cheeks melt. ahhh…

Snowy running isn’t for everyone. But I sure do enjoy it! I’ve realized a few things on my snowy runs lately.

We make a lot of snowmen, but mine are highly inferior to the ones around town. Seriously, there are some elaborate snow creations around here. We keep it pretty basic.

Our first 2 snowmen of the year, with apple eyes and clementine mouths.

Another snowman with leafy branch eyes, nose and mouth

Most people think I’m crazy for being out in this weather so it doesn’t matter how ridiculous I look. Why not add a face mask?

When I run outside, even in the bad weather, I’m running for the love of running. I’m enjoying myself. I’m happy that I’m outside. Every single time I’ve debated treadmill vs. outside, I’m so thankful I chose outside within minutes of starting the outside run. When I’m on the treadmill, I’m running just to get the run done. Almost no joy. I have a little joy because getting some running in makes me happier than none, but treadmill runs are my least enjoyable ones.
And finally, Nuun bottles are very helpful when trying to write words in the snow. Just fill one up with water, add maybe 10 drops of food coloring, and you are golden.

I’ve heard a lot of chatter about runners hating the snow. Anyone welcome it like me? How many times have you slipped on ice so far this winter? Do you make the best snowmen in town or just the average kind like me?

Sisters in Sport, Final Check-in

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Jen

Do you remember my big goal for December, 8 hours of sleep at night? Remember how I was really confident it would all work out perfectly? I said, “I’ve identified all the little obstacles to achieving the 8 hours of sleep a night goal, and I’m actually feeling good about getting there, even with the holidays approaching.”

I’ve been doing such a great job with my mini-monthly goals since using my Believe I Am Training Journal and I was feeling confident about my sleep goal. When mapping out all the reasons behind my lack of sleep and making an action plan, I knew I could definitely start to sleep more.

The month started off great… sort of. December 1st = 9 hours of sleep! Amazing! December 2nd = 4 hours of sleep (the night after my marathon)! Uh-oh… This was easily explained by my normal trouble sleeping the night after a marathon, plus early morning flight, with the added problem of a domestic abuse situation right outside our hotel room leaving us listening to screaming, crying, security coming, then finally the police taking the people away. December 3rd-6th, all solid 8 hour days.

First 6 days of sleep, not too shabby (except the 4 hours night!)

Then, some curves. Christmas shopping and prep. Get-togethers. Jeff out-of-town. Being home for the holidays and just wanting to spend every minute with family. The list continues… the sleep declines…

So, while I was far from the 8 hours a night every night, I did hit 8 hours more this month than any in the past since my daughter has been walking. And that says a lot considering everything that was going on this month. It’s nice to have a goal written, in my own handwriting, at the top of a page that I look at every single day. It makes me more mindful, more likely to do what I set out to do. It reminds me of a friend who was keeping a food journal this summer and she started choosing the salad bar every day for lunch because she knew she had to answer to the food journal/herself.

I’m thankful for this journal. It’s helped me through a lot the past 3 months. I use it in addition to an online running log that auto-uploads my garmin data. I like the handwritten process of the Believe I Am Journal. How I can write anything I want (including space for a novel in back if I wanted… well almost)! How I can see my own handwriting, my own thoughts, my dreams, desires. As I said before, this is the second Believe I Am Journal I’ve owned and it’s even more helpful the second time around because I’m finding more uses, more deeply ingraining the visuals, and figuring out more about myself. I now carry it around in my purse, a great idea I got from another Sister in Sport. I would recommend the journal to anyone and EVERYONE. Except my 8-year-old nephew who called it “a girly little thing” when I pulled it out after a run during Christmas festivities. Maybe ask before buying it for your 8-year-old nephew.

I’d like to finish by saying that I used the GRATEFUL visual a lot during my training and racing these last few months. After a few heartaches in early October, I started using the visual shown below:

I really connected with the last line “It’s amazing how many doors start to open when you are grateful for what you already have.”

I loved it so much I got it in cozy sweater form.

So there you have it! For January, I’m back on the strength goals again. I’m already feeling weak in the glutes/hips/hamstrings from just a month of taking it easy post-marathon. I need to get back on board. This time, adding some … weights!!

Happy New Year! My Exciting Night

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Jen

Happy New Year! Did you know that I’m a twin? Yep! See below. My twin sister was in town to help me make a “12” out of our bodies to signify our last run in the year 2012. We wore matching outfits and everything. Aren’t we cute?

Just kidding! That’s just 2 different pictures of me, stitched together to show how much snow we had on my last run in 2012. I went 4 miles and it was around my neighborhood since the streets are decently plowed. Now that I look at the pics, I know I could have made a better “2” by swinging my left hand over my head and extending the right hand along my waist. Oh well, you live and learn right? I will resolve to do that better in 2013. Must start planning 2013 body shaping now!

My NYE was spent doing all sorts of exciting things… like grocery shopping, hanging out with Currie, bathing, reading Cooking Light, checking out some blogs. Are you jealous?

Actually, the shopping part was strange. Currie and I went to Wegmans (our local grocery store) to get salmon, contact solution, and butter. I’ve never seen the store so busy and we had to park far away. Not a problem for us, but I worried about the madhouse we were about to enter.

We went straight to the contact solutions and my brand was sold out. Darn. We headed over to the seafood counter and passed by the kids club cookie bin. Currie had her heart set on a cookie-they were out. We walked to the bakery to ask for one. They said we needed to go to the bread section. Just as we started walking away, a random woman told me she had 2 boxes of chocolate chip cookies and we could just take one of hers. SO KIND! That just warmed my heart! We thanked her and moved along to seafood.

Apparently everyone eats seafood on NYE and the section was packed. I scanned the items for wild caught salmon but only found farm raised. I settled on wild caught cod instead. Just as I was deciding how much to buy, the store went BLACK. It was freaky. Everything was still, quiet, eerie. Within a few seconds, a dim backup lighting system came on and we were able to see again. But, we couldn’t get our seafood because the scales weren’t working. I thought maybe they could just estimate, but they didn’t agree so I figured we weren’t meant to have seafood. We paid for our butter and left. What a weird night at Wegmans!

I started 2013 with a 6 mile treadmill run. It was torture, but it was my only option. I watched Sesame Street with Currie while running. I started at 7mph and cut down to 9mph (but only did that for the last quarter mile). I probably shouldn’t have chugged 2 strong cups of coffee immediately before stepping on the treadmill because I was feeling a little barfy towards the end. Still, I survived a run on the treadmill, so that’s a positive!

Happy 2013 everyone!

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