Run | Outrunning Doubt

Days 28 and 29

Posted on November 26, 2014 by kalynsara

So I know I promised that I would not allow life to get in the way. But last week it did. I had some exciting news at work and it sort of threw me for a loop. In such a good way. But it left me in a whirlwind of figuring out how to manage my time. I gave myself the rest of the week to figure it out (and cheat a little. Ok, a lot). But don’t worry, I started yesterday off on the right foot. I gave myself some short-term goals to stick to.

First, I am going to run/walk (but mostly run) 55 miles by Christmas. This may not sound like a lot considering I have 30 days to do this, but remember I am trying to get in better running shape the correct way all while nursing an IT band injury that I have had for over a year. So this goal is going to help keep me motivated, but still allow me to become a better runner.

Second, I am going to go three days a week (until Christmas, then reevaluate) with absolutely no bread, sweets, pasta and chips. This is going to be hard for me. I love all of those things. A lot. And although I have been a lot better about not eating sweets, the no bread thing is really going to get me.

So here goes my recap for days 28 and 29.

Yesterday was an OK day in terms of fitness. I went to a wedding on Saturday night and so I was really feeling bad on Sunday. Yesterday I could definitely feel it in my workout.

I walked 1/4 of a mile and ran 3/4 of a mile (which brings my goal to 1/55). It was slow. And painful. But afterward I did some squats, biceps and triceps reps on the TRX bands (I just learned how to use those things and they are killer). I also did two swinging planks with the bands. Those are hard. I did one for a minute and one for 45 seconds. I stretched and rolled afterward.

For breakfast I ate a bowl of cereal with two handfuls of blueberries. For lunch I had the most incredible salad with romaine, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, artichokes (words cannot express how much I love artichokes) and feta cheese. All with a little bit of ranch dressing. I had two fresh rolls on the side. For snack I had a greek yogurt. For dinner I had a sandwich with rye bread, pepperoni, spicy mustard, ham, swiss cheese and tomato. It was awesome. The tomato was a vine tomato from the Farmer’s Market. Best tomato ever.

Today I did not hit the gym. My day at work was a workout in itself. Trust me on this one. I am exhausted.

For breakfast I had some oatmeal made with a teaspoon of brown sugar, a teaspoon of chia seeds, cinnamon and a splash of vanilla extract. For snack I had a greek yogurt. For lunch I had a huge grilled cheese with a small bowl of tomato basil soup. For dinner I had rice, steamed spinach and a little bit of grilled chicken.

I am planning a really good workout for tomorrow and Thursday. I need to go ahead and work off my calories now.

Days 22 and 23

Posted on November 19, 2014 by kalynsara

I am officially three weeks in (well technically yesterday was the start of my fourth week). And I am doing terribly. Yesterday I did not work out. I know these are excuses, but I had a ton to do around the house, a surprise meeting before work (which actually did take an extra hour chunk out of my time) and then was so tired and lazy after work.

My nutrition was not great either (and don’t get too excited, it was terrible today as well). For breakfast I had oatmeal with a teaspoon of chia seeds, a teaspoon of brown sugar (my husband’s request) and a splash of organic milk. For a snack I had a peppermint green tea. For lunch I had a sushi roll. It was oh so good. But oh so bad for me. For dinner I had spinach, sundried tomato and goat cheese raviolis made with butter and grated cheese. Yep. Not one fruit or vegetable (I don’t count the raviolis as a vegetable).

Today was better in the fitness department. I got in a really good 1.25 mile run with a quarter mile walk. I shaved about a minute off the same run from last week and it felt so good while I was running. I am not sure if I have mentioned this before, but I have asthma and I have been trying to slowly train my lungs (and diaphragm) into running without an inhaler. So far so good, but I always keep it on me just in case.

After my run I stretched for a bit and did this workout that I found on Instagram:

I used 5lb weights for the bicep curls and then I added an extra 20 second plank and three sets of 10 tricep curls (is that what they are called?) with an 8lb weight.

For breakfast I had a bowl of cereal. For snacks I had a greek yogurt and some thin pretzels dipped in hummus. For lunch I had an organic bean and cheese burrito and half of an oatmeal bar (disclaimer: this oatmeal bar was so delicious I only ate half of it because I felt like I was eating a cookie and I am trying hard to stick to my no sweets rule again this week). For dinner I had some Trader Joe’s Indian food. Palak Paneer, Lamb Vindaloo, rice and a piece of naan. And again, I do not count the Palak Paneer as a vegetable.

So there ya go. I skipped another workout and ate like a beast. I really need to get myself back in gear and remember why I am doing this before I really let myself go.

This Is How Is Starts (Days 19, 20 and 21)

Posted on November 17, 2014 by kalynsara

Life. It happened. This past weekend we went to visit my parents because I had a work meeting in the town where they live. I woke up on Friday with just enough time to get our house in order and pack before work. As soon as we were done with work we ate some dinner (which was a great idea because it was healthy and we didn’t have to stop for any fast food or unhealthy options on the way) and hit the road. So needless to say I did not workout. My nutrition was pretty great though. It went like this:

Breakfast – bowl of mini-wheat cereal with organic milk (remember, I never drink the leftover milk)
Snack – smoothie made with one orange, a handful of kale, a banana, some frozen pineapple and a coconut greek yogurt
Lunch – a turkey and cheddar sandwich from Wich Which (this included turkey, cheddar, shredded lettuce, tomato, avocado, pickles and ranch dressing on wheat bread) and I refused the chips and the cookie
Snack – I had a pinch (and I mean a tiny pinch of a chocolate chip cookie)
Dinner – sausage and lentil soup (I used this recipe and used organic, low-sodium everything) that was really amazing

Saturday I woke up and had a greek yogurt, an apple with peanut butter and a Kind bar for breakfast. After my stomach settled I ran on my parents’ treadmill. This treadmill is old. I mean like really old. I believe I did 1.25 miles in about 17 minutes, but who really knows haha. I also am not sure what the incline was (I typically have the incline set at a one, but I couldn’t tell on theirs) so I just kept pressing the buttons until I could feel myself carrying my own weight.

After my run/walk I did three sets of 15 with the Thigh Master. Does anyone remember these? My parents have an extra room at their house that serves as the home gym, extra guest room (we have a lot of family), laundry room, and catch-all and I found this gem and had to use it. It hurt. But, suprisingly, I was not sore.

After the Thigh Master I did about three minutes of abs followed by some stretching.

For lunch I had a couple of turkey and cheese wraps (I just use a tortilla and put turkey and cheese on it and pop it in the microwave. Not healthy at all, but good for a quick bite on the go while I was running around from my meetings). Then we went to an oyster roast and I had a ton of oysters (some I dipped in cocktail sauce and some I dipped in melted butter) along with some fruit skewers, chips with salsa and chips with onion dip and one rice krispie treat (and one bubble gum jelly bean because when a three-year-old offers you a jelly bean you cannot refuse). I also had a drink with a little vodka and cranberry juice.

Sunday was made up of a bowl of Raisin Bran (my parents do not drink organic milk so I had regular milk) for breakfast, a really yummy salad (spring mix, red onion, cucumber, carrots and tomato topped with a little ranch) and half of a cheesesteak that included sauteed onions and peppers for lunch, and some homemade chicken noodle soup (noodles, carrots, chicken and celery) with some fresh baked bread for dinner. I also had a sliver of a mini rum cake just to taste it. I also had a slice of homemade banana bread and a couple handfuls of lightly salted popcorn for a snack. The popcorn comes from a place in the town where my parents live and it is so yummy and not bad for you at all. They use real ingredients (none of the chemicals you find in microwave popcorn).

I did not get a workout in because we drove an hour and a half to visit my Grandpop for lunch, ate lunch and visisted with him then drove an hour and a half back to my parents house just to pack up and then drive a couple hours home.

So that was life. It happened. And it is exactly what I do not want to happen. I cannot let my busy schedule be an excuse for poor eating and skipped workouts. I am going to just learn from this weekend and move forward. I am thankful that I have this written down to remind myself.

Days 17 and 18

Posted on November 14, 2014 by kalynsara

Yesterday was blah. I had energy and felt great from eating so healthy on Tuesday, but for some reason I had no motivation to get to the gym. I ended up doing only 20 minutes of Jillian Micheals’ 30 Day Shred Level 1. Does anyone have any tips on how to stay motivated to go to the gym every day? Even thinking about my goals weren’t enough to get me moving. And I am afraid that as it gets colder and colder I am going to find it even harder to get out of bed, get out of my PJs, or even leave my warm home just to hit the gym.

My nutrition wasn’t perfect either. It went something like this:

Breakfast – one cup of oatmeal made with Nutella and chia seeds
Snack – a handful and a half of Cheez-Its
Lunch – two slices of pizza (one with broccoli and one with green peppers and both dipped in a little ranch)
Dinner – leftover grilled chicken, steamed spinach and rice along with a half of a sweet potato and some Farmer’s Market tomatoes with a little organic balsamic vinegar on top

I have no pictures from yesterday, but I will say that I am extremely proud of myself for resisting cupcakes at work. I did not even have a tiny bite. Not even a single taste of frosting. Nothing. It was hard.

Today was a little better. I got a great workout in at the gym.

I did a 1.25 mile run followed by a half mile walk. I did some squats (I doubled up and did some bicep curls with a 5lb weight in each hand), some tricep extensions, three minutes of continuous abs (it hurt) and then this machine (for three sets of 15):

I am not sure what this machine is called, but every time I do it my outer thighs and butt are sore the next day. It is awesome.

My nutrition wasn’t so good today either. I actually feel kinda sick writing it. It went like this:

Breakfast – one cup of oatmeal made with Nutella and chia seeds
Snack – half of a honey greek yogurt
Lunch – an everything bagel with a slice of provolone cheese, two big slices of Farmer’s Market tomato and some oregano
Snack – a few Triscuits dipped in hummus
Dinner – homemade sweet potato and black bean quesadillas. These were actually really good! I used the leftover sweet potatoes from last night (I just baked them last night) and stuck them in a bowl and microwaved it with a teaspoon of organic, unsalted butter. I then mashed them up with a little sea salt and chili powder. I spread it on a flour tortilla and put some grated cheddar cheese and black beans and cooked on the stove until done. We dipped them in organic salsa. I wish I had pictures, but they were so good we devoured them.

Day 16

Posted on November 12, 2014 by kalynsara

I have bad news and good news. I will start with the bad news and end with the good news.

The bad news: I did not make it to the toning class this morning. I took a sleep aid last night because I have not been sleeping well lately and this morning when my alarm went off I sleepily shut it off and went right back to sleep without skipping a beat. I didn’t even remember until I woke up about an hour and a half later form my husband’s alarm. I did make it to the gym to get in a mile run, a quarter mile walk and some arms and stretching.

The good news: My nutrition was on point today! For breakfast I had one cup of cooked oats made with a teaspoon of Nutella and a teaspoon of chia seeds. After my workout I had a huge smoothie with strawberries, pineapple, greek yogurt, half a banana, water and a huge handful of kale. If you are ever looking for a way to eat healthy on a budget check out your local Farmer’s Market. We got an entire bag of kale for $2.00. My husband and I have made two smoothies each and still have a ton left.

For lunch I had some Triscuits dipped in hummus, a cheese stick, an apple (from the Farmer’s Market where a bag with 10 apples was $5.00 and they are all local and delicious) and a Kind bar. Trader Joe’s is a great place to find organic protein bars like Kind, Mojo, Luna and Larabars for a really good price. For dinner I had grilled chicken, steamed spinach and rice.

I am going to strive to eat just as well tomorrow and to try and get a more intense workout on the books.

Day 11

Posted on November 7, 2014 by kalynsara

What a day. I am exhausted. Today was one of those days that I got so much done, but still have a to-do list a mile long. I managed to get in a killer workout today. I took an hour long cadio sculpt class. It was rough. Especially after my toning class yesterday. The instructor called me out a few times.

I am still loving my headband.

After class I got on a treadmill and ran a mile at a 10 minute pace and walked a slow quarter mile. It felt really good to sweat and push myself after such an intense class. Also, I had no knee pain! I am excited to get another mile in on Saturday (tomorrow is my rest day).

For breakfast I had some old fashioned oats cooked with a little Nutella. For lunch I had a mint chocolate Luna Bar while I was doing our grocery shopping followed by an apple with PB. For dinner I had leftover spaghetti, a piece of garlic bread and a side salad. Snacks included some hummus with thin pretzels and a cheese stick. As always plenty of water. On a typical day I do not drink anything aside from water. I don’t even drink coffee.

My goal for tomorrow is to be a lot more healthy than I was today. I am planning something fun for tomorrow’s breakfast and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

Day Eight

Posted on November 4, 2014 by kalynsara

Day one of my second week was a long one. I woke up early to get my pup walked and to get ready for work. I had a busy day at work and then had a business meeting after work. I was tired. I wanted to have a rest day, but I knew that I needed to push myself to get to the gym. I went and now I feel so much better for going (and so much more excited to get in bed!).

The gym was an easy one tonight. I walked for a half mile on the indoor track and then ran for a half mile at a 5:00 minute pace. I was expecting to go faster, but the gym was unusually busy tonight so the indoor track was pretty crowded. I think the weather finally getting cold and the fact that it gets dark at 5:30 pm may have had something to do with it. I stretched and then did two different leg machines and some free weights for about 15 minutes. No knee pain and my run felt pretty good.

I stopped by Target on my way home from work and got a new sports bra. These are my absolute favorite sports bras (I think I own about five of them) and I don’t know what I will do if they ever stop making them. I also got a new workout headband. The headband is incredible. It stayed in place for my entire workout and kept all of the hair out of my face. And it is super inexpensive.

My nutrition was great today! For breakfast I had cereal with organic milk. I never drink the leftover milk. For lunch I had a Which Wich veggie sandwich. I always get a small tomato and avocado on wheat. I have them “skinny my which” (they just take the extra bread out of the middle). Then I add hummus, provolone cheese, spinach and pickles. I skipped out on the chips and a chocolate chip cookie because I had a fun-size pack of Skittles and two Starburst out of the Halloween candy bin. For dinner I had grilled chicken, steamed green beans and rice. For a snack I had a cheese stick and a small slice of homemade banana bread. Not too shabby for a Monday. Tomorrow I need to step it up in the fruit department.

Day Seven

Posted on November 3, 2014 by kalynsara

Who watched the NYC Marathon today? I did! It is my absolute favorite sporting event to watch (other than the Summer Olympics every four years). It amazes me how fast the elite marathoners are and how effortless they make marathon running look. It is also incredibly inspiring as a runner to watch them and learn from their form and fueling. I read this article the other day and wanted to share because Meb is pretty awesome. And he came in 4th place today! Not too bad considering the conditions (although I was really hoping he would win it for the Americans).

I had a great day in terms of fitness and nutrition. For fitness I took it outdoors with my husband and pup.

I did a 1.6 mile walk around this beautiful lake and then jogged for a half of a mile. My pace was five minutes and it felt really good. I am thinking later this week I will tackle a one mile run. It is so hard to not keep running when I feel so great (like today), but I know that I really need to focus on getting my IT band loose and getting my knee better. It didn’t help that I had beautiful scenery! After our walk/run, I stretched, rolled and did 50 full sit-ups.

For breakfast I had one cup of cooked old fashion oats made with a teaspoon of Nutella and two handfuls of blueberries. For lunch I had an organic bean and cheese burrito with carrots on the side. Snacks included a string cheese, a greek yogurt and a slice of homemade banana bread. For dinner I had grilled chicken, rice and steamed spinach. I have resisted the urge to eat Halloween candy all day and I am pretty proud of myself!

I am excited for this next week to see how much I can push myself in terms of training and nutrition. I am off to cuddle up on the couch and enjoy the rest of my Sunday night.

Day Four

Posted on October 31, 2014 by kalynsara

My Grandpop is pretty badass. He is a Retired Sergeant Major United States Marine Corps. He has been a runner since his 30s and a marathoner since his 50s (I may be a little off on his ages). He has run marathons all over the country including the Boston! He has run the Marine Corps Marathon almost every single year excluding a few times when he was deployed and this past weekend when he had the flu. Did I mention he is 88 years old? Yea…he is quite the inspiration. I would kill to have a running career like his. Here he is running the Olympic Torch. Yes…that is a real picture.

Well he called me today. He told me how proud he is of me. He told me that it takes courage, hard work and determination to be a runner and that what happened this past weekend is just one race in my running career. He made me promise him that I will never, ever give up at running. He made me promise that I will continue to train and work hard and run marathons. I promised him. I intend to keep that promise.

I took today as my rest day. I have been congested for over a week and last night I was having chest pain and had to take NyQuil to get to sleep. So I thought it was best to take this morning off from any training and just get some house work done. Tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday it will be on. Body…be prepared.

My nutrition was a little good and a little bad. I had cereal for breakfast. I know, again. For lunch I had an incredible salad with spring mix, carrots, red onions, cucumbers and tomatoes. I put a little bit of ranch dressing on it and then had two freshly baked rolls on the side. For dinner I had tortellini lightly tossed in organic butter and freshly grated parmesan cheese. For snacks I had a greek yogurt, hummus with thin pretzels and two Starburst. I regret eating the Starburst. I really did not need them as bad as I wanted them.

I am getting so excited to watch the NYC Marathon this weekend!

Day One

Posted on October 28, 2014 by kalynsara

Yesterday was D-day. For me at least. It was my third attempt at running the Marine Corps Marathon. My first attempt I finished. Barely. I mean barely. It took me well over six hours. The second year I was diagnosed with asthma. I had a major asthma attack around mile 17 and ended the marathon in the back of an ambulance. This year I started having a nose bleed and knee pain at mile three. I pushed myself to at least complete the 10K. Then I quit. I quit because I knew that my training was not good enough to get me through. I knew that I had slacked off and my body didn’t deserve to take a beating for what my mind did. So I woke up this morning and decided to never make another excuse. I am excited to journal my year of training for the 40th Marine Corps Marathon in 2015. To reflect every week and push myself harder every day. To get in to the best shape of my life so that I can destroy any doubt in my mind that I am not a marathoner. To prove it to myself and to make my Grandpop proud. Needless to say, I took today off from any physical activity. So, for now…pictures from this past weekend.