Eat your Beets (Beet Boxin')

Guys, you know how all I really want is for you all to be as healthy and happy as possible, right??  I mean, that's pretty much what this entire blog is about, finding the path to happiness and healthfulness (which, I believe, are really one in the same).  So, to all my Houston friends, I am about to let you in the a life-changing tip.  All my non-Houston friends, get down here to try this and the first one will be on me.

YOU MUST VISIT BEET BOX BLEND BAR!! 

This place is actually amazing and sooo good for you.  Every blend (very similar to a smoothie) uses only whole, organic fruits and vegetables and other natural ingredients.  Every single ingredient is listed right there on the menu for you.  There are no artificial additives or mystery products.  And yet, they somehow still manage to make everything taste delicious (and trust me, if I can enjoy all of those whole fruits and veggies, anyone can).  Since it opened, I've been hitting up Beet Box at least 3 times a week.  It's the perfect way to refuel after my morning workouts.  After you wake up and put in hard work, it feels great to put something in your body that compliments that hard work.  By 7:30 a.m., I feel like I've really honored the temple that is my body (she says at 11:30 a.m. as she shovels M&Ms in her mouth - hey, we can't be perfect all day long).  Beet Box is like milk...does a body good!!  Except that Beet Box blends are dairy free.

And the best part?  The ownership!!  Remember Denise?  Well, guess who is now cancer free, or NED (No Evidence of Disease) as she likes to point out, and opening a business to try to help all of us get and stay healthy.  Vegetables can do great things like help prevent heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and certain cancers.  Thank you Denise for taking care of us so well!

 

No, that's not a blend.  That's champagne.  But, this was the grand opening, so exceptions were made.

Guys, I really mean it.  You must try this place.  Doing good things for your body has never been easier. 

Could not think of a better reason to try to learn how to include a video in a post.

 

 

Runnin's Racin'

Fall is on it's way (I can tell by the incoming "cold" front this weekend with highs all the way down to the upper 80's). With Fall comes the start of Houston race season.  Training starts for the big races and small races start popping up everywhere.  I'm already feeling the racing itch.  I've got a 5k this weekend, a 10k later this month, and two half marathons in November and December.  I'm definitely ready to race.  And, that got me thinking...  Would I run without racing?  I think I would, just for the sake of running, but I really cannot imagine why I would ever give up racing.  After all, runnin' is racin.'



Okay, so that's not really what he said, but I will take any chance I can to reference Robert Duvall.




So, here is a list of why I race:

 

1.  Motivation - Let's face it, finding the motivation to get out there and run isn't always easy (have I mentioned that here before??).  Knowing you have a race coming up provides great motivation to lace up and go train.  Especially when you've already paid good money to participate and you know the results will be posted online for anyone to see. 

 

2.  It's a Test - If I'm going to be totally honest with you, and I am, I don't actually test my limits that often in running.  Sure, there are runs where I find myself on the edge and I have to push to keep going, but when you're running just to run, it's easy to let off the gas and slow down when you need to.  When I race, it's like the test of all of the work I have put in leading up to the race.  Racing is a way to see if my hard work is paying off.

 

3.  Medals - Medals are cool.  I don't know really what to do with them after the race, but there is no better feeling than walking around with one around your neck.

 

3.  Other Runners - Running, especially the way I do it (you know, alone), can be pretty solitary.  Races allow for the opportunity to do what you love doing with a bunch of people who also love it.  The facts are, we come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, ethnicities, economic backgrounds, etc., but we are all just alike in that we love to do this crazy thing called run.  And, it's fun to be around people that like the same thing you do.  Even if they do it a whole lot faster than you do...

 

4.  Free Stuff - Come on, who doesn't like free?  Race bags are full of free goodies, including t-shirts, coupons, food, and more.

 

5.  Karma - Registering for and fundraising through races are great ways to raise money for some pretty amazing causes.  I believe in putting a little good out there in order to get a little good back.  I have been able to fund raise for some causes that really mean a lot to me and it's meant even more to me to be able to do my part in making a difference in this world.  Sure, a $35 race registration isn't going to cure cancer, but every little bit counts.  The more you register for the more you raise and the more difference you can make.

 

6. Post-Race Parties - Post-race events are just fun.  Sometimes they even serve free beer!!

Changes

Change is good for all of us, right??

In the name of continued growth, I've made a few changes to this blog. I hope you like them and find them helpful.  For over a year now, I've operated this blog on a very basic level (like our parents and IPhones - just enough to get by), so it was fun learning new tricks and making changes. Here's what I've done:

1. About Me - Well, this is probably a pretty self-explanatory page. A little about me and a little about the blog. 

2. Posts Worth Reading - Now this was the most fun to set up!  This page will take you to links for some of my most read, most favorite, or most special to me posts. I had such a good time going back through the years reading some of my favorite entries. All I can say is we've been through quite a bit on this road together. I hope to keep at it with you guys and I hope to keep adding to this section. If there is an entry that I didn't include that meant something to you, let me know. I will add it and maybe it will mean something to someone else. 

3.  Travel - I most look forward to adding to this one!!  This page contains links to posts about my runs on the road. Traveling is one of my very most favorite things to do. I have been very lucky to travel to some amazing places and even more lucky to run in them. In going back through my blog, I see I haven't done a great job of taking you along with me everywhere I've gone. That is going to change. Going forward, I will make sure to blog about all of the various places I am priveleged enough to run. 

4.  Race Recaps - Another pretty self-explanatory page and another thing I haven't been very good about doing in the past. Under race recaps, you will find entries about races I have run. I have several races coming up, so I will do a much better job of writing about them for you. 

5.  Twitter - I'm really excited about this one. I've put a link on the right  side of the blog homepage to the Long Run Lessons twitter account (handle: @longrunlessons). I will update this at least once a day with run/health/esteem quotes/pictures/thoughts. I will also update twitter on my runs and lessons that I want to share, but maybe don't deserve an entire blog post. I think this twitter account will be a lot of fun and a way to reach out and keep in touch a little more frequently. 

6. Badges - the running/blogging community is a huge and wonderful place. I am so glad to call myself a part of it. If you click on one of the badges on the right side of the blog homepage, you will be taken to some of the groups that I am priveleged enough to be a part of. There you will find links to many other blogs about running/fitness/health. I, of course, want to be your favorite blogger, but there are so many great runner, writers out there and I want you to enjoy them too. 

*** Edited to add that I'm now on Instagram too!  You can follow me at @longrunlessons

Insulted

I planned on sitting down tonight and writing a completely different post, but then something happened today that really shook me and I feel like I need to write about it. 

I was insulted.  Maybe that sounds insignificant, but I was really insulted.  Someone looked directly into my face and said some pretty terrible things.  It's been a lot of years since someone has purposely and carelessly said mean things to me like that.  I guess that makes me really lucky.  But, it also made it that much more shocking.  It has be a long time since someone made me feel so small....or so large as the case may be today.

 

*** In full disclosure, I have gained some weight.  I am, at most 4 lbs heavier than when this person last saw me.  But, really!?!?  4 lbs!?!?  Is that really so much weight?!?

 

I am discovering that there are at least four phases of overcoming an insult:

1.  Disbelief - I tell you what, as soon as the words starting coming out of this person's mouth, my head went on a swivel looking for the hidden cameras.  I thought, "Surely this isn't real," and "maybe I'm on that 'What Would You Do' show."  I seriously started looking around for the ABC cameras.  When I concluded that there were no cameras around, I decided that the person must be kidding and I could react with only nervous laughter and a confused look on my face.

 

 



2. Anger - Okay, I'll admit it, once I realized this wasn't a joke or a prank TV show, I got pissed.  I was steaming at the thought that someone would be so careless with their words.  I had to walk away.  I removed myself from the situation and immediately started texting my friends who responded with the perfect amounts of "WTF!?!?!"  and "You are gorgeous, that person is crazy."  Thank you to my friends!  Once I was done talking to them, I felt most of the anger had passed.

 

 

3. Belief - This is probably where I have wallowed the longest today.  I have to be honest with you and admit that after the first two stages, I spent a good amount of time planning out next week's iceberg lettuce and water diet.  I started believing what they said.  I started thinking it was true and that I'd just been in denial this whole time thinking that I looked okay.  You see, and this might be something I've never mentioned before, but I spent quite a few years of my life believing all of the terrible things someone else told me.  During those years, I had no self-worth.  I valued myself only on how someone else told me I should be valued.  Today's comments took me right back to that spot.  Luckily, and thankfully, I've come a long way since those days.

 

4. Acceptance - And, this is why I'm sharing all of this with you.  After spending a little time in that dark place, I remembered all of the things I've been working on and working for.  I decided to practice what I preach.  I chose to believe MYSELF and believe IN myself.  I know more about who I am and what I'm worth than anyone else.  No one else's comments can have any impact on me unless I let them.  I can now say that I accept what happened today as just what it was...a comment.  It was about 15 seconds of my life when someone else decided to say something about me.  Something that could only have power over me if I let it.  And I won't let it.  I've come too far.  I've learned too much about how strong I am and what I am capable to let someone else's opinions bring me down.

 

AMEN!!!

Plus, I like cookies too much to give them up to please someone else. 

 

 

Friday Happy Hour

This Friday's Happy Hour came around pretty early.  As in, 7:30 a.m. early.  And it wasn't all that happy, at least not until it was over.  But, it was an hour. 



I don't know about all this, but I do believe the more you tell yourself something, the more you'll believe it.

An hour of running.  That's probably the longest run I've done in several months.  Isn't that crazy?  An hour of running used to be nothing to me.  I used to think of it as the perfect daily workout.  Now it's my weekly long run.  How did that happen?!?  Oh yeah, summer hit and I retreated indoors to short treadmill workouts.  Guess I'm paying the price for that now.

 

There seems to be a theme going on with this blog lately and the theme is, "that run was hard and hot!"  The theme continues today.  Today's hour long run was hard and hot.  But, I am glad I did it.  It feels nice to start moving up again in distance.  And what I mean by, "feels nice," is it feels nice emotionally because physically, it really feels kinda crappy while it's happening. 

 

On the bright side, my weekly long run is already done and in the books, which means I am free to enjoy my second Friday Happy Hour of the day....

 

 

  

 

Me after an hour long run.  I never did find Channing at the end.  Big disappointment.

Those Who Can, Do; Those Who Can't, Run.

Ever had insomnia?  Isn't it the worst?

 

After what felt like hours of laying wide awake (I refuse to look at the clock when I can't sleep because I know that will start the never-ending math calculations of how much sleep I could possibly get), I got out of bed at 4:00ish this morning and decided the only thing left to do was run.

I took myself to the gym (4:00 seemed too early for an outdoor run alone) and forced myself on to the treadmill. Lately, I just haven't had the willpower for early morning runs. Maybe it was the sheer delirium from lack of sleep, but this morning I finally felt ready to run. Run I did and it felt so good. I got in a lot of sprint work and by 5:30 am I was drenched in sweat and feeling great. Who needs sleep when you've got sweat?

***Please ignore any spelling mistakes, my eyes are half closed as I write. Turns out I need sleep and sweat. 

 

(NO)Labor Day

First off, let me wish you all a very happy Labor Day holiday! 

 

Now, guess what I did on this Labor Day......nothing!  I did absolutely no labor on this Labor Day.  For those of you who know me, this is very rare.  Taking a day off never happens.  I usually make sure to get at least some sort of workout in seven days a week.  Working out is just what I do and it's how I normally start my days.  I'm sure most of you runners can relate.  Taking days off isn't something that comes easily or happily for us.  We spend so much time telling ourselves to get up, get running, train hard, make the most of our time, and push on.  Rest days seem to just go against our nature.

 

 

 

But this morning, when I woke up and started to get out of bed with the plan of making up for my stalled run yesterday (see previous blog entry), a thought occurred to me.  That thought was, "Skipping this run will not be the end of the world.  I will not lose my fitness level.  I will not get fat.  I will enjoy the day."  And, with that thought, I laid right back down and snuggled up to my husband and enjoyed every second of sleeping in on this holiday.

 

Today is probably a good day to talk about why rest days, even though the are hard for us, are so good for us. 

 

 

Rest days are good for us physically (allow for muscle healing, prevent injuries from overuse, etc.), but I want to talk about how good for us they are mentally.  Life is exhausting, we cram so much into so little time.  We are obsessed with striving for perfection.  We have to be everything to everyone and all wrapped in a pretty/fit/well dressed package.  It's too hard.  All of this trying to do and be everything is exhausting.  Look, I'm guilty of it more than anyone.  I know it's hard to turn off that voice in your head saying, "get going, you have to get it all done, and done perfectly."  That little voice brings me to tears more often than I would like to admit.  That little voice keeps me up at night and wakes me up before dawn most mornings. 

 

But, today on this No-Labor Day, I told that little voice to STFU. 

 

This is how I spent my self-awarded rest day: