HBBC Update #6

Jessica officially made it to Afghanistan after 6 days of traveling! And my husband returned home on Christmas eve!! So last week, so quite exciting. We're still logging miles though, so here's our update:

Here's how we did this past week (24 December- 30 December):

Jess
24 December - Ran 3 miles. Completed Angie (100 pull-ups, 100 push-ups, 100 sit ups, 100 squats: 42:15) (6.5 points)

25 December - Ran 5.07 miles (5 points)

26 December - Ran 4.22 miles. Biked 2 miles. Pull-up ladder (10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1) w/ assistance bands. (6.5 points)

27 December - Ran 2 miles. 2 one minute hollow rocks, 50 air squats 3 sets of 10 medicine ball deadlifts w/ 10# ball, 3 sets of 10 presses w/ 45# bar, 3 sets or 10 deadlifts w/ 65#  (5 points) 

28 December - Ran 3 miles. 3 sets of 3 pull-ups - 5 min (3.5 points)

29 December - (haven't received an update from Jess, so not sure about this day yet)

30 December - 30 minutes of weightlifting (2 points)

Weekly Total: 28.5 points

Jennifer

24 December - Ran 3.51 miles (3.5 points)

25 December - Rest Day

26 December - Ran 4.14 miles (4 points)

27 December - Ran 3.12 miles (3 points)

28 December - Ran 5.21 miles. Five planks (70-60-60-60-70 seconds) (5 points)

29 December - Ran 4.54 miles w/ (5) 1/4 mile intervals mixed in. Three planks (60-60-60) (4.5 points)

30 December - Ran 4 miles (4 points)

Ate 7 servings of fruits and vegetables 4 days. (4 points)

Weekly Total: 28 points

Run To Afghanistan

While my husband's battalion (1/9) was deployed, I organized a "Run to Afghanistan" campaign. The idea behind this campaign, was to cover the 7000 mile distance between NC and Afghanistan as many times as possible with participating friends and family. The name of this campaign really should have been "Run/Bike/Swim/Walk/Elliptical to Afghanistan", but it just doesn't have the same ring:) I was fairly lax when it came to counting miles and really allowed any form of activity that could be completed in miles and also let anyone who was interested participate. As you can see, this challenge wasn't about being technical, but rather as a way to redirect the energy that typically goes towards worry into a healthy activity.

The response to this campaign was overwhelming! People submitted their weekly mileage to me via email every Sunday, and I maintained a working spreadsheet to track miles by individual and company (there are 5 companies within 1st Battalion, 9th Marines). We had over 250 participants and logged a total of 49,257.02 miles in 7 months! We're even making t-shirts (because who doesn't LOVE another t-shirt?!) to commemorate the event:

 While My Marine Battled The Taliban, I Battled The Bulge!

So if you know anyone in a similar situation (i.e. deployed spouse/son/etc), try encouraging them to find a positive outlet/goal to focus on while their loved one is away!

Running On Empty

On December 24th, my husband returned from a 7-month deployment to Afghanistan! I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas gift. The day he was scheduled to come home, I got a text from a guy he works with that said the flight was delayed a couple hours. This worked in my favor as it gave me time to knock out 3.5 miles:)

But what also came with his homecoming, was a trip to the ER for our little girl. As we stood around waiting for the Marines to return, I noticed her eyes were getting increasingly redder and swollen. After asking several other mothers what they thought could be wrong, I gave Jason a quick hug and kiss and told him we were heading to the ER at the Naval Hospital for the official diagnosis. Yup, she had pink eye. For most of that day and the entire night, she cried if I was more than a foot away from her, and she wasn't too sure what to make of this "new guy." So on Christmas Day, I felt totally drained after no sleep and an emotional reunion. I took a much needed day off. I truly was running on empty.

What a mess!

But the following day, things started to get better. My husband played with Reagan while I set off for a stroller-free 4 miles and I savored every minute of it. And on the 27th, we headed out for a family run...just what I needed to recharge.

I think it's important to recognize when you need time off. I'm following a plan in preparation for a half marathon in March, and I'm trying to be flexible and take rest days when/if I need them despite the schedule. Luckily it's still early on in the training, so I'm not stressing about it yet:)

Do you have days when you feel like you're "Running on Empty?" How do you recharge?

Safety on the Road

As the daylight becomes less and less, runners must become more and more safety conscious! Those early mornings (and even early afternoons) when light is minimal, proper equipment is a must. Here are a few things we think you should have:

1. If it's really dark: Petzl Tikkina 2 headlamp (read about the specs here). If you're running in a particularly dark area with winding roads and poor visibility, consider getting a flashing red light for your backside.

2. Reflective strips (either on your jacket, or on a separate vest). This vest can be purchased for under $7 at Walmart. And this jacket by illumiNITE, is awesome:

 How cool is this? Looks normal by day, and crazy-rave-ready by night!

3. And of course, always wear your RoadID! If anything should happen, you want the proper people to be contacted immediately. 

What suggestions do you have for running in the dark?

Solitude or Group Runs?

There's a time for both running alone and for group runs - here we look at the positives & negatives of both...

For those that are new to running, sometimes running in a group is the best way to get started.

Pros
1) Other people can provide motivation that you cannot find within yourself.
2) Accountability to show up and run with others keeps you on task - much harder to just decide not to lace up those running shoes!
3) People who have been running for longer than you usually provide great advice!
4) Runners are fun people!!!  Get out there and get to know some of these awesome people!!!

Cons
1) Group runs can be intimidating.  Don't be scared, they usually have multiple pace groups.  No one's out there to win, they just want to have fun.
2) You usually have to drive to wherever the group run starts - this adds additional time to your workout, which you may or may not have.

If you're having a hard time finding a group to run with, checkout your local "meet-up" groups or a local running store.

However, for me, part of the beauty of running is that I can find complete solitude.  It's just me and Mother Nature.

Pros
1) You don't have to worry about keeping a specific pace and you can run based on how you feel.
2) Sometimes you don't feel like talking while you run.  I know that if I run by myself, it gives me a chance to just clear my mind.  In a way it is my form of active meditation.
3) You aren't on anyone else's timeline.  You can run right out of the front door and turn around whenever you feel like it.

Cons
1) Safety - if you run in an unknown area or you're running in a sketchy part of town, running alone is not a safe option!
2) Unless you are really dedicated, sometimes it's easy to convince yourself that it's too cold, you don't have enough time, you'll run longer tomorrow, etc.


Are you a lone runner or do you like to join the pack?  

Am I being selfish?

Do you ever ask yourself this question when you're in the midst of some serious training? If you do, you're not alone. Training sucks up a lot of "free" time - that's time away from family and friends, work, and other hobbies. Not to mention that you also have to stretch, do core work, and cross train. It adds up, and sometimes makes us feel selfish.

Family time or training? Which one wins out?

As a self-proclaimed work-a-holic, my sister, Jessica, spends on average 12 hours a day at work. About half of the time, she can squeeze in a run during working hours, but what about those other days? Is it fair to her husband that she gets home and immediately dons running attire to log a few miles?

And I have a 1-year old who doesn't really love being strapped into a stroller for 30 minutes to an hour and a half 6 days a week! Should we just give it up?

NO! If you're feeling selfish, just imagine how much worse you would feel if you didn't get those runs in. My mind would be racing with self-criticism about why I was such a slacker. For me, escaping for a 30 minute run is so much more beneficial to me AND to those around me. We are happier and healthier when we run.

Ever look at your clock and think there just aren't enough hours in the day?!

Are there times when it's important to recognize when running should take a backseat? Absolutely! No one knows better than you if your family and friends are feeling neglected and just need that extra attention from you. Perhaps they are upset because your training seems more important to you then they do. Do your best to realize these instances and make a judgment call. One extra rest day can do wonders, not only for sore muscles, but also for relationships!

And if possible, you can always try to combine the two! Ask your partner to join you for a run and explain why keeping a schedule is so important to your goals.

How do you keep life/training in balance?

HBBC Update #5

Has it really already been 5 weeks?! This holiday challenge was truly tested this week as Jessica traveled to Afghanistan and Jennifer prepared for her husband's homecoming from Afghanistan (after 7 months). Life gets hectic, but that's no excuse for slacking in the fitness/health department, am I right? Sure, we can scale back a bit, but in our best efforts to win one of the HBBC giveaways, here are our latest point totals:

Here's how we did this past week (17 December- 23 December):

Jess
17 December - Ran 2.06 miles (2 points)

18 December - Ran 3.2 miles (3.2 points)

19 December - Rest day due to travel

20 December - Rest Day

21 December - Ran 4.06 miles & did a 50-40-30-20-10 ladder of burpees & sit ups (6 points)

22 December - Walked 2 miles touring the camp (1 point)

23 December - Ran 2 miles and walked 2 miles (3 points)

Weekly Total: 15.2 points

Jennifer

17 December - Ran 3 miles (3 points)

18 December - Ran 3.77 miles (3.7 points)

19 December - Unexpected Rest Day due to stomach flu:(

20 December - Ran 3 miles (3 points)

21 December - Ran 5.17 miles (5.1 points)

22 December - Cleaned the house from top to bottom, baked 120 cookies (2 points)

23 December - Ran 3.51 miles (3.5 points)

Weekly Total: 20.3 points

Hurry Up and Wait!

I was chatting with Mike Wear, who blogs at Just a Little Run, and he had a great suggestion for a post, so here it is!

In the Marine Corps, we spend a considerable amount of time rushing to get places only to sit around and wait for some uncontrollable factor to come to fruition.  Case in point - our trip overseas.  It started with a 0500 showtime at Camp Pendleton on Friday, 16 Dec.  There are a lot of things to do the morning of a deployment - draw weapons, load all of the baggage, validate rosters, etc.  Additionally, we had a lot of family members and friends show up to see us off (you can see pictures on our 1st Radio Battalion, Company C Facebook page).

Back in the old days, Marines went to war on ships, floating across the ocean for many weeks.  Luckily, we get to fly!  We headed to our Aerial Port of Embarkation and got weighed in and manifested for the flight.  Then we sat and waited for 15 hours...there were multiple delays because our plane was having mechanical issues.  Two separate times we gathered up all of our stuff and stood in a big formation waiting to load the plane, only to find out it was a false alarm!  So, hurry up and wait!

We finally made it to our second stop and offloaded to allow the crew to refuel the bird.  That should have taken about 2-3 hours....until they came in to make the announcement about a fuel leak that needed to be fixed.  The delays went on pretty much all day, with the airline telling us every few hours that it would "just be a few more hours"...Finally at 1500, they decided to send all of use to stay in a hotel.  We were just glad to have beds to sleep in - here's how we'd been sleeping at the terminal!

Additionally (and I'm totally not kidding!), they drove us to our hotel in a STRETCH HUMMER!!!  Totally crazy.  As Marines, we are used to riding in something just a step above a prison bus!

As expected, we had to head back to the terminal at 0200, only to wait all day long with the same routine...delay, delay, delay.  They did allow us to walk over to the store and the food court for lunch, but it made for a very long day.  Again, at 1500, they decided to send us to the hotel again, because the plane was not going to be ready tonight!

So, it hasn't been all that bad.  Here are some of the positives:
1) Due to the delay and getting to stay at the hotel, I've managed to squeeze in two runs!!!

2) The amazing volunteers of the USO provided us with delicious snacks and just friendly faces at both locations!



3) We are not sleeping on the cold, hard floor and I got to get two free nights in a Marriott!

Impromptu 1/2 Marathon

On Tuesday, December 13th, a group of Stroller Warriors got together to run Kimi's Make-Up Half Marathon. Earlier in the week, she posted her intentions on our Facebook page, asking for suggested run routes. Her post was met with overwhelming support and people offering to run various distances with her. Kimi's goal was to run the half in under 2 hours in the same year as the birth of her second daughter. And yes, she always looks this happy...even before running 13 miles!

This motley crew gathered at 9 am to start the run. We even had some club members volunteer to stay back at the house and watch the kiddos! We took off at varying paces on the first of three loops. The first group averaged about an 8:45 pace for the first 4 miles. As we passed the house, a few ladies headed for their cars and the rest of us continued on the second loop. Our pace slowed to about a 9:07 mile, but our spirits were high and we chatted the entire time. Because of the course, we got to pass some of the other ladies and that was a great source of motivation. 

As we made the turn around and headed for our last leg of the course, our Stroller Warrior leader joined us with her son in tow. It really boosted morale to have some new blood coming along. About 2 miles out, Kimi put her headphones in and our pace dropped back to 8:45ish. She was determined to finish under 2. We turned toward her house and she picked up the pace even more. 

Coming toward the finish line

Kimi's reaction to finding out we actually did 13.25 instead of 13.1!

She finished the actual half marathon distance in 1:58:47! And we made it to the finish line in 1:59:58...talk about cutting it close!  We had one other girl run the entire distance, and she did awesome!

Our most fashionable runner, Nicole, finishing strong!

Nicole gets a congratulatory hug from her youngest son!

This club is so incredible that Stephanie (the group leader) had a medal made and inscribed for Kimi:

And of course, a shout out to my little running buddy, Reagan, who rode the entire 2 hours in the stroller with minimal complaint. Only made me stop twice for snack/drink breaks:)

Care Packages for Deployed Marines

Yes, this is a running blog, but I'm going to take a little liberty here and go down a different path (I can do that, I'm one of the co-writers)!  As my company gets ready to deploy to Afghanistan, people are always asking, "What do you guys need?  What can we send you?"  In an effort to help, here are some ideas that I've gathered from other deployments:

Hygiene Items

Toothbrushes

Travel Sized toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner

Colgate Wisps (pretty much the greatest invention ever)

Baby wipes

Foot powder

Snacks

Anything home baked!  Homemade chocolate chip cookies can do wonders for morale!

Beef jerky

Sunflower seeds

Picky Bars (ok, this one's really just for me, but they are AWESOME)

Candy (not chocolate though)

Miscellaneous

Cards/Letters

Hand/foot warmers 

Phone cards (so the Marines can make morale calls)

Socks

If you want to send something to the Marines of 1st Radio Battalion, here are the addresses for the deployment and they will be activated on 5 January.  You don't have to know anyone in the Battalion, just address it to "The Marines of 1st Radio Battalion" and someone out there will truly be grateful for your kindness and generosity!  (There are three addresses because we have Marines at multiple locations.)

Rank Name

1ST RAD BN OCAC

UNIT 42605

FPO AP 96427-2605

1ST RAD BN OCE-1

UNIT 42606

FPO AP 96427-2606

1ST RAD BN OCE-2

UNIT 42606

FPO AP 96427-2607

Race Directors: How about a little leeway!

Have you ever signed up for a race and then a personal commitment, injury, or work got in the way and you had to drop out?  Did you get your race fee back?  If you couldn't get your money back, were you able to at least transfer your race number to another runner? Or has this happened to a friend of yours and you had to morph into a pirate runner under their name? (I ran my first marathon as Maria Buss...definitely NOT me!)

If you answered "No" to the first two questions, you're in the same boat as we have been. I do not understand why the rules are so strict regarding race entry.  Now, I write this never having been the coordinator for any major event, so I have no real idea how much work goes into what they do (but I know it's a lot).

I think it would be reasonable to have a cutoff date for dropping out of a race, this would ensure race directors have accurate numbers of participants, time to make race bibs, etc.  The no-refund policy from the get-go is sort of ridiculous.  You have to enter early enough to get the cheapest entry fee, but if something comes up you lose money. Or at least make the transfer process available for those who have a friend willing to run in your place.

There have been some awesome race directors out there who have refunded my money, and a big THANK YOU to them for being accommodating.

Let's get the word out...NO MORE STRICT POLICIES! If you agree, let us know what ideas you have for making the process easy and fair!  

Someone's joining the skirt revolution...

And it's me! Courtesy of my dear sister, Jessica, I am now the proud owner of a running skirt!

I'm not positive, but I think this baby will make me faster:) This awesome skirt is one of the designs by the famous Running Skirts, created by twin sisters attempting to add a little flare to our lame running apparel! 

These women are absolutely stunning and I can't wait to try out this skirt that has been featured in so many running magazines. They also included a pair of free gloves in the package and the skirt came in a great mesh bag that will be perfect for keeping my daughters socks together in the laundry!

So here's a HUGE thank you to my own dear twin and to this set of twins who are changing the look of women's running!

HBBC Update #4

Wow these weeks sure are passing quickly! Perhaps that's because we have this AWESOME challenge to distract us! This was an interesting week. Jessica was in transit to Afghanistan for her fourth deployment. For all you readers out there who pray, please keep her in your thoughts over the next 7 months. Hopefully she will still find time to continue her training.

Here's how we did this past week (10 December- 16 December):

Jess
10 December - Rest Day

11 December - Biked 25 miles (8 points)

12 December - Biked 15 miles...another night on the trainer (5 points) 

13 December - Biked 12 miles (4 points)

14 December - Ran 6.81 miles (6.8 points)

15 December - Rest day (0 points)

16 December - Packing for Afghanistan (1 point)


Ate 7 servings of fruit and vegetables 5 out of 7 days (5 points)

Weekly Total: 29.8 points

Jennifer

10 December - Ran 6.2 miles (6 points)

11 December - Rest Day

12 December - Ran 5.01 miles (5 points) 

13 December - Ran 13.24 miles (13 points)

14 December - Biked 24 miles (8 points)

15 December - Ran 3 miles (3 points)

16 December - Ran 2.25 miles (2 points)


After being admonished by Amanda (in a very positive way), I really focused on getting my fruits and veggies this week. In fact, I think I ate 3 bags of frozen broccoli! Also included lots of fresh stuff too: kiwi, blueberries, pears, strawberries, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and corn! (5 points)

Weekly Total: 42 points

It's all about the Numbers

My life revolves around numbers...

(Source)

How many miles did I run/bike this week?

How many followers do we have on the blog/Twitter/Facebook?

How many calories did I consume today?

How many calories did I burn today?

Why won't that number on the scale go down?

Numbers, Numbers, Numbers - They are EVERYWHERE!

Why am I so obsessed with numbers?  Well, I think it shows progress.  It helps me know if I'm accomplishing the goals I've set.  It helps us know if you like what we're writing about (shameless plug for followers!).  

Unfortunately, it can absolutely be a buzz-kill.  When I set out to run 6 miles and I only get 4 done, it can really crush my spirit.  Sometimes all I've got in me is 4 miles, and I should be happy with that.  About two years ago I got rid of my scale....I had become a slave to it.  I was so focused on reaching my "perfect" weight, with little regard for whether I was being healthy.  As a Marine, I do have to weigh in about once every three months, but I can deal with that.  We have weight standards, but that's never a concern.  I still find myself hoping weigh-in to weigh-in that the number goes down.  Instead I should focus on how my clothes fit and how my workouts are going.

As for the number of followers we have, I try to remind myself that we write this blog because it's FUN. We enjoy writing about something we love.  Having followers is cool, but at the end of the day, I'd keep writing even if no one ever read it!  

Are you a number watcher?  What numbers are you tracking?

A Worthy Cause

My fellow Stroller Warrior, Elizabeth, formed a team for the upcoming (March 2012) Quintiles Half Marathon in Wrightsville Beach. This team is running in support of research for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a disease for which there is no known cure. The creator/leader of SW, Steph, has a two-year old son who suffers from SMA. He's a total rockstar and kicks butt with his "magic shoes" and walker during PT sessions.  

Cole's "magic shoes"

Here's a little bit more about SMA: Spinal muscular atrophy is a collection of different muscle diseases. Grouped together, it is the second leading cause of neuromuscular disease. Most of the time, a person must get the defective gene from both parents to be affected. Approximately 4 out of every 100,000 people have the condition.

The most severe form is SMA type I, also called Werdnig-Hoffman disease. Infants with SMA type II have less severe symptoms during early infancy, but they become progressively weaker with time. SMA type III is the least severe form of the disease.

Rarely, SMA may begin in adulthood. This is usually a milder form of the disease.

A family history of spinal muscular atrophy is a risk factor for all types of the disorder.

If you have the time, please check out Steph's blog here to read more about the personal affects of SMA on her family.

Source

I have joined the team to support fundraising for researching a cure for SMA. I know you all run for various causes that you have ties to, and it's the holiday season, so pennies are tight, but if you could spare even $5, we would be so grateful. Thanks for reading about this cause that has found its way into my heart. This little guy sure appreciates it too:

To donate, click here.

Only the Rubber Balls Can Be Dropped...

Source

Yes, kind of a weird title for a running blog post, but give me about 30 sec of your time to explain!  In life we juggle so many balls - work, family, exercise, food, kids, pets, and so on.  Some of the balls are made of glass and some are made of rubber...you can only drop the rubber ones!  Do you really HAVE to watch that latest episode of The Office at 10 pm?  Will anyone think worse of you if you don't get those Christmas cards in the mail TODAY?  (These are examples of rubber balls!)

Ok, with that explanation, FitFluential reminds us that it is key to find balance in four specific areas: Eat, Sleep, Move, Enjoy!  Here are a few recommendations for how to find that balance!

1) Make your bedroom a sanctuary!  The bedroom should be reserved for two things - sleep and sex!  Try not to bring your problems into the bedroom with you.  Leave the TV in the family room, all phones/iPods/iPads (pretty much anything you plug into a wall) should be left outside of this sanctuary.

This just looks peaceful!  (Source)

2) Stick to a schedule.  For example, I know that I have to be up at 5 am every day to get to work by 6 am.  That means that I need to be in bed no later than 10 pm if I want to get at least seven hours of sleep. I do not alter this on the weekends.  I love to get up early because I feel like I'm more productive.  Try not to change your sleeping schedule just because you can.

3) Plan your meals, but don't beat yourself up for having that cookie at the office holiday party.  As the saying goes, "You are what you eat."  If you focus on eating healthy foods 90% of the time, your body will thank you for it.  Giving in once in a while (and no, that doesn't mean you can have a cheat "weekend") is good for you and increases your chances of sticking to the 90% healthy.  Everything in MODERATION!

4) Develop a workout schedule....and stick to it.  Try to come up with fun things to do with friends during the holiday season that are not centered around food (like most holiday festivities are).  Movement helps increase your energy levels...and you need a lot of energy during this busy holiday season!

Source

5) Take five minutes a day to meditate or make a gratitude list.  We all get so caught up in buying  presents, decorating the tree, mailing cards, etc that we forget to just enjoy being.  Calm your mind, be thankful for what you have and your body will thank you for it.