Monday Ramblings: Every Runner's Nightmare

It was a frosty 26° this morning and since I had done plenty yesterday, I wasn't going to work out today, or at least not do much. I still need to pace myself so I'll be well rested when I attempt that 11-miler later this month. Of course by the time I went out for a haircut and a few groceries, it was bright and sunny and high 50°s, so maybe I would get out there after all.

I was hungry when I got back from town, so decided to fix a small salad. That would have been fine if I hadn't just made the decision to get a run in. I usually run fasted in the morning and have my healthy smoothie after I'm home and finished stretching, so running with something in my stomach is new to me. Still, this was just salad, nothing heavy, so I didn't think it would be a big deal, so rather than put it off, I laced up my shoes and off I went.

It was a big deal.

Within minutes of hitting the street, I felt like I had to use the bathroom.  I debated turning around, but I need to get a 3-mile run in three times this week for a challenge, and I really wanted today's run to count as one of them.  The distance needs to be run in one activity and there is a time limit, so taking a break to use the facilities and go back out might have taken up too much time.  I'd either have to nix the whole thing, or start a new activity and start the three miles over.

On any other day, the little extra would have been no problem; I normally run a 5K or 10K  (3.1 and 6.2 miles), and occasionally a mile or two more, but I just wasn't into it today.  I had it in my head when I stepped out the door that I was going to do my 3 miles and be done with it.

It was an absolutely gorgeous afternoon for a run, and other than worrying if I'd make it back to the bathroom in time, it might have been a good day for one of my longer runs.  Parts of me felt amazing, like I could go on forever, but other parts?  Let's just say that I was worried things might get a little messy (and because it was so nice out, I was wearing a short running skirt and short-sleeved shirt, and it's the one day I didn't have at least a handkerchief with me.  Hooooo boy).

I started talking to myself.  So ... speed up to get home quicker?  Or would that (gasp!) speed other things along too?  Maybe it would be better if I slowed down.  No, I just want to get home.  I opted to just maintain a steady pace, and pray.  It was touch and go for a bit, but I did manage to make it home without incident, and at a pretty good time for me while still keeping my heart rate on the low end.

To say I was relieved would be an understatement.  I'm normally prepared for just about anything that might come up, so I don't know why today was different.  I do know that I won't be going out for a run any time soon after eating a salad with kale in it.  I haven't eaten kale in a while, so I'm assuming that was what set things in motion, so to speak.

After a chilly start, it ended up being a pretty good day after all.  I took care of some errands, checked off one of the runs I need for the week, and grabbed some extra Vitamin D when romping in the yard with the pups.  Now I think I'll take their cue and jockey for a spot on the couch and find something to binge-watch.

~ Marie Anne

How I prepared my body to complete my accidental marathon, Part I - Fat Adaptation

If you haven't read my earlier post about how I completed a marathon I didn't know I was going to run, please do that first so that you have the background on how it came about, and understand why what I'm going to share today is so impactful.

So I completed a marathon the other day (I won't say I 'ran' a marathon, because much of it was at a walk, but I did complete the distance).  At 63 yrs old and still overweight (for now), with various injuries under my belt and at risk for more, completing even a half-marathon was only a dream.  

In recent years I'd been running off and on, sometimes doing between 3-6 mi almost daily at a slow run, but never really improving in speed, and it didn't help with weight loss.  They say you can't outrun a bad diet, and I'm here to tell you that is the absolute truth.  You could run a marathon every week, but if you suck in the nutrition department, you won't realize much benefit from it.

I don't know where it first started, but in following some running and general fitness blogs and podcasts, I landed on the term fat adapted, which in general means re-training your body to burn fat while exercising, and not to rely on carbs for energy. You've likely heard about carb-loading before a race (the traditional spaghetti supper the night before), and most people carry gels and/or carb-laden snacks for fuel during a race.  Until a few weeks ago, I was one of those people.  But the problem with relying on carbs for fuel is that your body will burn those up quickly and need refueling often if you're going any distance at all.  If you keep replenishing carbs as you burn them, guess what?  You never get into fat-burning mode, and if weight loss is your goal, you're probably not going to see much for positive results.  So you probably tell yourself you need to work longer and harder, and since you're still adding the wrong type of fuel, the cycle continues.  Sure, you're burning more calories, but only those you just added when you scarfed down that energy bar.

I've been pre-diabetic/insulin resistant for years, and a sugar/carb addict (yes, it IS a thing).  I've never been able to go a couple of hours without eating something, and the thought of working out before breakfast, or without at least some sort of bar or snack seemed unattainable to me.  Running on an empty stomach?  I'd never make it around the block!

But you know what?  Our bodies are amazing works of creation!  We're adaptable, and with minimal effort, they can be trained to do all sorts of things we didn't think we could do.  And honestly, I don't think we were originally designed to have to eat something every few hours, or require sugar for energy to carry us through a race.  Did our ancestors carry energy gels or Honey Stingers in the pockets of their leggings to get through a day's work plowing the fields, or stalking prey for hours to bring home dinner?

Hardly.  They ate real food, and I seriously doubt it was every few hours or full of carbs.  I could go on about this for pages, but I'll limit this post to just share what I've been doing, and point you to some good information from the experts out there. (I am not a medical professional in any capacity, nor do I have formal training in nutrition or fitness.  I just follow some professional, very knowledgeable people, and am living proof of the benefits of what they preach).

My usual routine of late is to have cup of black tea when I get up, then do a one or two mile walk (if barefoot), occasionally 2-3 miles at either a fast walk or walk/slow run (if wearing shoes). I'm an early riser, so all that takes place well before sunup at this time of year (and yes, I'm wearing appropriate safety gear).  When I get back home, I'll wait an hour and often two before fixing breakfast, which usually consists of a smoothie and a hard boiled egg.  (See what I put in my smoothie here).  My body has adapted to this just fine, and I haven't yet felt the urge to eat something before heading out the door.  Even if you don't work out every morning, you can still enjoy some of the benefits of fat adaptation by delaying your first meal and encouraging your body to be fueled by your fat reserves.

How this helped me get through my unplanned marathon 

I'd been following this morning routine for just a couple of months, and because I had been going such short distances (intentionally ... again, a topic for another post), I wasn't sure what I might need to carry me through whatever distance I ended up doing Saturday morning.  I had eaten a light dinner earlier than usual the night before (chicken vegetable soup with a homemade bone broth base, no rice or noodles, and a small bowl of salad greens), so when it was decided that a couple of us were going to be up very early to help a friend with his virtual marathon, I figured I'd better pad that a little, so I drank a small smoothie before bed.  I had peeled two hard boiled eggs to have ready for Saturday morning pre-run, but only ate one of them about 4:30am.  I loaded my camelbak with a small amount of water, and tucked a snack-sized baggie of mixed nuts, and a couple individual packets of trail mix (with the little M&M-like candies) between the bladder and case and called it good.  Oh, and I found a Honey Stinger Waffle in there from a previous run months ago! 

We set off Saturday morning around 6am or so,  and I didn't take in anything until I think around the 17-18 mi mark, which was hours later because we were going so slow.  I ate a handful of nuts then only because my legs started to cramp and I wasn't sure of the cause, because I'd never pushed my body that far and experienced that before.  The weather was perfect and I never did break a sweat since we were going so slow, so I don't know if I was lacking sodium, but whatever the reason, the nuts apparently helped, because that cramping sensation went away shortly afterwards. I never felt tired or that I couldn't finish because I'd run out of gas at any point during the 26.2 mi.  I was on my feet for probably 12 hrs before all was said and done, and still wasn't hungry!

Read that paragraph again.  An overweight, senior, pre-diabetic woman who has been prone to carb binges (and I mean REAL binges) for decades, completed 26.2 mi and a total of 12 hours on her feet on just a hard boiled egg pre-run, and a handful of mixed nuts halfway through, and never felt hungry or felt any loss of energy.  Meanwhile, my partners in crime had snacks at several intervals ... energy bars, granola bars, gummy bears, energy gels, etc.  I'm not bashing or shaming them; they gave their bodies what they needed, and it worked for them.

By working on the fat-adaptive approach recently, I had been training my body for this event without even knowing it. If my experience that day isn't testimony of what eating right and teaching your body to use proper fuel can do for you, I don't know what else would.

Now for acknowledgements - my biggest influence while following the fat-adaptive regimen has been Dr. Mark Cucuzzella - Physician, Professor of Medicine at WV University School of Medicine, Air Force reserve Lieutenant Colonel, owner of Two Rivers Treads, author of Run for Your Life, Executive Director of the Natural Running Center, race director, and competitive runner for over 35 years with 24 marathons completed in under 2:40.  (None of these are affiliate links; I'm not compensated in any way for sharing them).

In addition to the above, you can find a vast amount of nutrition, running, and general health information by searching Dr. Mark's name to find articles, blog posts, and podcasts where he has been a guest contributor.  Warning ... there are a lot of them, but all worth a read/listen. 

That's Part I of what got me through my first marathon experience.  Stay tuned for further installments on how good nutrition, and footwear (or lack thereof) made it all possible.

~ Marie Anne

B is for Boredom Busters

Being bored while working out is nothing new, but with the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing around the world, it's likely that you're finding yourself even more bored than usual because of the restrictions you're living under.  So how to combat that?  Let's see if I can help.

Gym closed?  

• You can still get out and walk or run (in most areas), as long as you follow your required social distancing protocols.  

• You can modify your gym routine at home, even without expensive equipment (things like resistance bands, medicine balls, hand weights, jump rope, and of course the devil's sidewalk - the dreadmill).  I've shared some tips on this post of things you might have around the house to use as weights.  Get creative!

Monotony of the treadmill make you nuts?

• Watch TV.  I have my treadmill set up in the garage, and put a TV out there to keep me from going crazy.  I have a Roku device as well as a Hulu subscription, so there's always something to watch, even if I don't have that TV hooked up to cable.  Isn't streaming TV one of the greatest inventions ever?  

• Podcasts are my new friend, and they can be yours too.  I've looked at several different podcast services and the one I found the easiest to maneuver around is Stitcher.  You can search for topics you like and save them as favorites, and never run out of things to listen to.  I listen more when I'm walking/running outside than I do on the treadmill, but if you don't have access to a TV where your treadmill is, it's a great option.

• Listen to audio books.  Reading while on the treadmill can be a bit difficult (although I've done it!), so audio books offer a good alternative that is less likely to trip you up.  There are a number of different apps/subscriptions you can access, and your local library might even offer a good selection for you to take advantage of.  Let your mind wander with a timeless classic, or learn a new language.  The options are limitless.

Same scenery too boring?

• If walking around your neighborhood has become mundane, research what trails you can find within a short drive, or venture further out and make a day of it.  Pack a picnic lunch and tailgate if parks are closed.  Again, be sure to stay within the restrictions imposed in your area.

• It's not always about training for a race or competition, so include the family more often.  Kids can ride their bikes if you're running, or just take a family walk instead.  Make a list of appropriate things you might find where you're walking and have a scavenger hunt.  Bring chalk and leave your mark and share good tidings and encouragement to others who might come along after you.  Even better, make a hopscotch diagram to encourage others to get moving too.

Restrictions suck, but don't use the Corona virus pandemic as an excuse to be lazy.  Being active is even more important for your mental health now.  Get up and get moving!

~ Marie Anne

Painless Workouts for Lightweights

(courtesy of Healthy Living)

Are you overweight, getting up in years, or have health issues that make it difficult to do more strenuous forms of exercise?  Do you get frustrated because you can't do even two reps of traditional workouts that others breeze through?  Do you get winded trying to run on the treadmill, or feel uncoordinated on the elliptical?   Don't let it get you down!  Find modified versions of activities that work for you, and just do what you can for as long as you can.  Any time spent in movement of any kind is better than parking your butt on the couch in front of TV with a bowl of popcorn.

Use your hands

Hand weights can help you tone up when used alone, or burn more calories if you hold them while walking.  There are various types and sizes available, but before buying a set that is too heavy for you, rummage in your pantry for a can of soup or jar of peanut butter!  They're very lightweight and won't make a big difference right away, but it's a good place to start before moving up to traditional equipment that weighs more.  While watching TV, get off the couch during commercials and punch out a few different exercises while stepping in place.  It might seem silly, but it's better than starting with a higher weight than you can easily manage, and getting discouraged or hurting yourself.

If these walls could talk

Pushups are great to work your core, arms, chest, abs (basically everything above the waist) and don't require any special equipment, but I can't do them at my weight, and I can't even manage bent-knee pushups because of a knee injury.  What can a fat old lady do instead?  Wall pushups!  While you won't get the full benefit of lifting your body weight from the floor as with the traditional exercise, you also aren't likely to hurt yourself by trying.  You'll still be working the same areas of the body, just to a lesser degree.  You can always add more reps, or more sets to your workout to increase the benefit.  Still find it too easy?  Graduate like I did and rest your hands on a counter top instead of the wall.  You might surprise yourself and eventually work up to regular floor pushups.

Dance fever
I've tried a number of difference aerobic exercise videos, and even at times when I thought I was in decent shape, I found them difficult to keep up with.  I also don't always have the time (or desire) to devote 30 minutes or more to following along with an instructor in a regimented fashion.  What works for me?  Dancing. While watching TV, I'll get up when a commercial is on and either step in place, side to side, or throw some kicks in (with my can of kidney beans in hand), or, if music is playing, start shaking my booty (there are benefits to living alone with my dogs).  One local television station broadcasts music and dancing from shagging clubs and my feet will start moving before I even realize it.  I don't really shag, but the music gets me doing my own thing in a more exaggerated fashion that just a walk.  I find that I can keep moving just about the whole show with just a few seconds break here and there, and I can't imagine just walking in place or doing an aerobics video for that long without being bored to tears.  Crank up your favorite radio station, or better yet, one of the television stations that features music so you have the visual stimulation as well.  Music (without the interruption and distraction of someone telling you what to do ) makes everything more fun!  Want to get the kids involved?  Do The Locomotion or Bunny Hop around the house.

Exaggeration isn't always a bad thing
Since I don't work outside the home and am not busy keeping up with a family, my life is pretty sedentary unless I make a real effort to move.  I try to exaggerate my movements whenever I do get up, to add more steps and activity to my day.  If I get up to go to the bathroom, I'll add a few laps around the interior of the house before sitting back down. I'm still displaced from Hurricane Florence and living in a hotel, so if I have to go down to the laundry, I'll take the stairs instead of the elevator, then walk the halls or jump on the recumbent bike in the fitness area while waiting on clothes to wash or dry.  If I'm not pressed for time while out shopping, I'll walk every aisle instead of just those that I need to shop from.  When tidying up a room, I'll carry one or two things at a time to put it away instead of trying to do it all in one trip.  Most everyone can walk, and you're already doing it while going about your regular daily routine, so find little ways to expand on it.  Every extra step counts!

What're you doing today to increase your activity?

~ Marie Anne

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More Training Strategies, and Another Running Goal Met

It works.

Alternating days of running and walking, longer and shorter distances, that is.

I'm just a little obsessed with watching my stats and would love to increase my pace, but for whatever reason I never bothered to run shorter distances to try to attain that.  I know that I shouldn't run the same distance all the time, and I know that I should have days without running at all, but knowing and doing are two different things, as I'm sure we can all attest.

I did the 10 miles (majority at a trot) two days ago, and yesterday just walked a mile on my own, then a mile with the dogs, so nothing strenuous.  This morning I wanted to get an early run in before heading to town to beat the masses on a Saturday morning, so I figured I'd do only a mile to see if I could push just a little and finally get a sub 15:00 minute mile.  It's been a couple of years since I've done that, and I've been averaging about 15:30-15:40 on my 4- and 5-mile runs lately.

Opting to do the neighborhood rather than the trail on this beautiful 60° morning, I stepped out with my mind set on that lone mile.  I could tell that my lungs were working a little harder than usual at the pace I started with, but still felt do-able.  The rest of my body felt fine, so I figured I'd do 1.5, then said what the heck, go ahead and do 2 miles so you can see your split times.

After the warmup mile at 14:30, mile 2 time was 14:15, for an average 14:22 mile.  Not only did I bust my sub 15:00 mile goal, I knocked well over a minute off my average pace of the longer distances.  That's still an average walking pace for many, but at this stage, it's a good pace for me.

The concept of training for distance alternated with shorter, faster runs isn't new.  I've known this.  I've preached this.  If you switch up pushing your body for speed and striving for distance, you're working your body in different ways, much the same as having a leg day and arm day at the gym.  Of course running uses your legs, but shorter, faster distances will work your heart, lungs, and even muscle groups of your legs slightly differently than longer, slower mileage.

So my quest to be smart and alternate training days is off to a good start.  I won't do anything fitness related the rest of today, and if I do anything tomorrow (Sunday), it'll be just walking.  I have an appointment Monday morning and could fill up the day with other errands, so might take that as a complete rest day, which are needed once in a while too.

Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks?  There's hope for me yet!

Be well ...

~ Marie Anne

Running Strategies, and One More Workout Goal Crossed Off My List

   

Anyone who knows me knows that I go in spurts with just about everything I do ... fitness, crocheting and quilting, most any activity I'm involved with ... but that's not always a good thing.  Since I'm old, overweight with bad knees and ankles, and have osteoporosis with increased risk of bone fracture (been there, done that, not going there again), it's definitely not.  I had a good talk with myself the other day and promised that I would practice a little moderation, and run only a couple of days a week, and walk or do nothing the alternate days.  Every runner needs recovery days, and this old body needs them probably more than most.

I started to put that plan into practice this week.  I love trotting the nearby Rails to Trails path not far from my home in Jacksonville, NC.  I've run 5 miles a couple of times, and 4 miles several times, and one goal is to run the 8 miles from the park to the main gate at Camp Lejeune and back.  I trotted 4 miles on May 1, took a day off on May 2, and decided to walk the 8 miles yesterday (May 3), with rucksack so I could tote snacks and my camelbak for water.  I figured walking that distance first would give me a good feel for any terrain issues I might not be prepared for on a run.






As I said, that's what I had planned to do.  But we all know what that means.

I started off at a walk, but about a quarter mile in, I figured why not try just a little trot to see how it felt.  It felt good. 😃  I think I only slowed to a walk for one more short leg of the distance to base, then decided I wanted to go through the gate, and ended up going to the 5 mile mark before turning around.  I trotted about a mile after turning, but did make myself walk most of the remaining 4 miles.  So my 8 mile planned walk ended up being 10 miles with more trotting than walking, probably 6-7 miles worth.  So much for that plan.



In hindsight, I realize that was a pretty stupid thing to do.  I just recently moved back to this area and am still waiting on my initial visit with primary care to get established with the VA health care system here, so an injury at this point definitely wouldn't be a good idea.  I also have a 5K coming up in a couple of weeks, and I don't want to be sidelined for that.  And having to call someone for assistance to get me home isn't my idea of a fun day.

But I'm not sorry that I did it.  After some thought, I realized that 10 miles is the most I've ever done - running or walking - in my life.  That's quite an accomplishment for an overweight, almost 62 year old lady.  I ran the Aloha run two years in a row when stationed in Hawaii in the early 90s, and I think that's 8.25 miles or thereabouts.  I also ran a little over 7 miles once on a bike trail in Ohio a couple of years ago, but even then I was probably 25 or so lbs lighter.  I've done 6.2 miles (10K, but not in a race) just a few times, but not recently.  The most I've done since moving back to NC and getting serious again is 5 miles.  And I doubled that yesterday.  As I said, probably not my smartest move, but I got 'er done, and without injury ... just minor stiffness (and one bite from a particularly ornery deer fly).



Having completed the trek to the gate and back (and then some), I'm going to stay focused on my original plan to spread out my workouts a little better.  I took it easy the rest of the day yesterday, and this morning I walked just over a mile before breakfast, then took the dogs out for about the same distance, and I'm calling that good for today.  I might do a little work in the yard, but no mowing, maybe just digging in flower beds and such.  Next trip to the trail will probably be 4 miles, maybe actually on the main drag on base, but I don't think I'll do anything longer than that until after my 5K race on the 19th.  Once that's behind me, maybe I'll shoot for completing the full 8 mile distance at a trot.

Moderation.  Keep me accountable.

~ Marie Anne

Walking and Workout Videos ... What Works for You?

In my quest to get back in shape and lose some weight (again), I've decided to try some workout videos.  I've watched a couple of them here and there in years past, but I never stuck with any of them because they were either too fast or required footwork that was too fancy for me to keep up with and I'd end up tripping over my own feet.  I'm one who focuses on running more than anything, so the thought of doing other types of workouts in a gym or similar setting never appealed to me.  Still, I know that working other areas of the body is important to overall fitness, and of course does help with running too ... strengthening core and all that.

Enter Leslie Sansone.

My first association with Leslie was back in the early 90s.  She had cassette tapes that you could play in your Walkman or similar device and walk to the beat, with a couple of different cadences available. You'd hear her talk as well as the beat of the music and walk at that pace for a mile.  I believe the other side of the tape was just the beat without her voice.  I can still hear that beat ... tap, tap, tap of the drumstick on the wood block.  It was pretty popular concept back in the day ... and yes, I'm dating myself!

A friend has a couple of her walking DVDs and swears by them, and she put the bug in my ear about looking into them again.  Since she's been around for decades, Leslie Sansone has created numerous walking/fitness programs and has a huge following.  As of this week, I guess you count me as one of them.

I poked around on eBay and amazon to see what was out there, and was surprised at the number of Leslie Sansome walking DVDs that are available.  Being the cheap person that I am, I wasn't keen on buying a bunch of videos only to find that they weren't a good fit for me.  I checked with my local library system and they have several available, either at my branch or other branches that will do an interlibrary loan, so I picked up two the other day, and have two more that are in transit.  I might or might not have gone just a wee-bit overboard and completed both DVDs in two days, and also did one that I found on YouTube ... no trouble getting my Fitbit steps in this week!

So ... I'm sold.  I think Leslie will be my go-to gal for workouts other than running, and I'm going to try these other two videos and decide which of them I like best before committing to purchasing.  I noticed there are some available  through Amazon Prime Video, so I might go that route too and just stream them rather than mess with an actual disc that I have to insert into my DVD player, deal with another remote, etc.  She also has intro versions on her YouTube channel, so I can check those out too.

I'll be reviewing the videos that I try in upcoming blog posts, but in the meantime, I'd be interested in knowing if you're a fan of any particular Leslie Sansone's walking/workout videos, and what you did/did not like about any that you've tried.  Let me know in the comments, please!

~ Marie Anne

My Favorite Bluetooth Wireless Headphones for Running

My new favorite headphones

Since I started running in recent months, I've found several tools of the trade, so to speak, that have made my life on the road easier less unpleasant.  One of them is a good set of bluetooth wireless headphones.  I've  got a couple of pairs of wired headphones and they had great sound quality and worked well enough, but I was forever getting tangled in the cords, no matter what I did.  I usually tuck my phone into my jogging bra and my reading glasses hang from the front of my top, so the wires were making my running and walking life miserable.

Could wireless earbuds be the solution?  I'm no techie by any stretch and have to admit that the idea of bluetooth wireless headphones scared me just a bit.  I had never used bluetooth anything before and was afraid it would be too technical for me.  What was all this pairing stuff about?  Would I need to call my son 600 miles away and have him walk me through it?  Not wanting to spend a lot of money on something that I might not be able to figure out, I was delighted to be offered the opportunity to get a pair of bluetooth earbuds at a discount in exchange for an honest review on amazon.  I've since tried a couple of different models and they all worked equally well, with decent sound quality, so now I have one hanging on my treadmill and keep one in my running bag where I stash gum, reading glasses, snot rag bandana, and water bottle - ready to grab on my way out the door.

My new best running friend is the HV-930 Wireless Stereo Headset,  where the device is worn around the neck, completely out of the way.  The wires go the short distance from the receiver/neck piece to the ears, so there's nothing hanging down behind your head or in front of you to flop around or get tangled in anything.  They are very lightweight and I've worn them both walking and jogging on the treadmill and on the road a number of times, and even two recent 5K races, and they've performed perfectly.  The device doesn't bounce around the neck, it just sits flat against my collarbone, and it's so light that I don't even know it's there.

© Marie Anne St. Jean

I don't use any fancy music programs, just the Amazon Music app that's free with amazon prime, and my phone is nothing spectacular either (Android, Samsung Galaxy S4), but the app performs well with these headphones and the sound quality of these earbuds is pretty darned good.  The package includes the neck piece receiver with attached earbuds, extra earbud pads/covers of varying sizes, USB cable for charging, and instruction manual.  It was simple to pair the device by turning it on, going to settings on my phone, and selecting bluetooth, which found the headset and paired immediately.  Done and done.

Oh, another nice little feature of these bluetooth headphones is the earbuds are magnetic (not the side that goes into your ear ... duh), and they pop right into the ends of the receiver for storage when not in use.

Magnetic earbuds tucked into the receiver
© Marie Anne St. Jean

I honestly can't think of a thing that I'd change about this wireless headset, and was happy to give the product an honest 5-star review on amazon, not influenced by the fact that I was able to buy them at a discount.

~ Marie Anne

New Challenge - Walk 1,000 Miles in a Year

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a challenge.  I heard about this latest one, the 1000 Mile Challenge,  just last night and debated whether to jump in or not, but knew I'd cave ... and I did.  The challenge starts tomorrow, June 6, 2015 and ends June 5, 2016.  I'm pumped and ready to go!

The challenge is to walk/jog/hike 1,000 miles in one year.  One thousand miles sounds like a lot, right?  But at a full 365 days, that comes out to approximately 2.75 miles each day.  Piece of cake!

There is a business Facebook page for the challenge (you can sign up for the challenge from there) and also an interactive Facebook page  for challenge members, where we can chat about how we're doing, share success stories, etc.  The challenge hasn't even started yet and I already see the group as a great motivator.

There is a fee to join the challenge, but 50% of the cost goes to charity, which you get to choose when you sign up.  Finances are tight for me right now, but that's a small price to pay to keep me moving every day in an effort to take better care of myself.  (I'm still dealing with some health issues, but I'm fighting it all every step of the way!).

You can use any app or tracking system you already have to count your miles, but if you use a Fitbit tracker (which counts ALL your steps every day), they'd prefer that you only log those miles that you actually do consciously, over and above the steps you would walk in a normal day.  You're on the honor system, so if you want to just use your total Fitbit number, no big deal - the challenge police aren't going to come after you.  The idea, though, is to get your butt moving more than you do on a regular day, so set a challenge for yourself other than just walking around the house.

I'm going to look at my Fitbit stats and come up with a number that I think is my average number of steps daily without going for a walk or jog, and deduct that from my daily total and report that number.

There are many apps out there you can use to keep track, but a good app to try is Charity Miles, (available for both android and ios) because not only does it log your mileage, it also donates to a charity of your choice.  There are loads of charities to choose from, and you can choose a different one each time you open the app to log your miles.  I'm going to make a separate post about different fitness apps and the benefits of each.

• Note:  None of the apps or trackers are synced with the challenge in any way, they are just tools to help you track your miles so that you know what to report.  

This challenge will benefit my dogs as much as it will me because it'll be an incentive to make sure I don't slack off on their exercise too.  When walking the dogs, I also use an app that donates to my favorite animal rescue organization, so that's a win-win also.  If I walk all three dogs on our regular route every day, I'll get 2.4 miles right there, so even if I have to fill in on the treadmill on days I don't get out there, I've got this.  1,000 miles in one year?  I'm ready!

Who's with me?

~ Marie Anne

My first official/unofficial 5K race - for Jessie!

Well,  I'm going to do it.  Most of it will be done at a fast walk, and maybe a very slog jog for part of it, but I'm going to hop on the treadmill this afternoon and run my first 5K.  It will be my first official (well, with me officiating) 5K in decades, but since I'll be competing with myself here in my home and not in the actual race, my time will be unofficial by race standards.  No matter ... Just doing it at all and showing support for Jessie and her family is good enough for me.

Jessica Torres was severely injured in an auto accident several years ago, but her family never gave up on her.  I served with Jessie's dad years ago when we were both stationed in South Weymouth, MA, and Tony, his lovely wife Lenore, and their son Derrick are wonderful people who still believe the best is yet to come in Jessie's progress towards healing.  This 5K race for Jessie is one way we can help support them while they support her.  Even if you can't be in Tennessee for the race, you can still help with a donation, and of course prayers are always welcomed.

I'm still having knee trouble (with both knees now!) but have started physical therapy and ohmy, the therapists are working miracles.  Separate posts forthcoming about that, but I'm definitely glad I'm pursuing it.  I'm taped up with kinesiology tape and going to complete this 5K in one sitting if it kills me.  I just need to remember that pushing too hard is what got me into trouble in the first place, and pay attention to my body.  I know I can walk the distance a couple of times over with no trouble, so if I don't kick it into a jog for too much of it, I should be ok.  I want to do my best, but I also don't want to lose ground that I'm finally starting to gain after the knee injury more than two years ago.  It's been a long journey filled with setbacks, and I want to keep moving in the right direction.

So ... I'll be lacing my running shoes and revving up the treadmill at race time, scheduled for 5:00 pm eastern today (4pm Memphis time), May 30 2015.  I'll post my officially unofficial results later, embarrassing or not!

~ Marie Anne

Fitbit Step Challenge on Saturday ... Are You Ready?

My personal best day at 25,585 steps

Are you ready for a challenge?  I am!

I was doing pretty good with keeping up with my walking for a while until some health issues sidelined me for a short time in February/March of this year, but I was given the go-ahead to resume normal activities, so I'm starting to get back at it.  What a great time for the Fitbit folks to issue this amazing challenge!

The challenge is a big one.  In an effort to beat Fitbit's total highest number of steps in one day, on Saturday, May 16, 2015, Fitbit is challenging all users to beat their best day ever.  They've leveled the playing field by asking each of us to beat our own personal best day, rather than set a specific step goal for all.

Mine will be tough to beat.  My best step day recorded since I got my Fitbit One was 25,585 steps on October 22, 2014.  At my stride, that's more than 10 miles!  I haven't even come close to that before or since, and I've only occasionally been meeting my 12,000 step daily goal lately.  I've got new health issues cropping up almost daily, and some of them do affect my walking, so it might not be physically possible to make it, but I'm going to give it my best shot.

I just checked my specific stats for that day and wow, I can't believe I did all that in one day.  I walked up and down the big hill on my street several times that day, enough to log 54 flights of stairs, and almost 11 miles!  Once I got going and did several walks throughout that day, I decided to shoot for the 25K badge.  You can see by the chart that I was a walking machine that day, LOL.

Did I really walk almost 11 miles that day?
(Click to enlarge)

I'm going to try to build up to it by walking a little more each of the three days until goal day on Saturday, and hope I don't burn myself out in the process.  My feet have been swelling horribly lately and we haven't been able to pinpoint why yet, and now other areas of my body are swelling too, so hopefully this push won't do further harm.  I'm not going to give up, but not listening to my body could have serious consequences (remember that knee injury over two years ago?), so I need to be smart and find a balance.

Are you up for the challenge?  What record will you be trying to beat?

~ Marie Anne


Don't have a Fitbit activity tracker yet?  What are you waiting for?

Finally, Help for My Knee!

Finally, some relief for my knee!
(Photo courtesy of  Buzzmills)

If you've been following my blog at all, you know that I suffered a stress fracture and major knee injury (believed to be a torn meniscus, but got differing diagnoses) and even after more than two years, I'm left with painful bursitis and a visible effusion (like water on the knee).  I'm finally to the point where I can walk without major pain and even get into a very slow jog on the treadmill for short distances, as long as I don't overdue it.

Still, while I no longer really need a brace for my knee, sometimes it feels like it doesn't want to lock, and it does start throbbing if I do too much.  I haven't been able to find anything that works to help ease the pain and provide support, and I've tried a number of different things.

• Ace wraps didn't stay on.
• Elastic sleeves of a similar, yet thicker material were too tight yet still wouldn't stay in place.
• I can't recall the name of it, but that tape that sticks to itself sticks so good that you can't get it unraveled to reuse (horse people would know it as vet wrap, but this is much more narrow). 

I was getting tired of throwing money away and not getting any relief, so I'm very happy to report that I think I finally found a product that will help my knee and get me on my way to a full recovery.  (No, it's not some wacky supplements either, although I do believe some of those have helped me too).

I'm not going to reveal just yet what it is, because I've been talking with the company that makes this product and been told that they'll pass along a good deal to my readers who might want to try it, so hang tight, and as soon as I finalize the details, I'll have that information for you in a future post.

My goal is to complete a 5K next month so I'm going to have to step up the training, as much as an overweight 57-year-old with tired bones can, anyway. Since my left knee has been a little tender lately too (no doubt due to compensating for the injured right knee for more than two years), I'm going to pick up a second product for that one too, and hopefully prevent injury to that knee.

Keep an eye on my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, and make sure to watch for the blog post where I share what this product is, and how those of you with stressed knees can get one too.

Keep putting one foot in front of the other!

~ Marie Anne

Stubborn Marine Paying the Price

The intense pain I've felt in my legs and mostly right knee hadn't lessened any, in fact was getting worse, so I finally admitted I couldn't deal with this on my own and went to Urgent Care at the VA this afternoon.  (Read this post first if you missed what happened).

I drove myself and I was holding onto the wall and in tears by the time I navigated my way to check in.  The nurse at the desk saw me and immediately grabbed a wheelchair, for which I am very thankful.  If the number on the pain scale didn't stop at 10, I would have been at a 12, and I hovered around a 10 until meds kicked in some time later.

If Pain is a Sign of Weakness Leaving the Body ...

... then I must be pretty strong.

Even though I'm only doing a combination walk/jog and at a slow pace, I've been hurting the last few days out.  I didn't mention anything because I was hoping it was nothing big and I'd be able to work it out, especially since I now had good running shoes (and then of course there's the Marine thing of not wanting to admit weakness).  My shins have been hurting and it's been difficult to pick my feet up off the ground at the jog, so it was really more of dragging my feet along at a shuffle. I decided I wasn't going to do my workout on this crappy road I live on and figured it I went out to the local track, my legs would thank me.

They didn't.

Pitfalls Along the Road to Fitness

I had an appointment this morning that took me out of the house for longer than I'd anticipated, so it screwed up my day.  It was well after lunchtime when I got home and I hadn't eaten anything since oatmeal at breakfast, so I was very hungry.  I needed to eat something before even thinking of working out, so ate a can of tuna, hoping it would hold me over.  It didn't.  I was still hungry, so ate a hunk of cheddar cheese, as well as increased my water intake.

I finally got out on the road early evening and did my :32 walk/jog.  I finished, but it was nothing to write home about.   I need to find a place to do this where I'm not tripping over the patches, bumps and gullies in the road.  I live on basically a one lane road that's frequented by trucks and heavy farm equipment, so it's a mess.  There isn't one flat surface anywhere on this stretch of road, so one leg is always higher than the other (not unlike livestock grazing on a hillside).  Since I'm overweight and just starting out with the jog, I'm going to end up hurting myself between the condition of the road and the incline.  I need to be smart about this.

On days I'm just walking the dogs or strutting out myself, walking on my street isn't so bad.  The jog will become more of a problem as I increase my time and distance, so I'll need to work something else out on jogging days.

There are a couple of options in my smaller town and the bit larger one where I normally run my errands, but I hate the thought of driving 10-15 minutes each way for a 30-45 minute workout.  If I combine it with errands, that means either traipsing about town in my workout gear (which is shoddy, at best), or bringing clothes to change onsite (if there's a restroom available).  Neither option appeals to me, so we shall see.

These are but minor obstacles, and I will persevere and push on through.

~ Marie Anne

When Is a Day Off From Training Not a Day Off?

I scheduled today as an off day from my training for the virtual 5K, so I didn't do a walk/jog, but I wasn't a total slacker, and actually ending up doing more than I'd planned.

This morning I got on the recumbent bike for 30 min, then later took the dogs for a walk for just under 30 min.  I have three of them now and it's really hard to get a good walk in when they're stopping to sniff or pee (and never at the same time), so I took each of them separately today.  Walking one at a time allowed for much more forward motion, rather than all over the road.  It worked out much better and I think I'll continue that, at least part of the time.

Since starting back up with watching my food intake and exercising more, I haven't really felt hungry at all, which has been a blessing.  Today, for some reason, I did feel hungry, and I'm not sure what's going on there.  I sipped water all day and will get my 8 full glasses in before it's over, so it's not dehydration.

To try to combat the hunger, I decided to get in another walk this evening, and even grabbed my 3 lb hand weights to see how that would work out.  It didn't.  I started off ok, but they're a bit too big to walk and swing my arms properly because they either hit each other if I swung to the front, or they hit my side.  I ended up dropping them after two minutes or so into the walk, then picked them up on the way back.  It wasn't so much the weight (although 3 lbs is probably too much to start with), but the actual size.  I think I'll look for some 1 or 1.5 lb hand weights to see if they might work better.

I'm still hungry, but since my day off from training turned out to not be much of an off day at all, I think I've earned a little snack while sipping the two remaining cups of water I need today.  I'm still within my calorie count for the day, so now just need to decide which to have -- peanut butter on celery, almonds, pistachios, or a hunk of cheddar cheese.

~ Marie Anne

Can I Run in My Walking Shoes?

Most people have some sort of sneaker or athletic shoe in their closet, and some might wonder if that's good enough to start jogging or running in.  The answer is an emphatic no.  Running might seem like just a fast form of walking, but that's far from the truth.

Even if your slow jog is no faster than a walk (like mine is right now), your body is still using different muscles in different ways.  A different part of your foot is taking most of the impact when it strikes the surface whether walking or running, and also not at the same intensity.  When running, your feet are pounding the ground with much more pressure, and you need a shoe that will be able to absorb the shock, or you're setting yourself up for injury.  Make sure to wear the proper shoe, one that will provide the right amount of support, flexibility, and stability for the activity that you're performing.

Your everyday sneakers or tennis shoes are probably ok if all you're doing is a short walk here and there, but if you have feet or leg problems, are overweight, or walking often or for longer distances, wearing a good walking shoe is wise.  If you're going to be doing any jogging or running at all, however, a running shoe is a must.  If your training plan calls for both walking and jogging, lace up your running shoes.  It's ok to walk in your running shoes, but a bad idea to run in your walking shoes.

If you've been jogging in your walking shoes, you'll notice a big difference when switching.  Running shoes are usually much lighter and more flexible, and I'll bet you'll find that you're able to lift your feet higher and go for a longer distance than with your clunky walking shoes.  I wore new running shoes when I did my :33 walk/jog last night and was amazed at the difference.  I felt like I was flying (ok, maybe just gliding), rather than simply dragging my feet along the pavement during the jog portions of my workout.

Wearing improper shoes is probably one of the biggest causes of jogging and running injuries.  Since shoes are really the only equipment that's required to start your fitness journey by walking or jogging, don't take any shortcuts -- invest in a good pair.  If you can only afford one pair of fitness shoes, splurge for the running shoes.  Your joints and muscles will thank you.

~ Marie Anne

Importance of Following a Training Program

Training programs were developed for a reason.  If you're new to any form of exercise, it's a good idea to look at programs designed by experts in their field and take their advice on how far and how fast to train towards a particular goal.  Doing too much too fast can result in minor injuries that can sideline you, or worse.  

Someone who is overweight and/or has lived a sedentary lifestyle should (with their doctor's blessing) be able to do some form of exercise and work towards getting faster or going a longer distance, but it's much better to start off slow and increase in small increments.  Training programs work for the majority of people, and they also keep you on track with mini goals at each level.

I've recently started back up with SparkPeople and signed up for the virtual 5K Trick or Treat Trot at the end of October.  I'm overweight and haven't done more than a short walk in years and no jogging at all, so when I saw they also had several fitness plans, I jumped on board with that too.  I know I can walk 5K, but I want to work towards jogging a portion of the distance, so I chose the four week plan designed for that very thing.  There are other programs available for those who just want to walk the entire distance, or who are more fit and plan on running.

The first week of training for my particular program calls for 4 min walk/1 min jog for three days out of that week.  Got that covered. The week starts new on Sunday, so I did my first day of week two yesterday, and did 4 min walk/2 min jog for about 32 min (program calls for 30 min).  I carry my cell phone with me and set the stop watch which allows me to easily see when I need to switch gears from walk to jog and back.  Being able to see those seconds ticking away works well for me; I tell myself just a few more seconds, you can do it! and it keeps me going.  I figure I can endure just about anything for two minutes.

What prompted this blog post is that I was looking over my charted exercise for the last few days and realized that I got ahead of myself - week two is supposed to be 4 min walk/1.5 min jog for a total of 27 min.  Oops.

Did I hurt myself by jogging just a little bit more than the program called for, and completing an extra couple of minutes?  Probably not, but I do need to be more careful.  With the added weight, I'm putting much more strain on my knees than I did during my fitter days in the Marine Corps, and if I do too much, I risk the chance of injury, which would set me back on my road to fitness.  I'll back off the rest of the week and on training days, do what the plan says and move up to the 2 min jog for training week 3.

Will every plan be right for every person?  Of course not, but it's a good place to start.  Fitness experts design these plans as a starting base for the average person, but if your body is telling you different, please listen.  If at any point during your workout you experience pain, stop and regroup.  You might be able to push through a bit of discomfort, but anything more is risking serious injury and isn't worth it.

~ Marie Anne

Disclaimer: I am not a fitness professional, so any advice I give is based purely on my own experiences with 21 years of Marine Corps physical fitness under my belt, my more recent experiences, and the advice of professionals.  As always, check with your doctor before starting any exercise program, and listen to what your body is telling you.

Weekend Workout Wrap-Up

Saturday was a beautiful day - cool in the morning, warming up a bit in the afternoon, then chilly once again as soon as the sun set.  Running errands made for a late lunch when I got home, so I put off the workout until later in the day.

I laced up my sneaks and headed out shortly before dusk and it was already cool enough that I put on a long sleeved t-shirt.  Still in week 1 of training for the virtual 5K walk/jog, I was supposed to walk 4 min/jog 1 min, and repeat for a total of 25 min.  Again I ended up doing just a bit more because I have to go up and down my road a couple of times and the timing didn't work out to get me back to the house.  I think I ended up with 3 extra min walking, two of a slow jog for a total of 30 min.

I follow SparkPeople's schedule where the week starts on Sunday, so today marked the first day of training week 2, calling for a 4 min walk/2 min jog, repeating for a total of 30 min.  The first 2 min jog had me going up a slight incline which sucked, but I pushed it on over.  I did fine for the next two sets, but the fourth set had me jogging up another incline for the whole two minutes, which wasn't fun at all.  I think I could have crawled faster, but still I didn't change my pace to a walk; I worked through it, even though it felt like I was going backwards.  The last set was on level ground, for which I was very thankful.  My jaunt today clocked about 32 min, probably 21 walking, and 11 at a slow jog.  I felt great when I was done, but glad it was done.

A couple of hours later I decided to hit the recumbent bike for an easy ride with a kitten for company (she's sequestered to that room, recovering from a broken leg). I pedaled for 30 min while reading, which always makes the time pass easily.

It was a good week.  I did awesome on the food front - never went over on calories, did well with carbs, and pretty good on nutrients overall.  I made my goal of 8 cups of water daily, and finished off with fitness goals on the high end.  I even earned a SparkPeople trophy this morning for going over 500 min of exercise already in September, and I think I lost 3 lbs this week.

My accomplishments might not seem like much by most standards, especially for a retired Marine, but with my current weight and pretty sedentary lifestyle of late, I'm pleased with what I've done.  I'm confident that I can keep up with the schedule and will rock this virtual 5K for the Trick or Treat Trot.

I'll be ready ... bring it!

~ Marie Anne