Week 5: Day 3!!

5:00 Warm-up, 20:00 Jog, 5:00 Cool-Down

We did it! We did Day 3! It seemed so daunting, but we did it!  Sad thing is, we had to do it separately, and on the treadmill. Boo! But this morning Ryan had to leave for a meeting, and it was pretty cold outside, and the kids had no school today, so there just wasn't time to run outside together. Ryan got it done this morning, and I was so so proud of him, so I knew I needed to tackle it. I had a busy morning with my leg doctor, and errands with the kids, so I had to wait until the afternoon. I just bought another new pair of shoes (Hoka Clifton) and wanted to give them a real try, I did 8 minutes in them on Saturday to try them out and felt great, so I decided to wear them for today's run. I would be lying if I didn't say it was hard. I don't enjoy running on the treadmill much these days now that I've been running outside more, and I went to my leg doctor this morning and got my IT band and achilles worked over, so they were a little sore to begin with. But, I did it. I had to take a quick break in the middle while I answered an important text (couldn't do it while running), but I jumped right back in and finished the 20 minutes. It was slow! 11:20-12:00 pace. But that's ok, its still almost 2 miles! Right now its about endurance and not hurting myself, its not about speed! Thus my new headband. :) Slow and steady wins the race!

I'm not sure if i've mentioned my current workout schedule, but I also lift on the days that I run, so after dealing more with the kids for a bit, I went back down to my workout room and knocked out my lifting session. I HATE afternoon workouts, but I'm so glad I got it done. I had a BAD eating weekend, so today is back on track and on top of life. I'm determined. :)

Week 5: Day 2, Again!

We decided to repeat day 2 today. We both felt great again, and accomplished with our 8 minute runs. Dare we say we might be ready for the 20 minute run?? That still scares me. We shall see!

I went to the running store today and got another pair of shoes. Hoka Clifton's, I'm rather excited about them! They felt really great on my feet, I can't wait to do a run in them and see how it goes!

I really really look forward to my runs now, and that is amazing to me. Ryan even admitted he looks forward to it too! I love our time together.

Week 5: Day 2!

Day 2: Warm-up, 8 minute Run, 5 minute walk, 8 minute run, Cool-Down

Ryan and I were both very nervous to move on to day 2. 8 minutes seemed like a really long time! We are not above repeating days, and were considering repeating day 1, but we decided to give it a shot. We told ourselves that if we were really struggling we could take short walk breaks during the 8 minutes if we needed to. We started our first run, and to both of our surprise, we felt really good! We finished the first run and were glad for the long walk break, but ready to go again when it was time to run the next 8. It was a little harder the second time, but still we managed to do it feeling pretty good. I carefully watched out pace to make sure we didn't push too fast. We tried to stay around 10:30-11:00 minute mile. We were so proud when we finished it with no walk breaks during both 8's. I think we will repeat it before moving on, the next run is 20 minutes! But I was grateful to feel good.

After Monday's run I was kinda sore. My hips and feet and knee were aching and I got very discouraged. Its so frustrating to not just be able to do exactly what I want to be able to do. But, I stopped wallowing, bought a bunch of cold weather running gear, set up an appointment with my favorite Sports Medicine Chiropractor, and rested. I chose not to run Tuesday even though I wanted to, and went to see the doctor. He worked on my trouble spots and gave me some good advice. I was happy that I felt good to run yesterday and that the run went well. After the run I went to my cycle class to spin out my legs and then came home and got straight in an ice bath. The things crazy things we do to recover well! I know I have to be really careful and listen carefully to my body if I want to be able to keep at this, so I'm trying to do just that. I think I might have to get another pair of running shoes with more cushion for now while I'm building up, so I'm saving my pennies to look into that option.

Sitting in the compression machine at the Doctor's office.

Yep, that's a block of ice in my bathtub.

Week 5: Day 1

Couch to 10k Week 5

Day 1- 5:00 warm-up, 5:00 run, 3:00 walk, 5:00 run, 3:00 walk, 5:00 run, 5:00 cool-down.
Ryan and I dropped the kids off at school and headed to the park for our run. It was a little chilly starting out, but it was actually quite perfect once we got moving. I felt like my cardio system was in great shape during the runs. My legs were less happy today. My ankle and shins always complain a little when I first start running, but they work themselves out once I get into a rhythm. My achilles did pretty good until near the end of the second run. But it wasn't ever terrible, a little more achey on my right than my left. It does tend to scream at me a bit when I switch from running to walking, but I can walk through it. The arch near my heal of my left foot was a little cranky today, I need to figure out what's up with that.  And then during the last run I could feel an inkling of pain in my IT band. NOT COOL. It never got painful, I could just feel the tightness from my hip to my knee that I am all too familiar with. I will repeat day 1 before moving up to day 2 (it has longer run segments), and I think I will visit my IT band doctor from last year and have him help me stretch that out and get his advice on the feet and achilles. Gotta stay healthy!!!! I really want this.

On the Run! Again...

I've been slacking on my fitness blogging! Oh well...life goes on! I've restarted my journey with running. Again. I know, it wasn't long ago I did a post about giving up on running and feeling ok about it. But, for some reason, its just something I can't let go of, it just keeps coming back and nagging me! So I've started again. I've been posting my progress on Facebook, and i'm sure that my friends are getting sick of it, so I thought I would start blogging about it so that only those you care (maybe just me?) can have a place to go read it.

About 5 weeks ago Ryan started doing the Couch to 5k program. I decided that I would attempt to do it with him. Very slowly. And see if I could hold my injuries at bay if I built up very slowly and carefully. I had recently bought some new shoes that helped me to improve my stride, so I thought maybe I would have some luck.

For those of you not familiar with Couch to 5k, its a running program and slowly builds up from mostly walking to mostly running during about a 30 minute period over 8 weeks, running 3 times a week. The app we are using is actually a Couch to 10k app, so I think its a 14 week course to build up to running for an hour, but the first 8 weeks are the same as the 5k program.

We started the program, and at first you run for 60 seconds at a time, with walk long walk breaks in between and that was hard! We took it slow, but it was hard to imagine running more than that. But we made it through and moved on. Week 2 is 90 second jogs. Week 3- 90 seconds, walk break, then 3 minute jog. 3 minutes seemed like forever! We ended up repeating week 3 to make sure we were ready to move on without stressing our bodies. This past week we moved on to week 4 and finished strong. Week 4 including 3 & 5 minute run segments. We weren't sure we were going to be able to handle 5, but we made it through. With those longer segments we crossed the threshold and are now running more than walking during the run part of the workout (there is a warm-up and cool-down built into the workout). It feels good to feel like I'm running again. We watch our pace carefully to make sure we don't push too hard that we can't maintain. Its a little hard for me to think I need to go slower, not faster, but I know that's what my body needs to make sure I don't hurt myself. But, so far its working. Week 5 really steps up the game, its not the same thing 3 times, it gets progressively harder each day of the 3. We are planning to take it one day at a time and repeat as necessary. But, i'm happy to say that I'm looking forward to runs again. I get excited when I know that is what is on my workout plan for the day. I've been lifting weights on my run days, and just walking and doing PiYo on the days between. I like the hard days, and I think the active recovery days have been really helping me. Its a little different from how I was doing things, but so far, so good.

I was still feeling fine, but it was more of a struggle. My IT band is staying at bay, although I am careful to stretch it often and roll when I feel any tightness. My biggest problem has been my calves. I've always had very tight calves and hamstrings, and I can feel how tight they get when I run. I think the discomfort actually comes from my achilles tendon. When I first started running years ago, my calves always hurt, but I never put it together as an achilles problem, but I think it probably was. I think my new stride helps all of my other issues, but actually stressed my achilles a little more. But its not too bad. Its something I can handle. I've been stretching, using my foam roller, and icing my achilles if I experience any significant tightness. I also experience some ankle and feet tiredness, but I think I just need to build up strength there. Doing PiYo on my off days from running, a pilates/yoga mix that is a ton of stretching, I think is helping me stretch my hamstrings and achilles and strengthen my ankles and feet. I think it will be really beneficial for my running in the long run.

So, for now, running is working for me. I'm enjoying it. I can still walk the next day, so that's a bonus! I'm taking it a day at a time, but hopefully I can keep it up. I'm signed up for a 5k on November 1st and hoping to be able to run it strong. The next run i'm signed up for is an indoor run on January 1st, i'm sincerely hoping I can build up to a 10k by then, but if not, that's ok too. I'll do what I can.

32 for 32

A friend of mine had this idea to do 42 things she enjoyed on her 42nd birthday, I decided to steal her idea, but make it 32 things I enjoy during birthday month (August) since i'm turned 32! Here is my list:

-Fancy Dinner
-Wicked!
-Girls Night
-Get a massage
-Lunch with Friends
-Race!
-Swim 2 miles non-stop
-Write 32 things that I like about myself
-Have a family movie night
-Make homemade ice cream
-Have a water balloon fight
-Squeeze my kids as often as possible
-Take at least 1 nap
-Read a great book
-Write in my journal weekly
-Learn a new song on the piano
-Sing at the top of my lungs often
-Workout, because I love it, not because I have to
-Hire a cleaner once, its ok to ask for help!
-Parade of Homes!
-Keep a gratitude journal every day
-Hang out with my sisters
-Have a picnic under a tree
-Go swimming with the family
-Mommy dates with all 3 kids
-Go shopping
-Play Just Dance with my kids
-Ride my bike, just for fun
-Reconnect with friends
-Go to the temple
-Date nights! At least 2 of them.
-Pray, and pray often in gratitude!

I can't wait to start checking things off. Here is to one FANTASTIC birthday month!

Ride Report!

2014 JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes- Burlington Edition

Ride Weekend Report:

Thursday: Ryan and I took off bright and early Thursday morning, we met up with several members of our Utah Chapter riders at the airport in Salt Lake City and headed off to Burlington, we were all excited and the flight went pretty smoothly. We had a really quick layover in Philadelphia, then off to Burlington. We arrived around 5pm and caught the shuttle to our hotel. It was so nice to get there and see all the smiling faces of other JDRF riders and support staff. We dropped off our luggage in our room and then got checked in and met some of the riders. Energy was high and it was very exciting to be there. We had a fun, more low key dinner Thursday night, since all of the riders hadn’t arrived yet. After dinner the Utah chapter peeps took a shuttle to downtown Burlington to explore. We walked through the beautiful old streets and looked at little shops. We eventually made our way down to the water front and walked some more. Vermont is fantastically beautiful. The weather was perfect, slight humidity and 70’s. On our way back to the shuttle, we of course had to stop at the original Ben & Jerry’s ice cream store for a few scoops of fabulous ice cream. By the time we made it back to the hotel everyone was ready to crash from our long day of travel and excitement.

Friday: We woke up around 8 and headed down to the JDRF breakfast buffet with the group. Its always fun to see all the riders trickling in. After breakfast was the ride meeting where they go over the course and safety precautions. I was getting a little nervous at this point, the ride directors were talking about some of the challenges of the course and I realized I didn’t seem to have an accurate idea in my head of what the course was going to be like! After the meeting we got ready for our tune-up ride, just a quick ride on the early part of the course to make sure our bikes were working properly. About 3 miles in I saw a massive hill ahead. I started to panic a bit. I had no desire to try the hill on this quick tune-up ride, so most of the team went ahead and I turned back to the hotel. My bike was working great, and I was enjoying the feel of all of the oxygen from this almost sea level ride, but I was really starting to get nervous after that hill, and knowing it wasn’t even one of the big hills they had warned up about. I got a little stuck in my head and started to really doubt myself. Luckily my husband and my trainer kept reassuring me and telling me to trust my training. After talking to my team that had gone over the hill, I felt a bit better that it was a deceiving hill and wasn’t as hard as it looked. (Cause it looked HARD). After we got a chance to clean up we headed to lunch on a floating restaurant on the river. It was a beautiful spot and a fun time with my team and a few of our “adopted” cohorts from North Carolina. From lunch we headed straight out to tour the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory. Its a quick, fun little tour, and a tasty sample at the end. We took lots of fun pictures and enjoyed more yummy ice cream (it kind of became the theme of the weekend, bad Diane. :) ). We then headed back to the hotel to relax a little bit before the big Friday night dinner. We all dressed in our team shirts and enjoyed a great meal and learned so much about what JDRF is doing and about how fundraising is going this year. They handed out the Jersey for best recruiter and best fundraiser ($90,000!!!). And they handed out the “Promise” Jersey. It goes to the person that is not Type 1 who is best keeping the promise to do everything they can until we find a cure. Our teammate Maggie, a 16 year old girl, won the jersey! It was a very exciting and emotional moment. The whole night is so emotional and inspiring. Its the night that reminds me why I do this. Why I go to the trouble to fundraise and train. My heart was full to bursting with excitement and desire to never stop doing this. I went to bed feeling ready and excited, if a tad nervous.

Saturday: Ryan and I woke up bright and early to get ready for the ride. Luckily the ride starts and ends at the hotel, so there was no pre-dawn bus ride or anything to worry about. I drank my planned ucan/protein shake while I chatted with the team at breakfast. I was really pumped at this point. The still slightly asleep crowd probably thought I was crazy. :) We headed down to the bike room to get bikes set-up and ready to roll. The weather was PERFECTION. It was probably high 60’s at the start, beautiful skies, little wind, although the wind did pick up a bit later in the day. After taking start line pictures and singing the National Anthem, we were ready to roll! I was seriously excited. I got out and hit the hill I was so worried about, and it was a piece of cake! The momentum I got going into it and the extra oxygen flowing through my veins made me feel fantastic. I actually lost the group (Scott, Maggie, Maryann, Brian, Missy, Steve, Betty and Matt) I planned to ride with early on because I was just feeling so good. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking. I have never ridden such a beautiful ride in my life. There were some rolling hills, and some long winding descents. I was awestruck. It was strikingly green and lush. I loved every second of it. I waited for the team at rest stop #1 and tried to stay with them for the rest of the ride. I did pull away a few times and ride with people from other chapters, but we always regrouped at the rest stops. The rest stops were great, the volunteers were helpful. I stayed almost completely with my nutrition plan, and it really paid off. I felt energetic and happy the whole time. At mile 23, the sacred mile in JDRF rides, everyone gets quiet and contemplates all of those who have lost their lives in this fight against type 1. I cried, and I prayed. I prayed that no one will ever have to think of James during that mile. It really is a sacred mile. Later on, as we approached rest stop #3, I was getting nervous again, i’d heard about this crazy hill up to the rest stop.  And rightly so. It was insane. The steepest thing i’ve ever attempted. Unfortunately, its a hard hill to see and prepare for, so I didn’t get geared down quite enough. My legs were going so slowly that I was sure I was going to fall over, so I quickly unclipped (I was sure I wouldn’t be able to without crashing, so woohoo, I didn’t crash!). It was so steep that even standing over my bike was almost impossible because my cleats kept slipping out from under me. I walked, very carefully, 15 feet or so to the top of the steepest part, then remounted my bike and finished the hill up into the rest stop. Whew, it was hard! The team regrouped and I got a second wind, yay, the climb I had feared all day was over!  Little did I know that the next 15 miles were the toughest of the ride. There was a lot of climbing. Rolling hills, but it sure felt more up than down. I was really getting worn out from climbing. My left knee started to hurt a bit, which made me nervous. Luckily I was riding with a fantastic guy named Matt, a Type 1 on a hybrid bike, no clips or cages, and he was killing it! It was fun and motivating to keep up with him over the course of these crazy hills. Luckily, at the end of that difficult section is the turn around rest stop. The team regrouped again and we took a longer break to cool off and hydrate and fuel. My knee was definitely hurting so I took some ibuprofen and hoped that would take the edge off since there was still 48 miles to go. The 15 mile section back to the next rest stop was still difficult, slightly less so than doing it the other way, but it was still a challenge. Once we got back to the rest stop at the top of that crazy hill, I was grateful to know what lay ahead, I knew there would be some climbing but that the worst of it was over. My knee was also starting to feel better, which I was very grateful for. I was still feeling great otherwise and ready to keep rolling. Going down the crazy hill was actually quite terrifying. I had my breaks on as hard as my hands could stand to ease me down the hill, and my hands were cramping by the end of the steep section, i’m surprised I could hold on to the bottom. Once that was over the next miles were just fun. The team was riding together, we were pushing a good pace (we held about 14 over the whole ride, which was my goal), everyone seemed to be feeling good. The scenery was still epic. The weather was still fantastic, if a bit windy. We took quick stops at all the rest stops, but we were really just enjoying the time at this point. The hardest part near the end was at about mile 90 where there were several decent climbs, the last of which is called “Irish Hill”. Its only about 3/4 of a mile long, but it’s pretty brutal, and at mile 90, it’s really brutal. But, I made it to the top which I was very proud of. We cheered each member of our team to the top. I was inspired by the coaches who repeatedly rode the hill to help everyone make it up, some even pushing riders up. Once we regrouped, we rode the last 8 miles together. Just around the corner from the finish line we met up with our coach, Kimberly, and the faster riders from our group (John and Darin) that had already finished, and we rode in together through the finish line, with me at the front of the pack. It truly was a great moment. I couldn’t believe I had actually done it. I finally completed a century. I finally had the full experience of the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes, and it was everything I had hoped it would be. Truly. It was WAY harder than I thought it would be (nearly 4,300 feet of climbing, my personal record in a single ride), but I also felt better throughout than I could have hoped for. It was a great day. I got back, celebrated a bit with everyone, and then showered and relaxed for the little time we had before the celebration dinner. Another great time that leaves me on a JDRF high and that I wish I could experience on a weekly basis. I mostly relaxed all evening, and chatted with my husband and Chapter Coach about what to ride next year and fundraising ideas. I think I pretty much have Ryan convinced to ride with me next year. Ryan was a great cheerleader. He made the weekend about me, and he texted me, and watched my progress throughout all of ride day to keep me motivated. I’m so glad he was there for me. It was so nice to see his face at the finish! And I couldn’t have done it without such an awesome group of people to ride with. Truly, a great day. I will never forget it.

Right before the start with my awesome team and our adopted team. :)

Crossing the finish line!

Team Utah!

Sunday: We got up early and got ready for church, and packed up our room to check out. We then met the LDS portion of our team and took a cab to the chapel nearby so we could attend Sacrament meeting. It was a special experience to do it with my team. Afterwards we headed back to the hotel to get ready to fly out, and to enjoy one more lunch together before the official end of ride weekend. They are all such great people. I’m so lucky to have found this group and to be able to call them all my friends. Now, the travel home…that will require a whole post of its own…as I type this I am sitting in the Philadelphia airport. I’ve been here for 22 hours. We got to the Burlington airport 25 hours ago. Its been a long, sleepless trip, worthy of its own post. But despite that chaos, I cannot wait to do this again. The plan for now is La Crosse, WI in August of 2015. That seems so far away! Lots of the team is doing Tucson in November of this year, and I wish I could pull it off. I need as much of that #bikeface as I can get into my life. Its truly a special thing.

I’m still a little short on my fundraising. If you have a few bucks to share, please help me out. It is a cause I will never give up on! And better yet, if you want to join the ride program, you will NOT regret it. It is the coolest thing I have ever done, and once you drink the Kool-aid, you’ll know exactly what i’m talking about! Talk to me about it anytime, or go to ride.jdrf.org and read more about it! 

Here is my fundraising link: http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/DianeOwen