Running for Reason

I have taken on the challenge of not only running the Pittsburgh Half Marathon in May, but of also fundraising for charity along the way. When most people think of charities, the big ones always come to mind. This time, I chose to run for those who are far too often forgotten about. It’s not always major illnesses and diseases that threaten our lives. For some, it’s the lack of access to basic needs- food, water, shelter. Because of this,  I will be running my race for Haiti H20.

Haiti H20 is a ministry partnership that helps raise funds to develop sustainable business projects in the villages, such as a bread oven and community farming projects. By making a donation to my charity page, your efforts will help Haiti H2O provide clean water projects, agriculture, sanitation, schools, and more to rural Haitian communities, cultivating hope and opportunities. The program is unique in that it is designed with the idea that we are offering a hand up, not a hand out.

There are two major projects that funds raised through my charity will assist. The Haiti H₂O Composting Toilet Project is a proactive program that improves sanitation and replenishes the soil in Baissin Caiman. There is no electricity, running water or public sewage system.  As you can imagine this leads to major health problems. A composting toilet provides a safe and secure structure to dispose of human waste, while also converting that waste to compost to replenish the soil. The Haiti H2O Goat Project is a livestock exchange program to aid the people in rural Haiti.  One of the best ways to increase the income of an area is to increase the number of livestock in that area. This project will help break the crippling poverty of the area through gifts of goats.

With your help through a donation, we can bring Haiti one step closer to sustainability. Please consider donating to a wonderful cause. Sharing my page with others can also help raise awareness and funds for this cause.

https://www.crowdrise.com/haitih2opittsburgh2016/fundraiser/chrissywojnarwsky

It's the little things

It's the little things.

It's a phrase we've all heard over, and over. A cliche. Something you really don't pay any mind to because it's lost it's meaning from all the repetition. It's those kinds of things you learn to appreciate though, when they somehow find a little more meaning in your life.

In the process of taking a year to focus on me, I've also paid more mind to the other little details in life, one place to surprisingly note is in my running. One thing that was hard for me while training for my half marathon was I got so bored with the scenery. My challenge to myself as I begin to train again is to look for one new thing I hadn't noticed on my run last time. It's crazy how different your course can be, even though it's the same one you ran 4 times in a week, when you change your mindset. Instead of thinking about the fact that I have to run past the same stuff everyday, I start picking out the small details. Like how many cars are parked in a driveway, noting the actual number on the mailboxes even though I've lived on the street for 21 years, seeing the way the flowers have changed and blossomed, noting the blow up pool that appeared in one of the yards once the weather warmed up. you know, the little things.

Speaking of running. I was always hesitant to note on some tips and tricks I've learned along the way, thinking, any veteran runner will read this and just laugh, thinking, isn't that obvious? but for those of us not training to be Usain Bolt, it might not be so obvious. For those of us who are learning as we go, any little bit of advice helps, the little things.

During my training for my half marathon, I made the mistake of having overly high expectations of myself, expectations that caused me to be way too hard on myself, and kind of ruined the experience. What's the expression they use, Rome wasn't built in a day? Well I am very hard headed, and not surprising, very impatient. I tend to learn things as an aftermath rather than in the moment. A learning experience perhaps? So as I get myself back into running shape, I've had a much more open mind. And from my point of view, the results are already speaking for themselves.

Between the midst of packing, moving, and just generally figuring life out... well let's just say running definitely got put on the back burner. When I finally had some time on my hands, and started to make myself go for runs again, I was extremely put out by how out of shape I had gotten. While I was never extremely fast, I was actually downright disgusted to see my mile pace rise back up into double digits. All that hard work for what? But then I made myself realize, if I want my time back, then the only way to get there, was to get my feet dirty. So I took off running.

I started running again about a week after I moved home, so a little less than a month. Let me just tell you, it was a rather excruciatingly frustrating process at first. While I once finished 13.1 miles like it was nothing, I couldn't even finish running 3. I never used to let myself stop and walk, I wouldn't allow it. And now? My runs consisted of more walking than running. Talk about A LOT of steps backward. But you know what? I kept getting up and running. I dreaded it, oh did I dread it. But I went. In a little less than a month's time, I have gotten my time back down to around where it was at my prime, which I must say, I'm impressed with myself ,especially because I have no set training schedule, I'm literally just going with it. It's not just the time though. I've realized my running in general has become stronger. My body doesn't feel as heavy when I run, I can feel how much stronger my legs are. I'm slowly but surely mastering taking longer strides, which is already reflective in my miles. When I trained for my first half, my fitbit would buzz around 3 miles to say I got my 10,000 steps. I've been a bit discouraged when I log into my fitbit dashboard to see my weekly step count a lot lower than usual, despite running at least 3 times a week. But then I told myself, quality, not quantity. Because now, when I go for my runs, my fitbit doesn't buzz for the 10,000 until closer to 5 miles. That means I'm getting almost twice the distance in half the steps. I'll take it.

I've never been a quitter; I don't let being sore or tired be an excuse. But I've been taking a few extra steps to ensure it doesn't become one. When I first got home I spent some time running at the gym. I was amazed at how fast my mile times were, but then was extremely disappointed to see the huge gap in my mile times outside. Then I thought to myself, why waste your time and energy inside? When will you ever find a race that is hosted in a perfectly temperature regulated environment encased in 4 walls? That would be some pretty freaking boring miles if you ask me. So that's when I decided, no more running inside. Running outside definitely has it's perks. 1- If you run outside, you have no choice but to come back. On a track, you can just stop whenever, walk back to the stairs or gate and call it a day. Outside? Whether you're running a loop, or running to a destination and turning around, once you're out, there's literally no turning back, until you're headed home. So think, even if you only get, say a half a mile down the road. Well, you have no choice but to run the half mile back if you decide to be done for the day. That's a half mile longer than you'd make it on a track. Do that everyday, and it starts to add up. Without realizing it, you've pushed yourself that much further. Because I can assure you, the more you run, the further you'll find yourself going before you turn around. 2- You're forced to train in the elements. And this is where people might call me crazy (which I myself do too at times because normally if it's not sunny and 75, I HATE the climate and elements) but I've taken to running in the most extreme elements I can. I did in Georgia too. Because let's face it, when is race day ever sunny and 75? (which, even for race day, 75 would be way too hot for me) So chances are if you haven't encountered it before, you won't be equipped to handle it when it comes, and believe me, it'll come. Prime example- it had been in the teens the weeks leading up to my first half, and I definitely skimped on my training... I got to race day, and it was mid 40s and drizzling, and I thought, I've ran in the rain before, I'll be fine, I've got my gear to stay warm, I'll be fine. WRONG. I sweated my ass off the whole time. I know I overheat easily and sweat like crazy, but my pansy self hates being cold and couldn't stop thinking about possibly being cold. Lesson learned. I digress.. anyway, instead of getting up early in the morning to run when it's cool (which, closer to my next race I will switch to doing simply to get prepared to run at that time of day since that's when my race will be), I run in the hottest part of the day. I know, I know, you're probably thinking, she's lost her mind. But guess what? Slowly but surely, I'm becoming acclimatized, and it's actually improved my running. As much as I hate the cold, I also HATE getting extremely overheated when I run. I''m not one to stop running and call it quits, but if I get hot enough, I will walk. I hate the feeling. Only one way to get over that though, and it's to find a way to get rid of it. Speaking of walking though (yes I apologize for my mind being everywhere, this is what happens when your mind wanders on your runs and then you have to try and compose the thoughts later), I decided to break my one rule  I said I never would- I've been walking on my runs. My reasoning- I've been treating it honestly as interval training, especially in these hot weeks. I figure, when I do my long runs, I tend to slow down to a pace that is just a few seconds shy of walking anyway for a bit until I catch a second wind, so why not actually walk, catch a breather, and go for round two? I push myself as hard as I can for 3-4 miles, which gets me quite a way up the road. I will actually "pause" my workout on my app, keep moving, catch my breath, cool down a bit, and turn around and take off running home. While I used to see a steady decline in my speed on my long runs, as I attempted to trudge on, when I actually stopped, I saw that my speed increased a lot in my return miles. I always used to tell myself if I stop I know I won't keep going, but this defies all of that. I've found a ground breaking new way to push my fatigue threshold, and it makes me extremely excited. I'm waiting until I pick my next marathon to actually set my new goal, but I smell a PR in the making. While I trained for my first half, I could only see the big picture. But now that I've gotten rid of tunnel vision, I'm realizing, it's the little things.

While everything else in life is falling into place, I've also taken advantage of finally having some leisure time for the first time... ever? haha.  I've always been an avid reader, but when life tends to happen, and boy does it for me, I tend to lose time for it. I've gotten better over the months, but I've told myself I would like to finish a book for every month I've given up social media. I'm already on my second one. Most people would probably say at this point, why, of all things, would you make a goal to read books in your spare time, when you could go out and do something instead? Because, my friends, for me, it's all about the little things.

Now, that's not to say I don't plan on getting outside my comfort zone. I just haven't found where it is I want to push the limits of it yet. We are only 11 days in, I've got plenty of time to cook up my next big adventure.

Wandelust. I think that's what they call it. Or for the ignorant, young and indecisive. Whichever you choose, doesn't effect my expectations of life and how I plan to fulfill them.

I think that's enough rambling for one night. I also think it's safe to say, this is going to be quite the refreshing year.

Some quotes to dwell on (as if I don't have enough to share on my Project 365)
"Out with the old, in with the new."
"A wise friend once told me, you do you, and everything else will fall into place."

All you need is love...but a little jewelry never hurt anybody ;)

I would like to admit 2 things:

1. I normally HATE people who invite me to groups, events, etc. on Facebook that appear to be just another advertisement, scam, etc. HOWEVER. I have a new appreciation for this feature on facebook. My reason- The fact of the matter is, our society today lives through social media. It's how we communicate. Which, isn't always a bad thing. Why you ask? Because I can post something, such as a charity that benefits cancer research, and it can spread like wildfire in just a few short days. I don't even need a million followers, to be "super popular", etc. Things circulate social media whether you like it or not. While this can be dangerous, in my case? It is definitely working to my favor.

2. Now a little more specifically onto my event. It's great how the world can be such a wonderful place. How a complete stranger can offer you their help. Never did I imagine that help would come in the form of jewelry. But what better way for it to come? Let's face it, every girl likes to get dolled up every now and again, and jewelry is always the finishing touch. Silpada has a GREAT selection for any time, place, season, age, outfit, you name it! And you know it must be impressive if I can say that, because I am not typically a jewelry girl. If you haven't already, you need to check out the site. That's my challenge to you, at least open the page, because chances are, you will thank me later for it. AND the proceeds benefit cancer research, I would call that a win win situation in my book!

https://mysilpada.com/shop/party/invite?rep=jean.kajko&localeCode=en_US&partyId=751940&partyKey=57F2DEEAC77F411E8D0F9402A450A084&partyInvitationType=CATALOG&visitorId=l53QVOp1xGg6Xsow5kc6ZPp_c73CD4iZsT8U66x0241-

https://www.facebook.com/events/846065438820680/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/780417112062951/

Silpada event- funds raised benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network! *Pay it forward

hey friends ! awesome news! as you know I've been working very hard to fundraise for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network in honor of Joseph M. Ferencz , and one of my friends Jean Naimo Kajko has so graciously offered to host a Silpada event to help me reach my goal! check out the page and share it, and definitely check out the awesome products ! Remember the money raised will help benefit my charity!

https://www.facebook.com/events/846065438820680/

https://mysilpada.com/shop/party/invite?rep=jean.kajko&localeCode=en_US&partyId=751940&partyKey=57F2DEEAC77F411E8D0F9402A450A084&partyInvitationType=CATALOG&visitorId=zkmunjIOEDc6ea2q7zxQVKnER4Hq9us1Iqz2T_ZzSxSW

Even if you aren't a jewelry person, I urge you to check it out! There's something for everyone on it, and of course it always makes a great gift :)

A breath of fresh air, a 365 day cleanse

Every lent, I give up my social media for 40 days. And let me say, it is the most refreshing 40 days of my life. I feel like I get a chance to focus on me and I stop constantly comparing myself and my success to other people. I get a chance to accomplish things that I keep putting off. It overall has been a great experience every time.  I have been kicking around getting rid of my social media for quite some time now, but unfortunately our generation is so wrapped up in it, that it's been a struggle. So I've decided to take the same approach my mom told to take when I wanted to get a tattoo. She had told me if it was something I really wanted, to have the saying I was getting somewhere visible on me, like a piece of jewelry,  for a year straight and if come after a year I still wanted it, I could get it. Not quite the same, but I've decided I don't need Lent to give up social media, or anything else for that matter. So instead of deleting everything cold turkey, I'm going to start with a "31 day cleanse". For the month of July, I've taken on the challenge, with my friend Sara, to delete all my social media apps off my phone, and to stay off of them. If after July I don't feel a need to open them, I plan to expand that cleanse another month... and so on, until a year is up, and see where I stand. It's going to be a challenge, but I know it is doable. It will give me a chance to focus on me, reconnect with important people that I feel I have lost touch with because of social media, and most of all to really live my life instead of painting a picture of it on social media. With this challenge though, I have made some exceptions, only because as I have said, social media has indeed become a big part of our lives, but I would like to point out that it is not all for bad. I have used it as an important tool in sharing my fundraising for charities. Since I am currently in the middle of a fundraiser until mid-July, I will also utilize my social media for that, primarily Facebook. I have also decided to make an exception for Facebook in that I am going to do another photo project 365, posting a photo a day for a year. I will have all notifications turned off, but it will take a lot of self control to not browse as I log on to post the picture, but I have faith in myself. Of course my blog will be an exception as well, but I don't group it with social media for the simple fact that it's more for my personal use for others to read. It's not here to paint a fake picture or to get attention. It's just here for me to share some stuff, whether people actually read it or not. I really think this is going to be a great experience, and I can't wait to see the things I discover along the way.

It's the thought that counts

Even before Pinterest got big, I was into making creative, thoughtful gifts rather than buying another pointless item. I normally need some kind of idea to spark my creativity, but once I think of it, I'm normally on a role. My most recent idea came when I was home visiting during my high school's spring break. I was helping mom unpack boxes, and saw all of her jewelry just stacked in a haphazard pile on her dresser. So my thought? She needs a new jewelry box. My mom owns a decent amount of jewelry, and especially pieces that might not necessarily fit in your standard jewelry box. So instead of hunting for one that would work, I decided to just make my own!

Michaels has (dangerously) been my best friend during my creative kicks. It was a one stop shop this time. I simply found a box that would be big enough for her jewelry (which was a bit of a challenge), a few pieces of thin wood to make the dividers on the inside, some classy dark expresso stain, staining brushes, and then my favorite part, all the fun stuff to decorate with! I've fallen in love with mosaic, so that's the route I chose to go. I picked up some mosaic pieces in two different color sets, sea glass, some craft glue, and then grout. I wanted to go with a beachy theme because there's nothing my mom loves then sitting in the white sand by the beach in Mexico.

The assembly wasn't that bad either, just some timing to work out. I stained the box and the dividers on our back patio, and let it sit for 48 hours to dry. I took a day after it dried to set up the pieces in a pattern I liked and glued them down, let that dry as well. A day after I did the grout, and then finally once that was dry I glued down the inside dividers. I was sure to get extra pieces for the dividers in case they get broken. And just like that mom had a new jewelry box that was one of a kind!

Now we can't forget about my very pregnant sissy. We recently had her baby shower, and I went back and forth of whether I wanted to get something off her registry or do something a bit more thoughtful and creative. Naturally, I ended up going the creative route. I figured everyone thinks of the baby during the shower, but what about Mommy? She needs some pampering too!

So I decided on a mommy survival kit, basically all the little things she would need for herself after the baby came that she wouldn't think to get herself or may not have lying around. This was a fairly easy creative task as well, the most time consuming part was buying all the stuff and then labeling it all. Here's a list of what I included in the survival kit. You can pick other things, add to it, etc, these were just the things I thought of myself. I put cute, witty notes on them to explain their "rationale" in the basket. I found cute chevron patterned ones that matched her theme to write on. For the basket I just got one at Target in the colors for the nursery. 

The contents:

Kleenex- for all the tears, happy and sad

Piggy bank- because it's never too soon to start saving for college ;) I went with Ninja turtles, because, well they are awesome, duhhhh

face masks- since mommyhood ages you

maxi pads- from what I hear, mother nature  HEAVILY blesses you after that 9 month grace period... I also was educated on what a mommy padsicle is and what wonders they can do lol

chocolate- kind of self explanatory

flushable wipes- I hear they come in handy post partum

special K protein bars- for a healthy, almost hands free snack 

tea- to have a cup while Auntie Chrissy comes over to clean and take care of the baby ;)

deodorant- because showers are a thing of the past when you have a newborn

dry shampoo- goes hand in hand with the deordorant

bubble bath- for when you finally get some "me" time... i got spongebob kids bubble bath to remind her while shes enjoying herself that she is a new mommy

candles- to set the mood for the bath

nipple cream- because breastfeeding does its fair share of wear and tear on mommy

nipple protector pads- goes hand in hand with the cream... for these two items I got Lansinoh because I heard great things about it

good smelling handsoap- for everyone to use before snuggling the baby

a notepad and pens- to either document feedings and sleep schedule, write out her feelings, or whatever else new mommy's need

pony tails- to keep the mane out of reach of the grabby baby

aveeno baby lotion/cream- safe for baby too, and extra moisturizing for all the hand washings

starbucks expresso energy drinks- because new mommy's need a pick me up

hand sanitizer- germs are mommy's worst nightmare

a bottle of wine- 9 month hiatus... need I say more

snickers- again... candy...chocolate...need I say more?

gum- for when you don't remember the last time you brushed your teeth

chapstick- everyone needs some good chapstick

Now onto the actual shower.. we had some cute things up our sleeves. Mom picked the games, I'll give her credit for that, I did the creative work.. Designing borders to match her theme, setting them up, etc. And I had "elephant duty"... My sister picked elephants for the theme for the nursery. So, we thought of a cute idea for a party memento from the shower. I designed/shaded an elephant to hold onto balloons. At the shower we had everyone sign one, (The balloons, by the way, were the hardest part to find. I ended up finding gift tags at Hobby Lobby to use) and I went to work strategically placing them to make balloon bundles for the elephant to hold. I just used different colored strings cut and pulled tightly to "attach" them to the elephant. I think it turned out rather nicely :)
I also had "diaper cake" duty. I had already made one for her birthday so this one was a breeze. We got a 96 pack of pampers swaddlers size 2, and I set aside 40 for the "midnight diapers" shower game, and used the rest for my cake. I used little rubber bands to roll all the diapers. I put an empty paper towel roll in the middle of all of them and then just began placing them in a circle. I don't remember how many I used per layer, I just kept placing them until the spaces were filled in and it was rounded. Then I used a giant rubber band to hold them all in place. Once all the layers were in place, I used cute ribbons to cover up the rubber band. I had a thicker safari animal print I used and then bordered it in the gray. Once the ribbon was done, I just used gift ribbons and crinkle paper to fill in the rest. and of course it had to be topped with an elephant.
The shower games were fun... we did "the price is right" where the guests had to guess the prices of the baby items, and the closest to the actual total wins, "baby bingo" where the guests filled in their bingo cards with items they think mom would get and checked them off as she opened gifts, "midnight diapers", which wasn't actually a game, but something cute and funny. We had the guests write messages to mom and dad on the diapers, and we designated the box to be used for the 2 am night changes. Just some cute, easy ideas to keep it interesting!

Staggering Statistics

So as I recently mentioned, Pancreatic Cancer is one of the most deadliest forms of cancer out there... It's extremely difficult for people to have faith and hold onto hope when they know this fact going in. I firmly believe that a big part of this is lack of funding... as you'll be able to gather from the last two statistics on the list. So what better way to tackle this problem than head on? Donating directly to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network will ensure that funds go directly toward the research specifically for pancreatic cancer. The more we raise, the brighter the future looks.

PANCREATIC CANCER FACTS

An estimated 46,420 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the U.S., and over 39,590 will die from the disease. Pancreatic cancer is one of the few cancers for which survival has not improved substantially over nearly 40 years. Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers. 94% of pancreatic cancer patients will die within five years of diagnosis – only 6% will survive more than five years. 74% of patients die within the first year of diagnosis. The average life expectancy after diagnosis with metastatic disease is just three to six months. Few risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer are defined. Family history of the disease, smoking, age, and diabetes are risk factors. Pancreatic cancer may cause only vague symptoms that could indicate many different conditions within the abdomen or gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms include pain (usually abdominal or back pain), weight loss, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), loss of appetite, nausea, changes in stool, and diabetes. Treatment options for pancreatic cancer are limited. Surgical removal of the tumor is possible in less than 20% of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Chemotherapy or chemotherapy together with radiation is typically offered to patients whose tumors cannot be removed surgically. Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer death largely because there are no detection tools to diagnose the disease in its early stages when surgical removal of the tumor is still possible. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) spent an estimated $105.3 million on pancreatic cancer research in 2012. This represented a mere 1.8% of the NCI’s approximate $5.8 billion cancer research budget for that year. Source for statistics: American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts & Figures 2014 and NCI Annual Plan & Budget Proposal For Fiscal Year 2012. http://www.pancreatic.org/site/c.htJYJ8MPIwE/b.5050503/k.40C9/Pancreatic_Cancer_Facts.htm

Running for a Cause- check mine out!

Like I've said before, I don't run for me. Yes, it is therapeutic. Yes, it helps me run off whatever current overwhelming emotions or life happenings are occurring. But when I decided to start running big time, I knew I wanted to do if for something bigger. Running my first half marathon to benefit a child who hadn't even been given a shot at life yet was the most rewarding experience I think I have had to date. After that, I knew I wanted to keep running marathons, and moreover, to keep running them for charity.

My latest cause I actually discovered through my running app, MapMyRun. I noticed a while ago that they always have new "challenges" you can participate in. It seemed more like a bit of motivation, so I never participated in one before, until recently I had one catch my eye. It was called I workout beCAUSE, hosted by everydayhero. The motivation behind it? Fundraising for a cause. I knew this was exactly what I needed.

I recently lost one of the most important men in my life to Pancreatic Cancer. It was devastating, rather unexpected, and terribly frustrating. I will never understand why bad things happen to good people. I am so beyond blessed to be able to say I knew him. He played such an important role in my life for 23 years, and sometimes it is still so hard to accept that he is gone. When I went to his service, and even his celebration of life, I couldn't help but be amazed at how many people showed up and to see how many lives he had touched, though I shouldn't be surprised with how amazing of a man he was. I definitely wouldn't be who or where I am today without him.

 While I can't undo what happened, I do know I can continue to make him proud. I had said I was going to run my next half marathon through project purple to raise funds for pancreatic cancer awareness and research, but when I saw this, I thought why wait? I saw what this nasty cancer did to him and everyone that loved him, and I want to do everything in my power to prevent it from happening to others, and at the very least decrease the number. My fundraising will benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. While ya'll may not have known Joseph (Chip) Ferencz personally, I know many of you have experienced loss, especially due to cancer. I encourage you to donate to this wonderful cause, especially given that Pancreatic Cancer is one of the most deadliest cancers out there, and ironically, one of the least funded. Every little bit counts and makes a difference, pay it forward.

https://iworkoutbecause.everydayhero.com/us/chrissy-2

Social Media as Self Validation

I must admit, I myself have been guilty of it, both actively and passively. Posting pictures on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. that, let's be honest, are meant to get attention. Whether it's posts full of bragging asking for a congrats, posts of bad things that happened asking for sympathy, posts for birthdays or holidays as tribute to someone important, posts literally making your life seem picture perfect, whether it's tangible things you have, or relationships you're in. When did our life value become measured by our social media posts? I first started reevaluating things when I noticed all the Mother's Day posts. Pictures posted saying how much they loved their moms and wished them a great day. Since when does it take a picture post on social media to confirm that, yes, you love your mother? and why do you only let the world know that via social media one day a year? So I decided I wasn't going to be like everyone else out there. You want to know what I did? CALLED my mom (yes, what a novel idea), and talked to her on the phone. Asked about her day, caught up, and TOLD her how much I loved her, instead of telling all my friends on social media. Same goes for birthdays. Why post a picture with a friend you haven't actually seen in years, just to make you seem closer than you really are? Why not go SEE that friend, take them to lunch, catch up. Make their big day actually have meaning, instead of making it all superficial via the internet. Using social media to glorify our lives only paints a false picture of what is real, and in a society where we are constantly comparing ourselves to others, it can be an extremely detrimental thing. That's where the passiveness comes in. All the posts of weddings, babies, new jobs and cars... Why must others success be the way of measuring ourselves? Especially because more often than not, those posts are very much inflated. The perfect filter, the ability to revise and edit... endless ways to portray the perfection that doesn't exist. While social media can be a great way to stay in touch and get updates, I firmly believe it has made people extremely lazy and caused them to take advantage of things and lose appreciation. Since when does our self worth have to be measured by how many likes we have?
When I gave social media up for lent, it was the most refreshing 40 days of my life. It was the first time in a long time I had no distractions, and I could finally focus on me time. I was able to focus on bettering myself, without constant comparing myself to everyone else. I was able to reconnect with old friends, rather than just "creeping" on posts to see what they were doing with their lives. When I gave up social media, I was finally free to live my life for the first time in a long time.
After giving it a lot of thought, I am contemplating getting rid of social media, with the exception of Facebook, for the simple fact that I do use it for other purposes other than everything I'm against. It will be a good test to see how many people still connect with me, despite me rebelling against getting sucked into this anti-social world we have become a part of.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2V9-3ZwnIU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRl8EIhrQjQ

Pace and time, are they interchangeable?

During the course of my training for my first marathon, I made the mistake of just focusing on time. I was getting frustrated when I plateaued and couldn't decrease my speed anymore, without thinking of why. What I failed to realize is I was using pace and time interchangeably, inevitably leading to my lack of improvement. I've learned now that my time and speed is a component of my pace, along with many other factors, which I failed to address during my training. These factors included stride, cadence, and breathing. In hindsight I realize I did not address cadence or stride at all. I also noticed how difficult they are to change. I have extremely short legs, so my stride length is naturally short, which also makes my cadence more like the "pitter patter" or scurrying of a mouse lol I've been trying to focusing on longer strides, but it's hard to keep a good cadence when I do. I now see why they say to give yourself at least three months to change. Baby steps. It's not three months to get to the 13 miles, but 3 months to get into a groove along the way. This is something that I could only learn by trying, so time to take it to the course and change it for the next one!

Kicking it into high gear

I've decided to make a few changes to my training regimen to help improve my pace. I realized I never really picked it up during my race, and even when I tried, I didn't have much "get up and go." Because of this, I've decided to incorporate sprints into my training. Below you can see what a difference it made too. The bottom 2 miles were ran doing sprint/jog intervals. I split up the sprints during the mile, doing anywhere from 100-400M, trying to push myself further as I went. The second set of 2 miles were done at a slower jog than my race pace (they were done after my sprint-jog intervals, and I lifted legs the day before, so needless to say I was tired). Regardless, you can see what a difference it made. I shaved an entire minute off my time. My goal is to keep adding miles to the intervals, so I can have my "get up and go" during my race. Hoping to see some improvements soon! 

Getting back into it

I haven't updated in awhile, so I decided to back track a bit. Here's my first run after my marathon. I took about a month off to let my body recover. I made the mistake of not doing much cardio on my break.... but surprisingly enough, my time for my first 2 miles was actually faster than my average pace during my marathon. Letting my body heal definitely made all the difference in the world. But then you can see where my stamina dropped off... aka mile 3. It's crazy how fast you de-train. Even though I was frustrated at first, I know it's not that bad considering the break  I took. Now I'm ready to get back into it and start making improvements! 

circuits, suicides, and burpees... what's not to love?

For my "off season" training I've been trying to spice things up so I don't get bored or in a funk. I am a big fan of circuits because they are fast pace and work everything in the body. They make me feel like I'm dying sometimes, but it's totally worth it. I noticed from my first half marathon that I don't have much "get up and go" when I'm trying to pick up the pace to decrease my time, so I've decided to incorporate more sprints into my training regimen. I'll list the latest circuit I've been doing below. It's nice because you don't need a gym membership to do them. I did it in the gym, and sometimes I do it in the gym at the high school I work at when all my teams are done for the day or I have gaps between practices when they don't have school. If you're just doing it somewhere outside, and don't have good stopping points/measurements for the suicides, you can always just do straight ahead sprints. Just enough to get your HR up and incorporate quick running patterns in the circuit.

1 set of suicides
10 push ups
20 mountain climbers
20 lunges
20 air squats
10 burpees
repeat 5 times.

It doesn't seem like much, but it's a good workout. I used to incorporate planks and wall sits, but I took them out to do on their own. I don't want any static exercises in my circuits.

As much as I try to avoid social media, as I feel it is a time eater, pinterest is great for finding new, creative ideas for keeping workouts interesting. Once I get bored with a workout it's game over. Finding things you enjoy keep it fun and keep you wanting to go back for more.

If you're looking for recipes....

They are all still here:

http://funsized-fierce-fitness-food.tumblr.com/


That was my original blog, while I was testing out if I actually enjoyed blogging. Turns out I do, so I upgraded to here. Unfortunately I'm not very tech savvy so I haven't figured out how to post all of my recipes so they are nicely categorized like they were on tumblr. I will keep trying, so check back soon! In the mean time, they are all still available to view in the other domain :)

Progress... it's a personal thing

When I had numerous people ask me if I was going to take before and after pictures from my training, I was a little confused to be honest. When I asked why, they simply asked me, well don't you want to see your progress? Hmm. well, I don't exactly have a good answer for that one.

You see, progress is such a personal thing, so subjective. It's not about a physical appearance. When you're doing something to make yourself better, only YOU will know when you finally "see" improvements. For me, it was more about sheer strength and stamina. Everyone has this misconception that the smaller you are, the faster you'll go, and that's not necessarily the case. I grew up in a sport that was surrounded by negative stereotypes and images, and often got a bad rep for itself. I never really understood it, until I got to college.

When I cheered allstars, the extent of size was the littler girls flew, the taller girls backspotted, and the STRONGER girls based. not the "bigger" girls. It wasn't a size breakdown/analysis. It's just how things went. No one got a complex from it, we just knew it was how the system worked. It was literally like a puzzle, and everyone had a piece where they fit, with a very important role to play to hold it all together. Now in college? it was more like trying to fit a round peg in a square hole... or more like trying to squeeze the wrong girl into the wrong uniform. I could now see where the complex came from, and I didn't like where it was heading.

While cheering at SRU,I was always referred to as "the fetus"... which I grew to hate. It was because I was the smallest one, and here once again came a misconception that smaller was better. I knew it was my technique that made me good, but I sometimes got lost in the comments and the crap and eventually was convinced it was my size that made me good. So I stopped lifting, and just focused on cardio. I wanted to stay as slim as my coach needed me to. I didn't want to "bulk up" from lifting, which as an AT, I KNOW that's not how that works, but try letting common sense, and actual knowledge overcome the pressure of a coach. Let me tell you, it's impossible.

Once I was done cheering, it was like an instant light bulb. I finally could see clearly that listening to that crap was stupid. I know it sounds so cliche, but I could finally understand that strong really was the new skinny. Instead of aiming for the skinny, unrealistic body image of someone like a Victoria Secret model, I was aiming to be strong, to let that six pack show, to have people jokingly ask to put my guns away. I finally was aiming for healthy, which in and of itself is subjective, which is where I go back to talking about progress. My goal in all of this was to be strong enough to make it 13.1 miles. It was a mental, physical, and emotional training regimen. I don't run to lose weight. I don't run to "get skinny". I run because I can, because it's something I can do that is mindless and is an escape for me, and is oddly euphoric. I run because it's something that I can do that I only compete with myself. Maybe it's selfish, or maybe it's smart. And more importantly, now I will be doing it to benefit those who can't run. So it's not about "getting fit". It's about being strong.  Being able to stay committed to the training, get through the race, and raise some money for those who need it along the way.

I don't just run, I lift. I strengthen my body to be strong enough to withstand the stress and the pounding of running. Yes, I am officially a girl that lifts. You'd be amazed at what a difference it makes in my running. And you know what? I love it. I love being sore, I love feeling myself get better, get stronger.


I did take pictures before and after my training. More so for personal measure than anything. Ya'll make look at this and see no difference in the 3 months I trained, but I can tell you, I FEEL a difference. I feel so much stronger, so much healthier, and honestly? so much happier.

If there's anything ya'll take away from this, I hope it's that you don't compare yourself to others, and that you don't listen to what they have to say. Set goals for yourself, know what YOU are aiming at. Know your milestones, and take pride in them. Even if it's the little things. I celebrated when I ran 7 miles, because it was officially the longest I had run, and then again when I ran 10, because I hit double digits. I celebrated when I officially squatted more than I weighed, considering when I was in college I would never have even thought about squatting with weight.
Know what you want to see, how you want to feel. Tuning out the rest of the world is one of the best things I've ever done, and I can assure you, it will be worth it.

post race recovery

The number one thing I've learned, and I'll say it over and over again, is listen to your body. I was definitely feeling that 13.1 miles the next day. What better way to relax than with a nice bubble and epsom salt bath. And let me just say, our new apartment has a wonderful tub. It's the perfect size for bubble baths! I let myself soak in all the steamy goodness and massaged out some of the soreness.

What better way to work out the lactic acid than by exercising it out! Yep, that's right, I headed back to the gym and got right back into workouts. I don't want to risk getting out of shape, so I headed to the Y and started with a warm up on the cycling bike. I did a mini workout like I do in my spinning classes, varying the intensity to get me moving and sweating. I took it easy on the lifting because I know my body is still healing and recovering. I did a light set of squats to get my legs moving, but I mostly focused on upper body and back, and of course a nice little core workout.

Race Update!

hey ya'll!

So the big day has finally come and past, and let me tell you, it was one heck of an experience! There's just something about running with thousands of people that is seriously unlike anything I've ever done before. For my first marathon, I would definitely say it was a success. We had a few trial and error moments along the way, but now we've learned for next time. This training regimen definitely had it's fair share of road blocks, including a wicked case of the flu, multiple head colds (perks of working in a high school), a very hindering case of runners knee (thank you, horrible biomechanics), unexpectedly having to scramble to find an apartment and move the week before my race, which prevented me from running the entire week before, some frigid temperatures, and a lovely dose of rain and some limiting side cramps the day of my race. but you know what? I did it. I didn't stop. I didn't walk. and I pushed myself through. I might not have been the fastest, but I couldn't be prouder to say I ran 13.1 miles. You know I have officially caught runner's fever when I was looking up my next marathon on the car ride home.
So here's a little recap of the weekend events.
First off let me just say we were extremely nervous it might get cancelled. We had a "snow storm" in the forecast at home (and I even had a snow day!), and I wasn't sure if it was going to hit Alabama. To ensure we got there in plenty of time to get my race packet, we left bright and early Saturday morning (which was even earlier in Alabama because they are behind us by an hour). Birmingham is a relatively short drive for us, which is nice because there was so much left unexplored after 2 trips there that we would like to return again.

 Our first stop of course was the expo so I could pick up my race packet and my Bell Runner packet. The only thing I could come close to comparing it to was a cheerleading competition... So many vendors and so.many.people. While this was exciting, I also tend to be a bit on the claustrophobic side, so we quickly got in, got my stuff, and got out. (Not to mention at this point is was well past my usual lunch time).

I won't get into details as I'm afraid I will get angry again, but lunch unfortunately was the worst part of our trip. On top of the marathon being that weekend, there was also a cheerleading competition, so naturally everywhere was SUPER busy. That was our fault for not thinking ahead and making reservations for lunch as well as dinner (one of the things we will learn for next time.) Now, I understand busy, I worked in the food industry for numerous years, so I understand the chaos of getting everyone's needs met when there are a million and a half customers. That being said, I never, EVER treated a customer differently for how they looked, their assumed age, how much I thought they would tip me, etc. Every customer was treated equally, and it absolutely infuriates me when I come across people in the food industry, or honestly any industry for that matter, because I look young and they don't think I can afford something and tip well. I understand that we were staying in a 5 star hotel and the restaurant attached was a tad bit classy, but don't you think if I can afford to stay in a 5 star hotel, I can afford to go to your little pub? and yes, I was in yogas and a running jacket, not my ideal wardrobe for lunch. But had you any common sense, you would know that the mercedes benz marathon was that weekend, and any runner would want to be comfortable the day before their big race. AND lets not forget the minor detail of I WAS A WAITRESS. I probably tip more generously than the majority of people much older and much wealthier than myself. But she would never know that, because if someone so chooses to treat me in such a manner, it will be reflected in how she is treated back. The whole experience was absolutely infuriating. Okay, venting done, back to the awesome weekend :)

We initially planned to go explore Birmingham a bit, but upon further review we realized all of the awesome site seeing we found was not right in the heart of the city where we were staying, and we didn't want to do a bunch of running around the day before my race. Next time though! We did manage to see a couple cool landmarks while walking around between the expo and the hotel. In the mean time, we went to the opposite end of the hotel, where we found much friendlier folk in a cute little hipster coffee shop attached to the hotel. Now THAT was customer service! He felt bad that, due to the insane amount of little cheerleaders running around that weekend, he was fresh out of hot chocolate. So you know what he did? Made up his own delicious drink that didn't have coffee in it. Definitely made up for the lack of customer service at the pub. The hotel staff was extremely friendly too, as they let us check in early since we had nothing else to do. First thing I did? faceplant on our giant, and super comfortable bed.

Now onto the good stuff, DINNER! We were on point, finding the top rated Italian restaurant in Birmingham. Carb loading, duh :) Now, for a place that was so highly rated, let me tell you, boy was it a little hole in the wall place! but those are always the best kind.  It was absolutely delicious. I swear I could have ordered one of everything on the menu!!! definitely a 5 star in my book. AND the waiter definitely made up for the poor service we received earlier in the day (needless to say he earned both hers and his own tip.) I didn't snap a pic of dinner (which ended up being penne vodka for me, and veal ravioli for her), but I couldn't resist taking a pic of dessert. You know its a true Italian restaurant when they import their gelato FROM ITALY. goodness I was in a gelato coma after that. Gelato counts as carb loading, right?

As always, Ash is keeping me on my toes. Our anniversary was on Wednesday, and I had a basketball state playoff game to cover, so unfortunately we didn't get to really celebrate. We said we would celebrate in Birmingham, but I didn't think that would extend past dinner. I came back to the room to find  a pleasant surprise of rose petals on the bed, and chocolate covered strawberries for dessert round two. I have to give her credit, the girl knows how to put a smile on my face.

I had my first alarm set for 4:45am, so needless to say it was an early night for us. I didn't sleep the greatest, but I think it was the nerves getting to me. Surprisingly enough though, I woke up no issue. Which that in and of itself was impressive because I am NOT an morning person!

Now where I will have to plan better for next time... gauging what to wear with the weather. I tried to take note of what temperatures called for what clothing while I was training, but it's always so hard to tell. It was upper 40s, but that could be crazy hot or insanely cold depending on so many different circumstances. It started raining too which didn't help my cause (so glad we detoured to pick up a running rain jacket for me on the way.) I settled on my longsleeve and my rain jacket, which I know now was way too much... I started stripping and rearranging layers halfway through. and even could have probably gotten away with shorts. I contemplated throwing my jacket on the side of the road, but it was Nike and I couldn't justify that haha Next time I am going to stop in the thrift store or something if I plan on shedding layers. Oh well. you live and you learn.

The rain wasn't too bad, it didn't downpour, which was good, but it was super annoying. I definitely think it had an effect on my time. The biggest thing slowing me down though was my side cramping... My heart sunk as soon as it started, because typically when I run and get side cramp/stitches like that, it's my craptastic lungs telling me they can't keep up with me and to slow down or stop (downfall of having scar tissue all over them, my lungs literally cannot produce enough Oxygen to keep up with me). There was absolutely no way I was going to stop, so even though I didn't want to, I slowed down and began pacing my breathing. I have a trick that one of my certifieds from SRU taught me for when I start struggling with my breathing. When I was getting back into exercise after my Pulmonary Embolism, I got winded really quickly, and sometimes (even though I know its exactly what not to do), I would panic, which only made it a thousand times worse. To prevent the gasping for air and panic from happening, she told me to count me fingers while I ran. This sounded silly at first but it really helps! As you count up, you inhale, and then you count back down and exhale. It helps you keep a nice even breathing. Now, if I was one of those runners with a 5min/mi pace, I don't think anything could slow your breathing down, but my guess is, if you're running that fast, you don't really need to. But for a girl with a bum set of lungs just trying to make it 13.1 miles, it works great. 

I tried not to let it get to me, but every mile when my phone updated me on my time, I couldn't help but get a little frustrated. I had ran the full 13.1 twice before, once on the course, and I had a better pace then. I know that circumstances arise that we have no control of, so I just kept pushing through. 

I could also tell that I just recently (unfortunate timing) had to break in new shoes before my race. I could feel the friction starting, and once my feet got soaked, I knew I was a goner. I could literally feel the skin peeling off the bottom of my feet. BUT I never stopped. 

The run went surprisingly quickly. Normally when I do my long runs, I go through the 5 stages of grieving, no lie. This run was surprisingly easy though, and enjoyable (minus my few complications.) The amount of emotions I felt while running was ridiculous. I can't really put into words how it felt, it's true an experience you have to try for yourself. It was nice seeing so many people out supporting the runners too, it actually was a big motivation and a push I needed. 

When I got to the last 5K, I just told myself to sprint it. Push through the pain, exhaustion, doubt, and whatever else I was feeling, and just get it done. I was so close. I knew I had nothing left in me (I was literally running on empty... or GU. I couldn't eat breakfast because I wasn't hungry,which is a horrible start to a half marathon). The last mile quite frankly sucked. I saw my time, and knew it would be a stretch to get it done in under 2 hours. I could remember the scenery, but I couldn't remember how much longer until the finish line. As soon as I got my bearings of where I was, I literally ran as fast as I could for that finish line. I about fell on my face when I crossed the finish line, but I couldn't help but smile and laugh. I had done it, I just finished my first half marathon, when I was told that I would never be able to do something like that. I just beat all odds.

I could definitely feel the lactic acid sinking in the minute I got into the grass. There's just something about race day that makes you push your limits even further. It was all worth it though. I found Ash and just plopped down. I was a little disheartened to see I missed the 2 hour mark by a whopping 47 seconds, but I still had to pat myself on the back for even doing it. I knew I could beat that next time. Everyone said your goal for your first half should just be to finish, and that I did. So now to adjust my training, and beat that time.

I kept my phone on do not disturb while I ran, and I couldn't help but smile when I saw all the supportive texts from my family as I ran, and the fact that all of them followed me on the tracker was awesome. Whether here with me in Georgia, or 700 miles away,  I really do have the best support system a girl could ask for.

Once I changed out of my soggy clothes, we headed to the expo to first and foremost get a massage to work out the lactic acid. Once my legs were a bit functional, we finally got to do what I was waiting for all weekend long, go meet baby Eve. That literally was the highlight of my weekend. To be able to run the half not only for myself, but for someone else that can't, there's no words for it. Being a Bell Runner has now inspired me to run all my races for charity, and continue changing lives.

Eve was seriously the most precious little baby ever. She was such a happy little peanut, and it was great to get to talk to her mom and really get to know her and the family. She even gave me some other marathons to look into doing that have special fundraisers for different charities. She actually runs marathons as well, which was great to talk about. I am now considering running this same race again next year so I can continue fundraising for Eve and hopefully raising enough money to give her the chance to one day run as well.I'm hoping I have impacted her life for the better as much as she has mine.

As much as we would have loved to stay and enjoy the festivities (btw, who wants to drink beer after running a marathon??), we wanted to ensure a safe return home as we had a sleet storm in our weather forecast. Once I got to see Eve and her mom, I was content, so we headed back to the hotel for a quick power nap, and then we were on our way. Of course we stopped at cracker barrell to eat, complete with about $20 worth of candy. It was definitely an early night when we got home, I don't know who was more exhausted, me or her!

It was definitely an amazing weekend and I wouldn't have traded it for the world, even with some of our issues we had along the way. One state down, 49 to go!