Run Eat Tri Yogi

If you've been paying attention to fitness memes or posters, you've seen them. "No excuses".  Makes me want to punch somebody.  It's a great idea, sure. If you work a perfect shift, have no kids, have unlimited financial resources... you get the idea. But for the rest of us normal folks, life happens .  If you have children, you know that even giving "4% of your day" to workout is a huge struggle.  Yes, I was able to find a meme that fit both of these in! I do agree that it is about priorities.  If it's important to you, you will find a way to make it work.  And this blog is to give you ideas on how to fit those workouts in. As a single mom, I've learned a few things along the way while training for my races. Whether it was my first 6K or a marathon, they all posed similar challenges.  My kids are my #1 priority and these are some of the ways I made my training work for us. Let's get right to it!  Today is a classic example. 1) Hav...

It seemed appropriate that I write up the overview of my first duathlon as I prepare for my 3rd annual anniversary 6k race -- the one that got me hooked on running & racing! Starting off my 2nd full year of racing with a new milestone is an amazing feeling! Now that the race is over anyway.  Honestly, I've been putting off writing this blog because I still want to remain on that post-race high and not relive the lows.  If you've never completed a duathlon, I hope this doesn't deter you in any way!  I will add my own little tips - simplest of guides for us newbies :) "This seemed like a good idea 2 1/2 weeks ago..." How many times have we shared the similar thought during a race? For me, I didn't look at the race in its entirety.  I saw that it was 3 mile run, 20 mile bike and a 2 mile run.  Piece of cake!  The 2 runs combined is an easy warm-up on my ultras!  And cycling came easy to me. Or so it seemed after 2 bike rides, with the hi...

Before I get into the blog, please realize I'm not lessening the pain of actual loss & grief of a loved one.  I've lost close ones and this isn't to poke fun at that process.  But I also believe that to an athlete, an injury is a serious process as well. It's painful and the future is unknown. And these stages are real.   After running marathons & ultras (peppered with small races) each month, my body gave out in Oct.  I made it through the Chicago Marathon but it was too late for me recover "smartly".  My body had had enough. I didn't recover after my previous races; I wanted to prove that I can go-go-go!! I took a full week off after Chicago and on my first run, I pushed myself (again) and tried to work on speed. That was it.  My knee gave out, ITB screamed and I was forced to limp back to my car. I figured that was fine... I'll be back in a day or two. Like before.  But seriously, that was it. The 5 stages of loss and grief* 1...

**UPDATE** Thanks to the generosity and amazing support of Be Non Human, I am confirmed to run the North Face Challenge WI - 50 Miler and RNR Vegas Marathon. I am so humbled by this and can't thank them enough for these opportunities.  I am truly blessed, thank you!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I can't help but get giddy when I look at my list. And I've been looking at it for awhile... I'm so thrilled to attack new challenges this year!  I made a last-minute decision last night to sign up for a duathlon for later this month -- what a great start to the racing season, a new milestone!! This is not set in stone as I'm sure I may add on (yes, I'm already counting on it). All the dates in black indicate that I haven't signed up just yet.... my bank account insists I give it a break :) Hope to see you there! 4/26       Share the Road - Duathlon (Wat...

First things first, you guys ROCK!! So many of you helped celebrate my birthday by doing a virtual run with me #runninglikeafool - it was great knowing that I had some awesome company throughout the day. You guys motive me to push harder and I absolutely LOVE my running/IG/FB family~ you have no idea how much your support and encouragement means to me!  And as promised, I made cupcakes for all participants ;) I took a few days to summarize my birthday 6hr run/walk/bike. I even took time to transfer the photos from the old phone (I shattered it  - twice) and re size them... and as I was typing the last few words "I thought last year was epic - and in so many ways, it really was..." I immediately deleted my original blog. I knew what this post needed to be. I didn't spend one minute thinking of my past on my birthday, as I usually do on my long runs (running is therapy!) and instead, I was planning one race after another. How to train, how I can improve from last y...

I'm not sure why my birthday torments me each year. You'd think that by my survival and making it another year would make me feel victorious, indeed! But it actually puts me in a state of depression, something I've been struggling to overcome. Those who know me well know that I don't just take things in life. If I don't like something, I will do whatever it takes to change it.  My emotional roller coaster around my birthday (and a lot of holidays) has had me perplexed. As I had a complete meltdown today- alone in the house - I realized that my vulnerable state gives Satan a tiny opening to feed lies into my head.  He doesn't want me to be happy -- I SHOULD be miserable, angry and depressed. After all, he worked so hard to torment me and break me down. This is my weak moment because my emotions are just overloaded. But here is something he cannot take away.  I am a survivor.  I have gone through some cruel abuse a child and adolescent - a human being, in...

When I was younger, writing came naturally. It may have to do with the way I was raised... remain in the background, do not speak unless spoken to, make no eye contact and absolutely do not show emotions or share my feelings.  So writing made sense. I had been entertaining the idea of blogging for some time now but it was during my run today that I felt that this was something I absolutely had to do. We, runners, come up with some insanely great ideas while running, right??  We are so productive in our minds - resolving personal issues, meal planning, remember tasks we've forgotten to do... as well as some deep, profound thoughts.  And for me,  those meal planning ideas can get pretty serious! During my trail run today, my thoughts turned morbid.  It was a rough run.  Admit it, you've had them too! What if there's something more to why I haven't been feeling like running lately? (Besides the fact that I'm rebounding from running injuries). What if ...