California Runnin!

Humid! I have been in California (where I was born and raised) for a couple days now. I am really enjoying seeing my family and friends and the beautiful weather we have had! Not to mention the best food anywhere! I went for a run on the main street by where my parents live here in Orange County, and it was gorgeous!!! Since in Colorado Spring just started and things are just barely starting to sprout, to come here and have green everywhere and full bloomed flowers to smell and look at was a treat! It was about 7:30am when I left the house and already felt very hot, though the humidity also makes it feel even hotter since Colorado is so dry. It was gorgeous! I listened to my Pandora and enjoyed the no wind run! Get out there!

Update on Stretching & Shakes!

Ok I know I told you I would be back to let you know what I thought about stretching before a run.....since I never used to. Well I have been trying it both ways the past few months and I have to say, whether its good or bad for me I prefer to stretch AFTER my run only...well maybe before if it's one of those quick 3 second stretches like you did in high school sports just to make your teacher happy but no more than that! I seem to warm up nicely in the first mile of my runs.

Also, I have been loving experimenting with different ingredients and quantities for the pre/post run shakes. So far my favorite is 1 cup chocolate soy milk( ok, soy milk is SOOOOO good for you but I figured out I can't drink it by itself...yuck, but its GREAT in a shake!), 2 bananas, 1 TBS of peanut butter, and 5 ice cubes,(once I find ground flax seed it will be a little more healthy) it's to die for!!!! Also, if you want a different consistency put in 1/2 a cup of raw rolled uncooked oats! Very yummy! These give me lots of energy after a run especially when I don't feel like making an actual meal!

Shake It!!!

Now that the weather is warming up (SOOOO EXCITED!!) I am very excited to start running outside in shorts again! Running when it's warm/hot out is truly something I love! It just feels good to be out in nature/or on the street, and not having to worry about gloves, jacket, beanie,snow, ice, etc. One of my favorite things about the Spring/Summer is the yummy smoothies I used to buy from "Juice It Up" post-run. They were so refreshing and my after run treat. The only thing about getting one made for me is I'm not 100% sure what's in it, sort of expensive, and I can't pick and choose exactly what's in it. I usually bought the Chocolate Peanut butter Mood, from there....lots of calories.....VERY YUMMY. I decided now that Spring is here I would buy a blender, save some money and start making my own! Low and behold.....lots of yummy recipes!

I started out looking at HOW to make a proper post-run smoothie. Here's what I found on Runnersworld.com

Pour in your liquid-Use 4-8 ounces of liquid, such as water or milk. If you use fruit juice (which is high in sugar) limit to 6 ounces or less.

Add fruits and veggies- Try 1/2 -1 cup of produce. Try berries, banana, mango, kale, tomato, etc. Frozen is just as good and you won't have to use as much ice, if any.

Add fats and protein- Limit to 1 serving of healthy fats to keep calories in check. Try a tablespoon of nut butter (peanut, almond, etc.) or seed. 1/2 cup of soybeans works too.

Add spices and sweeteners- Honey, agave nectar,and other sugars have few nutrients so use no more than 1 teaspoon. You can add 1/4 teaspoon of spices like ground nutmeg or ginger.

Top with ice- More ice will create a thicker shake-like consistently and less (1/4-1/2 cup) will make it more like a smoothie. If you have frozen fruits or veggies use less ice!

So out of these tips I have only done the obviously yummy, though healthy, choices. I will try the veggies.....when I get the guts....

Anyways here are some healthy post-run recipes to try!

Maple Pumpkin Pie
1/2 cup plain soy milk
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup silken tofu (I dunno if I will put this in......what is it?!)
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon real maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Breakfast To Go
1 cup fat free milk
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats
1 tablespoon ground flax seed (I haven't been able to find this at the regular grocery store.)

Low Calorie Smoothie
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup fresh spinach
1 kiwi sliced
1/2 frozen banana sliced

Coffee Crunch
4 ounces cold coffee
4 ounces fat-free milk
1 frozen banana sliced
2 tablespoons whole almonds
2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder

Don't those sound good? I know, I know a couple just don't. But when I try them I will let you know! The one I did today after my run was a little creation I call.....
Strawberry, Banana, Peanut butter Delight
1/2 cup 2% milk
4 frozen whole strawberries
2 small bananas
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup oats
It was delicious!!!!!

Running + Technology = FUN!

I recently broke the screen on my "almost" smart phone so a friend gave me her "real" smart phone- the Blackberry Storm. I must say that I love it. Though I will only have it until July when I get the new iPhone =) Anyways, A friend showed me that you can get "RunKeeper" for the iPhone which is really neat. It basically uses the GPS on your smart phone to track pace, distance, calories, average speed etc. It also has a map that shows you where you have gone and keeps track of your stats for the month and year!

I have coveted the super fancy Garmin Running watches for quite a while which are VERY expensive, and do the same thing! SO, I looked for the RunKeeper app for Blackberry........but they haven't made it for Blackberry yet. BUT after much research I found one just like it that is also compatible with the Blackberry. Its called SportyPal(FREE- though you can pay and get more features, but for me the free version is more than enough). I LOVE it! There is also a feature where you can upload your stats to Facebook or Twitter.....I am still trying to find out how I can upload to blogger, we will see. Anyways SportyPal also adds up month and year stats which is useful.

The first time I ran with it I was very happy with the way it worked.....just one problem.......I felt heavy with my iPod and my cell as I ran.......

The answer to my problem???? The Pandora app!!!!!!!!! FREEE!! Also, as I am sure you know you can pick any station and any music you like with NO commercials.

So all I have to carry on my outside runs is my cell phone , which is also nice to have my cell just in case I run into a problem. Check it out its fabulous!!!!

I guess my eyes have been opened to the wonderful world of apps!!!!!!!

To Stretch or Not to Stretch??

Before... during... after.....not at all?????

Apparently this is a huge discussion among the running community. I never really thought about it until reading an article in a magazine and finding out pro runners have all different ideas of when to stretch.

In the article it basically says that its important to stretch. But when?

Stretching Before
Stretching before your run will help elongate your muscles so you run with the best range of motion. BUT, since your muscles are not warmed up yet don't stretch to your limit, its not supposed to hurt! Some runners do a few easy stretches, (This would be Stretching While Running) run a mile or two and then do some more gentle stretching before the hard part of their work out.

Stretching After
Stretching after your run by holding for 30 seconds (static stretching-I'm learning quite a bit) is great to help keep muscles from tightening up. I have found that stretching after feels really good, and helps me to stay loose.

None At All
Not recommended.

Yoga
Doing yoga will help your flexibility, strength, and relaxes the mind and thus helping your running, life etc. I have tried yoga in the past and I loved it, though its hard at first, don't be discouraged, its a fabulous work out for the body and mind. I was just careful when picking the class due to not wanting to be in one where they focus on "chi" and "being one with the earth and mother nature".

Personally I only stretch after I run. Though after reading a few articles I am going to try stretching before and during. I will let you know how it goes and if it makes a difference for me.

I will soon do a post on how to stretch and the myths and tips about stretching!

Stuck inside, but not on my rump!

Its snowing like CRAZY as I write this. Though the picture above is from last year that is about what it looks like...Cold and snowy. But while most people (me including) stay inside and watch movies, which I did today as well, I did get off my rump and kept with my training plan! I went to the gym in my sweats and changed into shorts and a tank top there, and watched the snow fall!!! Its BEAUTIFUL!

"Training"

Today was the first day of "training". Well, kind of. Its actually the first day of my 42 week training plan...haha. I went to runnersworld where they have a great tool called "SmartCoach". I finally decided my problem is, I was getting lazy. Sitting on the couch was more of a desire than getting out and going to the gym, or running outside.That is not ok, or God glorifying. I understand that relaxing is ok, but I was truly just being lazy.

"The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway." Proverbs 15:19

So on with the schedule. The plan starts off fairly easy with just 3 days a week; starting off with a 4 mile run today, which, by God's grace, went well. Challenging-which is great. I need to get my mindset off of "if it's hard, I'll stop" and onto "the challenge is the point!" which was what I pushed through today. It is way more mental than physical!!! My knee started hurting 3 miles in but was able to run through it, and I think it will start getting stronger...hopefully.

If you are asking "whats she training for?" the answer is.....I'm not sure yet! I have been praying about a few different races. One is the Denver Rock N' Roll 1/2 which is October 9th. I have a few friends that are thinking about it as well. The other is a lot more...shall I say.....exciting? It would be with Team Challenge- which is the team that raises money for The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America. I am just starting to converse with the team coach to talk about all the technicalities and things. We will see! With that the race is the Napa to Sonoma 1/2 marathon in California, and the money raised would go to CCFA and towards my airfare and hotel. Danny said he would do it too if that's what I choose! I'll keep you posted!

Motivation!

A quick post!
The last week I have been trying to get motivated to run! Its been hard but I think God has put certain people in my life in the last few days to motivate me. I met a lady at Danny's soccer game on Tuesday who is a runner. She was telling me and encouraging me about her running life. She runs 8-10 miles every other day, has run 2 marathons, and tries to run one half every month! That gave me a push! Then I heard from a friend that some girls from back home in California are running a full marathon, yeah! Very exciting and now I feel more motivated! God is good! Though my true motivation in running is to glorify God and further His kingdom, and I pray that would be yours!

Overwhelmed!

It's been a long time! A lot has happened since my last post. Long story.....well I guess that's what a blog is for....you don't have to read the whole thing if you don't want, I just like getting it out for those of you who (if anyone =) ) would like to pray!

After my endoscopy and diagnosis of Acid Reflux Disease I continued to have stomach aches. My heartburn did get better though. I didn't think much of it just because I guess I am used to having stomach pain.

A couple Sundays ago I woke up with a stomachache and a small headache. Again, I thought nothing of it and Danny and I went to church as usual. Through out the sermon I started getting a worse stomachache and started feeling feverish. We left right after church and I went right to bed. I ended up with the achy flu...YUCK. On Monday I went into work just to open the clinic and went home right after someone else got there. My body aches went away but my headache, fever, and stomachache continued; and my stomachache traveled from all over to my lower right abdomen-bad. I called Danny at work around 6:30pm and told him I could barely get up to take the dog out....he said he would come home early(originally scheduled until 8pm) I told him not to worry yet, since when I didn't move it wasn't as bad. I called the urgent care who told me they would NOT see me....they don't/can't deal with abdominal pain due to the possible emergency surgery needed if it was something severe and that I would have to go to the ER. The pain was getting worse, and I hadn't eaten in two days due to nausea and lack of appetite. He came right home and took me into the ER. When I first got there they got me right in and the nurses were"sure" it was my appendix. The Dr. was pretty sure to but wanted to confirm it with a CT scan. I drank some fabulous contrast that tasted like lemonade, waited an hour and a half, received pain meds and then went for the scan.

The Dr. came back and said "Good news is, your appendix looks normal, bad news is, your appendix looks normal".....I kinda laughed... (I was a little dopey on the morphine) and then he told us that my small intestine (or Ileum) was very swollen. He said he wanted to do some blood work, and more tests "tomorrow"....HUH??? I am not staying!!! He then pushed lightly on my right lower abdomen and I just about went through the roof...."You are staying" he said and I was ok with that then.

The next day, after a very long sleepless night, I was visited by first and Internal Medicine Dr. He told me that my white blood cells were normal and so was the rest of my blood work...which meant probably not an infection. He then said that we would need to wait to see what the GI Dr. said since he is the specialist for intestinal issues. Next around 2:30pm the surgeon came in and said he did not think I would need surgery but again, I need to wait to see the GI Dr.

Where....oh where was the GI Dr?????? It was 6:30pm when he finally came....and he wanted to do antibiotics thru my IV (which I ended up having a reaction to) and some tests...yucky ones. And said I would be staying another night due to the same amount of pain and because it was too late to do then that day. Bummer, another sleepless night for me and Danny. The Dr. also said he was suspecting Crohn's Disease. I had to do "prep" for my tests the next day that tried my faith. But God is sooo much bigger! Thanks to God for giving me my sweet husband and AMAZING friend Carrie to encourage, pray, and help me in my most vulnerable state. Of course thanks to everyone that was praying!!!

So I had the test done the next day and it actually went fine. They released me and finally after 5 days of not eating or drinking (just had IV fluids) I got to eat, and drink normal things. The pain was much better and I got to sleep in my own bed!

This past Tuesday we went to the GI Dr. to get my results. The blood work or "serology" came back positive for Crohn's Disease. The biopsies of my small intestine and Ileum came back inconclusive. The Dr. decided to treat me for mild Crohn's Disease. I now take 8 GIANT, and I mean GIANT pills per day. 2 pills 4 times per day to try to calm down the inflammation and ulcers in my intestines. So far it has not done much, I am still having some pain, though very tolerable, but no side effects except for headaches. I go back for a follow up in 2-3 months depending on how I am doing. At that time they will do more blood work and tests. If they come back the same or worse than now they are going to start me on immunomodulators.....crazy stuff!

After not running (actually almost no movement) for 3 weeks I ran today! It was 65 degrees here today so I decided to take Spike and run around the short trail by our house. It was beautiful!!!! God's majesty was amazing. As I ran I thanked Him for what He has blessed me with! The beautiful Pikes Peak that I ran towards on the trail, my sufferings, my husband, my church and the family there, my family, my friends and the life that He has given me.
Here is a quote that my sweet friend Mandy shared with me:
"God never pursues His glory at the expense of the good of His people, nor does He ever seek our good at the expense of His glory. he has designed His eternal purpose so that his glory and our good are inextricably bound together." -Jerry Bridges

Edmondson Trail!!!!

First of all I just want to praise God for giving me motivation to run today! I haven't run in week or so....

Edminson Trail is a wonderful 5 mile ( you can make it what you want) run through the beautiful Colorado trees. It goes along the railroad and connects to the New Santa Fe Trail at about 1.5 miles up. At just about 2.5 miles you enter a gate to the Air Force Academy area. It absolutely beautiful and an awesome, slightly challenging, slighty hilly trail. Since we just got some snow it was sloshy in spots but not bad as you will see in some of the pictures. I ran 2.5 miles in one direction and then back. At the 2.5 mile marker is a lake. It is called Ice Lake and its gorgeous. There is an amazing story me and my running buddy, Carrie, have but I will see first if she minds if I share. Anyways I ran the first 2.5 miles then stopped to take pictures on my way back. It felt good to be back out running with Spike and listening to praise music!

A Somewhat Bias Review =)

For Christmas my fabulous hubby bought me a gift card to Boulder Running Company! I was soooo excited! The only problem??? Whenever I have money to spend at a store I can never pick anything out....if I don't have any I want everything..... =)

We went to BRC to check things out and see if anything would do. When I walked in I was overwhelmed! They had just remodeled and made the store bigger......hahhaha. But after about 35 minutes of just looking I finally decided I really wanted running tights. I want to run in the cold but my 3/4 length pants just aren't enough. So now I have to look at prices and quality and color to compare what I like to what I can afford to what will work for my short legs.

I think I tried on 4 different pairs...in 3 different sizes each! I tuned into a pair that were very comfortable, cute and affordable. The North Face Women's Kinetix Tights. I tried on an extra small which I almost had to have Danny pry them off of me....yeah it took me 10 minutes to get them off with out ripping them.....I almost went right to the medium but decided to try on a small which actually fit well. So I did more pondering and looking and decided on those! Here is the link to them and all the info on them! I have worn them a couple times and they are wonderful! Get a pair if you can!!!! It truly feels like I'm not wearing pants...that sounded weird....but you know what I mean, they are light and they don't chaff.... Women's Kinetix Tights.

Here is the verse I read today, I hope God uses it for your life today!

"I will sing to the Lord for He has dealt bountifully with me "
-Psalm 13:6

My Biggest Weakness: Nutrition.....

MMmmmmmmm I LOVE chocolate. Love it. If there is some sitting in our house or at work i eat it. I guess you could say I have issues with self-discipline.....

I mean I guess I eat salads a few times a week, and I eat a lot of fruit, but I have never really known what the best food choices for running are. So here is what my research has shown.

First, lots of seeds. There are many different ways to eat them. Whole grains, tree nuts and beans to include a few. One very interesting fact about seeds is that they are full of nutrients-they are what start a plants life! They have proteins, essential fats, and antioxidants to keep you healthy and lean. Try adding nuts to muffins, or pancakes. Even just a handful for a quick afternoon snack! I remember as a kid always picking the nuts off anything that had them. I finally, in the last few years, started trying them, I was missing out! I looove them now! We east mostly whole grain bread too!

Second, fruits and veggies any chance you get! They have vitamins, minerals and the carbs to help fuel your runs. I read on runnersworld.com that eating 6 different colored veggies and fruits daily is important. The different pigments are from different vitamins and minerals. I will sometimes (not enough though) just take a baggie of carrots and grape tomatoes as a snack or make an extravagant salad with every veggie known to man and ranch dressing. I like eating salads a few hours before I run, I feel energized! Oh yeah, and don't peel the skin off! The skins on most fruits and veggies that are edible are FULL of good stuff!


Milk and milk products (not so much soy, but real milk) are SO important. They supply our hard working bones with calcium to keep them strong as we pound them on the pavement/gravel/treadmill etc. The whey protein in milk product also helps keep our immune system strong.

One thing I found that will definitely be a challenge for Danny and I is eating things that come from cold water... Runnersworld says that fish provides runners with "quality" protein since we need 50% more protein than noon-runners.
Fish contains Omega-3 fatty acids which have shown to significantly increase heart health! We will be looking for yummy recipes for fish if anyone has any!!!!

So, as you see, they are many big reasons to eat healthy especially if your running has hit a plateau, maybe it because you body isn't being fueled correctly! Remember you body is not your own, it belongs to our God so lets take care of it!
I might start putting some healthy running-friendly recipes up here soon!