Indianapolis Monumental Race Report

Sometimes things just don't go as planned...
    Yesterday was the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon and Half Marathon.  It is my favorite race of the year and I have been clamoring for a Half PR for about 18 months.  Well, I should've thrown expectations out the window when I realized that we have a very cute, but very needy little baby.  Also, I have had a big of a nagging plantar fasciitis/heel spur issue.  To be completely honest, I think it all started due to the countless hours of swaying the baby to sleep.  I do this a lot barefoot because I can not tend to forget to put slippers on when I stumble into the nursery at night.  Also, I am on my feet for work a lot.  I sit behind a desk 3 days a week and then I wait tables 3-4 days a week at one of the busiest restaurants in Indianapolis.  So, I have really worn out feet.
    I have had some decent training runs leading up to yesterday.  Sometimes, I head out with my son in the stroller and try to get as many strong miles in as I can before he loses it.  3 miles is about the max.  But, I know this going in so I try to work speed and strength drills.  I know that the time spent together is more important than anything else, so I don't ever get too upset about him cutting my runs short.  I always like to hit Fort Benjamin Harrison near our house when I take him with me because he loves to be outside and see all of the sites.  Plus, there is something really special about seeing a baby discover the world.
    On the rare occasion, I can get out on my own in the morning to get some long miles in.  I tend to hit the neighborhood up for that because there are a lot of street lights and I don't have to cross any busy roads to get some good miles logged.  Plus, I get to geek out over landscaping ideas that my neighbors have.  These miles are my meditative miles.  I listen to podcasts, make plans for my day, and get rid of the negativity that can sometimes creep into my head.  I tend to worry a lot about the 20 lbs that I have gained between Laura's pregnancy and having the baby. I know this is very normal, but, weight tends to be a very tough subject for me.  I am losing it and I have to remind myself that I am not over 300lbs again. These runs re instill the faith that I have in running, the faith that I have in myself, and the faith that I have in my family.

The elusive sunrise run.

    I wish that I could say that all of my training led to an amazing race.  I wish I could say that, but, I can't.  In the midst of my training and some achey runs I decided to give Heart Rate Training a go, because I knew my goal race needed to be the trail marathon in February.  I slowed myself down a bit to properly train.  I knew at the starting line yesterday that I wasn't going to PR.  But, I didn't know that at about mile 5 the nagging PF pain would rear it's ugly head.  It started as a burning in my heel, so I switched up my stride.  That helped for about a mile.  I messaged Laura, who couldn't run her 5K because she had to stay home with Jett because our babysitter got sick.  I asked her to send me pictures of the baby so that I could keep going.  She did, I cried, and I ran.  Then came the tightness in my calf that I had to stop and stretch out 3 times.  Every time I stretched the pain went away for a good half mile.  But, it always came back.  By mile 11, I was hobbling because it felt like my heel and the whole underside of my foot was on fire.  I finished the race with a smile on my face because I knew that bad runs happen, but, at least I finished.  I only finish a few minutes off of my PR and I really feel alright today.  Plus I get double the bling for running in both the Indianapolis Half Marathon and 5K and the Monumental.  They called it the IndyThon and there was a special extra medal for all those that participated in both races.

Double Bling.

     I do feel really bad that Laura didn't get to run.  I told her that she should run instead of me, but, she was very insistent that I finish my race.  I know she was proud of me, but I also know that she was disappointed in the fact that she didn't get to run.  These are the tough moments of being a Mom and a Runner.  I want my wife to get out there and get her miles, but I also need to be a bit selfish about my miles as well.  I told her that when I got home from work that she had the evening to run.  I know if was a consolation prize, but, I do think that it meant a lot to her that I do understand that she needs the time too.  I love my wife.  She helped me start this journey and I will always honor her for that.  Alright, time to sleep because I have to run in the morning!  Training continues!  Next up...The Santa Hustle Half Marathon on December 18th.  Peace, Plants, and Fleece Leggings!

 

When You Lose Inspiration, Find A New Goal

    It has been a while since I have written last because life is busy.  Work has been insane and Jett is keeping us very much on our toes.  There has been some crazy drama with my family that I don't want to get into, but, it has caused a lot of stress.  Needless to say, running has been keeping me sane, when I can get runs in.
    Jett tends to be very wakeful starting at about 4am, so morning runs are few and far between.  This pushes my runs back to after I work from 8 to 12 hours.  I guess I can look at it as endurance training because I am heading out on tired legs.  I also head out with a tired mind, because work and money have been big stressors of mine.  My whole job is to insure that food insecure children get a full dinner after school.  It might be hard to believe how many hoops you have to jump through to do that.  Sometimes it makes it very hard to get motivated to go into work. I sit at my desk, which I hate even saying, and I think about the fact that I started this job because I wanted to help people.  I do want to help people.  I want to help people anyway that I can.  I just need to be passionate about it.  So, I have decided to start my training to become a certified running coach.  I am not an elite runner or even all that fast, but, I am a total nerd about training styles, form, and recovery.  I think I could be really good at this.  Plus, I want to be able to help all types of people reach the goals that they set out for themselves.  I want people that weigh 300+ lbs to feel just as comfortable with a training plan as someone that has multiple races under their belt already.  I am ready to take on this new challenge.

Amazing hair and big smiles for Caitlin's first race!

    This idea really hit home this morning when I helped my friend Caitlin finish her first 5K.  She started running to lose a few pounds.  When I noticed she was getting into it, I bought her a Garmin nicer than mine.  I know that life got a little hectic for her, but, she showed up to the start line this blistery October morning, under trained and unsure if she could make it.  But, I could tell that the excitement was getting her really jacked.  It was a very easy run for me, but, it was Mt Everest to Caitlin.  I stayed with her and paced her every step of the way.  I helped her change up her form and she said she felt good for the most part.  She got really mad at me for part of the race, but, when we crossed that finish line together, she had tears of joy in her eyes.  I want to help more people experience the joy that Caitlin felt this morning.
    So, next up for me is the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon.  I would love to run the full, but I knew that I couldn't commit 100% to full training with a newborn.  That's alright though because I have a number of races this winter, including a full trail marathon in February.  I have a few more long runs to go before I run one of the most beautiful course that I know of.  I am super pumped also, because this will be Laura's come back race.  She will be running her first 5K since Jett was born.  I think I am more excited for her race than mine.  Fingers crossed for a chilly morning and strong legs.
    Running is a huge part of who I am.  I am a living testimonial to the power of running.  I am excited and I feel so motivated to move into this next chapter of my life.  Training starts today, and I couldn't be more excited!  Run hard and eat plants!

Summer Time Blues and Nothing to Wear

    Call me crazy but I do not like summer running!  Maybe it is the snow bird in me, or maybe I just do not let myself get acclimated properly, but, every run when the temp is above 70 feels like I am running on a sun in hell.  I get winded too easily, I sweat until I look like I have peed my pants, and I have to go so damn slow.  I know that I should want to get out there and enjoy the summer runs, but I can't.  Walking, hiking, swimming...yes!  I can do any of those things in 100 degree weather.  Just not running.  It gives me the blues.
    Don't get me wrong.  I want to run.  I crave it like a drug.  It is just so hard to get outside when it is so warm.  It is equally as hard to slug into the gym and run on the treadmill.  I don't get long miles on the treadmill, but I do tend to do a lot of strength and speed workouts, so I do feel accomplished afterwards.  I just don't feel like I have fed the beast inside.  Also, I feel like I have to push that much harder inside, so I have the tendency to get a lot more sore...almost to the point that I feel injured.  Like, right now, I feel like I have a bruised foot from a week of indoor runs.  Maybe I have a different stride inside.  Maybe I should get that checked.  Either way, I think I need to figure out a way to get these runs done and not feel like total poo after.
   Also, why is all the running gear for chicks so darn skimpy?  I love my Altra running shoes and my capris, but, shirts are either too short or the arm holes hang down to the bottom of my ribs.  Plus, the shorts ride so high, you can see everything I'm trying to cover.  Now, I am a big chick, at 6' tall and about 185lbs.  Plus, I used to weigh a lot more so I have a lot of extra skin that needs to be tucked in so that it doesn't bounce around and chafe and hurt.  The tiny clothes just don't work that well for me.  Many times, I find myself having to wear men's gear.  That works well for shorts, but many of the shirts are just not fitted for breasts, so they are either way too tight or waaaay to big.
  There is an upside to this post.  My garden is kickin booty.  We have this huge 32' x 8' garden bed that is reaping huge rewards.  I'm eating melon, tomatoes, and cucumbers every day!  We have so much that I have been taking cucumbers to work to give to friends so that they don't get wasted.  I love growing our own food.  It is the most energetic produce you can get.  It fuels me daily and makes me so happy to get my hands in the earth.  It is the really big upside to summer!  Plus, I think the only good thing about August is that it makes us appreciate every other month that much more.  Peace.  Plants.

Our happy harvest!

I Feel Like A Bad Ass Mother Runner

    Most of the time these days, I am tired.  I work too hard for too little money, I don't sleep enough, generally speaking.  I am in a constant state of completely stressed out.  I cry at random times.  Ahhhhh, Motherhood.  It really is a magical time of self discovery and seeing just how far you can go before you just completely shut down.  I feel like a very special snowflake in the middle of summer...slowly melting into a puddle.

    That being said, I feel awesome as a runner.  Yes, I've gained a few pounds between my wife being pregnant and also, eating whatever I can shove into my mouth while swaying the baby...all vegan of course, and I am relatively slower than I used to be, which wasn't fast in the first place.  But, I am running for the joy of it, not for the time.  I am getting out whenever I can to run for as long as I can. Sometimes I don't run because I don't have time, Jett is not cooperating(the stroller is a torture device apparently), or I just need sleep.  These are the things that make you a mother.  Giving to this little tiny poop machine before giving to yourself, sleeping when you can, and making special exceptions for him.  I'm really happy to be a mother and I will give anything for this little man.  Right now, I am getting up every few minutes to sway his cute little face back to sleep.
    Oh yes, the sway.  The sway is the only way that we can get little man back to sleep.  The sway is also the thing that is slowly breaking us down.  My wife, my sister in law, and myself.  It is exacerbating the hip issue that I have been dealing with since April.  It makes it hard to sleep when I do get the chance, and it is definitely affecting my runs.  I need to get in to see the PT, but, I am also working 7 days a week and when I am not sleeping, I am in mom mode.  Maybe a massage will help.  All I know is that I am determined to be the bad ass mother runner that I dreamed of when I was dreaming of this little human coming into our lives.  I really don't care how long it takes for me to get there...I will get there.  It is no different from when I stepped on that scale and saw a 3 in front.  I knew that, no matter how long it took, I would change my life.  I am reminded every time that I step on the scale and there is a 1 in front, that this did not happen over night.  This took tireless hours in the gym and on the road.   I didn't let fat get in the way, and I certainly won't any other excuses.
    That being said, the kid is asleep and it is time to run...at almost 11pm.  The sun never sets on a bad ass my friends!  Until next time. 

So Busy All The Time!

    I just need a break!  Summer is in full swing and my Foundation is feeding 153 meals everyday.  I have re worked the entire menu and am solely responsible for ensuring that all of the food goes out to the two different locations and that our 3 interns along with our countless volunteers are where they need to be when they need to be there.  I also plan 2 different hands on demos with groups each week and I am planning 3 huge field trips for our groups to come to one of our restaurants and visit our farm.  On top of that I work in one of the cafes 3 days a week and try my best to make sure Laura has hot food and a shower on occasion.  I have been working 7 days a week since I went back to work and I am so thoroughly spent.
    My runs have been lackluster, but I am there doing it.  I try to get to the gym for work outs, but Jett is very wakeful starting at about 4 am until he ultimately wakes up for the day at about 630.  I don't min the early riser status, but, he doesn't tend to sleep much at all, so it makes it seem even earlier.  When I do get to the gym, I try to make it as productive as I possibly can in the time allowed to me.  I hit the stair machine and climb until my legs cramp up.  I do supersets on my weights to try to pack in as much as I possibly can.  Sometimes I feel like I am just moving backwards.  I am tired all of the time and I so often have no motivation whatsoever.
   That being said, I am running my half marathon for the month tomorrow.  I am nervous like it is a race.  It isn't.  It will just be me, in the dark of the morning, getting much needed miles in.  I'm not sure how it will go, fast or slow, but I will be there running my own half marathon before anyone that I work with gets up for the day.  Then, I will hopefully get a decent shower before I have to get to work.  This isn't a super uplifting post, I know.  It's just been really tough lately to find the balance that I need in my life.  The summer with the kids is like a mad dash everyday.  There is no rhyme or reason to the day sometimes and it feels like I am just treading water.  My runs usually balance me out, but with everything else, running almost feels selfish.  I guess this is motherdom.  Until the next run...Peace.

Aches, Pains, and Zero Sleep

    So, back in April, when I ran my best half marathon to date, I felt some pain in my right hip.  I thought it was weird because I have only had issues with my left hip before, and those pains have all but disappeared.  Well, for the last month, runs have been harder and the pain has gotten worse and worse.  Add into that the severe lack of sleep since our little party animal son has joined us.

Sometimes you just have to rest, eat a salad, and kick it with your baby.

    I haven't been able to run as frequently as I would like or run as hard as I like to push.  It is understandable that the frequency would go down due to responsibilities with the kiddo, but, I think a big part of it is the pain that I have radiating down my right leg.  It's going to be after the new year before I can get in to see my doctor.  He is one of the team doctors for the Colts, so his schedule is incredibly packed.  For now, I am going to do the exercises that I know that I should be doing in order to strengthen my gluteus and open my hips.  I am hoping in time, that I can build enough strength to get rid of the pain.  We will see!
    Regardless of speed, I am still on my quest to complete a half marathon a month for the entirety of 2016.  I ran one yesterday morning and other than it being a full minute per mile slower than my average pace, it felt good.  Plus, I am keeping my monthly average at abut 100 miles.  The pain in my hip doesn't bother me much when I am running, just after and while I am sitting or sleeping...which sucks.  We aren't getting hardly any sleep as it is with a newborn, so to be in pain when I do have time to rest is a kick in the ass.  I do have big plans over the next few years in terms of my running and I need to make sure that I am rested and at full strength.  

Getting his tan on.

   Jett had a rough couple weeks to start his life...he was in the NICU due to his bilirubin getting dangerously high.  He ended up on Triple Light Therapy with an IV in his little head.  It was a heart wrenching week for us.  We couldn't hold him for almost 2 whole days and he had to get heel pricks every 4 hours.  We had to rely on donor breast milk and Laura pumping for him.  I went for a run while we were at the hospital just so that I could cry and not have Laura see me.  When I can back, He was off the IV and we could hold him again.  It was almost as good as the day he was born.  We knew the whole time that we were the lucky ones in the NICU.  We tried to not bother the nurses for anything that we could do ourselves.  We let them know to care for everyone else before us.  When we left, we had a stream of nurses tell us what an amazing couple we are and how adorable our family is.  It was so sweet way to leave.
   So, I will take the rest days that pain and lack of sleep give me.  I will accept the fact that I am not invincible.  I will sleep in when I can and not beat myself up about not getting al of my miles in all of the time.  I am still stronger than I used to be and these moments will make me a stronger mother in the long run.  After all, every mile that I run is so that I ave that much more time with my son

He Has Arrived!

Papa, Laura, and Jett

     Jett Mahan Russell is here!  At 1:01AM on April 29th, 2016 weighing in at 5 pounds 10 ounces and 19.5 inches long.  It was a rough couple of days, but, he is amazing.  Let's go back and unpack this whole bringing a life into the world thing...
   So, Laura had a few higher levels of protein in her urine and blood.  This is one sign of pre-eclampsia.  The other big symptom is elevated blood pressure.  She had 2 readings in the 140's, which led to the urine and blood collection, but normally, she ran in the 120's.  At our 36 week appointment,  Dr. Klus made it clear that if her levels were still high the next week that we would talk induction.  This goes against everything that we want for the birth.  It would mean being monitored in the hospital, and it can be a lot more painful.  We prayed for a week.  Unfortunately, Laura's protein levels were just high enough that the doctor said that induction was necessary.  Pre-eclampsia is very dangerous because of how quickly it can progress and it can cause seizures in the mother.  We were both pretty devastated at the news...the kicker was that it was happening the NEXT DAY!!!  That gave us very little time to prepare.  We both had to work the next day.  Laura was able to take the day off, but, I got my happy booty up for work the next day with al the nerves in the world!  I got up early enough...well, to be honest neither one of us really even slept, to go for a run.  I prayed that this day could still be what we had hoped for.  I prayed that my wife wouldn't suffer to badly.  I prayed that our baby would be born healthy.  I cried and ran and prayed and laughed and ran some more.  When I got home, I felt like I could actually do this...I was ready to be a mother.
    This part of the story, I could go on forever...mainly, because the labor took forever.  We went in on  Wednesday at 5pm and had a baby on Friday at 1am.  That's 32 hours for those of you that can't do fast math.  32 hours of a labor that was nothing that we expected. Laura did get he time in the big ass tub...that's about it.  At 29 hours of active contractions and pitocin, she had only gotten to 3cm.  Doc said that w had to get the baby out and that in epidural was necessary at this point...oh yea, Laura went 29 hours med free!!! She is a bad ass.  The epidural was necessary in order for her to be able to relax enough to progress further while they bumped up the pitocin to levels that no human can withstand.  An hour and a half later, she got to 10cm and it was go time.  30 minutes of pushing later and Jett made his way into the world.  We were all surprised to see the cord wrapped around his neck when he came out.  so, the doc had to cut it.  We had wanted delayed cord clamping.  We wanted our son to get all of the blood that was made for him...another thing we didn't get in this birth.  But, we did get an amazing little person.  He was absolutely perfect! Gooey, bloody, and perfect!

My amazing son!

    There is an endless list of things about the birth and aftercare of Jett that did' go how we wanted it, but, In the end, we have an amazing little baby that will love us forever.  He is the greatest thing in my world.  Thank goodness he is so cute because I have a feeling that he will be interrupting my running schedule quite often!
    The coolest thing to happen in the hospital so far is that Laura's Papa and his Wife Marcia came to see us before heading up to Michigan for the summer.  It was unexpected and beautiful.  Papa is 93 and still going strong.  He is a retired Methodist Pastor with an amazing zest for all things.  There was not a dry eye in the room when he held his Great Grandson.  Mahan is a family name and Papa was beside himself to hear that it is Jett's middle name.  Such a touching moment.
    We have had a few visitors see us besides Papa and Marcia, but, it has really been mainly Laura, Jett, and I for the past 2 days.  So sweet and amazing to be a family now.  I am so very excited to see this little tiny person grow into a man.  I am excited to see what he will love and what he will ultimately do to give back to this world.  We was made from love and will never know anything other than that.

My tiny guy.

    So, we just got home with Jett.  I was the typical new parent driving way too slow just to ensure that he was safe.  He is in a newborn onesie that he is swimming in and I already put a call out for some preemie clothes to get us by until he fills out the clothes that we have for him.  Also, I opened every pack of diapers they brought us in the hospital and took them to the car.  I was able to stock up 5 bags.  We might not have to buy any preemie diapers.  I know our cloth diapers won't fit for a while.  What an adventure we are about to embark on...I am so scared!

Proud Mommy

Bring On The Spring!

    Wowza! It has been so busy since I last wrote! We had our big move into our new home and I switched positions at my job into a role that I am really excited about.  I m the Program Coordinator for The Patachou Foundation, which is a local non for profit here in Indianapolis.  Our mission is to feed after school meals to children around our city that do not have options for healthy meals.  It is a passion of mine to help these kids and I couldn't be happier to move into this new role.  It did come as a shock though, when I was told on a Friday hat I would no longer be the General Manager of my restaurant the following Sunday.  It was hard to say goodbye, but, I have high hopes that my new job will offer, more fulfillment, more money, and most importantly...more time with my wife and soon to come son.  Only time will tell.
    Last night, by very best buddy married the love of his life in the Bahamas, so I have had 3 days of sunshine and sand to run on.  It has been lovely and a big stress release.

Beautiful run on the beach to end my first evening in paradise.

 Upon landing in The Bahamas, I settled into my room in the house that we rented and got some details worked out with AJ.  I was in the wedding party, and the only one staying with the couple, so I had responsibilities to handle.  We got everyone from the airport and I decided that a sunset run would do me right!  I had never actually run on a beach before...damn my legs were spent.  Calves of fire!
    I only got a few runs in because, with a very pregnant wife at home,  I only had 3 full days to enjoy.  But, I ran everywhere that I could and drank as many fresh coconuts as I could.  For every really hard, beautiful run that I went on, I did have an adult beverage...I had a good time!

My dude for the last 10 years!

    The wedding was beautiful and full of tears. The bride was impeccable and I have never seen my dude happier than he was on that day. We danced and drank the night away at the venue, before hitting the town square for an all night party.  It was friends and family only, and we had an amazing time.  so much so, that I tried to change my flight to Saturday instead of Friday...$900 I don't think so.
     I felt it necessary to leave all that I had on the beach the next morning while everyone else slept their hangovers away.  I ran don the alley and down the beach to the point where I stopped to do yoga on the rocks and meditate to the tide coming in.  For real, one of the most surreal moments of my life...such a blessing.  Then, it was time to pack and head home.  Sad to leave, but ready to get back to my life.  Bahamas, I will be back!                                                                                                                                

                   

The beautiful couple!

My own personal beach for the morning!

     

Everything Hurts and I'm Dying

   I think I may be a bit of a masochist.  Yesterday I ran The 1st Annal Winter Trail Marathon in Richmond Indiana.  I am playing it fast and lose with the word run. I had to walk a lot!  The uphills were brutal and the trails were a mixture of leaves, snow, and ice.  The thing that I thought I would like was the fact that it is a loop. It is 4 loops for a full.  On the second loop, I was cursing every hill for the second time.  By loop 4 I was just grimacing the last 6.6 miles out of anger.  Not my best day!
    It was cold weather which I love,  but I was completely unprepared for how cold it would get in the deeply shaded woods.  I dressed accordingly for the temp, but I was cold the entire race.  In fact, my butt is still frozen. I don't think in I will be thawing out any time soon.  No amount of coffee or hot water and lemon will get me back up to temp.
    Enough complaining!  The race was beautiful, the volunteers were amazing (even though there was only side at the start/finish), and my fellow racers were all in great moods!  We all pushed each other and everyone stayed until the last runner finished!  It was very special.  I did mention that there should have been more options for plant based runners to warm up after.  They had hot chocolate, chicken soup, and coffee.  There were bananas and cookies too, but, I would've killed for some hot tea!
    All in all it was a rad day!  I'm sore as hell, still shivering, and I have a killer headache from being that cold for that long, but I am very proud to have finished.  So much so that I got all drunk on the runner's high and preregistered for the 2nd Annual Winter Trail Marathon in Richmond Indiana.  Damn it! I hope they have tea for me next year!  Peace!

First Trail Run in The New Hood

    The house is ours!!! We closed last week and We are very excited.  So excited that I went and got a year park membership over at Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park.  It is about 5 minutes from our new house and it is loaded full of trails to explore.  I have always been a big fan of hiking and subsequently trail running.  It is just so much easier on the joints of a former heavyweight.  Plus, as someone that isn't a fast runner, I like the trails as an equalizer.  Most people go slower on the trails.  I tend to go even slower than that because I am a bona fide tree hugger.  I like to take in the views and enjoy every minute that I am out in nature.
    That awesome nature kicked my ass today.  I thought that I would take on my first trail run in January on trails that I am unfamiliar with.  I started out slow, found a good 3 mile loop.  On my second loop though, I slipped and tumbled down about 4 feet into a little creek bed.  There would have been no way for me to get out of it due to the sheet of ice I slipped on, so I followed the creek.  I thought, "Surely this won't go too far."  3 miles later, I realized that I was going in the completely wrong direction.  I had to keep going at this point because I had made so many turns that I was completely lost.  I eventually made my way to the Duck Pond.  I have now been to this little pond many times an love it.  I did to love it today.  I got to the walking trail and found a sign.  I had a long 2 mile slog back to my car.  It was not my favorite run ever.
    So, I have learned a few things today.  The first is that I might want to stick to the paved, plowed walking paths in the midst of winter.  Second, if I do choose to hit the trails, I need to make some bad ass screw shows out of my older pair of Altras.  Finally, I learned that I need to maybe bring my phone with me in case I am stranded in the woods.  I don't want to be a headline.  Run Strong Everyone!

Resolutions Suck

    Resolutions suck!!! I make one every year still.  I think it just one of those things, one of those social norms that I can not break myself of.  Often times I don't follow through with the resolution past March, or May if I am feeling froggy!  But, this year I set an attainable goal.  This year I am going to run a half marathon a month.  I may be crazy!  Since we are closing on our house in one week and have a baby on the way, I will not be doing 12 registered half marathon races. I'm not rich by any means people!  But, I will hold myself accountable to run these 13.1 mile runs every month.  I think it will help me increase my strength and speed throughout the year.  At least, that is my thought process!  I will use MapMyRun to track my miles.  MapMyRun/BridgettMcDaniels-Russell  One day I will be cool enough for Strava.  Actually, i should say that one day I will know how to use my phone well enough to use Strava.  I will let everyone know when that day comes!
    So, today, I started out right by running a half marathon.  I beat the sun this morning and ran my personal best half with a time of 2 hours 15 minutes and 2 seconds.  Now, I am not a fast runner by any means, but, this is a huge deal for me!  Now, this wasn't a race, but, I have never broken the 2:20 mark so I am saying that it counts as a PR!  Hopefully, a great first half means great things for the rest of the year!
    In order to keep up with this resolution, I just plan on making sure that I get a good long run every week.  The thing that I will do differently that I have ever down before is to switch up the days that I do this long run.  Could be any day of the week.  I don't want to go out for each run with a set number of miles that I "have" to run.  If I feel good, I will just keep running.  If I am feeling fast, I will do sprint drills.  Some days, I may not run.  We will see how this all goes...until next time.  Peace. Plants.

A New Year

First run of the new year..good signs all around!

   

    So, I have tried blogs before...I have also failed horribly before.  But, In this moment, in the early hours of the new year of 2016, I find myself feeling more inclined to get my words out...especially if it reaches 10's of readers!
    Alright, who am I?  Well, i am your average woman that as struggled with her weight for the majority of her life.  A few years ago, when I stepped on a scale that said 311 lbs. I decided that I needed to do something different.  I couldn't go down the path of so many others in my life.  I couldn't have heart attacks and I refused to go through bariatric surgery!  I just like to eat far too much to have it so limited, and I saw the horrible side effects with both my Mother and Sister.
    Mom had her lap band surgery when she was about 60.  I watched my mother struggle with her weight for a long time.  She did everything: Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Sweatin' To The Oldies and Deal a Meal, and the list goes on.  She would walk with my Godmother every morning and evening, 4 miles each go.  The weight never came off. Her blood pressure kept going up and up and shortly after her biological sister passed away at about 650 lbs, she decided something had to change.  Well, in my opinion, my mother went from a nice woman that could've started eating plant based to save her life to a crotchety, weight obsessed woman that is more concerned with losing weight than being healthy.  For 16 years now, my mother, due to the surgery, throws up almost everything she eats and has suffered 2 major hernias.  She can no longer walk on her own and has a very low quality of life.
    My sister Mollee had her bariatric surgery about 4 years ago.  I begged my sister to not have it.  I got her a gym membership.  I took her there and gave her workouts that were helping me.  As a chef, I was diving into healthy recipes and wrote her easy recipes that she could make.  She didn't follow any of these things.  She may disagree, but, i think she just wanted to be skinny without having to work that hard.  She was 5'7" and weighed in at about 275 when she had the surgery.  She had a friend that had the surgery with great success.  This friend ate how he was supposed to and worked out.  Well, Mollee didn't.  She dropped about 80 lbs quickly.  She started partying and drinking and she has yet to ever hit a gym.  Well, that's when problems started.  Throwing food up was just the start.  I can't even go into all the gory details of the problems she has had.  Now, at 39 years old, she has been given less than a year to live.  She no longer has a stomach, has scar tissue all throughout her bowels, and has to be on a feeding tube to live.  Now, there is no going back for Mollee.  She has no chance to reverse the problems she is facing.  I am going to lose my sister and it breaks my heart every day.
    I also have 8 brothers.  3 of them are morbidly obese.  One had a quadruple bypass at 45.  Another has had 4-5 heart attacks and is not even 50. Only 2 of my brothers live a somewhat healthy life.
    So, that is a quick and dirty background about me!  I started juicing to lose weight in 2012 (Thanks Joe Cross) and I had some good success.  I lost 33 lbs in 45 days and I was off!!!  I met this beautiful woman, Laura, in August of 2012 and I was smitten immediately.  She said to me after a while that She might like to do a 5k with me some day.  Laura was fit and beautiful and I didn't want this chance to pass me by.  I downloaded Couch to 5k and I was immediately hooked!  I lost another 65 lbs during the C25K program.  I ran my first race in May 2013 and have since run multiple 5k's and 3 half marathons.  Laura and I decided to go on a raw Lenten fast in February of 2015.  We ate raw vegan and drank home made juice for 44 days.  I lost over 30 more lbs.  I got faster and stronger during this time, so I decided that I was never going back to animal products.  I felt to good to live any other way.  and in November 2015, I ran my first FULL MARATHON!!!  Well, I ran 19 miles of it, then I tore my calf.  So I hobbled the last 7.2, but I finished damn it!
    On that day, Laura (Now my beautiful wife...YAY!) and I had both of our families together for a celebration of my accomplishment.  We also surprised everyone with the news that we are expecting a baby!  Laura was just about 12 weeks pregnant and we couldn't wait another moment to spread the news.  Unfortunately, we had a few scares very early in the pregnancy, so Laura hasn't been able to run at all since she got pregnant.  But,we felt like we were in the clear to tell everyone!

    Since that day in November, we have bought a house that we will close on in 2 weeks.  We are moving to of the neighborhood that I have lived in for almost 10 years.  This makes me sad, but, I am excited for this new chapter in our lives...and a bigger house!  So, this morning I went on one of the last few runs that I will have in the 'hood that I love so very much.  It was a 5 mile brisk run down city streets and past mansions.  I decided to slow down and take in everything that I love about my neighborhood.  The trees, the homes, the parallel streets that I know the distance of... Along the way I saw 3 different signs that said, "Joy" "Love" and "Peace."  These are the big 3 for my life right now.  These were the signs that I needed to realize that I am going in to an amazing part of my life.  I am so excited to see where this new year will take me and me family. In the immortal words of my idol, Rich Roll...Peace, Plants!