Sand in my running shoes

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Pawley's Island

Luke's mom made sure we had a festive beach house and a place for all of the gifts.

I am truly thankful for almost complete healing from my excision surgery back in August and due to physical therapy, my pain is pretty much non-existent. That means my physical therapist gave me the green light to try running again and I was able to run my first mile last week! We spent some pre-Christmas time in Pawley's Island, South Carolina with Luke's family. I wouldn't call myself a beach person, but it is an extremely relaxing place. It's very cozy sitting on the couch under a blanket, looking out at the ocean with a good book to read. The weather was perfect and we took advantage of it by taking long walks with our toes in the sand in December!

Enjoying beach time with Luke's parents

The giant wall of sand

Luke and I went on a 7 mile walk down to the pier from our beach house. He ran half a mile with me on the road and half a mile on the beach. It didn't take long to get winded, but it felt oh so good! 

Hurricane Matthew hit Pawley's and left the beach looking much different from when we last saw it in August. It washed away most of the dunes along with some of the walkways and stairs to the beach. They brought in a ton of sand and created a huge wall of it in front of the houses.

It's odd to be at the beach in December, but the weather cooperated to give us the ideal day to enjoy the beach and to go for a run. I'm thrilled to have that first mile under my belt, and I'm looking forward to many more!

Starting point at the end of Pawley's Island

Had to stop and give these guys a pat

Beautiful day for a run on the beach

Now, the bad news...when I found out I had endometriosis the two main symptoms I had were abdominal pain and nausea. You wouldn't believe how many pregnancy tests doctors made me take! The abdominal pain is nearly gone. Unfortunately, the nausea continues. Many endo sufferers experience nausea, especially if adhesions are aggravating the intestines, bladder, and bowel. I expected the nausea to depart along with the pain. Now my doctor has been trying one thing after the next: diet changes, anxiety, stomach acid, blood sugar, and now sleep. The nausea prevails. In a few days the end of the year will mean the end of having my health insurance deductible met. That means paying out of pocket, or doing some experimenting on my own.

Cody's best dog-frend, Tucker, is visiting and enjoying the walks too.

Nausea or not this is where you will find me most days, out for a walk on Kimbrough. Walking and running my way to a marathon. Luke is sticking with me so far. Any bets on how far he'll go? My guess is a 10K, but let's see if we can get him to do a half marathon with me! I say "we" because this will take a collective effort! Leave a comment on how far you think he should keep running with me!

Running to Escape

Cody escaped from the house and joined me on a pre-surgery run.

The word escape brings an image to my mind of a prisoner breaking free or running away from someone holding you captive. I suppose escape could bring about nice images like a vacation on the beach, but when I think of escape I'm more focused on what I'm trying to get away from than where I'm going to go. 

What am I trying to get away from? This feeling of needing to escape wells up inside of me. Sometimes it comes on urgently and it breaks me down to a sense of hopelessness. Other times it is very gradual and is a slow feeling of restlessness, a growing need to get the heck out of here.

I don't think I'm alone in this. How many of us read Eat, Pray, Love or Wild and immediately started planning (in our daydreams) an adventure of our own, an escape from reality and responsibility? A pursuit of finding ourselves and indulging our selfish nature.

 
I think the reason I don't picture the end destination when I think of escape is because it's an illusion. A week on the beach is nice, but temporary. Even a soul searching journey, while I'm sure would be a great adventure, wouldn't really get me anywhere substantial. I want something that can't be achieved on this earth. I see a shadow of it in treasured moments with my family and friends, finding beauty in exploring nature, laughing at a funny book or movie, or yes, enjoying a really great vacation. I can soak those moments in and try to create as many of them as possible, but it's fleeting. 

Enjoying a really great vacation with Dad and Luke in Maine.

When that itch to escape comes on I could try to take control of the situation and start making plans to get out of my discomfort, but most likely I need to turn my back on that feeling and embrace the reality of my circumstances. This is where you suck it up and keep moving forward, where you "hit the wall" and push through it. 

As runners, we train our bodies to endure these moments. We learn to recognize the difference between hitting our limit and stopping before we injure ourselves, and hitting that metaphorical wall that causes our mind to think we've had enough when really we need to dig down deep and just keep moving.

Let me introduce you to Pop Pilates with Cassey Ho. The YouTube video below actually made me cry the first few times I did it. Cassey will make you feel the burn, and sometimes that is just what our bodies need. The move that she does in this video is called "prisoner position". No wonder I wanted to escape from it immediately. There are workout videos I've disliked and never returned to, but I knew this one was good for me. I kept at it until I could actually complete the whole video without putting my leg down (or crying). :)

Too much?? Cassey does have beginner workouts, so don't be intimidated. I'll warn you that when I first watched her I was pretty annoyed by her insane perkiness, but it's all for a purpose to distract you from what is happening to your muscles! She will make it worth your time and most videos are short 10-20 minutes. Pop Pilates for beginners is a great place to start: 

Right now I am still not allowed to run or do any hard core workouts. I'm walking, doing yoga, and stretching! I can taste it though, just around the corner...I think I'll be running soon. My body is ready to be pushed. It is restless and longing to hit the pavement. For my mind, running provides a temporary escape from the stress of life. For my body, it reminds me that escape isn't necessary. That I can endure some pain and discomfort, I can persist through it, and come out a little bit stronger on the other side.

Wake up and get moving!

I've been told numerous times, by very wise and knowledgeable people, that there are two things I should do first thing in the morning, before anything else: Bible study and Exercise. 
(my dad would probably add "brush your teeth", but I think that's a given)  

I argued against this logic for years because I am not a morning person. I value my sleep and try to get as much of it as possible. It is not just that sleep is good for you (research shows benefits for your brain, your heart, and even your waistline, see this article from the NIH), but I ENJOY sleeping. I really love it. Sleep is not a waste of time or something to feel guilty about. 

However, the wise people in my life were right, if I don't prioritize certain activites, the day will get away from me and I won't find time for them. It is all too easy to downgrade important things like sleep, exercise, and time with God into luxuries instead of priorities. I don't think it has to be that way. For me, it just means I have to get to bed at a decent hour to get all of the glorious sleep I need!  

I would like to share my morning routine with you, but before I do I think it's important to stop here and watch a funny animal video. Watching cute and funny animals should always be a priority and this one will help get you in the Christmas spirit, so enjoy!
 
 

 

Don't you feel better? Now, here is my morning routine:
I wake up and read whatever Bible passage I'm currently reading and then have time in prayer. For a long time, I actually wrote down a prayer and read it every morning because I had trouble knowing what to say and was getting distracted. Every now and then I'll still go back to that written prayer, but I've found the more I pray, the easier it gets. Just like getting to know a friend better and better, the conversation gets easier. 

Next, I get out of bed and do hip circles, squats, and a plank. Sometimes the hip circles happen while I'm brushing my teeth. What are hip circles? Click here. If I'm going to get in a run or walk for the day it has to happen NOW, in the morning. Ideally, I would walk everyday for 30 minutes, but reality is that I'm more likely to do it every other day. This is a great time to pray as well and perhaps just listen to what God has to say. I do my best listening when I'm outside. Somewhere like this:  
 

Family Life Center Hiking Trails

If I have more time in the morning I will do a workout video from youtube, but usually this doesn't happen until I get home from work in the evening. These videos can be as short as 4-6 minutes if I'm really crunched for time, but usually are around 10-15 minutes. 

All of the above links go to FemFusion Fitness videos. Dr. Brianne Grogan is a physical therapist whose motto is, "Eat Clean, Move Everyday." She has fantastic workout videos for all levels, plus advice on clean eating and other topics related to women's health. She has videos I've been able to do even when I feel pretty bad and I still feel like I'm getting a good workout. She is a huge proponent of integrating movement into your day with things like taking the stairs, parking further away, and adding exercise into something you already do, such as her bathroom fitness routine.  For a good place to start, check out her cardio-abs for beginners video:
 

 
That's my routine. Make it a priority and it will happen! How do you fit exercise into your day?