New Year, New Blog

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Hi Everyone -- I've been a little scarce around here lately and I'm not promising that that's going to change, but it just might. In the meanwhile, I've started a new public blog and wanted to share it with you here. I'll be blogging about running, motivation, health, vulnerability and who knows what else as I work on establishing my new running and life coaching business Run To Your Life...

runtoyourlife.wordpress.com/2012/12/
29/the-why-behind-your-want/

You can click on the link to read and follow by email.

-Kathy

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Good, Bad, Ugly

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Good: I ran my 11th half marathon last weekend in Chicago -- my 11th state for the 50 states half marathon challenge.

Bad: It was my worst race ever, with a PW of 3:16:03.

Ugly: I ran the race with a broken 3rd toe on my right foot. I wasn't sure it was broken at the time (but I was pretty sure). I broke it Friday morning as I was packing to head to the airport and ran on it 48 hours later. It hurt quite a bit for the first few miles, then settled into an ache. By miles 9-13, I was passing people and not feeling a thing. Yesterday I confirmed via x-ray that it really is broken.

Good: I have an appointment with a podiatrist next week.

Bad: I'm still limping.

Ugly: I'm facing the prospect of not running for as long as 5 more weeks. And I'm registered for another half marathon in 4 weeks. I'm willing to walk it, but not even sure about that right now.

Good: I'm still working out. Both yesterday and today I got on the elliptical at the gym. I really want to maintain my fitness during this non-running time.

Bad/Good: I'm at my highest weight in a long time. I'm worried that not running will make that worse. But I'm determined not to let it. I actually need to lose during non-running time. Time to focus!

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A Four Year Running Adventure

Friday, March 09, 2012

I am a bit amazed to realize that I am celebrating four years of running this week.

Wow.

In that time, I’ve logged more than 3000 miles. I haven’t taken a break longer than a few days except last summer when I injured my back.

I’ve run in at least 12 states from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon and Costa Rica.

This spring I’ll add Missouri and Vermont to the list.

I’ve run in at least 30 of the 351 towns in Massachusetts (yes, I keep lists)

I’ve run morning, noon and night. Through snow and heat. On vacation and during my hardest periods at work. I've run 6 miles down a mountain in a raging thunderstorm at 4:30 am and I’ve run on a deserted beach at dawn. I’ve had fabulous runs, crappy runs, and lots of just average runs. I’ve had to struggle to get out some days, but have never regretted doing so.

Though it all I’ve met friends from all across the country who I’ve laughed with and cried with through our adventures. Most of them also discovered running late in life and we are all having so much fun. I've run dozens of 5ks and 10ks, 8 half marathons, one marathon and the Hood to Coast Relay. And I found a new best friend who is also my running partner.

It’s been a grand adventure. As Bart Yasso says “never limit where running can take you” – and that’s both a physical and a mental thing. Running has taken me to new destinations, but also to a new place mentally.

I’ve gained confidence that I can do anything that I put my mind to doing. I’ve learned that even after a lifetime of couchdom, I can get fit, and stay fit for the long haul. I've struggled to get faster and also learned to be satisfied with what I can do. I’ve introduced friends to running and celebrated their accomplishments and become a certified running coach.

Four years ago I sweated and struggled through my first minutes of the Couch to 5K program. I was miserable and it was hard, but I had decided that I needed to start to exercise if I was going to get the weight off and keep it off. That was – without a doubt – the hardest mile I’ve ever done.

I only wish I had started sooner.

Happy running, friends and here's to many more adventures together!

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And You Thought You Were Hiding

Sunday, January 22, 2012

I spent the last three days in a simply amazing and transformational coaching class with 30 or so other people. I am still processing much of what happened in that room and I know that it will take some time to do so. But it was an incredible experience.

We did an exercise today in groups of six. The person who was "it" had to stand quietly and simply focus on breathing (not reacting) while the other five looked -- really looked -- at them and identified the qualities that they could "see" in the person who was "it." Then they identified the qualities they would like to see more of. Keep in mind we did not know each other except for our in class time. I was told I was outdoorsy and connected to the earth, even though they had no idea about my work. I was thoughtful, fun, strong and other things I can't remember. They wanted me to be more spontaneous and open, and said that they could see a light or fire in me that was still a little behind me and hadn't yet reached it's full brilliance. We did the same thing for the other people in the group and it was amazing how much you could see in a person if you really take the time to look! And connecting with "what we could be more of" really changed our styles of coaching.

All of this is not to say that you can know everything about someone on first meeting them. But we hide far less than we think we do!

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'Bout Time for Some Goals

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

So it wasn't that I hadn't written goals, but I just wasn't ready to post them when it came time for the annual posting of goals and resolutions that seems to happen at the beginning of every year here on Sparkpeople. And I know that because I've now "been there" -- meaning here -- for four years. Sometimes I've been losing, sometimes not, but I'm continuing to learn and grow and try new things.

During 2008 and 2009 when I first joined Spark I kicked butt, losing 50 pounds and taking on lots of new challenges. In the time since I've been up, down and sideways. I'm a daily weigher and daily logger. So I can look back over all those months and see trends. And frankly, I don't like what I see. Starting Weight 221. Goal 155. Got to 163 in September 2009. Got tired of it. 173 in January 2010. 180 in January 2011. 184 in January 2012. Are the warning bells ringing? You bet! It won't take too many years to be back where I started and THAT is not going to happen. So I thought hard about my goals for 2012 while I was on vacation over the holiday. I composted on them for a bit. I've tried them out over the past few weeks and am making a few tweaks and I'm finally ready to share... not goals, not resolutions, but my "will do" list for 2012. Because I need to kick things into higher gear and reverse the trend. And I'm heading back to basics. I've tracked my food every day but one (intentional) since January 1st. I've worked out everyday. I'm focused. I'm Jake with the hamburger and I've got the Eye of the Tiger. Sadly, there are only a few friends who will remember that Jake reference. But it's back there in those blogs somewhere.

Lab-lover's Will Do List for 2012

Health and Fitness

**16,000 exercise minutes, 750 miles of running and walking. Track on Sparkpeople.

**Successfully complete 100 days exercise challenge - 30 min/day of intention movement. Track on Facebook and plan 1 week ahead for workouts on calendar.

**Exercise at least once a week during the work day, and calendar this a week in advance to help make sure it happens. Track in "other goals"

**Strength/core at least 3- 4 times/week. Track in "other goals"

**5 half marathons - NH, VT, Missouri, Chicago and 1 more. Signed up for the first three to date.

**PR at one distance

**End new year lighter than it started (reverse the trend). Bonus - end 10 pounds lighter. Six pounds lost since January 1st.

**Use Spark to track food and exercise minutes.

Professional

**Calendar 1 hour of thinking and review time at work per week

**Change the way I use email (there are more specific here, but I need to make them more measurable to know that I'm on track)

**Stay more positive. Again, more specific here, but I don't want to share them.

**Coach another 5k class

**Take a least one coaching class for professional development

**Be intentional about carving out time for leadership development of younger staff at work

**Calendar more personal time to reduce the space taken by meetings - includes thinking time, exercise time

**Have a social lunch/meeting once a month.

Personal

**Move and settle

**Update our wills

I'm already making a lot of good progress and feel good about the year to come!

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