The meaning of the blog

Remember when I started this blog? It was about having a healthy lifestyle after a divorce. Well, it’s now been almost 2 years since my split, and I don’t feel like that’s really what this blog is about anymore. I think I’ve had enough closure.

For example, Saturday’s moo-nlight race was on what would have been my 5th wedding anniversary. Ironically, it was held in Davis, which is where my ex husband and I met. And as we arrived at race and discovered where the course went, another coincidence became apparent: the start line was on Drew Ave, which was the street my ex husband lived on before he moved in with me. I took notice of this interesting fact, and thought about how it could be construed as symbolic that I was beginning a race there. But really, as soon as that thought entered my brain, it also just melted away. I wasn’t there because of him or any symbolic reason, I was there because my friends and I were doing a running event together. I didn’t think of it again until I came to write this entry.

Yes, I’m still learning to be healthy on my own, while not living with a significant other and sharing meals. But I have support from my friends now, I have a new plan and a new life.

So I changed the tagline on my blog from “Living healthy after a divorce” to “Balancing food, exercise, and fun”. I think it’s more appropriate to what’s going on now. I also updated the “About Holly” page. I hope shifting the focus back to my running and training will cause me to update a little more often, and enjoy sharing my experiences again.

Hello again, blog world.

Exercise filled week!

This week included 3 training runs, two yoga classes, a spin class, and a moonlight 5k race. I have to say, I’ve got some sore muscles today and I needed that nap I just woke up from!

BUT – I am feeling good. The yoga is helping with strengthening and stretching both. And it has been MONTH since I’ve gotten in 4 runs a week (looking back in my Garmin logs – the last time I ran 4 times in a week was JANUARY). Total mileage was 14 for the week, the most since March. SO I’m feeling very good about my training and wanting to do everything possible to keep this up!

Here I am with my running buddy Nicole after last night’s 5k (and putting on our warm clothes):

Today started off a new week right, 5 mile run with the Nike Women’s group. We had a smaller bunch to coach because so many of them did the Moo-nlight race last night. I did the first two miles with 3 of the ladies, and then as they started to spread apart in pace, I stuck with the middle runner (because I am an awesome coach. ) We ran the 5 miles straight, save for a pause to refill water bottles at the turnaround. Average pace was 12:15. My conditioning is coming back – my heart rate and breathing was much better than last week. But my body is still getting used to it — sore hips and legs for sure.

I am so happy to be finally feeling a bit like a runner again. Bit by bit, I’m getting myself back.

Moo-nlight running

This Saturday is the Davis Moo-nlight Race. I’m doing the 5k, not for time, but for fun. I have a lot of friends who are doing the half marathon, which is not only unique in that it starts at 7 pm, but finishers get a glow in the dark medal! I wish I were ready to do a half right now because I’d be all over that!

I am stoked to do any distance though, because it means I’ll be back at the races. I just love the race atmosphere, the excitement, the nervous energy, the adrenaline. It’s an addiction. But I suppose there are much worse ones.

Week 2 – loving it!

I’m easing back into this running thing because I do NOT want to get injured again this time around. This training program is 16 weeks so it ramps up nice and slowly.

We did 4 miles last week, 2 minute Fartleks on Thursday night, and 4 miles again today. The girls (and the one guy) all looked strong and were feeling confident because they knew they could handle 4 miles. As for me, I’m still getting my conditioning back. I was a lot more winded than I’d like to be! But slow and steady, and it’ll come back. And the important thing is that I ran 4 miles injury free. Next week we bump up to 5.

Also this week I tried a new hot vinyasa yoga class time. My workout buddy Nicole and I have been going every Wednesday night, but we tried the Saturday morning class this week as well. I loved it! Courtney was charismatic and a great teacher, and also very tough. My abs are screaming today, as are many other muscles that were trembling and shaking all the way through class.

It was really a “going back to basics” set of poses that we held for long times. It stretched me out but also made me burn. Add to that two morning spin classes last week and a 30 minute arms/abs class and man, I am feeling whipped back into shape!

Running tattoo – accomplished!

So remember how I mentioned wanting to get a running tattoo? That is the most googled entry in my blog! Well guess what folks, back in April, I was in Vegas with my friend Nicole. She was running an awesome relay race and I was support crew. And we decided it would be the perfect time to get our running tattoos!

We went to Hart & Huntington in the Hard Rock Cafe and produced our designs. We had each picked out a different icon. I ended up loving that icon I had pout in my original post way back last July, so that’s what I went for:

EXTREME CLOSE UP!!!

I love it! Here I am expressing my approval with my tattoo artist:

It totally gave me the tattoo bug, too. Hahaah. But this is good for now.

Nike Women’s Half Marathon

So, I’m not JUST a lazy, slacking blogger who never posts. That is true, of course, but the plain fact is….the last post was the last run I did. And in fact, even though it appears I ran a few steps, we walked over half of that event. We also walked Bay to Breakers. So the last run I actually did was a 5k on May 7th.

I took a complete running hiatus to heal the hip injury I mentioned. It had gotten so bad that I was in pain all day – limping at work, hobbling up my stairs, etc. So I did not run at all in June.

What DID I do? I did hot yoga once or twice a week, I did heat and ice, I got two massages, and I lost 8 pounds by changing my eating habits. (Because in April/May, when I first stopped running, I gained over 10 pounds in an instant).

And now it’s July and I am back, baby! I took that rest and I worked on getting healed because it’s training group time. And not just any training group, the training group for….

THAT’S RIGHT!!! I am coaching the Nike Women’s half marathon group at Fleet Feet Vacaville and I am STOKED. We had our informational meeting on Thursday night and it’s going to be a wonderful group! About 35 people, many first timers, a lot of people to coach that I have never met!

And have I mentioned that I have been wanting to run this amazing race for three years? I am so happy I’ll be able to be a part of it and earn a gorgeous finisher’s necklace at the finish line. I may never take it off.

Some of the past necklaces:

Some I think are great, some not quite as pretty. Can’t wait to see what it looks like this year!

Tomorrow morning, 6:30 am, we start at a simple 4 miles. And I can’t wait to build my running back up, and coach some new people along the way.

Becky’s Last Race

One of my running buddies (and very best friends), Becky, is moving to Texas on Monday. Today we ran her last race before she leaves – the Fiesta Days 10k in Vacaville.

I’m still injured, but I came out of retirement for a little bit. We wore tutus, of course. We ran the first bit and the final stretch:

We actually spent more of the race like this, though:

Because sometimes, it’s good to literally stop and smell the roses.

We’ll miss you Becky. ♥

Denial is a river in….India?

So, I’ve been in denial a little bit the past…two or so weeks.

I started feeling a little twinge in my hip flexor one day. It got a little worse and kinda went down the IT band a bit. I got a massage, and it felt worse. I went to the chiropractor and he tested my strength. He said I wasn’t weaker in any direction, so it might have just been a pulled muscle. He advised I not run that night (last Thursday) and it should be better.

Last Saturday we did 5 miles. With hills. I felt great, and once I got going I didn’t feel the twinge at all. Monday, I hurt.

Tuesday night we ran 4.75 miles, and any time I had to wait for people to catch up (I was coaching), I stretched it. While I was moving though, it didn’t hurt. I thought it was getting better.

Wrong.

Wednesday morning I was limping along. No scheduled workout at night, so I just stretched and rolled and used biofreeze and hoped for the best.

Nope, still sore today. Every time I got up from a chair and started walking, it was really painful and I had a slight limp. And Thursday night is speedwork… with a hill repeat workout looming.

What to do?

I decided to return to the hot yoga studio I’d basically abandoned once I started running again after my injury last year. I went to hot yoga classes a couple times a week last spring/summer and they really made me feel great. I had just not been making the time for them once I got a running schedule down. But tonight, I chose to take a class instead of running.

And…it was AMAAAAAZING.

It was hard, my arms and legs were shaking, and I was dripping sweat. But we did so many downward dogs and leg extensions and lunges and twists and warrior poses that pulled and tugged on my sore areas. But in a good way. Not sharp pains, but stretching them out. The heat made the muscles relax out and I was able to really get in to them.

When I left class and walked over to Fleet Feet, I had NO PAIN. I could lift my leg up and down and barely feel the hip flexor working. Amazing.

I came home and got out two ice packs. I sat on one and stuffed the other one in on my hip flexor.

I took a hot shower. Things are STILL not hurting.

I sprayed with biofreeze and am getting into bed. Here’s hoping that it doesn’t stiffen up overnight. I’ve got 5.5 miles on the schedule tomorrow.

And I’ve got hot yoga classes once a week on my schedule from now on.

Pinky swear.

Official Race Photos!

We rocked it.

Shamrockin’ half marathon!

In 2009, I ran 3 half marathons and one full marathon.

In 2010, I got injured. I ran zero half marathons.

But in 2011, I’m back.

And those miles were done all in a tutu.

Sooooo happy to be out there again. Now to just get faster….