MapMyRun Stats 9/01/10

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Raven

The summer heat makes it REALLY difficult to get running in. Now that my mornings are filled up by walking the new pup, I have to get my running time before the hottest time of the day. Even at noon it is just AWFUL. The humidity keeps a thick film on your skin, and it feels like you can never get relief.

Today I was lucky enough to take an early lunch and get my running done before 11:30. It still was a steamy run, but at least I didn’t end up feeling like my shoes were melting to the pavement.

I did notice that my breathing was feeling a little tight at 1.5 miles. This was reminiscent of when I was bike commuting to work one day in September of ’08. I ended up having an allergy induced asthma attack that lasted over 45 minutes. Definitely a scary situation that required an emergency trip to an Urgent Care facility, along with a breathing treatment, and an inhaler prescription. Luckily this was not the same thing, it just felt as if it was going to start happening. I was able to normalize my breathing and make an attempt to not stress over it. That helped me get past the sensation and the subsequent flash-back.

I finished my run and again felt no pain in that bone in my foot, that was injured the first weekend of July.

3.61 miles in 44:14
Avg speed – 4.9 mph
Avg Pace – 12:15 min/mile

I am going to focus more on getting on a training schedule to compete in the Half Marathon portion of the White Rock Marathon. I still believe I can accomplish this! I will set my sights on doing a full marathon after this hurdle is crossed.

MapMyRun Stats 8/30/10

Posted on August 31, 2010 by Raven

A Good solid outside run!

After wrapping and taping my foot, I took off for a solid pavement pounding run. I ventured into a neighborhood which I had not really explored before, and ended up running up some surprising hills. As I cut over on one street, I caught sight of something that really bothered me; a squirrel and her baby in the road.

At first I thought that they were both dead, but as I slowed down, I realized that they were both alive, but for some reason were not moving. After carefully investigating, I found out that the momma had a hurt leg, and it looked as if it laid there to watch over it’s baby. I truly believe that she would have died laying there just to be nose-to-nose with her baby.

I dribbled some water at their mouths from my water bottle, and immediately after that the momma took off across the road, dragging an injured leg behind her. I carefully picked up the baby, and took it over to where the momma was hiding. I tried to just speak calmly to the momma, and gently pet the baby in my hand. It was sweet when the baby closed it’s eyes, as if it were completely comfortable. Of course when I stopped petting its little neck, it started squeaking REALLY loud! Scared the crap out of me at first!

SQUIRREL!!!!!!

After careful consideration, and a semi-anxious phone call or two, I decided that it was best to leave the lil one with his momma. She needed him, as much as he needed her. Luckily they were able to get into a secluded spot in some bushes.

I really hope that they are ok!

9 Foods NOT to Give Your Kids

Posted on July 29, 2010 by Raven

Why would you do this to your child?

In the interest of public health, and especially the health of children, I wanted to pass this along. In the United States there is an epidemic of childhood obesity. This MUST end! Parents, this begins with you. Junior doesn’t buy the crap on his own, YOU are the provider. If you care about your child’s well-being, then you need provide something healthier for your kiddos – THAT is true love right there!

9 Foods Not to Give Your Kids

By Joe Wilkes

If you’ve followed the news on childhood obesity lately, you know the state of affairs is pretty grim. Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the past two decades, and most signs point to the next generation being the first whose life expectancy will be shorter than their parents’. Much of the blame for this trend has deservedly been laid at the feet of the producers and marketers of unhealthy food aimed at our youngest consumers, whose parents face an uphill battle: trying to pit fresh, healthy foods devoid of mascots or sidekicks against superheroes and cartoon animals in a struggle to tempt their children’s palates and stomachs.

Since most kids have hummingbird metabolisms that adults can only envy, it’s often easy to give them a free pass and let them eat whatever they want. But eventually those metabolisms slow down and the pounds settle in. Also, as physical activity decreases and processed food intake increases annually, kids aren’t burning calories the way their parents might have when they were their age. And even if the kids aren’t getting fat, they are establishing eating habits they’ll take into adulthood. As parents, you can help foster a love for healthy eating and exercise that will last your kids a lifetime—hopefully a long one!

Eating can so often be a classic power struggle where kids try to finally locate their mom and dad’s last nerve. (I can remember family dinners with my brother and parents that could teach Hezbollah a thing or two about standoffs.) There are a number of strategies you can use to mitigate this type of deadlock. One is to let your kids help with the selection and preparation of the food. If they picked out the veggies at the farmers’ market and helped cook them, they might be less inclined to feed them to the family pet. Another is to frame eating vegetables and healthy food as being its own reward. Otherwise, by offering dessert as a reward for finishing vegetables, you create a system where unhealthy food is a treat and healthy food sucks. With these thoughts in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most unhealthy foods being marketed to your kids today, and some healthier alternatives you can offer to replace each of them.

Note: The following recommendations are for school-aged children. Infants and toddlers have different specific nutritional needs, not addressed in this article.
Continue reading →

Reaction to Stress

Posted on July 16, 2010 by Raven

Yesterday I went to my doc to get the results of my foot MRI. Unfortunately they were running behind, so I had extra time to sit in the waiting room to wonder about what the results would be. Time can be an enemy!

Finally after about 40 minutes I was taken back to the exam room – to wait some more. Yay. The nurse was kind enough to give me some literature to read – the MRI report. Man there was some confusing terminology in this report! I had to continually look up things on my iPhone.

Yo tengo BING!

Finally the doctor came in to sum everything up and to talk to me on how to get back on track again.

The MRI showed joint-centered marrow edema within the distal, medial navicular and middle cuneiform bones. There was no evidence of an actual fracture in the navicular bone.

The diagnosis is a stress reaction of the navicular bone. A stress reaction is the stage just before an actual stress fracture. A bullet has been dodged in that sense, but it still requires using a walking boot and no running for at least three weeks. The doctor explained that I would need to be completely pain-free for three weeks before getting back to running again.

When I do return to running, I will have to cut my mileage back at least 50%, and then add on no more than 10% per week after the first couple of weeks. He also thought it to be a wise idea to not plan on running the full 26.2 marathon in December.

BUMMER!!

There is a possibility that I would be able to run the Half Marathon, however this is going to depend on how my foot reacts to training. I will have to play it save, so not to risk more injuries.

I already had come to terms that I may not make the full marathon. I had some bouts of disappointment, in thinking this would be the case, but then I had to realize that I was in this for the long haul. I could not push my body to the breaking point again, and risk more severe damage. That would risk me not being able to run, walk, or even bike for a longer period of time; it could even risk me not being able to swim, if surgery were needed. Being around someone like myself without a physical outlet such as exercise is not fun for anyone. So the risks outweighed the benefits. I’m waving my white 26.2 surrender flag….for now.

Bodybugg Stats Catchup!

Posted on July 7, 2010 by Raven

Well I’ve been bad about this! Here are my Bodybugg Stats from 7/1/2010 – 7/6/2010! I actually had a surplus day, but it’s the first in a long time, and it rarely happens. I’m not stressed about it.

Bodybugg Stats 7/1/10

Bodybugg Stats 7/2/10

Bodybugg Stats 7/3/10

Burned a TON of calories on Saturday, and got to eat a lot more so to not be in too much of a deficit. Funny thing is, I really didn’t think I ate that many calories!

Bodybugg Stats 7/4/10

Surplus day!!! Not too bad actually.

Bodybugg Stats 7/5/10

Bodybugg Stats 7/6/10

Sunday is when my foot problems began to surface, so not much calorie burning activity going on for now. I should be doing something as soon as the doc gives me the okay. Maybe he will at least let me ride my bike until I can run again!