solar squirrel

I have hesitated to write this post, but I guess I shouldn’t put it off any longer.  I have day dreamed about this post…the day when I was able to confidently state that I was back to running.  Well - the time is here.  I am still dealing with meniscus pain, but it’s so mild and it doesn’t interfere with any activity so I’ve decided that I should make it official.  I AM BACK!

Today I ran the SARC Buckeye Half Marathon and felt awesome!  Set a new PR for myself for the half marathon - I believe the time was around 1:37.  I’ll post an official report as soon as I know the exact results.

Over a year ago, in July of 2009, I was training to do a fall marathon in 3:30.  During what should have been an easy 6 mile paced run, I had to stop and walk due to pain.  Here’s the post in case you’re interested.  That started an 8 month long journey through the first real injury I’ve ever had.  My recovery officially started in June, after I saw Dr. Keyes - who BY THE WAY IS A MIRACLE WORKER - and he fixed me up!  Since June I’ve been pretty conservative with my running, having done most of my runs around a 9-min or slower pace with the Smiths.  I really think this was key to my recovery going so well.  Running with them forced me to go slower than what felt ‘normal’ to me aerobically.  I think that this was instrumental for me not re-injuring myself.

Here’s my come back song from Scooter to make the event ‘official’.  Please listen to just the first 30 seconds of this song if you’ve never heard it.  Scooter is so freakin’ awesome!!!!!!!

Tribute to our fans - Tour 2006

Larry with me and Brittany

A few months ago, my pal Brittany told me about this trainer she had hired to help get her into shape for her wedding.  She said he had these things called ‘Buddy Sessions’ where you and a friend work out together with him and he gives a pretty good rate.  She said  I could come and do a workout with her and see how I liked it.  Well - after the first session I knew it would be worth it so I signed up for 12 weeks.  After about 6 sessions I could already see a DRAMATIC difference in the way my core and upper-body looked - specifically my arms and shoulders were looking RIPPED!  Right around the time I started working out with Larry I was also able to start running again, so I had a double whammy kick start to my fitness comeback.  I’ve never lifted weights or worked out with a trainer seriously before and I can honestly say that I’m impressed with the results.  My metabolism is definitely higher (I’ve lost over 10 lbs) and I guarantee it has to do with the increased muscle mass that I’ve obtained from our sessions.  I decided that I really wanted to focus on building strength in my hips and legs for running, so I added another day with Larry during the week where we focus solely on strengthening those areas.  Again: more than impressed with the results!!  After a little over a month I can tell that my stamina during running is improved.  I have more strength during longer runs and I’m confident that if I keep this up I’ll be back to where I was before the IT band injury within a few more months!

So I thought I would put together a blog post that talks about all of the fun we have during our hour-long buddy sessions on Saturday’s.  Here’s a recap of this week - I had my sister, Katy, also tag along so she could get the full Larry experience (since I’ve been telling everyone about the crazy workouts he has me and Brittany do every week)

We started off with a trio of fun:  1) Running sprints while pulling weighted sled; 2) Squats using resistance band; 3) Alternating lunges on slide with medicine ball.

Sprints pulling weighted sled

Brittany doing lunges on slide with medicine ball raises

Katy doing squats with resistance band

The way the buddy sessions work is you take turns doing the different activities that Larry comes up with.  Brittany and me usually just look at each other in disbelief when he tells us what he wants us to do next.  It’s like - where does he come up with this stuff??!!?  We did 2 sets of the above and then moved onto our next trio:  1)  Mountain climbers / kick outs on slide; 2)  Burpee’s and pushup with weighted sled pull; 3)  Step ups on bench.

Larry telling Brittany to keep going - the double leg slide outs were INTENSE!!!!

Katy doing step-ups

Me doing Burpee + pushup and weighted sled pull

We ended with lunges and shoulder presses with the weighted sled; medicine ball throwing / catching (really worked the forearms!!!); and something that I can’t remember.  (Towards the end of the workout I start getting delirious…)

I love our workouts because we aren’t in a stuffy gym and we typically incorporate whatever is around us into the workout.  (The other week Larry had us doing push-ups with our feet on swings at a play ground and angled pull-ups on the jungle gym!!)  It is an awesome workout and a lot of fun because Brittany and me are laughing and cheering each other on the whole time.  Another cool thing is that the other person feels obligated to work hard and not stop due to the fact that we’re both doing something at the same time.  So if I’m doing angled pull-ups while Brittany is sprinting with the sled my arms are getting tired and I’m telling her to move as fast as possible!

Check out these RESULTS!!!!

Multiple muscle groups engaged!

I didn’t realize my shoulders are REALLY getting ripped - check it out:

Whoa! Getting a little freaky-looking!!!! HARD CORE!!!!

I have some really good before shots of me in a bathing suit from this past winter when we went to Castaway Bay.  I’ll have to see if they are postable.  (They are pretty bad).  For now I’m going to try to keep up the workouts and hopefully continue to see results.  I still hate my butt and love handles, but at least they are getting MUCH smaller.  I just want to get strong and have endurance…if that means keeping a little flab then so be it.

I’ve slacked so much these past few months on my blog I just decided to make a post that covers the majority of what has been going on lately.  My running has slowly been getting better - not nearly where I was 2 years ago before the IT Band injury - but definitely getting there.  I’ve managed to lose about 10 lbs., too, thanks in part to running again and in part to my 2 days a week with Larry my personal torturer.  I haven’t been this small for a while and it’s GREAT!  My clothes are all loose and I’m feeling awesome during my training.  I just hope I can keep it up once winter comes.  (I think I will).

Quick break to just say that Dr. TIM KEYES IS THE BEST!!!  If it weren’t for going to him and getting ART (Active Release Technique) on my IT band who knows the shape I would be in right now.  Probably the fattest I’ve ever been and incredibly out of shape.  If you are having issues with your IT Band and you haven’t tried ART I highly recommend that you do!  I took 8 months off of running and thanks to Tim I am confident in saying that I am BACK!

Racing these past few months hasn’t been very consistent.  I ended up doing the Pirate Tri (sprint) at Lake Metroparks.  I realized that I just don’t want to spend the ridiculous amts. of $$ triathlons typically cost.  I may do Portage Lakes, but unless a triathlon is less than $50 chances are I probably won’t be doing it.  This past Thursday I did the Twilight Trail 8k sans my original ‘Two Trail Freaks’ team mate, Elizabeth.  Instead I ran on a team with Bridget and we decided to call ourselves ‘2 Slow 4 Elizabeth’ since - in reality I really am too slow to be on a team with her!!  Plus, that name is just hilarious.  I was less than 2 minutes slower than the last time I did the race.  I had a time of 38:42 this year.  In 2008 I had a 37:01.  I guess that’s not all that bad considering I took so long off of running and I felt pretty good during the race and had enough energy at the end to pass the two girls who were in front of me.  I really can’t wait to be back into better shape and be faster and have endurance.  It’s just going to take time, though…I’m just SO THANKFUL that I’m able to run again!!!

Today I ran the longest I’ve done in well over a year:  18 miles.  And it was HOTTTTTTT!!!  I ran with Bridget and Addy (Addy for the first 6 - she was in the Bob stroller while we pushed).  Let me just state for the record that I was a sweaty disgusting MESS!  I CANNOT believe how much sweat poured off of me today!  We are talking dripping off and drenched clothes.  I brought my insulated container filled with a gallon of ice water plus a water bottle filled with gatorade AND I DRANK ALL OF IT!!!  Yes - the entire gallon container and my water bottle!  And I was STILL thirsty afterwords!  Bridget and me ran together for almost the entire time and then when we got to 14 I just decided I wanted to be done so I picked it up a little.  I think my last 2 miles were the fastest of the entire 18, mainly due to the sheer fact that I just wanted to be done running and get out of my soaked, nasty clothes!  I’m definitely excited to have completed 18, though.  Because running is so mental this is a nice next step for me after so long without running.  I’m confident now that I am a runner again!

We are building a deck in the backyard.  It is coming along nicely and I can’t wait to have it completed and ready for lounging!  We’re planning on also getting a hot tub which I’ve pretty much wanted my whole life.  I am so excited for this winter to come now!  Running in the winter is just SOOOOO cold, and now after I’m done running I can look forward to sitting in a luxurious spa!  I think it will really help me stick with my running over the winter.  Oh, and PS:  If you run with me over the winter you are also more than welcome to come back to my place afterwords and go in with me!

Photo from Will and Kate’s wedding.  Brian had two dates because Sharon didn’t have a date and Todd was in Poland for work.  Lucky guy!!!

Me, Brian, and Sharon at Will and Kate's Wedding

Some progress shots of the deck.  Here is one of the earliest before we excavated half of the yard and drilled all of the post holes.  BTW, if you have rocks in your yard good luck using a power auger.  Doesn’t work very well and you have to do it the old fashioned way with a manual post hole digger.

2-person auger for drilling post holes

It was pretty neat when they delivered the stuff for the deck.  This guy brought a lift to haul the stuff down the driveway!  Awesome!

Getting materials delivered

It’s crazy how much we had to dig out!  Todd took the sledgehammer to two of the concrete stairs leading off the back porch.

Progress shot of holes and excavation

Holes dug and posts in place with concrete drying

Posts in, working on the beams then the joists!

Shot showing joists nailed together

Nailing the joists together with those stupid plates was terrible!  If we knew then what we know now we would have ordered different types of materials.  It takes forever to nail all the nails into those plates and it’s so annoying!  Me and Todd both got blisters from hammering so many freakin nails!

You’ll have to stay tuned for pictures of the finished deck…