Anamal

Day 3 of the Athlete Re-boot is well under way! Went for an hour long run in a different pair of shoes and on a grassy median than runs for a few miles outside Santa Monica. Not exactly an ideal nature trail... but one must improvise when you live in Los Angeles. Anyway, massive success was that the achilles felt totally fine today! So much so that I did some tempo work at the end of the run. I had originally planned on bailing on this for fear my leg would be bothering me, but instead I felt awesome! Got my heart rate up to 192, which probably means my max is close to that, maybe a little higher, but 190-195 is a close enough range to confirm that my HR zones are set well. Tomorrow I'm going to stick to the plan and hop on the elliptical after upper body strength training. Friday will be a rest day and then this weekend I'm going camping with the bf. I want to be smart with my food choices even if it means being a little low on cals. It's always funny to me that eating paleo/primal is so challenging when you're actually out in nature. Oh well, I can always do tuna packets, nuts, and apples to get me through the weekend. Oh and I've promised myself I won't do any drinking until our trip to San Fransisco next weekend. Last thing I've noticed now that I'm starting to run by HR instead of arbitrary feel, is that I'm not as efficient nor as aerobically fit as I once imagined myself. This can be frustrating when I'm forced to speed walk a hill instead of run in order to maintain my HR. But I'm willing to stay the course and see where it takes me. The worse that can happen at this point is that I trail really mellow for a few more months and have a really slow 50k debut. Not too shabby. I know right?! I think my favorite part is that they're all very normal looking women, some are bigger than others but none of them are the super oiled up and lean "fitspo ladies" you see so often.

Nicely done! I wish, oh I wish I could do a strict pull up But strangely I could knock out like 5-10 kippings the first time I tried, they're really not the same, but still feel pretty bad ass. It sounds like you're not too far off of strict pull ups though.

I agree with Blaidd. It's really important to notice what you did well and be proud of those things. But I also love how you take note of things that didn't go as well as planned and make a note on how they can be better. Good job! I almost always have an apple or two in my purse for snacking emergencies. Although those maybe aren't ideal if you're trying to maintain pretty low carb.

Ohhh lake effect, how I remember you from my college years in upstate NY. That kind of cold is unlike anything I had ever experienced growing up in CO. Good job motivating yourself to run outside when it's that cold.

Looking good after week 1! Also you totally inspired me to add in 24hr fasts with more commitment. Yesterday I knocked one out, and you're totally right. You get hungry up to a point, and then it kinda levels off and by end of day I had forgotten about it, plus it's easy to not way over eat when dinner rolls around. Woo! Thanks for the kick in the pants!

glad I could be of help! And I'm happy to see you're still knocking around NF. Congrats on the nuptials btw!

Paleo/Primal/athlete/health reboot day 2, and we're off to a good start! Yesterday to kick off what I'm calling my health reboot I did a 24hr fast, partially because I had no food, and partially because they help focus me and show that I am in control and that my body will not wither without food every few hours. I almost caved at lunch time, but that feeling passed and by the end of the day I was able to get through an entire grocery shopping session without buying any crap. I meal prepped for a few hours, had an awesome healthy dinner (seared ahi tuna and kale.... I know I'm weird, but I really like kale) and went to bed early. Today, up at 6am, took the pork shoulder out of the crock pot, but the brisket in, packed lunch and was out the door to the gym by 6:30am. Legs done, core session 1/3 done, 30min low intensity bike ride done, foam roll session 1/3 done. My achilles is feeling really close to healed, but I'm still going to alternate running and cross training for at least this week, maybe the next too. I notice it starting to twinge after about 35-40mins of running, so until that stops, cross training and daily icing it is! I'm also starting to think it might be an issue caused by my shoes, so tomorrow I'll throw on a different pair and run on the trails/grass instead of concrete. Oh and here is something inspirational for all the ladies out there: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN7lt0CYwHg Awww thanks lovely!

Wooo new house with proper kitchen! And at least now you know that weekends are your hang ups so you can better plan for the future. Seeing as you're already doing really well on two of your goals, I'd say you will really kick some butt this week!

Wooo crossfit! I did a trial a year ago and really loved it. I think having solid coaches makes all the difference. And it's so encouraging that the box you're going to focuses on form over ego And it's arguably the best cross training for spartan races and other OCRs. Also, be really wary when foam rolling your back... I've actually been told to more or less avoid going over your low back with it since that is where the spine is most exposed and most susceptible to injury from unwanted pressure, but upper back is ok since your shoulder blades protect the spine to a greater degree. Just food for thought!

Nicely done with the eating, and being able to be flexible enough with your diet to go on an awesome trip! Taos is a really beautiful part of the south west.

I love snow running so much! I really miss it living out in LA, but damn if that doesn't sound awesome. Sucks on the eating thing, but it sounds like you're motivated to do better. And when doing better involves tasty slow cooker meat and salad, what's not to like!

Monday! Weeee! Sunday was a rest day after 6 days straight of working out. My body didn't really feel like it needed a rest day, but I chose to prioritize hanging out with my bf who I hadn't seen all week in the morning instead of going for a 40min run. Then I had to head into the office to work on a pitch for the agency, as always that took more time than I thought it would, so I chose to prioritize going into the week with enough sleep instead of riding the bike for an hour. Balance people, balance. And now time for real talk with Awk: Having a more mellow weekend * has allowed me to begin thinking about the big why of working out, the desire to get healthy, as well as the desire to get to a leaner state. And I think I've really (for once) figured it out. And it honestly has to do with my very strong sense of self-preservation and survival. Frankly, I'm not vain enough for aesthetics to motivate me. For many, the desire to look better is all they need. I am not one of those people. I need something deeper, than wanting to feel pretty in my own skin. Recently I've begun to notice a really disturbing trend among people my age and a little older, and that is really scary cancer and other life-threatening illness diagnoses. People in their late 20's and 30's who are fighting for their lives. I'll be 27 this July and I will do anything within my power to live as long as I can. Seriously. I don't say this to be glib. My biggest fear in life is death. I am not a "go silently into the dark" kind of person, I'm more of a kicking and screaming kinda person. I realize that this may sound morbidly abstract for someone my age, but after some reflection that's where I realize my biggest motivation comes from. And recognizing this has me feeling strong and willing to put up with the small annoyances (minimal drinking and very low intake of tasty sugar things) for a much much larger picture. I can think of nothing so depressing as being inept in my old age, forcing those around me to care for me because I was too lazy to properly care for myself now. Or knowing that I'm going to get offed at 85 instead of 100 because I was simply too lazy and unmotivated to put down the god damn cookie and go for a walk. I need to begin treating my body as a long term investment instead of adding it to the list of items I'll deal with tomorrow. So I'm starting today! More veggies, more healthy meats, less sugar, less alcohol, less excuses and bullshit to ease the present when my focus should be on the future. I'm tired of this half in bullshit that I've been allowing myself recently. I realize that I am one of the few people who would call a weekend where I do a long run and put in a full day of work on Sunday a "mellow" weekend.

Do leg day before your long run I said. It will be fine I said. I am a liar. My legs are crazy sore, but I still managed to get in my 8 miles today (although I walked the last 1/2 mile because my tendon started to bug me). The run would have felt pretty easy were it not for the DOMS. Training within my aerobic heart rate is really slowing my pace down, but I'm willing to see this experiment through to the end in the hope that Matt Fitzgerald knows what he's talking about and that I'll eventually start to get faster. If anything it's showing me that I am not as fit as I thought I was. I might cry trying to get my last foam roll session today.

You're certainly kicking butt at this whole food tracking thing! I second what @deborahjade said about water bottles, I drink way more from my 2L Nalgine than a regular cup. But I also put some lemon or lime concentrate into my water (the little bottles can be found in almost any grocery produce aisle) and that helps mask any weird taste. Los Angeles has terrible tasting water too. For the bike tires here is what comes to mind. 1) The tires will get flat on their own over time. And not as much time as you think. If you're not riding every day this happens faster. I find I have to top off my tires every 3-4 days even when riding a good amount. 2) You might have very small holes, take the tubes out and submerge them in water, if you see a stream of bubbles coming from somewhere, you have a puncture. Luckily they're easy to patch. 2a) if you are getting small punctures, make sure you're being careful while changing the tire as you may be accidentally puncturing the tire, or getting the tube caught in between the rim and tire. 2b) take your tube out of the tire and run your fingers around the inside of the tire and make sure there are no sharp bits. You may have somethings stuck in there that is puncturing the tube each time you install it. Hope that helps!

Good luck with the job interview! And good luck with the potential new gym buddy! Having some one to show you around is a big bonus. I'm also glad to hear you're out and walking most days. I love getting up early to walk/run/hike/whatever. Something about being one of the first people awake makes me feel... cool? Yeah, lets go with that.

Hey lady, it happens. We all have bad days and shitty news that gets us down, but take note of a few things: 1) You're a bad ass and you can overcome this! 2) As Steve says "never two in a row" you had a bad day, now brush yourself off and move forward. You can change the future! 3) You ARE making progress and ARE an inspiration to so many here (including me). *Hugs*

It's flex Friday kiddos! And that means..... I won't be posting a picture here because I never remember to take them. tee hee. BUT I shall flex my consistency muscle (because that is a real thing and all...) Anyway this week I'm really proud of myself for being consistent with my workouts and eating this week. And for not saying "fk it" when my achilles started acting up. So far I've done: + Cardio of some form every day of the week (except today because it's leg day and strength training is more important IMO than more time on the bike) + Core 3/3 times + Strength train 2/2 + Foam rolling is only 1/3 so far but will be 2/3 by tonight and 3/3 after running tomorrow. Also, my diet has been about 80% awesome with lots of veggies at each meal and only 1 grain (GF pb&j sandwich) 2 small bits of chocolate, and 2 drinks with dinner this week. Considering Aunty Flow was in town this whole week, that's pretty freaking phenomenal! Now just to roll that consistency into the weekend. Pshhh nah... I'll just wing it. Kidding! So much kidding. I would die.

Yay running! And I'm glad to see you're taking a really smart approach to barefoot running in terms of timing. I'm even happier that you're doing this on a treadmill because I seriously imagined you slogging through the canadian winter with nothing but toe socks. On. And I'm most excited that you're finally starting to get better! Running! I came to a similar decision about IF myself. A one day per week 22-24 hr fast is far more practical for me than a 14-16hr fast daily, although I still do the majority of my morning sessions fasted.... but that could be because I've become too lazy to make/eat breakfast.

I think I experienced something similar after the holidays as well. My body was pretty happy to burn off the extra food that I had been shoving in my face hole all vacation and as a result I didn't need to eat as much. Now that I'm back to working out at least once a day I can feel my appetite returning slowly to normal. Listen to your body and unless you start to feel off/tired I'd say keep what you're doing and in a week or less you'll probably be back to what you're used to eating. That aside... I also really like todays image! It's very timely for me. I was just thinking that I feel like I'm not making progress yet and I was disappointed... and then I remembered it had been all of five days since getting back into my routine. I can't expect results over night, but I am getting better. So far this is my favorite theme of yours Although dragons was pretty good too.

That race looks rad! And you'll definitely have time to get ready since it's not until August. Will this be your first attempt at (close to) 100 miles? You said you're running the race solo as opposed tor relay style, right?

Damn my achilles tendon! I haven't run since Tuesday and it's making me sad. Elliptical and bike are maintaining cardio, but it's not the same Hopefully I'll be back at it this weekend!

Today/Yesterday I learned: Biking on the trainer is way less fun than running outside. Even with the aid of TV (Sons of Anarchy - Season 1). Plodding along on the elliptical is also less fun than running outside, but more enjoyable when you're doing intervals than steady state, podcasts are good too. My calf/achilles is about 80% of where I want it to be before I get back into running. So tomorrow I'll wake up very early with the plan to ride the bike for my prescribed workout and then head to the trails for a short run/walk and see how things are feeling. If I'm feeling good I'd like to get in a long hike and run each this weekend. Yeah, I'm ditching you kids at least for a few challenges while I focus on running. But I'll be checking in with everybody. OMFG Canadian Death Race looks so coool! There is a Mexico one too, not sure it's the same organization or not. I'd love to get into adventure racing. It looks amazing. And you're totally right, I was just about to demand ask where your challenge was, but I'm glad to see you're back! How are the injuries coming along? The funny thing is, although I feel like I should be worried about making the jump to an ultra... I'm kinda not. After everything I had to prep for the Ultra Beast last year, running through (comparatively) tame hills doesn't seem nearly as daunting. Plus I've got a few 20mile hikes under my belt as well and at least one day with 12+ hrs of running/hiking. This should be fun! And if nothing else a challenge. Also, the course I choose for my first race is a loop course and pretty close to my house (~ 2hrs away) so I can get up there to train a few times. A bigger concern is the altitude for me, not the elevation gain (only 1500ft per 10 mile loop) but racing at 6000ft will slow me down. And that is where hiking in the mountains will come in handy! We have a number of 10,000ft peaks in close proximity. Thanks! And that is certainly my plan. It's funny that you said that, I remember running a triathlon and this volunteer/spectator said "just let your legs carry you" and it always stuck with me for some reason. I also PR-ed my 5k that day and won my age group so I kind of think of it as a lucky phrase/idea

Looks like a solid quest underway. And congrats on signing up for NF!! An imperfect start will always be better than waiting for perfection that may never come. Welcome aboard.

Scouts I have devised the hardest balance test ever: try and make it through a level of Candy Crush on your phone while balancing on a bongo board. Annnnd go! The brighter the color, the more balancing power they give you. It's a scientific fact.

Oh wow! What race are you looking at in Aug?