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Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Its Race Season!!

AHHH Hello everyone!!!!!  It has been a really really long time...and a lot has been happening!  But in order to keep this post from being waaay too long, I will just cover a few topics in this post and a few more later this week!

First of all, I wanted to cover the idea of recovering and returning back to running after health problems/injuries...as this is a small reason why I was not updating this blog!  As you know, I was on a running kick and I was running 5 to 6 days a week, and I was up to 6 miles and life was good..and then one day at work, I felt kinda sick, almost dizzy and like I could have a slight fever, so I decided to hold off on running that evening.  Then, I woke up the next day, felt great, and started to plan my day accordingly to fit in an evening run; however, I started to feel sick again and it was even worse this time...I could barely stay awake!  I thought I had Mono (not the case) because I was just BEYOND exhausted but I also had horrible body aches...turns out I had a freaking Kidney infection!  I was on some crazy antibiotics for awhile that basically made me feel like lying down all the time so I was off from running for almost 2 weeks!  The day before I got sick, I ran 5 miles...2 weeks later, I struggled through 3.5 miles.  It took a consistent week of running to feel like myself again..its rough!  And injuries are usually even worse because you need more recovery time, but just know that if you push when you are still sick or injured, you will just be setting yourself back even more!  What if I had tried to run those two days?  I am not saying I would've died or anything, but I would probably felt even worse and possibly gotten sicker.  I know there is a saying *no pain, no gain* but that only applies to being sore from working out!  Not pushing through horrible pain due to injuries or sickness!  Trust me, your body will appreciate the rest..and it needs it...push hard when you are able to.

Now that that rant is done, time to get to the topic of the post...it is racing season!  If you are lucky enough to live somewhere that is always warm, then I guess racing season is, well, year round for you...and I am jealous.  But, in Michigan, our race season (traditionally) starts around March (although there are of course races in December through February!) and I am totally gearing up for it!  I still plan to run the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon in October but I have a lot of other races to get through before then!  Racing is one of the reasons I got so into running, it is so awesome to compete in races..even if its just for fun with your friends, or to check out some new scenery, or even for a free T shirt...its a great time and gets you motivated!  My first race looks like it will be a 5K on Belle Isle followed shortly by an 8K on Memorial Day in Grosse Isle! (one of the races I do every year, it is a pretty cool; you get to do a tad bit of trail running!) then after that, I will be scouring the area for any 10Ks and 10mile races to prep distance wise for the half.  What are your favorite races?  Which ones are you looking forward to?

For all race info around the area, you can go to Active.com or Runmichigan.com for a full list of races in your area!  If you are not from Michigan, Active.com will still work for ya :)

Last but not least, I got a real job!  Yes, a real full time pretty sweet job...the only downside of it, is it is quite a commute, which totally messes with my stand by workout schedule.  But alas, I have to deal with it!  I will admit, the first 1.5weeks of work I did not exercise much (besides taking the stairs at work!) because I was tired and just not used to the schedule; however, I realized I need to get my butt in gear, and if that means going to sleep earlier for an early morning run, thats what it means.  I need to make my health and fitness a priority, and why not learn how to juggle that with a full time job now?  I mean, I plan on having a full time job for quite some time, and when I am 40 and possibly have children and a job, will I give up running? Hell no, I will be that mom with the jogging stroller at 6am!  And I am not kidding about that either lol.  I have been attempting to fall asleep no later than 11/1115pm and waking up around 550am to either do a run or another shorter workout...and sometimes I am able to squeeze in a run in the evening when I am home!  There are times I just feel tired from work but luckily, I work in a city full of runners and active people alike, so every time I drive home, I see tons of people running around Ann Arbor and I think, yep I am totally going for a run when I get home!  Or, I am totally waking up early to run tomorrow morning!

One food that I am going nuts over right now is...Asparagus!!!!!!  I have been an asparagus nut lately...for one thing, it is totally in season right now, so it is cheaper and more delicious.  And another, it is such a versatile food...you can eat it plain, put it in salads or do what I do, and throw it in a stir fry or a yummy pasta!  My favorite is putting it in a stir fry because well, I personally love stir frys, it is SUCH  a great way to get so many vegetables!!  And asparagus is great in it, trust me!  I usually do Asparagus, broccoli, onions, all sorts of peppers, and snow peas or carrots...yum!  Then a protein of your choice.

So why is asparagus so good for us?  Lets talk about great sources of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and antioxidants!  And please, always buy fresh.  Asparagus in a can is insanely salt laden and although runners need sodium, no one needs that much.  Plus it doesnt taste near as good as fresh :)

So get ready for race season, recover properly, and time manage your job/school with your fitness!  Always make yourself a priority, and that means making your health and fitness a priority.  Never sacrifice that part of you; if you neglect your health and fitness, you are neglecting every other aspect of your life as well, including the people that you love and take care of.

Ciao!