Data Circles & Cycles

Screw this. -me, most of the time

You see that thing that says “Intensification Phase”? Well, the me who created this plan to coincide the Intensification Phase with my Luteal Phase (pre-period week, for any non-ovary owners) was an absolute idiot. My stomach looks like I drink beer for a living, and I’m craving donuts. Nonstop. I feel like garbage, I look like garbage, and my bloated belly is both uncomfortable and very unfortunate for my workout goals. I hate this part.

So, instead of complaining, kidding, I’m doing that anyway, I suck it up and complete the hellish workout, for intensification purposes only. Might even throw in a good run, to round off the rage and loathing. But, wait, there’s more! After the intensification phase is a lovely phase titled the Realization Phase, which is a nice way to say you’re about to lift some heavy a** sh*t and you’ll be powerful and awesome and toned and kick butt all day! Just don’t die.

And another thing! This is the worst time to learn a new skill, such as data analysis using this fun little program called Power Bi. It’s not fun. I should have been able to plug in an Excel document, tell it to analyze the data, and a happy graphic pop out. Ha. What I got was a headache, convoluted data, and no happy graphic. I did receive a graph, but it didn’t have anything populated so it was basically blank and unhappy. Much like me.

Fortunately, the very next day post-Power Bi BS was fraught with zero Internet connection so everyone received a reprieve from work. Haha sort of. Not me though. I had a 2-day unexpected delivery of fitness equipment I think everyone forgot about. They said delivery in April, then May. Almost July is good. There was trash scattered from one end of the facility to the other. I walked 18,000 steps that day and, if I’d known what the day would bring, I would not have run!

But guess who didn’t have to Power Bi that day? This girl! Alas, I still have tutorials to watch. And data to analyze. Pie chart, anyone?

Welcome to PMS, friends. It will probably get worse before it gets better but maybe it’s just the hormones talking. Maybe I can make a graph of mood swings.

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I ask you –

How does the Power Bi thing work? I’m googling demos.

(The post Data Circles & Cycles first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

June Recap! And Creatine Feedback!

There was a lot of strength training, some runs, and many days at the pool! Floating, of course.

I realized I haven’t been giving proper updates on the short disciples but, let me assure you, they are alive and well. And I am not. Alive maybe, but not well. Summer changes them into little gremlins. The class sizes have almost doubled, I’ve solo’d more times than I care to count, and if I am asked one more time for a prize – from the least well-behaved child – I might start throwing a fit on the floor. But I keep showing up.

Which is what June’s workouts were…a lesson in showing up. I eventually figured out the back pain was actually glute pain from (drumroll, please) not wearing my old lady orthotic shoe inserts. I suppose my hip/back/glutes began to take the brunt of the foot issues. Hence the revolt. Once I returned to wearing them regularly, almost all pain disappeared. Magical.

I guess some are expecting a creatine update, too, huh? Here goes –

Dare I say it’s not a problem to be fixed. The last several years, I have expected…demanded…perfection from myself. No missteps, all A’s, keep every ball in the air, no room for failure. Yet my brain cannot be expected to keep up. At some point, it will flounder for words, simple words, simple things I shouldn’t forget but have. But the big things? I don’t forget them. The big balls stop it Kel are still in the air, floating victoriously toward their finish line. Small balls? Well. They rolled away.

So what if I struggle for some meaningless term to describe the thing that changes the channel. Or that dude’s name. Or what I ate for breakfast. Who cares.

My very real and noticeable effects thus far are in exercise performance, specifically long-lasting energy during workouts and a reduction in post-strength training soreness (aka DOMS).

Now…does that mean I won’t keep trying to obtain a fix or placebo for brain fog and memory issues? Hahhaha. No. I’m not the type to give up. Maybe it doesn’t happen in 30 days. Maybe it takes 60 or 90. I’ll keep trying until I have determined all options have been expended.

I’ve decided to continue another 30 days with a daily creatine regimen but with one major update: a dosage increase. Research points to pre-menopausal women who regularly strength train and incorporate a cardio element, i.e., me, have shown cognitive success (in addition to exercise performance success) when utilizing a max load phase of 15-20g for 3-7 days, followed by supplementation of 5-10g indefinitely. Interestingly, upon full discontinuation, creatine remains elevated for approximately 30 days. What does this all mean? It means there’s promise in the creatine realm and I intend to explore it! (Smith-Ryan, A. E., Cabre, H. E., Eckerson, J. M., & Candow, D. G. (2021). Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective. Nutrients, 13(3), 877. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030877)

I do plan to talk to my doctor about prescribing creatine. If he balks, I’ll calmly explain that since social experiments are frowned upon (how unfair!), then allowing me to conduct my own medical experiment as the only subject should be an acceptable alternative. Regardless of placebo effect, there was/is an effect and I’m enjoying the longevity it gives me during workouts. I’m now taking 20g for 7 days (5-11 Jul), then returning to a 10g dose for the remainder of the 30 days.

Basically, more to come. Standby for another update in 30 days.

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I ask you –

Did you expect a positive creatine report?

Tell me something crazy about your June!

(The post June Recap! And Creatine Feedback! first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Fitness Update + Midway Creatine Trial

I love watching young people walk into the fitness centers, load the bar with 180 lbs, then proceed to crank out 15 chest presses. I don’t really love this. I want to ask what was the warm up, did they stretch, are they hydrated? Me? It’s a full prehab, post-hab, rehab and I still get injured!

Wrapping up another Garmin training plan of the big 5 – squat, deadlift, chest presses, overhead press, and row. I’ve consistently lifted 3-5x/week since October and my body is stronger because of it. Sure, we all know we’re supposed to be doing it but yeah yeah yeah. Who has the time? The energy? Answer: no one! However, maintaining any kind of lifestyle requires a lot of dedication. I almost wrote sacrifice instead of dedication but I don’t believe it’s true – I’m not sacrificing anything, I’m no martyr. But dedication? I got this.

Although it’s not about the size or weight, I’ve been maintaining a size I was in high school (ohhhh about 23 years ago) and I weigh less now than I did then. Even with running and muscle mass! Lord knows I lived on Twix bars and chicken in high school so not only incredibly unhealthy but fraught with disordered-thinking. Today? I feel good.

Update on the creatine trial: by the time of this post, I’ll have indulged in daily creatine for 16 days so nearly half the month. First, placebo effect is real. Second, I haven’t witnessed any eye-opening changes. Glutes are the same, in case you wondered. Brain fog seems to have not changed, although I don’t know how I would feel or even know if it wasn’t there. I’ve tested myself a few times to see how long it takes me to remember the word I was trying to say in the moment and maybe it’s a shade faster since starting creatine? I’m still trying though!

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I ask you –

On average, how long should it take for a person to notice the effects of a supplement?

(The post Fitness Update + Midway Creatine Trial first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Well, I’ll be

Palindrome post achievement from last Wednesday’s post.

18 mins per day – totals 1,000 minutes per year. If you want to excel at something or see measurable results, commit to 18 mins per day. Guitar lessons, dance practice, and millions of other ideas you may have for yourself could be realized in just 18 mins/day. Now, I sound like one of those commercials for abused puppies.

The AI experience is out of control. Every flyer looks the same. Social media is overrun with it. You know the button you’re supposed to click to indicate it was made with AI? Yeah, no one’s doing that. It actually sickens me. And don’t tell me marketing has no role in today’s world. We need them to clear out the AI clutter and broadcast original ideas. Soap box, anyone?

I have no context for the hilarity of the above photo. Pretty sure I was asking McK about something while she was trying to do math. Me? Looking for an adult. McK? Looking for snacks. We were both sleep-deprived.

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I ask you –

Have you ever seen a photo of yourself where you wondered what was going on in that moment?

(The post Well, I’ll be first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

I see you!

A collection of observations –

It is hard to believe it took a massive installation-wide inspection for my job to not feel as if it was on fire. Seriously. I haven’t felt a peaceful moment at work since the first furlough. More accurately…since Jan 2025. This past week was 3 consecutive days of calm.

Referred to here as obligation overload, the trend in my workplace is to wait until the end of the week to load the schedule. For example, Thursdays are my busiest days. But why. I’d rather front load the entire week so I can deal with other things towards the end. I don’t believe this was thoroughly thought through.

Recently, I read an article regarding Gun Violence | Rockefeller Institute of Government https://www.rockinst.org/issue-areas/gun-violence/. I follow this Rockefeller site as it publishes information, data, and research related to immigration, which I’m deeply fascinated by. If you consider yourself as one who has an open mind and can read a research article with transparency and potential for usefulness, you, too, might find it interesting.

Finally, an observation meets obligation. The customary Change of Command ceremony, complete with pomp and circumstance. Meet my 6,000 closest friends. I ended up in the cheap seats, although there was a kind offer to sit on someone’s lap. Hallelujah for the dreary day because I brought my umbrella, just in case, old lady-style.

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I ask you –

What day of the week is your busiest day?

Have you ever brought an umbrella to a sunny outdoor event?

(The post I See You first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

On (a) Trial

(Due to a thunderstorm the night before, my internet is kaput so I’m finalizing this post from my phone. Good luck with readability.)

Self-prescribed trial participant here.

The perimenopausal symptom of brain fog is too much to bear. I have a doctorate and can’t formulate simple sentences. And when I struggle to recall a word? Instant rage.

So I decided to try creatine. Some rave about its benefits, others say it’s not worth it. I’ll be the judge of that. I purchased a powder to add to my daily electrolytes, and the tub says I’m guaranteed to experience a decrease in brain fog and an increase in muscle growth. Lofty goals. I don’t care about muscle performance, but I need serious assistance with brain performance.

The brand is Peach Perfect and it tastes exactly like pink lemonade. Taste 10/10

Now, apparently, peach perfect eludes to increasing the size of your peach, aka your butt. Par for the course, I didn’t understand the reference when I purchased it but after looking at the package, I realized. Again, I’m not looking for supermodel-worthy glutes. I desire a brain functioning on all cylinders.

I’ll give it the full 30 days and report back. Even if it is just the placebo effect, as long as my words return to normal, I might be a creatine convert.

The worst that could happen is I chose an unclean brand and am one drug test away from prison. There’s not much thinking in prison.

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I ask you –

Do you take creatine?

Thoughts? Comments?

(The post On (a) Trial first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

May Recap

I’m both thankful and surprised this month flew by. I thought it would never end.

From traversing over 2,000 miles in just a few days to executing 2 large-scale work events (only 1 of which I actively had anything to do with) to fighting to keep what little budget we have to completing my services course practicum a week before the deadline – May was a lot. May it only come around once a year.

Unfortunately, the day before Mother’s Day, I failed to log any type of workout session so my streak ended there. The goal had been to log an activity for 365 days. I guess 364 will do. That day was busy – we had a community event, followed by graduation photos, then some other stuff I can’t recall. The workout just didn’t happen.

courtesy of Strava

I’ve also been struggling with some hip/lower back pain. A lifelong injury. Although I prehab, rehab, stretch, modify, eat right, drink enough water, limit sugar, and do all the things – still it persists. But the show must go on.

Surely I’m missing a huge part of this recap but, again, I’m mostly thankful May is over. For me, June is the first indicator of summer – with pool days, sunscreen, vacation plans, books by the dozen, lazy mornings, and all the iced coffee I can drink. We’ll see how it shakes out.

P.S. Today is Global Running Day so you know where I’ll be.

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I ask you –

Highlights of your May – please share!

(The post May Recap first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Voice at the Table

It is very difficult to tell what someone is thinking if they don’t say a word. For a moment, imagine my frustration and wild thoughts when entering into a potentially volatile situation where everyone sits quietly.

I digress.

We have entered this lovely time of year in the military that we call change of command. Literally, the command (or leadership team) is changing. New people, new ideas, new focus, new complaints, new marks of ownership. Occasionally, we can’t wait for change of command because the current leadership has worn out their welcome. Equally, the 2-3 years have flown by with great success and you lose a good one. Although we’re happy for their next command, we experience a mental and emotional loss. And by we, I mean me.

Inside a squadron, often the loss feels more significant. I’m sure our leadership hopes to have imparted some wisdom and legacy on their followers.

Circling the plane.

At a different level, I saw leaders speaking for themselves rather than their teams. When placed at a big fancy table with decision-makers, those leaders lost focus on what mattered and pushed their agenda as if it would solve all the problems. I saw it time and again. And I saw it fail spectacularly. When it was my turn to say what I wanted, all I said was “I want a voice at the table”. Fortunately, I have never doubted my voice is heard.

So when I sit at the big fancy table with all the decision-makers, I speak up. Proudly. Confidently. And with one goal in mind – to ensure my team has a voice at the table.

Which leads me to the runway.

When you sit at the table, you best be prepared. You best have a plan. You best listen, read the room, absorb the information, and be ready to execute a plan. Fight for it. Fight for your activity, your team, your people.

I will never understand those that sit there expecting someone else to tell them their plan. The ones who have no idea what’s going on and fail to ask questions. Is my perspective wrong? Probably. But it doesn’t explain why I see this same scenario again and again.

Sitting at the table is powerful. It is humbling. It is a literal indication of someone else’s belief in your ability.

Photo by mustafa kaya on Pexels.com

Show them you have earned it.

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I ask you –

What do you expect from your leadership?

Tell me what it means to you to have a voice at the table.

(The post Voice at the Table first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Global Influence

Interesting achievement, Word Press. Must be calculated by IP address. I wonder if I know anyone in those countries.

Random moment: Origins of the term “Tiger Team” – in case you were wondering, Tiger Team is a term popularized by NASA in the 60’s but originated by the military. Used to mean a group of experts, or those with specialized skills, I almost choke on my laughter because any time I’ve seen it used in the military, it was a ragtag bunch of whackadoos thrown together for some stupid task. It went about as well as expected.

The real topic of this post –

I’m often guilty of using the phrase “that’s not me”, typically in response to a stereotype or a general identifier. For example, for many years, when confirmed with the ability to obtain a PhD, I’d say “that’s not me”. Another example, stepping into the political realm, my response is “that’s not me”. However, the more I get to know me, the more I see me. A PhD was me, it’s always been me, but I was afraid of failure, afraid of starting, afraid of holding myself accountable to what my heart desired. The political stuff? Ugh, jury is still out.

Power and influence are found in certain individuals. Books tell us how to hone our power, leaders share examples of how they use their power, and we can watch television of power gone wrong. Big ugh.

There’s big power, sure. But what if power lies in a small tweak to our structure. A name change, if you will. Dr. Suddenly it’s a wide world, a new power, an upgraded influence, a calling which perhaps was always there, if not for the small whisper of “that’s not me”.

It is you, Kel. And it is time you start using it.

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I ask you –

Is there something in your life you want to achieve or feel a calling for but doubt your ability to accomplish?

Did you know the origin of Tiger Team?!

(The post Global Influence first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)

Not that kind of pilot!

I’m constantly humbled by opportunities to share my PhD journey. And I’m even more thankful to the military for the opportunity to obtain it.

Every chance I get, I tell people what the military did for my education. I have a $200K degree I didn’t pay for (in the traditional sense). Sure, they also paid a whopping $500K for my specialized military training. I’m easily worth 3/4 of a million dollars in education which makes me a billboard of information. However, what good is information if the people who need it don’t have access to it?

Which leads me here –

A week learning and growing into a role I see as mine for the taking. Attending a pilot course is a lot of pressure! Every day was a new pivot to absorb information, analyze data, or learn about myself. From resilience to SWOT analysis to mission/vision statements, every tool is available to be successful.

I genuinely believe every flight chief, activity manager, or leader at the course was willing and open to learn new things. Yet willingness is a funny concept. Not haha funny. For the 18 of us there, there are an equal number who may be unwilling to change. Perhaps even unable to change. Don’t shoot the messenger.

Many installations run the gamut from well-organized to actually in serious trouble. I heard some horror stories. I also heard stories of kindness and care. That’s the organization I want to serve

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I ask you –

When was the last time a training poured into you?

(The post Not that kind of pilot! first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)