Just a Few Thoughts

Actual conversation with my mini while working from home aka sitting outside in the sunshine, computer in lap:

Mini: Look, Mom, these are my babies! (pointing to 3 swings on the swing set)

Me: 3 kids?! How do you keep up with all of them?

Mini: I don’t know. This one is named dirtbag.

Me: Honey, that’s not kind. Dirtbag is a derogatory name for someone who is acting dumb.

Mini: Well, that baby is dumb!

And this, friends, is just another example of why I’m unqualified to be a parent. To my knowledge, I’ve never used the word dirtbag around her yet she did use it in the correct context. Minus the baby reference.

Then a few days later, mini was outside yelling at the top of her lungs. When she returned inside, I asked what it was all about and she said squirrels were stupid. After giving her the mandatory ‘we use kind words and stupid isn’t one of them’, I showed her the photo below. The look she gave me was one for the record books. Are you stupid?

Lastly, it seems I’ve been watching too much Pioneer Woman (mini adores this show). As I was working on the blog in the wee early morning hours, I had an urge to make jams and jellies immediately followed by this thought: Kel, you know that emoji with the wide open eyes and incredulous look? Yeah, bad idea.

Also, I’ve changed my mind about the Texas Triple. Specifically, running 3 half marathons back to back. More specifically, 3 half marathons back to back in one weekend. It’s starting to get hot and I’m somewhat worried about what I’ll feel like. Since I can’t predict the weather. Then there’s the toll training is taking on me and my feet. My poor, beaten feet. Feet issues aren’t new, but the constant pain is draining. All this being said, one good thing is my desire for a shiny new PR! I want to run a fast race; why shouldn’t it be sooner rather than later?! This particular training cycle has really shown me what I can do. And I’m going to capitalize on it!

So I guess I better get started re-working my training plan to account for some extra days. Suddenly I find myself with extra time on my hands.

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I ask you –

How much coffee do you drink on average per day?

Fan of chalk?

Taking bets on a PR time improvement goal! Dec 2019, I had a 10 min PR. Goal is another 10 mins in 2021.

Weekly Training Record, wk 6

Old Age and such / Today is a Very Special Day!!

Trying to go to sleep many nights ago, I remembered when I feared I had a stress fracture. Because bedtime is the perfect time for your brain to think about…everything. At the time, I was routinely wearing steel-toed boots for my job as a government contractor. Those suckers are heavy! Pretty sure the boots hadn’t caused the possible injury, so I was looking for other reasons. Mileage and running were the culprits, in my mind.

Stretching with my shadow

Some weeks went by and as I was contemplating finally calling my doctor I realized the problem. As a right-side sleeper, I typically lay with my left leg over the top of my right with my left heel wedged firmly into the top of my right foot. Exactly where the pain was. Once I made a conscious decision to move my feet away from each other, the pain subsided within days.

So what exactly is the point of this jog down memory lane? Honestly, I don’t remember anymore but I’m sure there’s a lesson here somewhere.

Now it’s coming back to me! My coworker recently shared women should be getting their first mammogram around age 35. Wait. I’m 35. So now I need to remember to call my doctor. At least the coworker said colonoscopy screening is near age 40. Small favors. You can bet I’ll be sharing all those details.

Again, I digress. Seems the pulled ACL/MCL issue I’ve been toying with for many months now may be caused by none other than yours truly. Shocking, I know. When I’m sitting or have my legs up – which I do often – I tend to cross my feet at the ankles, left over right. This position places strain on my inner right knee which is exactly where I develop bruising and pain especially as training mileage increases. Coincidence? Ha!

1 of 5

So here we are to this point. I’m attempting to keep my legs in their proper places. Preferably not kicking anyone, although I did take a knee to the shin one night and considered it. Next thing you know I’ll forget where that bruise came from because middle 30s and all.

Final thought: speaking of old age – today is my sweet baby’s 5th birthday. It’s so hard to believe because I could never imagine this day. Everything about her pushes me to be a better person. Even when it’s not-so-sweet qualities. She knows my every button, my every weakness, my every desire for all good things in her life. Yet she tries me still. She tree, me apple.

________________________

I ask you –

Do you self diagnose or make an immediate appointment with professionals?

Be honest – how often do you forget things?

Coincidences don’t exist! I’ll say it.

When? What’s When?

Knowing when to say when is very important.
My De Facto Running Coach

But it doesn’t mean it won’t hurt your pride or your feelings.

Let me back up a little. I’d found myself so accustomed to weeks of great runs that it was bound to happen yet I still wasn’t ready. Who is ever really ready? Maybe the signs had been there all day. Kel, they were there. I took it easy, stayed off my feet, ate like I should, did all the things. Yet something felt ‘off’.

So a few steps into mile 1, when my calves cramped up and began to burn like hell’s firecrackers and my hamstrings didn’t dare let my calves have a party without them, I knew I was in trouble. May I remind you – this was only mile 1. Of 8!

It’s not unusual (read: it happens more often than not) for mile 1 to give me issues. Rather I believe it’s my brain struggling to accept what I’m doing. I usually power through it, find my stride, and keep on moving. Somehow this was entirely different. When I began to hobble and parts of my body began to bounce that don’t normally bounce (that’s a picture, isn’t it), I knew it was time to make a big decision. A) Continue with an altered gait and possibly do damage or B) Call it and go home to cry.

In true dramatic fashion, I silently drove home and felt a few tears fall while I massaged, foam rolled, rehydrated, and rested my weary heart, I mean legs.

Being able to say ‘when’ isn’t a lesson that comes naturally. It’s a struggle in humility. Or desperation. However, good things come of humbling yourself. Like re-working your schedule to add a missed run on the backend, just like you designed in case of situations like this because your brain knew sometimes… you’ll have to say when.

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I ask you –

How hard is it to admit your pride has been bruised?

Do you consider yourself to be a dramatic person? I’m only dramatic in story telling.

Tell me a situation where you had to say when.

Weekly Training Record, wk 5

Oh Where…is My Hairbrush?

It’s not unusual I find odd things in my purse, but sometimes I crack up at the scavenger hunter’s dream it has become. Fruit snacks? Check! Hair ties and barrettes? Check, Check! Sunscreen? Got it! Random banana? I have one of those! You just never know what you’ll find.

My Navy days have never let me down in terms of hydration. Though I’ve been known to let myself down. Water is a staple. I go nowhere without it. Luckily a huge purse can carry water bottles, too.

Something about springtime or maybe it’s just spring training makes me crave sandwiches. I grew up hating sandwiches so this is a big deal. Bread = yuck. Cheese = double yuck. Slowly I’ve come around to the adoption of the sandwich as a viable food option. Pile it high with vegetables and add “special sandwich sauce” aka Boar’s Head Deli Dressing. Ta-da! A sandwich connoisseur I am! Surprisingly the training hunger hasn’t kicked in. Yet. But it shouldn’t be too long until it does. Then the real fun begins. I’ll take a baker’s dozen of donuts, please! No, I’m not sharing these!

Maybe instead of “I Met All My Husbands in the Police Report” I should start with something easier to digest, like “The Sandwich Stories!” Would I become a food blogger then? Nah. Seems like a lot of pressure for someone who really only wants to cook chicken and fish and vegetables. Maybe next time.

_________________

I ask you –

Are you the familial stuff holder?

What food did you despise as a child but love now?

Name the craziest thing you’ve found in your purse or pockets!

Day in Photos, pt 921

“Day in Photos” started when I realized there were a lot of photos in my phone that maybe didn’t fit whatever topic I was writing about during the day/week. Now look at it. Just look at it! It’s become a successful way to share a whole bunch of photos, very few words, and still count as a blog post!

Let’s begin –

brand

I’m madly in love with my logo and what my sister gifted me with on our birthday: branded apparel. I truly enjoy advertising for other small, local, women-owned, military-owned, etc brands – and will continue to do so – but I also need to share my own!

oh the drama

No matter how many times I say ‘the foam roller is not a toy’ it never fails to become a group activity. Not really a group type of girl. Solo foam rolling is much appreciated. Unbeknownst to me, some people have no clue what a foam roller is or what it does. All I can say is it hurts so good!

sister, sister

Leaving you with this photo of my twin. It’s been nice catching up lately. Never a dull moment when she’s around!

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I ask you –

How often are you shocked at the number of phone photos you have amassed?

Are there items in your home with the designation “not a toy'”?

Tell me your sibling(s) name(s)!

Weekly Training Record, wk 3

Training Updates!

Elvis would be so proud

To answer your question – the one you didn’t audibly ask – no. No, I don’t enjoy eating within 30 mins of waking up. It rather makes me feel like vomiting is an acceptable response. The only bright side, besides of course it giving me energy, is it makes me need to poop. haHA! Bet you didn’t see that gem coming! Trust me, it’s better to have an urge while you’re still at home than mid-way (or any way) into a long run.

Alas, this is what long run weekends tend to look like. Or pre-work runs. If you want to run, you have to eat, Kel. Contrary to popular belief, most running cycles won’t inherently cause you to lose weight. I can put on weight while training because the hunger is serious. However, water weight and dehydration are my downfall. Throughout my weeks of training, I expect to lose several pounds. Anything more than 8 begins a range of problems. So I eat when I’m hungry and aim for very electrolyte-rich beverages to combat dehydration. So when you see me with food in one hand and a shopping list in the other, please be kind!

new favorite snack

Did I mention my local gym closed in…January? Or was it December? The writing was on the wall, but it still saddens me. Being a part of the Anytime Fitness community really opened my eyes to so much in the fitness world, as well as allowed me to meet some incredible people. If it wasn’t for the owners of an Anytime Fitness, I wouldn’t have started Running on Fumes when I did! Nearly two years ago, the DeStefano family put a lot of trust into me and happily gave me the reigns to write and share as I please. Forever thankful! Here we are today. I don’t know for certain if they still follow and read it, but, if you’re watching, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Where was I? Oh, right, AF closed. Maybe it’s just from my experience as part of several different locations in all kinds of capacities but there’s a problem with top-down leadership in the fitness scene. One day I might get a chance to open my own AF; that would be the ultimate test of ‘where does the problem lie’. In any case, I haven’t joined another gym. Probably won’t for awhile. I still feel very loyal to AF, but I own most of what I regularly used inside the gym and it’s tough to balance a strength training regimen with a training cycle. I do have a full-time job, you know. My local area is pretty well saturated with gyms – big box options and more exclusive types – so if/when I decide to re-join I can visit this issue again. In the mean time, it is what it is.

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I ask you –

Are you the rather rare person who can eat upon waking? Just coffee for me, thanks.

Have you ever experienced your gym suddenly closing?

Tell me about someone, who by taking a chance on you, changed your life!

Training Records!