In 2011, I signed up to run the Rock'N'Roll Chicago Half Marathon. I was nursing a sore right leg that I somehow pulled while living in Australia. Running was agonizing for me. Anything greater than three miles was physically and emotionally excruciating. I didn't have the sheer determination to push myself harder, to keep running even when I was tired. I didn't understand that I could cross that barrier from pain to bliss. I didn't know what I was missing. I gave up and never attempted that 13.1-mile race. 

Five years later, I gave it another shot and followed through with it. Thanks to my mom's encouragement, I started and completed the North Shore Classic Half Marathon.

I kept this race on the DL (the abbreviation of "Down Low",  old slang from when I was in elementary school and was talking about being discreet), because part of me feared that I couldn't do it. I'm no longer bearing thigh pain but instead have (more or less) chronic lower back pain and temperamental knees and feet. I was in a chiropractor's office last November, barely able to walk from blowing out my lower back (from bending down to get a bottle of water), and fearing that my chiropractor would laugh in my face when I told her that I wanted to run a half marathon the  next summer. I thought my personal trainer, who later taught me about stretches and injury prevention, would do the same thing. Instead of discouraging me, they helped me to heal. I'm not close to 100% better, but I've taken everything I've learned from these past seven months (stretches, exercises, heat/cold therapies, foam rolling) and ran an injury-less half marathon even sooner than I intended!

Here is my first race recap, which I will divide into four parts: The First Mile, The Speeding Section, The Pace Group, and The Final .1 Miles. 

The First Mile
My mom and I arrived in downtown Highland Park (one of my favorite places on the North Shore!) an hour early to check our gear and to wait in line for the port-a-potties, use them, stand outside, realize that we had to go again, stand in line, and the cycle continued. I only had to use them twice (my mom probably went four times), but my bladder felt completely full again while we were waiting in our corrals. By this time, there was no time for the portable toilet. It was time to run!

I took the advice of other experienced runners who told me to start at a much slower pace and hung out by the 10:30 pace group at the beginning. My goal was to commence with them and pull ahead when I felt comfortable. At first, I was anything but comfortable. I desperately had to pee, I felt an undesirable burning sensation up and down my legs that I soon realized were muscle cramps, and I was crammed into a small space with dozens of other runners. This was a smaller race (about 2,000 runners, I believe) in a residential area, so half of the street was still open to traffic for part of it. There were traffic cones going through the center of the street to keep us to one side, but I often got pushed out on the other side from the volume of runners. For about ten seconds, I contemplated sitting down on the curb, waiting for my mom to find me, and letting her know that .5 miles was enough for me (but it was a good effort!). Then, I pushed that nonsense out of my head and kept going. 

The Speeding Section
The crowds thinned after the first mile, but I still felt like there were too many people around me. Also, I was running too slow for me. I sped out of the 10:30 group and attempted to find a steady stride. The pain in my legs subsided, I no longer had to pee (I didn't pee in my pants; I just didn't feel like I had to anymore), and I passed my first water/nuun (a flavored electrolyte powder mixed with water) station. I tried to drink the nuun while running and nearly choked. I started coughing profusely (it took me a few more times to figure out that running and drinking are not compatible), recovered and dumped the cup aside, and kept at it. 

Based on my Run Keeper app, I was at a 10-minute-mile pace. I had a new goal in mind: catch up with the 10:00 pace group. (For those who are not familiar: many races have optional pace groups designated to keeping a consistent pace and finishing at a designated time. Each group has a "pacer" or a experienced runner who is responsible for keeping that pace. For the entire race, they hold signs on poles with their pace [ex. 10:00, 10:30, etc] written on it.) I'm going to backtrack quickly to say that, as I've been increasing my mileage on my long training runs, I've been sticking to a sub 10-minute-mile pace. I did nine miles at an average of 9:29 (minute-miles), 10 miles at 9:47, 11 miles at 9:42, and 12 miles at 10:13 (it was my first humid run and I was MISERABLE). I figured that running this half marathon in 2:10 (a perfect 10-minute-mile pace) was a good goal for me. 

I could see a white pace sign ahead of me, and I knew that the 10 Group wasn't far ahead. I started to pick up speed. By now, I was about four miles into the run. When I finally caught up to the sign (they're hard to see because they're waving around), I was devastated. It was an 11-minute-mile pacer.  Was my Run Keeper app off? I was wracking my brain, trying to recall if the 10:30 group passed me and left me in the dust. What I didn't know was that the pace groups were staggered. In other words, the 11 Group that I passed was in a corral ahead of me. They just got an earlier start, and I caught up to them. Since I didn't know this at the time, I was livid. I was angry with my phone for lying to me about my running speed and wondering if this race was messing with my head. Mile 6 was my fastest (9:13), probably because I was sprinting (or so I felt) to bite onto the hind legs of the 10:30 group. I soon caught up with another pace group, but it wasn't the 10:30. It was the 10. 

The Pace Group

When I caught up with my pace group, the race changed for me. I was no longer a solo runner. I was part of a living, breathing group that suffered and triumphed together. I can't tell  you any of the names of the people in this group and I probably wouldn't recognize their faces, but I felt as though we were entwined as one single runner for the rest of this run. The pacers (there were two of them) were like coaches. Upon catching up to them, I was getting constructive feedback on my breathing (take in long breaths instead of short little ones), my stance (don't scrunch up your shoulders), the layout of the course, and how to run up and down hills.

I mention the hills, because the course was hilly. We went up and down some elevation changes that I thought were big, but when we swept past the beach (see the photo above) and rounded a corner, we may  as well have been running a half marathon in San Francisco. The hill felt that steep. We were already more than six miles into the race with tired legs, and this was brutal. Without having one of the pacing coaches at my side, I don't think I could have run it. He instructed us to look up (not at the ground), slow down, and shorten our stride lengths. We ran slower when we got to the top of the hill, and once we recovered, we were moving again. 

The pace group allowed me to catch my breath when I needed to and propelled me to keep going when I just wanted to lie down spread-eagled on the street and dump a cooler of nuun on my body. I could have pulled ahead or lagged behind, but I stayed with them at all costs. We talked and laughed and waved at people. We power-walked through the water stations, and they got us back on track so that we could keep our time. Wasting energy to catch up to this group was by far the smartest decision I made for this race. 

Somehow, we made it to 12 miles. Right beforehand, one of the pace coaches asked me how I was doing. I told him that I was "tired as shit", but I was going to finish. He agreed with me. He told me that we had 1.1 miles to go. Despite having such a small distance to cover, the discomfort got much, much worse. My legs felt like they each had 50 pounds of some unknown heavy substance attached to them, and my knees ached. I was breathing harder than I cared to admit. I asked one of the coaches if we were there yet. He said no. We approached another hill. The F-word audibly escaped my mouth at least one time. It probably wasn't a very big hill, but it really sucked. People were in my way. These people were in my beloved pace group, and I now wanted to shove them to the side. We passed one more water station, where I slowed down and drank too much water. I then saw the 13-mile sign, and that's when I pulled away from my group. 

​
The Final .1 Miles
I ran for the 13-mile marker despite every inch of my body protesting. I was so excited to be done that I pulled ahead of my group. From there, the group of spectators thickened. I don't remember much of that .1 miles except for that I wanted to sit down on the side of the road. As a spectator in the Chicago Marathon who has hung around the 25.2-mile marker many times and wondered why the runners were walking if they were so close to being done (or why they started walking at that point), I finally understood. I also wondered how in hell I am going to double this distance in October, but that's something to worry about on another day! The good news is that I ran, breathing ugly-sounding noises, and passed the finish line.

People clapped. Somebody handed me a medal, and another person gave me a wet towel that I promptly put on the back of my neck. I also remember taking more nuun, a bottle of water, and a bag of post-race snacks. My breathing returned to normal. I drank my water and sloppily ate my banana and walked around the finishing area while waiting for my mom. Soon, she was done too. 

I finished in 2:09:52 at a 9:55 pace. I achieved my goal and came out alive. Despite the hardships at the beginning and end of the race, I had a smile painted on my face for the rest of the day. I don't know if other races will be this special, but I think it's safe to say that I've fallen in love with running. I've crossed over that threshold from pain to bliss. I hope that my body stays strong and allows me to run 26.2 miles in October. I have lots of training and therapy ahead of me. My official marathon training kicks off this Saturday, so get ready for many more running posts!

Hi friends! This is going to be a quick one about two things that have little to do with each other. 

The first thing:

If you're like me and completely lose self-control when it comes to eating pasta or other starchy foods, try this trick that has worked for me since I first wrote about it in 2011: give yourself one portion, fill the rest of the space with veggies, and put the rest of your starch in a leftovers container for the next day or for later. An example is a box of macaroni and cheese. I can easily eat an entire box of macaroni and cheese, even if I'm feeling so full that I think I will explode. To prevent myself from doing this, I microwave 1-2 cups of frozen broccoli in a bowl and then add half of the cooked macaroni (see blurry picture below). I put the rest in a tupperware container and put it away in the fridge. 

If you're cooking a regular old bag of pasta, stick to 1/2-1 cup of pasta at the most (and "tupperware" the rest of it). And don't forget your veggies! They're nutritious, colorful, and add bulk to your bowl that will prevent you from feeling sad that you're not eating that extra 1-2 (or more) servings of starch that's chilling in your fridge! Look for non-starchy veggies, or vegetables that are NOT potatoes, peas, or corn (which are FINE to eat, but you want to look for ones that have fewer calories per serving, which are most other veggies). To make this even more filling, add a protein source such as chicken or fish. Also, whole wheat > refined, or white, grains.

The second thing:

I got a Yosh Universal Dry Bag for my iPhone 6 in case I need to go running in the rain. 

I prefer to have my phone with me at all times while I'm out on a run (for GPS tracking, music, photos), and being outdoors in the summer always comes with the risk of getting wet. ​This fancy version of a zip-lock bag (only  $6.99 on Amazon) is supposed to keep my phone dry during a downpour and still allows me to use my touchscreen! I've tested putting my phone in the case and using the screen (it works!), but I have yet to test it in the waters. I'll trial it with something of lesser value first, and then I will report back soon. If I can go outside in the rain without worries of destroying my iPhone, I will be one happy girl. 

​That's all for today!

Every weekend that I spend at my parents' house is fun. This past weekend, I went to the suburbs to see my mom and grandma for Mother's Day (we went to dinner on Saturday night) and pick up my cowboy boots for an upcoming trip to Nashville(!). Friday night involved walking the dogs, a workout in the basement gym, and the usual pizza and wine. On Saturday, we did went shopping at Costo and Target in the  morning. Then, my mom and I changed and went for a 10-mile run in the forest preserve. 

The past two long runs that I've done were nine miles, and those were easy for me. I struggled more with this one. I was fine until mile eight, and then I was exhausted. By the time I got to the last mile, I was yearning for a source of hydration. I couldn't drink that pond water, but there was a part of me that wanted to do it!

Thanks to my mom, I know better than to get discouraged when I struggle during a run. With Mother's Day being yesterday (we spent a long day together at PAWS!) and the upcoming marathon, I think it's appropriate to share some of her words of running wisdom that she has taught to me over the years. 

My mom has been a long-distance runner since before I was born. She stopped running for many years and then started again about eight years ago. Despite a scary cancer diagnosis that required open-abdominal surgery and chemo and radiation, she started running as soon as her healing scars allowed her to and continued every day throughout her treatment. She decided to run the Chicago Marathon with Team PAWS and never looked back after that. This many years later, in her 60s, she is still going strong. She's a shepherd (or mentor) for Team PAWS runners, and dozens of runners count on her for her expertise every year. She's knowledgeable, inspirational, and somebody I am so proud to call my mom! Now, I'll share a sampling of her running tips that I carry with me through my runs (and throughout life). 

1. Not every run is going to be a good run. Don't let a bad run stop you from doing another one.
2. Slow down if you're tired, but keep running. If you keep going, you will improve your endurance and will be in better shape for your next run. 
3. Your music is everything. Pick good songs that work for you. This can  make or break your run. 
4. Don't go too fast on your long-distance training runs. Work on your speed on shorter runs or during races. 
5. Drink a homemade protein shake between your run and  your shower. 
6. Take advantage of the opportunity for eating extra calories after long runs (but don't go overboard!).
​7. Use Glide for runs that are longer than seven miles or reap the consequences (like the chafed thighs I had on Saturday after not using it).
8. Marathons are better when you run with a charity. The support that you get from the group makes it worthwhile.
9. When mapping out your long training runs, make sure you have a designated bathroom spot. 
10. The mind is the All-Powerful. Practice self-love and positivity. Think I can  and not I can't. It makes all the difference in the world. I can is what will keep you going, even at your lowest points, one foot in front of the other. 

Have a wonderful week!

Hey guys! As I've mentioned on the blog before, I am no stranger to injuries. I talked at length about  my sartorius muscle when I lived in Australia. I also experience frequent lower back pain and occasional knee and foot discomfort. As somebody who exercises most days and is now training for a marathon, stretching and massaging my muscles is non-negotiable. Here are my favorite therapeutic gadgets that keep me walking (and running!). 

This product is not new to me. I bought it years ago when I hurt my leg in Australia. I talked about it here. It has a hard, hollow center that makes it firmer than other traditional foam rollers. The grooved surface makes it feel more like the hands of a massage therapist. The roller that I use is 13 inches, but Trigger Point also makes a 26-inch roller. The 13-inch is more portable if you want to take it traveling with you. I use it on my upper back, lower back, inner and outer thighs, glutes, and quads. Another advantage? It comes in a bunch of fun colors! 

I bought The Orb from Road Runner Sports last month. As much as I like the Grid, its shape restricts it from getting into the little sore spots on my lower back. The Orb can get into those spots (on the sides of my spine, of course, since you never want to roll directly on your spine). If I lie down directly on top of The Orb and put my weight on the ball, I can usually find my sore spot. If it's the right spot, it's very painful! I keep pressing until the pain subsides, or my muscle relaxes. The Orb is also good for massaging around the knees and the glutes. 

This thing kind of looks like a rainbow and feels fantastic on the feet. I don't get foot cramps nearly as much as I used to (I credit this to custom orthotics), but I'll use it when my feet get sore. It's small enough to tote back and forth with me to work, too, which I've done a bit over the past year. I also use a lacrosse ball for my feet, but I think that the Foot Log feels even better! Plus, it's so colorful. 

This device is life-changing. It feels like a deep-tissue massage every time that I use it, and I don't have to lie down on the floor like I do with the foam rollers. My lower back, which usually throbs when I stand for long periods of time, doesn't hurt me anymore. My right knee, which feels weird (not painful, but just feels like it's not attached properly...I don't know how else to phrase it) after running about six miles doesn't bother me. I've done two nine-mile runs since using it around my knees, and I haven't been in discomfort at the end of my runs. The metal balls dig deep into the tissue and work magic. I brought it to work last week for my sore back, and most of my coworkers tried it. One already bought one for her sister. It's the best!

The Bed Buddy is the most cuddly item on the list. It can go in the microwave for heat therapy or can be frozen. It's filled with grains, herbs, and flowers, which makes it non-toxic. It's long and flexible and easily wraps around the body for comfort. I'll heat it and take it to bed with me when I'm feeling achy. I've never put it in the freezer, but I'll have to give that a try. 

​That's all for today!

My grandfather passed away a week ago. While it was hard to say goodbye, I spent four filled days with my family that made my heart feel so full. We shed tears together, and we also laughed and shared stories. 

On Friday night, Al and I drove to the suburbs after work. We greeted my parents and dogs and then drove to my grandparents' home where we spent time with my grandmother, my siblings, and my aunt and uncle and cousin from New Jersey. From there, we went to the Passover seder. This was the first time in my life that my New Jersey family was present, and it was a real treat to have them there. (See a detailed recap of a Passover seder here!)

On late Saturday morning, my mom, brother, and I went to the forest preserve by my parents' house and ran NINE miles. This was a milestone for me! (Appropriate wording, I know. ) I've never done more than eight miles. The best part was that I zoned out and didn't even pay attention to how fast or how far I was running. I've always dismissed the idea of having running partners, thinking it would be too hard to match our paces or that it would be distracting, but I changed my mind after this weekend. I loved having running company.

​Now, I'm thinking about signing up for the Soldier Field 10-Miler. Anybody want to join me?

After the run, my cousin Kailee went shopping with me while I looked for a dress to wear to the funeral. We spent the rest of the night at my parents' house with my brothers and their wives, my aunt and uncle, my cousins Kailee and Leia with her daughter Molly, my grandma, and my mom and dad. We tasted wine and ate appetizers and Italian food. 

And we played. We played Hike & Seek and Tag. 

Then, we played Musical Chairs in the kitchen. 

Just like any day at my parents' house, dogs were present. 

Sunday was the longest day of them all, because it was the funeral and the shiva. We went to a beautiful service. All present grandchildren were pallbearers. After the service at the grave site, we went back to my grandma's house and stayed there for the rest of the day and night. Like other shivas, we ate and ate and greeted friends of my grandparents. Unlike other shivas, we only sat for one day. Others go on for days. 

We drank coffee and wine, peeled through family photos of my mom and uncle's childhood, played games with Molly, went on walks since it was like a beautiful summer day, and we bonded. Despite the sad situation that brought us together, it was a perfect family weekend. 

The rabbi  something beautiful during the ceremony (which I will paraphrase): It's not about the money and fame that we achieve in our lifetime. It's about the people we love and who love us back. This is so true. My grandfather was a quiet and often irritable man in his older age, but he loved us and we loved him as well. My brother Ben, who spoke at the ceremony, remarked on how my grandfather was very proud and stubborn but accepted help when he couldn't walk or move around by himself so that he could go to our birthday celebrations, family holidays, and weddings. He never missed anything if he could help it, because he wanted to be there with us. That's how I'm going to remember my grandfather. 

Before I end this, I want to capture the true spirit of Passover and share one of the best recipes out there: fried matzoh. The picture is from a few years ago and doesn't look very appetizing, but this stuff is amazing. Who needs regular French toast when you have this?

Here is there recipe!

Our family time spread into Monday afternoon, and with the funeral/shiva going late into Sunday (and after feeling so emotionally drained), I didn't post anything Monday. The bi-weekly posts will resume  next week!

Hi friends! Does the title of my post look like I'm taking about updates for both citrus salmon and running OR like the citrus salmon and running updates are two completely separate topics? Writing is amusing at times. Depending on where you put your punctuation marks and word placements, meanings can change. As it is, I do NOT have any pressing updates on citrus salmon. I just want to share a positive culinary experience I had with salmon, Halos, a gigantic lemon (that actually wasn't so gigantic-it just had thick skin on it), and some other small things. 

I came home from grocery shopping on Monday night knowing perfectly well that I needed to use up some Halos that we didn't consume last week. I made a simple citrus salmon with just two salmon fillets, lemon slices, Halo slices, basil and mint leaves, and scant portions of salt, pepper, and olive oil. I preheated the oven to 400 degrees, sprinkled either salmon side with salt/pepper/oil, then I layered in the following order: lemon slices, fish, mandarins, leaves. I wrapped everything in foil and then slid it in the oven for about 25 minutes. I also could have wrapped the fillets individually, but it turned out fine!

The citrus infused well into the fish and gave it great flavor. I ate one piece for dinner and brought the other to work the next day. As always, I ate it cold.  I like cold salmon, and I also fear that people will secretly hate me if I heat up fish in the microwave at work. 

In general, cooking fish in foil packets takes only minutes of hands-on work. You can also throw veggies in there, like potatoes or asparagus!

Now, I'm going to transition away from fish and into the running talk. Overall, running has been going great. My "training" system of doing one short run during the week and one long run on the weekend is working well for me. I have enough days in between to recover. I'm not overdoing it, but I'm also slowly increasing my mileage so that I'll be comfortable when I do my half marathon this summer. Last weekend, I did eight miles. This weekend, I plan to do nine. 

I also signed up for something that is completely insane. I blame my dog-loving, marathon-running mother for this. 

My mom has ran the Chicago Marathon for the past six years now. I find her somewhere around the 25 mile-marker every year, and we hug, and I run beside her until I get kicked off the course. I have pictures from the past four years. 

Every year, I think about how amazing it would be to do this race with my mom. Then, when the spring of the next year comes along and it's time to register, I'm unmotivated. ​This year, my mom tried to convince me to do it. I complained about my temperamental lower back, my sore knee, my flat feet, and my dislikes for waking up before the rising sun on summer weekends and being outside during a downpour. To this, she brought up a point that was so good that I couldn't argue with it: since I will be conditioned to run 13.1 miles by July, I will deeply regret NOT going for 26.2 miles in October. She was right. If I keep saying that I will think about running it the next year, I may never do it. An elephant could sit on my foot, I could start a family, or I may move somewhere far away where it's more fashionable to be very, very fat and running could interfere with that. I think you get the picture. This is the year. 

For reasons that I can comprehend but am still only just beginning to grasp the consequences of what I've done, I signed up to run the Chicago Marathon. That's not the only exciting part. I'm also part of Team Paws. I'm running for homeless dogs and cats in Chicago. I signed up to run for PAWS a few weeks ago for the half marathon, and then I upgraded. 

PAWS is a no-kill animal rescue group that is very near and dear to my heart.  The number of animals euthanized at Chicago Animal Care and Control (Chicago's pound) has decreased significantly since 1997 when PAWS was founded in part as a result of their rescue and adoption and spay/neuter programs. I think this video beautifully sums up the work that they do and WHY they do it. ​

I've been an active volunteer with PAWS since last year. I started as a Level One Dog Handler (walking and cuddling puppies- they start you with the easy ones) at the Lincoln Park Adoption Center. I'm now an adoption counselor, meaning that I meet with adopters before they take their pet home, educate them about what to expect (especially if they're a first-time pet owner!), and go through the forms with them. The best part is watching the dog or cat leave with their new owner. As an animal lover and somebody who strongly believes in the "adopt-don't-shop" philosophy, I am so proud to run and raise money for PAWS. My mom, as you can see from the pictures, is also very involved with PAWS and Team PAWS. 

Stay tuned for so many more posts about running. I'll also post a link to my fundraising page once it has a picture of me and some content. 

On Saturday, I did the unthinkable. I, a self-proclaimed hater of the treadmill, ran on this machine for a whole hour. Even 15 minutes is usually unbearable to me. I've worked up to 30 minutes, and I'm finally comfortable doing that. I always prefer to go outside, but when I looked out the window on Saturday morning and saw snow on the ground, I knew that my long run was going to be on a treadmill.  My goal was eight miles, but I settled for six. Eight will have to wait. 

30-minute Bun-Burning Power Walk from Freeing Imperfections

Intense Incline Treadmill Walking Workout from Peanut Butter Fingers

The New Runner Treadmill Workout from Popsugar

40-Minute Run/Walk Intervals from Sweet Tooth Sweet Life

30 Minute HIIT from Melinda's Fitness Blog

3-2-1 Run! Treadmill HIIT Workout from Your Trainer Paige

Advanced 30-Minute Treadmill HIIT Workout from He & She Eat Clean

Happy April! Running season has officially kicked off in Chicago with the Shamrock Shuffle  on Sunday. I was thinking about registering for it late last year, but then I pulled my lower back and didn't want to stress myself out physically and mentally with training for a race in early 2016. In retrospect, I could have done it!

I'm starting the week off with a post about my favorite running clothes. I was planning a post on this last week, but I got too wordy talking about my six-mile run.  Without further ado, here are some of my most coveted wearable jogging possessions. 

Favorite running capri: the Relay Capri by Athleta. These capris are comfortable and breathable and hold up pretty well for all of the wearing and washing I've done since acquiring them in January 2015. Like many of the nicer capris and leggings, these have an inner (invisible) drawstring that makes it easy to tighten your pants if they feel loose (or if you're wearing them to Pilates or yoga and don't want them to slide too low at inappropriate times). Another one of my favorite features of these capris is the back zipper pocket that makes it easy to stash my keys when I'm out for a fun. I have them in black, but I really like the purple too!


​Photo source

Honorable mention: the Fabletics Salar Capri. I like having a Fabletics membership for a bunch of different reasons, but the Salar Capri is one of my favorites. They're $45 (and select colors go on sale), which is not bad for a well-made capri. They come in a bunch of different prints. I currently have three. They fit well and are flattering. I never expected these pants to hold up during a long run, but they've been extremely comfortable for my previous six and seven-mile runs. Granted, I'm not sure if I'd want to wear them on a hot summer day. They seem to be suitable for cooler spring/fall runs. They're also cute enough to wear while running errands, too. I'm a big fan. 



Photo source

Favorite running socks: Balega and Feetures. The first sock picture is of my foot in a Balega Second Skin sock. I have one pair of the Hidden Comfort socks (second photo) and one pair of the Second Skin Ultralight No Show socks. I want to get 100 more pairs of the Hidden Comfort socks because they're lightweight but make your feet feel like they have several extra layers of padding. The Second Skin sock, as you can probably guess, is thinner and hugs your foot more tightly than the Hidden Comfort. Both socks have a heel tab that prevents the sock from migrating down into the the running shoe and have mesh panels for ventilation.

​ 

I also have two pairs of the Feetures Elite Light Cushion No-Show Tab socks. These socks are anatomically correct, meaning that there actually is a Left sock and a Right sock. Per the website, this is for maximum comfort and decreasing incidence of blisters (and I have never had a blister while wearing these!). They also have sweat wicking technology. Like the Balega Second Skin socks, they hug my feet and keep them snug and dry on longer runs. 

Balega photo source
Feetures photo source 
​

Favorite running shoes: Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 32. I've been running in the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus shoes for a while now. They're comfortable and leave me blister-free. A visit to a podiatrist last spring confirmed that I do indeed have flat feet (I've been told that I have flat feet AND high arches in the past, so it was nice to have a doctor set the record straight). While my arches appear to be high, they collapse when I put weight on them. I need good support in addition to my shoe, so I get custom-made insoles at the Road Runner Sports stores. This was a much-welcomed alternative to spending $500 on a custom-made pair of insoles through the podiatrist (which my insurance wouldn't cover), and they work wonders. They have significantly decreased my foot cramps that I used to get when running. They're definitely worth it for me!

​Photo source

Favorite Running Bras: Moving Comfort Rebound Racer (left) and Moving Comfort Juno (right). For larger-chested ladies, having a supportive bra is non-negotiable. As somebody who once needed to wear two bras for adequate stability, I can say with full confidence that only one bra is required when wearing these. They're also relatively reasonably-priced, come in fun patterns, and have the racerback for the no-show effect (depending on what kind of shirt you're wearing). I love these bras and so far have not been able to find anything that I like better. 

Running Recap

I did my seven-mile run on Friday. My average pace was a 9.38-minute mile, and I was tired for a lot of it. Ugh. I'll do my eight-mile run this coming weekend, and then I'll be in uncharted territory after that. My goal is to go at a comfortable pace and to not obsess about speed. There will be good runs and bad runs, and only ugly things will happen if I push myself too hard. 

I also signed up to run for a charity! I'll reveal more on that later once I set up my fundraising page. The charity will be a no-brainer if you know me well! 

Total miles run last week: ​10 (3 on treadmill, 7 outside)
Aches and pains: None while running. Lower back is achy. 
Goals for next week: Do yoga stretches for back (I did it twice last week) and stop obsessing over my speed!

Until next time!

Happy Monday! I hope everybody had a wonderful, warm Easter Sunday. Right now, I'm missing living abroad in Australia and having Friday and Monday off for Good Friday and Easter Monday (although I feel like it doesn't make a difference when you're working in a hospital since the doors never close there). It has been perfect spring weather for the past few days in Chicago: sunny, breezy, and not cold. I'll take it. 

I completed my longer run of the week on Saturday. Like last week, I did six miles. When I turned around at Castaways on North Avenue Beach,  though, there was no wall of wind fighting me. 

Except for some big sand patches on the running path on North Avenue Beach (when the lake washes up on dry land during storms), the run went almost perfectly. 

In fact, I learned something about myself on Saturday. I learned that I can run faster than I thought I ever could. ​ I downloaded the Run Keeper App before I left the house so that I could get a better idea of my average running pace. My goal was to try to maintain a 10-minute mile since this is how fast I guessed I could run, and it's my consistent treadmill pace. The app announces your time and average pace every five minutes, and I was shocked to hear my pace decreasing every time. When I found out that I was into the 9-minute-mile range, I almost cheered out loud. 

​

Miles 2-6 (my first mile was slower since I walked for a few blocks to warm up) were under a 9.5-minute mile. I wrote last week that I would never be able to run under that pace, and I find myself eating my words now. Big time. And who knows if I can regularly maintain this pace? The weather was cooler, the wind wasn't fighting me, I ate pasta the night before, and the Run Keeper app was motivating me to go faster and harder. Everything seemed to be in my favor on Saturday. Time will tell how I can perform on other days. 

A few years ago, I could barely run three miles.  That was the crazy summer when I moved back to Chicago and started taking my prerequisites to get into a dietetics program. My sartorius muscle was giving me grief, and I was stressed out beyond belief. I had a Garmin running watch that estimated my running pace, and I was usually running a 12 to 12.5-minute mile and feeling like I was hyperventilating. I think that my short treadmill runs and very gradually increasing my mileage over time have helped to get my pace down. 

To finish the expression in my title, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Thank you for those brilliant words, William Edward Hickson. This proverb can be applied to so many things in life, and this really hit home this week. For those are you who are discouraged with your running, keep in mind that you will get better if you try. Just keep going, one foot in front of the other. 

I was going to add another section to this post about my favorite running gear, but I think I'll end it here. Stay tuned for more posts on running and delicious recipes!



Total miles logged this week (and last week since I forgot to post that): 9 (3 on treadmill; 6 outside).
Aches and pains: lower back and right knee.
Goal for next week: do yoga exercises for lower back and sign up to run for a charity!

Hi friends! Happy spring! I kicked off the first day of spring with a six-mile run. While it was a perfectly comfortable running temperature and the sun was shining over the city, I was hesitant about doing this run. 

I did an hour-long yoga class (for the first time in years!) at my gym on Friday, and I woke up Saturday morning with a sore lower back and legs. It makes sense that my legs would be sore from holding poses, but I was surprised about my back giving me grief. I decided to make Saturday a Rest Day and to do the run on Sunday. My back became more sore throughout the day, but I did my rolling, stretching, and heating therapy in hopes to make it better faster. Sunday morning came, and I decided to go through with the run. I'd try three or four miles. 

I felt so good after two miles that I decided to keep going. I was flying. I decided to go six miles.  I get to three miles once I hit the famous Castaways on North Avenue Beach. Once I turn around and run home, that's six miles. I've done it many times with no problems at all. 

I snapped some pictures and then turned around towards the north. 

Then, I was hit by a solid wall of wind. I instantly understood why the previous two miles along the lake were so easy. I then dreadfully  knew that the next two miles would be torturous. The wind was assisting me southward, and now I had to fight it going north. While I've experienced the wrath of Chicago's wind force before,  this was the worst of it. Tears were flying out of my eyes and into the air. I couldn't breathe. I was almost choking on phlegm. I had to stop and walk.

While I walked, I watched other people run past me (struggling, but still going). I wondered how I could ever become a better runner if I couldn't even handle this stupid wind. How could I ever run 13.1 miles? Every time I've tried to increase my mileage in the past, something bad happened (I pulled my sartorius muscle, I hurt my lower back so badly that I couldn't walk [not from running, but it affected it nonetheless], or I became too busy or stressed.). I was stewing in negativity while walking. I quickened my pace to a run again, only to be pushed back by the wind. I was panting. I forced myself to go up a bridge, one foot in front of the other, only to give up and start walking again before I hit the top. Worse thoughts entered my head. Maybe I'm still too tired from yoga.  But yoga was two days ago. I'm pathetic. More people ran past me. I became more discouraged. I'm a failure. I'm never going to run a half marathon. I'm slow. I suck. 

Finally, after another person passed me, I started to run again. I passed the person who just passed me, and I veered off of the Lakeshore path, under the Belmont bridge, and out of the wind. I ran the last 1.1  miles home without stopping (except for at a traffic light). I put one foot in front of the other quickly, even though my lungs burned and I wanted to stop. I made it home. I looked at my phone and saw that, even with my walking, I made it from start to finish in under 60 minutes. I was getting faster. Suddenly, I was hopeful again. 

I stretched, rolled, showered, iced, and simultaneously made myself a smoothie with fresh coffee, a frozen banana, vanilla whey protein powder, natural peanut butter, and cinnamon. Then, I volunteered at PAWS for a few hours while digesting what had happened to me that morning (and my smoothie). 

I know my story will sound dramatic to some people. It's just a run. It's not a big deal. I know that I will never be a professional runner. I'll never win a race. I'll probably never be able to run faster than a 9.5-minute mile during a long race, because I'm just not equipped for it. Running makes my knees hurt. I'm injury-prone. I'm allergic to it. Seriously. I become bright  red and itchy after about five minutes if I go too many months without doing it (outdoors or indoors, any time of the year). Regardless, there is no other exercise that makes me feel more accomplished, gives me more internal struggles, allows more personal time with myself, and pushes me to succeed more than running. Running is the only exercise that gives me a runner's high. Nothing can beat that feeling.

I am going to run a half marathon this year whether I have to walk or crawl. I'll be back out on the path next weekend, wind or no wind. That's the only way to get better. 

I hope that there are others who can relate to this story and put on their shoes and run despite the challenges!