S Is For...Stretching

FOR the love of Pete, do not forget to stretch at least once a day (or more if you prefer).  

Dynamic and static stretches are essential to do before and after a run.  Dynamic stretches will activate and loosen up your leg muscles, getting you ready to run. Static stretches can help lower your heart rate after a run, they will also lessen your risk of injury and muscle soreness.

Here are 2 dynamic stretches to do to get ready for a run...

PRE-RUN

LEG-SWINGS...First thing you want to do is hold on to something, then stand on one leg and swing the other leg forward and back around 20 times, then swing that same leg side to side 20 times.  Repeat on the other leg. Make sure you get the full range of motion.


WALKING-LUNGES...Take a large step forward with your right leg, and bend the knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor and knee is aligned with your ankle. Push back upward, draw your left foot even with your right and step forward with the left. Try to keep your walking lunges fluid, and focus on proper form. Do as many as you are comfortable doing...approx 10 per leg.

Here are 3 static stretches for after you run...

POST-RUN...

KNEELING HIP-FLEXOR AND HAMSTRING...

STANDING QUAD...

STANDING CALF...

I've heard that yoga is also a great way to get in some stretching or Pilates even.  Enjoy the rest of your day sweet blogging friends of mine, blessings.

• Do you stretch daily, weekly, monthly or not at all?
• Does the term stretching mean that you reach across the dog/cat for the remote control, or ice cream way in the back of the freezer? 

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. "Limitations only exist if you let them" © 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

Running Bloggers Survey

I know I already posted this morning but wanted to join in on the Running Bloggers Survey as well!

Best Run Ever

That would be my first run ever...The 40th Stage Coach Run in Jacksonville Oregon.  It was my first official race after my cancer, surgery and treatment.  I felt so accomplished after I crossed that finish line.

Three Words That Describe My Running

Obsession...Accomplished...Empowering...

My Go-To Running Outfit

Compression capri's I got from Old Navy, running bra, new uber berry Reebok flex shoes, and usually a running tank of some kind.

I Won’t Run Outside When It’s…

 Hot and humid as it makes me sick to my stomach and last year I got heat exhaustion from it.

Worst Injury – And How I Got Over It

My pelvic stress fracture I sustained last year while training for my 1st half, which I had to miss.  I took the whole summer off from running and most walking, stayed in bed when needed and pretty much just swam all summer long. I was able to start taking walks sometime in August I think, and then started to run again in November...I am back to normal now!

I Felt Most Like a Badass Runner When…

I completely killed my 1st ever PR by over 4 minutes...I also felt like a Bad Ass my last race (1st race post injury) when I beat my Pr by 28 seconds.

Potential Running Goal for 2013

 To complete my half marathon training without injury and run the race in September.

My Next Race Is…

At this time that would be my half marathon in September, but we runners know this could change in the blink of an eye. 

Now go over and link up with Kelly The Culinarian and have fun with the survey. 

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. "Limitations only exist if you let them" © 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

New 5k PR Post Injury

NEW PR for me post injury...I think we will start with Thursday night to give you a little back ground on how the week was going sleep wise.

My stomach had been bothering me all day Thursday for some odd reason so I didn't sleep too well that night. On Friday morning my mom and I drove to Medford to pick up my race bib and race goodies and then stopped off to have lunch at Red Robin. (yum) I had a headache and took some acetaminophen while waiting for our food to arrive.  I ordered the Banzai burger, sans the meat and cheese and with a gluten free bun. It's nice to know I can go there and get a meat and dairy free option.  When our lunch came I could only eat half the sandwich (it was amazingly good) and a few of the fries.  I spent the last half of the day in angony with an upset stomach and headache.  I am sure it had nothing to do with the food and everything to do with my neck and the acetaminophen I took.

I have chronic neck pain from an accident I was in many years ago.  I am used to dealing with migraines from my neck muscles that were injured. That being said I wish it had picked another day to rear its ugly head.  I slept fitfully Friday night read off and on if at all and awoke around 4 a.m. but stayed in bed until 5 a.m.  After getting up and around my stomach was still not happy so I only drank a tiny bit of water and ate a couple bites of a protein bar.  We left around 6 a.m. and arrived in plenty of time to warm up although I never got around to it.  My friends, D and J, from the running group found me and we were able to start the race together. I made sure to tell them both that I would be abandoning them early on but not to worry I would be waiting at the finish line to cheer them on. They already told me this was going to happen and that it was okay with them.

The race started on time and we were off.  J was running her first ever 5k and started off fast, (we told her the adrenaline and excitement would make her faster) D and I ran together for about a minute before I headed into the fray of the crowd.  I was soon zig-zagging in and out of the runners trying to make a path for myself.  I didn't want to trip anyone or get tripped for that matter.  You know how these things happen.  

Mile one went by fast as did mile 2 especially since the half way mark came sooner than I remembered it coming last year.  (That's good right?) All of the sudden here I am running trying to catch my breath around the 2.8 mile mark and out of no where a man passes me with a jogging stroller...oy vey! I am now highly incensed that I have been passed by a baby...so I pick up my speed and start picking off runners left and right.  (In all actuality I am just trying to pass the guy with the stroller, sadly I never do) 

I can hear the crowd cheering at the finish line and take off at a sprint, and look down to see that my timer reads 28:50 something.  I am actually going to beat 30 minutes and I feel elation...soon after that I hear my name announced as I cross the finish line in 29:47:1 (according to my timer) I never looked at the race clock so I don't know my official time, just that it was 29 something.  My sons face says it all, he is standing there with a big grin that makes me feel like a Bada$$ Mother Runner and maybe even a hero. 

(Last year it read 30:13)

I hug my mama, daughter and son and feel like I have accomplished something great.  It may only be a race to some of you but this was a huge milestone for me.  It proved that I can still run, my injury is healed, and I can do anything I set my mind to. I am back and I thank God for getting me through this last year of injury and frustration, not to mention heart-break. I am sore today but it's a good kind of sore.  I am proud of my legs for getting me across that finish line strong, and I'm proud of my heart and mind for knowing I could do it. J and D both finished strong and I am so proud of them.  I am looking forward to running with them again very soon.

J, me and D post race

Blessings and hugs to all who came by today.  May your day be a blessed one.

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. "Limitations only exist if you let them" © 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

A Is For...Aerobic Exercise

1st A is for Arlee Bird who started this Challenge in 2010...He is the man...

Aerobic Exercise is what I like sometimes loathe to do...Aerobic literally means "living in air", and refers to the use of oxygen to adequately meet energy demands during exercise via aerobic metabolism. Let's have a little introduction first...shall we? I think we shall.

Some of you know me from the last couple of times I participated in this challenge...If you don't already know me, I'm Shannon, I Survived (cancer) and Now I Run...I started this blog after I survived cancer, mainly to proved to myself and my body that I was in charge not cancer, and that I was no longer going to allow myself to just exist. I wanted to really experience living the way it was meant to be experienced.  

So at 40 I started a Couch to 5k program and as they say, the rest is history. I have run 5k and 5 mile races and am now training for a half marathon (September 2013), it's also the same half I trained for last year, (I was up to 10 mile long runs) unfortunately I broke my pelvis and was off the entire summer and then some. I'm back now and determined to finish what I started.

All the above was a rather long introduction for my 1st topic in The A-Z Challenge for 2013. So here goes...


I'm a runner so I am used to needing, using and sometimes even gulping a lot of oxygen (Aerobic-living in air) to go from one point to the next and then all the way back to the start. It's normal for me to head out from my house to wherever and however far the road will take me, and that could be anywhere from 2-6 miles right now, to as high as 10 miles a month or so from now. If I can keep from getting injured again, knock on wood, fingers and toes crossed. 

Here are a few ways in which aerobic exercise can benefit a person.

1. People who exercise are less likely to get the flu.
2. Aerobic exercise releases tiny ninja-like endorphins which are the bodies natural painkillers which also helps to calm anxiety and stress.  (Running is how I stay sane)
3. Fat reduction. (Enough said)
4. Longer life...research by Harvard University revealed that for the first time there was a scientific link between increased life and exercise.
5. Better lungs...Aerobic exercise enhances the maximum oxygen consumption by the body.

Your SMART people so I won't mention all the beautiful scenery and wild life you will encounter, that is just what I like to call the icing on the cake. I live in Oregon and the scenery is Gorgeous and wild life...abundant.  It's normal for me to see deer, squirrels, geese (they are here year round) and ducks each time I go out for a run. (I have yet to run into a bear or mountain lion but I'm not really gonna complain.)

So get out there and move your body and see how good it feels. The endorphins are enough to convince me, I love those little (but oh so powerful) guys. Blessings and hugs!

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck.

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

Prayer, My New Car And C25K Training

First things first, if you could take a moment and pray for a friend who is having a tumor removed from her brain, I would appreciate it very much.  She is a wife and mother now but at 18 went through a horrible life changing, memory erasing accident when she was hit by a semi-truck...it impaired her memory and motor skills for a long while...she recovered, got some memories back, grew up, got married, and had babies.  A month or so ago she was driving and had a seizure and was in a car accident, at the ER they found a large brain tumor.  She is in surgery now, it will take most of the day according to the surgeon.  I know this is out of the ordinary, but I would just ask, if you pray, please take a moment to do so! God is The Great Physician and He can and does work miracles. 

Okay...next, but SERIOUSLY down on the scale of importance is...I got my new car yesterday! Here is what she looks like...(Yes I said she) Her name is Poison Ivy!

Moving on...
 
I have been training for a 5k in April...my first race since the pelvic stress fracture...and we are in week 6 out of 9 and doing well.  The running is getting progressively longer and the walking times much shorter, I don't think I will make or beat my PR but I'm going to try with all I have in me.  The compression sleeves seem to be doing a great job..my new shoes are awesome and feel as if they are already broke in...I think things are looking up.  Although I have been having some nagging IT band issues..nothing big just irritating. I am hoping nothing more comes of it!

Have a great day and thanks in advance for your prayers. Blessings and hugs!

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

 "Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

Calf Compression Sleeves & The A-Z Challenge 2013

First things first, I bought a pair of compression calf sleeves and what a difference they made! I ran without pain the other day for approximately 6.5 miles...woohoo! I am going to be using them on all my longer runs for sure and even the shorter runs until my shins are 100% better. I feel more confident about running The Pear Blossom Run now than I did before I bought the sleeves. I may not run faster but I will run without pain, and to me, that's a good thing. Okay now onto The A-Z Challenge...

For those of you who have never heard of the A-Z challenge, let me tell you all about it. This challenge is put on every year by Arlee Bird over at Tossing It Out (It started in 2010) and the idea is to blog every day (except Sundays) and to do it Thematically/Alphabetically.  Every day you blog (starting with the letter A on April 1st) according to what letter of the alphabet you are on. It's a blast! (I will still be posting on my running and life in general)


So for example starting April 1st we will blog starting with the letter A.  April 2nd we will blog starting with the letter B, and so on. We will blog every day except Sunday.  You can write all the posts and schedule them ahead of time or you can write every day.  You can have a theme or just wing it. You can even post a recipe or poem.  This year I have my A-Z words picked out already and will pre-schedule some...others I will write the day of.  This challenge is a fun and informative way to get to know other bloggers in the blogosphere. Feel free to join us or not...just go over to The A-Z Challenge blog and follow the directions. Hope to see ya there. Please do not feel obligated to join in, but do come and visit as usual. I will miss you if you don't. Blessings and hugs.

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck.

 "Limitations only exist if you let them"

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

Coffee, Shin Splints and Life In General

 Coffee √ Shin Splints √ Life In General..In Process!

Life is good as usual.  I have much to be thankful for, and little to complain about.  Shin splints in the grand scheme of life are really nothing big.  I think I have found the problem, the school track I've been running on is very lumpy and uneven so I am going to stop running on that track asap and find another with less lumpiness and more evenness. (Not a very grammatical sentence, I know)

I'm getting more running in (even with sore shins) and working my way back up in mileage.  May not be a good thing, I know.  I have been wrapping my shins at home with ace bandages, the compression is a miracle worker.  I also wear my compression soccer socks and they are helping as well. The shins feel great-ish, not perfect but better by far.  The 5k is not until April 13th so I have plenty time if I need to take some training time off. I am running slowly and very carefully but I do stop if it hurts.

In other news, my son's ortho appointment is getting closer and he is restless waiting for it.  Not being able to weight lift affected his grade in Weight lifting class (although he can make it up) and he's not happy about that at all. He's 15, he'll get over it. 

The 17 year old is doing great, his father is trying to teach him to drive the old truck (1969 Ford) which has a very long and awkward stick shifter that does not shift normal, lucky hubby right! 

My 12 year old daughter is...well...a 12 year old, love her hate the age, it is full of hormonal angst and whatnot. She is beautiful, tall, slim...funny as the day is long, creative, and sweet....just sooooo not a morning person. She can make or break my day, anyone out there feel my pain? Ha ha ha!

The other day my hubby and 17 year old son replaced the screen on my screen door for me (I've only been asking for 2 years, lol) and fixed both gate doors outside (they close and latch now) woohoo! 

Exercise for me has been a little running, biking (at the gym) and the Arc trainer...I have also been running my two little wiener dogs (mini-wiener dogs mixed with short leg jack-russell terrier) around the yard outside to get them used to being out "there".  They have always been inside dogs and the outside is a brand new and exciting endeavor for them both.  That's about all I have to say, my life isn't that exciting. Have a great week y'all...blessings and hugs! Anyone racing or traveling? Tell me all about it.

ANNIE

WEENIE

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck.

 "Limitations only exist if you let them" 

 © 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

Will It Ever End...Injuries

Oy Vey...Shin Splints? Really? Seriously, I thought only newbies got those...apparently even famous athletes get them, and more often than you might think.  In fact, shin splints are actually a symptom of an underlying condition, according to THIS POST at WebMD, ermergerd! I am so over this already. 

I feel as if my body is at war with my will! I love running so much, yet right now it seems as if all the fates are against me, that is if I believed in the "fates". Last week I took off from running due to exceptionally sore inner shins.  They felt completely better Sunday when I ran, but Monday while running the horrible pains started and continued throughout the run.  Running felt fine but when I walked it was excruciating.  As soon as I got home I iced them with ice cube to bare skin to get deep into the muscle and now they hardly hurt, only now I'm afraid to run because I don't want to have it happen again.  

It could be that I need new shoes with shock absorber inserts, lol...I am not sure what to do at this point...what are your thoughts? I need some advice from other runners.  I haven't had this problem since I first started running 2 plus years ago. I'm a mid-foot striker already and as far as I know do not over-pronate, and I take short strides so I don't pound so hard when my feet land.  I always run on the road, but a few weeks ago I ran on a school track that has sand (not like sand on a beach), and I ran on that track a few times.  Could that be the problem? Ergh!

Anyhoo...I have been at the gym riding the recumbant bikes and using the Arc trainer so that I can give my shins time to recover and I have been working on my food.  I have decided to add in heart healthy fish and some egg into my diet so that I have a more rounded food list.  I was extremely limited in food choices due to the fact that I was trying to eat a limited amount of soy and a lot of vegan products are soy rich. I now try to eat fish 1-2x a week, starches only at breakfast and lunch and dinner is vegetables and protein. It has been difficult to break that snacking (on sugar foods) habit but not as hard as I thought it would be.  It is an ongoing process but I am healthier because of it.  That's a good thing.

I am going to try to run The Pear Blossom Run April 13th, but only if I can stay injury free. We shall see how it goes.  How have YOU been? Drop me a line and tell me all about it!  

Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

"Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.

Running Clubs...Yea or Nay?

Anyone out there in a running club? I have always had to run alone, or have always been too lazy to seek out other crazy like minded individuals to run with, so I guess you could say it has been my stupid ingenious plan all along.  

Seriously though, I ran with my new running club the other day and enjoyed every heavy breathing sweat dropping delicious second of it.  The girls I am running with are training for a 5k in April and even though I've been there done that, it's just fun and a great way to meet new people as well as get back into the habit of running at least 3x a week.  They are up to 90 seconds running 2 minutes walking and have also invited me to join them at the before mentioned 5k and to use them as an excuse to not beating my previous time.  Awwww, how sweet.

You see, I was not planning on running it because last year I ran it 4 plus minutes faster than my previous 5k.  I was thinking of not running it at all this year because of my horrible, irritating, summer stealing injury from last May and I know that I won't make or beat my time...boohoo! So, the girls said "Hey, just use us newbies as an excuse and then you won't feel bad at all, you can just say you couldn't leave us behind."  Hmmm, do you think I can really do that and not allow that inner whinny nasal like voice to drive me batty as a baboon crazy? It could work...right! How many of you are in a running club?

In other news, I am going out of town with the hubby in April (back the day before the race) to a trade show for our store...it is being held at Seven Feathers Casino and Resort I don't normally go but decided it would be a nice getaway for the two of us, we don't get out much.

I don't know who that lady is but this is the casino

My son who broke his collar bone will NOT have to go through surgery, it should heal on it's own with only a small bump, so we are happy about that.  He is doing well, is back to riding the bus and doing his chores...lol, he didn't get much time off, but he is pretty strong, in fact we call him the beast, so it's all good. 

I have started to do tae-bo again and I love it.  It was something I use to do back when the kids were all little so it was easy to pick up again, it's amazing how fast things like that come back to you.  I am only doing it at home, so it's not like I'm in a class but there are some great videos out there on kickboxing/tae-bo, who needs a class, not me!  I currently use Billy Blanks tapes.

Blessings and hugs, hope y'all have a fantastic week and weekend. Oh and I even managed to run a couple of negative split runs this week...woot!
   
Godspeed...this comes from the Middle English expression "God spede (you)", a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck. 

 "Limitations only exist if you let them" 

© 2013 Shannon M. King. This publication is the exclusive property of Shannon M. King and is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws. The contents of this post/story may not be reproduced as a whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, without consent of the author, Shannon M. King. All rights reserved.