Recoverer-Which type are you?

I have been reading running blogs for almost a year now, and in that time I have made an observation.  It seems like there are three types of runners: runners who are injured, runners who are recovering from an injury, and runners who have re-injured themselves.  Sometimes it feels like running is just what we do to fill the time between foam rolling and icing our butts.  If you are thinking, "Hey, I'm a runner and I haven't been injured," well I'd like to welcome you to the world of running.  I hope you enjoy this new adventure...oh and by the way, you're going to get injured. 

The fact is, running is a high impact sport...taken on mostly by type A, anal retentive, performance driven, over-achievers.  Yeah, I'm talking to you....and maybe me.  We tend to be so focused on getting faster, running longer, PRing, BQing, and for the most part, this is what makes runners so great.  We are dedicated, hardworking, and tenacious.  The downside is that sometimes we don't take the breaks our bodies need and we end up running ourselves right into the exam room.  If you haven't been there, like I said before, you will be.

I know it sounds like I am being a Negative Nelly who is discouraging people from taking on the sport, but I'm really not.  I'll take an occasional foot strain or pulled hammy over plaque covered arteries any day of the week.  Sitting on the coach all day might keep you injury free but then you would never know the thrill of the finish line.  Injuries in running seem inevitable but I assure you doing nothing is far more hazardous to your health.

However, this post isn't about getting an injury.  It is about recovering from them because, right now, that is the type of runner I am.  I gotta tell you, coming back from a 3 month hiatus has not been easy.  It has left me slow, winded, and since I've already admitted it in my wetsuit post, paunchy.  I haven't been taking this well.  It seems like I worked on speed for a year and in 3 months I was back to square one.  I am no mathematician, but those numbers don't seem to add up right and it kinda pisses me off.  Which made me realize that I am not a good recoverer (which spell check tells me is not actually a word, but I'm using it anyway).  This led me to think about the different types of recoverers.  Here they are:

The Grateful Recoverer:  Ah, the grateful recoverer.  They don't care how slow they are going or how far they go, they are just PSYCHED to be back out there.  While their cheeriness is admirable, it is also super obnoxious. 

 The Planner:  The planner has a fully detailed recovery plan ready to go.  They place it right between their house cleaning schedule and their meal planning calendar (I'm told those things exist).  When they get the ok from the doctor they begin to follow it religiously, making sure to cross things off as they go.  They are the ones who like to say, "I told you so" to The Divers. 

The Diver:  The diver says screw it to recovery plans...and doctors.  Once they are semi mobile, they are running.  It is not unheard of to see a Diver rocking an aircast on the treadmill.  These guys like to scoff at The Planner's caution.....until their inevitable re-injury.

 The Scaredy Cat:  This runner is the opposite of the diver.  They are totally freaked out that they are going to be re-injured.  They actually talk their doctor into prolonging the ban on running.  Once they finally start running again every ache and pain is over-analyzed to the point of nausea.      

The Quitter:  You would think The Quitter would be a runner with a hardcore injury like a torn ligament or a severed leg.  But the quitter usually gives up running after an injury like a blister, sore muscles, or heavy breathing.  The Quitter never wanted to be running in the first place.

The Slacker:  The Slacker is actually just a quitter who is too lazy to actually quit.  They keep saying they are going to get back out there and start running again....but they never do...but they still keep talking about it.  How this person ran enough to get injured in the first place is a mystery.

The Angry Recoverer:  The angry recoverer is mad...about everything.  Mad they got injured, mad they couldn't run, mad they ate racing fees, mad that the are now slow.  If they could punch running in the face, they would.  But they can't so they just make everyone around them completely miserable. 

The Cry Baby:  The Cry Baby is the another variation of the Angry Recoverer, but instead of yelling and throwing chairs, the Cry Baby weeps and throws fits.  This type of behavior is unacceptable and ugly when toddlers do it.  It is just downright embarrassing for a grown human.


Ever been injured, and if not, what is your secret???

Which type of recoverer are you?  I am obviously a mix between the Angry Recoverer and The Cry Baby.

The demotivating effects of H2O(s)

I am a scientist...well actually, I just have a Biology degree and I taught science.  But I will say that I am a woman of science and thus I am always making observation...actually this isn't true either.  I am like the most oblivious person ever...but I have made this observation: there is strong correlation between snow and motivation.  I have made a super awesome scientific graph to showcase this observation:

As you can see, as snow accumulates, motivation diminishes greatly.  You can't argue with the graph, it has labeled axes.  However, I will concede that my sample size was only one and therefore it is not statistically significant (sheesh, I really do need to find a teaching job).

What is it, you ask, that has me talking about my groundbreaking hypothesis (that I may or may not be applying for a government grant to study)?  Well, it is snowing yet again!  It is 10:30 and I am still in my pajamas and I can't seem to get motivated to bundle up myself and two children to make a trek to the gym on icy roads.  Plus, with all the Californians here that don't know how to drive in the snow..oh wait.

I need to go swim.  I need to step away from the nice cozy fire.  Why is it that on sunny days I am up and at em, but when it snows I can barely make myself get out of bed?  Because snow is evil, obviously!

If you are done with winter like I am you need to do yourself a favor and watch this.  It is pretty funny!



Who is over winter???


What zaps your motivation?

Big Freaking Emergency

I'll admit, the emergency you're about to read is totally a first world problem.  In no way is it an actual emergency in the big (or small) picture of life, but if you are looking for depth and social awareness.....well I have no idea why you read my blog.  I will leave that stuff for those far more intelligent and eloquent than me. 

Now back to my emergency!!!  I signed up for an oly tri, and while this isn't my first triathlon, it is my first of this distance.  For my shorter tris I did not have a wetsuit and really for those races I did not need one.  However, I also failed to put my face in the water and had total flip outs in the the open water.  How I am not currently decomposing at the bottom of Cherry Creek Reservoir is a mystery to me.  So I felt it was a prudent move to invest in a wetsuit so I can begin my open water torture  training earlier in the year.  Also, maybe the buoyancy of the suit would alleviate some of my fears surrounding, what I view as, my inevitable death in Colorado's drinking water.  It's worth a shot, right?

So I bought a wetsuit.  It was a smoking hot deal and cheaper than the used suits I found on Craigslist (you know, the ones that have been peed in already).  Well, what are you suppose to do before you buy a wetsuit, especially one that you CANNOT return?  Try it on of course.  How do I know this?  Because I did not do it.  No, I was a moron and checked the sizing chart and (optimistically) ordered my size....wait strike that...I ordered what used to be my size.  And for some reason I felt with the utmost confidence that this would fit me (unfounded optimism is my greatest strength...and weakness).

I eagerly awaited my package and on Friday night, despite the two feet of snow we had just gotten, the FedEx man dropped it off.  Score!  I pulled it out and held it up....hmmmm....it looked mighty small.  Oh well, wetsuits are suppose to be tight, right?  While my kids turned the shipping box into a rocket ship, I ran upstairs to "slip"into my newest tri accessory.  15 minutes later I had come to the depressing realization that perhaps this wetsuit was too small...or maybe it was my butt that was too big.  It couldn't be that bad, right?  Well let me give you some visuals:

You get the point?  After an epic battle with the neoprene beast, the crotch was somewhere around my knees and the neck hole was right at boob level.  I don't think any amount of body glide is going to make this work.  Frankly, the whole incident left me feeling a little like this:

Remember my Thanksgiving debacle...well I am going to need to have the stomach flu for a couple of weeks to fit into that thing.  My butt was on probation before, but now it is on double secret probation (and bonus points if you can name the movie).  Every calorie is being counted, workouts will be more intense, I will not admit defeat!  Why?  I can't return that wetsuit! 

It might seem more logical to just sell this wetsuit and buy a (much) bigger one.  Maybe I am being ridiculous in my attempt to shed the pounds for a piece of equipment, but the truth is this is actually the kick in the pants I needed.  I have been saying yes to sweets far too often, drinking grande lattes more than I should, and phoning it in at the gym.  This behavior has left me a little more padded than I would like, and while it's probably great planning for the upcoming Mayan apocalypse, I just don't think it is the path I want to go down.

So I will keep you updated on Wetsuit Watch 2012.  I've got about 5 months until open water starts up.  Totally doable!  Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some celery to eat and burpees to perform (and also I need to google burpee because I actually have no idea what they are...it just seems like something I hear skinny people talking about).

Who knows what a burpee is??

Got any first world problems you'd like to share?

 

Things- The 11 Random addition

I was tagged with the Random 11 Things by Julie and Andrea.  Since I have been doing a monthly "Things" post I thought I would just roll my things post in with this post.  So here we go....My 11 Random "things" and the answers to the questions they gave me.

1.  Thing I was forcefully removed from....twice: 

I was 19, if that makes it any better.  Once was in Belgium, and it was uncalled for (Oh and travel tip!  Saying "I hate you and your country" will not improve your situation).  The other time was in Italy and it was called for.  Oh it was called for.

2.  Thing I have a paralyzing fear of:

3.  Thing I would like to visit again before I die:

Hiking to the top of Half Dome is one of my favorite memories.  It was scary at the end when you had to do this:

But it was so worth it.  Nothing can describe the view from the top.  Yosemite is a place I think everybody needs to go at least once in their life, and that is not just my California bias talking.

4.  Thing everyone loves, but I hate:

Massages involve two things I am not a fan of: being naked and being touched....and no my kids aren't adopted.

5.  Thing I am doing this August:

This will be my first Olympic distance triathlon.  I just ordered my wetsuit and once all the reservoirs thaw out I can begin to conquer my open water demons.

6.  Thing that qualifies as a date now that I'm married with kids:

We are going to the accountant today for taxes.  Since we won't have the kids I think it qualifies as a date.  I wonder if our accountant will mind if we make-out while he is reviewing our paper work? 

7.  Thing I am going to have to do next year if school districts don't start hiring:

Sadly, I would probably make more money.

8.  Thing I was watching when I met my husband:

Kevin and I met when we went to the movies with mutual friends to see the Star Wars Episode II.  We immediately bonded over our shared feeling that these movies were tarnishing the Star Wars franchise.  He had me at, "I freaking hate Jar Jar Binks."  It was a match made in nerd heaven.

9.  Star Wars thing we disagree on:

I love them, he hates them.  I think it is our age difference.  I am much, much, much younger.  Five whole years!

 10.  Thing I am ridiculously good at because I have a vast knowledge of completely useless facts:

I am not nearly as good at real Trivial Pursuit...you know, the one with the useful facts.

11.  Speaking of useless facts.....thing that I had to memorize in high school and STILL know: 

In Middle English (aka gibberish) of course!

It is completely useless and it is taking up valuable brain space.  If I could get rid of that and the theme songs from Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Charles in Charge then maybe I could remember we need toilet paper when I'm at the store.  "Sorry honey, you can't wipe your butt, however I have a lovely selection from Chaucer I can recite for you," isn't exactly appreciated.

Questions from Andrea

1. Morning or Evening Workouts?  Morning all the way!  I am a totally obnoxious morning person.  I love the morning, waking up early, and getting my workout done!  I know, obnoxious.
2. Dogs or Cats?  At one time I was a dog person.  I am now a fan of things that take care of their own crap.
3. Summer or Winter?  If you don't know the answer to this, you have never read my blog. 
4. Pool or Open Water Swim?   PoolPoolPoolPoolPoolPoolPoolPoolPoolPoolPoolPool. 
5. Drive or Fly?  Fly, but I have been doing a lot of driving lately.
6. Magazines or Books?  Books but I never turn down a magazine that focuses on celebrity gossip.  Sad, I know.
7. Fiction or Non-Fiction?  Yes.
8. Comedy or Drama?  Comedy.
9. Mountains or Beach?  Beach but I really do love the mountains (in the summer).
10. Racer or Cheerleader?  Racer?

Questions from Julie

1.       Name 1 blogger would like to meet.That is a tough one.  I would love to meet a lot of bloggers.  I hope to at least meet some of the awesome ladies that live around me someday!

2.      Do you log your workouts? If so where or how?  I log my workouts on Daily Mile.

3.      What is your favorite thing to do on a Friday or Saturday night? I love to go out to dinner, shows, movies, bowling, cow tipping, really just anything that gets me out of the house because I am here all the time.  But with two little kids and a homebody husband, I don't get out as much as I would like. 

4.      What are you addicted to?  Coffee (but really it is the creamer I'm addicted to).

5.      Do you share your blog with everyone?  Sometimes I put a post on my personal facebook page, but usually I don't.  I would say the vast majority of the people who read my blog have never met me in real life and I'm not really sure what that says about me.

6.      Tell me one way you are different then you were 10 years ago.  The biggest way I am different is that I am married with kids.  10 years ago I was convinced I would die alone or become a nun (despite the fact that I was not Catholic).  And I never would have thought I would be a stay at home mom!  

7.      Hot, medium, or mild, how spicy do you like your food?  Medium

8.      I’ve met people who barley break a bead when they workout and I’m always amazed at this! Which are you sweater or not?  I produce a disgusting amount of sweat.

9.      I’m thinking of doing a marathon, tell me which one you would do if you were going to do one and why? Or tell me about your favorite one you have done.  I would love to do the Malibu Marathon because it starts in Camarillo (where I was born and raised) and ends in Malibu where I went to college.  Plus I would love the sea level advantage and can you really beat running with the Pacific Coast as your view?  I don't think so.

10.     Music or no music when you work out?  Music, loud music.

11.     I need a book for my trip to Mexico to read on the beach. What would you suggest?  I've talked about liking this book before, but if you haven't read Bossypants, you must.  It was so funny and a perfect vacation/beach read. 

Okay, that's it!  I think everyone has already been tagged so I am skipping that part.  

Ewoks?  Yes or No?

Anyone else hate massages or am I alone on this one?

Any job ideas for me because the job market for teachers is really glum? 

A separation of church and sport???

Okay, I know I have been MIA forever, but I was crazy busy and blogging is the first thing to go. I was planning two events and therefore I was forced to take a break.  I tried to keep up with everything but frankly my house was starting to look like an episode of Hoarders and I'm pretty sure my children were becoming feral.  I had to step up to the "stay at home mom" plate and take one for the team....or we were all going to have to start re-wearing underwear and nobody wins in that situation.  Nobody.

I was, however, compelled to come back and blog today for a few reasons.  1)  I really miss it!  I miss this great running community and the enjoyment and encouragement I have received from it!  2) One event is over and I have a tiny bit more time.  3)  I am all fired up over something I read this morning and frankly I have a few things to get off my chest.  I don't think everyone will agree with me, and that is fine, but these are my thoughts on the matter and please feel free to disagree and tell me I'm an idiot.  This is America after all, and it is our right to call people idiots.  Frankly, it is one of my favorite civil liberties.

The article that riled me up was by Diana Nyad.  In case you've never heard of her, she is a pretty amazing athlete.  Nyad is a world class distance swimmer who just recently attempted a swim from Cuba to Florida....oh and she was 62 at the time!  Unfortunately, she did not complete the journey through shark infested waters due to getting stung repeatedly by jelly fish.  Yeah, she is a total bad ass!  But the article she wrote actually had nothing to do with that swim or swimming, it had to do with football...and religion....and yeah you guessed it, Tim Tebow.

Nyad's article suggested that it was inappropriate for Tebow to express his religious beliefs while wearing a Broncos uniform,that there should be, what she called, a separation of church and sport.  Huh, are you kidding me?  She even said that he should make it a "private expression" and "take it to the locker room."  Basically, she doesn't have a problem with his faith as long as he is hiding it.  And in my opinion that is a really scary attitude.

Now I am a Broncos fan and a Christian so my views on this might be ever so slightly biased, but I'd like to think I'd be equally offended if it was any team (even the Patriots...or Raiders) and any religion.  Look, I don't agree with Scientology but I fully believe that Tom Cruise has a right to talk about it all he wants.  I don't believe in Karma or reincarnation but I would never have the gall to call it unacceptable to openly share your beliefs about it.  This is America and religious freedom for ALL is something I strongly believe in, and suggesting we should limit those freedoms in any way is a dangerous path to walk down. You don't have to like or believe what Tebow says, but you need to acknowledge the fact that he has every right to do it.  To tell someone they can only practice their religion in privacy is not religious freedom in my opinion.

I don't usually talk about controversial issues, but today I felt like I had to speak my mind.  Diana had her opinion, I had mine, and now it is your turn:

Do you think there should be a "separation of church and sport?"

Are you rooting for the Pats, the Giants, or the commercials next Sunday???

I'm stuck in Wi-Fi hell

This is just a quick note to say I have been dealing with very limited internet connectivity at my brother's house. Apparently his poor router can't handle all the devices trying to hook into it. Sooooo, I haven't been able to read very many blogs and I do apologize if I have been ignoring you!! I am actually typing this from my sister's iPad which seems to be a little faster than my computer. But typing on one of these things is actually the most annoying thing in the world!!! I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!! I have already gotten the best Christmas present of all....being with my family....and missing the foot and a half of snow we got at our house yesterday!!! There is still time to send in your photos!! I have only gotten a few so the odds of winning are pretty high! Come on send them in because public humiliation builds character!

Things- The December Edition

Thing that I started doing again!!!!

Thing I didn't wear when I ran because I really didn't feel like crying:

Thing I probably looked like while running:

Thing that I want to wear during my "comeback."

This would be a great Christmas present!

Thing that is encouraging me:

Thing I still can't wear. 

This is really putting a damper on my life because, like all stay at home moms, I like to vacuum in heels and pearls. 

Thing that I like to listen to every Christmas:

It is my favorite Christmas song.  I know I should be embarrassed.... but I'm just not.

Thing that I am doing on Tuesday:

I will be driving to Austin, Texas to spend Christmas with my family.  At least at this time of year my face won't melt off when I step outside!!!

Thing I hope is taken care of or else I might be spending Christmas in jail:

I really did (or do???) have a warrant for my arrest in Texas.  You can read about the scandal here

Thing my hair will look like in Texas because of the humidity:

I don't know what is more sad: that my hair is going to look like his or that he looks WAY better in shorty shorts than I do.

Thing I can't wait to say when I am in Texas.  I love saying it and people just look at me funny when I say it here:

Thing that my husband hit my broken big toe with last night:

Thing I almost punched him in when he opened the door right into my broken big toe:

Thing that I still haven't bought any of:

Thing I am because I haven't even started shopping:

Thing I want for Christmas:

Okay, thing I actually want for Christmas:

I am going to do a Olympic distance tri this year and I need to start swimming earlier....and I am a weenie so I need a good wetsuit.  Any recommendations????

Thing I just baked:

Thing that I will be baking next:

From the Brown Eyed Baker. Looks so good!

Thing I am desperately behind in reading:

I haven't been able to read any blogs this week!!!  I am so behind and I am going to try to catch up because I love reading about y'all.  Y'all are so much more interesting than me!  I told you I loved saying y'all.

Thing I haven't gotten any of:  Your awkward photos!!  I am going to push the contest back the 27th so people have more time to find photos!!  Don't forget to send them to me at katieanneschmidt@aol.com.  

What is on your Christmas list?

Favorite Christmas song?

Anyone else have a hard time keeping up with blog reading?