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Pretty Good Year

January 9, 2019 By Lindy Leave a Comment

Pretty Good Year.

Not only are those three little words the title of a fabulous Tori Amos song, but words which describe 2018 for me.

It was a year filled with challenges as well as triumphs. Last summer, I hit the lowest point in my life; a depression unlike any other, and I lost my will to live. An epiphany during a solo vacation last August gave me that back. I’m happy and incredibly thankful to be here.

It’s a new year and everyone is making their resolutions, myself included. My goals for this new year is self-care and loving myself more. Stop spending so much time living in the past, thinking of the things I could have done differently. I’m not that 20-year-old naive girl anymore. Honestly, looking back, I don’t even recognize her.

Goals for 2019:

For starters, as I mentioned above, self-care is at the top of my list. Running, sleeping in late, read more books, travel, spend time with friends and family, not cancel plans (typical INFP here) are little things that make me happy. Doesn’t take much 🙂

Running has helped tremendously with my depression, and goals include continuing to work with my fabulous coach, Kristy. Currently, I’m running 2x/week and strength training/rehabbing the other 5 days. I have a few races coming up with the first race in May, which is plenty of time to get my game back. I’d like to run another full marathon, and realistically I know this probably isn’t possible until 2020. I’m okay with that.

Anyway, it’s been a while and I miss this place. Have you any goals for 2019?

Philadelphia Half Marathon 2018 – Recap

November 22, 2018 By Lindy 3 Comments

Philadelphia Half Marathon was yesterday and it was pretty awesome, despite the issues.  This was my 17th half marathon, and I almost DNF’d.

It was overcast, cold, and slight windy.  I wore a long-sleeved running shirt, full-length running tights with compression sleeves underneath, and running gloves with hand warmers inside them.  I took my space blanket and a hat, which I gave to my brother who accompanied me to the race.  It was SO cold! 

I was in corral orange, which is the penultimate corral. Having missed a lot of training runs due to my hectic schedule – work 36+ hours/week, followed by clinical once or twice a week for 8+ hour days, some days it’s 14 hours – I was not going for a personal record.  I’m freaking exhausted, friends.  As a result, both my chiropractor and running coach suggested not to run at a specific pace – the goal was just to finish strong.  

The cold wind had my legs tight and frozen.  It took me about 1/2 mile until my body started feeling warm.  I was running “blind”, meaning I wasn’t looking at my watch for my pace, I was running by effort.  The issue was that I forgot that I was using the online tracker that my friends and family used to track me, well it alerted me pace and estimated finish time every mile.  After I crossed mile 2, it alerted me that I was on pace to break a record by 10 minutes. If only…

Mile 1-3 were great.  After taking off on the Ben Franklin Parkway, we took a turn around Love Park, past City Hall and down Market Street until 6th Street, where we turned right before the Liberty Bell and passed Independence Hall.  That run was hard because we ran on cobblestone.  I remember turning my foot a few times on those uneven stones. Then we ran up 5th St, past the United States Mint, towards the Ben Franklin Bridge and made a right turn on what I believe was Race Street, down to Columbus Blvd.  Passing Penn’s Landing on our left, we ran down until Washington Ave, where we made a right turn and a huge cheering squad was there.  The cheers started to come through my phone around this time, from friends and family who tracked me, and I started to cry. 

I was feeling great until past mile 4.  Pins and needles were a nuisance on my right foot.  I didn’t ignore it, I wiggled my toes to keep circulation moving and checked to make sure my laces weren’t too tight.  Right after I passed the always-make-me-happy Humane League squad in front of Blackbird/Dottie’s Donuts, I came to a full stop.  I couldn’t take another step without feeling severe pain on my right foot.  Wiggled my toes and this time the pain was unbearable. Leaning on a tree for support and balance, I removed my shoe and deeply massaged my foot.  Returned to the pavement at a slower pace; the pain was still there, just not as intense. 

When the pain returned, I almost called it. It would’ve been my first DNF (did not finish).  Thoughts raced through my mind, taking me back to 2013, to a time when during my first full marathon I managed to sprain my ankle at mile 20.  The difference this time around was that I was hurting at the beginning of a race.  Telling myself to just “run the mile you’re in”, I continued one mile at a time.  The pain returned every 3-4 miles, each time stopping to massage the foot and carry on.  Couldn’t think of what was causing this, except I noticed this during my last long run (12 miler).  The only things that changed were my running socks and the fact that my doctor put me in orthotics.  

Walnut Street was ON FIRE!!!! From the Gayborhood all the way down to Rittenhouse Square, it felt like the whole city was out supporting the runners.  It was amazing! Spotted my brother at mile 7 with a cheering squad and got a jolt of good vibes and energy all the way to University City. The sun was out, and while the wind was a headwind, it was SO refreshing.  

The Philly Half course changed since my last Philly Half in 2015, so I was unfamiliar with this new course but thankful not to have that horrendous hill at mile 9.  You know, that one on Briar Sweet Road? Grrr….

There was a slight hill around Drexel University, but since it was close to a water stop and after mile 8, I decided to reserve my glycogen stores by walking up the hill and refueling/hydrating.  

All flat/down from here on out! 

Passed the Philadelphia Zoo on my left to a long flat stretch of road that was heaven to my legs.  Not too many spectators after this point – it was a bit lonely, however, we passed historic buildings which I didn’t know existed; it was quite interesting.  Turns and more turns…

Running on Kelly Drive is always a breath of fresh air.  It’s not only scenic, but it’s a reminder that the end of the race is really close.  I loved seeing my running coach at mile 12.  I was feeling sore and tired and she gave me the last push towards that finish line.  

Half marathon 17! 

I didn’t PR, but damn, it was close.  I had my Strava on auto-pause and had I not stopped 3x to massage my foot, I would’ve PR’d by 11 seconds! I’m far from upset about it – I know my body is capable of doing it, I just need to not miss any more training runs and continue with rehab.  

Another year, another beauty. 

Next race: NYC Half if I get in. Everyone I know that ran it said it was cold AF, so I don’t care if I don’t, lol! If not, Broad Street 🙂 

IT Band Syndrome and training plans

July 2, 2015 By Lindy Leave a Comment

I’ve not run a single mile in two weeks. I pushed myself through a 12-mile run in which I hit the wall at mile 7 and irritated my iliotibial band (IT Band), putting a damper on my training plans. Initially, I thought the pain was just normal running aches, but when the pain keeps you up at night, and walking simply hurts, well, that’s when you know it isn’t normal.

The iliotibial band is a tendon that runs outside of the leg, connecting pelvic bone to just below the knee. Two years ago, I had issues with my left IT Band, which resolved after continuous stretching and foam rolling. This time, it’s my right IT band, and it’s a lot angrier this time around. It’s kept me up three nights in the past two weeks and I’ve called out of work once due to the pain and discomfort.

I’m hoping to start running on Monday, if both ITB and Coach Kristy allow. I’ve watched the entire Gilmore Girls series on Netflix and read two books since I can’t sleep: classic Oliver Twist, and All the Light We Can Not See by Anthony Doerr. I also joined Weight Watchers to get rid of these last 10 pounds; those darn 10 pounds I gained two years ago while training for the Philadelphia Marathon, which have yet to come off. This Netflix/Kindle relationship sure isn’t helping! So now that I can’t run or bike, (or sleep!)  I’m cranky.

 

Question: How do you keep motivated when an injury places you on the sideline?

Lindy x

 

 

 

Running Coach

February 24, 2015 By Lindy 2 Comments

One of my goals over the past year was to work with a running coach. Anyone can go ahead and search the web for running plans but I wanted a running plan that of course, was catered to ME and help me reach my running goals. My short-term goal is to finish a half marathon sub-2:30. Long-term goals? We can talk about that later…much later! 🙂

I searched the web and followed several coaches on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and finally settled on a coach – Coach Kristy from Run the Long Road.

I know I mentioned wanting to work with a coach for what seems like forever. Part of the reason I held back was not only the expenses involved but the thought that I couldn’t do it. I didn’t believe in myself, and that’s sad. Tonight I got home from working almost 13 hours on my feet and thought about how tired I was feeling and almost decided not to make the run. But I have to do this for me, and now I have someone holding me accountable. I like that.

Upon speaking with Coach Kristy, we went over our questionnaire (which I filled out on her website) as well as my short term running goals. I love how realistic she was in telling me this is what I have to do, that some things aren’t going to happen now but together we will get me to that goal. I’m a dreamer but I’m more of a realist, so I enjoyed talking with her.

Tonight was my first training run: an easy 3-mile run. Nothing about it felt easy, although the pace was slower than I’m accustomed to. Mind you, I have not run consistently since November, so these three miles were darn painful.

I'll have to keep reminding this to myself.
I’ll have to keep reminding this to myself.

Heck, even power walking three miles would be painful at this point! Anyway, I had to keep the Pandora station on the hip-hop/rap station to at least get me going. I felt tired physically, but the determination in my mind is what kept me going. I’m not a quitter but I sure felt like I was going to die tonight. Ok, I’m being dramatic, but my legs ached and my mouth was dry like a desert. Still, I made it. It can only get better from here, right?

QOTD: Have you worked with a running coach? Which races are you currently training for?

Lindy x

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Meet Lindy

Hi there! I'm Lindy, a Philadelphia-based fitness, travel & lifestyle blogger. Read More…

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