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Tag: Running

A Repurposed Foot Wash, Tiny Peppers, and A Run Through Dutton Island Preserve

Day 18 of 28 Day Refocus

A Crystal Clear Morning, 7th Street
Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021

We had a great walk through the neighborhood to the beach this morning and Codee was super excited about pretty much all of it, especially whatever he found in the sand under the pier.

7th Street Public Beach Shower
Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021
Under The Pier, The Cloisters
Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021
Neighborhood Love, 10th Street
Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021

Parks and Recreation:

Dutton Island Preserve
Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021

I took a run out to Dutton Island in the early evening. It’s one of my favorite routes, but for whatever reason, Codee doesn’t ever want to walk the trail, so I thought it would be ideal to head out there solo. It was the perfect time of day for it, too. Of course, the mosquitoes agreed, so I was definitely motivated to keep the snapshots short and move along.

Dutton Island Preserve
Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021
Dutton Island Preserve
Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021

Sweating It Out:

A little warm, but I loved it. I stopped a bunch to take photos and then to water the plants at the garden on the way back home. I almost always wear my Camelback vest and today I was especially grateful for it.
I broke the resistance moves into two teeny tiny circuits today, one in the morning and one before bed.

Podcast of The Day:

Okay, obviously this podcast is a little heavy, but I can get into that every so often. This episode, in particular, was really personal for me for a lot of reasons. I love the conversation about the different faces of quitting…some things you quit because they are simply hard and some things you quit because they don’t serve you, yet we use the same word for both regardless if the outcome is positive or negative.

On The Plates:

After the standard brunch green drink, the meals accidentally resembled each other in palette and palate and a lot of that can be blamed on how deliciously ripe the pint of sun gold cherry tomatoes that I bought are. I can’t believe that I was able to restrain myself from eating the entire pint today, but I actually had to eat these ones because they likely won’t make it to tomorrow. I don’t put my tomatoes in the fridge, so when they are super ripe, there really isn’t any time to waste. These are like candy, so I didn’t want to wait. Okay, moving on.
For supper, I had the sun golds along with salmon salad, Mary’s Gone Crackers Classic Seed Crackers, sugar snap peas, and arugula. Dinner was with baked chicken breast, Chickapea Linguine (it’s a brand, not a typo), cauliflower, green beans, and extra virgin olive oil.

Cronometer:

That’s what I call right on the razor’s edge of not meeting the goal…I am trying to stay under 1500 calories five days of the week and 1700 for the other two days. I squeaked in right under the wire, but it was a super yummy day. Those tomatoes….

Garmin Says:

Bumping my pace really kicked that calorie number up. Plus, it was really fun to run in the woods. 🙂

If You Run, You Are A Runner

I have an endless fascination with labels and how we, as humans, apply them. I hesitated to call myself a runner for the longest time. I always felt as though there was some threshold that I had to cross…a 10k, an 8 minute mile, a half marathon…like somehow I was a fraud until I could hit that mark just out of my reach. I was always worried that I wasn’t good enough or fast enough or talented enough; like the “real” runners would know all my short comings and they would secretly judge whether or not I was worthy of the moniker “runner”.

I wasn’t a runner when I was younger. As a kid, I was drawn to the music and the noise of my tap shoes…I fell in love with my dance studio. Like a lot of people, I didn’t get why you would EVER willingly run…just to…run. It wasn’t that I didn’t have activities or play sports as a kid. I grew up comfortably and I was given a lot of opportunities that involved running and some sort of ball, but I never connect to them. I remember “trying” to “Run The Mile” during the President’s Challenge in elementary school…does anyone else remember those days? Do they still do that in school? Anyway, I remember I couldn’t…

Once I got to middle school, I became pretty enamored with field hockey, but more the comradery, team spirit, and juxtaposition of the kilt with the stick than the running part…I played defense. Fast forward a gazillion years…

In November of 2018, I took part in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in Downtown Los Angeles!! I signed up on a whim the week before the race to impress a guy. It’s probably the only reason I was able to do it. The short turn around didn’t leave me any time to chicken out!!! I had been “training” in my own way and I felt healthy and in good shape, so, for me, it was the best approach. The race part, that is!! The date part didn’t turn out as well, but hey, they can’t all be hits, right?

It was so much fun that I soon followed with the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cinncinati in May. Word to the wise…Cincinnati is nicknamed “The City of Seven Hills”…I learned that during the race. Again, my last minute approach likely kept the Chicken at bay…I avoided hills like the plague when I first moved from my treadmill security blanket to the great outdoors. I finished that one, too. It was just a bit slower.

Once you start, it’s hard to look back…

Kansas City was my first with crappy weather…

San Diego was my first “Open Course”…

These days, running is one of my many outlets and my main form of exercise. There are so many benefits to it, but first and foremost, I’m a nicer person when I have a chance to out run the inner stress. It may seem a little arbitrary, but I have a weekly goal of twenty one miles. I chose it because twenty seemed too even and twenty two can seem too much of a stretch most weeks. Also, running was my drinking substitution when I first got sober. I like correlations that help keep my path in check. Twenty one is a number that still continues to challenge me, but not always physically. I have intentionally planned rest, of course, but my schedule or a viciously windy day/shit treadmill combo or a fun guest can make getting in a run challenging on any given day. I find that the flexibility of a weekly goal means that I can almost always succeed! With some planning and prioritizing, you’ll be surprised how much time you can find.

Running is the perfect way to see a city. Some times, I have a mission, like a grocery store stop, but mainly I am looking for joy. Five miles is my favorite distance because it’s just long enough to require a little mental persistance, but short enough that it doesn’t overwhelm my spirit even on a tired day… I still hate hills, but I love the challenge of them so I don’t turn away as often anymore. I am almost always rewarded with the view from the top and if I happen upon a half marathon in the city where my show is playing doesn’t t interfere with my real job, I’ll probably try it. You only live one life!!

I want to hear about the runs that you love in your hometown!! I love to run someone else’s favorite route or visit a neighborhood that’s great to see on foot. Stay tuned for some of my unrefined city highlights.

Now, put your shoes on and hit the pavement!! You’ll thank yourself for getting out there, no matter the label you wear. Stay healthy and spread LOVE!