Have we met?

I’m sorry, you may not know me, but I’m not the same person you knew before.  You remember.  That girl who was frustrated because only running 2 times a week wasn’t giving her results fast enough.  That girl who barely could run 2 miles, but had dreams of running a 5k with obstacles in 45 minutes.

Well, that girl has gone into hiding.  Hello.  My name is Nicole and I’m a runner.  Sometime in the past month I came out of hiding.  Here was my last week:

Monday – Ran 1.5 miles and cooled down with some yoga.

Tuesday – Ran 2 miles at a 9.57” min pace (Personal Best) and cooled down with some yoga.

Wednesday – Ran 3 miles in 31 minutes (Personal Best).

Thursday – Rest

Friday – Rest.  Stupid thunderstorm.

Saturday – Almost died running a 5k track at 4pm in the hot sun

Sunday  - Sprinted hills with the dogs for 20 minutes followed by this workout once.

Blame it on the upcoming Warrior Dash, or that Dan is officially gone for over 12 hrs Monday thru Friday, or on reading these blogs:

• Faith, Fitness, Fun - Because Life is More than Diets and Workouts 
• Clean Eatting Chelsey - Where Clean Eatting is Anything but Common Place
• This Runners Trials - Putting One Foot In Front of the Other isn't Always Easy
• The Leonards Family - A WAHM's notes on her growing family, leading a healthy lifestyle, a love for photography, and self discovery

Or my OB/GYN telling me I need to watch my weight (I'm not joking). Or it could be that I finally asked myself, Which have you had regrets about: working out or not working out? 

Well, whatever it is, I’m just glad it got me out of hiding and back into the gym.  Speaking of which, I have a row machine and treadmill calling my name…

I want to be..

A Runner.  More than anything.  I want to run races and to be excited for summer to start so I can start race season.  I want to be involved in the running community.

But, I struggle with finding motivation.  I read blogs, I have a playlist, I have the right clothes, the right shoes, I eat the right things.  I warm up, get the dog ready, and off I go.

And it never fails that at the end of my run, I feel defeated.  I don't get the time I want, I don't go the distance I wanted, and that is when I even make it out for a run.

Maybe I have high expectations for myself.  I know I've made progress.  Just 4 years ago I couldn't run for 10 minutes.  I did the couch to 5k program and progressed so slowly.  I did get up to running a mile just last year.  I've ran a 5k around my neighborhood.  I've ran 800's.  I've ran for an hour straight.  But, I want to be able to go out, for 30 minutes and run consistantly and have gone 3 miles.

One day.  I will not give up.  Instead, I'll find a new blog to read for motivation.

Tournament Time!

Dan made weight Friday night!  He actually weighed in at 184.  He looked pretty tired and drained when he got home.  He recovered very quickly (with the help of some good cookin and gallons of fluids) and back up to 187 the next morning.

Saturday morning, Dan had his EGO tournament in Greenwood.  After a very early start to the day (7am) to make a huge breakfast including German pancakes, toast, bananas, coffee, and a shake, we started packing for the day.  You’re never quite sure how organized things will be, and who will compete first, so you have to be prepared for the long haul.  A few necessities for Dan include: Gi, belt, MMA shorts, rash guard, cup, mouth piece, iPod, foam roller, G2 pre-workout drinks, fruit, nuts, and lots of water.  For me: dressing in layers as you can never predict the temperature, blanket/padding for the bleachers or ground, camera, video camera, snacks, entrance fee, a huge purse to carry everyone else’s stuff all over the place.

After many confusing looks from the dogs as to why we are up and out of the house so early on a Saturday, we loaded up the Jeep and headed out of the house at 9:40.  The tournament ran very smoothly and well organized.  It started about 20 minutes late (which is normal) and had an hour long rules meeting including demonstration and a Q&A session.  First on the list was a Team competition amongst the team’s highest ranking competitors.  Dan’s team did really well and it was really neat to see some high level grappling.   Plus I got to finally meet people on Dan’s team.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a tournament for Dan’s MMA.  There are several parts of this life style that I’ve forgotten about:

• People have to be instructed to wear shoes into the bathroom
• Walking around shirtless/pantless/shoeless is the norm.
• The women competitors could whip most men I know.
• The kids competition is a glimpse into my future.
• The concessions only sell junk food while competitors are munching on their favorite protein bar and shake.
• Granny knows more about submissions than I do.
• After a match, everyone is good friends, sealed with a hug or handshake
• A match of wits for men on the mats is equally competitive as the beauty show amongst women on the sidelines.
• Seeing blood on someone’s clothing, a dislocated shoulder, or someone who has been chocked to sleep isn’t something to cause alarm.

Dan did really well.  I am very proud of him for just getting on the mat and competing.  It’s only been 9 months since his surgery and to hold someone in your guard for 6 minutes while they are as heavy as possible on you is quite impressive after having your abs torn apart.  Dan didn’t win (6-0), but he did stuff a take down and defended himself the whole 6 minutes with no submissions.  His opponent won 2^nd place in his division, but had previously beaten Dan’s instructor 4-0.  I’m looking forward to the next one.

Family Dinner on a Packed Day??

Dan and I eat dinner together, as a family every night, except the occasional girls/guys night out, but we are still eating at the same time, and we share with each other what we ate.  I didn’t realize this until last night.  Apparently it’s an unwritten rule of mine, and even I didn’t know about.  So, what happens when you have 2 healthy eaters, with packed schedules, only leaving time to eat together at 10:30pm??



Roasted chicken on the Grill

You eat a home cooked meal of roasted chicken breasts and mixed vegetables at 10:30pm, as a family, at the dinner table.  Sure, stopping by a McDonald’s or a Subway would’ve been easier, and I would’ve been in a better mood.  But, we have goals.  We have plans.  And by golly, we will meet those goals, or we will at least know we did our best.  (We aren’t a bit stubborn.  J)



Dan throwing a head kick at Jason Chambers

So, to my wonderful husband:  Thank you for putting up with me being in a bad mood.  I’m willing to sacrifice being a little moody for you to do your best Saturday.  I can not wait to watch you compete.  And, you look sexy in your new Jeep.

Relay for Dogs

I went for a run today using my Nike sensor again.  As I was getting ready to go, Daisy got really excited.  I asked her if she wanted to go running and she about tackled me.  I felt guilty because my last run, Penny went.  So I kenneled Penny (who whined as we left) and headed out with Daisy.

I set my iPod for 3k hoping to slowly get back into running 3 miles to avoid any knee injury, but after 2k, Daisy quit.  She just laid down and would not move.  Ugg.  I tried coaching, pulling, yelling, and finally gave up and headed back to the house.  This is after 2 poop and 2 pee stops.  I hate running with Daisy.

I was feeling really good and frustrated with Daisy, so I let Penny out of her kennel and put Daisy in and off we went again.  I finished just over 4k and Penny was itching for more.  I love running with Penny.  She looks so excited and really pulls me just gently to get me to speed up when I start to slow.  She also doesn't have to stop to go to the bathroom.

Not bad for a dog exchange and 4 potty breaks

Once we got home, I ended my workout with 4 sets of alternative push ups: 30-20-15-20.  I'm hoping once Dan gets longer chains and a smaller tube for the make shift pull up bar, I can start working on my pull ups as well.  I'm not real excited by my pace time, but next time I'll stick with just Penny and hopefully I'll have a better time.  At least I figured out the voice over feature and have a nice women telling me how far I've gone, counting down the distance.

Nutrition

I don’t track what I eat.  I don’t count calories, carbs, fat, ect.  I don’t diet.  I have no weight loss goals.  But, I do not eat like most people.  I forget this, and I struggle with helping people on diets.  I forget how hard it is to give up something that makes you happy.  If I had to give up coffee or my glass of wine, I’d become a scary monster that no one would want to be around.  So, as I was sitting in a lunch meeting, I noticed how my meals differed from others, and decided to, for a day, track what I want to eat, and what I really eat.  I mean, who really wants to pay attention to tracking nephritis progression in a mouse model?

Breakfast:

Wanted:  Iced Carmel Mocha with bagel and cream cheese.

Ate: Protein smoothie with strawberries, Super food, and spinach.  And coffee with Splenda and organic whole milk

10am snack:

Wanted:  Bagel from meeting and Orange Juice

Ate: Dark chocolate almonds and water

Lunch:

Wanted:  Egg salad sandwich with BBQ chips and a chocolate cookie, with a rootbeer

Ate: LO Salmon with peas and carrots, and a nectarine with water.

2pm Snack:

Wanted: Twix and Dr. Pepper

Ate: Peanuts and water.

Dinner:

Wanted: Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and corn on the cob

Ate: Roasted Chicken breast with Strawberry Salad and mixed vegetables, with ice tea sweetened with Splenda.

Dessert:

Wanted: Brownie with vanilla ice-cream

Ate: Sugar Free Chocolate PB Pudding Pie and Apple Cinnamon Hot Tea

Now the fun part.  Nutritional Summary for what I wanted to eat (assuming I ate one bagel, not the 2 I listed):

Total Calories: 3,760

Total Carbs: 431

Total Fat: 186

Total Protein: 123

For what I actually ate:

Total Calories: 2,468

Total Carbs:124

Total Fat: 93

Total Protein:177

So, you can see, that I ate less total calories, less carbs, more protein, and less fat.  Now, I have to admit, it was really difficult to even think about what I would want to eat.  I found myself saying, "Oh this sounds good, but ug, I'd feel bad afterwards."  Now, I find myself wanting salmon, and it being a treat when I get to eat it.  But, when it comes to the weekend, and we have birthdays, and dinners out with friends, I can eat a piece of cake and feel no guilt, or planning my next run.

Personal Best

Dan is the best, and let me get an iPod Nano 6th ed. and a Nike+iPod.  Last night he helped me put together a workout mix and this morning he synced my iPod so I'd be all set this evening.

I didn't think much about it all day, but I promised Dan I would "run the crap" out of my new toys, and so as soon as I got home, I got ready for my run.  Once I had the dogs situated, and figured how to start the Nike+iPod sensor, the sky was looking pretty dark.  So, I started around my neighborhood, hoping to get one lap in before it rained, and hoping to get an accurate distance for this lap.

So, I stop after one lap due to the looming thunderstorm, and barely get inside before getting soaked.  A little ticked I couldn't continue, I checked my Nike+iPod.

A  personal best!  I've never ran a mile this fast before!  If I can maintain this pace, I'll get a 3k in under 29 minutes!  Motivated, I did 3 sets of 20 alternative push ups with 45sec rest before calling it quits.  I'm very proud of myself, and very excited to know that last year, I ran 3+ miles at once.  I can't wait to go out again, and see what my 5k time will be. I need to play with the Nike sensor so it will tell me when I've reached a mile.  But, it was so nice to have music while I ran.  I was able to stay motivated and apparently ran a little faster than I thought I could.

Why Do I Blog?

I can tell you that I don’t blog because I think my life is interesting or exciting.  Yes, Dan and I are very active, and we both have a lot of interests and hobbies, but I don’t blog thinking people are excited to hear about my day.  I think I’m a very boring person.  Dan is the interesting one.

I blog to keep my friends and family updated.  I hate talking on the phone, and it’s really hard to have a conversation when I’m home with Penny craving for attention.  I can’t talk and drive, because I stop paying attention and run red lights.  (I only did this once, but there was a police man there, and I’m lucky I didn’t get pulled over.)

I blog so I don’t quit my job.  I have a hard time not being a work-a-holic.  I take my work very personally, and when things aren’t going well, I find it leaking into my personal life.  I hate this.  I want to not do this anymore.  But, as someone who has struggled with self confidence issues my whole life, Science was my escape.  I was always good at it.  I always lead in my classes, and I felt good doing it.  Now, I find myself at the bottom of the company (ok, not really, but some days it feels that way), trying to work my way up.  I get frustrated, stressed, and very angry with myself.  So, I blog to remind myself that work is a means to be able to do all of the fun things I do outside of work.  This is also why I don’t write about work.  Yes, a lot of what I do is confidential, but I find I only complain about work, which I am working on.

I blog to stay in shape.  I hate going to the gym.  I hate exercising, except for when I’m actually doing an activity that is fun (hashing, chasing the dogs, hiking down in brown county, ect).  I have yet to find something that I like to do on my own that is fun.  I need interaction during my workouts, and with living sooo far away from everyone, I blog about it.  It keeps me accountable, and allows me to track my progress.

I blog to deal with Dan’s cancer.  Being able to get my story out there, and record how I’m feeling, makes me feel human.  I get frustrated, scared, and hopeful, but no matter how I was feeling, I often felt I wasn’t reacting properly.  Reading back now, I don’t know how we got through it, but we did, and I know we always will.  It’s also so much fun to see how far Dan has come.  It’s scary to see now, all the warning signs we missed, but mostly because he’s Superman, so when he became human, we made excuses.

I blog for strength.  When something difficult comes up, I can read back and see what we have been through, what we have, and where we are going.  I also like feeling connected with my fellow bloggers, and learning from their experiences.  I feel very grateful to be able to see into someone else’s life for a brief moment, and learn from it.  I have so many things that I’m looking forward to experiencing in my life, and reading as someone else travels down that road, helps me prepare.

I blog to show off my dogs.  Our dogs are our children.  Every day, my dogs make me smile.  Every day, my dogs show me love, and every day, my dogs make me laugh.   We spoil them rotten, and yes, they are the best dogs for us.

Success!!

For the first time EVER I was able to reach my toes in the sit and reach test!!!  Because of my back, I've never been able to reach my toes.  I can stand and touch the ground, but I had to work up to that too.  I am soo excited!  I never felt flexible because of this one stupid test.  And, finally, I can touch my toes.  I'm looking forward to being able to grab my feet now.

In other fitness news, I did go for a run today after work and it was beautiful!  I only went 2 miles before a neighbors dog got loose and tried to attack Penny, so we went home, both of us unscathed.  But, it was sunny and 60 degrees, so it was a wonderful day for it.  I feel soo much better and am looking forward to my salt bubble bath to help prevent the soreness that is sure to follow.

My last fitness related news is, yesterday I did an exhaustion push ups test doing alternative (or girl) push ups and I did 60 good technique push ups.  If you remember, I started doing the 100 push ups challenge, but it got really difficult and I had a hard time keeping my form after 40 push ups.  So, I quit.  I can make excuses, but I stopped working on them.  But, with signing up for the Indiana Warrior Dash, I have to get back on it.  So, I'm going to work on my alternative push ups, and then work on my traditional push ups as well as my pull ups.

My first blooming flowers!  Spring has begun.

Weekend of Olivias

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend.  Ours was tiring, but a lot of fun.

Friday night Dan and I went out to O'Charlie's for dinner.  It was really nice to go out on a date and sit and eat with no distractions.  We actually ordered the same thing (their grilled salmon).  I hate doing that because it makes me think I should have cooked.  But, we ordered a couple of drinks, ate some yummie rolls, and had no dishes!

Saturday morning, I spent the day working on a partially assembled scrapbook for my friend Megan.  She had her baby on the 4th, so I wanted to get something special for all of the new pictures she'd have.  Dan tried to go to open gym at his jiu-jitsu place, but no one showed up.  So, we ended up taking the dogs back down to Brown County.  It was 60 degrees and sunny with a cool breeze, and the ground was still soft from all of the rain.  It was a perfect day for a run.  We ran trail 8 again, but this time we headed to the left to avoid going up the stairs, and we ended up losing the trail and only taking the short way around.  I'd say we went 1.5 miles, but until I get my Forerunner, I won't know for sure.  What I do know, is that my left hip was KILLING me by the time we got home.  I mean, I was limping a bit.  But, after some rest, it started to feel better.

That afternoon, we pulled some freezers out and headed up to meet Baby Olivia.  She is sooo precious.  She just had her newborn shoot and MLP was able to photograph her delivery.  She's already a star.  She slept the whole time we were there, but it's always good to get some baby cuddles.  By the time we got home, and I had made dinner, my hip was hurting so bad I was limping, so Dan and I stayed in and rested. 

Sunday morning, Dan took a look at my back and hips, and I am severely out of alignment.  I put my heel lift back in and immediately my hip pain was gone.  I'm hoping the heel lift will straighten things out after a couple of weeks so I don't have to try and find a chiropractor.

Sunday afternoon we headed to Greenfield for another one of our friend's daughter, Olivia.  She turned 1!  It was really neat to compare a week old and a one year old who both share a beautiful name.  I cannot believe how much changes in such a short time.  Olivia is running, with only an occasional fall, and loves to play and love.  Such a sweetie, and I'm glad she had such a good party.

It wasn't a super busy weekend for us, but we both were exhausted Sunday night, and enjoyed just lounging around together.  I'm actually looking forward to Dan being home any minute to enjoy some more laying around.  I'm still sore from Saturday.

Needy

I don't know why, but I have gotten into a spending frenzy.  Last week I got my new lounge clothes, which I really love.  I also ordered some spring/summer dresses when should be delivered today.  I'm looking forward to the warm weather so I can start wearing them.  Plus I splurged and got a ton of new items for my craft room (fantastic dollar sales!).  Now, I've decided that since Dan is working and I've lost my running partner/trainer/entertainment during running, I need to get some new toys.  Here is what I'm saving for:

New Shoes.  Mine are 2 years old and I'm about to run out of the top of them.  I'm trying to decide if I want to buy running shoes, or trail running shoes.  So, any input would be appreciated.  I have high arches and underpronate, so I have to really try them on to make sure they will be good for my feet.  Cost: $80-$150

iPod Nano 6th generation.  I like the idea of a touch screen because I loved it on my BB Storm.  Plus, the clip will be really handy without the arm band.  I just really need something to take my mind off every step and every mile.  Cost: $140

Forerunner 305 Sports Watch.  Has a GPS reciever and a heart rate moniter.  I can see how far I've ran without having to run the same stupid course every day, and I can moniter my heart rate to stay on track.  It tracks your pace so you can see where you need to improve.  Plus, I can change modes for when we go for a bike ride.  The added feature is the map sharing online, so I can find other routes to take.  Cost: $150.

So, I'll be slowly saving up for each of these fun things.  If I stay disaplined and don't splurge on too many shopping trips or lunches out, I should be able to gather these up quickly.  Now I understand what Dan talks about when he comes to me with the new and best thing he just HAS to have for training.  Some things, you just do need.

Brown County Trail

This morning, Dan and I headed down to Brown County with the dogs after breakfast.  We did trail 8, and it took us about 1hr and 15 min.  It was the perfect day for a run.  The sun was out and it was around 50 degrees.  The ground was a little wet from all the snow/ice melt, but it felt good on our knees and hips.

I very quickly went into denial about the difficulty of the trail, when after the first 5 min we came across a very steep hill that we had to go up.  I made it about half way running.  I convinced myself that was going to be the hardest part, but I was wrong. :) There were several points where we lost the trail and it felt like we were hashing looking for any signs of the trail continuing.  There were several trees to weave through and jump over and about half way through the trail we came to a mountain of stairs.  I thought I was going to die, but we both made it up!  After one very frustrating moment of being lost, we found the trail, and made it back to the trail head.  Daisy and Penny did really well.  Penny kept wanting to run around the other side of the trees, so we were slowed by tied up dogs several times, but by the end she learned to not put the trees between us.  Daisy didn't get tired one bit until the last couple minutes.  The trail ended going up hill, and she decided she was done.  Dan had to coach her, but we all made it.  We all had a great time, and we can't wait to go back.  This next Saturday there is a hash, and I think we'll be able to take both dogs, which will be a lot of fun.  It will be Penny's first and Dan will get named.  Is anyone else going??

I was afraid that I was slowing everyone down, but based on how lazy the dogs are, I think we all got a good workout in.

Fitness Challenge

I don't  know if it's because of the cold weather, or if I'm just being lazy, but I have fallen off the 100 push ups challenge.  I am a very single minded person.  I really like the timing of Day 1 on Monday, Day 2 on Wednesday and Day 3 on Friday, but with the fitness test at the end of week 2, I am no longer on my schedule.  So, my goal is to start week 4, following column 2 instead of 3, on Monday.  I can't give up now, I'm half way done!

Dan and I have decided that this year we are going to do the Ohio Warrior Dash.  We first heard about this last summer, but it was too soon for me to get ready for it.  This year, I really want to give it a try.  It looks like fun.  So, Dan and I are going to train by running hiking trails in Brown County.  The warrior dash is 3 miles with several obstacles, so hopefully running up stairs and jumping over downed trees will make the obstacles a little easier.  I still want to finish the push ups challenge so I can start on the pull up challenge.  There is a wall climb for one of the obstacles and I really don't think I can climb over in my current fitness state.  

So, starting this week, I am going to get back into gear.  Today I took Penny for a quick run around the block, and ended with 40 pushups.  Saturday, Dan and I will be heading down to Brown County, and next week I'll start week 4 of the push ups challenge.

How are you coming with your new year workout resolutions?  If you've forgotten, given up, or have been distracted by left over Valentine's treats, its not too late to jump on board.  Get moving this week with me!

Spare Time

Now that Dan is working, I’ve been able to spend more time (and money) on some of my hobbies. I’ve really started to look forward to life outside of work, now that there is minimal stress.

Last week I ended week 2 of my 100 pushups challenge, so today I take my 2nd exhaustion test. I’m really excited for it. My goal is to get at least 25, and I’m hoping for 30. That would be over double my 1st exhaustion test, just 2 weeks ago. This has been harder than I thought, but I get excited to see the progress I’m making every day. For my front and side planks, I’m up to holding for 20 seconds. Wednesday I’ll be up to 25. These aren’t as fun and tend to get boring, but I’m sure once bathing suit season comes around, I’ll be happy I did them. Today Dan has his exhaustion test too, and he should be able to get 100. We decided our next challenge will be to do pull-ups. My goal is 20 and Dan’s is 30. The pull-ups will be a lot harder, and will have slower progress, but come Spring time, we will have both made significant improvements.

I’m very excited to report that on Saturday, I was able to run 2.5 miles in 27min and I felt fantastic. I was a little sore yesterday and this morning, but nothing too bad. I really went in without any expectations, and since I did so well, I’m looking forward to Saturday to see if I can increase my speed. I really need to get some new running shoes, though. My feet and knees are starting to hurt, and it’s been a year and a half. But, it helps to have some girl friends who want to run a 5k this spring to keep me motivated.

I’ve also found some time to work on some craft projects. I’m getting a good start on my Vacation scrapbook. I have a lot of catching up to do. I’ve also found some cute ideas for some art work for around the house. I’ve started on part of it, but I’m nervous to start on the 2nd part. Hopefully I’ll have a good portion of it finished next week and I can share some more details.

I have to say, we had a little scare at our house last week. Dan started his modified Velocity diet (extremely low carb) to shed some of the holiday pounds. He had some terrible side effects that brought back memories of his pre-diagnosis days. Everything turned out fine, and now that he’s eating more carbs, his symptoms are gone. Dan just found one more thing he can’t do post-surgery. I am glad that we have an Oncologist that Dan is comfortable enough with to ask anything that pops into his head. He responds quickly and doesn’t mind the questions.

In other news, Dan is officially done with his 1:1 training at work. He has orientation today and tomorrow which means he’ll be home around the time I get home. It will be nice to have a couple extra hours with him in the evening today and tomorrow. And starting Wednesday, he will be on his own. I know he’s really looking forward to it.

Happy Monday!

5K Training – Cinco de Mayo Hash

The past week and a half have been really hard on me. The heat and humidity is a stresser that I’m still adjusting to. Its become a mental game where I try to rationalize laying out in my hammock with a good book over running.

I’ve learned that I need to drink more water, and really watch what I eat to be sure I have the carbs needed for the heat. I’ve also learned that I need to work on my focus and I need to find a mantra to keep me going.

I ran my first 800’s last Thursday. They kicked my butt. My goal was to run 800 meters in under 5 min, with 5 min rest, 4 times. I started out too fast the 1st run. I worried more about the time then what my body was telling me. I was running at a good pace, but I had to quit after 400 meters. This was instantly frustrating. After walking the remaining 400 and resting 5 min, I ran the next 3 800s under 3.5min.

Looking back now I’m very proud that I pushed through and finished, but I know I can do better. Today I have 800’s again. I’m hoping to be better prepared today. I have my water, I have nothing to focus on except my time.

Yesterday I went to my 2nd hash. Dan couldn’t go because he had a MMA class, but I took one of our good friend’s, Clint, and he had a great time. After his g/f runs the mini on Saturday, he’s going to get her to come! Once you try it, you can’t quit!. Hashing makes running fun. It refreshes my outlook and gives me motivation. I found a true trail on one of the many boob checks (ugg, extra running if you’re not willing to you’re your tatas, which I’m not) and I’m very proud of myself. After talking to the other hashers at one of many Beer Checks (3 this time!), most of them have run mini’s, 5 and 10ks. So, I have a good network of support. They usually have a stand towards the end of the big races handing out beer. I’m hoping to learn from their experiences, and to lean on them for motivation when I have weeks like this. I’m really sad I’m going to miss the Prom Hash on the 15th. The count down to the 29th begins!

5K Training - Hashing

For 4 years now, I have watched my husband set a training goal and either meet or exceed it very quickly. Nothing gets in his way. His friends come and help, he doesn’t think twice about making it a part of his schedule as if it was work. Not to mention, he just keeps looking better and better as the years go on.

I, however, need to be in a social setting to work out. I need to schedule a class with someone in order to stick with it. I need the accountability of meeting someone to be motivated.

I took Belly Dance classes in Muncie, but they closed down. I took a class in Noblesville after moving to Indy, but that class only lasted for a couple months. I tried another class in Greenwood, but the class was more about exercise rather than technique. I don’t really understand this because when you working on technique, you are really exercising. Belly dance really works your core; from your arms to your quads. It even works your neck and fingers!

I’ve tried tapes at home for yoga and belly dance, but staying consistent is impossible.

I finally got tired of not accomplishing or sticking to anything. The added 10lbs from the wedding and the new house was a big motivator as well. For one of my New Year’s Resolutions, I decided that this year, I would run a 5k in 30 min or less.

I’ve never been much of a runner. I tried track and field in middle school and by the end of the summer, I still couldn’t run more than a ¼ mile without walking. Pathetic.

So, Dan and I joined the Y, and all winter we would go after I got off work twice a week. I started by walking 5 minutes, and then running for up to 3 minutes, with a 1-2 min walk in between. I start running at 5mph and slowly worked my way up to 6. I was doing great! He even convinced me to start lifting weights.

Then spring hit. I was so excited to start running outside. Fresh air, sun, outdoors! What could be better?

Well, first rain was my excuse. Then it was once I got home, I would get involved in dinner, or cleaning, or taking care of something that there wasn’t time. I even tried taking Daisy with me when Dan couldn’t, but she’s lazier then I am. She has this imaginary boundary around the neighborhood that she can’t go out of. She just sits down and stares at me. Finally, 2 weeks passed and I had gone for a run once. Sad.

I really didn’t want to quit on this goal either. I was frustrated because I felt like I wasn’t progressing, and I wasn’t really training anymore. Then, Dan, my personal trainer and husband, heard about something called Hashing.

What is hashing? Well, it’s a social group where they meet 3 times a month to run. But, to make it more interesting, they include beer, a hunt, cool nicknames, traditions, penalties, and songs. At first, I was a little concerned. Running and drinking sounds like a recipe to puking, and the traditions and penalties sound like there’s room for hazing. That’s not really my thing. But, I sucked it up and went with Dan last night. I have to get this training thing back on schedule.

We had a blast. Its $6 to go on a hash (to pay for beer), and you get introduced to Pissing Ditzy, Camo Toe, and 20lb Pussy. Nick names are used to protect people from stigma from co-workers. If you don’t want anyone to know you Hash, no one will know. Dan and I were Virgins because it was our first run. We also were called Just Nicole and Just Dan. You don’t get a nickname until after your 6th hash. There were around 25-30 people there.

Now to the hunt. There are two people who are called “Hares.” These two take jugs of flour and chalk and it’s their job to mark a trail. The “Hashers,” or runners/walkers, follow the trail. No one knows where they are going before you get there. Your goal as a Hasher is to catch the Hares. If you do, the Hares have to drink. So, the Hares will mark false trails and will leave beer and food on the ground to slow you down. After a 10 min head start, the Hashers start off after the Hares.

Oh my God, this was so fun. We started in Broad Ripple Park and ran through neighborhoods and by Glendale mall. It was nice to see parts of Broad Ripple other than the bars. You can also go at your own pace. A majority of the people just walk and socialize. Dan and I ran because this is part of my new training schedule. Dan can run a lot faster and longer than I can, so while I ran with him when we were “On Trail,” he would go off and find the “True Trail” once we came to a “Check.” So, he got a huge kick out of the competitiveness, I got a kick out of socializing. We both liked seeing Broad Ripple and of course the Beer.

After the run (3-5 miles in about 2 hrs) you get in a circle and do “Down Downs.” Here is where all the songs come into play. Penalties are handed out and the punishment is drinking! That I can handle. Someone had ELFudge Keebler cookies there as a reward for finishing. Yum! I’m thinking this should be the reward every time I go for a run.

Afterwards, everyone goes to a Bar to eat and drink some more. Now, we didn’t get to go the “On After”, but next time we will plan better for it.

That’s it. It’s just a bunch of people, who get together and play fox and hound around Indy, and drink.

So, here is my new training schedule for my goal of running a 5k under 30min by June 15th:
Tuesdays – Normal Run 30-35min as far as you can go without worrying about speed.
Hash Days – Wednesdays or Saturdays, 3x’s/month
Thursdays – 800’s – Run 800 meters under 5 minutes, 4 reps decreasing rest times each week
Saturdays – Normal Run

Wish me luck and I hope some of you decide to Hash with us!