Observations and Confessions

Heat and humidity: the two go hand in hand in Southern Indiana. It just seems that this miserable weather hit earlier than usual this year. According to my over-40 memory, June is typically warm, but not so hot that simply walking outside causes one to sweat profusely and, therefore, need an extra shower each day. I expect that kind of heat in July and August, but resent its early appearance this year. I continue to run, but have had to make some adjustments to my schedule, like rising before 6:00 (I don't do that very often), or running later in the evening. Jackie and I ran 7 miles Sunday, which is the farthest I have run since the temperatures have been in the 90s.

For those of you who are attempting running for the first time, as well as those who are seasoned runners, I want to recommend a book I recently finished: Run Like a Mother. It is written by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea, two moms who write it like it is! There is a chapter devoted to peeing, pooping, and passing gas. That's something that we women don't like to discuss (unlike the men in our lives!), but when running, all three can present problems. I ran by myself this past Saturday, and (though I peed several times before heading to town for my run) I had to pee most of the run. I tend to obsess, and all I could think about is peeing and how uncomfortable I was. As I ran the Greenway, I briefly considered going off into the woods, but I am really not coordinated enough to pull that off. I won't go into the other two P's, but suffice it to say that running really works on the digestive tract! Anyway, read the book. It's down to earth and easy to relate to. I love to read about running because it motivates me to continue on this journey.

I am 90% certain that the Nashville Women's Half Marathon is not going to be on my September schedule. I think it will be entirely too hot in Nashville. Since my daughter lives there, I might go visit her and try to go watch some of the race - which will probably make we wish I had given it a try! There is a smaller half in Evansville in October; that looks more promising. I have a running friend, Jennifer, who plans to run it, so we could train together (which really means she will be dragging me along!).

Now for the confessions portion...my personal road to better health has been pretty amazing (no, that's not a confession; I will get to that further down). I am able to run! It wasn't long ago that I would drive down the street, see people out running, and think about how I wished that I could do that. Do people now see me running and wish that they could be like me? That would be pretty incredible, but I would want them to know that they can run! I would want to share with them that although they can't expect to go out and run 5 miles, or even a mile, they can run a few steps, and then add a few each day. They can get out and move forward, which is much more beneficial that sitting on the couch. So, what's the confession? I am still struggling with a healthy diet. I am doing much better; fruit and yogurt are a staple in our home, and our snacks are low-cal or low fat. I just can't get into the veggies, even with the farmers' markets and roadside stands beckoning me. I still love pizza and burgers and fries and desserts and steaks and...you get the idea. My favorite post-run splurge is a large Diet Pepsi and a Little Debbie Nutty Bar. Nutrition at its best! I am gradually trying to cut back on those. After watching Oprah today about her Debt Diet series and the little things we spend money on, I started thinking about how much I spend on soft drinks and snacks in a month. I am not yet brave enough to come up with a total, but I do know that cutting out my post-run snack would help my debt diet and my regular diet. And I guess that grabbing candy bars at the check-outs probably adds up too. If you see me at the grocery store and my hand is reaching for a 3 Muskateers or a Twix, feel free to mention that you read my blog - I will get the message!

As you run, think about what words inspire you to go on - your mantra. Running is such a mental game; it helps to have positive self-talk (another confession: sometimes on a really bad run I just keep telling myself that running sucks - those runs never get any better!). When breathing is labored, my eyes are burning from sweat, and my legs feel as if they will crumble at any moment, my favorite mantra is 'If it were easy, everyone would be doing it!' Run on, Friends!