What's Up with SUP?! Trying Stand-Up Paddling

I suppose I should preface this post with a little background. I spent my childhood afraid of water. I lived in a cold part of the country where water sports weren't "a thing". My parents aren't into swimming or water.

I honestly wouldn't have had exposure to swimming and water had it not been for the elementary school in my small Wyoming town, which incorporated swimming lessons in it's PE curriculum. Unusual, I know, but kind of cool in hindsight.

At the time, not so cool.

Early on, everyone else learned to swim except me. They taught us how to do the strokes, kicks, etc, and we even practiced them while hanging on to a wall. I was with them, until they finally wanted us to let go and float.

Let go and float does not describe my approach to anything in life.

I didn't trust I would float. I want to be in complete control of my movement at all times, and didn't want to give up any of my control to water. I wanted one foot touching the floor at all times. Everyone else caught on and started swimming anywhere from 1st to 3rd grade. Except me. While they were swimming laps and learning new strokes, I required a teacher to work with me one-on-one.

I felt like a loser. 

Finally, in 5th or 6th grade, I got the courage to let go and start swimming. I actually liked it. It was freeing and fun! However, even today, I don't jump in. I don't want to fall in. I want to control how I enter water on MY terms. I'm afraid I won't be able to catch myself in the water and adjust to swimming. I use steps to enter a pool. I like the beach because it's a gradual descent.

For this reason, I don't love boats. Ships are fine - they're so big I don't have a fear of falling out. I mean small motorboats. I was once pulled by a boat in a tube and thought I was having a heart attack! I didn't like being pulled by a boat I couldn't control.

Here in TN, water sports are so popular that people think I'm cray.

What, you haven't been water skiing since you were 2?

So why SUP?

In my late 20's, I'm all about facing fears. Plus, since SUP boards aren't motorized, I felt like I would have more control of my movement.

Last week, the Knoxville Track Club partnered with Billy Lush Brand, a new lifestyle and fitness company in Knoxville focused on paddle sports, to provide a stand up paddling (SUP) lesson and experience to complement our usual Wednesday night run.

Haha - back in the 90's people used to say 'sup instead of "What's up?" Long before "totes", "cray" and "yolo".

If you aren't familiar with SUP, it's basically a recreational activity that involves kneeling or standing on a board (which looks similar to a surfboard but seems more stable) in the water, and maneuvering through the water using a paddle. I saw it as an (albeit scary) opportunity to overcome this fear.

What if it tipped over? What if I fell off? What if I start wiggling around like an idiot? What if I get so scared I started telling people it was great knowing them, and to go forth and tell the tale of the girl who overcame her fear, only to meet her untimely demise.

So ironic. Didn't Alanis Morissette sing about that?

Back to reality - upon arriving, we met with Abe from Billy Lush Brand on the river in downtown Knoxville. We had a large group, so we took turns as boards were available. B and I ran two miles while we waited for boards.

I was feeling nervous beforehand, as I was telling my friends.

Total drama queen moment

Fortunately, Abe walked me through the process and taught me what to do.

I was measured for paddle length (based on the height of my fingers when reaching above my head).

He taught me the rowing motion. My left hand went on top, my right hand below, and I was to pull the paddle near me. Paddling backwards could act as a brake or a way to turn around.

He taught me how to kneel on my board, and told me how I'd stand up. It sounded pretty simple. Hold my board out in front of me and rise to my feet.



Finally, it was time to get on the board. Kneeling on it wasn't bad at all. Surprisingly, the board felt very stable. I didn't feel like I was going to tip over at all.

Paddling wasn't too hard, except for steering. I accidentally ran into a docked boat. Apparently, you can't just paddle on one side. A friend showed me how to paddle on both sides and maneuver myself out of the boat.

Once I was finally out in the water, it was time to try to stand.

I'm fine here, thanks.

No, I came here to try SUP, and SUP without "SU" is just "P".

That was weird.

No really, I wanted to say that I at least attempted the real deal. So, I held my paddle in front of me perpendicular to me and slowly attempted to rise to my feet. As I started to rise, my body and the board wobbled all over the place!

I was only halfway up, and I was wobbling left, then right, then left again, I was going to tip over!

Although I admit it didn't look wobbly from the picture

So I got back down on my knees.

I tried again, only to have the same result.

Finally, a friend told me I should get the board going faster in order to make it less wobbly. I paddled and paddled and got to a decent speed. I raised up again, and was slightly less wobbly. I got to that wobbly halfway point again and made myself push through it.

And I was up!! Once standing, it didn't feel that wobbly anymore. I could balance! I didn't feel like I would fall! I had to actively engage my legs and core to do so, but it wasn't too difficult. I paddled around and got some speed and it was fun!

I'm totally a surfer chick now!

B also did a great job! He was also able to stand up (although he wasn't close to a camera when he did), and enjoyed it.

When our SUP adventure was done, it was time to go back to the dock. They tried to explain a graceful way to dismount, but I ended up flopping onto the dock. Whatever works!

The next morning, I was surprised that when I got out of bed, my core, shoulders, and legs were all incredibly sore! I didn't feel like I'd been working that hard! I was hobbling around! It must have been a great workout!

If you try SUP for the first time, I'd recommend:

• Start with a lesson or demonstration so you learn how to balance on the board and paddle safely and effectively. Here in Knoxville, Billy Lush Brand is a great resource for classes and rentals. They even do yoga on the board, which I can't even imagine!
• If you can't swim or don't swim well, be sure wear a life jacket (in our case provided with the board)!
• As you stand, try to let go of the fear of tipping over and don't hesitate too much. For me, that seemed to make it wobblier.
• Try to SUP with friends or with a group who can help you if you get stuck, or are having issues. I wouldn't recommend doing SUP alone.
• Start on a nice day where the water is pretty calm.
• Try to let go and have fun! It took me awhile to do this, but that's the whole point, right?

Overall, it was a fun experience, and I'd definitely do it again! Considering my water issues, that should say something!

Have you tried SUP? What tips do you have for people trying it?

-Amy

Participating in Monday link-up (a day late). See what Ashley from Coffee and Macarons and others are doing this week!

I was not compensated by Billy Lush Brand for this post, nor is it affiliated with this blog. I am simply sharing my honest opinions and experiences. The views expressed in this article are solely my own. Also, I'm not a health or fitness professional of any kind. See my Terms and Conditions page.

Want more? Follow the CSRS Blog on  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram for the latest updates, articles, and more!

Fitness Friday: Running, Sassiness, and SUP Preview

It's my favorite day!

After a few crazy busy weeks, this week has been pretty fun! My work schedule has been busy but manageable, and I'm back on track working out. It just so happens that I'm REALLY close (just a few weeks) to turning 30, so I'm focusing on that 30 minute 5K goal! I plan to run several 5Ks in August, including one tomorrow, so wish me luck! :)

This week has included a lot of different workouts and activity, so there wasn't really a common theme. My workouts have been more varied this week than usual, which has kept it really fun. With that said, no need for much of an intro, so let's get to it:

Saturday - A Faster 5 mi Run

As usual, I met up with my RunKNOX group Saturday morning. Unlike the last few Saturdays, I was well-rested and well-hydrated, so I felt ready to go! I ran with my usual group of girls in the program close to my pace. Over the past few months, I've had the opportunity to support and befriend a new runner in the program. She ran her first 5K when I ran my first half marathon, and I've seen her continue to progress since. She's catching up to me fast, and I couldn't be happier for her! She reached her first 5 miles a couple of weeks ago, and Saturday we set out for what would be her second 5 mi run.

Since I was feeling energetic, I decided to try to get under a 12 min/mi pace (my usual long distance pace). Since I decided to run faster than usual, I lost some of the people I usually run with. However, I was excited when I saw that my new(er) runner friend was staying with me! We both finished our run in under an hour - and it was only her second time running that distance!

Yeah, we were pretty much rock stars Saturday. :)

Sunday - Rest Day

 

Monday - Boot Camp at a New (Corporate) Gym

As you have probably already seen (or experienced), many companies today are investing in corporate wellness. To me, it just feels like a common sense investment to both employees and employers. Employees are happier and healthier, and save time and money by having a convenient place to work out. This, in turn, leads to better employee retention, more productivity, less sick time, and lower health care costs for the company. Win-win, right?

I was excited to find out a few months ago that my employer, in line with this philosophy, was working on a a corporate fitness center. The center finally opened this week, and I was so excited to check it out! The facility is brand new, fully equipped with cardio (i.e. treadmills, elliptical, etc) and strength equipment and free to employees to use. Additionally, for a very nominal monthly fee (significantly less than my gym membership), we can take classes.

I really enjoyed the gym I used to attend and got a lot of value out of it, but the cost and convenience of the corporate gym is hard to beat! Instead of my usual Body Pump class at the gym, I tried a boot camp class at the corporate gym. It was so easy to walk over from my office, change, and jump right into the class! The class incorporated a mix of strength, cardio, and body weight exercises - planks, mountain climbers, jogging, lunges, squats. We switched quickly between exercises to keep our heart rates up and keep moving. It was great! The class was over by 6 PM - before my Body Pump class even began! Not only did I get a great workout, but I was able to get home at an earlier time, and I'll save money by cancelling my gym membership. Win!

 

Tuesday - A Custom Track Workout + Talking Smack!

Since I'm getting close to my 30 minute 5K goal deadline, my RunKNOX coach, Darren, was kind enough to write a custom workout for me to do at the track. Also being very kind, two of my friends came and did the workout with me. There were just three of us. At the track. With a plan.

The plan was to do repeats of 400m (a quarter mile) at my 5K goal pace (30 min 5K = 9:40 mi = 2:25 quarter mile), with a 100m slow jog in between. The total workout was about 3 miles. I was a little nervous, since this would be the most I've ran at that pace.  Once we started into the workout, however, I was shocked.

This pace wasn't all that hard anymore. It didn't feel like a sprint. It just felt slightly faster than my normal pace.

It was also great to have others doing it with me. We took turns leading and pacing, and we hit most of our quarter miles right at 2:25 (a few even faster!). The last two intervals started feeling difficult, but not unbearably so. Overall, it wasn't nearly as challenging as I expected. Which made me feel confident about my goal. So much so, it inspired a sassy email to my coach:

Not wanting to speak for the others, I included the following disclaimer:

I was kidding, of course, but only partially so. The workout and pace really wasn't as hard as I'd expected. While everyone knew I was kidding, Darren did point out that my sassy words have left me NO excuses not to reach my goal. No security blanket. No sand bagging. Time to get it DONE.

Touche. I'll think twice the next time I start talking sassy.

Wednesday: Stand Up Paddling!

While I don't always get to attend, the Knoxville Track Club coordinates great social runs on Wednesday nights. They are open to anyone in the community. They aren't part of a structured training program - simply show up, run at your own pace, and enjoy dinner or snacks together afterwards. Sometimes there are fun twists, like a few weeks ago when we completed a clue-based photo scavenger hunt while running.

This week, the KTC partnered with Billy Lush Brand, a new lifestyle and fitness company in Knoxville focused on paddle sports, to provide a stand up paddling (SUP) lesson and experience to complement our usual Wednesday night run. If you aren't familiar with SUP, it's basically a recreational activity that involves kneeling or standing on a board (which looks similar to a surfboard but I understand is much more stable) in the water, and maneuvering through the water using a paddle.

This was a challenge for me, as I learned to swim pretty late in my childhood, and I'm still not very comfortable on the water. Nonetheless, I kept an open mind and tried it after a short 2 mi run. I hope to provide a full recap about the experience next week. In a nutshell, it wasn't as scary as I thought. Kneeling on the board was fairly easy, as was using the paddle. The hardest and scariest part was the transition from kneeling to standing. It took all of my strength and felt like I was going to lose my balance and fall off! Once standing, it wasn't too hard, and it was a lot of fun! I would do it again (and hope to)! More next week - stay tuned!

Thursday: Major Soreness + My Fitness Assessment

One other note about SUP - I didn't feel like I was working out while I was on the board, but I sure felt it the next morning! I realized it as soon as I tried to get out of bed. It hurt to move my core and my shoulders. Additionally, my legs were starting to feel the effects from the track workout Tuesday. I made the executive decision to take a day off from running!

However, I had a fitness assessment scheduled at the new gym. As part of my new fitness class membership, I had the opportunity to be assessed by one of the trainers at the new gym. They took my weight, height, waist and hip measurements. They took my resting heart rate, then had me step up and down for 3 minutes to test active heart rate and compare to my resting heart rate.

I must have either done really well or really poorly because when taking my heart rate after stepping, the trainer said, "wow".

Finally, they had me do as many push-ups I could do in one minute, and as many sit-ups I could do in one minute. I had the option of doing full push-ups (on toes) or modified push-ups (on knees), and the option of doing full sit-ups or crunches. I chose the full versions of both. I did 11 push-ups and 18 sit-ups.

Next week, they will review my results with me in a consultation, and provide advice going forward. We'll see how that goes!

Friday: Back to Yoga (Finally)!

Due to the crazy weeks I've had lately, I haven't had time to make my early morning yoga class. Due to the (still) ridiculous soreness I'm experiencing from running and SUP, I decided I needed to get myself up early and go! I'm SO glad I did! The class I do is a light basic yoga class that combines stretching, posing, and some flowing. I felt less sore, less stressed, and ready to start my Friday!

And here we are! I'm off to the first of my 5Ks in August tomorrow!

How have you stayed active this week? Did you try anything new or fun?

-Amy

See what others around the web are doing with these great fitness communities:

I was not compensated by RunKNOX, the Knoxville Track Club, or Billy Lush Brand for this post, nor is any organization affiliated with this blog. I am simply sharing my honest opinions and experiences. The views expressed in this article are solely my own. Also, I'm not a health or fitness professional of any kind. See my Terms and Conditions page.

Want more? Follow the CSRS Blog on  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram for the latest updates, articles, and more!

Fitness Friday: Back to the Track + a Very Un-Photogenic Running Photo

Okay, didn't last Friday feel like just yesterday? Seriously!

This week has been an odd one. I haven't been quite as busy, but I've been tired. Like really tired. Like crashing and going to bed at 10 PM, still hitting the snooze button, and wishing I could nap during the day (I'm not usually a napper).

What gives?

I'm not sure, but I haven't been diligent in taking my vitamins lately. My iron usually tends to run a little low, and I have noticed these symptoms when it's especially low. So...it's time to start taking them regularly again. Hopefully that's it.

Nonetheless, I kept up with some of my workouts this week. I ran 5 easy miles on Saturday at RunKNOX. It was a good run for me, but the highlight was getting to run it with a friend who had never run that distance before! It was awesome to encourage her and celebrate her new accomplishment with her!

Other than that, I ran an easy 3 miles Tuesday with RunKNOX and only 1 mile Wednesday due to a time crunch.

Hey - 1 is greater than 0, right? I mean, I'd rather have one olive (which I love more than cookies or candy - the usual example) than no olives!

However, the highlight of the week was last night.

B and I went back to the second event at "Thursdays at the Track," an all levels track race series we'd attended a couple of weeks ago. I'm going to be honest here - I dreaded it a little.

NOT because the event wasn't great - it was! It was low-key, fun, and well-organized with friendly people from beginners to elite runners supporting each other.

I dreaded it because I knew I was going to push myself to the point of feeling miserable, and who looks forward to feeling miserable?

Yep, told you I was going to bring a dose of honesty.

I planned to sign up for the mile race and beat my PR mile of 9:18 at the last track race. 

I chatted with my friends to ignore the nervousness during the prior events. Then it was time for the womens' 1 mile race. There were about 8 or so women racing with me. The gun went off, and we were off! 

I was hoping to get as close to 9 minutes as possible. The first lap (quarter mile), I ran faster than schedule - finishing it in about 2 minutes.

It was all downhill from there. I started feeling tired and ran the next lap a little slower, finishing the half mile in 4:25. At that point, I started feeling absolutely miserable. I was gasping for air, and bargaining and begging myself to keep going faster. I wanted to collapse, but I made myself keep going. B and friends were cheering at me to keep going strong, so I lived an internal battle between my desire to slow down, and my desire to please my friends as well as feel like I did my best.

5 minutes is a long time to live through that battle.

Nonetheless I held out, kept pushing myself, and was happy to see a time of 9:04! I wanted to throw up (but didn't) or collapse on the ground (and I did). I had fun the rest of the event cheering friends on during their races.

By the way - B was a total stud that night! He ran the 800m (1/2 mile) race, the mile race, AND the 2 mile race! Say what??!! Yeah, he crashed when we got home.

If you're a running newbie like me and considering a community track race (okay, this is obviously not geared towards the collegiate, professional, or otherwise elite runner), here's what I learned from going through the event twice:

1. Try it! I know it's intimidating, but it's a new experience to try and break out of your comfort zone. Running there felt completely different than it does during a typical 5K on a road or path (no hills but going around and around in circles). It's also a welcome break from hills, which means you might PR! Pretend you're a track star!
2. Don't worry about others there! At the event, there were runners from newbies to elite runners (seriously, a guy ran a 4:30 mile). I was on the extreme newbie end of the spectrum (that doesn't even begin to describe it). Yes, again, it's intimidating, but the good news was that nobody there wanted to see me fail. Some of the elite guys were walking/jogging various areas around the track after their event, and they all cheered me on as I passed, even encouraging me (i.e. "Just one more lap", "move your arms more", etc). Just keep in mind that I've never met anyone who wants to see fellow runners fail. They may be competitive and want to beat other runners at their level, but I've never heard anyone say they hope others fall on their face or just have a horrible run.
3. If you don't know what's going on, where to be, or what to do, ask someone. I had no idea how to sign up, where to go, what a heat was, etc. When I arrived, the event organizers walked me through signing up for the events I wanted to try. They explained that before my event, I'd go to a tent where they would give me a number. They explained that a "heat" is an individual round (i.e. women's mile, men's mile, men's 800m, women's 800m, etc are all heats). When it was time to race, they explained that they would tell us when to go up to the line, and that the gun would go off when it was time to run (just like in other races). It wasn't a complicated process, and they walked everyone through it.
4. Have a goal in mind. If you have a stopwatch, you can divide your goal time by the number of laps  you're running (i.e. I wanted to run each of the 4 laps at around 2:15 to hit my 9 minute goal) so you can gauge and adjust your pace.
5. Push yourself a little. If you're only running a mile (or less), you don't have to pace yourself like you do for a 5K or a longer distance. Don't to "dolls to the wall" (ha - you like my PG version of that phrase?) and sprint, but you can be a little more aggressive since you aren't running as far.
6. Don't worry! Like I've said, going to the event was intimidating, but it ended up being fun and totally fine (for all of the reasons above).

And about that photo...

I asked B to take a picture of me running in all of my track glory. I now regret that decision. I have a few photogenic race pictures here and there, but this is not one of them. I was too miserable during this race to look good.

Wait for it...

Notice the "Pin It" button isn't here. 

Yep. terrible. I looked as bad as I felt (which was awful). This may even be meme worthy. Stay tuned.

So if you have a bad race picture, it's okay. It's not about how we look - it's about how we perform. I'm happy with my PR!

Do you have any tips for a newbie trying the track? Have you ever taken an unflattering picture while running?

-Amy

See what others around the web are doing with these great fitness communities:

I was not compensated by RunKNOX, the Knoxville Track Club, or Thursday Nights at the Track for this post, nor is any organization affiliated with this blog. I am simply sharing my honest opinions and experiences. The views expressed in this article are solely my own. Also, I'm not a health or fitness professional of any kind. See my Terms and Conditions page.

Want more? Follow the CSRS Blog on  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instagram for the latest updates, articles, and more!

My Epic Weekend + Rosemary Garlic Bread on the Grill

As you may remember, last week was a busy one! I was SO thankful for Friday to come to relax and recharge!

Fortunately, I had plans to do just that! My sister and her husband spent the weekend at our house and we had an epic weekend planned.

Why so epic? Were we going to some amazing concert/vacation/movie/restaurant?

Actually, we planned to stay at home most of the weekend.

We grew up in a family who loves two things - food and games. We both inherited these interests as we became adults, so game nights with food involved is just how we get down. This is even more fun during the summer when games can be played outside.

Saturday, B and I left them for a little while in the morning to head out for our usual run. I ran 5 miles, and B opted to do 10. We both plan to train for half marathons in the fall, but I want to wait until I reach my 30 minute 5K goal before I move on to longer distances.

When we got back, I popped this overnight French toast in the oven, also popped some bacon in the oven (I always do bacon in the oven - so much easier! Here's how.), and cut up some fruit. Once it was ready, we enjoyed a fabulous brunch on the patio!

And then...the sleepiness set in. That is, it did for B. I'll give him credit though, he ran 10 miles that morning. After brunch, not only did he pass out, but Coco decided to sprawl out on the floor and take a nap, too.

I don't know what her excuse was. Her exercise up to that point involved eating and hopping on the couch so that someone would pet her.

While he was sleeping, my sister and I, being eager and productive, went outside in 90 degree weather to install the new light set I'd purchased for the patio umbrella.

That's okay guys, we got this!

Or maybe we don't...

We had no idea what we were in for. This "simple task" involved removing the umbrella and setting it upside down on the ground, attaching clips to the poles with zip ties, and clipping the cords of lights on the poles. The only problem...the zip ties were too small to fit around the poles.

Leave it to us to save the day! We had just the creativity and ingenuity to solve it!

We ended up using an old jewelry making wire I had lying around to attach the clips to the poles.  We had to attach 5 clips for each of the 6 poles, then go back and insert the cords of lights into the clips and snap the clips shut. All in sunny, 90 degree weather, sitting the umbrella upside down on the ground in the backyard. It took almost two hours.

The finished result!

Later that evening, I prepared for a fun dinner and evening outside. I created a chipotle orange glaze (from the June 2013 Real Simple issue) to be served with chicken breasts, prepared a foil packet of red potatoes and veggies to grill, and prepared a rosemary garlic herbed butter so that I could toast garlic bread on the grill.

On a side note, when I announced I was going to make chipotle orange glazed chicken, B had a less than enthusiastic response, despite the fact that he loved it the last time I'd made it. I guess he was hoping for burgers. Either way, I gave him a hard time the rest of the evening.

Once temperatures cooled off, we headed to the backyard to get the evening started. I placed the foil packet of veggies on the grill on low, and we played about 3 games of cornhole (or bean bag toss - whatever name you can handle).

There, I said it. The blog is now PG-13. Whoa. 

Once we were done playing, I turned the heat on the right two burners to medium and grilled the chicken with the glaze. In the last 5 minutes, I added the herb buttered bread to the top rack of the grill to toast.

Voila! Fun and easy dinner outside! (And B was happy with the chicken)

Thanks to our handy umbrella light installation, we enjoyed our dinner in a pretty, well-lit space, and spent the rest of the evening out on the patio playing cards.

Games = Success. Food = Success. I call that a win.

While all of the food went over well, everyone especially raved about the bread. Often, when grilling outside, it's easy to identify a main course (in this case chicken), but what do you serve with it? Do you fix veggies and other side dishes inside, therefore running back and forth between the grill and the oven?

I think that's really annoying.

So what side dishes can you fix on the grill? A lot of things, but here's a good one. A couple of years ago, a blogger, GrillGrrl, came to town and was featured in our local newspaper. She shared a technique of using the grill to toast bread on the grill while your other food is grilling. She had a great recipe for a basil butter (which was delicious), but this weekend I made my own variation with rosemary and one of my favorite spice blends I get at the grocery store. It was SUPER easy.

Rosemary Garlic Herbed Bread on the Grill

I used:

1 loaf of French or Italian bread (I used a loaf of artisan roasted garlic bread from Kroger)
1/2 cup, or a stick of real unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp. Weber Garlic and Herb blend (in the spice section at the grocery store - I tried it a few years ago with a coupon, and I keep using it as it's tasty and contains natural ingredients)
2-3 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (I guestimated, I probably used 2.5 tbsp.)

Here's how I did it:

1. Stir the rosemary and garlic and herb blend into the butter
2. Cut the bread into 1 - 1 1/2 inch slices
3. Spread the herb butter blend on the bread
4. Place the bread on the top rack of the grill (or on the main part of the grill on low heat) and grill until it starts to brown - about 3-5 minutes.
5. Turn over if desired and grill a few more minutes (I didn't because we liked it soft on top, crunchy on the bottom)

The result: buttery, herbed crispy bread that was easy, quick, grilled at the same time as the other dishes, and was a huge hit!

The entire loaf should provide 10-12 slices, depending on thickness.

So that was my epic weekend. At home. Doing very few productive things (other than the umbrella lights).

What do you do to relax and recharge on a summer weekend? Do you have any grilling favorites?

-Amy

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Fitness Friday: A Quieter Week

Happy Friday!

Does anyone else need a Friday? I know I do! It has been an especially busy work week for me, and I've been preparing for some house guests this weekend. Each day I'm thinking "I need to run this errand before work, make sure I finish these work projects today, go home and [work on the blog/run a load of laundry/run dishwasher/clean floors, etc]". Pretty much every day has been like this. Fortunately, I've been able to delegate some tasks to my wonderful Beebs, but still not a lot of downtime for me.

I just want to sit on my front porch with an iced coffee and an issue of Real Simple!

And...oh yeah...run.

When I first started working out, I'd freak out over a missed workout (or a few workouts). I'd be convinced I'd lose progress, gain weight, etc. Over time, however, I've taken a more balanced approach. I understand the importance of being consistent in keeping up with my workouts over the long term so that I can reach my goals. However, I no longer freak out if I have to miss a workout or two. Sometimes life gets in the way, and I know that I'll get back on my schedule when everything slows down.

This was one of those weeks. Luckily, it was a "down week" in RunKNOX, so it was perfect timing. I kept up with most of my workouts, but skipped one or two so that I could catch up on everything I needed to do. We'll call it a mental health break. No need to stress myself out even more by trying to cram all my workouts in. I know that next week I'll be right back at it!

And on that note, time to REALLY focus on my 30 minute 5K goal!

So what I'm trying to do here is set a realistic expectation for you. This just wasn't one of those exciting weeks where I tried something new, achieved a goal, or did some awesome thing. So if you're looking for some monumental story to motivate you to change your life and start running, this probably isn't the best article for you. Here is a good one, though.

What you will find today, however, is me staying with my running schedule the best I could, and recognizing that it's okay to take a temporary lighter approach to working out in light of life being very busy. You gotta have balance sometimes.

So here's how it went:

Friday: A much needed day off following my Thursday Track event

Saturday: My first 6 mi run in months!

Since running my first half-marathon in April, I've switched to focusing on getting faster at shorter distances. In my RunKNOX speed program, I've run 3-5 mi, repeats of anywhere from 100-800m at the track, and hill repeats. This Saturday was the first time in awhile that I've run more than 6 mi.

Unfortunately for the run, my friend's 30th birthday party was the night before. It didn't run too late, but I felt a little dehydrated and just "meh" Saturday morning. No excuses, though!

Our workout was to run a total of 6 mi. About 4 mi into the workout, however, we were to run 20 minutes of 1 minute (almost) sprinting/ 1 minute really slow jog (as part of the 6 mi). The first 3 mi of the jog felt like they were never going to end. I felt so tired and my legs just didn't enjoy moving. I had to drag myself! I found myself behind a couple of girls that I usually keep up with (even pass sometimes). I was dreading the sprint intervals and was not sure I was going to make it.

Finally, we got to about 4 mi in, and it was time to start the sprinting intervals. Well, here we go. My goal was to not throw up. I set my stopwatch to start the first sprint, and went for it. Surprisingly, it felt GREAT to do the sprint!

I didn't see that one coming.

Don't ask me how, but for some reason, I felt instantly better during the sprinting. Instead of dragging, I felt fluid and energetic. I breathed better. It was awesome! I never thought I'd say that about sprinting. I think I would have wanted to collapse if I'd just jogged the entire 6 mi. Once my 20 minutes of sprints were over, I jogged the last mile or so and was ready to start my day feeling fresh and new!

Sunday: Day off

Monday: Gym

Monday, I went to my usual evening Body Pump class. Because I left work late, I only had a few minutes to run before the class, so I ran a mile on the indoor track. In 9:11. Even better than my track race! Of course I'm sure the A/C helped!

 

Tuesday: Hottest RunKNOX practice yet!

Tuesday was a less busy day, and I of course went to RunKNOX.

90 degrees. Sun. Humid. No breeze. 

I was REALLY happy that it was down week in RunKNOX. We only jogged a quick 1.5 mi warm-up, did a few sprints up a hill (probably took less than 15 minutes), and a quick 1.5 mi cool down jog. Again, I kind of liked the sprints. Instead of a slow run where I could think about how hot and miserable I was, I was working too hard to think. Nonetheless, I was exhausted by the end of the workout and walked most of the cool down. It was just too hot.

Wednesday: 2 mi run + sprints

I'll be honest, my Wednesday workouts are usually rough. I think it's because I'm still tired and dehydrated from my Tuesday RunKNOX workouts. This week was no exception. I knew my workday would be busy, so I ran in the morning. I was supposed to run 3 mi, but I only had time for 2.

2 is better than 0, right? I mean, I'd rather have 2 cookies than 0. So 2 miles must be better than 0 miles.

You know in the summertime when it's really hot during the day, but you think, if I go outside at 6 AM it's going to feel cool and great? I opened the front door expecting the air to feel cool and crisp the only time that day.

No. Not that morning. It was still humid, the sun was out, and it didn't feel cool outside at all.

So...feeling tired from the night before, and the weather being hot, it was rough going. I ran 2 miles in about 24 minutes (slower than my usual pace). Whatever, at least I did it. Then we were prescribed to run a few sprints after our run that morning. I figured that since I couldn't do my last mile, I'd at least fit 4 sprints in. I found a flat road, and sprinted up and down a few times. I looked at my watch, and my "sprinting pace" was a 6:30 pace.

Some people run that pace (or faster) for miles. Maybe one day...

Despite feeling rough during the run, I was glad that I completed it and had it out of the way as I started my day.

Thursday: Day off

I had to get to work early, left late, and came home to get my house ready for guests, so...no workout. I did make time to cuddle with Cali for 15 minutes in the morning. My husband usually leaves before me in the morning. As he leaves, he opens the bedroom door so that cats can wake me up. Cali is my furry alarm clock who enjoys waking me up by cuddling with me. 

Best way to wake up if you ask me.

Next week, I look forward to getting more workouts in and getting back on track towards my 30 minute 5K (30x30) goal. I'm also doing another track race in the same series of races, Thursdays at the Track, I tried last week. I'm not sure what distance I'll run, but I'm sure it will be challenging!

How do you handle busier weeks where you need to prioritize life over your workouts? How do you get back on track?

-Amy

See what others around the web are doing with two great Fitness Friday communities:



I was not compensated by RunKNOX, the Knoxville Track Club, or Thursday Nights at the Track for this post, nor is any organization affiliated with this blog. I am simply sharing my honest opinions and experiences. The views expressed in this article are solely my own. Also, I'm not a health or fitness professional of any kind. See my Terms and Conditions page.

Want more? Follow the CSRS Blog on  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or Instragram for the latest updates, articles, and more!

DIY Photo Booth = Instant Party Fun!

It's no secret that 30 is on its way...

As such, I've seen my husband and many of my friends turn 30 recently. One of my best friends, Sara (we go back since college - over 10 years!), turned 30 over the weekend.

Her husband wanted to throw a party for her, and I volunteered to help. We decided on a fun dinner at the Copper Cellar restaurant in downtown Knoxville, where 20-25 friends and family could join her for dinner, drinks, and fun. She is a new mom, and her 5 month old daughter was able to join us as well!

On a side note, I found this AMAZING dress at Loft to wear to the party! The black and white color was crisp, summery, and modern, and it may be the most flattering dress I've ever owned. For real. I want it in every color. If you need a dress, this is a great one to try. Now. I usually wear anything from an 8 to a 12, and a 10 petite fit great.

Back to the party, we reserved a private room downstairs, and placed a few fun decorations.

I  wanted something custom but didn't have time to order something custom made, so I found this great customized printable banner design on Etsy by StylingtheMoment

While I knew the room was the perfect place for the party and that the food would be great, I wanted to create an activity that would get people out of their chairs and interacting.

So I searched...and searched...

For 30th birthday party activities, you'll find a lot of things like drinking games (not appropriate for this event), or trivia games about the guest of honor or his/her birth year (too structured for this event). Finally, I came across this idea on HGTV for a DIY photo booth! The idea of people getting out of their chairs, wearing silly props, and making goofy poses sounded like a lot of fun! In this age of social media and constant photo sharing, I thought it would resonate with people.

Here's what I used:

• A camera with flash and a tripod
• A quiet corner without any distracting lighting
• A poster board (I used a cardboard poster board 36"x48")
• An easel or tape/hooks to mount the backdrop (I used a portable adjustable easel so I didn't have to use the wall)
• Decorations for the poster board. You can decorate it however you want, but I used a roll of wrapping paper and 4 packages of 5 mini paper fans in various colors.
• Scissors
• Tape
• Double-sided tape
• Fun props! Masks, boas, tiaras, sunglasses, cat ears, hats, mustaches, signs - you name it! Word to the wise: the key here is quantity, not quality. You may have 6 or more people jumping in a shot together, so you want to have plenty of props. I recommend sticking to props $1-3. Any higher than that, and these silly props can add up in cost quickly! Party City has a great variety of props in this price range. The signs were very inexpensive, as I printed them on card stock using my printer at home.

Here's how I did it:

• Before the party, create the backdrop:

• I wrapped one side of the board completely with wrapping paper. It doesn't have to be perfect. I recieved a note on my report card in kindergarten that I don't cut straight. I've never perfected that skill and it didn't impair my success in life.

Cali wanted to "help"

• Then I folded out the paper fans, and cut off the strings that would usually be used to hang the fans.
• I used double-sided tape to attach the fans in random places on the board (note - because the fans are 3 dimensional and therefore are difficult to stick to the tape, I pinched part of the fan flat to attach the tape).

•  The day of the party, set up the backdrop and the camera:

• Find a place in the room with soft lighting and nothing distracting in the background. I used a corner in the room away from other lights and windows. It was a little dim, but my camera had a strong enough flash to provide enough light.

• Set the backdrop on an easel or hang on the wall. We eyeballed height, and adjusted the placement so that it could accommodate me (short) and my husband (tall).
• Set the camera and tripod about 6-8 feet back from the backdrop
• Test, test, test! It doesn't have to be professional quality, but you'll want focused, well-lit pictures with the backdrop and subject in frame. Take a few shots of the backdrop, ideally with someone standing in front of it. Is it too dark or too bright? If so, adjust the flash or white balance settings on the camera. Is the entire backdrop and subject in frame? If so, adjust the placement of the tripod? Is there any competing light or objects? If so, consider changing locations. It's good to get this out of the way so that when guests arrive, they can jump right into the fun and you know that the shots will be great!

The height was just right for someone short like me!

It wasn't quite tall enough for someone as tall as B, letting us know we needed to adjust it!

• Make sure that you have a full battery and memory card with a lot of space.
• Turn on the camera, and invite guests to enjoy! Unfortunately my camera doesn't have this capability, but a remote shutter release would be a great option for people to take pictures on their own. Since we couldn't do this, I, my husband, and another host offered to man the camera.
• After the party, filter the pictures that turned out well, and share! This can be done on photo sharing sites, via email, a CD, or social media. We chose to share on Facebook. Be sure to check for any pictures that may be less than appropriate. Fortunately, this didn't happen to us. Make sure that the guests are okay with these pictures being shared on social media. We asked the group at the party, and no one had any issue with their picture being shared. Letting the group know ahead of time that these pictures could be shared also serves as a gentle heads-up to guests to stay appropriate (silly is okay!) in their pictures.

The result? It was a hit! The guest of honor loved it and got great shots with her daughter, husband, family, and friends! People got out of their seats and were acting silly and fun!

The birthday girl and family!

B and I showing off our swagger

It was pretty inexpensive, and could be fun and appropriate for guests of all ages. I can imagine kids would have a lot of fun with this activity, too!

Have you planned a 30th (or any age) birthday party? What fun party activities have you tried?

-Amy

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Fitness Friday (on Saturday): Trying the Track!

Happy Saturday! 

I helped a special friend celebrate her 30th birthday last night (it was a success - party ideas coming at you next week!), so I had to move Fitness Friday to Saturday.

Just so you know, I wasn't a track athlete in high school. Or a cross country athlete. Or any sport that involves much running.

I did play volleyball 6-8th grade. I enjoyed the sport but I wasn't very good. I went to a very small school and there was opportunity for me to be on the team. I wasn't tall enough to spike or block. Setting might be an obvious choice for someone short like me, but there were better setters than me on the team. I was decent at serving underhand and bumping/passing the ball and tried really hard.

Which was why I was really disappointed I never won the "Most Improved" award on the team - the only award I had a shot at.

I digress. Back to the story at hand, I wasn't a high school athlete in anything, especially track.

There's a new opportunity for local runners to compete in a track environment called "Thursdays at the Track". It is a series of races on an actual track that are open to everyone regardless of level. Many people in my RunKNOX group were planning to participate, and I was encouraged to participate as well.

This is really intimidating to me. In a 5K race, there's such a massive crowd of people that only B or my close friends pay attention to me when I finish. This whole track environment seems like it would make it painfully obvious how slow I am. Also, when I race 5Ks, I don't consider myself "competing" with anyone else. Since I have no shot of winning my age group, I treat it as a truly individual sport and don't pay attention to others. This track thing feels like an actual race. As in against others.

I'm actually not a competitive person. In a recent personal development exercise, I discovered I'm driven by measuring and achieving my individual goals and receiving affirmation/recognition from others. In my book, this achievement and recognition doesn't have to come at the expense of others.  More simply said:

I want to get a grade for everything I do. I want those grades to be A's. Not only that, I want the teacher to tell me those A's are great. It doesn't matter to me if you are also making A's or B's or whatever. My success isn't dependent on you not succeeding.

My uber-competitive husband is probably shaking his head in disgust.

So no, I wasn't thrilled about the track idea, but I decided to be open-minded and try it out. Our training with RunKNOX was specifically geared to help us prepare for the event Thursday. Here's how the week went!

Friday: 2 mi on my Own

I'm trying to work myself down to my 5K goal pace of 9:41 on my individual runs. It was hot and muggy out when I set out to do 2 miles. I pushed myself and wanted to collapse after my first mile, and was saddened to see that I ran it in exactly 10:00. I wanted to say forget this mofo and be done. I took a pause and B encouraged me to keep going, which was annoying, since he was skipping his workout.

Who are you to tell me to keep going? You're sitting on the couch, homes!

I reluctantly listened to him and kept going. My next mile was terrible compared to my recent times. My watch was telling me I was going about 10:15 min/mi, but when I finished, I discovered it was actually 11:21. At least I could say I finished. Some days, that's all I can say.

Saturday: 5 mi with RunKNOX + Sprints

I set out to do an easy 5 mile run. It was humid again. I finished the 5 miles slowly, but it wasn't a pleasant run. Sometimes I get in a rhythm and feel great while running. This was not one of those days. I had to push myself the entire way.

When we finished our run, we did sprints in the parking lot. I'm still new to this sprinting thing. I was really trying to focus on my form while running fast. I started getting really out of breath at the end of my sprints and I realized:

I've been focusing on my form, my stride, my posture, my arms, my speed...and in the process forgetting to breathe.

Yes, I realized that I've been holding my breath while sprinting! I'm not a coach, but I'm going to guess that isn't a good idea. Making a mental note of that.

Sunday: Nothing!

Unless you count massive amounts of house cleaning and grocery shopping.

Monday: The Gym

I was gone last week, so it was tough getting back into my Body Pump class. I used less weight than usual on many of the exercises and still sore for a couple of days.

Tuesday: RunKNOX Track Prep

To prepare for Thursday, we went to the track (a different track) to do our workout. It was one of those days where I felt like a total cluster - I left work late, couldn't find a place to park, arrived late to do my warm-up. I finished my warm-up after everyone and they were already starting. I hate that flustered feeling!

Luckily, I caught up with my friends, and chatting with them quickly took my mind off the issue! Our workout was to do repeats of 200m - run 200m at our goal mile pace (I'm shooting for a 9 min mile), then jog the other 200m of the lap (each lap is 400m). Do this 3 times, take a break, do it 3 more times, another break, and a final set of 3.

It was challenging! That pace was a little aggressive for me. It also happened to be youth night at the track, so swarms of children were everywhere (of course not yet acquainted with the concept of staying out of the way so that runners can pass by). Luckily, my friend was cheering me on and we got through the workout together!

Wednesday: A Faster Mile

Because I've felt like my pace isn't where it should be yet, I set out to try a faster mile during the first of my 2 miles on my own. I had to be at work a little early, so I started bright and early at 6 AM. I pushed and pushed and pushed myself to keep going faster. Come on Ke$ha, keep me going! I finished my mile (in a mildly hilly place) in 9:27. Not bad! Then I dragged myself through a slower second mile, haha! Maybe I could pull off this track thing.

Thursday: The TRACK!!

After work, I came home, dressed in my running clothes and shoes, and headed out with B to sign up for Thursday at the Track. To be honest, I felt really nervous on the way. I didn't know what to expect. I didn't like the idea of everyone watching me go around and around. I was also pretty sure I was going to lose. 

I'm not being pessimistic and self-deprecating, I'm just realistic about where I fall in the spectrum of runners that I knew would be participating.

When we got there, I was relieved to see that the event was pretty low-key, and I found my fellow RunKNOX friends. B signed up to run both the 800m and the mile, and I chose to only focus on the mile.

On a side note, I personally hate 800m. I don't know why. It's not short enough to sprint and get it over with, and it's not long enough to pace yourself. It's just awkward and miserable to me. About a year ago when I first did them in RunKNOX, I couldn't believe how hard they were. I had to be persuaded and convinced to finish 4 or 5 of them.

Seeing B race first helped me feel comfortable with the process. There were only 3 other men competing with him. However, these 3 men are among the most elite runners in Knoxville (and beyond). B was FLYING through his 800. Don't believe me? Look at him floating off the ground!

He finished in 2:51, which is an incredible time, but was still last in the race. Similarly, he ran his mile in 6:41, a PR for him, and was last in the race. The good news is that everyone supported him and congratulated him. He was happy with the result, despite his standings among others. Seeing him have a great experience made me feel better about my event.

Now, it was time for me to run my mile. There were only 3 other women in the group. One lady is in RunKNOX and I know she's faster than me. The other ladies appeared to be very athletic runners (and they were!). It was intimidating to be at the starting line with them while everyone watched us. Luckily, that anxiety went away when the gun went off.

It's hard to think about others when all you can think about is how tired you are and how hard it is to breathe.

As I expected, I was in last place, but it didn't bother me. I was pushing as fast as I possibly could at first (probably too much). After the first quarter mile, I felt tired. I wanted to slow down, but I didn't feel like I could. In long distance running, you don't feel like every second counts. It's okay to slow down through a water stop or whatever you have to do to feel comfortable running the distance. Seconds don't make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things on a long race.

You don't have that luxury when you're doing a mile.

To make matters worse, someone had lost their race sticker with their number, and it conveniently attached itself to my shoe. I took 2 seconds to try to pull it off with no luck, so I raced about 3/4 of the mile with it on, trying not to fall. It was a loooong 9 minutes and 18 seconds, but I finished and it was a new mile PR! Everyone (even the elite runners) cheered for me and encouraged me!

Makeup smeared and bun falling after the mile!

If you're looking to work on speed or want to just mix things up, try an all levels community track event like I did. It challenges you in different ways to run a mile on the track than 3 miles on a greenway or road. Here are some ideas to get started!

Have you tried running or competing on a track? How do you like the track vs. running on a road, greenway, or trail?

-Amy

See what others around the web are doing with two great Fitness Friday communities:



I was not compensated by RunKNOX, the Knoxville Track Club, or Thursday Nights at the Track for this post, nor is any organization affiliated with this blog. I am simply sharing my honest opinions and experiences. The views expressed in this article are solely my own. Also, I'm not a health or fitness professional of any kind. See my Terms and Conditions page.

Want more? Follow the CSRS Blog on  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, or CoffeeScarvesandRunningShoes on Instragram for the latest updates, articles, and more!