Tag Archives: Brooklyn Active Mama

My Running Story

Today’s 43 was one that I got from Nellie at Brooklyn Active Mama.  Every Wednesday she features a new exercise (and she has had some great ones!!).  This past week she had dumbbell reaches as the move and since I had never done this exact move I decided to try it.

This is a move that isn’t about speed – it’s all about control!!  It will work your core, hamstrings and shoulder and, because I did all 43 reps on one leg before switching side, I also felt it in my standing hip!!  

The move is similar to a single leg dead-lift.  You hinge from the waist, pick up a dumbbell from the floor in front of you (I used 5 pounds), stand while bringing knee up and pushing DB overhead, then hinge back down and put the DB on the floor before standing = 1 rep. The video shows the move much better than I can explain it!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czvX9Dne_RY’]

This move took awhile to complete because it is supposed to be slow and controlled!!  And, you know that I had to do 2 sets of 43 so that I can try to stay semi-balanced!!!

I also ran – 4 miles in 25:37 + 0.5 miles cool down.  Nice to run again!!!  Today I stayed on the treadmill because it was super early and I hadn’t told the boys I was going out.

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I started running when I was 15 – my sophomore year in high school – go Eagles!!!  For the record, that means I’ve been running for 28 years!!!

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I signed up for track/athletics as a class for the entire year but I really thought that I would just hang out in the fall and wait for track in the spring.  I had big plans – I was going to run the quarter mile!

Screen shot 2013-06-22 at 5.29.18 PMThe track coach convinced me to go ahead and run with the cross country team.  I agreed even though I had no idea what cross country was!!!  The first day of practice, we just had to run to a nearby park and back – 1 mile.  I had to stop and walk 3 times!!  But, I stuck with it and by the time we went to our first meet, I was the top runner on our team!

By the time track season came around, everyone knew that I wouldn’t be running the quarter mile – I ran the 2-mile and the mile.  And, it turned out that I was good at them!!

I ran all through high school – cross country and track were the best part of high school for me – I never missed practice or a meet no matter what!!!  I had several injuries (Achilles tendonitis, torn calf muscle and stress fractures in both tibias) but kept running!

Screen shot 2013-06-22 at 5.40.21 PMI received several different offers for college track scholarships and eventually settled on Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, TX.  During the time I ran there, we were 

Screen shot 2013-06-22 at 7.11.19 PMRunning on a scholarship changed how I felt about running – it became a job instead of something that I loved.  At the end of my junior year I gave up my scholarship and ran my senior year just because I loved it.  As a result, I had my best seasons ever (CC, indoor and outdoor!).

I continued running after I graduated from college.  I ran road races almost every weekend when I was in Grad school (in southern Alabama) – 5Ks, 10Ks, a couple 8Ks and a half marathon (my favorite distance).

After grad school, I coached 2 years at Wayland (I was the distance coach)!  This was so much fun!!!  I ran with the team every morning at 6am and did all of the distance runs with them.  Some days I even got to get back on the track and do speed work with the athletes!!!

After leaving Wayland, I continued to run and do races occasionally.   I ran through both of my pregnancies (Chris kept telling the DR that I was running too hard but….).

When Hunter was about a few months old, I decided to sign up for a marathon throughScreen shot 2013-06-22 at 7.21.00 PMI was going to run the Disney Marathon (January 2002).  I did all of the fund-raising and 2 months before the race I started having hip pain to the point where I could barely walk. It turned out to be a stress fracture in my right hip.  (My orthopedic DR wanted me on crutches but that was impossible with a 7 month old!)  I spent 6 months not running and only doing minimal walking.

As a side note – I had trained for a marathon in college (Dallas White Rock) and ended up sick with bronchitis and a sinus infection the week of the race so I didn’t run that one either.

After I started running again I decided to just run for me and not to race.  Even at that, I have had 3 stress fractures in my right foot and 1 stress fracture in my left hip in the past 10 years.

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I added in weight training and lots of cross-training after I turned 35 (YIKES – 8 years ago!!) and that has made a huge difference in my running.  I can’t run every day but I’m running stronger and faster now than when I was a college athlete!!!

I have done lots of mega runs (usually on my treadmill).  I have done distances of 30, 50 and 35 miles in previous years during the Relay for Life (I’m usually our team’s designated walker/runner).  3 years ago, I did 60 miles in 2 days (I did it virtually with a group who did the Susan G. Komen walk in Dallas).  I started my birthday runs (running my age on my birthday) when I turned 42.

About a month ago (after I had my veins stripped) running was hard, I didn’t enjoy it and it hurt a lot. I decided to take a little running break because I never want to hate running. Screen shot 2013-06-22 at 7.33.52 PMNow, my break is over and I’m ready to run again!!  

Good thing since I have my first ultra in 4 short months!!Screen shot 2013-06-22 at 7.38.53 PMAnd that is my running story (to date) – can’t wait to see what the future holds for me and running!!!Screen shot 2013-06-22 at 7.47.39 PM

Happy Sunday!!  The boys and I are off to TX  today to see my Poppa and Dad while Chris is on his trip.  (9 hours of driving here we come!!!)

Kim

Graduation Day!!!

Today’s 43 was all about the core!!  I got this move from Nellie’s blog Brooklyn Active Mama.  Every Wednesday she features a new move and today’s Weekly Wednesday Workout  was the windshield wiper!!!

I made a slight change to the way she had it demoed – in her version, you keep your knees bent.  I decided to increase the challenge and keep my legs straight!!!  You lay on your back with your arms extended out from your body and legs straight up.  Slowly lower your legs to the right (as far as you can go while keeping your upper body still) then move your legs slowly to the left – a right and left = 1 rep.  Confused? – watch the video!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lMDsIFtV4w’]

I had a hard time keeping my shoulder still – gotta keep working on it!!  Try some of these and you will immediately feel it in your obliques!!  After completing 43 I think I will be sore tomorrow!!!

Today I went back to one of my favorite workouts – Combat!!  I did Combat 60 – Ultimate Cardio Fighter!!!  It was awesome – I’ve definitely missed my combat time!!!!

GraduationI don’t know about other places/school districts but in our district you have 4 graduations before you finish school!!!  Kindergarten, 6th grade, 8th grade and of course, the final graduation from high school.

Today, I have a 6th grader and an 8th grader graduating!!!  (Which means that we are officially done with elementary school – Hunter and entering high school – Jordan!!!)

The 8th grade graduation is just names being called out – not really a ceremony.  The rest of the day is just “filler” for the kids.  We may win a “bad parent” award but Jordan didn’t want to go today and we said it was fine – his summer started yesterday!!!

1st thing in the morning!!
1st thing in the morning!!

I still made him let me take a picture!!  Can you tell he has only been up a few minutes?!  And, of course, he is in his standard white!!!  (He has worn white Nike shorts and a white Nike T-shirt every day since the beginning of 6th grade – with a few exceptions when he had to wear specific things!!!)

Hunter’s graduation from 6th grade starts with a lunch for students and parents/families followed by a 6th grade talent show and then the “graduation.”  It will be fun!!

in his favorite color
in his favorite color

Hunter loves neon yellow!!!  And the bowtie is nice addition for sure!!!

Do y’all have graduations from each “level” of school?   

Happy Wednesday!!!

Kim