Put Me In Coach

Lots of big changes have been  happening these last few months. I've been so overwhelmed that I've had little time to sit down and pull them together as a post so I'll lightly touch on a few of the things that we've been going through.



First things first. We put our house on the market in hopes of finding something a little bigger and with a pool. Keeping it clean and ready to show has taken up almost every morning in case someone calls and wants to see it so it leaves little time for running. Little to no running is only adding stress to a already stressful situation. I'm hoping an offer comes in soon so I can look forward again.



Hollywood Pitching



Hollywood (10 y.o. son) had the baseball season that refused to end. Between the constant rain outs and the fact that they were undefeated in their playoffs I had to juggle practice, games and the rest of our crazy life right now. They made it all the way to the district level where they made a it through a tough game but didn't end up on top. Its OK... so many kids never make it as far as they did and he improved by leaps and bounds this season.



Blondy reading his new book



Blondy (9 y.o. son), since the weather changed from cold to HOT he's been battling migraines just like me. Its harder to monitor how much water he's taking in and I'm sure he would do well. we had to leave a few of Hollywood's games because he would go from fine to migraine in a matter of minutes.



Celebrating 12 years married



FireFighterProvider (FFP) has been changing his schedule around like crazy to make it to Hollywood's games. He's also starting a new business with his best friend so there will be more to come on that but lets just say that has been a whirlwind of papers and meetings and licences and federal, state, local business dealings that aren't always on the "same page".



Coach Tina Necklace for GOTR



Me, Mightymite Runner (MMR), went off to LV for my Birthday and took that RRCA class to be certified as a running coach. I also had a great stint with Girls on the Run. I've been working my way though the workshops to be able to work with Susan and the other amazing coaches at Fleet Feet Chico. I've been looking forward to this for so long!  GOTR was probably the highlight of my Spring. I met and worked with wonderful young women who changed my life with their spirit and growth. Having boys is so different than working with girls. I loved every minute of working with them. We "graduated them" with a 5k called the Diva Dash. I cried as I watched each of our girls cross that finish line. it was amazing. I don't have time to do it again this Fall but I'm looking forward to another Spring program!



I did get my certification and started working with FF to get ready for the Summer Sizzler 10k program. I had been waiting so impatiently but as it approached I was just a bundle of anxious nerves! I shouldn't have been. Ed, Susan and Vince made things very easy for Cari and I (coach trainees) and we took to the route on our bikes to touch base with everyone and make sure everyone was safe and following directions. Other than the heat (it was 93F that day) things went very smoothly.



Perfect Post Run Yoga Stretching

Saturday went well too. I drove to Cari and Vince's house and we rode bikes to the park where we were starting. It is so nice of them to share their extra bike with me since mine was stolen from my garage two weeks ago. These are our longer run days. Ed and I take the "advanced" or "speed group" out a little farther than the "endurance group" with Vince and Cari but generally along the same path so it is easy to keep everyone in the general area. There were over 100 of us out there running! What a great group. Some of the trails get a little tight so its good to go over etiquette for such a large group. We get to remind our runners to go single file along the path where other's are running, riding, walking their dogs and such. We may not be able to control what other groups are doing we need to be more responsible and courteous since we represent Fleet Feet in name and actions.



We finished our run and this great gym, Elevate Chico strength, was there to do post run stretching/yoga next to Sycamore pool. It was the perfect end of the run. I'm looking forward to the next 7 weeks.

restart #gagillion

is gagillion a #?

 I've started a ton of posts but they all seem so HEAVY and needed a lot more processing in my brain before I could share them. So they sit in my Edit folder and don't see the light of day. I'm OK with that but I do regret not sharing anything with you guys for a while.

What I have been up to:



first time skiing in the last 18 years or so



1) The hubby took us skiing last month as the boys big present for Christmas. They got all day lessons at Homewood and they did amazing! I on the other had got a "crash course" on the mountain. I was actually doing well until I got tired in the afternoon and fell a bunch. I came home not a happy camper but I'm glad the kids and hubby had a good time.

2) I spent weeks with soreness on my left side (normally its my right side that gives me issues). All my push off muscles were not happy at all. I had been running hills 2-3 days a week in preparation for Big Sur 21 in May. Dr. John fixed me up though. He has magic hands. ART really works.

3) I started coaching Girls on the Run with one of my running friends "Daring Donna" and another friend "Lively Lisa"! We had a coach meeting for all the coaches in Butte County a couple Saturdays ago, then last week had our first two meetings. I cannot tell you how much I love being a part of this organization! The girls are amazing. One girl's mom approached Donna worried about her daughters self confidence but that first day she came up with her own nick name, "Make It Happen M"! Isn't that great? I'm getting lots of great ideas from Caitilin over at Healthy Tipping Point. Thanks Caitlin!

4) I signed up for the RRCA coaching certification seminar in Las Vegas the weekend of my birthday. I also started some coaching meetings with Susan so I can help coach the half or full programs this Fall for Fleet Feet. I had my second meeting with her and Laurie yesterday. I can't even start to explain how excited I am for this opportunity. As much as I love running I also love to get others on the path to a healthy relationship with themselves through running. I've trained with our local group in 10 different programs from 10k to 3 full marathon programs in the last 3 years. I would definitely say that running has been the biggest positive change I have make in my life. I love that I can share that with others.

5) Habitat for Humanity Home Run was today. Its a local 5k that my friend Vicki organizes to raise funds to build local homes for families who choose to invest in their futures by helping to build their own homes. I would say that today was a success! I hope Vicki though so too!



Deer at the golf course on our 10 mile run Thursday



6) sickies... We have had unseasonably warm weather for the last month. Everything is blooming early. I noticed an increase in my allergies but I have never had a problem running through them. I've noticed for the last few weeks that I've had a tickle and coughing after my runs, especially after runs up by the airport where there are large expanses of grass growing. Monday it seemed especially bad and by Wednesday night I was wheezy and my nose was draining like crazy. I thought I was dying by Thursday and went to the doctor. He said he didn't think it was bronchitis but "Reactive Airway Disease" which essentially seasonal allergies on asthma crack. He gave me a Rx for an inhaler, nasal spread and cough medicine as well as  a regular daily allergy meds. so far I think the cough medicine is the bomb and the inhaler is a life saver. The strange thing is that I feel great when I run. its when I stop or try to sleep that I fall apart.

7) Lots of miles including getting my long 10 mile run in on Thursday morning starting at 6:30 with Liz in the park. It was nice to finish before 8:30 and get on with my day. We went to a friends that night with a bunch of other running friends too. What a great community we have here! I've done no kettlebells. Still working on my thyroid med levels that seem to affect how I throw my weights around.

So I'm going to be better about posting because there are some important things I want to talk about and share with you guys. But for now this little tidbit will have to do.

The Mother Hill, ART new adventures for Mighty Mite

Last night was another hill workout thanks to coach Ramon. I've been consistently running this hill 3 days a week for the last few weeks and I'm loving the results I'm getting from it. My easy pace is creeping down and my hard workouts are pushing limits I haven't seen since the fall 09 marathon training cycle. I'm reading Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon: How to be Your Best Coach by Brad Hudson and Matt Fitzgerald. I'm only 1/4 of the way through and already learning a lot about how my body works and what works for me and training. Hills are my friend and I'm loving the change in workout BUT I'm a little excited to get back on the interval bandwagon to see those results although I know we're still in base training. My progression run on Saturday was pretty amazing. I was easily talking at sub 10 pace down to 9:30's and hustled in that last mile for a strong finish at sub 9m/m pace.



Running back down the "Mother Hill" on Sunday morning



Tuesday night was the same hill as Sunday morning and  last week but on the way back we had a little side road to add another mile in of some less intense hills. Liz and I started at the back and moved up through the group when we got to THE hill and I just kept powering up it. Each time I do it seems a little more of a victory. Those hills on the Big Sur 21miler aren't going to get me because I'm going to be prepared.

Big News... I'm taking the RRCA coach training certification seminar in LV in March for my birthday. My bestie and maybe some other friends will be coming along for the ride too. I have some plans in mind I'm not ready to talk to you about but I'll let you know as soon as I'm ready to unveil them! I'm also going to be helping coach Girls on the Run for a local school with my friend Donna this Spring. I'm very interested in helping girls find an exercise that they love so they can make it a life long habit to stay healthy. I love the overall concepts we're teaching them to and a positive perception of themselves as well as to combat negative self talk and social pressures. This is an amazing program and I can't wait to be a part of it!

on the water table at Dr. John's

Today I went and saw my chiropractor Dr. John because I pulled something in my shoulder and upper back when I helped my grandma when she fell a couple weeks ago. I've been guarding it but the tingly feeling in my fingers, the weakness and loss of range of motion. It sounded like a Rice Krispy commercial in there today as well as a lot of Active Release Technique going on while he worked on putting me back together. He also hit those regular trouble spots along my hip and IT band. You know its a good visit to John when its a snap-crackle-pop session, you curl your toes in pain or you cry. We sometimes call it "Fragoso's Torture Chamber" or "Dr. John's House of Pain" for good reason. But ART works and we all love going to see him. He is not lacking in the patient department for sure. I got 10 minutes on the Hydrotherapy bed while I was there. Hot water shooting into your muscles while you stay nice and dry and play solitaire or Facebook on your phone is pure bliss. Mostly I like that better than my painful visit to John but today I'm pretty sure he won.