I'm sidelined from running for 2 weeks... but I'm still training!

A couple of weeks ago, my knee started hurting.  I had surgery on it in Dec. 2011, and finished therapy in spring of '12.  My knee HAS NOT HURT since then (thanks be to God!)  I did both my tris last summer with no knee pain.  So, you can imagine that when my knee started hurting once I reached mile 4 in my training, I was NOT HAPPY, and honestly, a little scared.  I waited a couple of weeks before mentioning it to my coach, and spent that time stretching, foam rolling and doing some old PT exercises (that I could remember)... and after 2 weeks, I finally texted my coach.  This was part of the conversation we had:

                                                                       

(Even though we have only been working together for about a month, she knows what I need to hear, and how I need to hear it~ for that I am thankful.  After this conversation with Coach, I actually had this thought run through my head: "when a professional athlete gets injured- no matter how "big" or "small" he/she ALWAYS goes and gets it checked out...why? because if it is bad, they want to get it taken care of, and if it isn't bad, they don't want it to get bad..."  Now, don't get me wrong- i'm not saying I'm a professional athlete... TRUST ME, I'M NOT (and my bank account proves that)... but for me, it was a little switch, that combined with my coach's statement, flipped my stubbornness off and made me call...

So, I went to the Dr. today to get my knee checked out.  He said a couple of things that it "could be" but he really isn't too worried about those things at this point, and he mainly said: "I think your knee just isn't happy with you."  Basically it is inflamed, and every time I run, it flares up.  Therefore, he has sidelined me from running for the next 2 weeks.  On week 3, i can start running again, but building back up to where I was.  I'm ok with this because I still get to swim and bike.  He told me to "go to town" with those things so i can keep my cardio up! I'll go back to see him at the end of 3 weeks, and I'm believing and praying that my knee will be completely healed.  

I'm going to leave you with this clip from one of my favorite movies: Zoolander... As I was driving home this evening, this clip popped into my head and it is a perfect description of how I feelt right now regarding running... When I could run, I never wanted to (honestly, that did start to chaange recently), but now that I can't (for a short time) I want to!!!  Anyways, I thought it was funny... and those who know me, know that I consistently have movie reels playing in my head.... 

Coaching is amazing

Today we had our first swim GT.  It was a great time up in Nashville, and it was great for me to have a coach there.  I have never had a coach to help me through training.  Even though it's only been a week, I am learning so much already!  There's just something about having someone watch you that does 2 things; and with those 2 things, you have a choice to make.  

The first thing it does, is make you question everything you are doing:  2nd guessing yourself, etc.   Now here's the thing... getting in the water (or on the bike, or running) with someone who is better than you can be a little intimating, but it provides you with an opportunity to push through and improve! Even though I can feel a little self concious about my stroke, or whatever, I love working out with people that are more advanced than I am because it pushes me to do better, work harder.  

The second thing it does is give you a perspective other than your own.  Coaches have a view where they can see all aspects of how you swim (or bike, or run)-  and they can instruct you on how to improve.  I NEED THAT!   

When we receive instruction, we have a choice- we can either turn our cheek and not take it, keep pushing through the same way we always have, and thus not become the best athlete we can... OR we can take the instruction to heart and work on it.  Figure out how to implement it into our workout regiment.  That is how we improve.  That is how we become better.  I had a lot  to work on today, and I have not perfected it (or even gotten close) but I now know what I have to work on, and I will!  I know that as I improve these areas in my swim, it will make me a stronger swimmer and ultimately a better triathlete!  

Proverbs 4:13 says: "Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life."  

Throughout my training, I choose to hold onto the instruction I receive from my coach.  I may not know how to implement it right away, and I may not "perfect it" or even catch on right away, but I will work at it, and I know I will benefit!

Do you receive instruction and coaching well?  If not, it might be something to consider because it will help you not only become a better athlete, but it will help you become a better person!

news and food for thought

Hey guys!  Annie and I have LAGGED on posting, but thanks for sticking with us!  I wanted to update you all on somethings in my fitness life!

A few weeks ago, Annie posted about her becoming a Team BeachBody Coach.  At that same time, I signed up through a friend of mine to join Team Beach Body.  At the time, I just wanted to sign up for a challenge group and see what happens... Now, 3 weeks in, I've decided to also become a coach with TBB!

Here's the deal.  I'm not a professional.  I'm just a gal who is trying to make it on this fitness journey.  Here's the other thing: Annie and I are NOT in competition, but rather partnership!  She's got her sphere of influence, I have mine, and some of our circles cross, but that's ok!  We signed up for T25 at the same time, and started this new part of our journey together.  So, go ahead and contact either of us if you are interested in joining the Team Beach Body family.  We can get you hooked up with a challenge group and start seeing your transformation happen!

The 2nd thing:

I was looking through some photos from the past year, and i found a couple rounds of "before" photos... I realized that I took these photos, longing for a change, but I never committed to anything... I thought I would reach my goals by doing the same old thing... WRONG! (isn't that the definition of insanity?)  But, I compared them to my most recent "before" photo (the one I took at the start of T25) and I can see a HUGE difference.  There is only one word to describe what I was feeling as I took off my shirt to have my friend Sheryl take my before pictures...Humbled.  It was a sign to me, and a commitment to another person.  I have these photos up on my "workout wall" so as I'm doing my daily workouts, and I sometimes have thoughts of "is this really working?  I don't see a difference", I just look at those photos from 2012 and I tell myself- "I may not be where I want to YET, but I'M NOT WHERE I ONCE WAS!!"  And that is encouragement.

So let me leave you with this:
1. just because you may not see daily "results", doesn't mean your body isn't changing.  I don't recommend stepping on the scale but once a week, just to see the fact of what your body weighs...
2. take measurements weekly!  You may not be losing lbs., but i can almost guarantee that you will be losing inches!
3.  find a picture of when you were in the worst shape of your life (or when you weighed the most).  print it out and keep it somewhere that you can use it as a reminder of where you once were, and how you will NEVER go back to that!  It's not depressing, IT'S HELPFUL!!!!

I'm coaching a Track Team!

Hi Guys!

Hope you all have had a great week so far :)

As the title of this blog suggests, I've had an incredible opportunity arise within the local school district this spring. During the week I usually work in a couple different schools teaching music, art, and sometimes drama technique.
Well this year, just before winter break I was approached by our Learning Director if I'd be interested in coaching.  First she asked if I played any sports... to which I made a funny noise and laughed.  No, I do not play sports, but I do run!
Well, I guess that was a perfect answer because with the next breath she invited me to be part of the school's track staff! At first I was a little hesitant because I've never done anything like that before.  I didn't even have very much experience working with coaches themselves! After a week or so, I had come to the conclusion of Why Not?  I knew what I do to get myself trained, although maybe slightly modified, it would be the same for these kids.
I accepted! :)

I've spent the last few weeks watching training videos and trying to remember all the drills and events I participated in while in Track during High School.  It was very unsettling realizing how many years had passed since then... *shudder*

We started this week and it's been going really well!  I actually got some feedback from parents that the kids had invited friends to join because it "was so much fun!!" How cool!
One thing that I've noticed while teaching my particular subjects is that if you can make the content relatable, they tend to pay attention more.  For instance, yesterday in class I dropped an F word.

*gasp*

You said what?!?

yup.

I said FACEBOOK!

I'm telling you, if you're in a noisy class you can't get the attention of, just start a sentence with the words... "So I was on facebook this morning..." and SNAP! All eyes on you!

Anyway... :) In the workouts, I try to use language that they'll remember for each drill.  I have a work out that I do with Tone It Up that's labelled "Wild Child".  It  involves all kinds of jumping around and being, well... wild! So I used it on my kids this week and they remember which drills go in that work out because of it!
They also love doing Booty Kicks and I nicknamed a type of ab drill the "Spiderman tucks" - it involves a push up position and lifting knees to either side like spiderman does when scaling a tall building.

It's definitely going to be a challenge over the next few weeks to get them in shape and in gear for different events.  Like I hinted at before, I've been out of the Track & Field scene for quite some time.  I have to make sure technique and form are right on events I don't have a lot of experience with as well.  But I have to tell you, this week has been fun.  I'm glad I signed on to it and if I can get kids excited about running and being in a sport that involves constant daily training, it makes me feel like I've made a difference.  You never know you you're affecting.

I'll keep you posted on how far we get in the season.  The first meet is in about 3 weeks and after that it's all about who continues to qualify.  We'll See!