October Challenge

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Andrea

A new month can signal new beginnings. It can be the start of change. It’s a fresh slate and you can do with it whatever you choose.

The Fit Approach gang has decided to each take on a personal challenge for the month of October. Each one of us is doing something that is personal with the hope that we’ll notice a change in our life.

October is about creating new habits and getting rid of the old ones that aren’t doing us any good.

This couldn’t have come at a better time for me because there’s one thing that I’ve wanted to start doing and this will give me the push I need.

I want to get up earlier in the mornings.

Sounds easy enough and my nature is that I’m a morning person anyway.

I don’t mean that I’m one of those annoying cheerful people in the mornings who greet you with a wave and a very loud, “Good Morning!!!”. In fact I would rather you not speak to me until I’ve had some coffee and a shower.

Stalemate

Posted on October 2, 2011 by Andrea

I was actually just goofing off in this picture but currently I want to yell in frustration. Just a bit. This pic sort of looks like I’m yelling so I’m using it.

For the past two weeks it’s been raining and if it wasn’t raining, it was terribly windy outside.

Yesterday it was both along with being cold.

Cue the grumbling, foot stomping, and general melodramatic complaining.

All of this is preventing me from getting runs in which means my mileage isn’t increasing but staying at 2.5

This sister is ready for some more mileage, thanks so much.

At my last check-in with physical therapy, I asked about how much longer I needed to keep coming. I’ve been doing PT for over 8 weeks now and frankly I’m ready to move on from it.

The therapist told me that I wasn’t to be let go until they get me to running 5 miles comfortably and with no pain afterwards.

Rest and Recover

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Andrea

Until today, it had been over a week since I ran. Or had any thoughts about running.

Or even wanted to run.

My time in NY was amazing but exhausting. Both physically and emotionally. We walked so much and with such purpose (there’s not strolling in the city) that by Sunday evening my legs were Done.

My hamstrings started aching along with my right ankle and the right side of my foot.

I didn’t mind, to be honest. When traveling, I would much rather walk all over than take transportation. There’s comes a point though when you need to slow down and take a break.

We were going nonstop all day long. Up at 6am, going all day long, in bed by 1am. Rinse, repeat.

For me, that was tough since I’m such a sleeper and need some down time to get grounded.

When I got home on Monday afternoon, I was t-i-r-e-d.

I left sunny New York to come home to a cold rainy Columbus. It pretty much stayed that way the entire week.

Fit Approach Contributor

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Andrea

I have teamed up with Fit Approach and will be contributing articles to their website.

Fit Approach was created by a group of friends to talk about the many different aspects of living healthy. They focus on the wide range of topics that wellness covers.

They also have started a “Sweat Pink” movement. Sweat Pink is all about striving to do the best you can and basking in the afterglow of it all.

It’s pretty much girl power.

And while I am not a huge fan of pink, I am a fan of supporting women to be all that they can be and more. I have a set of pink shoe laces to give out to whomever wants them. They go to the first person who says they want ‘em!

The laces are a little too long for my runners but I will be putting them on another pair of workout shoes that I have.

Please check out Fit Approach and follow them on twitter!

Read more on Fit Approach Contributor…

Slow Week

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Andrea

This was an odd week for running. The first half of the week was really windy and while I know that some folks don’t mind running in that, I’m not one of them. I hate running in wind. It makes my nose run and my ears hurt, and it’s just not fun.

That was two days without running.

One of those days I did do a workout DVD, a quick Jillian workout and whew I was sore the next day. I am out of shape!

The following day it rained all day long. It wasn’t until Thursday that I got in my first run of the week.

Yikes!

I did a 2.5 mile run, my longest yet during this whole hip injury thingie. The run went well. I have no idea what my pace was because my HR monitor seemed to be out of whack.

That I ran 2.5 miles in 35 minutes. That I did that run with a 13:30 pace. Um. I know I was a little bit faster than that!

Three Years Strong

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Andrea

Yesterday was my 3 year blogversary! While I know that this year has seen a name change with the blog, that doesn’t change the fact that I’ve been blogging about food and wellness for three years now.

Whooo!

In three years so many things have changed in my life but real food and eating well is always a constant.

Okay, so is wine, beer, and cheese. But you know what I mean!

I appreciate all of my readers, old and new, who keep coming back to talk about food and all of the many things we like to chat about.

Since I had a dream last night where I was talking about my favorite stout, I’ll post a few links to some of my favorite things on the blog.

Starting off with Buried Hatchet Stout since I brought it up.

Back when I used to post our daily eats, this is my favorite post.

This is our favorite event in Columbus, The Food and Wine Affair.

Neutral Verses Stability Running Shoes

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Andrea

Ever since I started running 3 years ago, I’ve been in stability shoes. I was fitted for them and I found a pair that I loved. I asked before if I still needed them and was told that once you’re in stability shoes, you’ll never leave.

They’re like the Hotel California of running shoes apparently.

However, I’ve found out that this isn’t always the case and you can check out of that crazy hotel.

With my recent hip injury and journey through PT this summer, my therapist told me that my current shoes were providing me with too much stability. They were too restricting.

He explained that when shoes over stabilize, it can lead to hip injuries and IT band troubles. Interesting because I’ve had IT band issues training for my first half. I’ve had a strained hamstring. I’m currently now dealing with a hip issue. All on the same leg.

My right leg is a bit of a drama queen.

Slow Sunday

Posted on August 28, 2011 by Andrea

I was hoping to get four runs in this week but it was not to be.

I woke up with a killer headache and running with a headache is not my idea of a great time. The pounding of the pavement doesn’t do anything to improve the pounding in head so running was right out.

However it was amazing outside this morning. Very cool and with some high breezes that I’m sure is a side effect of Ms. Irene. It was so cool this morning that I had to put on long pants, the first time this season! And a light sweatshirt for a quick walk around the hood. Bonus, I got to wear my favorite running pants which are made by Adidas. They are so comfortable!

Best picture I could get of them. Consider it “artsy and dramatic”.

I had to get outside since there was so much fall in the air. Once I got out there though all I thought about was being home. You know it’s a rest day when even as you’re working out, you don’t want to be and you’d rather be home.

Buying Running Shoes

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Andrea

Buying new running shoes is a process and it is a big deal. For those that know me or have been following the blog for some time, you know that I am a huge proponent of going to a proper running store and getting fitted for shoes.

By proper running store, I don’t mean something like Dicks or Foot Locker. I mean a store that focuses just on runners and walkers.

When you go to a running store that is worth their salt, they will look at your shoes to see where the worn sections are. They will check the way you walk to determine what kind of shoes would best suit your needs.

They will want to know about any of your past running and injury experiences because all of this will help to make sure that you get the right shoe.

Buying running shoes isn’t something that will be quick. Not if you have someone who knows what they are doing and not when you take the time to slow down and really see how the shoes fit you.

New Kicks

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Andrea

A few weeks ago when I started this latest round of PT, the therapist told me that my current shoes were not working for me.

I was in stability shoes. I went to a running store and got fitted for them. I’ve been wearing stability shoes for the 3 years that I’ve been running.

The therapist told me that they were actually providing me with too much stability and that I really could benefit from a neutral shoe. Most neutral shoes provide some stability anyway (unless you go super minimalist) and that is all that I needed.

I waited on getting new shoes until I was up to running semi-regularly again. I’ve been bumped up to running 1.5 miles every other day and I figured this was a great time to go get some new kicks.

I got some earlier this week which was a process that we will discuss soon. Eventually I found a pair that fit my feet like gloves.