...and the hike

went on a hike today, too.  felt like a supermom.  my friend (who is also a supermom) and I took our toddlers plus our babes strapped to us.

crackers, raisins and nuts helped us through.  {all toddlers want are snacks, it seems.}



millcreek canyon//desolation trail

the walk, the run, the todder ride, and the yoga that was a bust

I can't go on my ride with my friend today, so even though it was later in the morning and I had just pounded my two bowls of honey nut cheerios I decided I'd hit the roads.

I had really only planned on walking since the boy wanted to ride his balance bike.  he didn't last the whole time, though, so as soon as the bike and the boy went in the stroller (I love my chariot cougar 2--have I ever mentioned that before?  love.) I started to run.  it was only a little hot.  and my hamstring felt pretty good!

all in all that was only about 2 miles.

so I decided I'd go home and put on that yoga for inflexible people dvd.  I only got through about three poses before I had to turn it off.  for one thing I think I was too distracted by a toddler who was trying to "play" with his baby sister.  and for another thing I kinda get bored with yoga easily.  but I think I'm going to try again later today if nap time works out.  I also found out that we have a pilates dvd.  win!

back at it

after nearly two weeks off, I'm finally back in the game.  and I can feel it.  oy.

I didn't really mean to take almost two weeks off necessarily.  the week after the 10K I started to get sick and I was just drained of all energy.  plus my hamstring has really been bugging me.  so I hoped just taking the time to rest would help me out on all accounts.

nope, the hamstring still bugs me all the time.

but I'm back at it.

I feel very off-track in my training for the half and full marathons I've got planned.  part of me doesn't even want to do them anymore.  I just want to build up a really solid base, get the hamstring under control, and not have to have the pressure of scheduled long runs where I must build up this many miles in this amount of time, etc etc.  I just want to run and not feel bad if I don't get a workout in because I'm too tired to get out of bed in the morning.

but I'm going to stick it out.  because the marathon at the end of the year is something that I really do want to do, so hopefully the body cooperates.


so this past weekend I got back on the long run bandwagon.  well, it was only 4 miles, so not that long of a long run.  (I think I had 10 on the schedule.  eek.)  but with my hamstring the way it is I didn't want to overdo it as I'm coming off a two week hiatus.  and I was tight and felt slow, but at least I was out there.

this morning I made sure I got out there again.  it was only about 3 miles.  again, I felt tight and slow.  oh well.  I stretched and iced, but I think I might want to add foam rolling into the routine?  any thoughts on foam rolling for nagging things like hamstrings??

monday morning blues

my run this morning wasn't that great.  it wasn't bad, per se.  just not great.  I woke up later than usual, but still went out anyway.  it wasn't too hot, but not as cool as the early morning.  I was tired.  I am tight.  I just needed to get out there to move and stretch the legs a bit.  it was a short + slow run. 

I have been surprisingly sore since my 10K.  my quads, other than my right hamstring, are feeling it the most.  my hamstring is really tight/sore.  I can't even stretch it as far as I usually can.  so I definitely iced after my run today.  I need to get this hamstring under control so I can start increasing my mileage for my half marathon in october* and my full in december.  I'm thinking about doing this yoga for inflexible people dvd that I have lying around.  maybe I need to do it daily.  seriously, my inflexibility is that bad.  especially the hamstrings. 

2 miles



*the half I was originally wanting to do in september is full, I just found out.  totally bummed.  but now I'm going to be running the pink series half in october with some friends.  it still fits in nicely with my training plan for my marathon, so all is not lost.  I'm actually looking forward to this run in park city, though it's no down-canyon run in the fall like I was really excited about.  next year. 

she runs, we run, I run

the she runs run like a girl 10K race recap and sparkle skirt debut

first things first, the rest of my week:

m:  my right hamstring has been hurting, so I took the day off.

t:  an hour ride with tori on the legacy parkway trail.  at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.  in 100 degree heat.  we were a little hot and dehydrated by the end.  but we did take full advantage of that splash park on our way back.  

w:  again, I didn't do anything.  the hamstring was still bugging me.  though I did walk both kids over to a local park in the running stroller, so that counts for something, right?

h:  my first run of the week.  I just tried to take it easy.  it was probably around 3 miles.

f:  I did the cotton bottom ride and I think it took about an hour.  I didn't want to kill my legs since I had a race the next morning.

s:  the run like a girl 10K!

I don't usually do 10Ks (as you can see by my lack of knowing what my 10K PR is) but I couldn't pass up doing a race with my two friends, natalie and tori.  natalie and I just had our second babies only days apart, so it was fun to get back into the swing of things with her.  and tori is just awesome and inspirational and I want to be just like her someday (aka super fast).  so yes, I paid to run 6.2 miles.

and it was a blast.

did I mention this was an all girl 10K put on by she runs?  and that it was in midway, utah so super pretty??  and that I had a pretty pink sparkly team sparkle running skirt on???

yeah, it was awesome.

within the first mile you start a mile-long climb up memorial hill.  then you turn around and make a loop back into the city park.  there was just one more baby hill in there, so it wasn't too bad.  natalie and I ran the whole thing together.  tori was too fast for us.  we did have to stop twice to stretch.  I was getting tight and just really needed it.  with about a quarter mile left I asked nat if we could kick up the pace just a bit to bring it home.  as we crossed the finish line the announcer asked us if we ran faster because of our sparkly skirts.  we did.  it was awesome. 

I came in at 1:00:09 or something like that.  natalie was right behind me.  it was about a 9:40 average pace, which I'll take at the moment.  both tori and natalie placed in their age group, which was awesome.  go girls, go!

me + the girls with the hardware

oh!  and my awesome little sister ran the 5K!  it was fun seeing her out on the course (we high-fived) and at the finish line.  she is a rock star!!  

last week's recap

monday:  run.  around 3 miles. 

tuesday:  ride.  I did the legacy parkway ride again.  I went out for thirty minutes and then turned around and came back.  still windy. 

wednesday:  I was planning on swimming, but never did.  my body was really tired so I just used it as a rest day.

thursday:  run.  around 3 miles. 

friday:  ride.  I went with my friend, tori, up emigration canyon.  this is the first time I have ever gone all the way to the top.  so high fives all around!  I have always been scared of the last section because it gets steeper.  yeah, totally not bad at all!  so glad I did it.

saturday:  long run.  six miles.  for the first half I just felt really tight.  the second half my hamstring was what was bugging me.  I need to get my hamstrings under control! 


I wish I remembered more of the specifics of my runs, etc.  I guess I should try harder to post the day of as opposed to recapping a week later.  I feel pretty good about last week, though, since I got out there almost every day. 

my hamstring has really been bugging me yesterday and today so I purposely didn't go running this morning.  I guess it needs a little break. 

the long ride

I did not do my long run this weekend and opted for the bike ride instead.  I figured at this point in my training a  swap would do no harm.  we didn't do the full 3 hour ride, but cut it short (it ended up being 2h20m of riding) so I could get home quicker to the babe.  we were a little unsure if she would take a bottle, as I had previously determined she would not (after one failed attempt.  hey, I hate pumping.)

so anyway, the ride...

we did the legacy parkway trail, starting at the redwood road trail head (not sure what it's actually called) and rode north.  the trail is pretty flat and long, so it's a great place to get a longer ride in.  my friend thinks we did about 30 miles.  effort miles, to me at least, seemed more like fifty.  it didn't help that we had a head wind on the way back.  stupid head wind.

my, oh my I wanted to just get off my bike and die towards the end.  my legs were really not ready for that.  they were like, what is this?  spinning?  we don't do this.  and definitly not for this long.  get off that bike, girl and go lay in the grass!  (we did pass a park with a splash pad and let me just say I was VERY tempted to call it quits right there!)

every part of my body hurt.  my neck and shoulders were really tight.  both of my hamstrings were screaming.  even my wrists weren't loving life.   but after it was all said and done I was glad I got out there.

pioneer day run

I went running on tuesday.  the park.  on the inside road.  in the recent past I wasn't able to run around the whole thing, I'd always walk up the hills.  but now I'm able to do it.  I'm slowly getting more endurance, though I still feel pretty slow.  all in due time.

I haven't gotten a workout in the rest of the week, though.  I am such a slacker and it's not good.  it is too hard to get out of my bed in the morning!  someone!  please!  help!!  I can't let this pattern continue.  I can't let the sleepiness rule my life.  I just have to get over myself and get out the door.

I have an 8 mile long run scheduled for tomorrow, but my friend wants to go on a 3 hour ride...  tempted.

epic long run and the rest of the weekend

I actually mapped out my route, mileage and all, for last saturday's long run.  y'all should be proud of me.  I'm actually starting to get my act together again.  so I planned out a nice little six miler, no biggie. I even ran in the opposite direction I usually take, so it was quite exciting!  (though it was on a route I often go biking--hey, I knew it was pretty nice and shaded!)

so I'm not going to go into all the reasons it was epic.  or really any of them for that matter.  I will spare you all the details. but let me just say that I feel like a true runner now.  it's only taken ten years.

by the end of the run it was getting hot and my legs were getting tired.  I'm glad it was only six miles.


we also went up to lava hot springs, idaho this weekend and peter and I got a nice ride in.  I'm pretty much out of bike shape, so it kinda wiped me out a lot more than it did peter.  any hills kill me!  I bailed on riding up this one canyon pretty quickly, but I really don't feel too bad about it.  pete said that right after we turned around it starts getting really steep and you have to grind it in your granny gear.  I told him I was already grinding it in my granny gear!

I think our ride was about an hour long, and I have no idea how much distance we covered.  my bike computer is out of batteries, and pete hasn't been biking with one lately.  I'm just glad we got out there at all!

and today?  well, I let myself sleep in.  I really wanted to get to the pool this morning, but when morning came it didn't really sound like a fun idea anymore.  kate was up like three times last night/early morning so I was pretty tired.  as an athlete mama of two little ones, I've learned to be very flexible about my workouts.  if it doesn't work out, it's not the end of the world.  I just can't let days and days of missed workouts go by.  it's a fine balance my energy levels ride.

anna jo and the crinks

yesterday was just one of those days.  I had a horrible night's sleep.  spent the day in an exhausted stupor.  obviously didn't go running since I didn't want to get out of bed.  I debated going on a ride first when I went out to my mom's so she could watch the kids (didn't even end up going out to my mom's) and then later with a friend (though she couldn't go until her husband got home from his flag football, which wasn't until about 8:30p which to me is just too late to be starting a ride), so needless to say that never happened either.

so it was a rest day.  good enough.

this morning I knew I had to get out there again.  and luckily the baby agreed and woke up at 6:30a to eat.  I must have slept weird because I have a huge crinked neck this morning.  I stuck it out anyway and went on my run.  it was good to be out there, at least.  about 3'ish miles.

but my neck is still crinked.  boo.

the journey

thank you, baby, for waking up at 6a to eat.  I really do appreciate it.

headed out in the cool early morning.  it felt good.  I couldn't help but think of my running journey.  of where I started and how far I've come.  and then again, my journey post babies and drop foot.  I thought of those runs that helped define me as a runner.  the struggles, the accomplishments, the people along the way.  it's been a good journey so far, and I know the second phase of the journey is just beginning.

I tacked on a little bit extra to this route.  I just mapped it out and it was 3.68 miles.

the normal aches and pains.  my right hamstring bugged me a little bit.  et cetera, et cetera.  I'd like to think I would be the fastest runner out there if not for these random nagging injuries.  oh well, it keeps me humble.

last week

m - h:  nadda

f:  a 3'ish mile run?  it was the big loop around the local park.  I really need to figure out the distance on that bad boy.

s:  a 5'ish mile long run.  I should double check on mapmyrun.com.  just one moment, please.  okay, it was just 4.8 miles.  not quite what I was hoping for.  oh well.  next time I should actually map out the milage/route.

let's not even talk about this week.  yesterday I didn't work out.  and I didn't work out this morning, so it's a safe bet I won't be working out at all today.  I can get out the door if the baby wakes up around 5:30a - 6:30a to eat, but if she doesn't and I get to sleep in a little later--forgettaboutit.  and then it's just too bloody hot.

maybe I should just start setting an alarm?

the big recap

okay.  I realize I've been away from this space for over a year.  but now that I'm actually back in a regular exercise groove (with the past week being an exception.  whoops!) I feel I need to document my kenyan again.  I have some big races coming up, so I really need to stay motivated.  hopefully this helps.


but first, a look back.

after having miles and all the nerve damage working out was really hard to do.  last year things were starting to feel somewhat better and I did a couple races.  I did the cache valley triathlon, sprint distance with a friend.  it was fun even though I didn't train too much for it.  I remember the swim being pretty hard (the water was kinda choppy) and running off the bike seemed hard too.  at that time I couldn't run a straight 3 miles, though, I don't think.  so it was a definite run walk.  I also did the ladies pamperfest in the rockwell relay series.  it was an all-woman roadbike relay race in the wasatch back.  it was so much fun and wished I could be doing it again this year.  unfortunately, all the woman on my team are pregnant right now!  (except for one; she just had her baby last week!)

and then I got pregnant.

and I don't think I did too much exercising after that.

but after my amazing homebirth VBAC (so a vaginal delivery is much easier to recover from than a c-section, just so ya know.  especially if you don't get drop foot!) I feel renewed and have started the journey again.  I've even already done a sprint triathlon this season.  I didn't really train too much for it, since I was only like 8 or 10 weeks postpartum, but it felt great to be out there again!  (it was the daybreak tri, I should post a race report at some point.  stay tuned.)


what's next on the horizon?

::a fun little woman only 10K in midway with some friends :: august 2012::

::the big cottonwood half marathon (running down big cottonwood canyon in autumn?  yes please!) :: september 2012::

::the tuscon marathon to commemorate the ten year anniversary of my running life, plus state number 7 :: december 2012::

::the st george half ironman triathlon!!  a little nervous about this one.  how does a mom of two little ones actually find the time to train for something so big? :: may 2013::


so with that I will try and update with weekly workouts and musings.

run + spin

yesterday I went running with the boy in the stroller. I don't have the front wheel locked so it's harder on the upper body since I have to work to keep it going straight. but the trade off is I feel I can maneuver it better. so I take the trade as an extra arm workout. I ran the same park as monday except I did the interior road, which has a lot more hills involved. I was able to run mostly up the hills. and I ran the rest. I feel good about that.

today I woke up for the early AM spin class. I'm always glad I wake up for spin. it gets my day going and I am so much more productive. the workout was good today. long climbs. I can already feel I've gained so much more endurence in spin since I started going more regularly this past month or so. we'll see how that translates to the bike. which I should be getting back from the shop tonight. so look out, road, here I come!

the memorial day run

I ran the long loop at the local park. though not the extended long loop, because I didn't want to overdo it. I can't even remember how many miles it is. I'll have to figure that out. I do have to say that I feel my endurance is already improving. slightly. that's a good sign.

my calves were tight, but the hamstrings held up reasonably well.

it was good to be out there. slight rain. brisk.

embrace the suck: I can do hard things.

{image via}

so many people in my life have been inspiring me lately. today I read this post and this post, by my friend, jen, and just couldn't help but adopt her mantra, embrace the suck. I want to do things that make me hurt. that make me feel alive. that suck. it's sounds a little crazy, to want to hurt, but if you are an endurance athlete you know what I mean.

yesterday I went running with my friend tori. she's on the journey to ironman and I couldn't be more thrilled (plus slightly jealous) for her. she has pushed through injuries and setbacks and is planning on racing ironman cozumel this fall. she has gotten me so excited for a little triathlon we'll be doing together in june. I'm just doing the sprint distance, though in my heart of hearts I wish I was doing the olympic with her. but I have to be realistic and I have to take things slow. and let's be honest, the sprint is probably all I can handle right now. it's weird to say this, but the 5K run is what is freaking me out the most! did I just say that?

I'm also planning on doing a bike relay this summer. maybe this summer will be about the bike and swim. not so much the run. though if I could swing it, and my familia is serious, I would love to run the hobblecreek half marathon. (who's started training??!)

and that leaves us to the swim portion of my summer. I'm committing myself to a 5K marathon swim. yes, that's swimming 3.1 miles in open water. it might sound crazy, but when I initially heard about this event I secretly wanted to do the 10 mile swim! crazy much?!

so see, I've been craving the suck. I need to push myself and test my limits again. I want to remind myself that I can push past the pain + negative thoughts. that I can do hard things.

this time it's for real

I know I've said it before, that I have rededicated my life. and usually that rededication has lasted one day. exercising has seemed to allude me since becoming a mother. I'd like to think that if I had never had all the nerve damage that I would have been back into it six weeks postpartum, but who's to know? finding a time to fit in a workout is just hard with a baby, drop foot or not.

but my baby isn't so baby anymore. and I'm finding a routine. and I've decided that I need to get back into it. it's been too long. so you know what, I've finally embraced something that I've known for so long but didn't want to face: to get a workout in, I need to be an early AM exerciser.

you know what the trick was? finding something I don't mind waking up at 5:30a for. it turns out spin class has been the best thing for me and my drop foot self. it gets me up in the morning, it gets me moving. it's helping to strengthen my bum hamstring.

and you know what? my running is feeling a lot more normal because of it. it's starting to feel good again. I'm really out of shape, but I guess that's to be expected. it's a long road back, but I feel like I've put on my shoes and stepped out the door. I'm on my way.

longing for the twenty-six-point-two.

I haven't run a marathon since 2008.

that is sad.

our conversation this morning.

peter: "the mud run is one-and-a-half-weeks."

anna jo: "I guess I better start training."

so we're running a 10K soon and I haven't really been doing anything to prepare. I've gone swimming a couple times, I've gone to spin, sometimes I do bikram yoga. and last week I was headed out on a fitness walk that turned into a run (okay, so more of a run/walk but I was actually able to run more than I thought I would). too bad my hamstring hurt the next day or so. maybe I over did it. and that was only three'ish miles. so maybe 6.2 would be really over doing it. but there is mud + obstacles involved so it will be fun even if we have to walk most of it. (because let's be honest, I don't think those on my team have been doing that much training either)

I'm really just excited for the vacation. and the beach. oh, and the mud.

the 5K and other musings

running with the drop foot brace -- look how my foot is even going in an upward motion! too bad you can't see the totally cool huge piece of plastic running down the back of my leg...

a couple of weeks ago miles and I came full circle. last year he did the 5K with me on the inside, all snug and cozy in the womb. this year he rode in style on the outside all snug and cozy in the bob. I guess maybe when he's old enough to actually run it with me we will really have come full circle.

with this whole drop foot thing I wasn't expecting too much out of this race. I was sure I'd have to walk most of it. a slight bummer but I was really out there for the sentimentality of it all. I wouldn't have done the 5K otherwise. {I don't really believe in paying that much money for a 5K -- especially when I don't even get a cool tech-tee} I was surprised by how much I was actually able to run, though. and the fact that my gait is feeling more normal. {I really haven't mentioned my progress on this blog or the other in a while; I'm actually able to hold my foot up these days, though I still can't flex it or my toes really any higher than the neutral position. but this is such progress, folks!} so I was pretty amped by the whole thing, regardless of my slower finish time.

37 minutes, chip time, if you were wondering.

and my hamstring felt fine afterward. {but later that night I played an indoor soccer game... that might have put it over the edge slightly...}

the next week I went on a couple fitness walks. like four and three mile walks respectively. I would have tried to throw a little running in there, but my hamstring was tweaked a little bit. and then I think I've done nothing since. except play soccer on saturday.

I had a talk with the husband about working out a schedule for my physical fitness. I have been totally slacking ever since miles came along. it's just so hard for me to figure out a time when I can do this. I don't know how moms fit this in on a regular basis. it is seriously blowing my mind. I know that if I wake up really early I could get it in and not have to worry about the small boy. but hello, have you met me? early mornings are hard sometimes.



so this is what we came up with:

swimming -- I really need to get back to masters, I feel. and I hear the big kid pool is opening up next week. yay! so if my husband comes home from work early on swimteam days I could totally do this.

spin class -- this still requires me waking up early, I fear. but a couple times a week I could do it... right? once I'm up it's really not that bad. and I like that I have it done and over with before my day really begins. I can do it. I can totally do it.

luna chix -- the team starts workouts next week, I believe. it will be fun to have a group of ladies to train with. even if I am the slow girl with drop foot now. on running days I'll even be able to bring miles with me in the running stroller. on bike or swim days pete will just have to come home early or something. totally doable. and this gets me out on my bike.there's safety in numbers, friends.

running -- now that the days are getting nicer (in general, I know that it's currently snowing right now, but whatever) I can at least get out with miles. I'll still probably be doing a walk/run combo, but I really want to work up to being able to run for longer stretches.

physical therapy -- I'm still going every few weeks or so. sometimes I struggle to actually do my exercises every day, but mostly I'm doing them. and my muscles are getting stronger I can tell.

indoor soccer -- I was a little worried that indoor was going to be the worst idea ever for my drop foot self. and everyone else kept telling me it just might really help. {but my PT doesn't know. so don't tell her.} and despite some close-calls and slight injuries (like when I thought I broke my big toe on the drop foot side) I think it really has helped me. over the course of our season I have started feeling better about things. it has gotten easier and I have improved. that was my only goal, to improve. it's starting to feel a little bit like it used to, and that's a really good feeling.


so that's the basic jist, what do you think? do you think I can stick to it? we made the plan last week and I've already yet to do a single thing on it. but in my defense, both peter and I were hit with some serious food poisoning earlier this week. it turns out that huge burritos from loco lizard just might do you in.

so next week. next week is the start of my new life. and to stay motivated I will keep watching those ironman championship reruns during the day while I feed miles. people finishing without legs? I just have drop foot. totally inspiring.