Runner’s Porn

I have read that daydreaming about sex helps reduce stress caused from not getting any. I am not sure if that is true but any who…

Work has been stressful and non-stop… full of dicks, assholes, tattle tales, micromanagers, whiners, hiring new people, working with unmotivated contractors, unfilled customer orders, quality issues, workman’s comp junkies and people who seem to not appreciate having a good paying job in this economy.

Since the marathon training and marathon, I have found ways to deal with all of that professionally and calmly….for the most part. I didn’t plan it that way but I just recently noticed that I am handling those things better. Even some co-workers have noticed that also. I attribute that to running and exercise.

Now, this is not New England, Minnesota or the like but Missouri has cold and snowy weather also.

I consider myself a hard-core runner because I will run in rain, humidity, cold or snowy conditions. I will not attempt icy conditions. I did a few times and paid an embarrassing and painful price.

My point is, I am not getting the fulfilling runs that I love from running outside. Its dark when I leave for work and when I get home. Many times lately there is ice on the sidewalks so that is out.

I have had to resort to the treadmill during the week and hit the roads and trails on the weekend. I am doing some indoor cross-training such as spinning, kettlebells and the boxing bag.

And this morning, a chain of events started unraveling that made me feel that “old high-strung” Charlotte coming back. It was hard to keep my cool. The 3rd shift supervisor (who is obese and always sick) called in sick and left his shift in the hands of someone who could not handle it and a mess was staring  me in the face at 6:15am today. I had to shut my door for a moment just to compose.

Not to mention that I had an emotional breakdown before I left my home 40 miles away from my work when I thought Eli had gotten out of our backyard fence and run away. I let him and Peyton out to potty before I left. They both are usually ready to come back in by the time I finish brushing my teeth. But Eli was no-where to be found. I was crying, yelling for him and outside in my bare feet trying to find him. I even woke Kevin up hysterical asking for him to help me find him. Then, up popped that big brown head in the backdoor. He has taken an interest in a chicken coop in our neighbors backyard. I over-reacted but I felt like a mama loosing her kid in a mall. Yeah…I’m nuts, I know.

I should have brought running clothes to work today because it is sunny and unseasonably warm today but I did not do that. It’s a hassle to run during lunch, clean up and re-dress so I just don’t. I really need to re-think that whole thing.

So, I have been surfing running websites today and found a way to relieve my stress. I love reading about running. I love motivational and informative blogs. Even Pinterest “running” pins have actually calmed me down and put me in a happy, calmer place.

So today…every few minutes I get alone in my office….will be spent reading about other people running!

I Want To Run Here!

I Have Run This Twice

“All I do is keep on running in my own cozy, homemade void, my own nostalgic silence. And this is a pretty wonderful thing. No matter what anybody else says.”  ― Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Tom Brady’s Balls

I am in at the end of week 5 of Half Marathon training. Currently, I run 5 days a week and cross train on 3 days. So I only have one day rest. Today was not that day but I just wanted to play hooky and sit on the couch and play with the puppies.

I am eating fairly healthy, lower calories and feeling energetic and good.

Winter (like summer) presents a lot of challenges for me to exercise and especially run. Most of my week-day runs are on the treadmill. I have gained a whole new respect for treadmill training. I still don’t like it but it is working for me and I get a great workout.

I am considering changing my half marathon (Apr 12) to a marathon. I won’t do that lightly but I will know the closer I get to that day whether I want to try it again. Go! St. Louis marathon is a very challenging marathon. Many say it is a bit harder (more inclines) than the Rock ‘n Roll marathon. I’ll decide how my training goes.

God knows I have plenty of new shoes! In the last 6 months, I have bought 7 pair of expensive running shoes. I have promised myself and my husband that I won’t buy anymore this year! HA!

Eli and My Running Shoes

It’s no secret with people who know me but I love football, hockey and baseball.

Around September every year, I get excited about football. I used to be season ticket holder for the Kansas City Chiefs but it became such a time-consuming event. We still go a few times a year.

My team did not make it to the playoffs so my interest drops a bit. I am a Peyton Manning fan so even though no self-respecting Chiefs fan would be for the Denver Broncos but what can I say, I love the Manning Quarterbacks. My dogs are Peyton and Eli.

Peyton

Eli

As most people know, I’m pretty opinionated and I have many times unpopular views on things.

First, I do not give a rat’s ass that Pete Rose bet on baseball. He never bet against his own team nor did he throw a game. I have watched him play in person many times and even had one awkward encounter with him at a hotel in St. Louis! (another story, another time). He has always been my baseball hero. He played the game every time like a little kid that loved the game.

I loved Mark McGwire and I really do not care that he took steroids. I even find it hard to understand why is it not permitted. Many things give athletes an upper hand or leg up on being good and competitive. Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Raphael Palmero.. etc were great ball players and it’s a shame the media have spent their careers trying to ruin theirs. Jose Canseco is a piece of crap, though…..and an idiot.

I was disappointed in Lance Armstrong. Not because he doped, but because he was ruthless in making others dope and threatening their careers if they did not. I was very disappointed that he was so cruel to get his way.  I still think he was a great athlete.

With so many athletes abusing women and murdering people, why go after people who do not hurt others.

I do believe in rules and if it’s against the rules of the sport, I do believe there should be punishments, not banishment. At the time when many athletes doped with HGH, it was not even illegal in the sport.

I do not like the New England Patriots. I suspect they would cheat to win a game if necessary. I used to not like Tom Brady because I thought he was just a pretty boy with no ability. Over the years, I have grown to respect Tom Brady as a tough, talented athlete.

And for once, I am not sure how I feel about this situation with 11 of 12 of their footballs being illegally deflated. I listened to both their press conferences today. For the first time, I felt like Belichick was being honest. My logic tells me that the culprit here is Tom Brady.

I watched his press conference and even though he is a king, living in a castle with a moat around it and married to a super model. I felt very sorry for him today.

I don’t know how I feel about the allegations. Someone deflated the balls. My logic tells me that Tom Brady would know this and even order it to be done. I also believe that he has been doing this for years. Maybe he has been doing it for so long that he didn’t even give a thought to it being against the rules.

I will say listening to Brady’s press conference today, I was amused about his talking for 60 minutes about how he likes, grips and handles his balls. This has all been a sad comedy. And still, I like Tom Brady.

I despise the media. They build up people and love to knock them down. They did it with McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Tiger, A-Rod.

I really don’t care for either team in the Super Bowl. I will watch it because that’s what I do. I’ll pull for whichever team is behind in the fourth quarter.

I don’t believe in Karma, but if it exists, Seahawks should win.

But for the first time in my football watching life, I just might be pulling a little bit for Tom Brady.

“When you win, nothing hurts” ~ Joe Namath

Am I Katie Hopkins?

I was flipping channels last night after the football playoff game turned into a one-sided beat-down and ran into a show that interested me greatly.

The minute we started watching it, my husband said “That is You!!”

Katie Hopkins is a British journo and TV Personality who has made controversial comments about fat/obese people. She claims that being fat is their own fault for stuffing their faces and not getting any exercise. She also says that fat people appear to be lazy.

She is harsh and I probably wouldn’t say that in public but I agree with a lot that she says.

In the documentary (Fat and Back), she deliberately ate 6500+ calories per day and went from 8 stone, 8lbs (120 lbs) to 12 stone (168 lbs) in 4 months so she could lose the weight and prove that if you just stop eating so much and exercise, you will not be fat.

From what I know, she is a hated figure in the UK for her stance and opinions on this and other controversies.

Katie Hopkins (Fat and Back)

I am not as harsh as she is but she does have some points in this article that she penned  “It’s Not Fat Shaming, It’s Honesty” for the Huffington Post.

I want to explain a bit that I would never say bad things to people to hurt their feelings. That is not me and it would bother me beyond belief if I thought I had said something hurtful to people such as things that Katie says.

But it does worry me a bit that I hold many of the beliefs that she does.

I especially worry about people allowing their children to become so fat. I really do wish my parents had sat me down as a little girl and explained that I was overweight and they were going to help me. And explained how being overweight was bad for my health and that people might make fun of me.

But as an adult, I alone am responsible for my size. I am the one who let myself get obese and I was the one who fixed that problem by lowering my calories, eating healthier and exercising.

So Katie is saying what I think. She is rude but truthful.

Maybe because I was obese, I feel I can make that judgement now. I know saying that does not make me popular but this is my blog and I use it to say what I feel or observe.

I feel the same way about smokers. I used to be a smoker and thank God I quit 16 years ago. I judge smoker pretty harsh also. I am manager of people and to this day, it makes me nauseous to be in a room with some of my employees who smoke. It literally makes me sick. I find myself finding ways to get them out of my office and the smell stays in after they leave.

One employee wants to crochet a “Frozen” hat for my Sadie. But I smell the smoke so deep in her clothes that I make excuses for her to not do that. Last time I just told her that Sadie don’t wear hats and she doesn’t keep them on her head. Fact is, Sadie loves hats and would love a “Frozen” hat. I would never give Sadie a gift that reeked of smoke.

Maybe that makes me a mean person. I’m 55 years old. I’ve been obese. I’ve been a smoker. I feel I have earned a right to have my beliefs. I do manage (for now) to keep them to myself and my blog. 🙂

Katie Hopkins is blunt, rude and mean but she is not wrong.

“When you are fat you have two options. One is to stand naked in front of a mirror and admit I am fat. I need to do something about this. There are no excuses. The other is to buy into the sympathy and support, listen to people that say they don’t judge and keep on supersizing your world to protect your feelings. The latter may seem like the easy option but it isn’t. Being fat is hard.” ~ Katie Hopkins

 

Getting Fit Shouldn’t Be a Punishment

My mouth always gets me in trouble at anytime the subject comes up of how to lose weight. Now, obviously to me, I am an authority! 🙂

And why? Because I have done it. I took my weight from 288 + lbs to 161 lbs +/- a few.

I say that a bit of tongue in cheek because of course that doesn’t make me an expert but I did find out the key to what works EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU DO IT!

When your body burns more calories than you consume, you will lose….no question about it and no credible argument against that.

Theoretically, 3500 calories is 1 pound. For my age, weight, etc…I can eat about 1800 calories a day and sit on my ass and not gain weight. At the same activity level, I can eat ~ 1250 calories a day and lose 1 lb per week.

If I run for 1 mile, I can burn approximately 100 calories. So if I run 3 miles each day, I can eat 1550 calories and still lose 1 lb. Simple, huh?

Ok, where I get in trouble with with people (husband plus members of my family) who believe they can lose weight other ways.

My kids like Paleo. My hubby is more vegetarian. I have tried them both and both can work but the reason is not because you are including or excluding certain foods. It is because of a calorie deficit that you may get eating or not eating those foods.

I also argue that a calorie is a calorie in regard to weight loss. A Cadbury egg is 150 calories. 2 scrambled eggs is 150 calories. It doesn’t matter calorie wise which you eat. Now the caveat is that some calories are better for you. I agree with that. I think eating healthy foods is the way to do it. No doubt. Some misunderstand me when I say that claiming that I am saying that a person should eat a Cadbury egg instead of scrambled eggs. That is not what I am saying.

Also, some foods just make your body run better. Obviously, broiled fish is better for you than a fried piece of chicken. But calories are calories in the big picture.

Some calories make you feel fuller than others. For me, a bowl of oatmeal fills me up better than a donut and about the same calories per serving. But still, a calorie is a calorie.

And, healthier foods are lower in calories than junk! Bam!

My entire weight loss was eating healthy foods most of the time. I splurged on things I liked occasionally. It is very simple to live that way….for me. I cannot maintain a lifestyle where I have to always exclude some things I love. In other words, moderation is key.

I lost my weight in a manner than I can live. It wasn’t a diet and I never called it that. I made changes. I use myfitnesspal to track every bit of food and exercise that I do.

The best thing I’ve ever done for my health so far was buy that pair of Asic Nimbus running shoes….the best money I have ever spent….well, after my California King Tempurpedic bed!

Yes, sometimes I cannot resist things and gain weight. I gained about 4 lbs from Thanksgiving to Christmas by eating more calories than I burned. I displayed a lack of discipline. I don’t blame anyone or any food. I also took that 4 lbs off by eating less, exercising more.

I can’t live the paleo, keto, low carb, zone or vegetarian and enjoy my lifestyle. So I don’t. Yes, I’ve tried them and I lean more vegetarian than anything. Also, the older I get…the more I hate the thought of killing animals to eat. So maybe one day I might be there as a moral vegetarian. But for now, I’ll keep doing it the way that works for me.

I found something that works for me. It wasn’t easy but it was simple.

I try to eat healthy foods most of the time. I keep some snacky foods….I have 4 Cadbury Eggs in my cabinet right now. The good thing is that they have all been there for 9 days and I haven’t eaten one. But I can if I want.

It’s discipline. It’s the same with running. You have to show the discipline. And that statement is coming from a woman who lived her life with a lack of discipline!

If I eat a Cadbury egg, I many times find a way to burn 150 calories so I can live with the guilt.

Everyone who  knows me, know that I love being in control. I’m in control.

So just to summarize “Charlotte’s Philosophy” as to not be misunderstood:

~ eat fewer calories

~ eat breakfast

~ don’t skip meals

~ eat several times each day

~ drink water

~ buy good running shoes and hit the road

~ exercise more, push your limits…don’t be a whimp

~ eat good, healthy foods as much as possible

~ drink a little wine

~ don’t salt everything

~ do everything in moderation except love your family and play with puppies

~ eat a few things that are sinful (apple fritters and Cadbury eggs for me)

~ pay attention to what you eat, read food labels

~ count your calories daily no matter how high you have to count (be aware)

~ if you have a bad day, forgive yourself and move on

~ trade high heels for running shoes

~ live, live, live, live

~ love, love, love, love

~ run, run, run, run

Get in that Zone!

I am currently training (again) for the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon and I’m trying a different training method.

I’ve seen many people talking about “Zone Training” and I am following that training program on my Garmin website.

When I was training for the marathon, I read this type of training but it seemed complicated so I went with Higdon’s 1st Time Marathon training. Every run was measured in miles only using that method.

I am reading more and studying the effects of heart rate, zones and training for prolonged periods in those zones.

First, I will say that it makes treadmill running much better. I can control speed, incline etc to stay in the training zones.

Another thing I have learned is that my resting heart rate is in the athlete zone! Athlete???? Me????  That is a considerable difference from when I was obese and not at all active.

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My resting heart rate is between 47-52.  🙂

My maximum HR should be 180.

Males:   210 minus 1/2 your age minus 5% of your body weight + 4
Females:  210 minus – 1/2 your age minus 1% of your body weight  + 0  

My zones are the following.

Zone 1 = 90-108

Zone 2 = 108-126

Zone 3 = 126-144

Zone 4 = 144 – 162

Zone 5 = 162 – 180

You figure your zones by doing the percentages of your maximum (which is 180 for me)

Z1 (50% – 60% )

Z2 (60% – 70%)

Z3 (70% – 80%)

Z4 (80% – 90%)

Z5 (90% – 100%)

Zone 1: (Healthy Heart Zone) This is the safest, most comfortable zone, reached by walking briskly. Here you strengthen your heart and improve muscle mass while you reduce body fat, cholesterol, blood pressure, and your risk for degenerative disease. You get healthier in this zone, but not more fit — that is, it won’t increase your endurance or strength but it will increase your health.

If you’re out of shape, have heart problems, or simply want to safeguard your heart without working too hard, spend most of your training time here. It’s also the zone for warming up and cooling down before and after more vigorous zones.

Zone 2: (Temperate Zone) It’s easily reached by jogging slowly. While still a relatively low-level of effort, this zone starts training your body to increase the rate of fat release from the cells to the muscles for fuel.

Some people call this the “fat burning zone” because up to 85 % of the total calories burned in this zone are fat calories which is equally as important.

Fit and unfit people burn fat differently. The more fit you are, the more effectively you use fat to maintain a healthy weight. On the other hand, perhaps you’ve been exercising vigorously, but not losing the weight you expected to. Could be you’ve been working too hard and need to drop back to this zone and exercise longer. To burn more total calories you’ll need to exercise for more time in this zone.

Zone 3:  (Aerobic Zone) In this zone — reached by running easily as an example — you improve your functional capacity. The number and size of your blood vessels actually increase, you step up your lung capacity and respiratory rate, and your heart increases in size and strength so you can exercise longer before becoming fatigued. You’re still metabolizing fats and carbohydrates at about a 50-50 rate which means both are burning at the same ratio.

Zone 4: (Anaerobic Threshold Zone) This zone is reached by going hard — running faster. Here you get faster and fitter, increasing your heart rate as you cross from aerobic to anaerobic training. At this point, your heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to supply the exercising muscles fully so they respond by continuing to contract anaerobically.

This is where you “feel the burn.” You can stay in this zone for a limited amount of time, usually not more than an hour. That’s because the muscle just cannot sustain working anaerobically (this means without sufficient oxygen) without fatiguing. The working muscles protect themselves from overwork by not being able to maintain the intensity level.

Zone 5:  (Redline Zone) This is the equivalent of running all out and is used mostly as an “interval” training regiment — exertion done only in short to intermediate length bursts. Even world-class athletes can stay n this zone for only a few minutes at a time. It’s not a zone most people will select for exercise since working out here hurts and there is an increased potential for injury.

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My new training schedule will call for (for example) to run Week 4, Day 3  at 80 minutes in Zone 3. My program is set up with 5 runs a week. One run may be 30 minutes in Zone 4 or alternating Zone 4 and Zone 3 intervals.

Of course, you must have a heart monitor. I have one on my Garmin Forerunner 220 and I have a Polar one without GPS.

But what I have found is that road running (which is what I love) it is hard to control whereas on a treadmill, I can slow down the speed, lower the incline etc to stay in my zone.

But all in all, it’s a great way to train when time outside is limited. It might even be a good method to train in the summer.

Mentally, it feels better to me to say that I am running 80 minutes versus 8 miles for example.

I’m also getting familiar with runner terminology: long runs (already knew this one), Threshold runs, Kenyan Hills (ass killers!), Fartlek…I still giggle when I say this word out loud, intervals, steady runs, marathon pace practice, recovery run…etc.

A whole new exciting running world out there for me to explore! I’m 55 now so I get get on with it. 🙂

Yesterday, it was a bit warmer 25 degrees and I ran 85 minutes (8 miles) on the MKT trail. It was exhilarating and the scenery was beautiful with all the frozen lakes and bluffs, deer, birds and there were many runners out in their colorful running gear. I wore mine, of course.

My eating is better and I am showing more self control on the snacks. I’ve even taken off that 4 lbs that I put on from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

I’m feeling better and more energetic.

I have also put myself on a running shoe diet. Since July, I have bought 7 pair of new running shoes. I cannot believe that I have done that. I even bought one pair twice just in case! haha

Here’s my current collection and all bought since July 2014. You see those cute ruby-red slippers (saucony ride 7)?? I bought those twice!

Charlotte’s Shoe Porn

~Run People~

Happy Epiphany to Me

All my adult life, I have wondered why I love all things Mardi Gras.

I love the season, the foods, the jazz, the partying, the beads, floats, King Cake, hurricanes, boobs, masquerade masks….the whole shit and shebang!

A few years ago, I found out that I was born on “Feast of Epiphany” also known as “Twelfth Night.” (January 6).

Though Mardi Gras technically refers only to Fat Tuesday, the Mardi Gras season actually begins on Epiphany, a Christian holiday celebrated on January 6 that is otherwise known as Three Kings Day or the Twelfth Day of Christmas. In Brazil and many other countries, this period between Epiphany and Fat Tuesday is known as Carnival. Whichever name you prefer to use, the revelries of Mardi Gras last until midnight tonight, when Ash Wednesday ushers in 40 days of Lent.

I am  not catholic or even religious so I don’t know why I love it.

I am already making plans to celebrate the season. Many people do not know this but St. Louis hosts the 2nd biggest Mardi Gras in the United States. I have been in the middle of that celebration for many years.

I’ll take Daniel and Sadie to the kids Mardi Gras celebration and parade on January 24. I have a “Run for Your Beads” 5k on Feb 7. And going to the big Mardi Gras street party on February 14. I’ll drink a little, eat a lot especially the King Cake.

So today I am 55 years old and Happy Epiphany to me! I did all the usual things I do on my birthday. I got up at 4:45am. Drove 40 minutes to work. I worked a 11 hour day. I drove home. Fed the dogs. Ran on the treadmill. Hit the boxing bag. Showered. Laid on the couch and watched the St. Louis Blues Hockey.

“Happy Birthday to a person that is charming, talented and witty and reminds me a lot of myself.”

My Year of Running 2014

I ran 833.7 miles in 2014

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I made a few goals (resolutions) for 2015:

1. Run at least 1 mile each day in 2015.
2. Run and PR in the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon in April 2015.
3. Train and complete my 2^nd Marathon toward the end of the year and PR.
4. Eat healthy at every given chance
5. Drink less alcohol and eat less junk food
6. Make and use lists or “Stickies”! (tip from my grandson, Daniel)
7. Live and Love in the moment and not worry about the future as I obsessively do most of the time.

This morning, it was 24 degrees and I ran 1 mile in shorts and sleeveless shirt in Zone 4 threshold.

I then joined my husband in the basement and while he did his spinning, I ran a 32 minute interval (Z4 – 3 min, Z2 1.5 min) interval run.

We were both dripping sweat and loving it!

I am training for the Go! St. Louis Half Marathon in April and I want to do a different type of training which uses the heart monitor to keep and zone levels. Instead of worrying about miles etc….you run so many minutes in higher/lower heart rate zones. So far, I like it. Its challenging and it makes the treadmill better when I can’t run outside.

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My scheduled formal runs so far for 2015:

February 7 – Run for Your Beads 5k in Soulard St. Louis

March 14 – St. Patrick’s Day 5 Mile run in Downtown St. Louis

April 12 – Go! St. Louis Half Marathon in St. Louis

So, I’m in training for the HM and happy about that. It is a bit depressing going from marathon training to no training.

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I stole this survey from two blogs that I read:

“The Dancing Runner” and “Running to Ramble” and  and I want to do my year end 2014 Running Summary.

1. Best race experience?  This is usually hard for me to pick because I have so many favorites: Run for your Beads 5k, St. Patrick’s Day 5 Miler, Race for a Cure…etc but this year, hands down favorite race experience was completing my first full marathon in Rock ‘n Roll St. Louis this past October 19. Not much compares to crossing that finish line with my family watching.

 

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2. Best run? Was my Half Marathon in the Go! St. Louis. I ran the entire thing with no walk break shortly after I was released by my doctor to run after extensive surgery. That’s when I knew that I could possibly do a full marathon.

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3. Favorite Run? (I added this one) Run for Your Beads 5k – Mardi Gras in St. Louis Feb 2014 because my 7 year old grandson Daniel ran it with me. It was a struggle to keep him focused and running but the last half…he was a star encouraging everyone. At the end of the race, many of the runners wanted their picture made with him. He also received a lot of beads for his encouragement and he felt like someone very special…which of course he is. I was smiling from ear to ear.

 

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4. Best new piece of gear? Definitely my Purple Garmin Forerunner 220

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5. Best piece of running advice you’ve received? “Run the Mile You Are In.”  I can’t tell you how many times I remembered and followed this advice while I was training for 26.2 miles.

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6. Most inspirational runner? Besides me HA! Meb Keflezighi of course. His win in the Boston Marathon was so inspirational for me. I cried when he crossed the finish line. I am a fairly new runner so I don’t know many sports figures in running. I’ll have a different answer…maybe next year.

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7. If you could sum up your year in a couple of words what would they be?

disciplined

emotional

diarrhea (runner’s know what I mean) HA!

stressed

devastated

frustrated

invincible

marathoner 

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                                                             ♥♥♥Happy Running 2015♥♥♥