My left leg is trying to tell me something

Hello Dear Reader,

My left leg is a pain in the butt...more specifically, the muscles surrounding my left shin are a pain...are in pain...and are preventing me from running comfortably (read: preventing me from running at all).  I haven't run since Saturday and I feel bad about it. Recommendations from my big, oxen-like friend (you know who you are)...resting...icing...don't seem to be making any meaningful changes in the level of discomfort I'm feeling. He also suggests that I change my running shoes, but he often forgets that my current country of residence does not have a wide selection of running shoes (I sense a trip to a major South African city coming soon). My Ethiopian (who also doubles as a doctor during working hours) suggests ibuprofen. I actually popped a few pills, thinking that would do the trick, but within a few strides during a recent failed run, I had to limp back home.

Dear Reader, this setback is getting in the way of progress. If you've been following my blog for the past many months, you know that my running game has been on serious life support. Almost 40 days ago (at the start of the Lenten season), I made the commitment to get my running act together. I was off to a great start- going to the gym on a regular basis and getting my runs in. The arrival of my Ethiopian and his lovely younger sister put a bit of a wrench in the plans (along with gaining a few kg because my eating pattern was off), things settled down and I was getting back into the swing of things...and now, when my mind is saying a resounding "Yes", my body is telling me "No".

Yes, I know this is starting to sound like a pity party, but let me cry my little river...or at least enough tears to wet my Ethiopian's shoulder. Whew...now that's over with, I'm going to get it together and at least hit the weights. It's about time for me to dust off and renew the gym membership anyway.

If you're having your own personal struggles with maintaining your fitness plans, I feel your pain. Let's motivate each other...virtual workout partners!

So until next time...put one foot in front of the other...and keep it movin'!

Yours in (getting it together) training,

Dani

Mixing it up a bit...family fun and hiking

Hello Dear Reader,

Over the past couple of days, I've been coming down from the high of my soon-to-be-sister-in-law's nearly two week visit and the relocation of my main squeeze down to the Mountain Kingdom. To "keep it real" with you, time spent at the gym and early morning runs were not as strong as I would have hoped. Hiking up mountains and lots of weekend family fun time, however, were at an all time high!

The weekend that my two Ethiopians arrived, we headed straight to the Malealea Lodge for pony trekking and hiking! As soon as we parked the car, we were off for a 3.5 hour hike up and down mountains, climbing up steep rocks, and sliding (me...by accident) in mud and streams. My urban-bound Ethiopians managed to stay dry the entire time (don't know how that happened). Because it was just that much fun (read: all of the other lodges were fully booked and I didn't want to spend the weekend playing "Angry Bird" on the iPad (him) or on Facebook (her)), we went back to Malealea the following weekend. Initially, I was unsure we would have a good time at the same lodge, two weekends in a row, and my companions were hella reluctant to go again. In the end, so much fun was had by all, we were all able to work up a sweat, and spent some of the best, quality family time!

Stunning!

After scaling a crazy steep hill! Pooped!

Embracing the inner child!

After seeing the fun, she joined in!

Not to be left out, he got his jump on!

Trip 2: Hike down to see the bushman paintings!

...soon enough all of my Ethiopian's residence and visitor's visas will be worked out so that we can go into South Africa for weekend races. Oh, on one of our hikes, my guy said he was really interested in going to some of the races with me. He even said that, if there were 10k's, he'd run those while I get my fill of the 1/2's!

Until next time...put on foot in front of the other....and keep it movin'!

Yours in (still getting there) training,

Dani



Gym Time

Hello Dear Reader,

It's about that time in the cycle of my fitness life that I sign back up for the gym! Yep, the dreaded gym. As the days seem to get shorter, I keep thinking about how I'm going to maintain my whole running and fitness plan. With almost 4 years of life in Lesotho, the reality says that the gym is the truth, the way, and the light (with sunshine only coming up past 6:30 am and darkness before I leave the office at around 5:30 pm).

Yesterday was my first day back and...would you believe it...I actually felt great! Twenty minutes was spent on the beloved stair master (with Drake's song "Fancy" playing on repeat), and the rest of my time was spent alternating between working out and goofing off with a friend. My dear on and off again New (Old) Trainer was happy to see me back. As per the norm, he commented on how in shape I looked (looks are deceiving) and told me I could stand to gain a few kg. He stood next to me and said..."Hey, come on...how tall are you? You're about my height, right? How much do you weigh now? Oh, 56.4 kg? (124.3 lbs) You need to be at least 69 to 70 kg." Hahaha...ummm...I'm sure that he's forgotten by now, but that was about almost about 2-3 kg more than where I was when I started. Not.A.Chance! Another guy I haven't seen in over a year approached me while I was working on the pull down weight machine (don't you just love my technical term) and said, "Hey! I haven't seen you in a while! I almost didn't recognize you. You've lost a lost of weight! You used to be...(and this is where he puffed up his cheeks and extended his arms to the side to indicate what could only be the size and shape of the Pillsbury Dough Boy). " Thanks for that, guy! Ahh...to be back in the gym again!

Dear Reader, I've always tried to be honest and up front with you. Me tells no lies! So I'm about to be completely honest with you. I really don't know if I'll ever be able to sustain a gym membership as long as there are free streets to run up and down. The thought of paying for a rat wheel is not my idea of an investment. I do, however, have a reason to try my best and stick with the gym for at least 4 more months! I have a very important photo shoot coming up in not too long. In this digital age we live in, photos posted to Facebook last forever. I need to look good. I want (almost) the arms of Angela Basset in "What's love got to do with it."

Look at those guns!

Ok, maybe not that cut, but my arms need to look good! If my legs could look as defined as hers (picture not shown due to overwhelming amount of muscle in one blog post), that would be even better! So you see, I have strong motivation to look my best. Remember digital photos...they'll be there for my grandchildren.

After work, I'm going to get it cracking at the gym. My clothes are already laid out and my body is ready to make things happen! The ultra marathon runner girl I have a secret running crush on told me this weekend that she will make sure I understand the meaning of her mantra, "Pain is glory!"

...and for your listening pleasure, enjoy!





I'm ready ya'll! Are you ready too?

Until next time...one foot in front of the other...keep it movin'!


Yours in (photo shoot...call me Mrs Good Body) training,

Dani

I DID NOT SURRENDER

Hello Dear Reader,

With a little help from my friends, I found the drive and determination to get up at 2:30 am, leave the house by 2:50 am, collect my new friend and get on the road by 3:00 am, to make it to Clarens, South Africa by 4:45 am, to register for the "Surrender Hill Half Marathon", which started at 6:00 am. Here's a little description about the race:

Organised by the Bethlehem Marathonklub with 3 options a 42.2km, 21.1km and 5km races. The start is the Martie Lotz Hall on short street, next to the tennis courts.

Starting in Fouriesburg, this is a race with great reward, for the magnificent view of the mountains is both memorable and breathtaking. Surrender Hill is a historical site where more than 4000 Boers, under General Marthinus Prinsloo, surrendered to the British during the Anglo-Boer War.

There are a number of demanding challenges on this route. Make no mistake; this course is tough, at times unrelenting. But during this race, more than almost any other, you will find that the wonderful scenery, coupled with the champagne air, fully compensates for the rigour of a hard marathon. 


Source


Last year, I signed up for this race, but for reasons I fail to remember, I didn't do it. Boy, am I so grateful that I went, even managing to shut out the doubt in my mind about my ability to complete the course at the 2hr 30min cut off time, since I haven't been running consistently. With the power of positive self talk, gumption, and being accompanied by three girls who are serious about running, I completed the tough course in 2 hr and 18 min...only 3 short minutes after the legendary ultra marathon runner girl I reference so much in this blog. 


Sure, I could give you a run down of the race course (it was awesome, but tough as nails). I could also tell you that the same toe I injured a while ago (and subsequently got a fungal nail infection...which also healed) got re-injured (and a nail infection is coming back). I could also note that was probably too much information (although over lunch, the running crew I was with talked about trotters' runs and ugly feet/losing toenails/toe fungal infections). The best part of the trip and the run was that I was able to connect with a pretty awesome chick who also likes to run. For various reasons, we've run (no pun intended) in different circles for a while. There's nothing like a beast of a race to allow those two circles to collide. I look forward to new challenges, new friends, and personal growth!

Me, Ultra Marathoner, New Friend
It was a beast, but we did not surrender to the Surrender Hill Half Marathon

My Lenten Sacrifice: Excuses and Lazy

Hello Dear Reader,

I've really been working hard to not only strengthen my commitment to running, but my relationship with God as well. As I was sitting in church on Ash Wednesday, contemplating what I was going to give up for Lent, the usual suspects floated through my mind: fried foods (although I don't eat much of this) and soda. For a moment, I felt confident in my decision. Soon there after, guilt crept in. Reality says that I don't really eat many fried foods, nor do I consume much soda, so this was no real sacrifice. Definitely, it was not a sacrifice comprable to the one made by the man I want to honor. He paid the ultimate sacrifice and here I am trying to cheat him, the meaning of this whole season, and myself by giving up something that is easily done. I might as well say I'm giving up my addiction to watching "Keeping up with the Kardashians". The thing is that I just don't do it.

Sitting on the church pew, straining to understand the thick accent of the Sesotho-speaking priest, one thing kept pushing towards the forefront of my mind: RUNNING. Yes, running is something that I've done before in a habit forming way. I can easily pick up and run 13 miles and not feel any pain or strain afterwards. The real problem is the times between those random 13 mile runs. I've found myself making every excuse in the book to not get up when my alarm goes off and go running. When it's really time to get up for work, I feel even more lame, because I've just laid in the bed for about 2.5 hours doing nothing when I could have gotten up and done something that makes me feel good, productive and fit. Unfortunately, for far too long, I've let my normally lazy, couch potato nature take over. Boo!

Last weekend, I was Skyping (don't you love how I made that a verb!!!) with one of my very good friends, and brought up that I've been seeking sources of motivation to drown out the lazy voice from within that makes one excuse after the next for why it's ok to lay in bed and not run. I asked how he stays so motivated to do what he does on a regular basis. He noted that there are plenty of times when he feels as if NOT doing something he needs to do is ok. When he feels that lazy voice inside of him trying to make an excuse for not being productive, that serves as an internal alarm to push himself to do exactly what he doesn't feel like doing, but knows he needs to do.  That totally made sense to me. When I feel myself making excuses, I need to use that lazy voice as a catalyst to make me be better and work harder.

My friend's advice helped me to confirm my Lenten sacrifice: I will give up excuses and being lazy for Lent. This will be a true challenge for me, because I've been lazy for a long time. My running habit has been overrun with excuses. After the conversation with my friend, I got up and ran, and have been running ever since. "They" say that it takes 21 days or so to develop a habit (although this has not been proven)...and there are 36 more days of Lent. Hopefully, on the other side of Lent (i.e. Easter), I'll be free of excuses to not run. To hold myself accountable (I'm going to need your help, Dear Reader), I plan to regularly post my progress on this little running blog o'mine!

Raise your glasses of water, ya'll! Here's to kicking bad habits and re-establishing good ones!

Until next time...one foot in front of the other (Dani)...keep it movin' (Dani)!

Yours in (good habit forming) training,

Dani

30 going on 31

Hello Dear Reader,

A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to a friend about being 30, and all of the things I hope to accomplish by the time I'm 31. A couple of days ago, I was sitting at my desk, planning work activities for the remaining weeks of February, and had an "Oh Shit!" moment! Dear Reader, I'm going to be 31 in less than a month! Where did my year go? Whaaaa?

Reflecting on the past year, the one thing that's been abundantly clear is that my motivation to run has had Horn of Africa drought lows and tsunami highs. In the build up to 30, and I'd say for the first half of the year, my running game was intense and on point. I ran like clock work. The second half of the year, however, has progressively demonstrated a clear slump. It's not that I don't want to run, because I do. Translating "theory" into "practice" however, has been a bit of a doozy.

True enough, the build up for running was at a psychotic experience. The reasons for being so were understandable. I had to go from -20 to 100 in order to get my goal accomplished. Sustainable, however, that pace was not. What really needs to happen, which I've yet to master, is finding a balance between doing nothing and doing it all. Runners and non-runners alike can surely understand my sad story.

I've yet to identify the source of motivation from within that can successfully motivate my lazy bones out of bed in the morning, but wherever that motivation is hiding, it needs to show its face pretty soon!

Until next time...one foot in front of the other (Dani)...and keep it movin' (Dani)!

Yours in (where is my mojo?) training,

Dani

Sh*t Runners Say...and sometimes Me