Just posting to keep me accountable!

On Sunday, February 22 I am doing the Hustle Up the Hancock. This is a 94-floor climb to the top of the Hancock building in Chicago. This will be the 5th year in a row I am doing it! The past two years both my boys (now 10 & 8) did the half climb. This year they are doing the full climb with me! Plus, my hubby has decided to do the full climb as well. I am being a drill sargeant planning our "stair climb training days" since the boys are too young to use the fitness equipment at the place where I work out. So we either go to a parking garage and do 4 flights at a time until we reach our goal for the day, or if it's too cold (as it has been here a lot this year) we go up and down one flight of stairs in our house like maniacs.

Also, on Sunday, May 3 I am planning to run the Great Western Half Marathon in St. Charles. I have run 3 halfs and 2 full marathons in the past but not for the last 4 years. I injured my Achilles tendon and subsequently gained weight. After time and physical therapy and losing some of the weight I am back to running. I am so psyched. I did 6.2 miles this morning of run/walk. I walked 1 minute at 3.6 mph and then ran 2 minutes at 5.2-5.5 mph. Eventually, I'll run more and walk less and run faster. I probably won't set any personal records but I am determined to finish!

E

Hi excellentjeni, 

Thanks for writing!  I love to hear about what you're working towards!!  It sounds like you're really making progress and are challenging yourself every day to achieve your goals! 

I want to encourage you to continue doing what you're doing, making short and long goals for yourself. It sounds like you've already achieved a lot and will continue to strive to achieve even more... and with your family along for the ride!

Take care and keep working hard!

Your friend in fitness, 

Kelli

Thanks, Kelly!

E

Hi exellentjeni, 

You are so welcome!  I am more than happy to assist you in anyway that I can!  Please continue to stay connected to the alli community and keep me posted with your progress!

Your friend,

Kelli

Progress towards goals:

• created half marathon training plan (less than 15 weeks until event)
• started week one of15 week plan
• continue working on stair climbing (less than 5 weeks until event)

E

HI excellentjeni,

You're doing great!  The most important thing is to stay connected and stay committed to your goals! The alli website provides all the tools to help you along your journey towards your health and fitness goals.

Keep up the hard work, make one good decision at a time and you'll see awesome results!

Hope to hear from you soon.

Best in health,
Kelli

 Thanks, Kelli.

I am sticking to my training plan and doing well in that regard. Exercising this much really makes me hungry though! It is still a challenge to not snack on high fat items but I am persevering.

E

Hi excellentjeni, 

Great to hear that you're doing well!  Exercising will increase your hunger sometimes, as it is utilizing the energy you're consuming.  Don't be afraid to "feed" your hunger!  It is really best to "snack" your way throughout the day, eating smaller, more nutrient-dense foods!  

Choose foods that will re-fuel your body, enabling you to be most efficient with all of your daily chores, work, as well as your exercise routine!  Be sure to include a low-fat protein (string cheese, cottage cheese, nuts, lean smoked turkey, chicken breast, tofu, hummus, eggs, etc.) and couple it with complex-carb (whole-grain breads, oatmeal, whole-grain crackers, brown rice) and a fruit or veges! Try keeping all snacks in-between meals at or around 200 calories!

Best of luck and keep it up! You're doing great!

Kelli

 Thanks for the advice, Kelli.

I'm on track to lose 1-2 pounds this week so I'm happy about that.

I did a 7-mile run yesterday (with walk breaks).

Here's a question for you. Since it's been so cold here (Chicago area so I'm talking below zero) I've been running at the fitness center on the treadmill and occasionally the track. Yesterday was beautiful (in the 40s!) so I did part of my run outside (it turned out to still be a bit icy and slippery and not all sidewalks plowed so I finished inside). Anyway, running outside bothered my calves whereas inside I have no problem with that. Is that due to the cement I'm running on as opposed to more giving treadmill and track surfaces? Or perhaps the variety of incline? My area is not hilly so it's not that. I have to eventually be able to run outside for long periods of time as the race itself is outside. Any advice on how to protect my calves from pain and injury?

Thanks!

E

Hi excellentjeni, 

Great job! Congratulations on your 7 mile run!  You should be very proud! 

Your calve pain may very possibly be due to the cement.  Pounding the pavement really can reap havoc on the chins and calves.  There's not much you can do about the cement, so the best advice I have for you is to make sure that your T-shoes are in great condition, providing maximum cushion and support.  It may not be a bad idea to visit a specialty store that looks at your gait, arch, etc. and get a shoe fit specially for your foot.  Additionally, do some warm-up laps (3-5 minutes) then stop and stretch.  Stretch both the calves and the chins (the back and front of the lower leg).  Both the muscles lining the chins and the calves need to be properly stretched, as they are opposing muscles.  Point and flex the foot, off of a curb or other elevated surface, etc. 

If your calves continue to hurt, you're going to have to cut back on the distance, as well as ice them each time after you run.  Take a couple of IB profen before you jog, if you can.  Again, if you continue to experience pain, try using alternate forms of cardio, intermittently between running.... jog a mile or 2, jump on a stationary bike, then on an elliptical, etc.  You may have to keep it inside? 

I know you'll do great!  Just keep up the hard work!

Yours in health, 

Kelli

Thank you for the advice, Kelli.

I have two pairs of good running shoes that I did get from a specialty running store so I think I'm okay there. I like the idea of doing a little warm up and stretching before going further. I think I am so worried about my Achilles that I focused all my stretching on that and forgotten some other important areas. Also, I went ice skating a couple weeks back and I tend to really tense up on skates so I think my calves may be still tight from that. A good massage may help me as well.

Thankfully, last week was an easy one on my training schedule with a max of 4 miles per session. This week it picks up again and goes further. I'll make it!

The stair climb is in 6 days and I'm excited to do that with my whole family :-).

E

Hi excellentjeni, 

I am really looking forward to hearing about the stair climb!  Please keep me posted with your progress and in the mean time, take care of of that Achilles by stretching, warming up and listening to your body!

Best of luck!

Kelli

The stair climb was awesome! It was so great to do it with my family. Although I've done it for 5 years now, my kids had only done the half the last two and my husband never any of it. This year we all did the full 94 floors. I am so proud of my boys. They did an incredible job! My 10-year-old beat us all to the top! The view at the top of the Hancock was beautiful.

The day before the climb I ran 7 miles as part of my training for the half marathon. Monday I did two miles. Unfortunately, on Monday I was running on an indoor track and some totally oblivious teenage girls walked on to the track carrying giant exercise balls and not looking where they were going. They nearly walked right into me. In order to avoid them I had to swerve and stretch my leg funny and I felt something not so good happen at the back of my left leg, slightly lower than my knee. I think I just overstretched/strained a ligment and hope hope hope it is nothing big. After sleeping it does feel better this morning but it's still there a little.

Tomorrow is a scheduled 6-miler so I'm just going to take it easy today. At least as easy as I can while substituting in a classroom of 1st-4th graders with autism. They are on the low-functioning range of the spectrum so it can be a physical job. I'll just hope for the best.

Oh, on top of that, while driving yesterday I reached up my left arm to scratch an itch on my neck and pulled something in my shoulder blade/neck area as well! I think I am just too tense and everything is ready to pop. Yoga, here I come!

E

Hi excellentjeni, 

It sounds like your stair climb was a huge success!!!  Congratulations to you and your entire family! Getting your boys and husband involved is such a positive step and can bring such unity between you all!  You should be very proud!

As you continue to train, do be very mindful of being warmed up, stretched out and to get plenty of rest and recovery time.  You'll do great, just listen to your body. 

I'm looking forward to hearing from you again. Until then work hard, challenge yourself whenever possible, and you're gonna see positive results. 

Yours in health, 

Kelli

Thanks, Kelli.

Great news here! My strained/streched ligament is fine. My neck is fine. I took it easy one run day doing only 2 miles instead of 6 and back to the program after that. I've done an 8-miler now and I did it outside in 20 degree weather (9 with windchill) and falling snow! It was awesome :-).

Also, I've lost a couple more pounds and don't even feel like I am trying to lose weight. It's just happening due to increased exercise, listening to my body's hunger/fullness signals and alli!

Woo hoo!

E