Exercise & Health Resolutions, Girls?

In procrastination of not doing what I am supposed to be doing, I happened to be conducting a social media stroll through facebook, instagram & twitter and came across a posting from Lauren Fleshman, elite runner/pickybar creator (we can get into why I follow all these elite athletes in a future post or maybe in therapy). In her twitter posting, she connects you to her  Instagram posting (yup, social media overload) to see the New Years Inspirational comments of fellow runners to this fill-in-the-blank statement. This is the year I _____________________

So shall we weigh in with our New Year running, workout, exercise, health plans, goals, inspirations and resolutions?  Maybe if we say it out loud, it will be the first step in making it happen and maybe like the sole sisters that we are, we can boost and support each other along the way. Or perhaps even more fun, complain and vent about how hard it is to get where we want to go.

I'll go head and jump into the 2015 Resolution Pool....

This is the year I will eat healthier, lose a few pounds, stay injury free (so I can keep running) and get my kids to eat healthier and exercise more. And maybe end up looking like a older chunkier Lauren Fleshman. 

Come on in, the water is fine. Join me and post how you will fill in the blank for 2015. 

Love my Southern Sole Sisters. Thanks for making 2014 such a great year.

Sadie

Running Again

I have sat down to write this blog entry a few times, but can't seem to get it out. Let me start off by saying this post is not about running, although tomorrow I am planning to run for the first time in a few weeks. My first blog post was planned to be the announcement that I am pregnant and to start sharing my journey and stories of running while pregnant. Sadly, that's not going to be the case for me. 

Two weeks ago I went in for my 12-week OB appointment. For me, this was a standard appointment and not significant. In fact, I didn't even bring my husband. We had already seen the baby twice and saw a strong heartbeat in both cases. This was just an appointment to confirm I could post that Facebook announcement I had already written in my head about expanding our family. I had even taught our oldest almost 2 year old to say Big Sister. I was completely unprepared when the doctor shared the sad news and told me that the baby was not viable. When I look back now, I remember just trying to hold it together as tears pooled and started pouring down my cheeks. I was completely in shock as I stepped through the process to quickly schedule the surgery for early the next morning. 

As the day progressed, I grew even more sad mourning the loss of this baby. That night it became clear that my body was going to handle the process on it's own. Unfortunately, it became a problem as I became light headed and felt that I was going to pass out several times. We quickly headed to the hospital where I passed out as we checked into the hospital and continuously had issues with my blood pressure dropping significantly. After tests, consultations and evaluations, it was determined that I needed to have an emergency surgery that evening.

The surgery took allot out of me. The first two days I could not stand up without feeling that I had to pass out. I slowly started walking again and even climbing stairs winded me. I had been told to hold off exercising for two weeks and frankly, I couldn't have run even if I tried. I have finally gotten my strength back. It's not nearly 100%, but I am feeling much better and eager to get back to my workout routines.

I know it's common to miscarry with pregnancy, there is a 20% chance with each pregnancy. As I have shared my story, more and more people have shared that they had a miscarriage and can share in the heartbreak of hearing the news that this was not meant to be and comfort on the hope for the future. I am still grieving the loss, but trying to stay positive and hope that we have another opportunity to expand our family. 

In the meantime, I am going back to running. I am looking forward to the run tomorrow. I know it will be tough as I haven't worked out in weeks and compounded with the surgery, I am winded easily and slow, but that's okay. At this point, it's just about getting back to something that I love doing, running. 

COMPRESSION OBSESSION

I am the oldest member of our running tribe. Perhaps that fact alone is the root of my focus on injury prevention and recovery. I am old, getting older and want to KEEP RUNNING FOREVER. In my post baby running (and other forms of exercise) resurgence of over six years, I feel like I have sustained more injuries than the rest of the tribe. I am definitely the one amongst our group who sees Dr. S, the doctor that keeps runners running, the most.  By the way, that has some downstream benefits as I impart Dr. S’s wisdom to the rest of the tribe, would could involve avocados, how to rehab, firing glutes when running and other activities to ward off dead butt syndrome. Let’s see if I can remember & catalog my issues. Don’t feel like you need to read the entire list below, it would be boring and painful, any two of the bullets gets my points across.

• Metatarsal Bursitis, required pad insert in shoes for awhile
• Sprained Ankle twisted while running solo-dog jumped out at me & I panicked by rolling my ankle.
• Deeply Bruised Wrist from breaking my fall while running in a bootcamp pack. Taken down by one tall male instructor who tripped.
• Back muscle spasms from bootcamp freezing workout with medicine ball. Not enough warm up, got rid of that in a few days but the few days were HORRIBLE.
• Concussion from car accident (hit from behind, driver estimated travelling 40 mph). yes that is not a running/work out injury but it lead to three weeks of not running and during my ease back in, I twisted my ankle running on Mount Vernon with girls on one of my first few return runs.
• What I thought was Achilles tendinitis training for a 13.1 Atlanta which got me all kinds of heel inserts from running podiatrist, did not resolve went and saw Dr. S, he painfully untangled tangled calf muscles..heel inserts shelved.
• Knee Pain, Ortho first who MRIed, gave me brace, custom orthotic, kinesio tape…. Then turned to Dr. S and Fairy RunMother to find out it was dead butt syndrome. Saved me with exercises, stretches and glute firing while running. Makes me wonder how many knee pains stop runners from running not know it could be there butt?!
• Hip pain, of course, worried about some horrid stress fracture, again the bursitis, changed my diet, my form, sleep with pillow between legs and fixed it. Dr. S to rescue once more.

I am sure I missed some strains, tweaks, twinges. I have surmised if you are aging and working out regularly, stuff is just going to hurt. Through all of this, I have learned not to panic and immediately conclude a particular pain is going to cripple my running life and require surgery. Okay so that is not entirely true. I do go through that psychological/emotional cycle every injury/strain but I work myself through it much faster..probably in about an hour where it used to take a week of the grieving cycle for me to regain perspective.

Somewhere along this journey, I began to focus on prevention and recovery. I won’t bore you with the eating right, sleeping right, stretching, foam rolling, strengthening and resting. There are far better resources out there than this 49 year old kinda slow runner. What I do want to share is my love and downright obsession with compression. I think if there was a way to compress my whole body head to toe (a la mummy style) once/day, I would probably do it. Just typing this makes me think of when you swaddle your baby (in my case, babies) like a baby burrito. Need for psychotherapy maybe? Any way back to my crush with compression. It all started with Dr. S. When I had the not-Achilles-tendinitis but the tangled-up-calf-muscle, Dr. S said go to BP (our local running store) and get sized for CEP knee socks and wear them as much as I could (with breaks). I did just that. I wore to work, I wore them to run. At first, I just had one pair and realized wearing them three days straight without a wash was not a good plan. I did take them off from time to time but then an avid running magazine reader, I read about one of those cool elite runner girls who wears them to bed. Yup that happened. I would like to pause here and give a shout to my BRFs who endured many runs with me sporting my compression knee socks. Some girl’s legs looks so cute and cool in these knee socks. Not me, I think it just makes the chubby parts the star of my not so long legs. But one must do what one must do to run FOREVER.

So when I had the knee pain and understood the mechanics of the support of kinesio tape or the brace, I researched and acquired a bunch of different style of CWX compression tights.  This worked well in the winter when we are in tights for almost every run especially for feels like teen or single digit degrees. I just blended with amongst my BRFS with their black tights but oh, it felt so good to have all that support. Yes, then II found reasons to wear tights for different reasons. Thinking about how great the socks felt after a long run, I began to apply this same principle to compression tights.  I had a new fashion goal in selecting what I would wear post long run.  If my long run was on a weekend in which I had a kids activity to attend (soccer game, swimming), I found a pair of pants just a little big on me that I could slide on a clean pair of compression tights under those pants allowing me stand on that soccer sideline and cheer like a mama who did not run 12 miles. Or if I had to be at work after a long run (yes, some of my BRFs prefer we knock out the long run in the wee, wee hours on a weekday morning), it can be a bit more challenging.  In the winter where boots and long skirts rule, compression tights..no one is the wiser. This, of course, only works in the winter.  Luckily for me, summer half marathon training is not typical in our group. Speaking of summer running, I had to give up thoughts of running in bike shorts, shorts and stick to compression knickers, capris, shorts…I cannot give up my compression.

And the final slide into my obsession, I read about another one of my fav elite runners sleeping in her compression tights. You must know what happened next. My husband has gotten used to it and my kids do not do a double take anymore. Now, mind you, I do not wear these every night. That would be crazy (crazier) right?  Just before an early morning long run or the night after a long run…or maybe both. I just declare they are magic, magic for me. Giving my legs the extra recovery they need to feel springy for a long run to tackle whatever life has to bring.  

So there it is out in the open, my compression obsession. I maybe sharing and spreading this obsession. I lent Zelda my CEP knee socks and I think I she felt the magic and power. Winter is here and I just ordered a new pair of CWX cool weather tights. Cannot wait until they get here and I get to take them out for 10, 11, 12 miles.

 

Compression Wear + Sadie = LOVE

1. MY IRONMAN CHATTANOOGA JOURNEY AND WHAT IRONMAN MEANS TO ME

   Due to some technical difficulties, we are reposting this blog from our BRF, Rose. Originally published on October 10, 2014

   
   

   In the past, I’ve often written and shared race recaps of my major milestone races. I considered doing that for Ironman Chattanooga, and I’ll probably write up something for future training and racing purposes, but Ironman is really so much more than a race, and a simple race day recap really wouldn’t do it justice. What Ironman is, is a transformative journey that takes most of us a year to complete and culminates in a grueling day and crossing a finish line to hear Mike Reilly say the famous, coveted line, “You Are an Ironman.” There is so much emotion at that finish line, for every participant and spectator – and for folks back home tracking and watching. Deep down we all know that something amazing has happened – but it is the story leading up to that moment that captures the real magic of Ironman.

   For me the journey began 5 years ago with my running girls who brought me back to fitness and running races after a hiatus to have kids. This lead to participating in my first Sprint Triathlon in Acworth and the feeling of success and accomplishment that day had me hooked and I quickly progressed to increase my distance and became a bit of an endurance junkie. During that time, I ran a handful of half marathons, tackled several sprint and Olympic distance races, two Half Ironman races, and my first marathon -- and I joined a great team and coach at Dynamo. All the while I knew, deep down, that Ironman was calling me but I was unsure of when, where or how it would happen.

   I remember the day clearly from last year – a beautiful fall day in September on my way to meet a triathlete friend for lunch when the news posted on Facebook, came in my email and suddenly in texts and calls from friends – they were opening a new Ironman in Chattanooga. I’ve always loved Tennessee – having lived there as a small child, attended Vanderbilt University and raced in Chattanooga several times. I knew this was my race and when I managed to get a spot to race in the inaugural Ironman Chattanooga – which sold out 3 minutes after opening – it seemed more meant to be than I could have imagined. And then the work began.

   I love to train and I was never daunted by the schedule that I knew I would work toward. I enthusiastically attacked my training schedule, embraced the aches and pains, the fatigue that came later in training – the juggling of my schedule as a working mom and an Ironman-in-training and the work of maintaining balance. Toward the end, I let Ironman take over my brain as I meticulously planned race day strategy, nutrition, equipment, hotels, and schedules. I fought off a cold at the end of my taper that left me paranoid and neurotic worrying that a simple cold was going to ruin my year of dedication.

   What happened along the way -- as I tackled those long rides, labored through long runs and walked around in a chlorine induced haze – is that I reached a new clarity on who I am at my core -- and I found my people. Let’s face it, people who race endurance are an odd breed, and I am no exception. I have many great friends who have loved and supported me through many times in my life.  But the great gift of Ironman for me, was finding people who really understood me with very little explanation needed. The community of triathlon is a unique and diverse place. No two of us are exactly alike. We come from all over the world, we are men and women, we have different kinds of jobs, some of us are married, some have kids, some are single. But there is something indescribable at our core that bonds us. Finding a community of people who accept you for all your strengths – and all your weaknesses, which they surely get to know on 100 mile rides -- is an amazing gift.

   For me, this gave me the clarity to really understand myself, more than ever before. To stop trying to define myself by my surroundings or fit into the prescribed box I should belong in. It gave me the freedom to freely explore who I want to be, what I want in my life and what I want to pass along to my children. I found pride in what is different about me and a belonging, unlike I’d ever know before. And I came to realize, in a real and practical way, that it is when people embrace your faults that you find the confidence to let your strengths soar and grow.

   It was with this foundation of friendship and support, built over the year and many miles of training, that I arrived in Chattanooga to successfully race 144.6 miles. It was two weeks (or more) of supportive listening and encouragement from dear triathlete friends, promising me I could do this when doubts began to creep in; it was the smiles and cheers of encouragement from Dynamo teammates and a tightly clasped hand of my friend Maria as I anxiously began to cry before the swim; it was encouragement and concern from friends, Reiko and Teesha, as I flustered with a flat just out of transition; it was riding side by side with a teammate up the hill before Hog Jowl road – and another teammate standing there all day, by himself, to cheer us on; it was seeing Andrea at the end of the race on our way to the finish line and her encouragement and deep understanding of where I was at; and it was the larger triathlete community and our supporters – quite literally willing me through a brutal run – this is the magic of Ironman. While that day alone changes you, with its amazing highs and its deep and painfully dark lows, it is really the journey that leads up to that moment, and the people surrounding it, that define Ironman for me.

   I was speaking to a friend the other day who became an Ironman many years ago. She said whether you go on to do more Ironman races, or you only do one, it is always a part of who you are. I definitely think that is true. There is something about knowing how deep down you can go - how far you can push and still come back - that prepares you in a unique way to face life’s challenges. For me, I will return to Ironman. Again, I am not sure when or where or how just yet, but I will return - I suspect many times. And whether or not I am out on an Ironman course in 2015, I know that the friends I have made on this journey will now be riding alongside me for many years to come as we support each other on and off the road. This is the one of the most precious and lasting gifts of Ironman.

   
   

   From Rose, who is currently searching out her next adventure . . . stay tuned! 
2. 
   

Naked. Running. Man.

Now that I have your attention…

Hyde Park is a neighborhood just north of the University of Texas. Or more commonly referred to as, UT.  While UT still means Tennessee to me… This UT is nestled between Hyde Park and downtown Austin.  Hyde Park is one of the first established neighborhoods in Austin and is full of a mix of craftsman style homes, shotgun houses, college apartments, and new modern construction homes.  It is a bustling neighborhood of college kids, young families, and artists.  And one naked running man.

We are renting a small college like house until we decide where we want to live when we grow up.  While I often head downtown to run along Lake Austin (ahem, the Colorado River) on weekends, I tend to run closer to home in the early morning hours before work. 

I mix it up and run around Hyde Park after work or on weekends with my son when the weather is nice and we want to get out or my husband is traveling for work requiring any run to be better than no run. 

Stopped to capture the sunset much to his annoyance

Every run through Hyde Park is unique as this eclectic neighborhood likes to entertain.  Austin has truly kept true to its promise that  it is a laid back city with its liberal university. Auburn was more conservative so while the smell of pot or the sound of drums and electric guitars floating through the streets takes me back to a younger time, I can’t say it quite takes me back to MY younger time. I’m often sharing the streets with bikers whose yoga mats are tied to the backseat, other joggers, youth on their way to the bus stop, local coffee shop, or class.  Oh, and chickens.  Lots of chickens. 

 

Thankfully, I was warned before my first encounter.  I was running solo in the winter on one of the coldest mornings in Austin.  It was a balmy 30 degree morning right before sunrise when I saw a fair colored mass headed directly towards me.  I was honestly trying to figure out what I was seeing when I leaped from the sidewalk to the street and noticed the brown long hippie hair on a rather 70’s porn star physique turn sharply down a poorly lit side street.  As I continued on, I realized that I had indeed witnessed, the naked man.  Or at least, I hoped I had witnessed THE naked running man and there weren't others!  I was also relieved for the dark street he turned down as he was hidden by the night as I passed.

The reactions I received from this incident have been either shock or curiosity regarding his selection of running footwear.  I am able to report that he indeed does, wear shoes, as I saw him in the full light of the morning while running with a local running buddy.  He seemed a lot less shy the second time as he jogged past us without a care.  I can also confirm again that his appearance is more of that of a slightly heavier hippie than an athletic college student.  I have only seen him in the morning and I haven’t seen him since the weather warmed up for the summer.  I suppose he prefers cooler months.  Hook em’ Horns.

 

I was hoping my first post to our new blog would be cool, profound, inspiring – all things for which I’d like to be known. I’m afraid, though; that the only one of these fine adjectives that applies to this installment is the inspiring event that moved me to write. 

My dog died. There. I said it. My friend of eleven and a half years passed away peacefully last Friday. My sole sister in her own way, who has been in my life longer than my own children, longer than I have known my Sisters and as long as I have been married, left me last Friday. Dogs die. I know this, having a dog in my family since I was two years old without even a month lapse. Bella was different. She was my dog. Technically she was the family dog but she loved me best, and this was a fact. 

Bella was my inspiration. She was the “I-love-you-no-matter-what” constant in my life.  She was the bright spot after many dark days at work. She and I were buds. She was up at 430 am with me when no one else was. She was my personal cheerleader. She slept on my side of the bed; rested under my feet and would have gone anywhere with me, including the dreaded vet. I tried to introduce Bella to one of my passions, running, since we were buds and that’s what buds do. However, Bella being a big dog and not so speedy (like her mom) just didn’t share the endurance that her mom has. I’m afraid Bella was introduced to running too late in her life, (again, like her mom) and just couldn’t hang. But it was enough for me to have her waiting at home after those early mornings I just didn’t want to get out of bed or following those super long runs that I wanted to celebrate just finishing.

So Friday morning, on my last long run before my half marathon next weekend, I ventured out with a heavy heart to tackle twelve miles. Ironically, I chose to run these twelve miles on my own to simulate race day, as none of my Sole Sisters are joining me on this race. I was off work, figured I’d be rested and stress-free and best of all, I didn’t have to get up at 430 in the morning for this run. 

I picked one of my favorite routes that doesn’t lend itself to our early morning shorter runs. I had psyched myself up for this one. I had this! Then came the darkness. My dog was sick; I knew the end was soon. I just couldn’t say goodbye. I couldn’t get out the door because I knew she wouldn’t be there to celebrate with me when I got back. But I left. I left because I had to. I had to get this run in. I had to clear my head. I had to will Bella to get better. 

The first five miles went okay, not good not bad. I was slow but that’s not entirely a new phenomenon for me. But as I approached mile six, something just turned off. I couldn’t do it. I was running downhill and couldn’t catch my breath. Of course, I was almost at the furthest point in the route and barely half way through the route that I used to love. Now what? I stopped at a gas station and got an unplanned but much appreciated pep talk by an octogenarian who sold me some blue Gatorade. “Blue was his favorite color,” he said, “So this must be your lucky day.” He went on to tell me how impressed he was that I had run eight miles and that I ‘could do it’ since I was more than half way through.  I left the station and heard the Rocky theme through my pink headphones while blue Gatorade stained my lips and sloshed in my belly.  Unfortunately the will and endurance that Rocky had was not to be mine. 

At mile 9 I had a complete meltdown – crying and everything.  Thank goodness for sunglasses.  The next mile was just a disaster. I walked most of it and thought I might even have to sit down. I kept thinking of those football players who go out and kick ass when they have a fallen teammate or an ailing family member. I tried to find that will inside me. When I started this morning, I imagined having one of the best long runs ever.  The Another Mother Runners always talk about pushing through pain and tragedy – finding your strength and salvation in running. While running has been that foundation for me before, it failed me today. 

I spent all weekend stressing about my upcoming race and fearing those demons that haunted me on Friday will come back next weekend. My Sole Sisters will only be with me in spirit and will that be enough? Running is a solo sport but it really isn’t. The Sole Sisters all run for different reasons, and while we joke that we all run for Starbucks, it is true, but it’s not for the coffee; it’s for the fellowship and camaraderie. Sometimes running is enough; sometimes it isn’t. Running, I learned, is no substitute for companionship.

So I will run my eleventh half marathon, in honor of my friend of eleven years, Bella. I will hold the virtual hugs of my Sole Sisters in my heart and run toward the finish line anxiously awaiting the true hugs from my kids. And I will hope my dear friend is looking down on me, wagging her tail and celebrating one last long run.

RUNNING FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS

The benefits of running together. There are so many benefits beyond the actual running that have blossomed from our running friendship. And some that become a rhythm underlying those many miles. Here is one I wanted to highlight and also, with my ever not-so-hidden agenda, use as an interactive blog warm up exercise for my southern sole sisters.

So the Sadie before career and kids, loved, loved, loved to read for pleasure. When I was younger, my parents could not tear me away from a book. I would stay up all night to devour the words on the page. Fast forward to the college and grad school years, reading was focused for academics and then into career, reading for my profession. Professional trade publications, leadership and healthcare focused books, magazines for which, I had to discipline myself to consume. Not the same joy as before. Then came my lovely twins and age appropriate reading books, took over the other possible reading opportunities. (The Monster at the End of the Book and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus-on my top five list). I would think I might consume a novel or two when I was on vacation but anyone with small children knows that is challenging unless there is someone else to keep them from running into ocean or pool and not drowning. I just put this interest of “myself on a shelf” (sorry could not resist) and thought I will pick it up again when my kids hit college and/or I retire. Fast forward to running with my southern sole sisters, different topics bubble up with different combinations of us but I have run a long side or behind certain duos and trios and listened (okay, at first ignored) with interest as they tossed around what they were reading and gathering ideas from each other. This book club has worked its magic on me, sucked me in and reminded me of my reading passion…so much so that on occasion, I have found time to read again. Just hearing about how much they loved a book or could not put it down or cannot wait to see the movie of a certain book…I had to grab that surf board and catch that wave. I still cannot read as much as I like an as some of my sisters but I love their knowledge and passion about books. Whether they know it or not, they are inspiring our group to keep our brains as fresh as our endurance and physical health.

I asked a few of these reading inclined sole sisters, Scarlett, Bea & Zelda, to give me their top 5 reads of 2014 and here are their lists. 

SCARLETT  

“I listed my top reads that I have read over the past 2 years or so and not necessarily just from 2014.” 

·         The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt   Couldn't put it down and read it while we drove cross country.  It was a great distraction while my kids fought in the backseat.

·         Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum was an engaging WWII story.

·         In Cold Blood by Truman Capote I realize this is classic, and I have had it on the shelf for a long time. Excellent writing, I can see why Truman Capote was such a famous writer

·         Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann Takes place in NYC. There are several different stories that take place at the same time, and all cumulate at the end.  Brilliant.

·         Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson   Steve Jobs is the Einstein of our generation.  So interesting on the risks he took and the successes and failures that he had to overcome.

 

BEA

Best reads of 2014:

1.       Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

2.      Fault in Our Stars by John Green

3.      If I Stay by Gayle Forman 

4.      Where She Went by Gayle Forman

5.      Paper Towns by John Green

 

ZELDA

“Did see the book email. Been thinking on it. Though if People magazine doesn't count as a book, I am not certain I have read five books this year”

But Zelda did read five books (more) and here is her list:

1-3. The Divergent Series  by Veronica Roth (book 1 - Divergent; book 2 - Insurgent;
book 3 - Allegiant)

4. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

5. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Come on the rest of you, I know you have your top 5 too. Frances? I expect to hear from you. Comment and list whether you agree with some of them on the list or post your own top 5.

So here is your warm up exercise. Think of it just like me working us up to three minute hill repeats. Wasn't that so much fun? J

 XO, Sadie

Nell's adventure begins... and this is just the beginning.

Moving at 37 is strange.  Moving cities for the 3^rd time (including college) is even stranger.  It seemed like taking on an adventure when work will foot the move and job security is in place was only logical.  And to move to Austin!  It is the fun hip city in which everyone wants to move to.  Right? 

Pack up the 2 year old!

It turns out… 2 year olds do not hinder fun or hip.  He received nothing but smiles dancing in a bar on 6^th street.  Okay, yes, it was the Driskill hotel bar, in which most people thought he was staying in, not visiting someone but it counts.  And yes, he did dance to the acoustic band.

So, while Austin is known for its hip music scene and laid back, not as judgmental as the deep south of where you take your kid attitude, it also has an incredibly large running scene.  At any time of the day you can head to Town Lake, Lake Austin, or “The Rock” and there are runners.  Head downtown to the trail running east/west through the city on any given Saturday or Sunday morning between 6am and noon, and the trail is packed full of runners.  A one mile boardwalk just opened up to extend the experience from a trail around the lake to on the lake.  Well, the lake that is a river (Colorado River) referred to as a lake.  I figure when I am able to tell you exactly where is the cut off between Town Lake and Lake Austin, I’m a local.

There are many running groups but I fell into meeting some individuals not that different than how I discovered my amazing group of girls that I miss so very much in Atlanta.  By posting on a neighborhood website asking if anyone was interested in running and not only run but specifically run in the wee hours of the morning.  I was a solo runner until I met Scarlett posting on the neighborhood website looking for someone to get my post baby working mom out of bed at an early morning hour I would NEVER thought sane prior to motherhood.  She was the only one to email me in response to my post.  Not only did Scarlett get my butt out of bed, she is responsible for making me become JUST LIKE HER.   I am the Austin version of the girl who will meet you without fail.  I owe Scarlett for that. 

I’m currently in the process of developing deep lasting relationships with some amazing women in Austin.  I still miss my Atlanta running friends though.  They had become a staple in grounding me to take on my day.  I'm stronger and more confident because of them.  I like to think I carry their spirits with me through the streets of Austin.  Around the lake…

 

- Nell

Dear BRFs

While I was on a short vacation to that oasis of relaxation, the Great Wolf Lodge, an idea came upon me for our group. I had the opportunity to really improve upon this idea with Therese and Petunia. We seemed to be together all summer with similar barre, OT and run schedules. Therese and Petunia have fleshed out this idea and added their own particular talents to bring this idea to life. So here it goes…

One of the best joys in my life is knowing and spending time with you all. I often reflect how lucky I am to have connected with you all (most through bootcamp and then that connection led me to know the rest of you) and that connection has blossomed into a friendship with healthy benefits. I think we all experience many challenges in life, whether it is working, family, etc. but I can always count on a run or work out with you girls to pull me through and keep me in shape, mentally, emotionally and physically. You bring me health, peace, serenity, joy, comfort and lots of laughs. I cherish the memories we make: a solo run with one of you or a running party (as I like to call it)..where there is a herd of us and you get to talk to like ten folks in different duos and trios during a long run, or that crazy nike workout, or Seaside Half trip or a challenging half marathon training plan. As well as I enjoy the stories when I am not there –naked running man in Austin or the different conflicting thoughts on a new route or madcap spouse adventures.

I pair the thought above with the admiration for each of your writing skills. (Booyah to our parents and our teachers for making it so) Truly I have never been surrounded by so many who can translate the details of a workout, the creativity of an invite, a recap of a journey or a down right belly laugh phrasing as well as this group of gals. Those two thought processes married into the idea of a group blog to really the capture the essence of us, our group. The purpose of the blog could be to document our memories, act as a forum for us to share our perspectives/stories with each other whether it be from a time we were together or an experience when we are not and be a place where we inspire and reinforce each other (okay and entertain too). A blog would be an awesome way to bridge the miles with our BRFs in Macon and Austin. In an effort to bare it all on this idea, one other possible outcome that has crossed my mind is to for this blog to be public in the future. There are many, many excellent running bloggers out there but I have not yet found one that harnesses the power and the uplift one gets from a group of running friends like I believe we do (or at least I do). That grander thought is back burner and just an off shoot but I think it is important to note it at the beginning.

Before you love or hate this idea, let me share the details of how it would work and expectations (or lack thereof). Petunia, Therese and I brainstormed, over a few runs, these guidelines. (there may be more or less as we get into it)
· Therese has set up this blog to start as private to our group.
· Blogging contributions and reading would be private to our group until we make it public but if we open it to the public we do not want to go back and edit so blogs should be written with public consumption in mind. Personally (and this is only personal to me, Sadie, so take it or leave it) I would suggest implied profanity rather than using the actual words. For example, wtf rather than actually typing out what that stands for. Again that is personal to me and has to do with my thoughts on imprint on the internet. But it also comes to pass if we go public..and your kids or your mother might read it.
· The blog has two options to set up profile, using real names or made up names. You need to set up a made up blogger name, please. It is one of my sincere hopes that I am running when I am 80 years and I am still running with you gals..so the blogger name theme is OLD LADY NAMES from your grandmother’s generation. This also means if you are including the name of another one of our group in your blog post, you will need to use their blogger name. After we get set up, we can compile a blogger name cross reference and send it out on email.
· We would love it if everyone contributed but there is no expectation that you contribute if writing/blog posting is not your thing… There is no volume requirement of submissions. Just when the moment strikes you. Some may contribute a lot, some may not contribute at all. It does not matter.
· There are so many great ideas of what we could blog about. Here are a bunch of examples and I am sure you can come up with many more.
o Sharing a funny or heartwarming or story of conquest after a run or workout. There have been many times I have wanted to memorialize special or funny moments or thoughts after a long run. I love the route, I hated the route, I had a poignant conversation with one of you that was impactful to me. Running with a BRF on Inman, or running up this really steep Windsor Pkwy hill with another BRF, running a new and interesting route created by our BRF we sometimes put on route creation probation or hearing about the details of Yoga retreat or encountering live mice on the road with BRFs, first really getting to know a BRF on a long run with CRR @ Chastin, running a half marathon with pregnant BRF, watching a BRF sprint last two miles of Peachtree Battle as part of a 10+ mile run ‘cause she realized she has a NBSpa massage appointment.
o Sharing the details of a workout, perhaps a new one so the rest of us can hear about it like the Nike Workout, West Coast Workout, Fastwich on a Saturday, Pink Barre, Infinity Yoga, Stellar Bodies with our favorite instructor. However we may want to code name an actual business, for now.
o Sharing thoughts, perspectives and information on topics like hair while running, recipes, best new running/workout products (from our functional fashionistas). Some of these could be done survey style and posted by one person.
o A blog post dedicated to our spouses who make running possible either by handling the kids and/or the pets or by sleeping through it. Or rather the strategies we use to get the run PLUS coffee time.
o Rules of running with BRFS..those formal and informal. Start & End at Starbucks?
o Reflections on what we know and appreciate about each other. The more one BRF talks, the faster she runs. One BRF gets out in front and if you do not get her engaged in a conversation, she can set a terribly fast pace for the pack. BRF Bookclub. I am thinking a few of you need your own section just to post all your book reviews.
I will stop there as the examples and ideas are endless and not limited!
· Contributions do not always have to be written compositions, they can be links to articles, inspirational photos/posters, photos or on liners.
· It might have crossed your mind that writing about each other could threaten our harmony as one person’s perspective could be not appreciated by another. Thus, a key guideline would be that you must share a post with a fellow blogger if they are part of your post in any other way than purely factual. If I write, “Petunia and I decided to go to Orange Theory and here are the details of the work out”. I do not need to run it by Petunia as the post is just factual. However, if my blog post is about how Mavis particular difficulty or feelings about a work out, after a night on the town then I should run it by Mavis for approval.
· There should be one person who is the submission approver if for no other reason than to space out the postings. Maybe this will not be needed in the future but some of us will need technical help from those who are more savvy than me. We can even rotate this job if there is interest. But if on Monday we get five submissions, it would be nice to post one/day versus five at once.

I hope you are as jazzed about this idea as I am. Maybe to be a regular contributor, sporadic contributor, a reader participant or even an idea giver for surveys & blogs for others to write. However, if you are not jazzed and this just does not sit well with you, just email me and we will keep you out of it…no pressure, no drama.

Reading for a blogging adventure? Hope so!
Hope to be your BRF into our 80s,
Sadie