Running still sucks

so running still stuck, and after having some weeks off, and trying to get back into it I feel like not only have I lost all the progress I had made before I broke my finger but I have gone backwards.

my new running partner olivia and her egg

This is a very depressing feeling, and somewhat debilitating, I mean where is the progress, technically speaking it should be easier for me to get back to where i was not harder. My education tells me that my body should still have some muscle memory from my training before, and even tho i have not run for 6 weeks and will definitely not be at the same level I was before injury, i should at least not find it as hard as I am finding it to actually physical run.
But reality is somewhat different.
I'm heavy and every step is hard work, its painful and I am not 'feeling it in any way'.

So what do I do?, well today we change direction and start a new path. for those of you who dont know I have signed up for the fjäll räven classic this year
www.fjallraven.com
this is a 110km trek through the kings rail at the top of Sweden, I have signed up to do this with my cousin, and am hoping to complete the trek in less than 3 days.

and what does this mean for your running program I hear you ask?
well here is my new plan.
because its not just about running its also about

• using my body, 
• feeling good, 
• creating some head space, 
• working towards a goal,
• teaching y kids that exercise is important

and all those kinds of things, I have had to sit down and re think my program.

so to work around all those things that are taking me away from my training i have sat down and written a program that should work into my life instead of being a burden and making my life work around my training program,

essentially what I want to be getting in is, 

3 walks  - minimum 10 km

2 runs - minimum 1/2 hour - will probably be mostly taking the dog out for her exercise

3 rides - because riding my bike is not only a healthy and environmentally friendly way to get to and from the studio, our of all the cardio options I have cycling is by far my favourite.

so there it is people

oh and don't forget, 

squeaky and olivia in the snow

1 core w/o

and 1 functional fitness w/o

and there you have it

my training program for the next 10 weeks,

lets see how it goes.

speaking for core w/o's my training tip for this week will be on 

'what is my core and why must I turn it on?'

my diary says it time to go for a walk, so Ill collect the dog and head out.

thanks for reading

getting the right trainer

this week I came to a decision that it was high time I started putting up training tips on the blog instead of just using it as an outlet for my rants about the ups and downs of becoming a runner (running sucks this week BTW).
and life has provided me with my first tip topic.
the very next day I received this photo from Sofi.

the headline translates to 'my PT gave me an eating disorder'.
and the article reads that this woman decided to get into shape and went to a gym hired a PT, who gave her a training program and recommended a strict calorie controlled diet with a cheat day once a week.
this is a fairly common training philosophy, and it works for some people.
However, when this woman told her trainer that she would binge so much that she would purge afterwards, it would seem that he would just laugh it off, and she was left feeling unhappy and often in tears.
As a trainer I hate reading articles like this one, or hearing stories like this, so I though I would write up my tips for getting the right trainer and program. It's important to have the right advice from the beginning.
Lets say you want to climb mountains, and I told you the best way to train for that is to swim.
you'd be asking questions right? I know I would.

So here it is

• interview your trainer

• at good to go with our fitness programs my policy is first session is free 
• if you are trying one of our group sessions, first session is free
• if you are wanting PT, we sit down and have an interview
• it is important that you and your trainer are on the same page, do they understand your goals?
• are they the right trainer for you? this may take a few sessions to work out, but if the relationship is not working end it, it's your money your body, your life.
• a good trainer will should always offer to meet with you first free of charge to talk about your goals and whether or not you can work together to achieve them.

• do your own research

• by research I mean understand what your goals are and research your trainers philosophies, if the recommendations they are giving you are not the best for your goal, then you are not going to achieve your goal. in saying this also understand that this is what your trainer does this for a living, so they are probably going to know more about it than you (at least I hope so).
• as a trainer I like to keep updated on all the latest things in the industry not just because if something new is out there that I can use in the studio to make training more fun and effective but also because if I have done my home work and you ask me about something that I don't believe works then I need to have a knowledgeable and valid response, not just laugh things off or dismiss them.

• make sure your trainer is qualified!!!

• this is a big one, it is no good handing your money over to some guy or girl at the gym who knows lots, that's all well and good, but there is more to being a PT than just having trained for years and knowing stuff.
• a PT has an obligation to make sure you are safe at all times whilst training
• among other things a qualified PT will have studied first aid, and contraindications and injuries, anatomy and physiology, nutrition and the list goes on.

• don't be afraid to end the relationship.

• this is also a really big one. As a trainer I have had to end relationships with clients, and it is always hard, but my view is that same of clients as of trainers if the relationship is not working, move on, training should always be fun, hard and goal oriented but fun. if you're not having fun this is a pretty good indicator that the relationship is not working.

so there it is friends.

just make sure your trainer knows what they are doing.

and have fun

J

my new running partner

its going to take some time to get used to running with her.
she is nothing like my training partner from last year (who has unfortunately had to stop training because of injury )
she is very young,
and were learning to work together in our training sessions
to date ourlongest run has been 4 k's
which was today, ,and whilst we ran faster than i normally would we did a shorter distance.
her concentration span is a little short and i have to keep reminding her of where we are going and what we are doing.
she does'nt mind if I listen to music whilst we run, she doesnt say much.
and really its going to be probably another cuple of years before we can get to some good distance runing but this is true for me also.
so Im very excited about running with her and when my old training partner is recoverd and can come back to running, all 3 of us can hit the trails.

one of the best things about my new training partner is I always know when she's had a good run, she goes stright to sleep aftrwards.

dojo dog

loving the new shoes not so much the old body

Im gooing to start this post with an apology.
sorry.
but i need to have a rant, i'm tired old fat and just a little depressed, and getting back into running after a great start is hard and annoying.

I can help but think about how much further I would have been in my training if I hadn't broken my finger and if I hadn't not trained for 3 weeks and well bla bla bla blaahhhhhhhh.

I did go for my run on friday I also went cross country skiing on sunday and then went for a run on monday.
on Sunday I went and bought my self some new shoes to see if I could get myself out of this little funk I'm in, and well a little retail therapy usually works, and I

NEW SHOES!

do love my new winter running shoes, the come with little spikes so I don't slip on the ice, but you  know what even though they were awesome they didn't make me any lighter or help me run any faster, and I spent more time walking than I did running sports tracker isn't working properly so I don't have the proper stats for my sessions, and it makes me cranky.

aaaarrrrgggghhhhhhh

I know there is nothing for it but to just get out there and do my training. But its sooo frustrating!!!!!!!'

so because i have a broken finger i cant grip anything with my lef hand, so that means no lifting for me, more frustration. i cant even do the things im good at, lifting heavy things and hitting people.

so here i am and now for the next 3 to 6 months whilst i rehab my finger i will focus on flexibilty and core stability and running and cycling, no lifting heavy and no hitting people

so I'm feeling a bit stuck.
how do I fix this?how do I get out of this funk?

I look to Winston Churchill who said 'when going through hell keep going'.

so this is me keeping going, keeping motivated keeping inspired.
meh.
not its not, this is me with my cranky pants on.

the plan for the rest of the week is core and flexibility training wednesday thursday, run on friday and maybe some more skiing on the weekend.
we shall see.

check ya
J

trouble getting started

its been a while,
but I've not just been on holiday.
I broke my finger just before Christmas, and needed surgery.
personally I wouldn't have thought that a broken finger could stop me from running, but it has.
and now I'm struggling to get back into the routine.
and I'm slightly depressed about it.
but here is my plan.
tomorrow I go out and run. at least 8 km.

there it is, now I've said it I have to do it.
stay tuned - Ill get back to you tomorrow about how it went.

One step two step three step four - red step blue step one step more

I've had 3 runs since my last post, and what a mixed bag they have been.

I managed to run into the studio, 10.5 k's
Took me an hour and a half, with a back pack.
I went for a friday run with my training partner, that was business as usual,
I ran around the island on monday, about 10 k's, not sure my phone died half way through so i dont have all the stats.

Mondays run was an interesting process, I found my self starting with the usual rhetoric of not wanting to go out.

• Its cold
• I'm tired
• I really should rest i have alot on today
• Its cold
• I dont really have the time for this

Bla bla bla...

And as i'm busy making excuses why not to run the part of me that has actually decided that im running today no matter what is actually going through the process of getting changed into my running gear and shutting up the studio, and before I knew it I was out the door and on my way.

This is a very sstrange process to me, its like there are two different people at war with each other in my head (yes Imay be crazy but hey, who isnt right?)- the one who wants to go out and do this thing, and the other who just wants me to stay in and be comfortable.

And as strange as it is, it is not that unfamiliar to me, its been going on for a long time, and for a long time the part of me that just wants to sit in was winning the argument, ( as a trainer this is not such a good thing, but thats a whole other subject).

I am happy that the winning side of me is the one that wants to get out and do things.

It make me feel good to go out running or riding or adventuring.

And as hard as the process of begining to run is, ( and its hard and painful and frustrating), there is a part of me that is enjoying every bit of it.

It gives me a sense of pride in my self  that i havent had for quite some time, I remember how I felt getting my first black belt, its a similar feeling, and the process is quite similar. Only I'm older and my body hurts more 😉.

But if you're wanting to get out there and be active, Ill say this, let the naysayer in your head have its moment, let it have its rant, but dont let it stop you from doing what you want.

When "they" say dont listen to the naysayers- this meant the ones in your own head too.

👍👊💪

😉

Be strong 

Love 

Have adventures

Good to go jo

Monday Runday

so true to form, after posting how much I was starting to love running last Monday, I had the crappiest run ever!

• I was sore from training the night before.
• I walked too fast at the start - it was cold and I was excited because of my new found love for running - and my legs didn't really like that.
• I tried out a new pair of compression socks which were a huge fail.
• when we got to the forest track there were no lights - see creepy guy in the forest - and after our experience a couple of weeks ago now way was I going to attempt a run on the rack when there were no lights, and subsequently no other runners.
• we ran on the foot path / road - not a good thing to do for my legs especially taking into account the bad start and the wrong socks
• we went to the sports hall down the road and ran on the outdoor track - BORING!!!

So after finding that I was starting to love my running I had what was the crappiest session in this adventure so far.

I missed my session on Friday due to reasons that include a sick 2 year old and just a little laziness


, and after a week of extreme tiredness and little good training I sit here in a Monday contemplating my Monday Runday.

magical vinter wonderland

Today I have decided to try something new - I am going to attempt to run into my studio.

its 10 k (or if you prefer a Swedish mile) -  a good distance.

As I write this I look outside my window and see that what was an ok start to the day has turned into a typically Swedish autumn day.

DARK COLD AND DREARY WITH JUST A LITTLE RAIN.

its not cold enough to snow - but dear got i wish it would. at least when it snows the world becomes a wonderful magical place. this is just depressing.

but never fear - Good to Go Jo is here.

with my never-ending stream of positive thinking I look forward to this run.

• I need to take a back pack, and pack carefully - I must take with me my work gear and then I also need to ride my bike home (I left it at the studio last night) so I need to take riding gear also.

cool, I can try out my hydro pack for running, I have been using it for cycling for over a year now but i have never run with it - I hope it works our ok - we shall see.

 Marilyn  - just because

• also I get to see how long this is going to take me - something I have wanted to find out since we opened in October.
• I think I go through Vinterviken - it runs along the water and offers more trail running than road running.

And now - I am ready

Looking forward to running today -and taking note of my mistakes from last Monday lets see if today's Monday Runday can be a better one than last week.