Today, I ran in the woods at noon time in the drizzle. I am thrilled to be back on the trails after falling and hurting my shoulder in July. I started running with my friend, Dorian last March. Dorian told me that today was the best run I had since I started with her. That was high praise coming from her! A few weeks ago, she told me that I looked like a decrepit old lady running up the hill. Today felt like the good ol’ days of running in the rain and the mud.
Our goal is to break the national record for the mile in our age group. I don’t know if I will ever get there. I do know I am in much better shape then I was a year ago.
Big news! After years of avoiding bread, I decided to start eating it again, guilt-free, with butter. I love Kerry Gold grass fed butter. It is a very cozy treat along with a hot bowl of soup. Bonus, I have lost 7 pounds!
I just finished Rob Bell’sWhere did you park your spaceship? Heen Gru-Bares, the main character, loves sourdough rosemary bread. After listening to the 12 hour audio book, I feel like sourdough rosemary bread is in my cells. I need to make the bread! Making sourdough bread is a big deal. You don’t need yeast. It rises with the natural fermentation process. I hope it works out. I am making the starter, which takes at least 7 days. You need to feed it daily and keep it warm. Ideally it should stay between 75-80 degrees, so it ferments properly. I am keeping it in the oven with the light on for a little heat, It is a commitment and a fun winter project!
I also feel my cold plunges have been very helpful in keeping my weight down this winter. I am on Day 75 of our cold plunge challenge. I have not missed a day. I am impressed with myself! It has been very helpful. My mood is better, I have great energy throughout the day and I am grateful not to have put on my usual winter weight.
“Margarine? That’s not food. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter? I can. If you’re planning on using margarine in anything, you can stop reading now, because I won’t be able to help you.”
Today is Day 46 of my cold plunge challenge. My sister and I plunged for 30 days and decided to continue until the end of the year. I am impressed with myself. I can usually rationalize my way out of things. This challenge has been hard. There are many days when I really don’t want to get into the cold water. The tap water is now 50 degrees. I do it anyway, and I always feel better. It is a instant mood changer.
I have created a spa like ritual around plunging. I workout first, because that is what I do. I come home and turn on the kettle for my collagen protein coffee, start the water in the bath tub, and light my “ocean air” candle that my niece bought for me. When the tub is filled, I take a few deep breaths and grab my hot cup of coffee as I get into the tub. I have a few sips of coffee and then I submerge myself in the tub. I breathe my way through it. In the past, I would try my best to distract myself. Now, I sit there and breathe. I feel like I can cross meditation off my to do list. I stay in for three to four minutes. In the past, I would stay in for at least 5. I have found I am cold enough with three to four minutes. I get out, towel off and moisturize myself with coconut oil. I then use a gua sha tool on my face and neck. All of this is done in 15 minutes or so. I feel so much better!
I am so grateful for the cold tap water. I am also meeting with the plungettes for a cold plunge in the ocean once or twice a week. It is always more fun with friends. Click here to read 6 benefits to cold water plunging.
I am losing muscle, we all do as we age. Have you heard of sacropenia? “Sarcopenia is defined as the loss of muscle tissue as a natural part of the aging process.” In July, I fell and hurt my right shoulder. I had to cut back on my training. 4 months later, I am still rehabbing. OutdoorFit and running are my super powers. It feeds my confidence and I love feeling strong and fit. When I don’t, I am cranky, whiney and out of sorts. It is gotten to the point that I am sick of myself. Time to make some changes!
I have decided to cold plunge every day for 30 days. I am on Day 5 and I am starting to feel so much better. The tap water is 57 degrees and feels plenty cold. I stay in for 3 minutes or so. It is enough. I am fortunate to live 5 miles from the ocean so I plunge with my friends two to three days a week for 5 minutes or so. I am hoping that the cold water will help heal my shoulder and be a mood changer. I must admit it is never easy.
This morning, I was cold and clammy after OutdoorFit. Going home to sit in a cold tub was the last thing I wanted to do. I drove home from the workout with both the heated seats and the heater on high. I am sorry I don’t have a heated steering wheel. I made myself a cup of hot collagen protein coffee and got into the cold bathtub. I sit in the tub and breathe for three minutes, and try not to yell. I also have accountability partners. My sister Kathleen, and my niece Elizabeth have committed to the 30 days. This is the first try for Elizabeth. Kathleen is a seasoned plungette. She gets up at 5:30 am and sits outside in the dark in her polar tub. My brother Paul is searching for a tub that will be large enough for him He is a big guy.
I do find joy through discipline. In the past, I avoided doing uncomfortable or hard things. Now, I push. It brings me joy to challenge myself. I am nervous and uncomfortable but I do it anyway. It is so good for me. To be honest, the joy comes afterwards.
September 15th is my birthday. I love telling everyone. People are so nice when they know it is your birthday. I want to take the time to look back at the good things that have happened to me this past year. The first thing that comes to me is that I started running again. I train hard with my friend Dorian two to three times a week. Dorian always has a challenging workout for me. We began in March with short track workouts and now we are running for an hour in the woods. I am so grateful that my body is able to handle the stress. I have lost 6 pounds since starting. I will be 69 running in a jog bra, shorts and my minimal sneakers. It feels like a big deal to me, and it’s something I never thought I would be able to do again.
I have been keeping a journal this year. I am part of a Fireside chat group that meets monthly. We are reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I have been sporadic about doing the work. It is more natural for me to go out and run than to read a book. I am glad that I am keeping up with writing my morning pages.
I stopped highlighting my hair and I feel okay with that. People say you will look older when you let your hair color go natural. I wanted my hair to match my 69 year old face. I was tired of putting chemicals on my head.
I kept up with my life as a mother, daughter and a wife. I planted zinnias, cucumbers and tomatoes in my yard. I clean the bathrooms every Tuesday and got out on the roof to wash the bedroom windows.
I plunged all year in the Ocean. I am so grateful to the plungettes for sticking with me.
I started reading books rather watching Netflix on my computer before going to sleep at night.
Of course, my ladies at OutdoorFit are spectacular! They keep showing up and sticking with it. I am so grateful that I am able to keep them moving. They especially love getting down and up off the ground. They know that it is a very important skill to keep as you age.
My Dad passed away in November. In someways, I feel closer to him now then ever before.
My summer of fun has turned into my summer of rehab. I am currently going to occupational therapy and physical therapy. Six weeks ago, I fell running uphill in the woods. I was training with my friend who is a faster, stronger runner than me. I didn’t want to lose her in the woods, and was doing my best to keep up. As we came to the end of the hot and humid run, I went down running up a hill. I actually fell twice on the run. The second time, I fell on my shoulder and ended up not being able to lift my arm without pain. The diagnosis was tendonitis and bursitis. I can’t be at my best if my body is hurting. So how do I fix it? I started OT and PT. I decided to include PT because I was concerned about my balance and falling down. Was there an issue with my brain/foot connection, my progressive glasses, my balance, or all three? I don’t want to be the kind of old person who is always afraid of falling. I will figure it out! I did get a shot of cortisone in my shoulder, which is like magic. Within a couple of days, my shoulder felt so much better.
I just got back from a hour long run in Huber woods with my friend Dorian. We did 8 long hill repeats. It was another hot and humid run. You could actually feel the steam rising. It is beautiful at Huber Woods. It is another world in the middle of New Jersey. I feel like I am running in Vermont. The Joe Pye weed is in bloom along the trail and the grass was recently mowed which makes for an incredible run. I am so grateful to be able to run again.
September is right around the corner. Are you interested in cold plunging with the plungettes this year? It is a good idea to start cold plunge training in September when the water is warm and just keep on going. It is amazing how the body can adjust to the colder temperatures. I have really missed it this summer. Last year, I would put 32 pounds of ice and add it to my bath water three times a week. I didn’t want to be that crazy about it this year. I only did it once.
This morning I met my friend Dorian for a track workout. Afterwards, she asked me if I had time to shoot some baskets. Of course, Dorian has a basketball in the back seat of her truck. We headed over to the basketball court to shoot some hoops. We were off to a good start. Dorian threw one over the top of the backboard. I took the ball and I couldn’t even reach the rim. We kept trying and eventually made a few baskets, which was exhilarating! Dorian always enjoys a competition, so we played a game of OUT. Dorian won by a basket. I haven’t picked up a basketball in years and I was never very good at it. Still, it was so much fun to try something that you did as a kid!
Last week, the plungettes and I went boogie boarding for the first time! We didn’t catch many waves, but we had the best time trying, and laughing all the way. It is the start of a fun summer! Who knew? No one ever called me the fun one. I am usually the one that stays home and pulls weeds out of the garden. This is the new me!
Shoot! I had to slow down and then stop for a moment. The last post, I told you that we had to intensify our training for the mile. Dorian and I had 3 hard workouts that week. I am so proud to say that I did it! It is always exciting to accomplish a challenge you aren’t sure you will be able to complete. It was over the top though. My whole body was fatigued. I started having squiggly lines in my vision. They are ocular migraines, and they last about twenty minutes. That is a sign that I am stressed and pushing myself too hard. I need to back off for a bit. I reached out to Dorian and told her I would need to reduce the intense workouts to once a week for a while. Last Friday, we met for a 45 minute workout in Huber woods. It was hot, but felt great to be back running the trails. Now, my left leg is feeling wonky. I put on my toe spacer and I am doing Foundation Training. It will help put me back into alignment and strengthen the muscles of my back, feet and ankles. I will be back running soon!
Our plungette season is over. The ocean temperature is 62 degrees. It is no longer a therapeutic cold plunge. It is now beach season. I just listened to Shelby Stanger’s podcast Wild Ideas Worth Living. She interviewed the Boogie Board Wave Chasers They are a group of women in San Diego who are between the ages of 55 and 95. They meet 5 times a week to Boogie Board. It is a great workout that uses all the muscles of the body and makes you feel like a kid again! This is will be a good compliment to OutdoorFit and my track workouts. I think I have an old boogie board in the garage that I can dust off and take for a ride. Want to join me? I am excited!
It has been two months since my last blog post and the beginning of my mile training. While it has been exhilarating to try something new, it has been difficult, yet satisfying. I feel like I need to keep going. My friend Dorian and I are training together. She is in charge. I show up at the track and she has planned the workout. I just do what she tells me, and try not to whine about it.
I will let you in on my progress. I am not quite sure what to think about it. I started training on March, 17. On March 31, I did my first time trial. I ran a 8:38 in the park on a mile course. 8:38 is nowhere near 5:55, which is the time I need to break the National record for my age. I wasn’t expecting much because I had not been running and had just started the track workouts.
Fast forward 2 months. I have been training hard twice a week on the track. We had our second time trial on the same course in the park. I ran a 8:28, only 10 seconds under my previous time. I called my brother Paul to tell him about the time. He pointed out when you start something new, you improve quickly and then it becomes so much harder to make any progress. That information doesn’t discourage me. I am thrilled at 68 to be able to complete the workouts. I notice a difference in my body. I feel leaner and stronger. I am starting to feel comfortable running again.
According to Dorian, it is time to up the intensity on our training. I am not quite sure how I can do that. I have gotten this far, so we will see what happens. We need to work on strength and endurance. Hill workouts are now on the schedule. I will work on not whining too much.
The key is to not overdue things and injure myself. I am prioritizing recovery. I am cold plunging, foam rolling, getting massages, taking Epsom salt baths and making sure I am eating enough protein. Naps are important too. I tend to eat too many carbohydrates and push through when I am tired. I don’t want to do that.
Thanks for reading,
Mary
PS. We end all of our track workouts with crunches and Foundation Training. I always include ab work and Foundation Training at OutdoorFit. Are you interested in getting stronger with me and the Fabulous OutdoorFit ladies? It is not too late to start. You will be amazed with you can do.
Last week’s blog was about feeling flat and a bit depressed. So much has changed in just a week. I reached out to my friend Dorian. I wrote about her in the blog 5 years ago. She was training for an ultra marathon at the time. A few weeks ago, I saw that her store, Shore Footed, was closing. She has been a great sneaker resource for years. I was sad to see the liquidation sign in the window. I asked her about the store and what was next. She told me she was training to beat the National record for her age in the mile. She is now 63 and needs to run a 5:37 mile! Training for the mile is totally different from training for a 100 mile race. I told her I wanted to train with her. I love Dorian’s enthusiasm, so I thought why not give it a shot? I need to do a sub 5:55 mile for my age at 68! I could run that 35 years ago but, it has been a long time since I have been on the track.
It is so exciting to be working at something that you are not sure if you can do it or not. Last Friday, we met at a high school track. She asked me if I have been running. No, not really, except for a few short trips around the neighborhood with Sophie the dog. Our first workout was 9-200’s. We ran them slow, medium and fast. OH MY! I did it and I felt good while doing it. The soreness set in quickly. My whole body was SORE for 5 days. I spent the weekend foam rolling, stretching, napping and taking epsom salt baths. I also plunged twice in the ocean. Tuesday, we met again. Our second workout was 6-400’s. We ran them slow, medium, and fast. My fastest one was a 2:05. If you do the math, it is a 8:20 mile if I could possibly keep that pace going. It is a long way to 5:55. That’s okay. It is all about the process, and I am doing something fun with Dorian. Dorian is an amazing athlete and I appreciate her running tips and encouragement. It feels great to be doing something different. I am eager to see how my body changes and how much faster I can go.
Tuesday, I plunged after the workout and then had a massage. I have no time to feel flat or bit depressed.
I do have my limits with Dorian. After the workout, she likes to warm down with a few hand stands and flips into the pole-vault pit. I told her that I wanted to finish the workout standing up and to be able to walk out to my car.
I also attended a Native plant workshop at our local library. It was very interesting. I am not sure how much time or energy I will have for gardening this year. I am working on being a 68 year old track star!
What have you been up to? I encourage you to try something new. It is exhilarating!
MARY KININGHAM 