"Coach CB"

Coaching is something I love to do - I have had the opportunity since college to coach quite a few "older runners" - co-workers, 8th graders, and friends.  I am a rookie coach, not an expert by any means, just have a passion for the sport and love to share it.   Mostly towards very specific goals - usually a race.  Every single time I have LOVED it, probably more then them - seeing them reach their goal is so incredibly gratifying.   And this past Spring - I got to coach youth - and I mean YOUTH for the first time - 3rd -5th grade girls!  The humor is so high, I could write a book :)  Now I think certain things play into your life at certain times for a reason, and I needed this experience....I got way more out of it then all the girls combined.

There is a million ways you could skin this cat, but I am going to go the easy way.... Top 10 things I learned from coaching these amazing girls this Spring!

10.  It's All About the Food!

Sometimes I wondered  if I was a snack coach vs. a running coach.  The pure sight or mention of any edible object would cause complete distraction until it was consumed.  Literally moods would be determined by who had what, what flavor it was, and if they could have more.  One day I brought Firecracker Popsicles (you remember these!?) and I might as well have won the Nobel Prize :)  While at first I was shocked by the importance of food in a running program - I mean come on we are training for a 5K here girls! - I quickly realized, well this is no different from adults.  In deep training now, I get very HANGRY 5x a day, and the world STOPS until I eat.  Justin knows after I run there is no small talk until after the PB sandwich is consumed.  So I guess, when you boil it down.....it's always all about the food.  And heck, what's wrong with that?  

9.  Cartwheels, Handstands, and Climbing Fences - Oh to be Young Again.

So we had a inside joke on our team, no climbing fences because that made Coach CB very nervous, and handstands and cartwheels must be done sparingly because when I watched them do these acrobatics I could feel my leg popping off just at the sight of it.  It's unreal - they would be running laps for 30 minutes, me thinking they will be pooped and next thing I know I turn around and they are 1/2 way up a 12 ft fence!  OMG - get down - what if their parents see this, holy cow, please GET DOWN, do NOT jump, slide down.  Oh veyyyyyyyyy.   And the cartwheels, I mean literally my leg would pop off if I did that stuff - they are SO flexible and bendy.  When does that change?   It made me think to when I first graduated college I would wake up, be on the road hammering out 6-7 miles, and then jump right in a car to work.  Now?  I wake up 2 hours before I run, have a whole pre-run activation routine so my butt, hamstrings, and feet decide to come to work.  Then after I run, I spend 20 minutes stretching, massaging, etc.  I mean....I'm old?

8.  Fashion  (non)Sense.

I love this one, the outfits.  I literally had to hold back laughter sometimes as they came to practice.  The stripes with the polka dots, the COLORS, the sparkles - - all just so authentic.  I mean I am not a mom, but I think it's because it's that awkward phase where mom and dad don't dress you and you choose your outfit?  And you probably have to pick your battles in the morning as a parent?  But I LOVE it, the greatest part?  No one cares or notices, so when does that change?  When does it matter that you wear J. Crew, your colors are in "season", and heck that you match?  I started to wish I could wear polka dot shorts and a hot pink shirt to work - - it's refreshing :)

7.  Pace Yourself.....or Not.

I will never forget the 1st practice.  EVER.  After talking about starting out slow, easing into it, pacing yourself because we will be running for 15 minutes....an all out SPRINT ensued after saying GO.  And then we walked for 14 minutes,  No matter how much we harped on this, it never failed - - why pace yourself - it's all or nothing baby!  And once again I realized who am I to talk?  I think those of you who have followed me know my issues with starting out a race in debt :)  So, I mean, I guess I started to come of the philosophy - - if you gotta go, GO -and embrace the suck that will be soon following :) #nowhiningallowed  But you know what?  It matches their outlook on life - why hold back?  You never know if you will get a 2nd mile right?  Live every moment to the most.

6.  You Better Be All In.

This was one of many reasons why I needed these girls more then they needed me.  I have a lot swirling in my head right now with training, life changes, wedding, work, etc.  And if I ever tried to "half" be mentally there....C.H.A.O.S.  I had to just drop whatever was on my mind and give them my all.  And for me, what a release. I would leave practice and forget everything that was bothering me when I had arrived.  It was like free therapy :)

5.  Trust.

They tell you things.  And when they do, it means they TRUST you.  And you cannot break that.  Whether it's their friend is mad at them, their parents yelled, or they failed a test - it is important to them if they tell you.  So LISTEN.  I remember the first time one girl came up to me and said her best friend didn't like her anymore.  My first reaction - "tell her to take a hike, her loss, move on sister".  But then I talked to my sister and she quickly advised me that was not the right response :(  Her telling me was a BIG deal, and I needed to listen, to ask questions, and offer solutions.  Joy.  Can't we just run?  But then I realized if this stuff didn't come out - then they couldn't run.  And OH MY GOD - how does that NEVER change.   Again those who have followed this crazy blog know, whenever my head is not at peace, my running TANKS.  Stress=injuries.  Talk it out.  Find someone you TRUST and unload.  Insert Justin - boy I hope he is ready for this marriage thing :)

4.  Pure Innocence.

So they basically say what they think.  There is no filter.  EVER.  Are you married?  No, but I am getting married in June.  Do you have kids.  No, I do not.  Why?  Well let me get married first.  Who are you voting for?  My Mom.  No you're not, pleaseeeeeeeeeeee tell me.  My mom.

Now, having no children, and not being around them a lot, the first week was a little rough - I mean, I am a) shy b) introverted c) super private.  So telling 10 5th graders my plans for kids on day one was a little - um - unnerving?  But I soon realized - there is no agenda - they just - legitimately want to know.  The thought pops on the brain, and boom! it pops out the mouth!  When does that change?  When do we start to "craft" what we say, when do we decide to be politically correct about everything - why can't we just call it like it is :)  It's refreshing!

3.  Bribery.

It works at this age.  And you pretty much can get anything achieved with it.  So another inside joke we had was I always brought special pens to practice.  Now, let me first clarify these pens were freebies, one was a "Fractured Prune Doughnut" Pen Justin got from some doughnut shop, another was Dent Wizard Pen from when my windshield cracked, etc.  But,  they LOVED my pens.  One practice we ran for my pen, Never saw them run farther, faster, more focused :)  Bribery....great tool.  Keeping that in the parental memory bank.

2.  Love.

Ever been hugged by 5th graders?  They leave marks in your skin they squeeze so hard.  Marks I never want to leave my body.  EVER.  These little bodies are filled with 90% love, 10% food.  And they give it out freely.  And it's awesome.  I have people scream CB at me a lot - for work it's they need something, for running it's to go faster, for life it's to do something.  All good - I love hearing CB - but hearing "Coach CB" - melts your heart.  At the final 5K I was trying to catch as many of the girls I could at the last 1/2 mile to run them in.  Most looked dead at that point - I know the feeling - just get it over.  I was doing the eye scan looking for our girls and I heard 'COACH CB"  - I caught her eyes and she LIT UP - I ran over to her and all of sudden she had the will to sprint,  the will to finish, the will to WIN.    In that very moment I felt more loved then I had in my entire life. That's all I have to say on that.  #chills  Give somebody BUG EYES when you see them.  It will make them feel loved.  Real love.

1.  From the Heart.

Whatever they say, whatever they do.  It's not fake.  It's from the heart.  I will leave you with this story.  The last practice we tried to run alone with each girl.  I told them what they brought to the team, and how special they were.  Upon telling one beautiful girl how amazing she was, she said...and coach CB I have something to tell you now!  oh ok...I thought.  "My dad googled you, he said you were like an Olympic athlete (me thinking no not really, I wish :) and I just wanted to say I know you will achieve your dreams because good people like you achieve their dreams."  I don't know about me being good, but I do know that I must have done at least one thing right in life to deserve that, because that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.

Long OverDue Update!

Opps!  It's been awhile.  I won't say that I forgot, it just kept moving down the cue on the "to do" list  :)

Coming back has been really fun.  If I am honest I was completely burnt out at the end of 2015 - 4 years of working my tail off, all to crescendo (#bigword) in injury, and then there was this race against the clock to try and get healthy and make it happen, and it was exhausting - mentally and physically.  So I was not sure how 2016 would pan out, would I even feel like doing this again, the commitment, the early mornings, the focus, the attention to detail, etc?  So I decided to just let it happen.  I read this poem every morning and it helps me stay right in the moment and not constantly freak out that I should or shouldn't be here or there.

So we wanted the 1st race back to be a) super low key b) local and c) one where Justin could come. I ran the IrishAZ 17K  - it was a weekend Justin could come, I had never raced a 17K - instant PR!, and it was right here in Phoenix.  It was pretty much a perfect weekend.  Justin calms me down completely; in fact I was so calm he was fixing my shoe lace when the gun went off (NOT my normal mojo).  I didn't even freak out, just had to have a little giddy up in my step to start off :)  After talking to coach we didn't taper for this or anything, it was more like a training run.  I don't think either of us knew what I would do as we had not done any speedwork yet.  So I guessed with a "A" goal of 6:45 pace throughout?  I ended up getting 6:28 pace for the 10.5 miles, good for 3rd overall female, 1st in my age group for what that's worth - which really I didn't care about - I cared about how I felt -  - AMAZING.  I have never felt like that in a race, it felt like a tempo run?  Granted the pace was nothing to write home about, but it was very encouraging and a huge confidence boost.  The rest of the weekend was even better, we went to some swanky Arts Festival and acted like we knew a lot about Art, ate a ton, did some wedding stuff, hung out with a lot of my buddies, and slept in.  Pretty Perfect :)

I love this picture, it was right after and just a spur of the moment kodak moment :)  Although Kodak not in business anymore, so maybe iphone moment?

Classic Awards ceremony picture, he was weird not going to lie.

I like this one too- One of Justin's classics - he's actually really legit at photography, it's pretty cool :)

So then, that gave us data to work off of and we started to work against that.  Wednesdays are still track/tempo work and Sundays the long effort.  We do strides on Tuesday to prepare for Wednesday, I like those, kind of fun - he makes them a game sort of, keeps me occupied :)  Things I am doing differently?

• Religious about my hip routine - 3x a week
• Working with Becky on strengthening my Back so my arm doesn't swing out to Utah, which we think jacks up my hips  -- this has been a slow burn but I think we are getting somewhere (Lord knows what would I do without Becky)
• Preventative massage/chiro work
• Nutrition Tinkering
• Pre and Post Run routine I NEVER skip (Becky created them, and they are working really well)

So then, for fun I was asked to do this elite relay for the Tri for the Cure here in Phoenix.  I was paired with a pro swimmer and cyclist - which was just plain sweet to see them in action.  And they were hard core - - I am sure when they saw I was their "runner"  they were like "you're kidding".  Ha.  I dont blame em,  I was nervous as hell, not to goof that up.  But what a cool experience.  Swimmer comes out of the water a tad behind, cyclist gets it and I couldn't see her but she made up some SERIOUS ground on the bike, and handed off to me, and said "Don't lose it sister"  GULP.  So I ran like I stole something - - first time I have seen 5's on my watch in years for mile splits.  We ended up eeking out the win, and it was FUN.  I think the best part of that day though was hanging with my  teammates  - I don't get to spend a lot of time with Amy, and we got to talk a ton while we warmed up and cooled down.  I got some great wedding advice that's not your standard "OMG, you will love it, what does your dress look like, etc".   Solid heart to heart that I needed.  She's a good egg :)  And then I got to run 14 miles with Camper - - which was nothing short of BRUTAL b/c we were both spent after racing.  I hope no one saw us!!!! But we too had a great conversation about how you always feel like you are never doing enough in life.  Anyways, sometimes I think the beauty of this awesome sport is the journey to where you are headed via the conversation & friendships along the way.

Camper, Me, & Amy

And then back to work, started really building mileage and hitting some key workouts.  I started coaching, which will definitely be a blog in itself!  And then real work, which has been nutty busy, but good - always some drama to keep it interesting :)-

This picture deserves a WHOLE blog post, which it will get!  (Soon I promise!)

Which all led to, Hawaii!  Huge Bucket List item - - I would need a whole 'nother blog post to explain how this came to be, but just trust me - it was meant to be ;)  It all just kind of fell into my lap.  Anyways, if you are looking for a bucket list race to do - The Hapalua (which means the half in Hawaiian) is AMAZING.  I have never been treated so well, from start to finish, a great experience!  The course itself is not a PR course, it's rather hilly, with one HUGEEEE hill - Diamond Head.  But despite that I ran a 1:22:43 (3 seconds off my PR), so we were pretty excited!!!  I got 2nd overall female, 1st in age group - and again I didn't even feel like I raced?  It was like a tempo run.  It's very odd.  But I had a blast, and at the top of Diamond Head I literally had to take my hand and close my mouth b/c  the view was astonishing!  It is also rather humid there (75% compared to my 5% here!!!) so that took some getting used to; but nothing that bothered me really.  Overall just an amazing weekend!  I slacked a little on my recovery routine - and I paid for it - but back on track now, and learned my lesson.

standard race picture - looks like I'm struggling, but I swear I wasn't :)

Awards Ceremony with this 94 year old Hawaiian Lady who was asst. race director and ridiculously nice!

And to now....spending a lot of time training with "W"- we are a good match in personality (extreme introverts, our runs can be done in silence :), pace, and goals.  I am just happy - - love where I am right now, and at peace.  And that is a feeling that you can never take for granted, because you never know what tomorrow holds.   xooxox

W and me on our Sunday 17 miler....maybe we said 20 words the whole run, yet I think we still had an entire conversation in the silence.  

Skechers!?

Before I hit "publish" on every post I always double, triple check and make sure it doesn't sound braggish, arrogant, or all about me, me, me.  I struggle a lot with social media/blogs - - they all seem very self serving, and make me feel a tad uncomfortable :( It's difficult to strike a balance between providing updates to friends/family, and what seems like complete and utter bravado? But if I write about my mom's life  - well...I am just not sure that goes with the theme of the whole blog :)
So I really worry about this one, I do not want to come across as look at me, I am sponsored, yadda, yadda...but I get quite a few messages on why Skechers, and so I thought I would tell you why I chose Skechers and why I love the brand/company like I do.


1.  The blatant obvious one that everyone sees - they sponsor arguably 2 of the best runners in behind Meb and Kara.  So their stuff must be good, right? :)  It's the classic if X wears/uses it, it must be good.  Jordan with Nike, Speith with UA, Messi with Adidas, Manning with Gatorade/Papa John's, and the list goes on.  And in all honesty - there is some truth to this.  Typically these athletes provide a lot of input into the products, and change the design/features based on their experience.  I can tell you for a fact both Kara and Meb have inputted and most of their newest releases are all a result of this feedback/input.  Also, I know when I need something in a 'new" arena that I am not comfortable in - I buy what the "experts" use - example, yoga mat type - I saw what the best teachers at my studio used and boom - bought that.  BUT, more importantly it's the type of athletes Skechers went after that made me love the brand. Meb and Kara are SALT OF THE EARTH, I have personally met both of them, and they are what you see on TV/social media - real people, down to earth, passionate about the sport, human, genuine, hardworking, awesome.  I have so much respect for both of them as runners, but more importantly as people.  So the fact that Skechers chose to support them, I think, says volumes about the brand's values.

Most recently Meb and Kara showcasing the LA Marathon...

2.  Their statement in the running community - - wow!  They are committed and you can see it.  Just in the past few years they have become the title sponsor for major running events - Houston, LA, Bolder Boulder to name a few.  These are not your neighborhood 5k's - this is a HUGE investment and they probably aren't making money on these - it's more a statement that they are here for the long run (no pun intended), legit, and supportive of the biggest, and best running has to offer in terms of events.  I love that! (I secretly am hoping they sponsor the Chicago Marathon- my favorite marathon!!)

3.  Athlete community - - This is one of those ones, where I think like attracts like.  We have a FB group and I follow a majority of their sponsored athletes and I can tell you it is the most humble, down to earth, hardworking group of athletes I have ever seen.  Their is no bravado in the posts, it's just stories - and I am so proud to be a part of it.  We all support each other and it's so fun to cheer each other on every weekend.  Skechers hand picked a bunch of athletes who not only can compete - but have the same values /attitude  - it's pretty cool.

3 of us at one of the three races I ran last year - we all won our respective races - a good showing for Skechers for sure!

4.  Support of athletes - - Very personal for me, sponsorship is a journey.  In year one it is difficult to find your groove, you are testing all the products, seeing what works for you, feeling out the brand, etc.  And then add to that the fact I was injured 10 months of the 12 last year.  I thought for sure they would bag me this year - - but they didn't-  they believe in me and my dream, and signed me again for this year.  (Now, I assume it helps the 3 races I ran I won 2, and top 5'd the third, but none the less I was on the bench most of the year).  Being an athlete on a competitive level, chasing a dream puts you in a vulnerable position, and they get that - and they had my back.  For that reason alone, I have never been prouder to represent them.  It's probably why I work for the company that I do, P&G, they are the same way, and have similarly had my back.  For those reasons my loyalty runs deep.  Furthermore, they just get it  - I run for the Sonoran Distance Project (my other love) and they allow me to put the SDP logo on the racing kit - we all work together!

This is the 2016 racing kit!  I love it, I might have already tried on the shorts and singlet - maybe :)

5.  Products - - And the number one reason (ignore that I numbered these backwards, :).....they have GOOD stuff.  I spent a year tinkering, and now I know exactly what I like, and they have good shoes and training gear.  They  have a lot of different models pending your fancy (trails, track, road, short, long), foot type, preference - just like Brooks, Asics, Saucony would.  My coach believes in rotating between a few models to keep the feet alive and working in different ways.  So my rotation is as follows:
The GOrun Ride 4/5:  This is my main staple, I currently am wearing the 4 (but the 5 is out and I am saving that until I burn through my 4's).  It's lightweight which I love in 8.4 oz (size 10 womens), and a 4 MM heel drop.  I can feel my foot on the ground, which I prefer, yet it has enough stability for my goofy ankles.  I really despise a heavy shoe, my legs feel like they are lifting weights if I wear them.  So these allow me to run long and still be lightweight.  Net I would say I do about 80% of my miles in these.

GRR4 - -BCA version, which also I think is wicked cool that they did that

The GOrun Forza:  These are my 'feeling a bit beat up' "just did a harder effort the day before', or 'just want comfort shoe'.  They are a heavier, at 10.8 oz, but they are Skechers best (IMO) stability shoe, you just  feel good in them, no matter what you did the day before, that morning (if it's a shakeout jog), etc.  It's an 8MM drop , which is as FAR as I would go anymore - as more then that and I think it alters my form.  I wear these typically after a harder effort day, so for example I did a fartlek effort last Wednesday  - as I break myself back into speed work - and the day after I ran in these, felt amazing.

The Forza, a newer shoe to the line-up, been wearing it since I came back (6 weeks now) - and love it, this is the exact model I wear too.

The GOrun Meb 3's:  These are my special sauce - reserved for only racing and speedwork.  Rather minimal, and my feet know when I put these on, we mean business :)  These are extremely lightweight - 5.3 oz!  Still a 4 MM drop though so enough stability to run a marathon in.   The newest version of these have a knit upper and I am wicked excited to test these out (and that day is coming  rather soon!!!)

CB Special Sauce shoe, only for "fast" occasions!

BONUS SECTION*(I am too lazy to re-number everything & I just thought of a few extra things)...
So Skechers is also just a cool, fun brand.  Every pair of shoes comes with an alternate color laces, personalize it baby! Our hashtags are so fun too, #GOlikeneverbefore #Haveafastday (which you can make into HAD, which is fun!) #Getyourmilesin....they spur conversations, and fun journeys vs. blatant product promotion.

Anyways, I hope this answers all the questions. If not as usual send me a message :) I am proud to be a Skechers athlete and humbled they stuck with me, and support my dream, commitment to my team, and me....I am determined to make them proud!

Injury Musings

So I thought I would follow-up on my previous post with a more informative, update post!    I am back running now, and have had 3 really great weeks of pain free, happy miles!  It took a year but I have a new body and rebuilt pretty much everything.  So this post is a little about the ins and outs of working through an injury cycle.  If you are an athlete of any sort - whether you walk the Breast Cancer Awareness 3 Day, play the occasional flag football, or are a crazy runner like me - -I am hoping some/any of this might be helpful to you!?

This is basically my top nuggets from a year of injuries.....

1.  Modern Medicine vs. Natural Healing
So I am starting with one that I know is going to cause a lot of conversation.  I will put my marketing super* in now - *I am not an expert, this is my opinion!  So first off, I classify modern medicine as:  go to sports med doctor, get an xray/MRI, take advil, boot it, surgery, or rest, get PT.  I consider Natural healing things like: trying massage, acupuncture, yoga, herbs, diet change (eat more fish to get out inflammation), ART, shockwave therapy, KT tape, chiropractic, etc.  Having said that, this past year I leaned 90% on natural healing.  Here is my conclusion.  I think modern medicine gets you back on the field faster - - I think Natural healing truly solves the problem and makes you stronger in the long run.  This year, given the goals I had, I probably should have taken the modern medicine route, and once I tore the ligaments in the ankle, got quick surgery, healed and I would have been fine.  Instead, I worked endlessly to FIX the root of the problem - fallen arches, weak ankles (years of basketball sprains), weak feet.  In the process I irritated my hips and my whole chain got angry.  So it took a year to rebuild my body, and I am still working on it - but we think I am close :)  Net, I have NEVER felt better, but it took a long time.  The upside - the best is yet to come baby!!!

2.  Avoid Google at all Costs
No further explanation  needed, you can turn a blister into a deadly foreign virus and determine you will never run again.  Let the experts tell you what it is and what to do - and then do it. Justin frequently has to be remind me to stay very far away from Dr. Google. (slight obsession on my end)

3.  Have your circle of "people"
So prior to this year I got massage when I was REALLY run down, I went to a chiropractic when I couldn't turn my neck, etc.  Net, I reacted to everything.  Now I have built my "circle" and am going to develop a cycle to keep me healthy all the time - before stuff gets out of whack - Becky, is my go to for everything, just an amazing, PT, stretch therapist, trainer, talk you off the cliff person.....Rachel is my massage therapist - it's not massage though - it's tear inducing body work.  She is phenomenal. And Doc Maynard is my Chiropractor - best in the business - doesn't crack bones, he keeps my hips even :)  Point is, do not wait until you break down, build your circle ahead of time so they get to know your body and you.

4.  Nutrition is key?
Mixed Emotions on this one?  So this year I REALLY cleaned up my diet and supplements even more.  Did it help me heal?  I do not really think so.  But I will say the 2 months I did run, I ran really well - 2 PRs, on basically no training.  So no conclusion yet on this one, I'll report back after an amazing 2016 :)

5.  KT Tape, Rock Tape, etc.
I laugh just thinking about this, Justin and I have many funny stories regarding the KT tape.  If you ever want humor, ping me let's do froyo and I will have you in stitches.  Ok so first, does it work?  Yes I believe it does, it braces and you can feel,  in my opinion, it holding whatever you messed up in place.  BUT - - if you tore your hip flexor - - you still tore it and no piece of tape is going to hold that in place if you are running 6 minute miles :)  SO, my thoughts - it is awesome at the very beginning of injuries and at the very end of them, when you are 90% ok just need a little love.  Don't tear 2 ligaments in your ankle, and then race a 1/2 marathon on it and hope to win.  (not that I would do that), GULP.  And for what it's work - Rock Tape is 100x better then KT tape.

6.  Cross Training.
Pool running, swimming, Elliptigo, elliptical, Step Mill are my mainstays.  I  use to hate swimming, honestly I did it so much this year, I am not going to lie, I am pretty darn good at it now!  I can swim 1.5 miles!!!  Legit.  And after awhile it becomes kind of peaceful, NO one can talk to you underwater, it's very meditative, and totally YOUR TIME. I had one of my best years at work and I think it was because I would be in the water with just my head right?  No teammates or music, so I would come up with all these ideas.  In fact I know I drove people at work nuts because I would get home and spend a good 20 minutes just emailing out my ideas!!!  But in terms of what keeps you in best shape, I think it is swimming, it's total body, and your lungs really get strong, my endurance is sick deep now.  Pool Running just doesn't do it for me really and your head is outside the water so I freeze.  Elliptigo I love, but it makes me yearn to run SO bad, Elliptical I fart around on too much, it's at a gym right?  So I chat, watch TV, etc and don't really work hard enough.  Step Mill is killer, and I like that, so probably a close 2nd to swimming.  Net - nothing replaces what you love to do when you cannot do it.  Nothing :(

7.   The Mental Piece of Healing.
This one, I cannot stress enough how important this is.  And I realize I am the kettle calling the pot black here. But what is in your head is GOING to effect how your body reacts.  Stress has a CRAZY influence on the body.  Scientifically proven, it causes inflammation which is the root of all injury.  This year by far was the most stressful for me in a long time - My job scope increased significantly, wedding planning, future planning with fiancee, deaths in the family, moving,and not to mention the stress of  qualifying for the Trials.  You have to to have an outlet and let that go - - I internalize EVERYTHING and say "I'm great".  It's not until the last 2 months here that I began to actually throw-up the garble in my head....and it's helping.  A lot.  Net - - Fix your head, your body will fix itself.

8.  People.
They're amazing.  In a year with a lot of not so cool things happening out there in the world, this year showed  me personally the beauty of people.  I had so many people help me  through this, the skin off their back.  Selflessly give hours and hours to try and get me to the line.  Others to just hug me when I couldn't  talk it out, and others to be  there for me even when I wanted to crawl under a rock.  I could tell you 100 stories - about the amazing Becky, Rachel. or Doc Maynard, about my Mom, my hero Mrs. Cyr, My coach, my teammates, my sister, about Paul who owns the Pilates studio, or Sumit and Dayna from the Yoga Studio,  my amigos out East (Brooker, Z, Jeff), my Cincy amigos(too many to mention), my Chicago amigos, work peeps, my PHX amigos (Ted, Rosy, Kristi, Shelly, Lauren, 'W", Katie Tina) and on and on, but instead I will tell you one that will give you chills.  My last post generated so many texts, messages, comments, emails it was very overwhelming, I was...well floored.  I got messages from people I did not even know who follow my blog.  One of those, I am not sure I should mention her name? so I won't, (well heck I can say her first name!  Julie), reached out to me, and asked if she could run the Houston Marathon and dedicate  it to me.  I know what that means, b/c I do it every race I run,and I take it VERY seriously.  I won't tell you the details of the conversation but it brought me to tears, that someone would do that for me.  Net, people are amazing, they have really big hearts.  There is more good out there then bad.  And if you let them in, you'll be better for it.  We're here in this world together for a reason.

9.  Pilates/Yoga

One thing this year did was really get in me into pilates and yoga - and in all honesty for not having surgery on 2 torn ligaments in my ankle I am pretty sure the combination of these 2 practices naturally healed and strengthened my ankle.  Now don't get any visions in your head of me being this elegant yogi - my standing tree looks more like a burning bush - but my balance has gotten noticeably better, it mentally takes the edge off for me, and my hips/glutes/total core are 100x stronger thanks to pilates.  Most importantly they each have these pockets of community that are totally separate from running that can be kind of a nice escape; just different circles that are humbling, yet welcoming.

Pilates Buds (this picture was much harder then it looks) :)

My yoga peeps..don't they just make you want to hug people?  It's like an aura they carry that screams LOVE :)

10.  Time

It's amazing....but time, well it heals EVERYTHING :)


Anyways,  that's a wrap.  I hope there was something in here that maybe could help you at some point, and as always if you have ANY questions just holler.  I've been there :)

Don't take this sidewalk...

Well, here it is, I have absolutely dreaded writing this post for months now.  Nothing is more embarrassing, heartbreaking, and disappointing then admitting failure.
When I started this blog about a year ago now, I was excited and confident in the year ahead of achieving my 4 year singular goal of qualifying for the Olympic Trials.  Had only I known what lie ahead....I most definitely would not have decided to share it so publicly in a blog. I tend to be a more private person by nature, and this was humbling.

Here is a quick overview of my 2015:

• January - GAME ON, big 1/2 PR, on track, building mileage and strength - very excited!
• February - Sprained Ankle on Trail Run, no problem, not a break, just a sprain I'll be back.
• March - DNS LA Marathon (Qualifier #1) - that's ok, I'll get 2 more chances!
• April - Spinning wheels still not running; learned I did not sprain ankle, I tore BOTH ligaments on inside and outside of ankle.
• May - DNS Eugene Marathon (Qualifier #2) - no big deal, I only need one shot, I will get it in Chicago
• June - Just starting to run!  Not enough time for Chicago, so no problem, CIM it is!
• July/August - AMAZING RUNNING - 2 races, 2 PRs, feeling GREAT!  Ankle is strong!  Its going to happen!
• September - Pulled Hip Flexor from compensating on ankle for so many months - DNS Chicago 1/2
• October - Pulled Hamstring/Glute from same ankle injury - DNS Chicago Full
• November - Tore top of achilles/soleus doing rehab for ankle.
• December - DNS CIM

I could be flippant and tell you oh  but it was all worth it!  I learned so much about myself, yadda, yadda.  But the truth is, I would not wish this year on anyone, ever.  And I didn't learn anything I did not already know about myself.  I am a fighter, I never give up, I am sickly driven.  But, what I did come to grips with is....that's life.  No matter how grand your plans are, they do not always pan out that way.  And sometimes the best you can do is just to get up every morning and keep plugging forward.  Anything less is unacceptable.
I think the hardest part was swallowing the fact that I would not even get a shot at something I had dreamed, worked, and dedicated my life to for 4 years.  Not even a shot?  I went from shock, to anger, to depression, to finally acceptance.
So the ironic part of all this is the name of the  blog - Where the Sidewalk ends....You choose where to go next.  And that is exactly what I have  been doing the past 2 months.  I pretty much vanished from social media, I just needed a break - from everything.  I threw myself into work big time, and just focused on rehab, swimming (just in case a miracle happened and I could run at RNR AZ), and thinking.  A lot of thinking.
This morning I got up before work at 5 am and rode my bike in the pitch dark, in pouring rain (yes it has trained 5 days in a row in AZ), to go swim 1.5 miles, and then rode back soaking wet in pouring rain.  I was so cold by the time I got home my whole body was purple.  I don't think I stopped shivering until 3 pm.  Later as I sat at my desk eating breakfast, shivering, and scrolling through email tears started rolling down my face.  Why do I do this?  It doesn't matter anymore, you blew it.  Hang it up.  Go be normal.
And that is when I realized why.  Because it means so much to me, so much that not even my biggest supporters understand.  I have to chase this because of what it means to me, who I am doing it for, why I want it.  I know even those closest to me think I am crazy, but I am sorry :( It is who I am, it is my mission in life, the journey is my life.   There is probably one person who truly believes in me, sincerely because he always shoots straight with me, Adam.  When I finally had to admit it  -  that it was over - there were 2 people whom I literally heard  their heart drop on the phone.  My mom (which was heartbreaking in itself) and Adam.   He ended the call with - no doubt you will be qualified in 4 years.   And so I will qualify for the O trials, I will do it.
And so down? Yes.  Out?  No.
I am excited for what 2016 holds.  I plan to be running, and with confidence by next Friday, I am almost there, but just taking the extra time because there is no rush.  We have 3 very specific goals for 2016.  And then we will build from there.  I have an amazing supportive team to accomplish great things with, I have an exciting year ahead in a job I love with people I love, and I get to marry my best friend in June.
So I guess the sidewalk not only ended, the concrete pretty much sunk in - - but I am stepping over it (carefully so I don't sprain my ankle), and going to run through the field instead.  It still gets you to the O Trials, just a little different path....

This is the field, after the sidewalk ends....you can see the starting line if you look way out there...it's there ;)

And for good measure...Our Christmas Picture this year, lol!  Note my once a year red pants :)

(Don't) GOOGLE it.

Google has served a very pivotal role in my adult life.  Most of life's profound mysteries have been answered by this all knowing source.

• I think there is a bird chirping in my apartment, but I can't find it? 
• GOOGLE:  The batteries in your fire alarm need to be changed
• How do you make coffee?  (Seriously - they don't put it on the container, and if you don't drink it, but your guests do this is an issue)
• GOOGLE:  full out step by step directions thank you
• When do you send out your Save the Dates?
• GOOGLE:  every yak has an opinion, so we split the difference but it gave us an idea

And the list could go on and on.....but when it comes to medical issues - it should be illegal to Google.

• I think I got bit by a spider, how do I know?
• GOOGLE:  Basically I almost called my mom 2x in one day to tell her I probably only had 36 hours to live
• I think I strained my hip flexor, how long until I can run again?
• GOOGLE:  Your career is over, you have a labral tear.

I mean Justin pretty much put a self ban of Google on for me.  4 weeks ago I started to feel a tug at my hip flexor, and so I did 20 X 200 because I am smart.  And then it felt worse.  And then I did the hardest workout of my career 4 days later because I am REALLY smart.  And then I was done for 4 weeks. Brilliant.

Now, to really be smart I decided to engage Mr. Google and see how I could "fix" this.  And that is when I texted Becky in tears.  

• I had a labral tear
• My leg would probably need to be amputated at the hip
• I would never run again

So if you haven't figured it out by now, I've had a little bit of an ill -afforded setback in training because of my hip flexor strain.  Which sucks, and I am not going to lie  - this year has been ruthless, but this time I had Becky.  Within a week we had it calmed down, within 2 weeks short painless runs, and now at the end of 3 weeks I am running again.  It was a full court press - some days spending up to 3 hours on it.  Watching her work is masterful...she assesses, she stretches, she stabilizes, and then she strengthens.  She has a plan back to the miles and so there is no time to swirl in your head, you just follow it, and it works.  Without her this year, the most important year of course, would be lost.

And yes, last weekend I was supposed to be racing the Chicago 1/2  - doing what I love most in front of the people I love most.  And instead I was running in a pool with Iron Man next to me telling me his life story for the 3rd time, but I hadn't heard in 4 months so I guess I needed a refresher.  

The question now is where does this leave me.  Well 4 weeks is a really hard to make up for, so at this point we are not sure.  The fitness lost is depressing, but all you can do is get up tomorrow and put one foot in front of the other and work your way back.

Which leads me to this morning as I watched a teammate who always kills it - have a humbling day at the office in the Twin Cities Marathon.  And I thought to myself - why do we do this?

Why do we get up day after day before the sun rises and bang out the miles?  Why do we spend endless hours pre-habbing, foam rolling, maintenance, etc?  Why do we place almost all of our heart on a dream?  And for no glory really, I mean it's running.  Yet the heartbreak from the bad races, injuries, training pitfalls, disappointments, come over and over again.  And I guess I realized that yes it's for me, it's my dream, it's my drive.....but part of what keeps you going, part of what makes you wake up each day and go back at it is for all those people who are pulling for you, who want it just as much as you do.  Crossing that line in 2:43 is just as much for me as it is for them.  The endless hours Becky, coach, my mom, my sister, Justin have given to this....this is for them too.

If it seems like I am bummed, I would say I am more just burned out right now.  Work and training have tipped the scale.  But I end with this....

I find myself missing my family and Justin often these past few weeks.  Last week Justin called to tell me that  the moon was going to do something, I can't remember what because honestly he is always telling me about the moon's "doings".  In fact I joke about it that I don't really follow the moon - but honestly I think it's kind of cute :)  Anyways....when I got home I took a picture of it.  It was beautiful.  I texted it to him, and he texted right back.

At that very moment thousands of miles across the country we were looking at the exact same thing in the sky.  And while his worries and stresses are totally different then mine, I can guarantee you we both had "hope" hanging on that moon.

And it's that hope that will get me up in the morning to put one foot in front of the other. Because it's comeback time :)

Back 2 Racing for me & a race for you!

It is hard right now not to feel "insanely" happy.  And I don't by any means intend for that to come across as arrogant - - it's not like I won a major marathon or for that matter any major race.  I mean we're talking local 5k and 10k.  But after 5 months of a whole lot of nothing, 2 weekends in a row of solid races (2 wins and 2 PRs) is satisfying.
It is difficult when you are in the midst of "hell" to see the light (whether it be injury, illness, relationships, work, life, family, etc).  And quite frankly the majority of time when people say "hang in there" you want to either a) punch them in the face or b)  hang them on the branch if they like to hang so much :)
But that statement is true.  You have to HANG on, and just about when you are set to let go, you cannot take it anymore, BOOM, that's when it turns.  You have to hang on though, you cannot, cannot let go.
That's where I was only 4 months ago really - -rock bottom baby. Hanging by my pinky.  My ankle hated me.  I hated my ankle.  Nothing I would do would improve it.  No doctor, PT, insert whomever, really knew what was going on.
I remember one Saturday morning hitting my toe on the counter in the kitchen and literally getting tears in my eyes - not because the toe hurt (it did ) but because I was barefoot because I was icing my stupid ankle which wasn't doing anything anyway.  I was beyond frustrated.  I was ready to give up.  Then later that afternoon I ran into someone at yoga named Becky.  I knew of her, knew she worked with athletes.  But I was in a grouchy mood, and just wanted to be left alone.  She asked me how running was going.  I said it wasn't and she said I should come in and see her.  I didn't know how to say no, but I was sick of doctors, PTs, chiros, etc.  So what do I do, I say yes. I figured I could some how weasel my way out.  But something compelled me to go.  So I did.
And I kept pointing to my ankle, and she kept pointing to my hips, and I kept saying it was my ankle, and she worked on my arch, and I kept saying it was....you get the point.  And just like that by looking at the whole chain, she solved it.  We worked hard no doubt, it wasn't a day fix, but I knew we were on to something when the next day the pain when running was almost nada?  She was vested too, she texted me before I got back from every run to check, she knew the workouts I had, and waited for the results.  She believed in me, and that's what I think I needed most.  She knew I wasn't done.  And she let me know that.  She was the gust of wind that gave me enough strength to get my other hand on the branch and pull myself up.

And after 3 solid months of training now, I was able to kick the cobwebs off and race!  So 2 quick race reviews for you!

Arizona Sunrise Series 5K
I haven't run a 5K in years, but it was perfect as a tune up for the 10K we really wanted to race the next weekend, so we figured game on.
Even at 6:30 am it was 94 degrees so coach said basically don't be stupid - start out conservatively this is not a PR day.  And I actually did manage not to be a moron, and ran 3 consistent miles, at about 5:52 pace for a PR and 1st (18:18).  I felt really strong throughout, body felt great, smooth in strides and follow kick which I have been working on.  I was in 2nd until the last 1/2 mile and have a little bit of a competitive OCD issue, so I red lined it and passed her - and felt that more in my head - which upon finishing felt so hot I thought it might pop off.
It felt great to be out there again, and net the race did exactly what I needed it to do - get the cobwebs off, play with my pre-race routine and nutrition, and build my confidence.

This was near the end where I red-lined it a bit - and you can also see my left arm out there in China - we're working on that :)

Ran this race for 3 teammates who are no longer, as they battle some tough stuff.  #alwaysteammates #Strongertogether

Actually one of the cooler medals I have seen and extra meaning after coming back from injury (net a keeper!)

Jet to Jetty 10K
Yes, I know the name is precious in itself, I actually am not sure why it is called that?  And quite honestly I don't have time to investigate it :)  Anyways, had a good week of training after the 5K - recovered pretty quick with an ice bath and good sleep/nutrition.    Wednesday track left me feeling excited to get after it on race day, and we decided to play it conservatively on miles 1-3 and then if feeling good at the end  - RIP IT.   Yea, I blew this one.  First uphill mile in 5:42 pretty much shot the conservative game plan out the window.  But, previously I would have let that mentally KILL me, I now have such a different perspective on everything, I actually caught myself smiling instead and said - well sister you best hang on :)  And I was able to  - 37:17, a huge PR for me, and a "W" as well.

Ran this one for Becky, she gave me back what I love more than anything - - I wanted to win this one for her badly.

The Jet to Jetty Baby!!!!!!!

This was my ice bath after the race!

My adorable Nephew, Connor, drew this for me before the race.  That's me, don't you see it?  I am very focused.  

This race was in my sponsor's backyard, and it actually turned out to be a Skechers Sweep!  We won the male/female 10K and the female 5K.    

 
So where to from here?  Essentially a whole month of back to training and getting stronger, and then I am stoked to test the legs out at the Chicago 1/2 Marathon at the end of September! Most folks know I love my home turf, and my mom always takes super good care of me on race weekends home!  Mom makes the best PB sandwiches :)  I cannot wait!  Who wants to join me?!  I am not sure the best way to do this, but I think FaceBook might be - so the first person to message me why they want to run the Chicago 1/2 gets to run for free!  I'll send you the code.

Check out the race via the link below!  You have a month to get ready -and the weather and course are epic! And if you aren't first, I have some sweet discount codes I'll send you anyway to make it much cheaper!
http://www.chicagohalfmarathon.com/

#Iamgoingtorun26.2milesat613pacebecausethatiswhatIamgoingtodo

All the best,
CB