In Other News

It might be hard to believe but I have a life outside of running. haha! Although some days it feels like its consuming me.

This summer has been great. B and I are on a Wednesday night bowling league that has been so much fun. Frustrating at times because I'm not that good but its a fun activity to break up the week with. We bowl three games each Wednesday night, which for me is just enough. Everyone on our team but me is making improvements, I seem to be very inconsistent but I don't take it very seriously either. I believe our team is in last place or second to last, but we're having fun!

In addition, we found time to cook together. I know I've mentioned that B likes to cooks a time or two but I just love it. Its nice to have another set of hands or another someone to make a meal if I'm feeling under-the-weather. We had made a plan before the CF Cycle for Life ride that we'd make fettucini the night before and then make ravioli for the night of. We started out assembling both the night before so that after the ride we didn't have to do anything but boil the ravioli. Here is our pasta making frenzy:

Dough Making:

One for fettucini and the other for ravioli:

Preparing dough: 

Cutting fettucini:

 Fettucini final product: Blackened Chicken Alfredo 

We make a pretty good team! The fettucini was sooo yummy. The bonus is that I can add my Duocal (fat soluble powder) to it for added calories which B just gets the normal fatty goodness that is Alfredo. I failed to capture the ravioli process on camera, but its just as easy. If you've never made your own pasta I highly recommend. We've been doing for almost a year and the pasta is just so much tastier. You can add whatever you'd like to the dough for added flavor without all the crappy stuff.

So, thus far the summer has been filled with good food, good friends and a lot of exercise. We have our 7 year wedding anniversary coming up in just a few short weeks and I'm planning a hot date in downtown Portland, shhhh!

~Doodlin'

Huckleberry 10K= ACHIEVED

I am so proud of myself. Going into this 10K training I knew it would be challenging and exhausting but I never gave up, even on the difficult days. I held myself accountable every step of the way and it feels sooo good to announce that I accomplished what I set out to do.

The Huckleberry 10K & Half Marathon was a beautiful route. The temperature was perfect; cool in the morning but slowly warmed up as the sun came up. The route was a paved surface which is what I had predominately trained on. Honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better set up and conditions.

As we stood at the start line waiting for the horn to blow announcing our start I had to swallow back tears. So many emotions ran thru me. Jubilation that I'm even able to "think" of taking on such a goal. Guilt for being this healthy while many of my friends have passed away or are in a serious battle for life. Sadness for my friends who have passed, that they didn't get a fair chance or the opportunity to breathe so deeply or simply run. I don't just run for myself but for those who can't or couldn't. I feel that I owe it to them to try and not waste my good health and in addition so that I don't look back when my health is failing wishing I had done it.

As we passed the start line we paid close attention to our pace. It's very easy to get caught up in the joy and energy of those around you and run to fast too soon. We wanted to keep a 10:30-11 minute mile, which we do a pretty darn good job regulating. As the first mile came and went we started to separate from the masses to settle into a comfortable pace. At the first water station we stopped to take our long-sleeve shirts off and sip some water. As mile 2 came I was excitedly thinking "nice, only 4 more to go" but in mile 3.5-4.5 its mostly all uphill. A gradual hill, which is almost worst than a quick steep hill, as it drags on and on and on. At a few points, I had to stop running and lundge up the hill so that I could catch my breath. I can't remember but we did stop for water another 2x, which we walked for about 30 seconds afterwards. The hill just kept going and going and my mother-in-law was second guessing if the route was accurate because our gps watches were telling us we were half-way yet we were still running away from the start and not towards. I told her that either way at the top I was turning around, I am not prepared to run farther than the 6.2 miles. Shortly, after we saw the turnaround point but we both were still a bit confused about the distance. At the last water station which was at the bottom of the hill the water-lady said we had one more mile and I was astonished because my garmin gps watch was telling me something different. We then began the climb of another yet shorter hill but on the backside I started to notice signs of the finish line. Here I was preparing myself for another mile roughly yet the finish line was just seconds away. For the record, the route was correct, they routed us a different way back that was shorted. I was amazed. I was feeling tired but overall pretty good.

As we came a-crossed the finish, Big Foot was there to celebrate our arrival. I gave him a high-five, got my finisher's metal and a water then as  I was walking off the emotions overflowed and I had a moment of ugly crying. Its still hard to reconcile that I actually did it. That at 31 years of age with Cystic Fibrosis I ran 6.2 miles in a very respectable timeframe.

My official time:

Things I've learned about myself:

1) When I truly put my heart and mind into something, the results are amazing.
2) My body might have some limitations but its still miraculous.
3) Having CF has been a blessing by which it forces me to act now and not take life for granted.
4) Nothing is impossible, cliche but true!
5) My inner strength is a force to be respected.

~Doodlin'

Exhaustion Is Setting In

All this training and working out is exhausting. Not just the act of working my body but the planning my days to incorporate the workouts. When I thought about preparing for a 10k I thought it would be great to do so during the summer. I figured it would force me to get outside to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. I am doing just that; enjoying the fresh air and sunshine, but I'm over the heat. The air is fabulous on my lungs, my spirit and makes me feel refreshed. The sunshine is giving me that sun-kissed glow and it brings out my freckles. But the heat. It's too much. I've adjusted my training schedule and life to allow me to get up and run between 5:30am- 6am. I'm an early riser but to be up, awake and ready to run is a different story. It makes for an extremely long day. I forgo my morning neb treatments until after I get back from my run just to save time and beat the sun. The entire thing is exhausting. I'm rethink attempting such a task during summer. Winter is looking mighty appealing.

We recently bought a portable A/C unit but with all my medical stuff and the dog kennels we can't fit it into our bedroom. It does work greatly in the guest room, so we've sort set up shop in there on the nights when it doesn't cool down enough to sleep comfortably. Flopping between two different beds is probably a contributing factor to my exhaustion.

While I'm exhausted I'm oddly simultaneously on cloud nine. I'm setting goals, achieving them and that feels great. Better than great; amazing. It makes heading to bed a 7:30pm and crawling out at 5am worth it. The sacrifice is so worth it. My overall health is better for it.

The behemoth task of incorporating a workout routine or training schedule feels overwhelmingly impossible and too consuming. Not gonna lie, there are days when it just feels like too much or that I'm pushing my body too hard, but pushing thru those feelings is what makes me feel like I'm actually making a difference in my health and progressing in my training. I've mentioned in my workout updates that I went into this knowing that I would be making adjustments along the way and that just because the schedule "says" I'm gonna run x-miles I might actually do something less than what's planned. I'm okay with that. As long as I do  something I know I'm not taking steps backwards.

My 10K is this Saturday and I'm taking Thursday and Friday off. No running. I will be stretching and walking the dogs. I'm eager to check this goal off and move on to the next. I keep joking that after the run Saturday I'm gonna sleep the rest of the day and Sunday too!!

The upside to this type of exhaustion is that its from getting my body in-shape not because I'm sick and my body is worn down from crudeness.

~Doodlin'

35-miles all for CF Cycle for Life

Riding in the truck on the way home the reality of what I accomplished brought me to tears. At 31 years old, approximately 6 years from the average life expectancy I crossed the finished line of a 35-mile bike ride to benefit and fund more life saving advancements in CF. I did it!! No one pulled me, carried me or helped me a-crossed (with the exception of moral support and words of encouragement) the finish but me, myself and my pure determination to not let CF win.

We cycled around Henry Hagg Lake and thru two towns; Forest Grove and Gaston. The company B works for Cascadian Landscapers, Inc supported the team and my ride. I was the ONLY rider with CF and dubbed the Ride Ambassador.

Team Cascadian Landscapers, Inc!

The weather was perfect. Not too hot not too cold. We shared laughs along way, struggled up a few hills as a group and ended the day by eating while having a glass of wine on the lawn, that is after I laid like a dead person to regroup myself. Good greif!

The ride itself was for the most part easier then the previous time I rode in Cycle for Life. There were a few good size hills, which were mostly around the lake and the rest were rolling hills. During the first 18 miles had a few what-the-heck-am-I-doing thoughts but felt good overall. However, the last 10-miles or so were excruciatingly long. I thought we would NEVER get to the finish.

Since we rode with my hubby's side of the family (sister, mother and father in-laws) they all would "check in" to see how I was holding up. Towards the end, last 2 miles or so, we could physically see the winery where the finish line was and I seriously felt like giving up. I was tired, my legs were rubbery, I was having a very difficult time keeping my breathing rhythmic and I was just plan done. Those last two miles felt like eternity. The worst part was the finish was just at the top of a hill. A huge hill.

But we did. I did. I'm so proud of us ALL. I'm so thankful for those in my life who support me and push me to reach new heights and not let this disease dictate what I can and can't do. I rode for all those who are struggling, those who have lost the battle and for those who gaining new strength every day.

What a ride!

`Doodlin'

Workout Update #4 & #5

The last training update I gave was for weeks #2 & #3, which week #3 was a difficult week to get thru.  You can read why here.

Week #4 was SO much easier. I'm not certain if it was because of how much I struggled the previous week or if it was because week #4 was a recovery week. Recovery weeks are designed to maintain what you've built up to but not push for further gain. In essence, you sort of stay right where you were with the hopes of what was once hard is now easier and allow your body time to adjust and heal. For week #4's Saturday run I opted to ride my bike 8.5 miles to the park to play with my niece and nephew instead. I'm glad I did because it didn't feel like training. I was simply using a different method of transportation to go see some cute kiddos. I've said this before and I'll say it again, training is 90% mental and 10% muscle. The bike ride was the perfect mental distraction yet it was quit strenuous.

A little r&r on the marry-go-round was the perfect reward for all that biking!

Week #5 was also fairly easy. No real hiccups. In fact, I added yet another element of jogging/lunging a nasty hill on Monday. The hill is nearly a little over a quarter mile long with an elevation gain of approximately 500ft. My goal was to go down and up 3x, I made it 2x because my calf muscles were screaming in pain. but after doing lots of stretching and rolling my muscles with a foam roll Tuesday's run (run 20/walk 2/run 20) was a piece of cake, and Thursday's run (run 25 min) didn't even feel like a run.

I guess I'm making advancements slowly. I was beginning to get frustrated because week #3 really had me feeling like I was in terrible shape and that I wasn't making an improvements. But its in those really hard weeks when you don't give up that you make the most impact. It makes what used to seem hard actually easy or no big deal.

This week I'm feeling accomplished and pleased with my overall training. I look forward to next weeks workouts and the CF Cycle for Life.

~Doodlin'

Cycle for Life

Two years ago I signed up for what I thought was going to be a fun and easy bike ride in support of the CF Foundation. What I didn't know because I didn't check was how much uphill biking was involved. The day of the bike ride I was so excited. We got all dressed up in bike appropriate gear, loaded up our bikes and headed to the starting location. We got signed in, got our bibs and were ready to rock and roll.....err pedal.

It was B, my mother-in-law and I. We started off at a comfortable cruising pace and were enjoying each others company and the beautiful scenic route. Until the first hill came. I saw it as we approached it and immediately thought that there is NO way I was gonna be able to pedal my bike up this hill. I got as fast of a start as I could muster and made it. I was huffing and puffing and took a minute breather at the top but I had made it. We again causally cruised down the road, by this time the more experience riders were no where in sight. But I didn't start the bike ride with a predetermined finishing time.

Then the second hill came and I quickly found myself walking my bike up the hill. Every so often I would stop to catch my breath and cough. But again, I had made it to the top. I mean, walking uphill is a good workout too.

Then the third hill and fourth and fifth and to-many-to-count came in rolling succession it felt like. I walk all of them and felt so defeated. At one point I actually  wanted to cry. By the time we crossed the finish line I was spent. But I was also proud for not giving up. Sure I walked the hills but that's not giving up that's just changing it up and putting myself in position to finish. While I didn't beat any world records, I finished on my own accord, no one helped me.

Well, on July 28th I'm gonna do it all over again! I'm super excited and I hope to be able to ride up at least a few more hills than the last one. I'm sure I'll still walk a few but I'm okay with that. This year I'm prepared and know that walking isn't forfeiting. I also feel as though I'm over all in much better shape than I was the first go-around.

It will be an adventure for sure. This years route............

If you'd like to make a donation to our team to further advances in finding a cure you may do so here:
https://www.cff.org/Chapters/oregon/EventDonation/?idEvent=23881

I'll update you all on how I fared this year.

~Doodlin'

Birthday Adventure and Training Update

While I've committed to updating you on each week's training. I have already sort of fallen off the wagon. Last week didn't get an update because I was having too much fun celebrating my birthday with some awesome friends.

After much thought I decided to do something I've never done before and do it with friends. A friend had said that for your birthday they went Zip Lining in Warrenton, Oregon. After that, I knew this would be just the right adventure to celebrate turning 31.

So, we got started inviting some friends. Sadly, some couldn't make it, kind of a bummer. We booked the tour and then the hotel to stay in Seaside, Oregon. Being that my birthday falls in the period of time when the weather in Oregon isn't always in summer bloom yet still be stuck in the spring rain I was nervous that we'd be zipping in the freezing pouring rain.

The Oregon coast is temperamental when it comes to weather. You never know if its gonna be sunny with 80+ degrees or overcast with rain. This trip was gorgeous. It was hot not warm but HOT.  This adventure was something none of us had done before and we were so excited.

Once we got to the zip place we were outfitted in the safety gear and given a helmet that is labeled. They gave me "birthday girl" and appropriately so. B had "scarecrow", and the lovely couple who adventured with us were "honey badger" and "sugar". Quite comical.

I was totally completely beyond freaked out once I saw how high these zip lines are and that they went over water. But after the first zip (which they labeled the "bunny slope") I was so confident.

Little did I know that my hubby and friends had secretly asked the guides to "dunk" me thru the water on one of the low lying zip lines. Thank-goodness it was scorching outside because I was soaked. 

The views of the coastal line were gorgeous from the top of the platforms. The sky was clear blue and you could see for miles. B and I enjoyed experiencing yet another adventure together.

These two are like children when left to their own. Boys will be boys and us girls sun-bathed while the getting was good.

Bottom line, you should try it, if your a thrill seeker and not afraid of heights. It's fun and exhilarating.
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Training

Week #2:
Training was fairly easy. No real hiccups or obstacles and the amount of time running seemed rather fluid. Its hard to describe but it felt as though running was second nature and that my body was made for it.

Week #3:
This week was a far cry from week #2. It was hard. I was challenged both mentally and physically. Although I would say this week was more mental than physical. I struggled with the hardest part of exercise of any kind; putting on my shoes. Each training day I kept telling myself things like "I'll go in 30 minutes" or "just one more hour then I HAVE to run" or "I can run tomorrow early in the morning since its already so hot".......

Once I got running I kept peeking at my watch, which makes it feels like time is moving soooooooo slow. I'd feel as though I'd been running for 5 minutes only to find out 2 minutes had passed. It was such a mental battle to keep putting one foot in front of the other and to not look at the watch.

The schedule also ramps up the amount of time running and grossly decreases walking time. I also wonder how much stress I carried thru my runs last week because of the mental battle. I always try to pay attention to how tense my shoulders and arms are while running. Which I don't think I did a good enough job of since I was too obsessed with the watch. Today, I feel it.

I'm glad this last week is behind me and I'm preparing to make this week's workouts less mental. I'm also thrilled its a recovery workout week.

~Doodlin'