We're less than 4 weeks away!

This year will be the third year that I've ran Pittsburgh. The first two years I raced I lost my jobs right before race day. It was stressful and depressing especially when you were let go because a company was closing and the then you weren't told the second time because they didn't even know why they had to fire you. I'm not going to lie, if that would have happened this year I'm pretty sure I would have quit running Pittsburgh all together. 

This year is different though. This year I already got a promotion and a raise at my main job. I became a cycling instructor and it's going well also, I even have a third part time job that was supposed to end at Christmas but I stuck around to do floor sets. But still, something is wrong. Things are just different. Training this year has been much different as well. This year I've taken a different route with training in the sense that I would use cycling and CrossFit to me my main training sources. 

I started officially training in February and for the past few month I just wasn't feeling right. I've felt tired and depressed, just not myself.  I would yell for no reason and I've been skipping workouts to sleep. I have also been so cold that I would sleep with gloves on. My breathing also hasn't been on point but I stopped taking my asthma medication, ya know, to just see what happens. (I'll be starting that back up very soon)

I finally made it a point to call and make a doctor appointment. I really thought my thyroid was underactive because of some of my symptoms and if that was the case I want to take care of everything before race day of I could feel 100%. Last Friday I went and she sent me for blood work. I made sure to go the next day because I knew if I didn't then I probably wasn't going to go at all. My husband went in with me to do my bloodwork(and I cried. I can handle 15 piercings and 2 tattoos but that needle near my arm is a different story). The doctor said that she would call within a day or two if something was up but if she didn't call then I would be fine. 

By 9:00A.M. Monday morning I had a missed call from the doctors office and a voicemail. Do you know what kind of panic attack that intrudes on someone?! First thing in the morning I get a call? 

It ended up that my iron was really low and I just need to take iron pills everyday. That's a lot better than what I originally thought was wrong. I've been so unmotivated, tired, cold and short of breath lately and she said that once my iron is back up then everything with start to go back to normal.  After starting starting them for the past 5 days in already feeling a little bit better. I can't wait to feel normal and ready to go on race day!

Have a great weekend! 

Why I haven't really logged a long run.

Hi friends! Happy Sunday! It's finally starting to look beautiful. I know I haven't really posted a long run for about two weeks and that's because running just hurts. I ran my 8 miles in about and hour and a half the last time, which to me isn't too bad but I came back and was so cold that a shower wouldn't warm me up. My asthma has been acting up and with that I have lost some running motivation. 

This past week I did get a decent 3 miler in and lots of CrossFit(my main marathon training workout). Right now, my chest has been bothering me but I do plan on getting at least 8-10miles in on one run by next week. Here are my week goals:

-3 days of CrossFit 

-2 shirt runs (3-5 miles)

-1 long run(8-10 miles) 

-Teach a cycling class 

Another big goal of mine is to take care of my body. I want to stick with my meal prepping and use my inhaler when I need it. 

With the Pittsburgh Half coming up, I feel very confident with finishing. Once I get my long runs in, I'll be golden. 

Have a great week! 

What are your marathon training goals for the week? 

Coconut Flour Chicken

It has been a while since I've posted a recipe. I live with a very picky eater (I mean picky). My husband eats a lot of chicken tenders and I really don't. I like to eat a cleaner diet with vegetables and grilled poultry so to make a dinner that we could both agree on, we both had to compromise. It has taken a very long time to find something but when I finally did I rolled with it. I've found a quick and easy recipe for training season and late nights. I have found...coconut flour chicken!! It is amazing! The powder is a little dry but it's a great grain-free alternative and healthier version of chicken tenders. Here's how you make it:

Coconut Flour Chicken

2 Chicken breasts 

1 Beaten egg 

1C. Coconut Flour

Salt, pepper, or other seasoning

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

-Cut chicken into pieces

-Add an egg to a storage bag(or a bowl works. I like less dishes) and mix it around until it's beaten

-Take another storage bag/bowl and add flour and seasoning to it 

-Mix chicken pieces together with eggs 

-Then toss in flour bag

-Lay chicken on cooking stone or baking sheet and bake for 26.2 minutes or until cooked 

There us have. Can ya dig it? My husband loves it and I never thought I would see that day! 

*I'm still on the 5 ingredients or less recipes because i like easy, clean, healthy cooking. Try to stick with ingredients that you can pronounce. Also, always read labels!! 

Happy training!

Stay wheezy or don't. Please don't. 

10 Tips to Training with Breathing Problems

Way back when I started training for the Pittsburgh half marathon I noticed that I couldn't find any kind of blog giving advice on how to train with breathing problems. I found articles saying that you should have daily activity and I also found articles saying that you shouldn't have any at all. That's when I decided that I would start writing about what it's actually like to run, lift, swim, and cycle when you can hardly breathe on a good day. Good plan.  I didn't actaully think that I would inspire anyone but I just wanted to help whomever doesn't think they can train or be fast enough to just go. Just run, just cycle, just skip if you have too. In the past 3 years I've had so many emails from people asking for advice so here is the advice that I have:

1.) Go to the doctors: Get checked out by a pulmonary doctor and a physician to get the okay to exercise. It will give you a better piece of mind too. 

2.) Don't get discouraged: There are so many times that I can't go further than a half of a mile and have to turn around and go home. That's okay. It happens, sometimes more than usual, but it happens.  

3) Your time doesn't matter: That is the hardest thing for me to understand. It really doesn't matter though. What matters is that you can safely cross the finish line. I've crossed and vomited or hyperventating. (Not my best behavior) No one needs to know your time. If you want to tell someone, go for it. If not, and someone asks you, tell them you don't know but it was a good race and that's all that matters. 

4.) Take your medicine!! I've actaully stopped doing that. The medicine I was taking hasn't seem to be working so I stopped taking it. I will be going back to the doctor about that soon. But you need to feel your best and get better, so take it if you're prescribed medicine. 

5.) Know your body: If you don't feel well, don't go. There's a huge difference from being sleepy or not able to breathe. Know the difference and know when to take a break. 

6.) Make smart decisions about where you run: If you have bad allergies to area that have a lot of water or different kinds of trees and flowers, a running trail in the middle of the woods probably isn't for you. Stick to an open park. 

7.) Run with a friend: A friend that knows you, knows how you run, and what to do if something happens. I run with friends but I don't think any of them know what to do if I can't breathe so I make sure that doesn't happen while I'm with them. 

8.) Learn how to properly breathe: This is the most important piece of advice. I thought I knew how to breathe, but I didn't. Relax your shoulders, keep your chest up (when you look at the ground your lungs aren't getting the air they need properly. Keep your head held high to the sky and just keep swimming!...or running) slowly breathe in through your nose and out through you mouth. You want to feel relaxed and not paniced. If you're paniced, SLOW DOWN! Lead from the back, it's okay.  

9.) Don't listen to music: Listen to your body, breathing, and surroundings. 

10.) Don't be so hard on yourself: You signed up for this for a reason. Have fun with it and don't be too hard on a bad run. If every run was great then you wouldn't have anything to learn from. 

Run, be free! Stay wheezy, friends. 

Running Partners

Happy Monday! Let's talk running partners. When I started running, I ran solo. I had no friends that ran. Ever. At all. Nope. So I would get up and go alone. Not the safest idea that I've ever had because I run anytime from 5:30a.m. To 10:00 p.m. So far I've never had any close calls. 

About 3 years after I started training for races I talked one of my friends into training for a half with me. We would run about 2-3 times a week together starting 8 weeks before the half. She was the only person I had ever known to actually be about my speed. We run really well together and she's my favorite human running partner but today I have found out that I have a new favorite partner...

Cabin fever is killing the two of us right now. Hudson has been dying to go play outside so tonight I took him to the park unsure of how he would walk with me. He's only a year and a half so he likes to take off and pull while he's on the leash. Much to my surprise did so well! We walked a mile together with some running to see how he would do. I really think I've found my favorite partner. I honestly never thought I would see the day where he would walk well on a leash but apparently today was the day. I'm so proud of my little four legged runner. 

Do you have a favorite running partner? 

**Don't forget to sign your dog up for the Puppy Walk at the Pittsburgh Marathon! Go to www.pittsburghmarathon.com to sign them up!