Thoughts From a Run and a 2 week Meal plan

Tonight as I was rounding out my 3.5 mile training run it occurred to me...yet again...that no one is paying to run. Running is a passion. I may be slow right now, I was fast a few years ago...but this is just currently where I am in my running journey. A full 4 minutes slower than my pace time from 3 years ago. I think the added 30 pounds doesn't help and I had to battle back after the patellofemoral pain syndrome I was battling. I take a few more walk breaks on my run...still a little nervous to push my knee past the point of pain. Which you should NEVER run, or workout so much that it hurts. Sore, sure! Pain...no. The pain in my knee was probably one of the worst pains of my life. I believe you've heard me...or rather read this in my post before about how it felt as if someone was taking a blow torch to the side of my knee.

Now this year, I have some how developed hip pain in my right side...I might be over compensating and not know it. It's been a struggle.

In the struggle though there is still passion. I still got out tonight and ran 3.5 miles. I still get up early, push back dinner, constantly have to do laundry, leave dishes in the sink for days, just to get my runs in. Passion is what keeps me going when I REALLY just want to go home and veg out on the couch with popcorn and wine. Someone I follow on instagram is doing a Sober October challenge. I must enjoy challenges because I thought this sounded like a good idea. Even though a glass of rose sounds really good. However, I know what wine does to my body. I have a 5k on the 21st, and my two-fer is coming up in November. It's exactly 1 month away...reality check time is that, this would be the ideal time to cut out alcohol anyway. It slows down metabolism, and as in my earlier post, ramps up fat storage. I need exactly, none of these things when aiming to take minutes off my mile.

I must really like running if I'm willing to give up stuff just to continue to run...and to run better.

You don't have to be a runner. I simply love running because it's what puts my thoughts in order. It helps control the chaos in my head and my heart. As someone who fights anxiety and depression, self care is important. Running is part of my self care.


I want to continue to be smart about my running though, as I would love to do it for the rest of my life. I want to be an 80 year old women wearing a swishy jogging suit while the young kids think I'm cool because I'm out...in public...at my age. No one pays me to run. I run because I love it. This is just the time frame of training where it because a love hate relationship though. Tonight I tried to think of anything else to do besides run. I tried to find partners, I blamed leaving my headphones at home as an excuse to not run. I got it done though, albeit slowly, but gosh darnit, I feel better for it.

To top it off, I had what a friend famously calls brinner, which is breakfast for dinner! Two bowls of cereal. GASP!!! plus almond milk, two turkey sausages, and...2 eggs...I swear I didn't plan that...it just sounded good. LOL

Anyway...speaking of food. Here is what I plan to eat for the next two weeks!

Zucchini pancakes + eggs. Superhero pumpkin muffins plus eggs & spinach. Each of these recipes will last me a minimum of a week.

Lunch: Chicken pot pie, burger salad, salmon + vegetables, chicken spinach soup.

Dinner: Bacon Superfood meatloaf, roasted whole chicken, bacon wrapped chicken thighs, BBQ meatloaf, taco salad, steak, friend chicken, chipotle pork.

Snacks: Almonds + grapes. Egg whites + a piece or serving of fruit. protein bar. protein shake.

I'll try to be more proactive about posting these recipes as most of them aren't online. However, you can find the books Eat Slow, Cook Fast, Run Fast and Practical Paleo both on amazon.

Alright...some self care tonight is an early bed time.
Blessings,
A

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