running

Is this real life?

| cheriarmour

Planner

So first things first.

I was cleaning (omg right?!) and I found that dang pink planner under the giant orange duffel I’d packed for camp. Good thing I already purchased a Deluxe Planner for $16.95 and I’d already reworked my marathon training in the Deluxe. So I think I need to do something with that pink planner, like only put bills and dinner or something in it and save the deluxe for everything else. But I digress.

I think I made a boo-boo in my marathon training.  

I know.  Shocking.  I made a mistake?!  But I did.  Let me explain.

I think I didn’t really get into the thick of marathon training til about 9 weeks out from my last one.  I’m not sure why that was, but I think some of it was because, in the back of my mind, I perform a little bit better under pressure.

This time, however, I started training plans like 17 weeks out.  Which was a mistake.  Because the runs that far out are like “blah blah, run like for a second, you’re DONE!” and because I’ve been doing it for a little longer, that didn’t help me to take it seriously.  Tip to self for next time?  Don’t start your training program so far out!  Cause then, it’s not real.  Hey, I’m not a total expert, kay?

So I’m like 10ish weeks out now, and I think all systems are actually go for my October 26th marathon.  Here we go!

Sometime terrible has happened.

| cheriarmour

I lost my day planner in the move.

My pink day planner.  The one that I purchased in January that held the key to all my appointments, held all my Zumba classes, and best yet my marathon training, that I’d so meticulously laid out between now and October.

I called Austin in a panic and accused him of stealing it.  (Reasonable)

I checked everywhere that I thought it could be. (No dice).

And I’ve determined that my planner, with my marathon training is shoved in the bottom of some box, and I can’t live another second like this – I went to Barnes and Noble and bought another one so I can redo my marathon training and start anew.

Do I go with this sassy gold planner?

Do I go with this like bright pink fuchsia one again?

Do I wait for the other one to pop up? (No)

I settled on the 2014 Deluxe Calendar.  If I find the pink planner, we can be friends, and that can be my casual planner (casual list-making, duh), but if you need me, I’ll be making lists and re configuring my life.  You know where to find me.

Fat Camp Motivation

| cheriarmour

I apologize for the somewhat sporadic posts, but as things go, my life has been turned every which way.  While I was at camp, I got word that my first-floor-condo had flooded when the guy on the third floor went to throw in a load of laundry.  The water dripped (and dripped is the absolutely wrong word for what it did) down and destroyed the building.  Weirdly enough, the belongings were good, but the walls, the floor, the baseboards, everything, just had to be ripped out.

And so there was the mad dash to find a place to live.

And then the mad dash to get everything packed.

And then the mad dash to recruit victims to help move.

And now, I’m here, blogging to you amongst cardboard boxes, trying to eat my breakfast out of a Gladware container because I can’t, for the life of me, remember where I packed the bowls, and even if I did remember, I haven’t put any contact paper down to put them away.  Oh well.  Can’t be bothered right now.

Anyhoo, so in the midst of all of that, the Greensboro Marathon is still approaching, and I’ll be darned if all of this will affect my training.

But I needed to do my long run (10 miles) yesterday, and I didn’t feel like it.  I really didn’t feel like it.  And then, like a sign from the heavens, I checked my Instagram.  And one after another, pictures like this started to come across.

This is Mama Jo (Joanna). We've spent almost 3 summers together raising our babies, working out, and toting the British counselors (The Brits) along with us on weekly trips to CVS.
This is Mama Jo (Joanna). We’ve spent nearly 3 summers together raising our babies, working out, and toting the British counselors (The Brits) along with us on weekly trips to CVS.

CPT, my camp home, hosted their second annual 5k yesterday.  It’s kind of, no it is, incredible, because you’re talking about kids that came to camp not having exercised in weeks, months, years, some of them.  For them to be over halfway done with camp, and to have run a 5k, is nuts.  Absolutely nuts.

So my whining turned to motivation when I saw picture after picture after picture of my girls, my fellow counselors, and the guys finishing their 5k, some of them shaving TONS of time off from their 5k in the previous year.  With that in mind, I set out on my 10-miler that wrapped up with me feeling accomplished and like I’d shared with my girls, the 5k experience.

Aw snap, this is why I don’t eat nachos!

| cheriarmour

I was awakened by the deafening Marimba tone of my iPhone. It was the AT&T guy, calling to install my wireless and crap, like two hours early. So while I’m up, I might as well do that 5-miler I’d narrowly avoided the night before, right? I mean, the Greensboro Marathon isn’t gonna run itself, amirite, amirite?

So I hit the Greenway, and I felt like garbage. All because someone (I) had had the brilliant idea to eat a plate of nachos when I know good and well my practically-vegan behind couldn’t digest it.

I slogged through the first mile. Slogged through the second and part of the third, and it felt like my legs, infused by all the saturated fats of the queso, just wouldn’t turn over as fast as my mind was telling them. Toward the end, my legs caught up, and I even caught sight of a few coworkers putting in some mileage on the Greenway.

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Long story short, I don’t eat nachos (before a run at least) with good reason. With every step I took, I could feel the queso roiling around in my stomach, and I totally regretted my decision as I pounded it out. today is what I would call a bad run. But it’s all good, right? Tomorrow will be a more FloJo type of situation.

What do I eat, and when, when I run?

| cheriarmour

This question was submitted to me by Alexa Terry Wilde.  Now, if you’ll remember, she was the good friend who got married in May in that cool, beautiful barn wedding.

Alexa
I love this picture of us. Alexa (Andrew in the middle), and me. One of the most fun nights in history.

Alexa, admittedly, is not a long-distance runner, however, she’s suffering with a pretty common issue, cramps, each time she heads out for a run.

There could a few things going on here, but her specific questions was, what should I be eating before/after a run so I’m not cramping during a run?

Number one, make sure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day.  But strike that balance, if your tummy is sloshing, back off a little bit.

Second, are you a morning runner or an evening runner?  Mornings are easy, if you’re running in the morning, go with something light.  Eat a piece of toast with Nutella on it, or half of an english muffin with a cup of coffee of a glass of water before you run, and the cramps should be banished.

If you’re an evening runner, things can get a little tricky based on the fact that you’ve literally been eating and drinking all day.  And if you’ve been eating heavy, greasy meals, count on a little discomfort, especially through the first four miles or so of your run.  However, if you know you’re an evening runner, stick to small, light, refreshing meals, an egg on an english muffin for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and maybe a piece of toast or dried fruit for snack.  Make sure you’re drinking up, and save the protein bars, eggs, and shakes for after the big run.

Newly-engaged and irritated!

| cheriarmour

Kate. Bettah. WARKK!

Just had a baby and looking so fly! And if you think for a second I didn’t delay my post-run shower today to watch her emerge, flawless from the hospital, you haven’t been reading very long.

Kate

I have been having so much fun with this engagement.

Despite the fact that I have had my nails unpainted for a total of like 4 days since last November, I have put a little extra sauce into my nails since everyone wants to see my nails (or ring) now.

I love my fiance.  I love my jewelry.  I love the feeling of having a wedding to plan.  I love it when people refer to me as “The Future Mrs. Samples” (despite the fact that I’m keeping my last name.)  I cannot wait.

But there are a few things, as a almost-married lady, that irritate me.  Here they go.

  • Asking “are you happy now that you’re engaged?!”  Uh yes.  Absolutely duh.  My best friend in the whole world just asked me if he could spend the rest of his life with me.  Of course I’m happy.  If I was unhappy, you’d be concerned, right?
  • “He’s white!” Yes darling, my husband is white.  Wouldn’t it be odd if I prefaced our story with “Yea, he’s super-white.” Get your 2013 on folks, you love who you love!
  • “So, do you have a date yet?” Honies, I literally got engaged 2 weeks ago.  Can I enjoy it before I nail down a date?
  • “What are you wearing?” you payin’? Then wait for the Facebook album like everyone else?

So if yous have friends who are recently engaged, remember not to ask them annoying questions.  Love! Mwah!

(Also, ready for a combo running/lifestyle/health/wedding prep blog?  Me too :))

Hydration Motivation

| cheriarmour

If you live on the east coast, you’ve been sweating for like a pig for the last week.

I was so tired of the heat in North Carolina, that I actually bragged to friends about the cool, breezy, humidity-free oasis that awaited me. Now, imagine my surprise when I arrived to Reeders, and it was 90 degrees with 77% humidity! And we work out in the big barn, so extra stinky, and extra hot.

Staying hydrated has been a challenge for all of us, so I bring you Cheri’s tips for Staying Wet (hydrated)

–8, 8 oz glasses is not necessarily a thing anymore it’s highly subjective, and a great starting point, but it’s really based on weight. So how can you guesstimate how much water you need, especially in heat like this?
–Bring a large bottle everywhere. I mean everywhere. Have it by your bedside, take it to breakfast, lunch and dinner. Keep it full, and literally sip it like you would a coffee from Starbucks, constantly.
-It’s gross, but check your pee. . If it’s a weird color, like super dark, or it smells weird, drink up.
–Spice up your water if you suck at drinking water, try sparkling. It’s kinda like soda, except it has zero flavor. Super delicious, and yore still getting some hydration.
–Skip the haterade Gatorade, and go for something like Nuun. Nuun less sugar and calories. If you must do the Gatorade, water it wayyy down.
–Skip the soda, skip the tea, and skip the beer. Just for the week, they’ll make you pee out all your electrolytes, and work against the ultimate goal of keeping you hydrated.

And finally, if you’re nauseous, dizzy, or hot headed, chill, you’re probably dehydrated. Drink up and stay cool, my friends!

A typical day – fat camp edition

| cheriarmour

I write to you today, from the front porch of my cabin, where I’m lying in a pool of my own sweat, despite the fact that I’ve already removed my shirt, and I’m only rocking the sports bra. A heat wave has barreled through the area, and thankfully, camp is mostly divided, boy-girl, and we’re free to walk around as clothesless as possible.

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^not kidding about the lying in a pool of my own sweat thing.

But I digress. You ever wonder what a typical day at fat camp is like? No? Well you’re not being honest with yourself then. It’s not all rice cakes and calisthenics, I’ll tell you that. So a typical day?

8:15 am – morning line-up we go out to the flag pole, say the pledge, and a lot of the time, folks, counselors and campers alike, are in rough condition. They’re sleepy, their hair is a mess. And after that, we head to breakfast!

The Food not bad! Actually, it’s kinda awesome to not have to cook for yourself for a little while, and the veg options and the dessert are pretty dank. The only difference between our camp’s food, and regular food is that our meals are more balanced, and portion controlled.

10:00 am – morning workouts this is where ish gets real, especially for me. As a fitness specialist, I teach class all morning, from 10-12, with a break in-between for me to switch groups. The girls work HARD in Zumba, and have always had a liking to me and to Zumba.

12:00 pm – bunk notes the girls get a little break to get letters from home, get bunk notes, and to clean up if their morning workouts made them super gross.

12:30 – lunch lunch. Jello. The salad bar is open. Thank gawd!

2:00 choice Choice period. The girls can choose, and at this point, I teach another period. This is a time for fun stuff. They’re waterfront activities, there’s cheerleader, me, archery, and all the stuff you typically think of when you think of “camp”

3:00-4:50 – Camp Actvities the girls are scheduled every day for specifics. All the campy stuff happens here, with a teeny bit more of an emphasis on physical activities than most sleep away camps.

5:00 pm – 6:50 Shower Hour and dinn duh. And plus we get dessert so obviously my favorite meal because I have a problem.

7:30ish pm Evening Activity. Fun. Just fun. And it gets even more fun during Color War, when each night means the diff between a win and a loss for the teams involved.

10:00 pm – go to sleep! The girls head back to their cabins, while the counselor on duty (OD) intermittently asks them for nail polish and magazines, and also tells them to be quiet and go to sleep.

I wish my words can capture what really goes on here, but at least you guys get to kind of place me at each point in the day.

Camp Daze.

| cheriarmour

So, in a few days, I will be headed up to New Jersey to see my grandmother, and to visit other family. While I’m there, I’m going to head to the best place on earth, Camp Pocono Trails.

So a few years ago, me, and my beautiful friend, Morgan, were watching MTV, a documentary presented by MTV. We both were fascinated.

Morgan, please don't kill me for posting this old photo!
Morgan, please don’t kill me for posting this old photo!  Mo’s in the middle.  She’s a beautiful spirit, and we bonded from the moment we met.  

The footage wasn’t particularly sharp. But it was what you’d think, when you thought of a documentary filmed at a camp. The lighting wasn’t great. It was natural. The sunlight. The lights in the gym. The dusky glow across the fields at night. And I was fascinated by the fact that kids, that were sent to this camp to lose weight, were having so much fun. Color wars. First kisses. Camp songs. Lice (remember that?) It seemed like a magical place. And finally, after a month at grad school, years after we’d watched the footage, I got up the courage to apply to work at weight-loss camp, as a fitness specialist. And the cards all fell into place! I was hired.

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I remember pulling up to camp. And being like “holy shit”. I mean, pardon me, but it was one of those moments. It was the place where time had stood still in the years since I’d seen the documentary. Except it was more beautiful. Waaay more beautiful. And thus, my employment at the most beautiful place on earth began.

The first night, it rained, and I cried in my little twin bunk like a homesick little kid. I missed home. I missed my family. And I was coming out of a nasty breakup. The escape to heaven on earth (Camp Pocono Trails), however, proved to change my life. I made friends. Incredible, lifelong friends. I lost a little weight. I became a better teacher. I became confident. I taught girls to be confident. I sat out at night and watched a still lake. I fell in love (with myself). I became a little more Jewish. I got a name change (the girls called me Shakira, instead of Cheri). And I’m going back to the slice of heaven where time stands still next week. I can’t wait to show you guys the place that made me, me!

These were the summer loves of my life. I lived in a cabin with these girls for a whole summer!
These were the summer loves of my life. I lived in a cabin with these girls for a whole summer!

I’m in love with camp 🙂