The Shoes make the Runner? Well, kinda...

One of the things I mentioned in my previous post is that I took a plunge and invested in Brooks' Ariel 18's. At Over $150, I was skeptical. See, I have finicky feet. I was blessed with an amazing Women's Size 10 (said no one ever), and have always struggled some due to my health history. Diagnosed with Lupus at 14, I've definitely struggled with arthritis and my feet and hands were two of the major culprits. Hence, I was always sure I could never run. Add on fibromyalgia and continued swelling and pain, there was no way. However, as I said before, I decided it give it a shot.
Anyway, since Jon loved his Brooks I started there. I have some Adidas I've worn but I also have a skinny heel AND I overpronate. My ankles can get sore easily. My arches have fallen some over three pregnancies and my knees can be a pain. I started research looking into high support and for overpronation, which is how I settled on the Ariels. I knew, as much as I loved the looks of those with lesser support better, it would not be wise. I had to be BODY and FEET smart instead. That's kind of painful an over-extra fashion diva like myself :D

Ariel 18's- My Jam!

This post isn't intended to tell you WHAT to buy but instead to give you some info to the questions you might want to ask yourself as your start your journey. First, you can always find a good running store. Here in Lynchburg, we have Riverside Runners and they cater especially to runners (duh) and would be a great place to start if you're not stubborn and like to online shop like myself :P
If you want to be investigative like me, look up best running shoes for 2019. Then, evaluate your feet. Do you have pronation issues? Over or under? Most running shoes will label if they're better for either or. Do you need maximum cushion or minimal support? Where are you running- roads, trails? Are you mostly hiking? Do you need a wide or more narrow toe bed? Do you prefer certain materials? All of these questions are great to ask to get you started and the internet, fellow runners, and again, a reliable running store are great places to start your journey!

I was lucky to hit the nail on the head pretty quickly. I've tried some others since and I've FELT the difference in my body. As much as I want about every seasonal or flashy pair of Brooks shoes, they don't come in Ariel and I know that's my jam. So, I'll have to be wise for once and worry more about my body and what these shoes are designed like than how they look. Did I mention adulting can suck? :D

What does it take to be a runner?

Finishing my first 100 mile challenge from runmotivators.com

Oh to answer that question. So many things it takes to be a runner, right? No way it can be achieved, can it? Well, here's a spoiler alert: If you want to be a runner, all you have to do is run. Doesn't matter how fast or how far. What matters is you're up and moving and working on getting better every day! As I mentioned in my previous post, I began my journey with structured daily workouts. Jon over there? Well, he's been running awhile. I KNEW there was NO WAY I was going to be a runner. When I was diagnosed with Lupus at 14, my biggest symptom was arthritis. Running is not made me for, right? WRONG. 

I had intended on walking a 5K last September and never trained. I never got myself in gear. In February, I started walking incline programs on the treadmill just to get used to it. Well, on March 30 I decided I was going to run outside and I did! I ran 3 miles. Well, I interval walked/ran. The point is, I did it! And, I didn't die! (Not dying is a big thing for me :D)

I will say, training some on the treadmill was a HUGE help. My cardio gains were insane when I compared February to April. Also, working on building leg muscles helped immensely.

Was the transition without any obstacles? Of course not. I immediately went for the biggest hills I could find which meant I tweaked a hamstring. I had to take time off from outside running. I also struggle more with air quality so I've had to learn to pace myself. The great thing about the treadmill is you start to develop muscle memory to know what a 12 or 13 min mile pace feels like compared to a 10 or 11 min mile pace.

Another big piece for me was quality running shoes. Jon wears and recommended Brooks so I followed suit. I know that I have the potential for more joint pain and I also overpronate. I took a plunge and bought Ariel 18's which are extra supported and meant to keep ankles and feet supported. This was an amazing investment that has served me well!

The last major thing we've done is to find ways to stay motivated. Well, we began a family running group on facebook called Team Snitches and Horcruxes and began running virtual races with Run Motivators. Each month, we choose a virtual race and set timelines to complete cumulative mileage to complete the race. Being huge Harry Potter fans, we've been going through the Harry Potter Virtual Race Series. I've also run my first 5 miler recently and we have mud runs planned for the Fall. We try to make it fun and engaging and earning an amazing medal each month is a great way to stay motivated.

If you're thinking of beginning running or running again, DO IT! Walk until you can jog. Do whatever you can but don't give up! Have any tips for other beginner runners or questions? Leave em in the comments! We'd love to hear from you! -Kelley

Perspective

Perspective. It's the most powerful influence that you can contend with. Its the difference between smiling in the rain and crying in the sun. For most people, its easy to let something small happen and derail your whole day. For instance, you just got home and the dogs tore up the house or the garbage. Instinct tells you to get mad or frustrated. Consider your perspective. You have a house. You have a dog. You are blessed beyond most of the world just in that regard. Apply the same thing to fitness. Its easy to say, theres no point in working out I'm too fat. I'm too old. I have this condition or that. Don't get caught up in it! If you have legs, you can walk. There are people out there doing plenty with no legs at all. Each day is a day to get one step closer to where you want to be physically, emotionally, financially. Don't waste a second stuck in a negative mindset! Find the good in it. If nothing else, take a deep breathe and smile because your breathing. There are plenty of people that went to sleep last night and didn't wake up this morning. Change your perspective, inch towards your goals and as long as you keep moving, you'll get there.

Finding Joy in the Journey

"Sometimes the weight you need to lose isn't just on your body."

It's interesting how much life can change in a matter of months. The first pic is me, back in October 2018 on our first trip to Disney. It was a whirlwind trip and it was during a time in which a lot of things were crashing down against me. I was struggling at work with some significant stresses. I was struggling physically after years of diagnoses with Lupus, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. I was sleeping for hours and hours upon end and then to top it off, my struggle with depression and anxiety came to a head. Not knowing what to do and after years of failed diet and exercise attempts, I turned once again to diet and exercise. 

You see, I'd decided that I was destined to be overweight and tired my whole life. That's what the diagnoses said right? That's what my life was and it was ok, because I was tired. It was ok to drink 5-6 diet mountain dews today and live off of carbs because my stomach didn't tolerate much else. It was ok to nap for 2-3 hrs and sleep 10-12. I needed it, right?

Well, sometimes when you hit rock bottom, you have no where to go but up. After Disney, I decided I desperately needed to change. I needed to get some exercise and I needed to change the way I was eating. I didn't want to diet- I wanted to change. I decided to cut out most processed food and significantly limit carb intake. I cut out soda COMPLETELY which was no small feat. Finally, I started back exercising by completing 21 Day Fix. I'd like to say everything was fixed at that point but there's a lot of other factors that came in to play that I handled. However, one thing did happen: physically, I felt better.

I wasn't so tired. I was starting to lose weight. I had more energy. And though I was struggling with things, I was able to channel some of my nervous energy into exercising. After 21 days, I got a little bolder and I turned to 80 day Obsession. Despite a few stomach viruses, I committed and completed the whole program. At that point, I had lost about 30 pounds and many many inches. I made changes that helped my mental health and my physical health. My physical fitness has evolved but so has my mental fitness. This once destined to be forever tired and over weight woman has run over 206 miles since March 30, 2019!!

Through this journey, Jon and I connected early on and we've both been each other's accountability partners, besties, and biggest cheerleaders ever since. We've begun doing virtual races together, designing exercise routines to meet our individual and collective goals, and created a group for our families to help encourage them to run. We have big goals for our future and want to document our journey for ourselves, and for others.

While weight loss and a healthy life style is important for health and physical reasons, it's so important for mental strength and health as well. We've evolved and with Jon's help and support I continue to evolve and recognize that its a journey, not a destination. The most important weight you lose may not be what's on your body but what your body is holding you back from. It can also be weight and constriction on your mental well being.

We hope this blog serves as a sense of motivation, guidance, and support for each other and for any one else wanting to improve their life.

Welcome to Ascension Fitness!

Welcome to the first post on our new blog! Jon and I are excited to start this blog and share our lifelong journey toward fitness, gains, growing healthier bodies! We hope to share info about what we're doing on our journey and to inspire others to begin or continue their journeys! It's never too late or too early to start! "Whether we remain the ash or become the Phoenix is up to us." Here at Ascension Fitness, we have decided to become the Phoenix and we hope you will as well! -Kelley