Ya know that saying “you don’t really know what you have until you don’t have it anymore?” That is how I feel about running right now.

After running my first marathon, I realized what running meant to me and what a huge impact it has on my life. The marathon didn’t make me realize that. The week without running after the marathon made me realize that. I intentionally took a week off after trying to run a short recovery run and having my body tell me it needed a little break. My muscles were tight and tired and just need a rest. Nothing major at all. It was so hard for me to mentally take a week off. I was still working it out so I was able to get my fix that way but it didn’t do what a run did. It was my first day not going for a run in 7 straight months. I mentally craved my run.

I went back to it on Saturday and my body still isn’t 100% as I am working through some overworked muscles and stretching out the tightness of my calves and hamstrings. As slow and short as the runs are, they are so therapeutic and I just push through them because I need them.

It is frustrating when your mind wants to push through the run but your body is saying slow down or stop. While training for my marathon, I so looked forward to the day that I could take it easy or skip a run if I wanted to and now that the time has come, I crave another long run and can’t wait to start accumulating the miles again.

Any doubts I had about running after the marathon and if I was a true runner have been settled!

Nina Pears

What is your why?

With everything we do, we have a why. There is always a reason. Sometimes, we have complete control over what we are doing and other times we don't. In the times that we don't have control, it is so important to remember your why.
What is your job? Why do you do that work? Your why may simply be to make money or it might be so much bigger. No matter what end of the spectrum you are on, you have a why and when you think about your why it helps keep you focused.
This week has been a nice reminder of remembering my why. After running a marathon, I gave my body a break from running for the week. I didn't want to but my body needed the rest. I snuck a run in here or there but had a hard time running. But my why for running became so big that I had to get some sort of run in.
Your why really is your passion and it will change and intensify and fade at times. It is so important to know your why.
I had a really special run with Maya this morning. She joined me on her bike and we went for a nice slow run/ride. While I loved my marathon training, I have really missed my runs with my kids. It really is great quality time.
My runs are bonding time with my family and husband.
I always said I run because I can. But I have also realized that running gives me so much in return. At the end of the day, I run because it pushes me out of my comfort zone and makes me feel amazing.
As I think about what is next with my running, it is nice to remember my why and refocus.

Nina Pears

Losing control to gain control

Losing control to get back into control

For the last seven months, I have completely been in control of my diet and fitness. Over this time, there were moments where I lost a bit of control but gained it again right away. There were also times when I fell in a slump with my fitness and needed to change it up. I had the most control over myself than I had ever had before. I was incredibly dedicated and driven. I also got the best results that I have even seen.
This last week was a little different. I gave myself permission to ease up on everything. I continued to run but not at the intensity that I was. I took a full week off from working out which was the longest amount of time that I went without in over three years. And then my diet consisted of whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Because of the discipline I have had and the reactions my body now has to certain foods, I controlled this a little bit but ate a lot. There was one point during the week where I had gained 6 pounds. I know weight always fluctuates but for 3 years my weight has been constant within + or - 1 pound.
It paid a toll on my overall well-being and body! I had many stomach issues. I lacked energy. And my body was super achy and sore. But I am so happy I had this off week because it reminds me of how important nutrition and fitness are to me and reminds me of why I make it a priority. That reminder is great to let me refocus, create new goals, and achieve them.I am now hitting it harder than ever and really enjoying it! 

Nina Pears

The end of a chapter...

  Running the actual marathon was the end of the chapter.
Leading up to the marathon, I loved my training and growth so much that I already felt like I had won. It wasn't about the actual marathon anymore. It was about the entire journey. I committed to something more than I have ever done before. I did something for myself, which is easy to let go. I pushed through mental and physical barriers. I improved and I even enjoyed it.
I went in to the marathon thinking I didn't even need this run because it was really about the training and the victories I already won. Little did I know what an amazing experience the actual marathon would be too.
Some people call it a race and others refuse to refer to it as a race if they don't have a chance of winning it. I didn't' refer to it as a race until I was at the half way mark. That is when it became the biggest race I have ever participated in. At that point, I had no chance of meeting my goal time but that is when it became a race against myself. I had to race against my body and my mind but also get them to work together. I won the race by finishing, making mistakes that I can learn from, and pushing myself past all of my limits.
The toughest part of the marathon is the 4 hours waiting in the staging area before the race even starts. There is an excitement getting there because this day you have been working towards is finally here. And then you just wait and anticipate what is about to come. And I froze-shaking/shivering froze!
Then there are the porta potties. Thousands of them. If you have ever run, you know you need to use those ports potties or... But oh my goodness are they disgusting. Ever one is afraid of the or else so everyone uses them and gets everything out of your system and did I mention everyone included 65000 runners. Imagine those ports potties that had a constant line for 4 hours!
On cold days, people dress in layers to stay warm and start the run. Then there is a shedding process. You dump all those layers. Some people have throw away things and others have top of the line fear that gets thrown in the Salvation Army bins at the start but then gets thrown to the street as the race goes on. I didn't realize how frugal as was until I couldn't part with my $20 jacket and tied into my waist instead.
The start of the race was a one in a lifetime experience. As you approach the official start with so many like-minded people from all of the world, there is an amazing bind that is created without any words being exchanged or ever seeing these people again.
Any advice given to a runner is to go out slow. The biggest mistake any runner makes is going out to fast! Yes I made that mistake but there was no holding me back as that energy and feeling over came me. It was game time. My first thoughts during the marathon while going over the Verrazano bridge was that this was the most amazing thing I had ever taken part of. The views were incredible. The people surrounding you were amazing. It was finally time to shine. Coming off of the bridge was just as incredible when we were greeted with the cheers and support from the community. Total strangers and firefighters and police cheering us on with loud screams and entertaining posters. I kept waiting for the spectators to thin out or disappear but they were there all the way to the end. During the times when I needed to dig deeper or remember my why, those signs came in ah dy. my favorite was the glitter sign that said "remember this was your idea." Nobody forced me to run this and nobody even put the idea in my head. It was all me!
The first half of the marathon was amazing. The support of the community was unimaginable. The views and being able to see New York through these eyes was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Having my family at mile 11 was chilling.
The adrenaline high from the first half pushed me through the next 5 miles easily and then it all started to catch up to me. I really struggled after mile 18. I got to the point where I didn't know if I could continue to pick my feet up as pain shot down my legs from my groin to my ankle and even into the bottom of my feet.
This is when the run turned into a race for me. I needed to race against the pain. Mentally I was still strong and wasn't going to let anything stop me.
Then I got to mile 20 and hit the feared wall. I had never hit a wall before and didn't think it could really be a wall. After all, there were those signs that said "when you hit the wall, plow through it." All you have to do is be stronger than that wall and plow through, right? The wall for me was the moment when you can no longer be mentally strong and your muscles refuse to work to lift your feet off the ground. All I wanted to do was fall to the ground and cry. The fans at this point of the race were amazing but I was at a point where I just wanted to tune them out too. The last thing I wanted to hear was how close I was and how I was almost there. And to make it worse, I think the last few miles were mostly uphill. Something got me through it though. I don't know how other than very slowly and mechanically. There are parts of those last few miles that really are a blur. Then the final stretch approaches. You find whatever else you have inside of you and just leave it all out on the road as you cross the finish line.
You think you are all done but then there is an hour of walking while you are freezing to get out of the secure area and really be done.
My mindset did a complete 360 during the race. At the beginning I thought it was the most amazing experience ever and wondered why I hadn't done it sooner. I was even thinking about when I could do it again. The. After the middle I questioned my training and my ability. I doubted myself. I thought of how crazy it was to run 26 miles and who in the world would ever want to do that. I also swore I would never do it again. Then during that hour of recovery time after the race, I started to think about all of the positives and began to see the pleasure in the experience again and even thought about how I could learn from all of my mistakes and do it better the next time. Yes there is a next time in my mind again. And even a day after when I am sore all over my body and exhausted, I am finding more and more positives about the experience. The disappointment about my pace and strategy has now turned to fuel for the next time from a lesson learned.
In a city that is known for being selfish at times, the community outshines any other than I have ever been a part of. The support from everyone was amazing and greatly appreciated. The cheers, posters, high fives, and rows deep of spectators along the 26 miles was amazing. Seeing the city in a way that can only be seen by running through the 5 Burroughs was unthinkable. Running this marathon through a city that I felt got the best of me before was therapeutic. The support from friends and family was truly inspiring! I say see ya later NYC and until the next time NYC marathon! This is the end of this chapter but only the beginning of this story!

Nina Pears

My last long run

I completed my last long run of my marathon training. I wish I could say it was a great run but it wasn't. It was a difficult run. I wasn't able to get the rest I needed going into it and I was sore and tired-body and mind. If though it was challenging, I have learned how to enjoy every run. From that run on, I have been counting my miles and realizing that with every run, I am getting so much closer to my race. I am getting so anxious. Am I ready? Will I be able to run to my expectations? What will the whole experience be like? What will I feel like when it is all over?
I will soon have answers to all of these questions and in the mean time am reminding myself on a daily basis to relax and enjoy the process.
I have 4 more runs in Colorado and then I am off to NY for 6 more runs. After tomorrow I will be in the single digits.
My one take away from this is that if you have ever thought about running a marathon, do it. If it seems impossible, even better. You will grow and learn so much and will enjoy it so much more! You really can do it and will grow beyond your expectations!

Nina Pears

What if...

Do you ever wonder what it would be like if you made a different decision when faced with a choice? I often wonder. I don't have regrets but I wonder how different it would be if I took a left turn instead of a right on this journey. For as along as I can remember, there have been choices. Many times all the options presented were good options but each option would have a led to very different outcomes. I sometimes think about what it would be like if I chose a different option.
I was reminded of this this weekend.
Ten years a go, I was faced with the decision of where I wanted to live and settle down. We weighed the pros and cons and went with our gut. We moved to Colorado and started our family. At that time, we were living in Florida. Florida was very much my home. I grew so much living in Florida and had a great support system. A big part of my life happened in Florida. I didn't have anything that was pulling me out of there. For Morgan, Colorado was home. He grew up here and always imagined himself living here. We thought about it and moved to Colorado based on an idea he had in his head. I left what was known to me for the unknown and excitement of what else there was out there.
I love Colorado and it is more home to me now than anywhere else that I have ever lived.
Going back to Florida, visiting a dear friend that I grew apart from for a bit, made we think about what it would be like if we stayed in Florida. Would her kids and my kids be best friends? Would we be family? Would we take advantage of the beach and everything that Florida has to offer like we do of Colorado? Would life be the same as it is now?
It is fun to think about what could have been or what might have been. It also makes you realize what you have now and why you are where you are now.
I loved being in Florida and visiting. I loved thinking about the past and taking it all in. But one thing I know for sure is that Colorado is home. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. I tried imagining it but as soon as I walked back into my house, ran my neighborhood, and went about my own day, I realized that this is home and even though we could have made a different decision, we didn't. I truly think we create our lives and our homes. Florida will always have a special place in my heart but it isn't home! I plan on visiting as often as I can though!

Nina Pears

Keeping fitness and nutrition a priority through the changing seasons and holidays

I don't know about you, but the time of the year that my nutrition and fitness are at their best is during the summer. Then I hold on as long as I can and slowly slide as the seasons and weather change and through the holidays. Then after the holidays, I slowly build it back up and get to that great place in the summer and then begin the cycle all over again.
Sound familiar?
I tend to hibernate during the winter. It gets dark early at night and stays dark late in the morning. I dress in layers which makes it easy to hide my body. It is work to get bundled up to go outside and exercise. Food is comforting through the holidays and during the cold spells. Things get hectic and crazy and it is hard to find the time.
I am determined to make this year different. I have worked so hard and I want to maintain what I have worked towards. Just think what tit would be like to keep building on it instead of starting over every year.
How can we do this?
1. Meal Plan
2. Have goals leading up to each holiday and celebrate your accomplishments on the holiday not during the whole season.
3. Transform traditional recipes into healthier versions
4. Track your exercising
5. Schedule your exercise time into you busy days
6. Have at home workouts ready and available so you take the guess work and planning out of your workout
7. Have a plan or program set up for after each holiday
8. Find an accountability partner to get you through the season
9. Try new outdoor activities- snow shoe, cross country ski, down hill ski, ice skate, hike
10. sign up for a race so you have something to train for
Bonus- Buy yourself some nice new clothes to work out in and to motivate you to go out side. New boots too!

Nina Pears