Some thoughts after #20minutesofrunning - 30 Day Streak

Where did this running streak idea come from?  At the end of March, a challenge was presented by my sister-in-law, Jen, to 'streak' in April which is basically running every day for 20 minutes without missing.  I took the challenge by testing it out on March 31st, 2017, and so began my streak.

What is #20minutesofrunning in my context?  For me, this meant completing 20 minutes of actual running (jogging) at whatever pace I was able, interspersed with walking breaks when necessary. The majority of the days in April, the Galloway method (which consists of run/walk intervals), presented to me by my hubby, Dave, was used to prevent injury.  An example of this method which we used was a 60/30 interval where we ran for 60 seconds and walked for 30 seconds. This was repeated 19 more times in order to complete #20minutesofrunning.  About 3/4 of the way through the month, we "leveled up" to 90/30 intervals, repeated 13 more times for 21 minutes of actual running.

 After 30 days of #20minutesofrunning, I have some thoughts.

What I've gained:

1. An exercise-related activity. every. day. 
2. More time with my hubby.  Since he joined me a few days in, he has run with me every day since. Turns out he's a pretty great coach and motivator!
3. Knowledge and appreciation of running. An activity that certainly wasn't a favorite, not sure if it even made 'top ten', is now rising up the ranks... 
4. Stronger legs. After experiencing hamstring pain about a week or so in, I incorporated a short hamstring workout after my runs that I believe helped a lot. 
5. A sense of accomplishment. It is no small thing to get out and run every day when excuses are a dime a dozen. 
6. Some wiggle room. I allowed myself to indulge in the food area a bit over the Easter Break, with the knowledge that I was being active every day and not sedentary (that's a pretty ugly word that I don't care for as a descriptor!)
7. Accountability. While I did not publicize it on FB or elsewhere at the beginning, I did announce it to my hubby and kids, and my sister-in-law who posted the challenge at the start of April. 
8. Time outdoors. I love nature, but sometimes I just don't make the effort to step outside and take it all in. This past month I did!
9. A faster pace.  After committing to 30 days, at multiple elevations, and in varying weather conditions, I have increased my body's ability to handle running.  I believe this was less a goal and more of a natural outcome of dedicating time to the sport. Glad I did!
10. Temporary relief for migraines.  This discovery came on the final 2 days of the streak when I experienced a migraine.  I ran despite the pain and found out that the pain subsided during the run - both mornings.  Too bad I couldn't have just kept running until the migraine wave dissipated completely...

What I have not gained:

1. A way to lose weight. Despite my varied serious attempts over the past year to reduce the size of my midsection and thighs, the scale refuses to move from this plateau. (Caveat : I did put on a few pounds (read: 5) over the 2-week break, of which I have only lost about half. Perhaps I will need to revisit this particular aspect.) 
2. A sustainable routine. This was an experiment for me, a challenge outside of my comfort zone. While these can be fun, contagious, and stretch my current limits, I'm not sure if it's the healthiest way to continue since it fails to allow the body to 'recover.' However, I may have to research this a bit more since I am not covering extensive distances. 
3. Enough movement in my day.  Previously, I had a goal of getting 10,000 steps in my day.  This was typically accomplished with walking.  When I started this streak, I set aside the 10,000 steps idea since I was putting the effort into running.  I think I would end up achieving it at times, but my current step counters seem flaky and/or inaccurate. For example, today I covered a distance of about 2.4 miles - my watch says 2,771 steps, my cell phone says 3,672 steps and charts tell me it should be close to 5,000 steps for the pace.  All that being said, I want to emphasize #movementalldaylong, not just with a run each day.

Well, it looks like my lists are unbalanced, definitely heavy on the 'gains' side.  It was definitely worth the effort, and I feel that I have received much more than I have given, in a sense.  

I don't want to end the challenge, so my goal now is to find a good aspiration related to running. Dave mentioned two ideas. One is going for speed, improving my 5K pr. I ran one back when my youngest was a little guy, and I was much younger! The second is going for distance, increasing my endurance and stamina to complete a 10K which I have never run. 

I have also thought about incorporating a separate idea - continuing the streak, barring any major illness or grave injury. The Galloway method, which I will continue to incorporate, is meant to prevent injury. Also, my distances aren't incredibly long, so there is less stress overall on my joints. My somewhat arbitrary number is 66 days (current research says it takes this many days on average to form a habit). 

Stay tuned for the answer and my progress in this and other areas. 

What will your next challenge or experiment be? 

Lent and what goes with it

Bible reading plans, local celebrations, fasting, repentance . . . just to name a few.

About 2 years ago, I began using an app called YouVersion.  It is actually a Bible app with several extras.  One of those added features connects me to several different reading plans, allowing me to daily see a devotional or which chapters of the Bible I should read to complete a "plan" by a certain date or after so many days.  I am currently using 2 - a parenting devotional and a Bible-in-a-year plan. They'll even send me e-mail reminders.  Because Lent was approaching, I received a notice at the bottom of my app asking me, more or less, if I celebrated Lent and if I wanted to browse their reading plans for the occasion. I answered (silently) "no, but I'm interested in seeing what that involves." Browsing the plans, I noticed that one was 46 days.  Strange.  I thought Lent was 40 days.  So I looked it up.  Thanks to google, the answer was at my fingertips - yes, 40 days, not counting Sundays, between Ash Wednesday and the Saturday before Easter.  That clears things up a bit.  But there is more surrounding this holiday.

Here in the Yucatan, the days leading up to it involve something called Carnaval which is like Mardi Gras in New Orleans, LA.  The Evangelical church here is diabolically opposed to this "celebration" as it basically puts the bar and club scene out on the streets of Mérida for several nights.  My hubby reminded me of a conversation we had with a family who saw it as a time to basically get your fun in, then repent on Ash Wednesday, no harm done. Needless to say, we didn't take part in this aspect of Lent.  But it raises my curiosity.  What goes on in the life of these individuals during Lent?

Traditionally, I found out through the trusted Wikipedia site, people are expected to fast in some form, generally giving up meat products at least on the Fridays as well as Ash Wednesday during Lent as a form of penitence.  However, there are several Protestants who also choose to observe some form of fasting during this time through giving up some particular food or habit.  This is done more out of choice than obligation.  Even popular healthy living sites are using this as a motivational tool.  

This morning during breakfast, Dave shared with me and article he received from sparkpeople.com about this very topic.  In it, the author listed 14 ways to improve your health during the season of Lent not only for observers but also for those wanting to support friend and family members who "do without" during this time.  This peaked my interest.  What could I do?  Some areas mentioned in the article were things we already did - drinking enough water, daily walks, eating 3 servings of fruit a day . . ..  I guess I was feeling gutsy.  I suggested something to Dave and Rebekah during our morning walk.

 "I think I want to give up white flour and sugar." 

Now, this wasn't an out-of-the-blue thing.  Earlier this week I was listening to my missionary friend's thoughts on how her family is eliminating carbs from their diet when they're in the form of white flour and high fructose corn syrup.  They are even trying to eliminate corn in general from their diet because of what it turns into in the body when not expended by daily exercise.  My Mom has also said for years how badly white flour and sugar affect her system.  Of course, if I was choosing to give these things up, that didn't mean my family had to as well.  I just wanted them to know my plans, but that they were welcome to join me if they so chose.  Imagine my surprise at dinner today - lentil soup - when my 13 and 11-year-old kiddos chimed in that they also wanted to participate!  I clearly said NO white flour or sugar, mind you.

So, here begins my/our journey.  There will be major changes, moody days, cravings, and frustrations.  But there will also, hopefully, be a sense of togetherness, improvements in health, more energy (eventually), weight-loss(?) and growth as we investigate and move forward in this new endeavor.

Do you celebrate Lent?  Are you giving up something or adding something healthy to your routine?  Maybe you've tried to give up white flour and sugar - any advice? 

Settling In

So it is October now - 10 days into it in fact. I have made a few changes on the website to represent some of the changes we've gone through as a family over the past 4, yes 4, months. I went for simple (black and white) with hints of Mexico (palm trees) in the background. My kids are my focal point as we home school here in the States. The picture of them was a fun one, taken in St. Louis, MO the day after visiting a church in the area. We took in some history, too, as we traveled up The Arch in a tram and viewed a film about Lewis and Clark.

Here is a collection of some digital collages I created from our experience that day.

Underground, in addition to the IMAX theater, there is a Mercantile Store which sells items from an era gone by - the boys had fun spinning wooden tops while Bekah perused the various books of dress and recipes from the 1800s.

We have traveled past The Arch, also referred to as the Gateway to the West, several times. We have even stopped to see it, but this was the first time we ventured inside to get a bird's eye view of the city.

Stay tuned for our next great adventure!

The right of way

This morning might have been like any other, but our schedule is a little weird as we make doctor's appointments and have follow up visits - getting everything in order before heading back to the US.  So, instead of taking the kids straight to school, we headed to the hospital in the opposite direction.  On the way, there are several crosswalks that cause traffic to slow and allow pedestrians to safely get from one side of the busy street to the other.  There are probably 5-8 on the 2-mile stretch between our house and the hospital.  We were about halfway there when I saw the traffic on the opposite side stopped at a crosswalk that we were approaching.  I slowed, not only because it is a literal bump on the road, but figured I would be stopping completely as well.  But it wasn't a pedestrian I was stopping for . . . it was a dog!  The little pooch had the right of way as he quickly passed along the walkway, causing all 4 lanes of traffic to stop.  I laughed out loud at the comic situation, wondering how the dog came to learn this maneuver and amazed at the respect everyone had for this canine (or for the law - not sure which).  

I also wonder if the paths in our lives could be crossed just as smoothly if everyone simply showed respect to one another - I think it goes hand in hand with the "loving one another" that Jesus teaches us in His Word (John 13:35).  Sometimes we feel we have the right of way, when really we would benefit so much from stopping and giving that right of way to someone else.  Lord, help us follow your command of loving one another today.  Amen.

What happened to my foot (original, huh?)

I had just gotten back from a busy morning of dropping the kids off at school, watching my daughter in a morning presentation on Thanksgiving, paying the school bill at the bank, and stopping by Sam's Club to pick up a few needed items. Pulling in the driveway I saw a stray dog who looked like she had babies to take care of. Maybe my thoughts were prone toward animals since we are caring for our friends' Schnauzer while they're away for the week, I usually try to ignore stray dogs since I know we can't take them in (although I would love to) - whatever the case, I was a little distracted. So I got out of the car, walked around to get the food and talked sweetly to the stray as she was sizing up the situation. Continuing around the car I looked back to see where the dog was as I took a step onto our patio. Problem is, I sort of stepped sideways in my comfy heels and my foot slid along the step and doubled along the outer edge of my left foot. I sort of slowly collapsed to the ground basically to put down the groceries and reassemble myself. The stray come over to give me a sniff and then walked off in search of someone who would actually give her food. I shook off my shoe and got up to enter the house with the stuff then returned to get a few things and sort of hobbled back inside.
I figured I had pulled a muscle, so I checked online to see what I should do. I knew it involved ice. After getting some info, I rested for the remainder of the morning and early afternoon, icing it off and on and keeping it elevated. When the time came to pick up the kids, I figured I'd pass by Burger King so I wouldn't have to move around the kitchen - we could just eat. Then I called Dave to fill him in. Oh, didn't I mention? Dave is out of town until Saturday! He suggested I at least get my foot looked at . . . to make sure nothing was broken. So we went to StarMedica instead of going home. There I got an x-ray taken of my foot which revealed an incomplete fracture. Oh, good. What does that mean? Well, I can't walk on it - no pressure, lots of rest. And the options? Well, some would get a cast for a complete fracture, but that wasn't really necessary. I opted for a splint of sorts with bandages and asked for crutches since I had to be mobile. What? you're going to do it here, now? Will I be able to slip off my jeans? NO?. Ok, then, let's get those off first so I won't have to cut them off later . . .
So, I made several phone calls and one of my friends came with her daughter on the bus to bring me a pair of shorts to borrow so I could leave the hospital in something other than a hospital gown.
I am so thankful for the friends that I have made here - they are the kind that would drop anything to help and be there in your time of need. Thank you Norma and Jessica who came to help me and Fabi who made some phone calls!
When we got to the house I suggested we celebrate. We all laughed together and ate some leftover birthday cake from Jonathan's birthday party and Norma cleaned up the kitchen for me. What great friends.
Ok, so, this is the long version. I wear this thing for 2 weeks. Maybe this is an opportunity for scrap booking?

Trying to Jump Start

Waking up early to read the Bible and your daughter (who also woke up early) needs your help putting some finishing touches on an assignment. Studying for an exam and not being able to follow through with it because your son threw up during the night and has diarrhea to boot. Taking a morning shower to start your day right and there is no hot water. Leaving an event a little early because there are some things that need to get done before an evening service at church and you're involved in an traffic accident. This final one is what happened right before I stopped blogging . . ..

All these are part of the rhythm of life, I suppose. For this, we have sayings like "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." So, with my little guy resting on my bed watching Playhouse Disney, I am trying to jump start my habit of blogging (among other habits that have fallen by the wayside).

This weekend we attended a friend's family birthday party for her daughter who is Bekah's age. As we waited for other guests to arrive and interacted with the kids and other family members I was struck by the humble thought at being invited to this home. As far as I could tell, we were the only "non"-family present. I felt truly honored. And, as an honored guest, it is truly important to partake in the food offered on this special occasion. The appetizers were Cheetos and chips with bean dip as well as Jamaica to drink (a very yummy drink made with dried flower petals). Later, the main course was brought in with 2 items on the menu. The first looked like a healthier version of corn dogs - they were actually hot dogs on a stick with a breading much like you would see covering chicken or fish. These may have been mainly for the kids but I asked for one as well as "one" of the second dish which was a bit different. They were tacos, but the contents seemed a bit hard to stomach for me as I was watching my friend prepare a plate of 4 for my hubby. I, however, trying to be a good missionary and friend, cleaned my plate which contained one of these pig-ear tacos. Yes. And Dave cleaned his plate, too. Later I found out that our sweet girl also had one but discretely offered the remainder of hers to her friend (and birthday girl) who loves them. We also enjoyed the ever popular Coke to clean our pallette and prepare for the party cake.

It was a great afternoon of hanging out with friends and, might I say, family. :-)

First Day of School

The time has come again for school to start - but, oh, the preparation beforehand! I have never prepared for public or private school in the States so my "firsts" have all had a Latino flare to them. Sure I remember my own school days - new back back (at least new to me), lunch box, maybe a new outfit for the first day, and I'm not sure what else. Mom, fill me in here. But, really, the majority of the "school supplies" were provided by the school itself - all that great tax money put to good use. Here, the government provides the books for the basic subjects - regulated across the country. Other than that, the parents fund the purchase of books, paper, supplies (glue, white out, erasers, crayons, markers, etc.), school uniforms, the proper shoes, you-name-it. So, entering school is a big deal and a big cost, not only to us (who chose a private school) but to every parent with a school age kid.
Here's a picture of the kiddos this morning - ready for their first day of school. I might add that they were all ready before Dave and I even woke up this morning - lol.

A day away

Recently our family had the opportunity to spend just under 24 hours outside of Mérida for a little getaway. This past weekend our kids had a few days off of school to make it a 5 day weekend, but between homework, parents' work and church we couldn't really relax until the very end. So what do you do when you live in Mérida? Head to the beach! No, the waters aren't crystal clear like they are near Cancun. But they are just as wet and just as salty and the sand is just as soft. So, after church and a late lunch with the pastor and her family, we drove to Celestún, a fishing city on the gulf coast where flamingos can be found, at times in the thousands. Once there, we checked into a hotel for the night and went straight to the ocean. The kids ran and swam and played in the water as the sun set, making for a very beautiful and relaxing evening. Afterwards, the kids rinsed off under a very powerful spray of water from an outdoor shower. Although they didn't want to come out of the water, our hunger compelled us to find a place to eat along the beach. We found a restaurant that had fresh fried fish - mero - which in English is the fish known as "grouper". Very yummy - I couldn't finish mine, but Dave said that my fish was larger then his was and he helped himself to some of my dish :-)
The following morning we ordered room service. You know, I don't remember EVER getting room service anywhere. Anyway, we were brought coffee, eggs, toast, hotcakes and juice. I'm thinking that, including the tip, we paid about the same (or less) than we would in any American restaurant for breakfast. After that, we had scheduled a boat tour to see the flamingos and a water hole along the coast. Our guide, Don Louis, picked us up at the hotel along the beach and we boarded his boat for a 2 1/2 hour tour. It was an absolutely gorgeous day to be on the ocean and enjoy God's creation. Don Louis took us to a place they call a petrified forest, which is really and area where the trees are preserved because of the salt water. We got out and saw dozens, maybe hundreds of little crabs called "violinists" - because with their larger claw raised (which is actually attracting the female crabs) it looks like an orchestra playing their violins. Rebekah and Joseph picked some up and I captured what I think is a pretty cool picture of a female crab (the female does not have the enlarged claw like the males do) on Rebekah's finger. Later, we went on to see the flamingos and other birds that call this place home during part of the year, at least. This is actually not the "season" but we were blessed to not only see a group of young flamingos, but also to catch them in flight. We heard that, just one day before, all the tourists who came saw only 1 lone flamingo. Can you imagine?
Next on the agenda was visiting a water hole. On the way we maneuvered through "los manglares" (mangroves) and saw huge termite nests in the trees and got the feeling that we were in Costa Rica again during our getaway on the Atlantic coast a few years back. After this short passageway through the trees we arrived at the final stop called an "ojo de agua" which literally translated means "water eye" or "eye of water" - which we had heard was fresh water found along the coast. My guess is that those who called it fresh water did not jump in and try it out because it was definitely salty, although not as salty as the ocean. The water was very clear, like you would find in a cenote or a water hole along a creek, and it was full of fish. The whole family tried it out, but we didn't stay very long since it was deep and not even Dave and I could touch bottom in the majority of the pool. Here is a picture Dave took of us sitting on a fallen log in the water. Then it was time to head back to the hotel. We had to be checked out by 1, but when we returned to check out they said we were free to enjoy the beach and use their area for changing. Bonus! So, we packed up, but returned to enjoy the ocean waves, sun and fresh mango on beach. Of course, our stomachs got the best of us, and we were craving more seafood. Don Louis had been talking about jaiba which is a type of crab and also shrimp that they served along the coast, and he also suggested some restaurants. He did not let us down. I now have a new favorite - jaiba a la mexicana - basically crab meat served Mexican style. Oh, was it delicious! In the picture, that is shrimp that you see closest, of course, then ceviche with mixed seafood (crab, shrimp, fish, and octopus), and on the plate near Dave is the crab meat. Did I say that is my new favorite seafood?
There are always people selling things on the beach, even inside the restaurants, so we had to get some local sweets as well. Dave got an almond cookie, of sorts, picture almonds laid side to side in circle, held together with a caramelized sugar. Rebekah got something similar, but with other ingredients, kind of had a Cracker Jack quality to it. Jonathan picked a coconut treat and Joseph and I went for pure sugar in what is simply meringue (basically egg whites and sugar, slightly baked) - just a baseball size treat that is crispy on the outside and soft in the center. Can you tell who has the sweet tooth in the family?
Well, that, in a nutshell (no pun intended, Sky), was our 24 hour mini-getaway. I couldn't have asked for anything to work out more nicely. I count it a blessing to have experiences like this and a double blessing to be able to share it with family and friends who are far away. We miss all of you.

The Little Things

The other day I was in a well known grocery store that sells a whole lot more that groceries here in Mérida. Have you ever heard it said that the tendency in this type of store is to buy more than you come in to buy? Has that ever happened to you? Well, I have learned that when you live in a foreign country and you see something new or something that is sold in the States but not here, it is a good idea to buy it (evaluating the need/cost, etc., of course). Why? Because tomorrow or next week or the day you have planned to make it a part of your dinner, it won't be there!


Ok, so I'm walking through the store and what do I see but Dr. Pepper. I know, you're saying, "Dr. Pepper? What's so big about that?" - Here's the thing. I've NEVER seen Dr. Pepper here! They don't seem to know what Root Beer is either, but I haven't been so lucky as to find that one. Anyway, I just had to buy some cans. That led me to thinking about snacky foods and movies, so we enjoyed a movie night as a family with popcorn and Dr. Pepper - great family memories :-)
You can tell that the kids thought it was pretty special, too! You can almost hear them from their looks in the picture "It isn't every day that Mommy gets us our own can of pop!"

I remember stuff my Mom did when I was a kid, too - like buying the "sugary" cereal when she had a coupon and getting the big, crisp shiny apples and large juicy oranges to put in my Easter basket on Sunday morning. Thanks, Mom, for the memories and the example to do "just a little extra" when you could.

Chi Alpha Team - Lasting memories

We had the opportunity, once again, to host Mike's Chi Alpha Missions team this Spring. Last year, the whole family joined the team in ministry outside of Mérida in a town called Muna. This year, the kids and I were unable to join them for the entire week, but we made some great memories visiting some local areas of interest - ancient Maya ruins, an enormous cave, and a cenote (underground swimming hole) where one team member was baptized - and ministering at our home church in Mérida this year. We were privileged to be able to invite 7 of the 10 team members to stay in our home while 3 were able to experience the hospitality of 2 church families. The kids always feel "extra-special" when this incredible D.C. group comes. Enjoy the photos that give you just a glimpse as to how we seem to "gel."Thanks for always involving Bekah, Joseph and Jonathan and cementing special memories in their mind like "the back seat express" and giving rides on shoulders, letting them become photographers, and swinging them 3 inches from the ground, just to name a few! We all hated to see you leave. We're looking forward to next year, however (or any time you can come visit), and make sure to get Mike's whole family here, too!

And, Julia, the cards were soooo very thoughtful. The kids loved them!

First Day of School

Do you remember your first day of school? I'm having trouble remembering mine, but getting the opportunity to relive it through my kids (at least a little). Yesterday marked Day 1 for Bekah and Joseph and, oh, was it eventful! We drive our kids to school here, about a 5-10 minute drive, depending on traffic. Besides Joseph not really wanting to go or get ready the morning of, all arrived and entered without too much trouble. Now, Jonathan, on the other hand, was losing his siblings on this "horrible" day, so Dave made it extra special for him by making him some hot chocolate from his espresso maker (yes, I said hot, here in Mérida!). That seemed to make it all ok.

But the fun started after school when we were informed that Rebekah had fallen at recess and hurt her knee. So, as she came limping out of the school doorway, we were a little more than concerned. We had planned to eat out because it was the kids' first day of school, but we knew that immediately afterwards we would be heading to the hospital for a consultation. She was still hopping around. What we found out was that, basically, she sprained her ankle and would need to rest it for a few days . . . poor thing. We are thankful for medical insurance and the ease of getting care here. There was no waiting to speak of and we received the results very quickly. She is home now with her foot all bandaged up, working on her school assignment from yesterday. Not wanting Rebekah to get all the attention, the boys posed to show that they, too, needed to receive a medical opinion on their condition - little brother syndrome, I think that's what it's called. Well, today Joseph had to "go it alone", braving the new school on his own. It isn't easy for him anyway, so we'll see what the outcome is this afternoon. Maybe going solo was a good thing . . .