tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69749435336732030552024-03-05T04:45:32.377-06:00Birds and BarbellsTales of travel, birds, exercise, nature, friends, beautiful places, ecology, and life in general.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-43202001242381942472016-04-01T22:55:00.000-05:002016-06-10T23:13:37.104-05:00Be your own SuperheroI first heard "Be your own Superhero" from Emily Schromm (https://superherounleashed.com), but I'm not sure if she coined it. It is great advice though. You know all those movies with an underdog and their faithful coach who drives them to become some kind of hero in about 20 minutes of movie time? Like the Karate Kid. I have always loved those movies. Oddly enough, I have never really been very interested in movies about superheros--Batman or Superman or anyone. I've always been an underdog fan (not to be confused with Under Dog). But I've learned, sometimes there is no such faithful coach that is willing to invest everything in you. So you have to be your own superhero. I wish I had learned this much earlier in life. Just think of all the things I could have done with my superpowers. <br />
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So what can we learn from superheros? What qualities do they share?<br />
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Commitment. OK, so I'm not really a superhero. But I have never been so focused on my goals before. I have goals to get back to my pre-injury strength numbers. And I haven't missed a day in the gym ever since my injury. I'm committed to the task, focused, and determined. Do I want to quit sometimes? Yes. But I haven't yet. And I'm so close to my goal now that I can taste it. Last week, I came within 3 pounds of setting a lifetime PR on my deadlift. I also ran a mile on a track (2 mile run/walk as prescribed by my physical therapist). My progress may be slow as hell, but its there. And I often have to remind myself of that. Luckily, I have a good friend that often reminds me. <br />
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Struggle. No superhero ever has it easy. There's always a moment when you think success is impossible. The evil villain has the upper hand. I've had a LOT of those days. But for the past few months, I've been doing barbell club (Olympic lifting, squats, deadlifts, etc.), and have been seeing strength improvements. Or technique improvements. Or both. It has come with new pain, stiffness, and setbacks. But there's improvement. And it's great to have a knowledgeable coach keeping an eye on me and encouraging me to push when I would normally be scared to. He reminds me that my knee is structurally fine, and that I just need to learn to trust it again. <br />
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Help. No superhero goes it alone. Batman has Robin. Superman has Lois Lane. Katniss has Peeta and Gale. I have positive motivating coaches again. They tell me to push when I would normally be scared to, and they remind me that my knee is structurally fine, and that I just need to learn to trust it again. I have friends and family who support me, listen to me whine, and share in my daily minor victories. You need a support team. And if they aren't supportive, find a new team. <br />
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Perseverance. I still work on knee extension and mobility every day (almost 2 years later). And I have more painful days than pain free. But I can't seem to give up on wanting to get back to who I was before the injury. I don't want to give my injury too much power, so it certainly doesn't prevent me from living life. I've started biking, which has been an awesome new pain free hobby. I have new pains occasionally--IT Band troubles, patella tendon problems, etc. But I now accept it and work through it.<br />
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Injury recovery is a mental process just as it is a physical one. It's a journey that many people don't understand. You are your own best chance of success. Take things one day at a time and consider yourself your own superhero. </div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-58389576130726443392015-12-20T20:14:00.000-06:002016-06-10T23:13:51.063-05:00A lesson in radical acceptanceI was about a year and a half into Crossfit when I tore my ACL playing soccer. Although soccer had been my go-to sport all of my life, I haven't had much desire to get back to it since my injury. Yes, it would be nice to "make friends" with soccer again, as I almost feel as if it let me down. So, kicking a ball around is probably in my future--but not likely anything competitive. Crossfit, on the other hand, just won't seem to go away. <br />
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Its not that Crossfit is something that I was really good at. Its that it gives me strength, confidence, and a sense of community. Crossfit somehow manages to spill out into everything you do in life. For those of you who have never tried it, I'm sure you think that sounds crazy. But for whatever reason, I have stuck with it, day in and day out, and I can't see myself NOT doing it. <br />
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In August (6 months post-second surgery) I had finally been cleared by my PT to run and jump--and my insurance visits had basically run out. So I was rehabbing on my own at my Crossfit gym. At the time, I was hiking a lot for a job, and my strength did seem to be improving, but I still struggled with full extension and stiffness. So I was reluctant to run. I started out with ladder work and then short jogs at the gym--when no one was around. Then during one of the WODs, I did my first warm up jog with the rest of the class. They were, of course, supportive and congratulatory. But it did hurt to run. I figured, after all the pain I had been through, that this was just part of the deal. I didn't HAVE to run, but I felt like, I SHOULD be able to, and I could slowly work up to more and more. I was happy, I was positive, I had a goal, and I was finally making progress. <b>I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. </b><br />
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Still struggling with overcompensation during squats (I'd feel sore only on my good side afterwards), I attempted to talk to my Crossfit coach about how to approach squats, running, and my future in Crossfit. She had already told me she didn't think I should be running, even though I had been cleared. And she had some experience with PT and knee rehab--so I was often torn about who to listen to. But when I approached her about it, instead of discussing a plan for the future, she and another PT who knew nothing about me, told me I should go back to therapy. They determined that I was very "far behind" and should not be running and should probably not even be squatting. <br />
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In my mind, the two of them had just taken months of progress away from me in one 10 minute conversation. <b>I was devastated. </b> I walked away from the conversation, back into the empty gym, and went back to one arm barbell snatches with tears streaming down my face. It wasn't the first time I had cried in that gym. But it was the last. Because a few weeks later, they "encouraged" me to leave the gym all together--and to "seek proper care" for my knee. <br />
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<b>I had no health insurance visits left, I had no more gym to do my own PT, and my heart felt more broken than my knee did. </b> I had been at that gym for a year and a half, was injured during the majority of it, and all I wanted to do was be able to keep doing Crossfit. I wanted to get the strength back in my weakened leg, and to get back to my normal life. I wanted to workout with my friends. I wanted to not be terrified to do things because I might hurt myself again. I wanted to stop feeling like every little thing I did could be the WRONG thing to do.<br />
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In only a few days after being "kicked out", I pulled myself back together. I did seek a second opinion for my knee from an ACL specialist, and ironically, they determined that I was not strong enough be running or jumping. Then I scheduled an assessment at another Crossfit box in town--and I honestly thought they would "reject" me because of my limitations. Instead, they offered me specific programming, and just like that, I was back in the gym. <br />
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In those few days between leaving one gym and starting at a new one, I realized something very important. Ever since I had injured my knee, I had been seeking help from others to "fix" me. Afterall, I'm not an orthopedic surgeon, an athletic trainer, a physical therapist, a personal trainer, or a Crossfit coach. Of course I needed help. And these people made promises they could not keep--that they would, in fact, help me get back to sport. But, if you have been through this injury or a similar one, <b>you know that it takes a TON of willpower</b> to do what your team of specialists tells you to do. It's hard to know how hard to push and when to rest. You never know if you are doing enough or the right thing. And you have set backs. Most importantly, you can't predict how your body will respond to surgery. And it's even worse when your team of specialists doesn't really give you the support you need to get "back to sport" because THEY weren't anticipating setbacks. <br />
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But,<b> I finally realized that *I* was all that I had</b>. That <i>I</i> wanted a fully functional knee, that <i>I</i> wanted to keep doing Crossfit, and that no one was going to do the work for me. I had already been busting my ass of course, and doing the best I could with what I knew, but I still wanted someone to "save me". I wanted someone to give me a magic pill that would make it better. I wanted someone to motivate me. Encourage me. To push me. To give me advice. To tell me what to do and how. But in reality, all I really needed was to <b>find that trust and fight within myself</b>. <b>Because there was no one else as dedicated to me than me</b>. I knew enough to keep moving forward, and I could still seek out new specialists for help, but I was the most important factor in everything. Not some gym. Not some coach. Not some therapist. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVt1u3-4uVenZM0aL5qQnvK0L_5OGc9dtMNhvp84PgJXLVxQxcOWFG8qKFH-fzdVNzzG6Dyl0oG9-sE6vurI3qCDoHCz8bAnmwfpZx_smxG1ZvF3muEPVb7ePKnJvNTbPbqnr1JjV914/s1600/12347805_10102640611555184_8524105373181961488_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVt1u3-4uVenZM0aL5qQnvK0L_5OGc9dtMNhvp84PgJXLVxQxcOWFG8qKFH-fzdVNzzG6Dyl0oG9-sE6vurI3qCDoHCz8bAnmwfpZx_smxG1ZvF3muEPVb7ePKnJvNTbPbqnr1JjV914/s320/12347805_10102640611555184_8524105373181961488_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
I can't tell you how many times people have told me that I "should be further along" or "should have done A, B, and C". I had enough trouble keeping those thoughts out of my own head, I certainly didn't need doctors telling me the same thing. It wasn't helpful. I felt like the person in the little cartoon to the left. <br />
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<b>Radical acceptance is about accepting life on life’s terms and not resisting what you cannot or choose not to change. Radical acceptance is about saying yes to life, just as it is. </b> I can keep working on my ROM and my strength. And I can keep doing Crossfit as best I can. I cannot change anything from the past. I cannot change the fact that my knee is not what it used to be. I cannot force people to help me when they don't want to, or don't know how. <b>But I can keep moving forward, step by step, in the direction that I want to go in. </b><br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-58472373930656722782015-11-23T20:37:00.000-06:002016-06-10T23:14:42.520-05:005 Things That Get in the Way of Injury Recovery*This article was written for and published in the Tabata Times. http://www.tabatatimes.com/5-things-get-way-injury-recovery/<br />
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It’s an athlete’s worst nightmare — an injury that requires surgery. Many articles will tell you how to decrease swelling, how to regain range of motion, and even how to utilize a detailed exercise regimen for the various stages of recovery. But most don’t talk about how surgery can cause depression, that setbacks do occur, or how hard it will be to stay motivated during a long term recovery.<br />
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I tore my right ACL in July 2014. And a year later, I was still struggling to find my way “back to sport.” Although an ACL tear can be devastating to an athlete and it is one of the longest surgeries to recovery from, most people will be back to “normal” after 6 months to a year. It is not uncommon for athletes to have a physical therapist who specializes in getting you back to the basics (daily function), but not back to full strength (sport). It is also common for insurance companies to stop covering physical therapy for the duration of such a long recovery. This can leave athletes feeling a little like they are stuck in limbo and even abandoned.<br />
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In my case, I lacked range of motion and extension before and after the reconstruction and had a second surgery a few months later. As an avid soccer player, CrossFitter, and hiker, this was extremely difficult to cope with. The surgeries left me with a severe strength imbalance between my two legs and a significant worry about whether or not I’d ever be able to participate in the things I previously enjoyed.<br />
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I am still in the recovery process, 15 months post-injury, and one year from ACL reconstruction. But I have been doing CrossFit in one way or another throughout the entire process. I have had my ups and downs throughout my recovery and have learned a few things that I’m hoping might help others. CrossFit is modifiable and has enough variety that it can keep you interested and focused on what you CAN do, instead of what you can’t. It is probably one of the few active things you can keep doing as you “work around” a significant injury. I am not a doctor, physical therapist or even a trainer — but I <em>have</em> struggled to find information about recovery for athletes, so I want to share as much as I can, as I suspect there are others out there in a similar situation.<br />
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<em>Here are <strong>5 things that get in the way of an athlete’s recovery</strong> from surgery and a few tips on how to deal with them:</em><br />
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1. High Expectations</h4>
You can read thousands of online accounts of people rehabbing and being “ahead” of schedule -- for example, returning to sport in three months when it should take six. A positive outlook is particularly important, but keep in mind that everyone is different. Do not fall into the trap of feeling like you are behind. Focus on you. Do whatever it is that you need to do, and stick with it. It is great to have goals and to push yourself, but don’t get caught up in “shoulds.” “I should be further along” will not help you; however, if you truly believe you could be doing more or taking physical therapy more seriously, then do it. But remember that the further you are away from a surgery, the better your body has healed. Rushing things could cause new problems or re-injury.<br />
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2. Other people’s opinions</h4>
You will need a lot of help and support from doctors, therapists, trainers, family, and friends. But some people won’t understand what you are going through and will have trouble relating. Some will think you are crazy for being back in the gym a couple weeks after surgery. What matters is what <em>you</em> think. You will know your limits. You know your body best. You will have to work through some pain and a lot of discomfort, but don’t let anyone else push you beyond what you are comfortable with.<br />
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3. Negative Thoughts</h4>
<i>Last night, while I lay thinking here,<br />some Whatifs crawled inside my ear<br />and pranced and partied all night long<br />and sang their same old Whatif song<br />--Shel Silverstein</i><br />
What if I can never <a href="http://www.tabatatimes.com/why-deep-squats-are-good-for-you/" target="_blank">squat </a>again? What if I can never play soccer again? What if I never <a href="http://www.tabatatimes.com/easy-as-pose-fall-pull-pose-running-101/" target="_blank">run</a> again? Beat them back with a baseball bat if you have to. Change them. Challenge them. Focus on what you can do. Being sad or scared are normal feelings that come with these experiences. Just don’t set up camp and live in those places.<br />
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4. Poor Nutrition</h4>
<i>“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”<br />― Hippocrates</i><br />
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Nutrition is important to any athlete, but it is even more important to someone who is recovering from surgical trauma. Sometimes doctors make things seem simple. But it is TRAUMA. Surgery is really hard on the body. One of the best things you can do for yourself is eat well. Some experts suggest taking supplements such as Vitamin C, Zinc, B complex, and Omega-3. Probiotics can help counteract antibiotics. And of course, consuming enough protein is also important for re-building. Supplements can be taken a few weeks before and after surgery, but make sure you talk with your doctor about what you take. Several supplements can’t be taken in the days leading up to and on the surgery day because they could lead to blood clots or other complications. But many people believe they can help increase healing and minimize inflammation and scar formation.<br />
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5. Self Esteem</h4>
<i>"We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived.”</i><br />
<i>― Chris Cleave, Little Bee</i><br />
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Scars will remind you that your surgical limb isn’t quite the same as it once was. One leg might be visibly smaller than the other. With an injury, you will be off your game. What was once easy is now difficult. You’ll have to start squatting with a <a href="http://www.tabatatimes.com/ask-the-doc-master-movement-with-the-pvc/" target="_blank">PVC pipe</a> while everyone else hits PRs. Your burpees make you look like a fish out of water. Walking correctly might be difficult for a while. You will likely have to use one-pound weights at some point during physical therapy. All of these things can be frustrating and a punch to the ego. Luckily, you will learn more about your own personal strengths during the times that you feel weakest.<br />
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<em>Are you a CrossFit athlete with an upcoming surgery? Here are my top 3 tips.</em><br />
<strong>1. Don’t give up what you love doing</strong> if you don’t want to. Talk to your surgeon about the recovery timeline and about working around the injury in a safe manner. Make sure all the coaches know about your limitations and understand how you plan to train while recovering.<br />
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2. Sit down with your trainers and coaches and talk to them about expectations, theirs and yours. <strong>Ask them what their limits are in terms of helping you recover.</strong> Ask them about how they want you to modify things and how much time they want you to take off. Make sure all the coaches know about your limitations and understand how you plan to train while recovering. Set measurable and attainable goals for things you CAN do (i.e. <a href="http://www.tabatatimes.com/improving-your-pull-ups/" target="_blank">pull-ups</a> if your leg is injured, squats if your shoulder is).<br />
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3. <strong>Find support.</strong> Not everyone will have a significant other or nearby family or close friends to help them. And even so, those people may not really understand what you are going through. A psychologist can provide an outlet for concerns and fears. Even if it is through social media, it is good to talk to people who have been in your situation. I found that Instagram was very helpful and motivating.<br />
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Injuries are difficult for most people. But they give you a chance to see what you are really made of. They challenge you and make you stronger in the long run. They give you a chance to rebuild, from the ground up, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. It’s a process. <strong>Trust the process and keep moving forward.</strong>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-48647983005439792832015-08-02T15:49:00.000-05:002015-12-20T20:18:13.112-06:00ACL Warrior: Getting back to "normal"Oddly enough, it has been almost exactly a year since my last blog post. I've been busy with ACL reconstruction surgery, my first Michigan winter, a second knee surgery (scar tissue removal), losing my job, finding a new job, and a whole lot of knee rehab and physical therapy. <br />
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Since I'm a fitness nut (although I have no formal education or certifications on the topic), and still recovering from an ACL reconstruction, I'd like to focus this entry on KNEE REHAB. I searched the internet high and low for information about getting strength back after ACL reconstruction. I've read a ton of articles and followed people on Instagram. This doesn't make me an expert--and everyone should check with their physical therapists and surgeons before trying any of this. But I wanted to share with you what worked and what didn't. <br />
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I found lots of articles and blogs about success stories--young people who torn their ACLs, had the surgery, and were back to running in 3 months or less, back to sports in 6 months. <b>I WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE CASES</b>. This isn't meant to scare anyone, its meant to be a realistic story about someone who struggled. Because when I struggled, I felt alone. I felt like I was the only one on the planet who's surgery didn't go exactly as planned. So if your surgery was similar,<b> know that you are not alone. Everyone responds differently.</b><br />
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I also don't want to focus on the surgery itself or the couple of weeks after it. For the most part many doctors and PTs have different protocols. And so you should follow that. And a lot of that is pretty straight forward--heel slides, prone hangs, quad sets, and other simple exercises will become your life for at least a few weeks. Where I ran into trouble was when I couldn't get my extension and flexion back, so I had a second surgery or "clean up" to remove scar tissue. By the time all of this had happened (4 months post-reconstruction) I had lost so much strength in my injured leg, I had no idea how I would ever get it back. This is where I found a lack of information on the internet and had to pull things together on my own. Keep in mind that I'm a female, 32 years old, and have been Crossfitting for over 2 years. <b>My main goal was to work on leg muscle imbalances and get back to Crossfit. </b><br />
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<b>Here is the run down on my surgeries:</b><br />
July 16, 2014 -- tore ACL in right knee while playing soccer<br />
Octoer 2014 -- started "prehab"<br />
November 11, 2014 - ACL reconstruction, hamstring graft, hybrid with my tissue and cadaver (I have never met anyone with this method!)<br />
March 17, 2015 -- second surgery to remove scar tissue (gained better extention, but not equal to my uninjured knee).<br />
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Now I'll talk briefly about the e<b>xercises that worked for me and what I gleaned from here and there</b>. I had some help from my physical therapists but I really had to figure things out on my own in terms of getting back to Crossfit and evening out my imbalances. My general advice is to <b>1) take things slow and don't overdo it, 2) focus on hitting every part of the leg during a workout (calves, quads, glutes, hamstrings), and 3) remember that it will take a while to get the injured leg's strength back if you were like me and were unable to use it for months. </b><br />
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<b>Biking.</b> After the second "clean up" surgery, I had a mini pedal bike that I could use right after surgery in the comfort of my own home. I also used a passive motion machine, but sometimes insurance doesn't cover that, so the mini bike is a good one to keep in mind. I tried to use it a few times a day--there's probably no limit to that, and you can adjust how much your knee bends by moving it closer to you. After the mini bike got too easy, I moved to an Airdyne, but any bike would do. It's low impact, and great for working on range of motion. About 3 months after my "clean up" surgery I went to a spin class--45 minutes, was able to pedal with my butt off the seat with fairly strong resistance. I also started using an outdoor bike. I replaced all running at the gym with biking or rowing. I've also done a lot of single leg biking--which is kind of awkward if you don't have a place to put your unused leg. (Don't try this outdoors, haha!)<br />
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<b>Rowing.</b> Low impact as well, and early on I used it just to work on range of motion. I also found that one leg rowing worked well--put your unused leg on a small skateboard or other wheels so it can move along with you. Most Crossfitter's know correct rowing form, but if you have never used an ergometer, make sure to watch a video first. <br />
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<b>Squats. </b>Correct form deep (below parallel) squats were my goal, but I started with squats to parallel. Then I squatted to a box just below parallel, and then to a medicine ball a little lower than that. Try squats while standing close to a wall to work on form (there are YouTube videos for this). Then you can start adding variety--dumbbells, kettlebells, using a PVC pipe or band overhead. After about 2 months post-clean up surgery I was back to barbell squats at low weights (back, front, overhead). Still working on these since my ROM is a little off. <br />
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<b>Sled drags.</b> When I couldn't quite hit my quads that well with squats because of poor range of motion, I used a weighted sled and dragged it while walking backwards. Great for the VMO (vastus medialis oblique). This muscle has likely atrophied, and it is located above the knee on the front inner part of your quad. <br />
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<b>Backwards farmer's carry</b>. Yes, backwards. This helped me focus on getting my leg extension back. I usually held a 20 pound dumbbell in each hand and walked down and back for as long as I could hold them. Also helps with grip strength and just plain learning walking mechanics again (I had a limp for a few months when my extension was still bad). Forward walking is probably helpful as well. <br />
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<b>Single leg deadlifts</b>. I used a kettlebell to do a Romanian deadlift or stiff leg deadlift, and the injured side got more rounds and reps than the uninjured side. This works the hamstrings and glutes, as well as helps with balance. Make sure you watch some videos to make sure you are doing it correctly. <br />
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<b>Bulgarian split squats</b>. Another one to google and watch on video first. Great way to isolate one leg if the injured one is a lot weaker than the other like mine was. You can put one foot on a box behind you and hold onto something for support if needed. Just make sure that your knee stays over your ankle as you squat down. Works the quad and glute. <br />
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<b>Step ups. </b>Grab a box and some dumbbells and step up with one leg. Simple, straightforward, and you can increase the height of the box, the weight you use, and you can also do lateral step ups. Works the quads when squatting isn't quite working yet. Really focus on firing that VMO muscle and make sure that your knee doesn't cave inward (push it out!). Don't use your other leg or other muscles to get yourself up there--focus on that quad doing the work. <br />
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<b>Hamstring curls.</b> My hamstrings were extremely weak. Some people may use a gym that has machines that would work for this, but I was at a Crossfit gym. I used a 10 pound ankle weight and did curls either lying face down, or standing up. <br />
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<b>Reverse hyper. </b>Our gym has a machine for this, but before we got it I used the GHD machine. There's some discussion about whether or not these are safe (as there is with almost every exercise out there), but they were good for helping me work on the posterior chain without bending my knee. My advice would be keep the weight low, don't do them every day, and make sure you do them correctly. <br />
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<b>Calf raises.</b> Pretty simple. I can visibly see a size difference between my two calves. And when I couldn't do much jumping I did calf raises from the floor or on a step.<br />
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It's been hard for me to get back to jumping and running--in fact, I haven't actually tried running yet. For jumping I used <b>jumping rope, low boxes, and agility ladders</b>. I'd have to say the agility ladder is a great tool to have. At almost 4 months post clean up, I can finally hop on one leg again.<br />
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It's ok to get frustrated and feel discouraged! I frequently did. But just know that it will get better--it just takes time and it feels like forever. It helped me to make small goals and write down when I achieved them. And I made myself focus on the new things I could do, rather than what I used to be able to do. My first squat, my first 20 inch box jump, my first double under, my first single leg hop through the agility ladder--all new PRs! <br />
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I hope this helps someone out there. Feel free to ask me questions if you have them. Good luck!<br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-39626964798118512552014-08-12T09:52:00.005-05:002015-12-20T20:54:08.155-06:00The mind of an injured athlete“You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.” -- Ralph Marston<br /><br /><br /> I started playing soccer when I was 8 years old, after a friend introduced me to it. And I kept playing it for another 10 years. I wasn't amazing, but I played on varsity all four years of high school. It was pretty much the one thing that I could do that took me into "the zone". Where you are operating without thinking. In fact, even when I play today and people ask me to do a certain "move" again, I have trouble. I don't think about it. I just do it in the moment. <br /><br /><br /> Like most kids, I had a dominate leg that I kicked with. My right leg. But during my senior year, I pulled my right quad. The pain would come and go and I tried physical therapy but nothing seemed to help. Like most high school athletes, I kept playing--because it was a huge part of my life. It was my last year. I wasn't going to sit on the bench and give up. So, I started using my left leg to shoot with. I even played in the final tournament game with my right quad tightly bandaged. <br /><br /><br /> Today, I play with both legs. I can shoot with my right or left leg. I can play on either side of the field (I usually play center). My left leg certainly isn't as accurate as my right--but that injury in high school was a blessing in disguise. I learned to do what most people (except the pros) don't--how to shoot with either leg. <br /><br /><br /> When athletes get injured they tend to lose their sense of identity, their self esteem, and their stress coping mechanism. Not being able to do what they do best, feeling weak, and becoming frustrated and bored are all common. I haven't really been injured since high school--because I haven't really been an "athlete" since then. Until I started Crossfit. And then I recently injured my knee playing recreational soccer.<br /><br /><br /> I've been struggling a lot with this injury. For those of you who know what Crossfit is like (or really any sport)--you probably also know what its like to suddenly lose the opportunity to do what you love doing. Yes, I'm still working out as best I can. But my goals of hitting a 175# back squat went out the window when I hurt my knee. And although Crossfit gives you a great sense of community (like other team sports), I can't do the same workout as every one else. Which leaves me feeling left out of that community--even if I'm still in the same room. <br /><br /><br /> Crossfit is not my identity. It is just something I do for "fun". Or is it? It is also my way of coping with stress. It is my social outlet. It is something I do at least 4 times a week, and have been doing for over a year and a half. It is a lifestyle. Its my reason for eating healthy. And feeling good. And I think mostly importantly, for me, it is my sense of strength. It is my physical strength--but that radiates out into all aspects of my life. When I'm feeling weak, down, or vulnerable--Crossfit reminds me of my inner strength. So the loss of my right knee--is a bit of a blow to my sense of self. <br /><br /><br /> But when I think back to what I gained from my high school injury--I have to remind myself that I can still come out on top from this. In fact, I started Crossfit for a reason--I wanted upper body strength. I was tired of feeling weak and not being able to "keep up with the guys". I couldn't do a push up. And, one of my major goals has been to get strict pull ups. So here it is--my chance to focus everything I've got on upper body and core strength. Does it suck that I can't do deadlifts? Yes. Do I feel like all of my hard work is going down the drain? Yes. Does it terrify me that maybe I'll never get to play soccer again? Yes. <br /><br /><br /> But for right now--all I have is the chance to make the best out of a shitty situation. All I can do is try to turn my frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination. Strength comes in many forms, and if I have learned anything from Crossfit-- it is that mental strength concurs all. <br /><br /><br /> For more on the mental state of injured athletes check out this great page that I found very helpful:<br /><br />https://www.competitivedge.com/rebounding-injuries-0<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-37451856929035043252014-05-26T10:07:00.002-05:002014-06-12T21:49:57.516-05:00Alone without being lonelyI’ve spent most of my life as a single person. And therefore, have spent a lot of time alone. I’ve also spent a good deal of time feeling lonely. After a google search on how to be alone without feeling lonely, I wasn’t satisfied. So I decided I could probably write my own ideas. I know that doesn’t make much sense—if I feel lonely sometime, what would I know about this topic?<br />
<br />
I think there are two components to my life that explain why I’ve spent so much time alone. First, I consider myself an introvert. I do enjoy the company of others—but usually in smaller groups, and afterwards I need some downtime to recharge. Second, I’m a biologist. Not all biologists move around—but many do. Many take seasonal jobs in various places and end up traveling a lot. So, after living in several different states, I have finally landed a permanent job. I have friends all over the country—but not many locally. It may be harder for me, as an introvert, to meet new people. And then I move away from the people I meet.<br />
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The up side of all this travel is that I’ve seen many beautiful places. And most of my travel as been solo. Most people would think I was crazy for traveling across the country multiple times by myself. But I enjoyed it. I did what I wanted, when I wanted. Some people are wonderful travel companions—but I’ve found they are few and far between. Sometimes I enjoyed the company of strangers on my route. And during all this time, I got to know myself—which is something I feel many people miss out on when they are constantly in relationships. You need to learn to depend on yourself, not on others, for your own happiness. <br />
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So, does that mean I’m always happy? No. For me, loneliness comes when I’m at home, not when I’m traveling. It comes when I’m home on a holiday weekend, far from my family, in a town where I just moved and don’t know anyone. Yes, I could go out and do something on my own, but sometimes you just don’t want to. Sometimes you just want to be with someone you connect with, someone to laugh with, someone you are comfortable with. <br />
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Loneliness is different for different people—some people are lonely when they are surrounded by people. Others have recently lost someone who was close to them. Some have been in a relationship so long, they don’t remember how to get back to solo. And others have spent plenty of time alone, but just need a break. <br />
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I have a few suggestions for things to try when you are alone and don’t want to feel lonely. <br />
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1. Cooking. I’m not the best cook, and I very rarely cook for others. So I tend to make fast meals, and stuff my face quickly in front of the TV. What’s the point in making a full meal when you are single? Well, it can actually be kind of fun. Plan a meal, go to the store for the ingredients, cook it while listening to music, and go all out on presentation. If you want to share your creation, post a pic online (Facebook, Instagram, etc.). This makes it feel more important, takes more time, and it will also taste better. My friends may hate that I post food pics, but I do it for me.<br />
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2. Exercise. For me, especially more recently, fitness is key. I could be in the worst mood in the world, go to Crossfit, and come home in the best mood in the world. Find something that you enjoy—anything that gets your body moving—and do it often. If you don’t do well exercising by yourself, use groups for motivation. Running groups, boot camp in the park, yoga, etc. It doesn’t even have to be that expensive. I enjoy hiking and walking too. And it’s a good way to meet people—although going to a big gym like planet fitness and running on the treadmill is not usually as beneficial.<br />
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3. Pets. My cats make me laugh and keep me sane on bad days. And they give me snuggles when I’m sad. If you can’t have your own pet, I’d suggest volunteering for an organization where you have access to fluffy happy animals. I fostered 14 different kittens while I was in graduate school—it was cheap, fun, and I knew I was helping them find forever homes, even if it was hard at times. (If pets really aren’t your thing, maybe kids are, coach a team or volunteer with children, see below).<br />
<br />
4. Volunteer. This doesn’t have to be anything big. Helping others always makes you feel good. Maybe just helping a friend or a neighbor move. Or joining an organization that has lots of activities. I used to coach soccer – 2nd grade girls. They sure were a handful, and yet you couldn’t be unhappy around them. Everyone has some skill that they can share with other people. <br />
<br />
5. Learn something new or do something new. This has always been a little harder for me to do. I always want to go take a class in something—say pottery—and then I chicken out. It would get you out of the house and meeting new people. But even learning about something at home is good—I’ve learned about orchid care, nutrition/fitness, and other things. I try to come up with things that I have always told myself I suck at—and then I make a plan to do them. It’s a great confidence builder.<br />
<br />
6. Go do things by yourself. Eating alone at a real sit down restaurant was something I finally started doing recently. I just felt so awkward. But plenty of people do it, and it’s not as bad as it sounds. If you REALLY want to do something but are putting it off because you have no one to go with, just go do it. It’s very liberating when you do. It’s better than regretting not doing it at all. Travel. Go see a movie. Go to a museum. If you catch yourself thinking about what others must think, just gently push it out of your mind. It’s ok to be by yourself. It’s ok to be independent. Remind yourself that you don’t need to rely on others for enjoyment. <br />
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7. Call friends. If you are like me and no one is local, call someone. Sometimes I forget, in this world of texting and Facebook, that I can still call someone. Or try Skype. Even find an online forum or chat room where you can discuss interests with other people. <br />
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8. Avoid Facebook and other social media. I have a love hate relationship with Facebook—as many probably do. There is nothing worse than feeling bored or lonely and then seeing friends (even if they are simply far away) doing fun things without you and posting a bagillion pictures of it on Facebook. On the other hand, Facebook can connect you to local happenings and local people. So, my suggestion is to try and use FB for good, not evil, and don’t let yourself fall into the trap of viewing others as “living the life” while you are at home sulking about having nothing to do. (Easier said than done, believe me)<br />
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9. Meetup.com. One I have not tried yet. Meeting up with complete strangers sounds kind of horrible to me—I’m not a fan of awkward stuff like this. But I think it’s mostly in my head and I imagine these people will be very welcoming of new comers. If I try to get over this one, I hope you will too. Meet ups have great potential—meet new like-minded people, or at least people who enjoy the same activities. If you don’t like it, you never have to do one again!<br />
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10. Nature. Maybe the sound of walking out in the woods does not sound fun to you. But this is my all time favorite. Maybe it’s because of my interest birds and other critters—but really, can anyone look at a beautiful sunset or a flower and not smile?? Go outside. Get some sun. Listen to the birds, pay attention to the flowers. Don’t worry about identifying them (unless you are a geek like me and want to). Take pictures. Take your time. Take it all in. Sometimes I even forget how much this helps me feel connected to something bigger than myself. And it’s so simple. <br />
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I know being alone all the time gets old. Trust me. No one wants to be alone all the time. But there’s no magic button to push and change your situation, so you might as well try to enjoy the time you have—even if it is just you. Try not to dwell on the problem, and instead create an action plan that leads you to a solution. Be brave! (Yes, I often need to take my own advice)<br />
<br />
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain<br />
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P.S. Watch this video. http://www.elephantjournal.com/2010/11/how-to-be-alone-2-tamara-kerner/Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-26998948462059818372014-01-07T14:40:00.000-06:002015-12-20T20:18:56.974-06:00Out of the Comfort Zone<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since I first started
Crossfit. Before I started I really felt
like I was in a slump. I had finished a
half marathon but had very little desire to put my running shoes back on. I was waiting patiently for Crossfit Critical
Mass to open to the public so I could start Foundations. Yet at the same time, I was scared. </div>
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I certainly never expected to like it as much as I did. I’ve always played soccer—a team sport where
you can sorta hide. I never really viewed
myself as very competitive—not with others and certainly not with myself. At first it was really hard not to look at
everyone else and compare my abilities to theirs. But I knew coming into Crossfit that I had
zero strength training, and so I started at the bottom. But, obviously I could only go up from there.</div>
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I’m not the fastest, strongest, or most coordinated
Crossfitter. But I have made a good
amount of progress. I am faster,
stronger, and more coordinated than when I started. And Crossfit helped me check off a few things
on my bucket list too—indoor rock climbing, real push ups, a sub-30 min 5K,
archery. It’s given me confidence to try
new things—especially things that are strength or endurance related. Getting through so many grueling workouts
makes every day things seem easier. It
trains your brain to say “Just keep going” and “You can do this” instead of
“Give up” or “You might as well not even try”.
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Seems like everyone is into lists these days. So…here goes…7 things I’ve learned from my
first year of Crossfit:</div>
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1. <b>Getting out of your comfort zone is the only way to move forward. </b>When I was training for the half marathon I had to tell myself to "just keep going". But never to the point that I completely and utterly wanted to stop and give up. Crossfit really makes you push yourself—to be better than yesterday and to keep up with other people. The workouts are tough, but when you push through you gain a true sense of accomplishment. You will never improve without trying something that is uncomfortable and challenging. <br />
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2.<b> The human body (and mind) are capable of so much more than what we typically use them for. </b> I always looked at professional athletes and said, oh they are just extremely talented. That is part of it, but they also have the drive and determination to be great at something. We are all capable of it—we just don’t think we are. Watch the Crossfit Games and see the amazing athletes do it all—strength, endurance, speed, coordination, flexibility, etc. Our bodies are not meant to sit at a desk all day. <br />
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3. <b>Food is fuel. </b> Some would argue that food is more than fuel—and I would agree. Crossfit is often based on paleo or zone diet principles, but you don’t have to follow that. However, it is hard to eat junk and do well in Crossfit (or any sport). Giving yourself the proper nutrients, calories, and water each day makes a big performance difference at the gym. Now I often wonder how I got through high school soccer and cross country by eating complete junk food—and wonder what I could have done if someone had simply told me how to feed myself better. <br />
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4. <b>Failure is not always a bad thing. </b>Failing in Crossfit is usually dropping a loaded barbell on to the ground after you miss a lift. If you don’t ever go to failure, you won’t know your current abilities and you won’t be able to set new goals. Sometimes a second try on that failed attempt is successful, and it is such a great feeling.<br />
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5. <b>Exercise can be fun.</b> I workout 3-5 times a week. And I enjoy it. It’s not a chore anymore. If my mind tries to trick me into staying home I remind it that I have never regretting going. I enjoy it as much as soccer—which has really never felt like a chore. Sometimes I stay at the gym for 3 hours. I used to hate those people who did that. Now I’m one of them. Find something you love that challenges your body and mind—doesn’t have to be Crossfit. ANYTHING. And go do it. Move. Often. Enjoy it.<br />
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6. <b>A community can be a powerful goal reaching tool. </b> A community like the ones formed in a Crossfit gym is pretty unique. The people I workout with are just as important as the trainers. We get through tough workouts together. They push you, they help you, they motivate you, and they make sure you keep coming back. I see them often and we give each other advice. We share a special bond--which makes it sound like a cult--but you can't get that kind of support from most gym memberships.<br />
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7. <b>It’s ok to be proud of myself.</b> I have never taken compliments well. I grew up in a household where it seemed like there was always something I could have done better or differently. Crossfit has allowed me to set my own personal goals, chip away at them at my own pace, and see the results immediately. THEN, it allows me to celebrate my success with a bunch of other people who are doing similar things. Maybe it’s annoying for my Facebook non-Crossfitting friends to see posts about my success at the gym, but that’s just too bad for them. I’m proud of my progress. I have worked hard for it. (This is also where the community comes in, because the average person will think you are speaking some other language when you talk about PRing your 1 rep max clean and jerk.)Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-45501172864346130582014-01-01T17:28:00.000-06:002014-01-27T14:54:38.043-06:002014Happy New Year! I haven't been keeping up with blogging--but I would like to return to it this year. Since I no longer study flycatchers (I moved on to seaducks two years ago), I thought I should change the title of the blog. 2013 made me realize that there are really only two things that can get me out of bed at 4 or 5am. Birds and barbells (Crossfit). And so, a new name was born. Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-52828383807747624842013-05-19T14:13:00.000-05:002015-12-20T20:18:41.104-06:00CrossFit Cult?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7FDoh5KpZvlJNMm13ujUB6eAuNEyB8FQSZNgOPFfhwJBandUBV54YwjhvD9vOaRGCEUBGakC_Xx-b8Z3-5VJdkcSulbstuY1Ph2TtFb0dZi1b3wtPlx7iSsslck9UKRt9QGb8d2kLrE/s1600/weight.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7FDoh5KpZvlJNMm13ujUB6eAuNEyB8FQSZNgOPFfhwJBandUBV54YwjhvD9vOaRGCEUBGakC_Xx-b8Z3-5VJdkcSulbstuY1Ph2TtFb0dZi1b3wtPlx7iSsslck9UKRt9QGb8d2kLrE/s320/weight.jpg" /></a><br />
In December of 2012 I ran a half marathon. So some this may not be a very big deal. To others it may sound impossible. To me, it seemed highly unlikely. But my training for and completion of the half gave me a renewed sense of athleticism. A new sense of, “Hey, I can do stuff that’s not easy.” It helped me physically, mentally, and emotionally. In fact, when I stopped running after the half, I started to feel pretty antsy, sad, and unmotivated.<br />
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I made really simple New Year’s resolutions this year—in hopes that I wouldn’t fail to stick with them. Simple but specific. One was to try CrossFit for a month. I know what you are thinking, that’s a month, not a year. But a new CrossFit gym opened up near by and the first month was half off--a great incentive. There was even a free first workout. So I tried it. And I got hooked. And it’s now 5 months later and I still do CrossFit about 4 times a week. I did have to take a break from the gym while I did field work in VA and NC. But amazingly, I stuck with it and did it at home for a month. To me that’s almost more impressive.<br />
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Prior to CrossFit I didn’t strength train. I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to do it at all. I didn’t have the equipment. I didn’t know what equipment to use. I didn’t know how many sets and reps and how much weight. Planks looked horribly boring. And I couldn’t do a push up. Unless it was on my knees. And I didn't want to dance around my living room like an idiot watching a video.<br />
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I know there are a lot of people who love CrossFit and a lot who think it’s a fad or dangerous or a cult of some kind. Well if it is a cult, I’m enjoying being part of it. When I walked into the gym I was immediately humbled. I thought I was in decent shape—'ve played soccer most of my life and I run--but every workout kicked my butt. I was more sore than I have ever been in my life. I was scared of the barbells and weight plates. And most of the athletes I work out with are much better than I am. At first this was difficult, but I tried to remain focused my individual improvements.<br />
Every workout still kicks my butt, but I’m not as sore. I can now do regular push-ups. Not a ton of them, but 5-10 with good form. And I can get through a workout that calls for 100-200 non-consecutive sets of push-ups. Since the end of January, my back squat has improved by about 35lbs. My deadlift by about 30lbs. Even my overhead press (my worst lift!) has improved by 10lbs. This may not mean much to the average person, but to me, this is proof that it’s working. Proof that I am improving and getting stronger—which makes me more confident.<br />
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CrossFit has taken the guess work out of exercise for me. I have trainers that create the workouts and they are always different. Yes, it is expensive, but you get more than just access to a gym. You have access to trainers and a support system. People know each other and share information, successes, and motivation with each other. And let’s be honest, I’m not paying all that money to go once a week—I get my butt to the gym at least 4 times a week. And I am always happy when I walk back out of the gym. It’s so simple. Show up, get a great workout, and see results.<br />
<br />
Health and fitness take work. These workouts push my physical and mental limits. All I want to do is stop—to drop the barbell. But there are people around me pushing through and still working hard. So you learn to push yourself, knowing that in the end you will be very happy that you did. Seemingly impossible things become possible. And that feeling begins to expand out into your everyday life—which for me, really makes all the hard work worth it.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I would consider myself a fairly athletic person. I’ve played soccer most of my life and have
been a runner off and on. But I stuck
with what was familiar and safe. I did
not leave my comfort zone. Running a
half marathon was an exception. And it was
the first time I realized that maybe I could actually learn to love
exercise. I used to see those people who
ran or exercised daily as the enemy. How
can they have the energy? How can they
find the time? I could never have arms
like Michelle Obama. I’m just not built
for that stuff. </div>
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And then the word Crossfit kept popping up. A couple friends were doing it. Bob Harper was doing it. There were really hot men on the TV doing
it. </div>
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So I looked it up, saw the price tag, gasped, and tried not
to look at it ever again.</div>
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But then a new Crossfit gym opened up right near my
house. And they were offering a month’s
worth of beginner classes for half the price.
So I took the plunge. And I
believe I may be addicted.</div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-23177864468423641212012-12-02T21:04:00.000-06:002013-01-04T11:31:57.886-06:00My First Half Marathon<br />
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It’s been so long since I’ve written a blog that I almost forgot
what my address was! But I wanted
to share this experience with people—even if only one person reads it and is
encouraged by it. </div>
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At some point I decided I wanted to run a half marathon
before I turned 30. And since I turned
29 in the beginning of 2012, it was now or never. For some, a half marathon is nothing—some people
run 50 halfs in one year. Some people
run 50 miles in one day. But for me, a
half marathon was a pretty hefty goal.
When I ran cross country in high school, I hated it. It was boring. And I sucked at it. Or at least that’s what I thought. I didn’t run 7 minute miles. I could barely break a 30 minute 5K. But I started running again in Aug. 2011 and
ran a 5K in 34 minutes. Not a great
time, but I didn’t hate it. I stopped
running when it got cold—but with the original goal in the back of my mind, it
was time for a new challenge.</div>
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I realized that there were many times in my life where I had
said “I can never do _____. (fill in the blank)”. Or “I’ll never be good at _____.” For me, one was, I’ll never be a long
distance runner. And I usually have “proof”
of these things, like how I hated running in high school. But NEVER is a very long time. And more positive thinking people in my life
would tell me that you can do whatever you put your mind to. I didn’t really believe them. Or did I?</div>
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So I made a list. A
list of things I always catch myself saying that I suck at, or can’t do, or
will never be. And I’ve slowly been
proving myself wrong. Running was just
one of the things on the list—whether or not I did it before I was 30 wasn’t really
important. But it gave me an extra push.</div>
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Other things that gave me a push were telling others I was
going to do it. And asking them to financially
support my run by donating to a good cause.
And I had a few friends who were running half marathons in other
states. Amazingly enough, I found pure
determination because running was actually fun at times—and it certainly made
me feel better overall. It was a good
way to reduce stress. I found motivation by reading a lot of information online
about training, nutrition, and how to avoid injuries. I created a challenging but attainable
personal goal—13.1 miles on Dec. 1. And
I tried my best to stick to a running schedule.
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It wasn’t easy. I had
a few frustrating injuries. And it was
time consuming. It certainly helped that
my employers were supportive and didn’t mind me running for an hour in the
middle of the day so I didn’t have to run in the dark. And when the last week before the race came,
I thought about bailing. I had only been
able to run 8 miles (and not 10) for my long run because of a foot injury. I had visions of myself hobbling across the
finish line—if I could make it at all. I
was scared.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF7IMVHHaFsknEtmPYr7cOpIO4PhzE-2X56kqT-u9i2HDCrUGa9K5UUH6SIghRTY-SpT9hgxNWuxY75u04m4VOQHWlb69H9FF81F-7aFRwogmlfNXuZDfvN4C_spGWJDuOjyXSvS_Wqo/s1600/half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFF7IMVHHaFsknEtmPYr7cOpIO4PhzE-2X56kqT-u9i2HDCrUGa9K5UUH6SIghRTY-SpT9hgxNWuxY75u04m4VOQHWlb69H9FF81F-7aFRwogmlfNXuZDfvN4C_spGWJDuOjyXSvS_Wqo/s1600/half.jpg" /></a></div>
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But I went through with it.
At mile 6 I realized that I hadn’t stopped running yet (unusual for me). And at mile 8 my foot started to hurt. At mile 9, everything started to hurt. I
tried to walk a little but that make it worse.
So I kept running. The runners
around me kept me focused and the spectators were cheering. So I kept going. 10, 11, 12 miles. And then across the finish line in 2:20. My goal was less than 2:30. I ran 5 miles more that I had ever run in my
life. Thank you adrenaline!</div>
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I think the most important lesson that I learned (other than
give yourself extra time for injuries!) was that I was stronger than I thought
I was. And the only person that was
telling me I was weak—was me! When you
are running long distances alone, even if you have loud music playing in your
headphones, your mind wanders. You could
say to yourself, this sucks, and I can’t do this. Or you can say, just keep going. A little further! This happens I my head all the time. But running made it very obvious that I HAD A
CHOICE. And I chose to keep going—day after
day in training and then during the race.
And I’m very happy I did. I can
no longer tell myself that I’ll never be able to run long distances. Sometimes it’s great to be proven wrong!</div>
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Maybe you CAN do whatever you put your mind to.</div>
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What would you attempt to do if you knew you couldn’t fail? </div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-13128267412178029852012-03-17T13:45:00.001-05:002012-03-17T14:39:17.771-05:00Smartphone, dumb people?<div class="MsoNormal">There seems to be an intense debate going on in the technology world today. Does having the internet literally at our fingertips 24/7 make us smarter or dumber? I have mixed feelings about this topic and thought I’d put my two cents out there.<br />
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Seems like people who don’t own a Smartphone (or similar device) are likely to say it makes us dumber. Is that because they haven’t used one before…or because they refuse to use one in fear that they will become stupid? Will there even be an option 5 years from now to own a phone that’s not smart?<br />
<br />
I’m a fan of computers, of technology, gadgets, and my new iPhone. And I want an iPad. And it actually frustrates me that people might say that it could make me dumber or lazier. I will say though, that information addiction is not a good thing. We crave that instant gratification. Instant information. And we can get that from technology—not so much from real live people. So my argument is not that it will make us dumber—but it can certainly make us impatient and rude. <br />
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I hated it when my Smartphone-less self tried to have a conversation with people in the room when all those people wanted to do was check email and surf the net. But at the same time, it’s kind of cool when some topic is raised and questions are asked and the answers are immediately found online. Does that make us dumb? Does that mean we cannot think for ourselves anymore? Or does it make us more knowledgeable and informed? I think it could go either way, and it depends on the user (just like anything else…). <br />
<br />
Do you use your Smartphone for good or for evil? Do you ignore your friends, family, and the people on the metro because you have a Smartphone? Do you walk across the street with your eyes glued to the tiny screen and get hit by a car? Do you text and drive at the same time? Or do you use your phone to learn new skills and share them with friends to have a meaningful conversation? How about use your iPad during your child’s soccer practice so you don’t get bored or have to talk to other parents? Or do you use it to spend time with and teach your children? Do you use it for productivity or boredom? Has it made you become a couch potato or has it been your fitness coach and helped you run a half marathon? Do you play mindless games to block out real life or catch up on the world news? <br />
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So I’ll let you decide if you think my Smartphone use is making me dumber and lazier. <br />
<br />
The top 5 things I use my Smartphone for: <br />
<br />
1. Keeping in touch. Phone calls, Skype, texts, social media keep me connected to loved ones. Nothing is as good as being in the same room as someone but when 1,000 miles inevitably gets in the way of that, I still want to be able to connect with them. Share photos and memories with them. Share knowledge and opinions and life views with them. Various things on the internet are often good conversation starters. I have so many friends across the country--without technology we wouldn't still be friends because it'd just be impossible.<br />
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2. Location location location. Maps. Directions. Google Earth. Finding good healthy restaurants and grocery stores. Finding trails to hike. Gas stations when you are on empty. Where’s the metro station? With so many options and millions of people on the roads I don’t need to waste time driving in circles getting lost or settling for McDonalds because it’s the first place I see. Don’t rely so much on that GPS that you’d drive into a lake because it tells you to keep right. <br />
<br />
3. Productivity. To-do lists. Reminders. Online banking. Budgets. Important documents. Travel plans. I can scan receipts and keep track of spending. Taking notes in meetings. Find jobs. Networking for jobs. Find apartments to rent. One of my favorites is Mindjet for visualizing brainstorming ideas. I’ll throw weather, radar, sunrise/set, tides, and moonrise info in here too because I use it for work. <br />
<br />
4. Entertainment. Music is most important to me here. It motivates me and calms me and energizes me. Audiobooks and podcasts come in second—especially when I’m stuck in a car for hours by myself. Sometimes I watch TV online—I’ve watched more educational oddball documentaries on Netflix than anything else. Flipboard is like having 20 magazines at my fingertips. TED for great inspirational talks by amazing people. Constant learning isn’t a bad thing and certainly doesn't make one dumb. Yes, I have games too. But playing scrabble with friends can be good for the brain too. It requires thinking. I think fitness falls in here too—I have a SmartCoach running trainer at my fingertips that helps me plan and track my runs. I can see videos of yoga moves or how to lift weights properly. I can even view full workouts thanks to a Nike app. (No, I can’t afford a real trainer even though that would be better). <br />
<br />
5. Education. Most of what I called “entertainment” could fall here. But basically if there is anything I don’t know – I can look it up. Medical info. New healthy recipes. How to tie knots. How to change a tire when I’m stuck on the side of the road with no man it sight. What’s the biggest lake in the world? What does the human brain look like? It’s endless. <br />
<br />
Don’t forget to interact with real live people once in a while. Leave work at work when you go home. Get outside in the sunshine and be active. Travel and see new places. Be patient and be aware of information addiction. Turn off the technology for a while when it gets too overwhelming. Be safe. Don't be rude.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Use your Smartphone/iPad wisely and I don’t think you’ll become dumber or lazier. </div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-23987629947916251682012-01-16T11:02:00.006-06:002012-01-18T17:49:53.314-06:00Water lily Pond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWct8bK6gBmltsJ2c4EidDMl30wReg9VAsZJdTtPeTT-MoG_l5w9gSdmkiOlDaVlsnTRSwZWRO4P3iP9p4FmQjhYRLrVMLXXlbiQ6yrXpiBqO2o6OzQdzmMTnwnAyWcpYTWWTPv89gYq0/s1600/DSC_0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWct8bK6gBmltsJ2c4EidDMl30wReg9VAsZJdTtPeTT-MoG_l5w9gSdmkiOlDaVlsnTRSwZWRO4P3iP9p4FmQjhYRLrVMLXXlbiQ6yrXpiBqO2o6OzQdzmMTnwnAyWcpYTWWTPv89gYq0/s320/DSC_0013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I visited Longwood Gardens in the fall but never got a chance to post a blog about it. My favorite part if this visit was the water lily pond. I think I could have stayed there for an hour or so. And don't tell anyone, but I couldn't resist touching a few of them! (I also had an urge to stand on them, but I refrained from trying that.)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByCU7QdRXPH62q0l4yh-cAj24m6bPRp1D-Q0u9A7c-AcXnhcQFVmfIwKaIWRGH_ek49qMzHmlYBq6in0bpsLDT8kTKB3WIPqQwZHGLZqyLA5I8QWx9NCPjvjLmM1mgu6vpgLVscHOkig/s1600/DSC_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByCU7QdRXPH62q0l4yh-cAj24m6bPRp1D-Q0u9A7c-AcXnhcQFVmfIwKaIWRGH_ek49qMzHmlYBq6in0bpsLDT8kTKB3WIPqQwZHGLZqyLA5I8QWx9NCPjvjLmM1mgu6vpgLVscHOkig/s320/DSC_0015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">There are about 70 species of water lilies </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">around the world. The display at Longwood </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">has more than 100 types of day and night-blooming tropical waterlilies, hardy waterlilies, lotuses, giant water-platters and other aquatic and bog plants.</span></div></div><span style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDZwzm4POSdNRHYEdm93tjgIxz3XZzJFID4w5cduNXuiEmc0dwV_cP9PS6ig-ZygWVx-eOxoRKQPDGiqDtgDefsUoau_OztgfPSERgcLmZgd2mMNLt-CQ8a-YbSplh1JSFTXg0lgbkto/s1600/DSC_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDZwzm4POSdNRHYEdm93tjgIxz3XZzJFID4w5cduNXuiEmc0dwV_cP9PS6ig-ZygWVx-eOxoRKQPDGiqDtgDefsUoau_OztgfPSERgcLmZgd2mMNLt-CQ8a-YbSplh1JSFTXg0lgbkto/s320/DSC_0016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Water lilies improve the quality of lakes and ponds in a few ways. They provide shade, shelter and cooler water temperatures for fish and invertebrates living in the water. And they are able to filter and detoxify the water by removing metals. </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They are also nutrient rich and can attract local wildlife such as deer, beaver, ducks, porcupines and muskrat to the pond. They feed on the seeds, roots, leaves and flowers of the water lily. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-47030088545866926012012-01-05T21:36:00.000-06:002012-01-05T23:38:33.735-06:00D.C Area Bucket ListHappy New Year! I've been slacking on my blog posts but will try to do better. A new year brings New Year's Resolutions...dun dun dun. Some people love 'em, and some refuse to make them. What are they exactly?<br />
<br />
<div class="header" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; word-wrap: break-word;"><h2 class="me" style="color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">res·o·lu·tion</h2><sup style="bottom: 1ex; font-size: 0.75em; height: 0px; line-height: 1; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"></sup> </div><div class="body" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="pbk" style="font-size: small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="pg" style="display: inline; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; padding-right: 3px;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">noun</span></span></span><br />
<div class="luna-Ent" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="dnindex" style="color: #7b7b7b; display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">1.</span></span></span><br />
<div class="dndata" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 37px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">formal </span></span>expression<span id="hotword" style="color: #333333; position: static;"> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">opinion</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">intention</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">made,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">usually</span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">after</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">voting,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">by</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">formal</span> </span>organization<span id="hotword" style="color: #333333; position: static;">, <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">legislature,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">club,</span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">other</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">group.</span> </span><span id="hotword" style="color: #333333; position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">Compare</span> </span>concurrent resolution<span id="hotword" style="color: #333333; position: static;">, </span>joint resolution<span id="hotword" style="color: #333333; position: static;">.</span></div></div><div class="luna-Ent" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="dnindex" style="color: #7b7b7b; display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">2.</span></span></span><br />
<div class="dndata" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 37px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">resolve</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">determination:</span> </span><span class="ital-inline" style="display: inline; font-family: Georgia, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">to</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">make</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">firm</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">resolution</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">to</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">do </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">something.</span></span></span></b></div></div><div class="luna-Ent" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="dnindex" style="color: #7b7b7b; display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">3.</span></span></span><br />
<div class="dndata" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 37px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">act</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">resolving</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">determining</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">upon</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">an</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">action</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">course</span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">action,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">method,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">procedure,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">etc.</span></span></div></div><div class="luna-Ent" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="dnindex" style="color: #7b7b7b; display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">4.</span></span></span><br />
<div class="dndata" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 37px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">mental</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">state</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">quality</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">being</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">resolved</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">resolute; </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">firmness</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">purpose.</span></span></div></div><div class="luna-Ent" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="dnindex" style="color: #7b7b7b; display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; width: 28px;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">5.</span></span></span><br />
<div class="dndata" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 37px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span id="hotword" style="position: static;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">the</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">act</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">process</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default; position: static;">resolving</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">separating</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">into</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">constituent</span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">elementary</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="position: static;">parts.</span></span></div></div></div></div><br />
Number two seems to fit best. But I kind of like numbers 3 and 5 because they involve planning and breaking things into parts--which makes success a more likely outcome (or so they say). Personally, I don't think you should save resolutions for January only. I tend to make them throughout the year if I feel myself slipping into habits I don't like. And if I don't stick to them, ah well, life goes on.<br />
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I'm not sure how long I'll be living in the DC area, but I want to make the most of it while I'm here. So instead of a list of resolutions for 2012, this is my bucket list for the area--and the best part is that most of these places are free! If I can do it all in a year, that will be great. I've already crossed a few off, and will continue to do so throughout the year. (I like crossing things off lists so much that I tend to add things just to cross them off). Food/restaurants not included--those go on their own list. :-)<br />
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</strike><br />
<strike>National Botanic Gardens</strike><br />
National Arboretum<br />
Arlington National Cemetery<br />
Air and Space Museum<br />
<strike>National Zoo</strike><br />
American History Museum<br />
Ford’s Theatre Tour and Performance<br />
National Cathedral<br />
Lincoln Memorial<br />
<strike>Natural History Museum</strike><br />
<strike>Washington Monument</strike><br />
American Indian Museum<br />
Jefferson Memorial<br />
<strike>National Christmas Tree</strike><br />
US Capitol<br />
White House<br />
National Aquarium<br />
American Art Museum<br />
Breakfast at Eastern Market<br />
Library of Congress<br />
National Archives<br />
Newseum<br />
National Museum of African Art<br />
Holocaust Museum<br />
Bureau of Engraving and Printing<br />
Ice Skate at the National Gallery of Art<br />
<strike>Great Falls Park</strike><br />
The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage<br />
Meridian Hill Park drum circle<br />
<strike>National Gallery of Art</strike><br />
Rock Creek Park<br />
<strike>Union Station</strike><br />
Hike or bike a section of the C&O Canal Towpath<br />
<strike>National Cherry Blossom Festival</strike><br />
Smithsonian Folklife FestivalLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-61635312415439076422011-11-02T11:53:00.011-05:002011-11-19T12:29:34.711-06:00Shenandoah<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FX4mZcUCVIEsQ_BcGPe1uYXytXIgbjN_Pl9ZioGEInVhHNSzT3WS279pPw2kriUf5bCjyi12ZDZTqXi5KQbWsckJNFeAk1eDbx2V3tPBdNHNAEtV8q3sRi5hdt1re58UCfy7R0OMDOY/s1600/IMG_0507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FX4mZcUCVIEsQ_BcGPe1uYXytXIgbjN_Pl9ZioGEInVhHNSzT3WS279pPw2kriUf5bCjyi12ZDZTqXi5KQbWsckJNFeAk1eDbx2V3tPBdNHNAEtV8q3sRi5hdt1re58UCfy7R0OMDOY/s320/IMG_0507.JPG" width="180" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: 9pt;"></span><br />
The name Shenandoah is of Native American Algonquin origin and means "spruce stream", "great plains", or "beautiful daughter of the stars". <br />
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Shenandoah National Park lies along the Blue Ridge Mountains in north-central Virginia. The park was authorized in 1926 and fully established on December 26, 1935. The park is best known for Skyline Drive, a 105 mile road that runs the entire length of the park along the ridge of the mountains. The drive is particularly popular in the fall when the leaves are changing colors. 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail are also in the park. <br />
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It was the first National Park I visited--and it inspired me to make the goal of seeing them all. That was so long ago I took the pictures with a film camera! :-) This fall I went back for the first time in many years, for a backpacking trip with friends. We had a great time--saw a bear in a tree, beautiful mountain views, the start of fall colors, and covered ~15 miles of trail. <br />
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We visited Corbin Cabin (photo below) -- a log structure built by George T. Corbin in 1909 in the Nicholson Hollow area.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6kpWwteviLCWYbUE8-MAFX71drWI0HK9YOX9_OXgjGBGApLyV5GpWPQlOZTrwMsfxjs1BtwBkRhU_K_2QmhhfDhZcJiWdntqP7c6tD9iv55YZ7McQInkPn7yGVA8lwZgaKTaZLgf9-o/s1600/CorbinCabin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6kpWwteviLCWYbUE8-MAFX71drWI0HK9YOX9_OXgjGBGApLyV5GpWPQlOZTrwMsfxjs1BtwBkRhU_K_2QmhhfDhZcJiWdntqP7c6tD9iv55YZ7McQInkPn7yGVA8lwZgaKTaZLgf9-o/s320/CorbinCabin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The views are amazing!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36F7iu922oyApwToC5XXig_2UdToZMEb37_9L6ZjEATviOt1kkKZAiyGCqzxlN2l8XjN-L-0RTHN-7Hva8lpFyHI-6wDwxYfBkAB2wKhWYOIre0BXZDDJEe54-wqh6_gVHm7oPL5mEEA/s1600/IMG_0516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36F7iu922oyApwToC5XXig_2UdToZMEb37_9L6ZjEATviOt1kkKZAiyGCqzxlN2l8XjN-L-0RTHN-7Hva8lpFyHI-6wDwxYfBkAB2wKhWYOIre0BXZDDJEe54-wqh6_gVHm7oPL5mEEA/s320/IMG_0516.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: darkred; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-32018108490328757722011-10-21T21:54:00.002-05:002011-10-22T08:33:50.318-05:00The FUNcercise craze<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">What is FUNcercise, you ask? Well, it is exercise that is fun. Simple enough. I did not come up with the idea (it was from a friend of a friend or something like that) or the name (a friend did)—but it’s been very successful among my friends so I wanted to share. </span><br />
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I’ve traveled so much in the past few years that all my friends live in various states. This makes it extremely hard to find an exercise buddy-- so I created a virtual exercise program for me and my friends rather than joining one with strangers. I created a Google Docs spreadsheet to record daily exercise minutes and I asked a group of friends if they wanted to join, and so far it’s been great!</span><br />
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Multiple people can edit the Google Doc at the same time, and its updated automatically which makes it extremely easy and user friendly. There’s even a little bar graph showing each person’s minutes (see photo below). Any kind of exercise counts as long as it gets you moving and gets your heart rate going. The individual goal is to reach 1,000 minutes of exercise per month (easier than it sounds)—but it’s also fun to race each other and see who can get the most minutes. It’s simple enough for anyone to do—no matter what fitness level or what physical activity works for you. And you can make up your own rules for your group--maybe instead of minutes you want to record miles or steps per day.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Our group currently consists of 10 women who reside in 9 different states. And some of us are clearly FUNcercise addicts (which is a good thing!). Good friendly competition! Give it a try with your friends if you need some motivation to get some exercise this winter. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzouF1xWQhlLKUxxmkQjyOzKJlaJEOvI1KgE13JMiNGlBEUBeuHJr_ikBCnDPqV_QoFzeeUx1H58cklSopDZCEw5q7_Bbzi8EAXW21IcrRkYYb3TZYT8HehSC212ofHd_FzTlxSbBW50/s1600/FUNcercise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzouF1xWQhlLKUxxmkQjyOzKJlaJEOvI1KgE13JMiNGlBEUBeuHJr_ikBCnDPqV_QoFzeeUx1H58cklSopDZCEw5q7_Bbzi8EAXW21IcrRkYYb3TZYT8HehSC212ofHd_FzTlxSbBW50/s400/FUNcercise.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-1446461321976745042011-09-21T07:06:00.000-05:002011-09-21T08:38:45.485-05:00Are you scarier than a 2nd grader?<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Alba;">“Always do what you are afraid to do.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve done a few things in my life that I never thought I’d do. Go to Africa. Skydive. Drive across the country alone. I was afraid to do all of these things—but I did them anyway and have enjoyed every experience. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s time for a new challenge—and I couldn’t think of anything scarier than 12 seven-year-old girls.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I started playing soccer when I was about 8 and continued playing competitively through high school. And I have always wanted to give back—to try coaching and to get the chance to inspire kids to play soccer. And now that I’m finally staying in one place for a while, I decided it was time to cross it off the bucket list. Everyone’s been supportive of this decision, but also wondering if I’ve lost my mind.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You can learn a lot from team sports as a kid—but I had never really thought of how soccer may have influenced who I am today. I played on a team one year—co-ed and I was one of two girls on the team--and oh boy did we suck. We lost every game that season and scored only one goal. (Scored by yours truly, of course). But I never stopped playing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I originally wanted to be an assistant coach for an older girls team—but got suckered into coaching second grade girls. Our first practice was terrifying. What do I do with a bunch of 2<sup>nd</sup> graders while their parents watch from the side lines? How do I show them all the rules in one practice before our first game? How do I keep their attention for longer than 2 minutes? What if they tie me up to the goal post and leave me for dead?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Turns out, 2<sup>nd</sup> graders aren’t so bad. No, they didn’t listen to me. Yes, they threw grass on me. No, I couldn’t remember which one was which. Yes, they'd rather chase me than learn how to kick a ball. No, they didn’t want to share. Yes, I had to play tag with them and run under their legs. No, they did not have any clue about the rules of soccer. Yes, I made them crawl around on the ground and act like snakes, frogs, cheetahs, and other animals. And they thought I was saying “out of balance” instead of “out of bounds”. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I survived, but barely.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Our first game was on Sunday—against the fierce green team (we are the yellow team). I was able to be on the field with them as half coach/half referee. Green had two advantages—the field was slanted downhill towards our goal in the first half, and they had more players as subs (fresh legs!). After they scored 3 fairly quick goals my team started to panic. When I told them that it was ok that they were not winning they shrieked back, “How could this possibly be ok?!” One girl looked at me and said, “I feel like a loser!” Nearly broke my heart. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So I knelt down, and asked her, “Are you playing your hardest and doing your best?” “Yes," she assured me. “Then you can never be a loser.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They started to get the hang of things after that, and scored a goal not very long after (talk about an uphill battle!) -- the smiles and excitement on their faces was priceless. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We still lost the game—but I was proud of them. And left the game no longer terrified of 7 year olds. </div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-15588284002824821102011-09-19T12:00:00.004-05:002011-09-19T22:13:24.490-05:00Run for your lifeIn an attempt to read more and not waste an hour of my day doing nothing while commuting to work and back--I started downloading some audiobooks. Two of them were so good, I had to share.<br />
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One of the books I had never heard of, but bought it on a whim because was on sale for really cheap. It was called Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. It basically covers a bunch of research on how exercise effects the brain. I think this caught my attention:<br />
"Did you know you can beat stress, lift your mood, fight memory loss, sharpen your intellect, and function better than ever simply by elevating your heart rate and breaking a sweat? The evidence is incontrovertible: Aerobic exercise physically remodels our brains for peak performance." <br />
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Everyone says we should exercise--but Spark showed me the scientific proof of what it can actually do for the brain (and not just the body). As a researcher, this was perfect for me. It is full of results from scientific studies and inspiring case studies. Some of the topics include how stress, anxiety, depression, hormone changes, and addiction can all be improved by moderate exercise a few times a week. I've listened to some chapters multiple times--especially when I don't feel motivated to run. Beware: If you don't currently exercise on a regular basis, this book could turn you into an addict. But in this case, being an addict is probably a good thing. It has been for me so far. <br />
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Spark, along with Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen have created a pretty powerful motivator for me. Born to Run examines why so many of us think of running as a chore and not as something enjoyable that our ancestors did daily to survive. It covers the history of ultra running but also has a background adventure story. The majority of the book revolves around the authors quest to learn the secrets of the Tarahumara Indians who run hundreds of miles without rest and enjoy every minute of it. We were born to run, but have just forgotten how. A fascinating read!<br />
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A month ago if you had asked me if I ran I'd say, "Only if I'm being chased." I haven't really run since high school--with the exception of playing soccer for fun. But a week after I started the listening to the books, I bought running shoes. The next day I put them on and ran 2 miles. I'm now training for a 5K. I'm pretty sure it will be the first 5K I've run since high school (uhh 10 years ago). When I ran XC in high school I pretty much hated it. Its not like I've been inactive since then though. I've always loved soccer--but when I play soccer its easy to get in a zone and have fun. Running is harder for me and I have memories of being bad at it. I love hiking and wandering in the woods--I've hiked about 17 miles in one day. But since I just took a job that requires me to sit 99% of the time--I needed the motivation to get moving again. I've been enjoying running so far, especially as something I'm choosing to do and doing it because I want to--not because I feel like I should or have to.<br />
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The 5K is September 25th. 3.1 miles isn't very far and I know that I'll finish it. But the question is--how fast can I finish it? I'd love to beat my old (and pathetic) 5K record: 28 minutes. (Most high school girls could run a 5K in 25 minutes). But I'm satisfied with just plain enjoying it so far. We'll see how long I can keep it up. <br />
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After reading these two books, I encourage everyone to find something active that you enjoy and can do on a regular basis--and to make exercise a priority in your lives. Not just for your body--but for your brain.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-5564326499840737432011-09-10T17:06:00.003-05:002011-09-19T22:16:07.484-05:00Great Falls ParkBack in DC but been busy. Started work at USGS a month ago now (hard to believe!). And between earthquakes and hurricanes and waterbird surveys in Virginia, I haven't had much time for sightseeing or blogging. But I'll try to get back to it.<br />
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I finally made it out to Great Falls Park in Virginia today. After about a week of rain, you can imagine the falls were quite impressive. I did not make it to the Billy Goat trail like I had originally intended, so I’ll just save that for another day when I have more time. I just hiked along the River Trail—a bit muddy but still fun. Being the first sunny day in a long time (and a Saturday) there were mobs of people taking photos of the falls (or maybe its always like that?) -- so I just kept heading down the trail where it was a bit more secluded. With heightened 9/11 security (I assume) there were also men in black suits wandering around, choppers flying over, and a few police cars. <br />
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</o:p></span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-36377041962236766032011-06-17T20:37:00.003-05:002011-09-19T22:07:11.128-05:00To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>When you get those rare moments of clarity, those flashes when the universe makes sense, you try desperately to hold on to them. They are the life boats for the darker times, when the vastness of it all, the incomprehensible nature of life is completely illusive. So the question becomes, or should have been all along…what would you do if you knew you only had one day, or one week, or one month to live? What life boat would you grab on to? What secret would you tell? What band would you see? What person would you declare your love to? What wish would you fulfill? What exotic locale would you fly to for coffee? What book would you write?</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><b>~From One Week</b></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-78011671886907213412011-06-03T19:40:00.005-05:002011-09-19T22:16:41.679-05:00Green's Bluff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtLc3pC9U8JqaHR31uqhoK5ZP7thUwG3LcwNVE6UfOAIL9EH9dEQOWW0YaBiJO1-CfmcQ_bs7v2lo7TC2r-20yjOtINJxrLN9Joacd5h7MCePAstNdCrDzGjORL1B_gDx13y9Gk_jVFg/s1600/249544_10100102671751894_11311691_47756645_6046078_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtLc3pC9U8JqaHR31uqhoK5ZP7thUwG3LcwNVE6UfOAIL9EH9dEQOWW0YaBiJO1-CfmcQ_bs7v2lo7TC2r-20yjOtINJxrLN9Joacd5h7MCePAstNdCrDzGjORL1B_gDx13y9Gk_jVFg/s320/249544_10100102671751894_11311691_47756645_6046078_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Green’s Bluff is a preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy -- its a large wooded riparian habitat with uplands, ravines, steep cliffs, karst features, hemlock forest and floodplain forest. What's a bluff you ask? A very steep and broad hill or small cliff, frequently next to a river or ocean (in this case, river). What the heck are karst features? A karst is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite. Many karst regions have distinctive surface features, with sinkholes or depressions. And apparently its fairly common in this area of Southern Indiana. The topography maps for some of our sites look really strange.</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Ok, enough geography and geology for one day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">.</span></span> Look at the pretty flower!</div></div><div><br />
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</div><div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-90872810362261273642011-06-01T07:40:00.001-05:002011-09-19T22:16:41.680-05:00Feed me! Things have been busy around here. For me AND the wood thrushes. But we have nestlings! I banded these guys today--and obviously they were very hungry.<br />
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</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-35999230967046767522011-05-10T14:44:00.000-05:002011-09-19T22:16:41.681-05:00Backwoods Kentukiana<div class="MsoNormal">While looking for Wood Thrush in a small obscure section of Martin State Forest this morning I ran into a nice forester from IDNR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We chatted for a while and he mentioned something about getting to experience “backwoods Kentukiana”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed kind of strange since I had mostly been working in well known human populated forests and state parks around Bloomington (a college town).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gave me a map of the property boundaries and said that he had flagged them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I went on my way, looking for Wood Thrushes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When I got back to my car a very old beat up Ford truck came down the road and stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reluctantly, I rolled down my window to chat with the men in the truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought to myself, I’ll just say that I work for IDNR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you one of them IDNR folks counting trees?” the driver asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Thinking to myself, scratch that, play dumb!) “No, I’m counting birds.” He asked me what kind, and I told him Wood Thrushes, which of course he had never heard of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he proceeded to tell me that the tree counter was on his property because he didn't know how to read a map and he REALLLY didn’t seem to like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I promised him I would not count birds on his property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he told me that he sees a lot of birds that look just like quail but have 6 inch long flat beaks like a duck but they have a ball at the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They nest on the ground in the woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having really no idea what the heck he was talking about, I told him I wasn’t sure what he was seeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They decided that it must have been what those “science people” call evolution (it look him a while to come up with the word) or something that NSA Crane (nearby Navy Base) had created.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Haha, must be, I said…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He finally told me to “be careful”, since I’m a “real long way from home” (I was in my car with DE tags).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Now I know what the nice forester meant by experiencing “backwoods Kentuckiana”. Reminds me of the time I told a guy in Kisatchie National Forest I was counting birds and he asked me if I wanted to come back to his ranch, go horseback riding and see the "peckers" on is property. Hmm...nope, no thanks.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In hindsight, I think the man was talking about seeing an American Woodcock, sometimes referred to as the Timberdoodle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a small chunky bird in the shorebird family found primarily in the eastern half of North America. It’s fairly well known for the male’s elaborate aerial display to attract females in early spring. Woodcock spend most of their time on the ground in brushy, young-forest habitats, where their plumage provides great<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span>camouflage. Kind of surprised the man didn’t know what it was though—since it’s also a popular<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span>game bird. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">But you never know…maybe the folks at Crane ARE creating some strange duck/quail hybrid for the locals to hunt on the base, but several of them escaped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And its only a matter of time before the science people discover this strange new species.</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-91443397884931114172011-05-02T21:53:00.001-05:002011-06-18T18:26:31.619-05:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">—</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Martin Luther King Jr.</span></span></span></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6974943533673203055.post-52812851133498749512011-04-15T20:41:00.004-05:002011-09-19T22:15:35.777-05:00Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6URU9-0YrKQ7XggovJjXvPMRAhkWqAAbNPjfMAOyhAC7bPYm_p7Jti7kBm8JbQGIvHIPTPJP03oIftcx1XBXYMNySgPlXEs7XacUXYgOqr858V9Z5iOrmiVUZfMyPL6ckrrD6LStNHbM/s1600/Picture+756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6URU9-0YrKQ7XggovJjXvPMRAhkWqAAbNPjfMAOyhAC7bPYm_p7Jti7kBm8JbQGIvHIPTPJP03oIftcx1XBXYMNySgPlXEs7XacUXYgOqr858V9Z5iOrmiVUZfMyPL6ckrrD6LStNHbM/s320/Picture+756.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I took a solo 7 mile hike around Lums Pond a couple of weeks ago and somehow got to thinking about childhood memories. When I was young my favorite vacation spot was Song Lake near Tully, New York. (Ok, you got me, it still ranks up there pretty high, but I tend to spend my summers with birds now). Our family has a small rustic cabin on the lake—and I spent a lot of time there each summer making wonderful memories. We had big family gatherings every 4th of July complete with great food, boat rides, and often some out of control fireworks. I considered my cousin Theresa my twin—we were practically inseparable and spent every moment we could together. We’d disappear during family gatherings to play and left our older siblings wondering what we were up to.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuC2yoooAbNNv2QI7_a-T8aiRy3vwITXPBzgcr2EhcEk2aBZRikN5V_pe-U5H_735KazqHewcOzAcuI-2bcsdv86m1jLuSsfZsaRhjiYYp5f2xm_6B4FI9gd4EjtfGosQKpXs3KjPoGYQ/s1600/Picture+765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuC2yoooAbNNv2QI7_a-T8aiRy3vwITXPBzgcr2EhcEk2aBZRikN5V_pe-U5H_735KazqHewcOzAcuI-2bcsdv86m1jLuSsfZsaRhjiYYp5f2xm_6B4FI9gd4EjtfGosQKpXs3KjPoGYQ/s320/Picture+765.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>As typical kids we often played make-believe. I don’t remember all the details, but I do remember pretending to be chipmunks (we often fed the real ones popcorn kernels and clearly admired them for their chubby cheeks) or even bats (by hanging upside down from the bunk beds in the back room of the cabin). We shared a common interest in wildlife—among other things. One time while hunting for crayfish under rocks on the lake shore Theresa was “bitten” by what she thought was a dead crayfish and she shouted “The dead crab bit me! How rude!” And we were forever convinced that we needed to start a children’s book series with the same title.<br />
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We used to ride our bikes down the road to Country Flavors for irresistible ice cream. We took the paddle boat out for a spin around the island (albeit, a slow spin). Sometimes we’d get off on the island and go exploring—pretending we were on unfamiliar land. One time we competed in a paddle boat race on the 4th of July—needless to say, we were completely out-paddled by kids who were probably 4 years younger than us. A group of us snuck into an old abandoned house down the road which gave Theresa and I inspiration for a ghost story that we wrote together. Sometimes we would dress in all black and play hide and go seek or bloody murderer—the latter, of course, probably drove the neighbors absolutely nuts. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7Ea7OMEyIGMR5_R7Hxsbhjkj_CPPdeieBs6rHmdymQxO0685X-P47CO7ZvH1FMpyr9R3Z66TlWdZNgbrb3Czpi1QKrc48W-En3e8mgQlSps_X4g5VKQyOFbajlw0txmooUKSQHrB6JI/s1600/DSCN0303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg7Ea7OMEyIGMR5_R7Hxsbhjkj_CPPdeieBs6rHmdymQxO0685X-P47CO7ZvH1FMpyr9R3Z66TlWdZNgbrb3Czpi1QKrc48W-En3e8mgQlSps_X4g5VKQyOFbajlw0txmooUKSQHrB6JI/s320/DSCN0303.JPG" width="320" /></a>When Theresa and I got older we’d take the paddle boat out late at night and tell each other about our dreams, goals, and of course, boys. We both wanted to work with wildlife in some way but didn’t exactly know how—we just knew we loved dolphins. We started trying to raise money for national wildlife organizations by selling lemonade at the top of the hill. Of course we never really raised much money but we had fun together regardless -- and we made cute stationary with animals on it. <br />
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I have many wonderful memories from my time at the lake house as a child and teenager—but the memories I create there today are quite different. I don’t get the chance to go every year anymore. Now it means more to me to have good conversations with family members and catch up with their lives. Almost every one of my cousins has a picture of the biggest fish they caught at the lake—and now many of them are accumulating pictures of their own kids with big fish grins on their faces. And I notice all of the wildlife, especially the birds that pass through—the cedar waxwings that whistle softly from the tree tops or the nuthatches that visit the feeder. I spend more time relaxing in the sun and reading a good book, going kayaking, or chatting with a friend on the phone. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDGOdHWTU7f5CNlgtaHvKAMb923Fq79lBTP01duf_a8L3knfGwTWN9CGNaQHRsGfafLGQckEDZq38_OSJbvItDjV3EU3mKfuwgYgmq6rr7Lg3eI_hxb_7Ckf7P6TpzNwERkLaZc-eV00/s1600/Picture+742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDGOdHWTU7f5CNlgtaHvKAMb923Fq79lBTP01duf_a8L3knfGwTWN9CGNaQHRsGfafLGQckEDZq38_OSJbvItDjV3EU3mKfuwgYgmq6rr7Lg3eI_hxb_7Ckf7P6TpzNwERkLaZc-eV00/s320/Picture+742.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Some people say we we shouldn't live in the past. But I think looking back to those carefree days as a child can allow us to discover what we’ve always wanted to do and who we’ve always wanted to be -- deep down inside. We should ask ourselves if we are living up to our childhood dreams--and if not, how we can still make it happen. I never could have predicted as a child where I’d be in 10-15 years—but I think the childhood Lisa would be pretty content with the path taken by the adult Lisa so far. We may not ever know what’s ahead of us, but we can at least try to be confident that the journey will get us to wherever we are meant to be. And we can also be reminded that its ok to still act like a child sometimes--and to worry less and have more fun.<br />
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“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.” - Unknown<br />
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This blog entry is dedicated to Theresa Vormwald—wherever you are, I hope you are happy and living life to the fullest. Theresa—if you are reading this, I would love to hear how you are doing and where your journey has taken you thus far. Miss you and love you always. The dead crab bit me, how rude.</div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10835959072801505995noreply@blogger.com2