So There We Were, Climbing the Walls ...

  And we had a great time!

At Earth Treks Climbing Gym  in Columbia, MD

Here I am (Spinster Beth) trying to look like I know what to do ... 

I don't remember the staff's name, but she was very nice, very helpful. We went on Open Climb day; the staff are available as belayers.

So easy! Of course, it was the beginner wall. 

I immediately bit off more than I could chew! I was supposed to put my foot on the piece under the stalactite, but I didn't trust my arm strength to haul me up. 

Tillie very quickly showed us how it was done, though! If she doesn't sufficiently brag about her wall-climbing prowess, I'll come back and tell you about it.

I followed Slick up this one. It was harder than the beginner one, but easier than the stalactite! 

All the way to the top! 

But this photo makes it look like I'm barely off the ground. Let me show you a not-close up...

Almost to the top! 

I went to a wall-climbing gym about 10 years ago, several times, to conquer my nervousness of heights. It worked -- I was not at all afraid of being so high up, after the first few minutes. I will say that forearm strength is a must for this sport. You can only rely on your legs so much!


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I've (Tillie) always looked longingly at rock climbing walls at various events (Army recruiters like to have them as a draw for young men at fairs and festivals) but never tried them out. I can't explain why I didn't when I was younger, but as I got older, I almost always had a young child on my hip! But a few years back, the boys were invited to a birthday party at an indoor climbing center and one of the give-aways were certificates for a free climbing session. Three boys, three certificates. 

Did I say "years"? Yes. I had the certificates for about three years, just floating around from place to place on my desk. But they didn't have an expiration date, and so it made for a great girls' morning out. And I believe I have found my go-to-sport. I loved it. Loved it enough that some day I might even buy the shoes for it! Loved it enough to not balk at paying $20 to go again this coming Saturday.

I'll admit that before we started that first little "training" wall...

I was pretty nervous about the height. I had real difficulty with the jump (forward) when we went to a high-ropes course last year. But as I got to the top of the wall, and then made my way back down, it was much easier than I expected. Rappelling down backwards is much easier then jumping forward into thin air. 

The one climb that stopped me was a stalactite-looking thing. First I had to climb up a set of boulders stacked at the bottom. They reminded me of the blocks my kids make towers out of, only sturdier. Then there was a gap. So I had to reach waaaaaay up, grab the first hold I could, and hook my foot into a protrusion below.

 

 

It was awkward. I made it over the gap and then worked about half-way up before I couldn't find a hook close enough to get my hand over the top of. I tried jumping (thank you, belay-girl, for holding tightly as I missed!) for the next hook, but it was just too far beyond my reach.

 

After I came back down, she told me that one of the other hooks that had been closer was an "under-grab", in which I had to hook my fingers under the rock and pull up that way, using mostly forearm strength. Yikes! Next time, I will beat you, Stalactite! Or one day I will...

Apologies to Spinster Beth for semi-distracting the belay girl with questions. I was full of them - and might write a follow-up post about what I learned later on. 

For now, I await another adventure on The Rocks!

As this is a fitness blog and not a running blog, you would think I (Slick) would be more open for new fitness/physical experiences.  After all it is the experiences that make life great.  But when Tillie said she had some gift certificates for rock wall climbing, all I could think of is, please let it be a day I already have plans.  I am not afraid of heights, I am afraid of plummeting to my death. 

One of the reasons I have never tried rock wall climbing is because I am challenged…vertically challenged.  I come from a family of vertically challenged people.  It is very hard to climb when you are not tall enough to reach the lowest tree limbs.  Plus I am weak.  I can barely do push-ups, so how was I going to get my big butt up a wall.  Then I saw our belayer, we were the same height.  She said she has been doing this for a year.  She told me where to put my hands and feet to start and which colors I should be able to reach and as I keep telling my daughter, every time she tries rock wall climbing, to push yourself up with your legs.  These two theories worked out well for me.  I pushed myself up with my legs and I was careful where I put my hands so that I would be able to reach the next “rock.” 

Probably the biggest reason I have never done this before was that I had a huge fear of failing.  Not only in front my friends, but failing myself.  I think the main reason I went was to prove to myself that I could.  And it was fun, adrenaline can be very addictive.  Now I want to go white water rafting, who’s with me?

The 22nd Annual Spirit of Gettysburg 5k

Here I am! Chip time 39:40. I'm in the pink. It was hot and hilly, so I didn't push myself too hard.

The scenery was beautiful. I don't have any pictures of the actual course, but here is a shot from Round Top, overlooking Devil's Den.

After the 5k, there were several kids' events. A 1-mile dash for the pre-teens, a quarter-mile dash for the youngers, and for the under-3 crowd, a  40-foot run between balloons. There were so many kids there, and they had a great time!








It was really really nice to go somewhere and *not* see fat kids poking at electronic devices all day. Really. When I was a kid we had Atari, and it was attached to your TV set. When you went out somewhere, you were lucky if you had a Merlin or something to bring along. Otherwise, you actually had to interact with people. Or maybe actually read a book or a comic book. Wow!

Anyway ... I seem to have hit a plateau with my weight loss, although I continued to lose inches for a while longer. I would be most happy if I could just run all the time for exercise ... but doing one thing over and over is the best way to hit a plateau, not to mention get an injury (my knees ache sometimes now). So I'm splitting my time between the elliptical, arc trainer, and the treadmill (running outside is just not an option for me until it gets below 70 degrees again) and doing a lot of weight-machine work. I think I'll add some speed work because I have read several articles that say it's a good way to speed up weight loss (sprint for a short burst while jogging or on the elliptical).

The only downside to all this exercise? I am SO HUNGRY all the time. I don't mean eat-an-apple hungry, I mean eat-my-own-hands hungry. It's not boredom or thirst or cravings, it is actual real hunger that has to be addressed quickly, or I get weak and shaky. Perhaps I should re-think all the weight training, but it really does help burn calories throughout the day, doesn't it? 

Thanks for stopping by!

Ultra-Marathoner Interview: Moca, part 2

Last time, Moca talked about her family life and how it fits in with her runs and fitness overall. In part two, she gets into the nitty-gritty of her runs: the hows, and how-to-keep-goings. Read on for inspiration and tips, no matter where you are in your running journey (even if you're a not-yet-started like me!)

Look at that smile!

Interview with an UltraMarathon Runner: Moca

This awesome lady is Moca in 2009. I'm working on getting photos from a recent super-marathon (8 HOURS of running, folks!) to put in with this two-post blog post, but I am so excited to introduce her that I'm putting it up here now and worrying over pictures later! She is one great lady who is truly inspiring. Read further to get tips on how to get into - and stick with - running, no matter what your level. Part 2 will post on Friday!

Okay, I have to update this for a correction - it turns out that she is NOT a "Super" marathoner, but an "ULTRA-"marathoner. Either way, I'm inspired and plan to keep the interview handy to refer back to later on!

TFF: In what general "age range" are you? 

Moca: I have no problems telling you that I am 41. I am usually in the 40-49 age category in races. I didn't start running distance until I was 37. Age only matters in that I'm proof that age should not be used as a reason for why we aren't in shape or can't even start to work towards it. I am in better shape now than I was in my 20's. Youth only plays a small part in fitness; a 20-year-old isn't automatically healthy just as a 60-year-old isn't automatically arthritic. It's what you do with your body and life that matters. Get out and run.

Perseverance and Attitude

When I was heavier, before I started exercising, I had a bunch of handy excuses to be sedentary. I'd been using them for years.

I thought I had "settled" at my body's appropriate weight. I didn't want to join the gym at work because I didn't want to have to drag a heavy gym bag around (I park a half mile from my office -- literally, a half-mile), and I felt like I spent enough time at work, and I didn't want to join any other gym, because it would cost too much and be inconvenient. I didn't want my plantar fasciitis to come back. I didn't care if I was overweight, it wasn't a big deal.

I'm sure most heavy people have a litany of excuses! Well ... mine were easily demolished, once I got past the part of me that wanted to be obstinate. I was seriously my own worst enemy, and I am sure this is the problem facing a lot of people. The first words out of my mouth were "I can't, because...." I see this with other women, who immediately say "Oh, I wish I could run/lift weights/do yoga/etc, but I can't because--" That is the biggest roadblock. That instant "I can't," when it has nothing to do with real reasons to not do these things, but just plain obstinacy. We should just be honest and say "I don't want to!" I clung to the plantar fasciitis excuse like a lifesaver. "I can't ... I don't want my plantar fasciitis to come back!" It was such a great excuse to not do weight-bearing exercise (to be honest, I had a bad case that took years to heal).

Over the summer I gradually started to change, and to be honest, I have to say God did this. I have never known God to act decisively and suddenly -- more like nudge, nudge, nudge, until you finally do what He wants. He changed my heart, because I was miserable and I wasn't doing anything to help myself. So I put aside all the bad stuff, the excuses, and got on the treadmill. It sucked. I kept at it. It no longer sucks ... and now I love my gym days best of all. Sometimes I put that big heavy gym bag on my back and then stand on the scale in the locker room with my shoes on and my purse and lunch bag, and I laugh because even with all that on, I don't weigh as much as I used to.

When you have a roll of fat around your middle and you sit down, the fat pushes up and it makes you  uncomfortable sitting upright, because it's harder to breath with that fat pushing against your diaphragm. A few weeks ago at a friend's house, we all sat around the kitchen table for hours after eating, and I didn't have to ask if we could move into the other room where the softer, more comfortable chairs were ... because I was comfortable there! I didn't have to lean back to breathe. I could just sit with my friends and laugh and talk like everyone else.

I feel so strong and healthy now. I feel like everyone else must feel ... which is wonderful after so many years of being the fat one in my circle of friends, the one who couldn't go shopping with the girlfriends because they weren't plus-sized too, the woman who wouldn't ever wear shorts or tank tops in public. I very nearly cried the first time I tried on "misses" clothing and it fit ...I was in Kohl's, and I put on clothing from the regular section ... no "W" or "X" on the tag ... I was so happy. And amazed, because I'd invested so many years in telling myself I couldn't do it, and then I did it. There was no magic pill or potion or diet shake for me -- it just took perseverance and attitude.

This is what I wish I could tell all the women I see who are carrying so much extra weight, and they look so tired, and so unhappy, like they just can't wait to get home and put on sweatpants and take off the too-tight bra, and sit down and not move again until bedtime. I wish I could get it through to them how important it is to be strong not just in mind, but in body too. Sometimes when I'm on the treadmill, or running around the parade field on the army base, I feel awesome. I feel mighty. I don't ever want to go back to what I was before!

I went from this, in September 2010 ....

To this, in April 2012:

It was just a 5k ... but to me, it might as well have been the Olympics. 

(In that 'before' picture, I was in Anne Hathaway's cottage garden in Stratford-upon-Avon in September 2010. I took a bunch of pictures of that orange shawl, all over Wales and England. You can see them here.)

Healthy (-er) Enchilada Recipe

This one has corn, tomatoes, veggie chicken, GREEN sauce, and is topped with cilantro

My mother used to make huge trays of cheese enchiladas - half with meat, half without - and I loved them. To this day, enchiladas are one of my absolute favorite dishes to dig into. But until earlier this year, I wouldn't make them at home, primarily because I couldn't figure out how to roll the corn tortillas without them cracking. Thanks to Slick's hubby, I now know that you have to heat them on a griddle first. Then I started thinking about it and while those cheese enchiladas are totally tasty, they are not quite as healthy as I would like. For a family with six kids, they're inexpensive, easy and tasty enough that they'll be eaten without fuss. But here are the requirements I was trying to meet with this meal (in no particular order):

• gluten free
• dairy free

Slick's Rock-and-Roll Half-Marathon Adventure, Part II

13.1 Miles later…

Okay, I know this is extremely late…but I am a bit of a procrastinator. 

Anyway…When you register for some races…especially the big ones, they want to know what time you expect to run it in.  I was at an eleven-minute-plus pace when I registered back in October, so I entered an estimate of 2:30.  As my husband is my biggest fan and supporter, he also put down 2:30.  Unbeknownst to me. this put us in corral 21.  I don’t know how many corrals there were total, but I counted at least 28.  This meant we were in the 21^st wave of people to start.  To put this into perspective, it was 30 minutes after the starting gun fired before we crossed the start line.  Fortunately we could hear some of the music and at some points we could hear the MCs.  In thirty minutes the weather warmed up…actually it could have been the other 20 thousand runners that warmed me up. 

Before the first mile my husband and I separated.  We had discussed it beforehand and had agreed to meet at the finish line.  If I didn’t make it in by 2:30 he was to meet me at the designated meeting area.  This was fine with me.  I didn’t want to hold him back, and I didn’t want to push myself too hard too soon in the race by trying to keep up with him.  Another reason we separated so early was that the race started uphill.  This wouldn’t have been so bad, but as I was to learn, it ended uphill too.  

There were so many people dressed for St. Patrick’s Day with green running gear and also tutus, hats, and jewelry.  It made the whole experience very festive.  Another great thing about the run was that there were hundreds of people showing their support through the whole run…with signs, music (both from radios and live bands), and cheering; there were even people handing out drinks for the 21 and over crowd.  

The run itself was more difficult than I anticipated.  Most of my training had been on a mile track with one subtle hill.  As I learned while running the half-marathon, DC is very hilly. Somehow I never noticed this before.  The music was okay…sometimes the bands were not playing when I ran by, but I had my ipod, so I didn’t mind.  My husband, who had forgotten his ipod headphones and was looking forward to the live music, was very disappointed; he said that the majority of the bands were not playing when he ran by. 

The hardest part of the actual course was between mile 10 and mile 12.  At some point I passed the sign for mile 11 and didn’t notice it.  So I couldn’t figure out why mile 10 was taking forever.

There were many good things about the run.  Part of the course runs by the Washington Monument and the flags were flying and it was very pretty and inspiring.  I also ran through neighborhoods I had never been in before and will probably never have a reason to drive through.  The crowds were invigorating and it was great seeing all the other runners.  There were plenty of water and Gatorade stations, as well as GU and bananas.  The best part was crossing the finish line.  I was so proud of myself and I felt that my training and dedication really paid off.  Getting the medal itself was icing on the cake. 

The medal was awarded immediately after crossing the finish line.  Then they herd you through the food handout area.  There was something for everyone.  Greek yogurt, bananas, bottles of water and Gatorade.  One of the last items was Refuel, a chocolate milk that helps with muscle recovery, but it was too sweet for my taste.  My husband enjoyed it.

Once we got through the food line, we went over to get our free beer.  Michelob Ultra was one of the sponsors and every participant 21 and over received a free 5 oz beer.   This didn’t mix well with the Refuel and I ended up giving most of my free beer to my husband.  

My time, 2:22:49, wasn’t too bad for my first half-marathon…definitely have to work on my speed, especially since we have already signed up to run the Virginia Beach and the San Antonio Rock n Roll Half-Marathons. Hope to see you there!

Lessons Learned:

1.       Thin socks work best for me…my poor toes

2.       Hills hurt a lot and DC has a lot of hills

3.       Large races have lots of wait time

4.       Layers, layers, layers

5.       Don’t wear anything you haven’t worn running before, saw people carrying socks, and tutus getting caught between legs