Out Run CF - Gobble, Wobble!

A few times a year, the Rock CF Foundation and CysticLife hold an event called Out Run CF -- the next one is taking place on Thanksgiving.

In case you missed out last time, or need a refresher, here is how it works. Anyone and everyone is invited to participate: Fibros, Cysters, parents, spouses, friends, extended family, you name it! Participants will find a route near their house. Then on November 22nd, 2012, EVERYONE will lace up their sneakers and hit the pavement in their Out Run CF shirt (Each registrant will receive a t-shirt unique to this fall’s race from us in the mail).

No distance is too long, or too short. YOU pick YOUR mileage. 1 mile? 5K? 10K? 10 miles? Half Marathon? Marathon? It’s up to you! Nothing is too fast or too slow YOU pick YOUR speed. We just want to get the entire CF community out of their houses and into their running shoes on the same day, for the same cause.

Registrants can blog about their training, ask questions, and share tips on CysticLife.org. We want the entire site to be plastered with talk of exercise, running, and encouragement. On race day, we want people to post their times and their experiences. Let’s make this Virtual Race even BIGGER than the first one! Let’s make it the biggest race the community, and the world, has ever seen!!

So here again are the hard facts:

Who: Everyone
What: Outrun CF Virtual Race held by Rock CF Foundation and CysticLife
When: November 22, 2012 -- Thanksgiving Day
Where: Anywhere
Why: Because anyone can run—whether it’s for a minute or a marathon! Together we can Out Run CF.

The awesome shirt that goes with this Out Run CF event.
Each event they have a new shirt - which I've worn in all of my
5Ks so far...looks like I'll have a nice new one to support CF
during my local 5Ks! :)
(Photo courtesy of Out Run CF facebook page)

How : Register at http://www.active.com/running/detroit-mi/gobble-wobble--out-run-cf-virtual-race-2012

It's a great *and easy* way to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis. If you register by November 1st (Thursday), you'll receive the awesome shirt in time for race day! If you register after Thursday, you'll still get a shirt, but it's not guaranteed to be there by the 22nd. The shirt is also "A4 Adult Cooling Performance" shirts, so actual workout material! Sweet! Any questions, check out Out Run CF on Facebook or talk to me.

Finally, if you're my Facebook friend and you decide to Out Run CF on Thanksgiving, please tag me in your pictures! And if you live near by, maybe we can run together. :) I'd love to see how many of my friends are helping support the CF Foundation in a few weeks!! Thanks!!

Pack on the Pounds

Courtesy of Google Images - not my feet!

I didn't realize how long it's been since I've posted until the other day. I've completed my round of Cipro and it totally sucked this time! I'm feeling better, but still tired from working all the time -- I never realized how time-consuming teaching was going to be, but I wouldn't change it for the world (that's an entirely different post though). I had the most side effects from this round of Cipro then I ever have, and it was not fun. I think I've lost a couple pounds from being on it. It made me very bloated and I was not absorbing anything that I ate -- sorry for the TMI. It was a really uncomfortable two weeks, so I wasn't exercising much. Who wants to go run a couple miles when they're bloated and tired?! Not me!!
So my plan is to do what my title says - pack on the pounds! Honestly, I don't think my exercise is affecting my weight too much, because I'm not running consistently. So that's not really helping my lungs a ton either. Once I get these next two 5Ks done, I'll probably put running on the back burner this winter to focus on gaining weight in a healthy way. Ideally for my body to be at it's healthiest, I should probably try to gain 8-10 pounds. I was weighed on Wednesday and I've dropped to 112.7! I haven't seen those numbers in a while. Unfortunately, I am comfortable with the way my body is looking right now (pretty flat tummy!), but that's not important. I know that I need to gain this weight back in case I need to go on antibiotics again over the winter.
One of my friends posted a picture of me on Facebook from a few weeks ago and I've completely lost all the 'chubby' in my face...I kind of looked sickly (in my opinion). That weekend one of my other friends made a comment about how 'super skinny' I looked and asked if I lost weight...so if other people are noticing, I know I need to get back to where I was. It's more important for me a to be a little bit chubby and healthy, than this skinny and getting sick. My goal is to be back into the high 100-teens (116-119ish) by my next clinic appointment in January so my doctor and nurse don't yell at me! :) They don't yell, but you know what I mean....even if it means I go back to Scandishakes...
So as much as I know running was making me feel better, now that it's getting colder and since I've been teaching, I've not been running consistently. Someone on CysticLife did suggest weight lifting to help build muscle which would increase my weight, so that's something I will look into over the winter. I never pictured myself doing any type of lifting, but then again, two years ago I never pictured myself running and I here I am about to complete two 5Ks in the next month!

This brings me to my question/suggestions I'm looking for: More so ladies, (but guys, I'll take your input, too) what do you do for weight lifting AT HOME? I'm not interesting in spending money to join a gym over the winter. Or what other types of fitness activities do you do in the comfort of your own home? I do have Zumba for the Wii which I may need to bust out since we're not living above anyone anymore, but I'd like a variety. Thanks! :)

New Color

**Note: Mucus talk, don't read if you don't want to learn about my mucus.
Last week I posted how I was starting to get a sinus infection or something. Well I increased my treatments to 3-4 a day over the weekend, 2 on Tuesday (back to work) and 3 yesterday. Unfortunately, I developed a dry, itchy cough as of Tuesday, so we (doctor, nurse and I) decided to start me on Cipro. I took my first dose last night and I'll be on it for two weeks. This morning after taking a shower, I had my first big cough of the morning and I coughed up a big glob of brownish, rust-colored mucus. This is definitely a new color for me. Coincidence that I took my first dose of Cipro before bed and this is what I cough out the following morning? Or is it just all of the extra treatments moving this (I'm assuming) old mucus out of my lungs? Or could it be that I walked two miles yesterday evening? Interesting...

Either way, at least things are moving around in there because I'd rather have a productive cough to get it out, than have a dry scratchy one where everything's just sitting down there. And I'll be honest, I was tempted to take a picture because I was so surprised by this, but I didn't know if that would just be too much... :-) Anyway, if anyone has any ideas of where this nasty colored stuff came from (duh, my lungs), or why it is this color, or if you've had this before, I'm very interested. I'm not usually one to discuss my mucus - I think it's totally disgusting and I HATE spitting - but this kind of blew my mind at 5:15 in the morning. :-)
*This is the first post that I've labeled 'mucus' after over 140 posts!

730 Days!

Tim and I have been married for 730 days, today! :-) Today marks our two year wedding anniversary. It's been a fun-filled, busy and sometimes a little crazy past two years, but it's been wonderful! To read about how we met and our first five years together, you can go here. Yes, that means that it's been six years, total, that we've been together. That may not seem like much to some people, but it sometimes makes me feel old! :)

This weekend we celebrated by going out to dinner together. The next day, our friends stopped by and took these pictures for us. 

We were too lazy to stand up to take a nice picture, so this is how it came out. When we both realized
how goofy we looked, we decided to take a nice one standing up.

My friend Kristen, found this idea on Pinterest. We are holding the picture that was taken
last year on our first anniversary. Then next year we'll hold the picture above in a frame so that we
have our first and second anniversary picture in the current picture (that's really hard to explain!).

Happy anniversary, Tim!! I love you!!

It's Been 5 Months

...since my last dose of Cipro, and I might have to start it up again. Darn, adorable, gross kindergarteners spreading their germs! :) It was bound to happen sooner or later, so I'm not surprised.
Last post I shared about my flu shot, and I'm happy to report that I didn't have any kind of reaction to it which I was happy about. But around Tuesday/Wednesday I was having a ton of post nasal drip and the back of my throat was getting very sore. I couldn't tell if it was just allergies or if it was the start of a cold, so I just tried to get as much of it out as possible. Then yesterday it started to work its way into my sinuses and today I've been sneezing and blowing my nose all day - I've also got a lot of sinus pressure.
This morning I decided to email my doctor and nurse to see if they could call in a 14 script for Cipro because I wanted to catch this before it went into my chest and became any worse. Well, I just got off the phone with my doctor a little bit ago, and she thinks that it could possibly be viral (since that seems to be going around right now) -- which means the Cipro really wouldn't do much. So I'm going to wait it out over the next day or two to see if it gets any worse or starts to move into my chest. If it does, she wants me to start my two weeks of Cipro and also to pair it with a month of Tobi. She also told me to increase my airway clearance to 3-4 times a day to try to get rid of whatever it is...ugh!
I know I've been so complaint with my treatments over the past year, but I hate increasing my treatments! I'm really good about getting in my treatments twice a day, but that doesn't mean I enjoy doing them or that I don't ever stall to do them each day. So now that I have to do three-four a day, that just drives me crazy. But I'm going to do my best to try to keep up with the extra treatments, especially because I have a three day weekend so I should have the time. I'd love to kick this cold or whatever it is out of my body without having to go on Cipro because I don't want to build up any resistance to it. I used to go on Cipro maybe once a year, and this would be my third dose this year, so lets hope I can get rid of it on my own with increased treatments. :-)

What's Another 6 Miles?

Well, I officially signed up for the Turkey Trot on November 17th! The race is at 9am, so I'm hoping the sun will be shining and it'll be above freezing that morning! :-) I also was able to get one of my fellow kindergarten teachers to sign up for it yesterday - this will be her first 5K! I'm excited that I'll have someone to run (slowly jog) with this time. I actually signed up for it last week, but still haven't gotten myself to go running since the Shoreline Classic two weeks ago.

Then this morning my sister-in-law asked me to do the "Glo Run" with her and her husband (and maybe Tim's cousin) on November 3rd. It looks like so much fun!!! It's an evening run, beginning at 7pm, where the runners get to wear glow sticks, neon shirts, and there will be black lights, strobe lights and a DJ throughout the course!! You do get a number bib, but the run itself is not timed - it's more about the fun and less about the run. :-) I'm SUPER excited to do something like this with family, and it'll be excellent practice for my Turkey Trot two weeks later.

Looks like I'll really need to keep up with my running so that I'm in tip-top shape for these two 5Ks in November. After I signed up for the Glo Run this morning, I was definitely motivated to get back outside again. It was perfect running weather - beautiful, sunny, low 60s with a slight breeze = perfect! I had been telling myself to go to Walgreens to get my flu shot this week and I've just forgotten, so this morning I decided to run to Walgreens and get it! Then after I got my flu shot, the pharmacist told me to walk around the store for a couple minutes to make sure I felt fine before I left, and I made the comment, "Oh, so I shouldn't run home, then?" She looked really confused and I told her that I ran here and that I was planning on running back....she didn't really seem to care, haha! So after I walked around for a few minutes, I decided to start walking back, but after a couple minutes of walking I just gave in and jogged all the way home (0.8 of a mile each way).

I've been feeling fine since I've gotten my flu shot. A couple other CFers I know have experienced some nasty side effects from their flu shots this year, so I'm really hoping that doesn't happen to me. I've never had a reaction to the shot before and I've gotten one every year for as long as I can remember. The only problem I get is a sore arm for a couple days....so hopefully it'll stay that way this year, too.
People have asked me why I get a flu shot if it doesn't protect from every strain of the flu. My answer to that is because some protection is better than none at all. When I catch a cold, or worse the flu, it impacts my body more than a person without CF, especially if it makes it's way into my chest. It could really take a toll on my lung function and my weight because my body would be working extra hard to fight it. I'm also more susceptible to germs this year since I'm working with wonderful, germy, gross little 5 & 6 year olds! So, I suck up a little arm pain for a few days if it means trying to stay even healthier this winter.

Speaking of things taking a toll on my weight - I've definitely noticed that I've lost some weight since I began teaching. Of course I don't mind the way I look because I've lost a lot of my CF belly, but I know that it's important for me to gain a couple extra pounds in case I do get sick this winter. I've also heard that the more healthy your weight is, the better your lung function is....someone please explain that one to me...?
Anyway, I've been struggling with the amount of calories that I'm taking in vs. the amount that I'm burning at work. I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday, but it's just not enough. Plus I think the extra running is also burning calories that I'm not getting back. I'm really trying to get better about eating healthier because it makes me feel much better (less bloating & bathroom issues), but then I feel like it's harder to get the extra calories I need. If anyone has suggestions of healthy ways to add calories to my diet, I'd really appreciate it. I can't snack too much at work because I'm with my kids most of the day - but I can sneak in a quick snack during plan time if I have it that day. I don't drink whole milk, I drink 2% because it makes me feel better. I'm not a huge peanut butter fan, unless it has chocolate on it. I'm not a huge snacker, I'd prefer to have meals, but I know that has to change. And I'd say I'm a fairly picky eater when it comes to vegetables...but I'm trying to eat healthier -- more home cooked meals and less frozen, fatty crap. Suggestions welcomed in the comments section. Thank you :-)

Shoreline Classic 2012

I ran my second 5K this morning!!! And I completed it about a minute faster than my first one, woo hoo! Originally, Tim and I planned to run it together and we both signed up. But this past week, we had been running together and Tim developed shin splints. He's not one to complain about pain unless it's really bad and he was miserable, so I felt terrible that he had to come take pictures of me when he was supposed to be out there with me. He made a smart choice though because we were afraid he wouldn't be able to walk if he tried to run today! I was still really happy that he was there to support me while I chugged along the more-hilly-than-I-thought course. :) I didn't have such a huge adrenaline rush this time around, but I was still able to run the entire course without stopping, walking or re-hydrating until I crossed the finish line.

When I was in high school, if someone would have told me that I would be excited about running 5Ks in my 20s, I would have called them crazy. Also, if someone told me then that I was going to be healthier in my 20s, I would have called them even crazier because I thought it was nearly impossible to gain any lung function back. Now here I am feeling healthier than I have in a very long time, kicking CF's butt because my compliance and exercise! It just feels good to finally be taking care of myself because I want to, not just because I have to. I still don't absolutely love running, but the feeling I get when I cross the finish line is SO worth it. It's going to be a challenge this winter to stay active because I'm not signed up for any gyms, but I'll have to start looking into alternative exercise until I can get back outside.

I'm debating about signing up for the local Turkey Trot in November. I know it'll probably be much colder than it was this morning (which was high 50s-low 60s) which might not be the best for my lungs. But even if I can't run the whole thing that time, at least I'd be getting out there and doing it! Well...I think I just resolved my issue -- getting out there and trying is better than making excuses and skipping it. Stay tuned in two months for my third 5K, the Turkey Trot on November 17th!

Scattered Thoughts

I don't have one specific story for this post, just a recap of everything that's been going on lately. So I apologize if it seems scattered or all over the place.

• One week from today Tim and I will be running our first 5K together. This will be my second, and his first. I'm excited to be doing something productive/healthy together! 
• We walked a mile then ran a mile this morning and it felt great. He was way ahead of me and finished about 2-3 minutes before me, but it was fun to "compare notes". I told him I felt great afterwards and he said it was because I ran slow. So I told him how I was jogging so my 'breathing didn't get messed up' and he said something along the lines of how his breathing was. I tried to explain to him that I don't run to finish fast, I run to control my breathing, but he just gave me a really confused look....I don't think he's as in-tune with his body as I am. :-)
• I have taught kindergarten for 14 days now! :-) I LOVE IT! My kids are starting to understand the expectations a little bit better (most of them), and we're slowly getting into a routine. I can't wait for it to be a month from now when hopefully more of the kinks will be worked out and things will be running more smoothly. 
• I feel like I am getting a lot of support from my co-workers. One of them gave me "props" the other day because I'm constantly on my kids when they're in the hallway to behave correctly -- I don't want that annoying class that acts like hoolagins (don't know how to spell that) in the hallway! I just thought that was part of my job, but apparently some people don't do that, so it's nice that other staff members noticing that I'm trying my best.
• My grandma passed away this past week after a long battle with brain cancer, she was 84. She was on a slow, steady decline, so we kind of knew it was coming, but it's still hard. I liked to refer to her as the "Queen Bee" of our family, so it's going to be strange not having her around anymore. So later today and tomorrow, Tim and I will be spending time in Chicago with my family for her services.
• This coming weekend we're going camping with Tim's family! This is something we do every year around this time. It's really fun and it's something that I look forward to every year. Since Tim and I signed up for the 5K on Sunday though, we're only able to go camping Friday (after work) and Saturday. But, since we moved, we're only 2 hours away! We used to be about 4 hours away which sucked.
• I'm looking for someone who's going to be around our area Sunday morning to take pictures of Tim and I doing our 5K. It'd be about 8:30am before we're crossing the finish line.