It has been a while! Broad Street Run Recap :)

Before:

• Woke up, ate breakfast (oatmeal, banana, had some hot tea, drank a ton of water-- could've done without a hot tea).
• For whatever reason, I get so anxious before races. Doesn't matter if it's a 5k or not, I will have to poop excessively before a race. My body totally cleans itself out. (I think it goes back to my PTSD as a child doing track and field races in elementary school. I'm shuddering just thinking about it.)
• Went to my friend Hanna's house, where my sister, Hanna, Hanna's mom, and a friend from the YMCA, Monty all left from. Oh, and I pooped there, too.
• Got to the starting line with plenty of time to spare, we even saw a local news woman, Cecily Tynan, warming up with her husband before the race. We all had to shout her name, of course! She was so friendly.
• And then I had to pee. Like, really pee, but there was no way I was going to make it to a port-a-potty. They were swamped with people.

Before: What I had "on me" during the race. iPod shuffle & headphones (LOVE THIS THING),
GuChomps Watermelon electrolyte gels,  and my number 31247!  

During

• At the starting line, I was all hyped up and raring to go (I guess). Of course, with 40,000 runners it's hard to go fast so soon! They started off playing Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" over the speakers at the starting line. So sweet!
• There were so many security officers since it was just after the Boston Marathon and all. From helicopters flying overhead, to countless SWAT team officers lining the course, I felt totally safe. So many runners supported the marathon from wearing shirts, to donning red socks, and there were stickers that said "To Boston Love Philly" on them. It was hard to keep it far from my mind.
• It was a blur. I know I'm writing some of this way after the race, but it was a blur. You get in a zone, and I must've really gotten in the zone, because to this day I remember the endorphin buzz and the excitement, and I sigh thinking, "That was so much fun, the 10 miles really flew by!" Sigh. 
• When you run a race like Broad Street, there are just so many people that you are forced to move. You HAVE to move, or else you're getting trampled. Once you get to mile 8, the crowd thins out drastically, both on the sidelines and in the course. You become a much more lonely ranger of sorts, so once I got to South Philly, (which is a fairly unknown territory for me) it was all a mental game.
• I had my GuChomps during the race, and I walked through almost every water station because I was not about to slip on those damn plastic cups. 
• Seeing the finish line was a total dream come true! I can still remember my pace picked up and I just couldn't wait to get there. 

After

• Knowing I had to ride the subway back up to North Philly was kind of exciting (free subway, yay)! I got to sit down the whole time, which I immediately regretted. I stood up and everything hurt (this is where I start to think, hmm should've trained harder). 
• I was so proud of myself. My legs carried me, and I felt so unstoppable. 
• I went home, and I was spent. I spent the day eating, sleeping and I didn't stretch or foam roll, and MAN I WAS SO SORE. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT. I'm going to take much better care of myself next time. It was horrible. At one point, I wanted to flat-out fall down the steps because it was easier than walking. 
• I kind of felt like I underwent a major medical procedure with the whole "recovery" thing. However, within 3 days, I was fine!

After: Got my medal and finished in 1:42:47! 

Verdict: totally worth every step!

Sniffles and Sickness and Sneezes-- Oh, my!

It's officially that time of year again...the hacking, sniffling, sneezing and coughing of post-holiday sickness. Whether you're battling the cold and slugging through your day-to-day activities or you're bed-ridden with a fever and body aches, you hate to admit your illness.

I'm the type of individual who will fight to the death as far as sicknesses go. I went to school/work with pneumonia in high school for an entire week without knowing it. I thought I had a "bad cold" at the time.

In order for me to stay in bed, I must be really, REALLY, sick.

I've been fighting this cold for a few days now (first noticed my throat was sore on Sunday) and today has been the worst. My throat is all mucousy, swollen and sore. I feel like I'm breathing out fire and my head feels like it's about to pop (it's getting better, thanks to decongestant).

Of course, this all happens at once-- when classes begin. How convenient...

I can easily say that this cold has knocked any semblance of healthy living out of me. I still eat fairly healthy, but exercising has been a no-go. I might try to walk on the treadmill tonight at the gym, but yoga is dreadful when sick (especially with a runny nose).

My best friends while I'm sick have been:

Tea

I've been an avid tea-drinker for a while now. While I do love the occasional coffee, tea helps SO MUCH when I'm under the weather. It's like a liquid hug. Add some honey and my throat feels better instantly.

Sleep

Oh, man...I love a great nap or a great night's sleep. The problem is, I'm busy and I'm a night owl...but I have been carving out time for naps, especially since I've been feeling cruddy.

Water

I try to drink a lot more water when I'm sick. The downside: I pee a WHOLE lot. However, I do feel loads better because I'm flushing all the gunk and toxins out of my body.

I hope these couple of tips helped y'all out. I don't always take medicine for colds, or vitamins, so I try not to falsify "what works for me" if I don't really do it. If I feel bad, I'll pop a few Ibuprofen or a decongestant pill. Sometimes, if it's really bad I'll take a multi-symptom pill, too. 

That's all for now. 

Stay sniffle-free,

Katie

About Hit the Mat Running

Things to expect from Hit the Mat Running

            Hit the Mat Running is my fitness and active living blog. I hope to inspire others who come from all walks (or runs) of fitness.

 Posts will include:

• Workout tips and photos
•  Information about yoga and my yoga experience
•  Information about running and my running experience
• Recipes
• Photos
• Playlist information
• Motivation!
• Personal fitness posts 

About me and my passion for fitness

            I love keeping in shape and healthy. I find that I think more clearly and my mind and body are in-sync when I am more active. I learned the hard way that recovering from nerve damage is a difficult process that requires a lot of patience (just like any injury). It forced me to slow down, and I will do a lot of injury prevention posts.

Why Hit the Mat Running?

            I chose the title, Hit the Mat Running, because I run and participate in yoga. There’s something about Hit the Mat Running that resonates with me as a yogi and a runner, it shows that from the moment I start working out that I give it my all.

How often will you hear from me?

            My blog will most likely update either every other day to once a week. Maybe some weeks I’ll post every single day. It all depends!

 I will try my best to stay dedicated and maybe, if I get a small community started, I’ll post different challenges and giveaways.

            I hope to inspire others who may have difficulty staying motivated in the world of fitness. It takes a lot of  motivation to walk into a gym, go for a run outside or even put those workout clothes on. I’m here to show you what’s worked for me so far. This blog will help me stay motivated and will hopefully help motivate you all!

Stay healthy and active!

Katie