Runnin' a Muck!

Posted by Alicia Overby on 16th Jan 2018

Here are two things that just don't seem to fit together in my life. Running & Winter. Since the mild winter days are long behind us I have realized that it is nearly impossible for me to continue a running schedule in the deep, dark, recesses of winter.


During the end of the summer I was averaging about 35 miles a week. What? Yeah...I have a hard time even believing that. It was amazing, I felt great...baby (x4) weight was coming off nicely. And then the snow began to fall and temperatures began to drop to sub zero. This...for me...is not acceptable running weather. Just to give you an idea of my previous definition of my "fair weather" running I will back up.


Before baby #1 (preggo Aug. 2003) I began running. I began about 2 years prior to getting pregnant and ran about 4-5 days a week. In the hot sun when I would get home from work around 4:30 p.m. But...if, by chance, it was too windy, too humid, my clothes weren't just so, my headphones didn't work, my shoes didn't feel right, my socks were not clean or heaven forbid it would actually rain or snow! Forgetaboutit! You would not see me striding along the sidewalk. I just wasn't into that. 


Fast forward a few years and you will catch me running in rain, snow, sleet, hair up or hair down, music or not, mismatched socks, shorts that are too small...whatever it takes to get me out for a run. HOWEVER, sub zero temperatures where you practically freeze your nose off are just beyond my acceptable conditions! 


So now we are in that time. That time of cold. That time of wind. That time of ice! And I have not run out of doors for some time. And my running has diminished drastically. I am down to about 20 miles a week on a great week.
So in the between times I have been trying to change it up. I have been doing Tae-bo with my husband...as well as some of his P90X workouts. I have also been using some of the "variable intensity workouts" that are pre-programmed into our treadmill. I have become ok with the fact that it isn't the time running that counts, but just the time to myself. My boredom is just too great to stay on the treadmill for 1.5 hours at a time. I am just not doing it.

So...to all of you who need to switch it up a bit...do it! If I can, you can!

infant support pillow

Written by Alicia Overby - Founder & President of Baby Elephant Ears

Alicia is wife, mother, and creator of Baby Elephant Ears. Baby Elephant Ears was created out of parental concern, not financial desire. In 2005, when their second child was an infant, he cried all the time and just couldn't seem to get comfortable.

After seeking advice and suggestion from the medical community and alternative medicine, they eventually ended up in the chiropractors office where their baby was successfully treated for a subluxation, discomfort most likely the result of the strain during labor, which was now being exacerbated by the normal lack of infant neck strength. Only proper neck, head, and back alignment would offer him relief. When they couldn't find a product to give their baby the necessary support, Alicia took matters into her own hands and crafted her own infant support pillow. The first Baby Elephant Ears was born!

For more information, visit www.babyelephantears.com.