Tag: virtual races

Staying Motivated

Staying Motivated

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How to Challenge Yourself Through Life’s Storms

 

What do you when you’ve lost your motivation?

What has you derailed?

This is often a problem for anyone going through a medical issue, including amputees.

As a 5 year amputee myself, I have a different story, one I want to share.

I spent most of my life participating in sports of one kind or another, only taking a break when we started our family.

As the boys grew so did my desire to get active again, for myself, my physical and mental well-being.

I joined karate with my kids when they were just littles, and I really enjoyed the challenge of it and feeling a part of something.

Unfortunately, onely about 2 years into it I tore my MCL which led to multiple surgeries over 5 years. I gained weight, a lot, and lost my drive.

When it got to a point that I wasn’t going to get better, and I had tried everything, a blood clot came along to drive me to the lumeing decision to amputate, and that I did, 5 years after the initial injury.

At this point, I was prepping my body and mind for what was to come and with that I began to set goals and challenges, after all I was ready to attack life once again…too many years of sitting around on my butt.

The very first challenge was learning how to walk again.

The beginning of the journey-My first prosthetic and me at my heaviest since my injury

 

 

This was no easy task and with the pain of amputation/surgery, ill-fitting sockets due to atrophy and weight change, and the actual weight of the prosthesis, I was in for a really challenging few months. But I was determined.

 

For the first 3 years the volume of my residual limb changed a LOT!

 

I had to learn to put my mindset into the positive and in hyper-overdrive. I needed to find something to push me, so I decided on virtual races.

My virtual race medal wall. My motivation to keep going!

 

I could do them on my time, in my area, and with no one else around. I was going to use these races to push myself to wear and master my prosthesis. My very first race was 150 mile spring virtual race! I calculated my daily miles to figure out how to finish on time and then set out to walk the miles.

Can I tell you, in all honesty, that the first day I set out to do my 2 miles (easy, right?) I could only muster up the energy and tolerance to walk to our mailbox!!! 1/4 mile total walk! I was doomed!

But, the next day I got started and walked another block further than the day before. I continued on this path, having good days and bad and taking advantage of the good days, and pressed forward. I was determined to win this mental and physical challenge, each and everyday!

Was it easy? Not a chance! But it was plausible and that was all I needed to rise to the challenge and succeed.

Some days I could get my 2 miles in, and then the very next day I could only go as far as around the block.

I tell you this because the path isn’t always straight forward. You can be doing really good one day and then nerve pains, or the fit, can take you out. You should know this going in so as to give yourself some grace and not get down on yourself.

I talk about Practice makes Permanence, not Practice makes Perfect. 5 years in and I still have days where I see my gait looking lazy or off, I still watch and correct, but I have learned muscle memory and I know right from wrong as I walk.

Practice makes permanence

 

Setting goals early on in your amputee journey, or any journey for that matter, is important to building healthy habits. There are no shortcuts to figuring it out, you just need to put in the work and build experience. A great basketball player doesn’t just shoot during the game, they practice that free throw hundreds of times a week, maybe even a day, to build muscle memory and get the form down. Why would learning how to walk again in a prosthetic be any different?

Spend the time in it, get use the feel, get good at the stride, practice the little things everyday, and take breaks when you need them, but keep pushing. It will come and then you’ll be able to move onto the next challenge you set before you.

 

 

Of course this week’s challenge is to challenge yourself.

Set a new goal, one that you know you can accomplish without it being too easy. Pick something you have been dying to accomplish (like getting stronger walking in your new prosthetic). Now figure out a plan that will get you from point A to point B, and give yourself a specific deadline. Mine happen to come with their own deadlines, being virtual races had “complete by” dates assigned to them. They were a challenge, for sure, but it was good for accountability reasons. I couldn’t wiggle out of those deadlines, not if I was being true to myself, and why wouldn’t I want to be true to myself? Don’t I deserve that?

You can do this.

Drop me a message and let me know what you’re challenging yourself with and then get after it!

You can do this!

You are a warrior, so attack life like a warrior!

 

I hope you found this to be motivating and you take on this Call to Action.

Have a beautiful week, and until next time,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

 

Much love,

 

My funny girl
The Secret To My Success

The Secret To My Success

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:10 — 40.4MB)

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Creating Positive Momentum Through Challenges

 

This week let’s challenge ourselves!

Let’s face the mountain head on and not veer out of fear.

It’s time to unleash the warrior within you, are you ready??

Well it doesn’t matter, now is the time! If you wait until you are “ready” then the time will never come.

 

SO how did I start my amputee journey, you ask? I was ready! I was nervous, of course, but when I came to grips with it I was ready to soar. I began to dream and wonder what I could accomplish, what hurdles I would overcome, what new things I would learn. To say that I was excited about the possibilities, would be an understatement.

 

I began by wearing my leg out of the prosthetist office and using it all day every day for a week…WITHOUT PT! Needless to say, I was so bruised on my femur bone!

I mean, I was walking, and so proud of myself, but I needed help tweaking my form and gait.

After I took some PT I began a new journey with new dreams. I was going to reinvent myself, whatever it took!

 

I had about 12 goals set for myself, even before my amputation, about what I would accomplish as an amputee.

Obviously I wanted to walk as naturally as possible, and as soon as possible, but there is no shortcut or magic potion to make that happen. It takes grit, determination and consistency.  But how do you maintain consistency, especially with something that is scary, uncertain, and hard to do?

What I did was register for virtual races! Not only did I have set miles but I also had the metaphorical carrot dangling in front of me…the cool looking medals!!

My very 1st race as an amputee! This started it all and how I got use to my prosthetic leg.

For me, that’s all it took! I registered for my first 150 mile race in May, a month after getting my prosthetic leg. I made a promise to myself that all of my steps in my leg would count toward my miles, then I introduced myself to the large Facebook group and told them of my goals. Not only did writing it down for all to see make me accountable for my goal, it also gave me a HUGE cheering squad with this new group of friends!

And this is where it all began! I attribute my success of learning to walk again to my virtual races.

 

These were the ones I did the first 1 1/2 after becoming an amputee! They all have special meaning,
depending on what I was trying to accomplish, how I felt or what I was going through.

 

 

It’s your turn now, and I’m going to help you and be there by your side as we do this together!

Let’s crush a goal before this year ends.

No better time than the present to start, and the best time of year to make time for yourself.

The link below is to register for a 100 mile virtual race.

I have already registered and I want you on my team!

I will create a private Facebook group too, just for those who join this race with me.

Can’t run? No problem-WALK!

Can’t walk? Bike, recumbent, stationary or  traditional.

Can’t do those things? SWIM, use a hand bike, exercise with stretch bands, dumbbells or body weight!

 

The sky’s the limit on how you go about logging your miles.

3 miles of biking= 1 mile of running/walking

exercising moderately 30 min=1 mile of running/walking

etc, etc, etc

 

You see where I’m coming from? We can all do something to help us feel better and get on track. So no matter where you are, don’t think for one second that you can’t do something in some way, shape, or form!

It is time to unleash your inner warrior! Fight for the life you want! Start today and let me walk alongside you and your journey! After all, we all need someone who gets us where we are at.

 

I’m here for you so won’t you join me on this virtual race?

Join me and let’s “sleigh” this holiday season! No excuses, no surrender!!!

 

Click HERE to register for the Fierce and On Fire Challenge

 

Oh, and did I mention that not only are you helping yourself by joining this challenge, you will also be supporting the Erin Regan Animal Sanctuary non profit 40 acre farm. A portion of your registration in this challenge goes to support this cause. This non profit is dedicated to saving the lives of farm and companion animals from abuse, euthanasia, and homelessness.

It’s a win-win in my book! Join me today! Click the link above!!

As always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!

 

Much love,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commitment and Consistency Brings Confidence

Commitment and Consistency Brings Confidence

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:54 — 48.7MB)

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“How long did it take for you to learn to walk?”
“Was it hard to learn to walk in a prosthetic?”
“What helped you get use to your prosthetic?”
I get these questions on a weekly basis from curious onlookers to amputees in wheelchairs.
It took time and commitment. Some would say courage, as well, because it’s hard to learn a basic skill all over again, and the fear of falling, and failing, is so great as we get older.
This week I share the one major thing that helped me conquer using a prosthetic and walking again, with confidence.
GOALS: Commit
My 1st in person race as an amputee, just one year after amputation!

 

 

Focus and determination

 

 

 

Now it’s your turn!
Find a virtual race you can push yourself, at your pace, and in your timeframe that works for you.
Sign up and then get to work!
Get excited when the mail arrives with your finishers medal, you earned it!!!
If I can do it, so can you!!
Be the warrior you are meant to be. It’s time to rise and live your best life.
Commit- Be Consistent, Build your confidence!
As always,
Be Healthy,
Be Happy,
Be YOU!!!
Much love,
Angie
And don’t forget! TODAY is the final day to join the #14daysofmagic challenge
Go to www.magicmind.co to order your own pack of Magic Mind TODAY!!! Use my discount code: BEYOU14 to get a discount on your order. And remember to post yourself being productive while you’re using Magic Mind for your chance to win a 1-3 month subscription of Magic Mind!!
Rise To The Challenge

Rise To The Challenge

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:58 — 41.1MB)

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Run The Race Set Before You

 

It’s time to get off that couch and put your leg on. Let’s do this! If not today, then when?

I will tell you that the amputation wasn’t the end of a journey but the very beginning of another. Life is a journey so I don’t know why I thought any different with amputation. Now the real work comes in. You need to heal, and then get your socket fitted and THEN learn to walk all over again!  No one can truly prepare you for what’s to come with amputation but I will tell you that no matter what you are facing with yours, you CAN do anything! You just need to press on and learn to adapt.

For me it was about perseverance, distraction and goal setting. You will have good days and bad days, and knowing this will allow you to “bounce back” when the going gets tough. I didn’t realize this, at first, and when I began to struggle I thought it was going to be down, down, down, with no recovery…. that’s how my last 7 years had gone with surgeries, so why would this be any different? But then over the course of these past two years I realized that my residual limb changes size and shape and that will dictate how my socket fits, which, in turn, dictated some of my struggles and pains. But those bad moments, or struggles, were short lived and then good times would return. NOW that I know this I can take those “bad” days in stride, and not lose sleep over them (although, sometimes I do because of  the phantom pain 😉 Haha! Humor is good medicine, by the way.

Humor helps get through hard days. Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself.

 

I started my journey, back to walking, by deciding to give virtual races a try. I am highly competitive with myself so when I set a goal, I will succeed. My 1st race was 175 miles in 3 months. I started this one just a couple months after getting my prosthetic! I figured, what’s the best way to get use to your new leg- use it, and use it A LOT! I would need to put in 2 miles everyday to catch up since I registered a little late. You know what? It was hard! But I stuck with it, logged all my miles and made the goal of 175 miles! And the pure joy of receiving my finisher’s medal stuck with me…so I registered for the next one, which was 150 miles! and then the next one- 150 miles! I finished all of those and then began smaller more condensed goals of completing 5k walks/runs, virtually.  The idea of doing a race within a day put more pressure on me to compete at my highest level. I had to complete 3.1 miles all at once and some days that was really hard. Some of them I raced for better and faster times, other times I had to be content with just finishing.  You need to know your body well enough not to do harm but also to know when and how hard to push.

My first medal as an amputee! I’m very proud of this one!

 

 

These are all that I have completed since July 2019!! Each one of them I picked with purpose.

 

I have enjoyed all the races I’ve completed. There’s a sense of pride and accomplishment seeing all of my medals I’ve earned over the past 2 years as an amputee. These races have given me a purpose, goals, and independence as an amputee. I look and feel better then I have in a long time, and my mental health is at its peak. Listen  in to my podcast to hear more about how to get moving and what hurdles I overcame to finish all those medals these past 2 years.

Now it’s YOUR turn!

 

Check out these virtual races and register for one of them. Take baby steps to get there but get there! Challenge yourself to do and be something more. You’ll be surprised what you can accomplish when you set a goal and get moving. I guarantee you will feel better about yourself, and you’ll start making strides in your physical, mental and emotional state, plus you and your prosthetic will become friends! 😉

Check these out:

Virtual Strides

Virtual Pace Series

Gone For A Run

Will Run For Bling and Charity

This last one is where I met some amazing people and did my first 3 BIG long distance races (175, 150, and 150 mile races over a few months) If you want a challenge, check this site out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each one of these holds meaning to me and I love every single one of my medals! They show me, when times get hard, that I can do it, I can succeed, and that my amputation doesn’t define or inhibit me!

 

Your Call to Action is to register to do a virtual race and do it by the end of June or if you need to, register now and build up to finishing by the end of July. Just don’t open that package until you’ve earned it. That’s how I did it because then I had something pushing me to finish. You’ve got this!!

You know I’m here for you! Send me a message, let me know how it’s going.

And as always:

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!

 

Cheers,

Angie

 

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