Leah Braun- Mindful of Movement

Recipe testing. Tried this one from
Anti-Inflammatory Chocolate milk. Next up: cookies!!
📸: Ellie

My little buddy greeted me at the end of my run. Life is good ❤️ I ran today and will again tomorrow. I’ll be with you and if you need a virtual running buddy reach out! I

Listening to Whitney Houston remake of Higher Love reflecting about Ahmaud Arbery. His murder has weighed heavily on my heart. Sad, brutal, horrific things occur daily. We don’t hear about them.
So how can we contribute to stopping this nonsense? We all aren’t going to be activists of change. What ACTION can we take to show we don’t stand for this? For me, this ACTION will be how I chose to show up for our daughter. Leading by example, answering hard questions, talking and listening. Instilling the importance of not judging others for their appearance while embracing others for their differences. Sometimes making a change in this world doesn’t need to be marching the streets or protesting. So today, instead of sitting in hate, fear, or blame think about you how you can take ACTION. I too am sad and hurting for a family I never met. The sleepless nights and realization that your son is never coming home. Feel it, embrace it but take action.

Just finished a 2.23 mi run in honor of Ahmaud Arbery He never finished his run but we will. Whether you call yourself a runner or not let’s do this together. 🙏
This post is inspired by a champion for using his platform to speak up to inspire so many.

“Influence needs to start with the truth. I would rather be criticized for what I truly am than celebrated for what I’m not.”

I set a goal to run a half marathon today. The thought of not doing it ran through my mind several times before leaving the house. Who can relate?
The last 6 miles or so were mind over matter. My knee was hurting and then my calf. It was ugly especially with so long to go. I tried focusing on the music, my breathing, my alignment- anything other than my darn knee! If anyone saw me on wobbling now you know why 😂 @ Murrieta, California

Smile! You woke up this morning!

Shout out to all the runners still out there with their faces covered. I’ll tell you what, it wasn’t easy. I definitely did not keep my face covered the entire 16 miles but I did work on my circular breathing that’s for sure. Doing this long run meant so much more to me than just logging miles. I’ve wanted to get to this point in training for so long. I’ve seen others post their 16 milers and thought, wow someday I’ll do that!
During this time (because I had lots of it) I didn’t have to worry about using a restroom because of the help of my pelvic floor physical therapist .pabs YES, that is a thing!! How many of you ladies out there fear having to p*e on your runs or even being unable to hold it? If you tell yourself that “just because you’ve had a baby that it’s normal” there’s help out there so you too can run 3 hours straight. @ Murrieta, California

I completed my longest run today. It was hard. I texted my husband at mile 12 that I’m over it. He said, why would you quit now? Good question. Many of us (runners or not) are no longer training for races or marathons. So what’s the point moving forward in a training program that you’ve been following? Going through this process of training for a marathon hasn’t always been easy. I don’t wake up always wanting to run on the treadmill or strength training, stretching, rolling out, eating the right foods, drinking all the water. No. I don’t always WANT to do all those things but I do them anyway. For years, I allowed excuses to dictate my actions. Perhaps that’s you right now? What’s one thing you can be consistent about daily that is healthy and moves you towards a bigger goal? @ Murrieta, California

The weekend was filled with a few of my favorite things. I got a great dose of vitamin d ☀️ baked with my girl and did some yard work with Chad. I also got a nap in on Saturday 🤫 (definitely love that). How was your weekend?

Tito clearly did not want to be in my picture today. Took the ol’ guy for a quick walk today. He doesn’t have the energy like he used to that’s for sure. I used to be able to run with him and it was nice because he would push me to go faster but not these days. We sometimes put him on the treadmill (slowly) just to get him moving, he loves it.

Virtual race ✅
I have to admit it was a little weird out there. Runners smiled and said hi but walkers pretty much ignored me 🤔 I smiled and said hi anyway. We’re in this together and if you can’t say hello to someone we have bigger issues. @ Murrieta, California

Getting a lil sunshine ☀️

Everything is cancelled but you can still:
Move your body
Read to your kids
Talk to your significant other
Walk the dog
With all the uncertainty out there stay grounded to your daily habits. Gym closed? I’m sure your coaches have already provided an alternative or go for a run. That is always available. Let’s fill our feeds with positivity today.

Marathon training continues. My race may be cancelled but I’ll still be out running. Who is with me?
Got 12 miles in today and felt great!! I had 2 waffles and in my water to help fuel the run. I saw lots of other runners out there today which was great, possibly doing their virtual races that got cancelled. If you can’t do anything positive today how about not voicing your negative thoughts?! Studies have actually shown that by not verbally saying your negative thoughts has more of an impact than actually trying to “be more positive.”
Source: @ Murrieta, California

Today’s long run didn’t start off great and to be honest I didn’t want to go (this pic was me saying you can do this 😂)
I wasn’t pumped for the route I mapped out last night (actually drove to find a decent 10 mile route) because 10 miles is actually pretty long. I wasn’t feeling music, changed it to an audiobook,then a podcast. Then my right earbud lost charge.
It ended up being perfect weather and I finished feeling great and not winded which was the goal. I just kept going because I could. 10 miles ✅ @ Murrieta, California

Great podcast and message!! Read below and give this one a listen.
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How many of you have heard someone say that c-sections are better than va**nal deliveries because they “save” a woman’s va**na from being “ruined”? Well the Birth Kweens have heard that line one too many times and they’re here to call BULLSH*T! Listen to the latest episode of the podcast to learn about how cesarean scar tissue can impact the function of the pelvic floor (and what you can do to prevent/treat pelvic floor dysfunction). Subscribe to the show on iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, or Google Play or head over to the Birth Kweens website to listen to the episode there {link in bio}.

Is it time for new sneakers? Here are some tips when buying running sneakers.
1. Buy 1/2 size up from your normal shoe to accommodate swelling and losing toenails 😣
2. If you’re picking sneakers primarily based on looks, you’re setting yourself up to injury. Chose sneakers based on your gait or how YOUR foot moves (pronate or supinate). Shop based on comfort first to eliminate pain.
3. Are you replacing your sneakers often enough? A good rule of thumb is every 300-500 miles. You can track them with apps like Strava or Nike.
4. Use shoes specifically for running. If you’re trying to use one shoe for all of your workouts: lifting, cross-training etc. Save up for for few types of sneakers. Go log some miles now!

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This article has got me mad. I'm not the type to get mad easily but the fact that this is being published and shared is making me go 😡

Reasons:
😡It obviously intends to empower women to 'pad up and play on' if they have stress incontinence, but completely misses the point that this issue is preventable and curable with help from a Women's Health Physio (and gynae if further management is needed). Don't empower women by normalising incontinence - empower women by showing them how to seek help to prevent and manage incontinence.
😡it encourages the misconception that urinary incontinence is due to 'bladder weakness'. Your bladder is not weak, it's the tissues around and under it that should be supporting it that are weak and possibly damaged if you have stress urinary incontinence. And these are the same tissues that support the bowel/rectum/anus and prevent a**l incontinence - I wonder if this woman will finally admit there's a problem that needs addressing if she also starts 'pooping herself', as she puts it...?
😡it gives Crossfit a bad name, especially in the Women's Health community, and after doing The Female Athlete course with Antony Lo, I am even more aware of promoting that it's not the type of exercise, but the way you exercise that is the issue. Crossfit is not the enemy, but publications that spread this message are. 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 Don't stop exercising - but learn how to exercise in a way that does no harm 🙏 and please don't use leaking with exercise as a bragging tool for pushing the limits.

Link in bio

Just wrapped up week 5 of marathon training with an 8 mile run. It felt great and the weather was awesome. A little rainy but it felt good to get out there. I was 10 minutes faster than my last 8 miler. On the long runs, obviously the goal is just time on your feet, not pace but I was feeling good. Also, the route today was a lot flatter than my previous routes so that helped!!

Photos from Leah Braun- Mindful of Movement's post

Today’s easy smoothie. Not pictured: handful spinach and 1/2 cup frozen berries. Getting extra calories in= much needed especially during marathon training. What’s your favorite post run or workout 1st meal?

Eat all the cake
Ellie said we had to have cake and balloons to celebrate a birthday so we made “party cake”
Fudgy chocolate cake with buttercream frosting. 😋

That feeling when you finish your run...
The last couple weeks I’ve been listening to podcasts during my long runs which I never thought I’d do as music has always been my thing. What podcasts do you listen to during a workout?

Good morning...for a run. First 3 miles felt hard. Lots of hills but met my goal of 7 miles. 🏃🏻‍♀️ let’s get after it!

Short run with big elevation. Took it easy on the legs but got a good sweat on in this heat.

If you want to get better at something, sometimes it’s ok to take a step back and evaluate where you are. I would love to be a faster runner but I’m not yet. This past week my body got mad at me and I took most of the week off from running. Instead I incorporated daily stretches and yoga into my routine. I wanted to run both weekend days but knew that I needed the extra day to rest my legs. I went into with a plan. Keep it short and fun. I focused on breathing and form and I had fun. I did 3 sprint intervals at the end and the legs felt great! So, when you feel discouraged take that into consideration, take action and keep going. More importantly, try something new. (This is me giving you advice I don’t always take but am working on 😉)

Today I tried something new. Any time a negative thought came into my head during the run I had to run faster or push harder. Running is so mental and if you allow those negative thoughts that seep in to control your output you’re done. So, put on some Lizzo and get after it.

Have you ever set a running goal before hitting the streets to not meet that goal? That was almost me today. My goal was to run 5 miles today. At 4.5 miles, I thought to myself “I’m done, this is good enough.” I quickly talked myself out of that and ended up at this trail to finish off with sprint intervals 🥵
When is the last time you pushed yourself a little more? Not every workout needs to be intense but for those workouts where you’re intentionally pushing yourself then do that! Push a little more. If you have gas left in the tank then use that as motivation to go more intense the next time.
@ Murrieta, California

Post run selfie because that’s what I do 😂 and the song that pushed me at the end. Who else remembers this song?!

It’s been 13 weeks of training for my very first half marathon and I’ve pushed myself in so many ways. Not only physically but mentally. The last 2 weeks I did my long runs on some pretty decent trails that had me looking for snakes and mountain lions 😬 not gonna lie, that’s out of my comfort zone. Also, trail running is hard. There are climbs that really push you to your limits but you still have half way to go so you have to learn how to use your legs, breath, while being mindful of your footing on unsteady surfaces. This is the last long run in my training schedule until my first half in 2 weeks. @ Santa Rosa Plateau

If you leak (urine or f***s) involuntarily this is a signal for your body. There is help for this (oftentimes quite simple)
The highest incidence of incontinence is in high-impact activities which includes sports such as track and field, gymnastics, cheerleading, volleyball, and basketball. SUI is a threat to women and athletes’ health since it may limit their participation in athletics/fitness activities, and it is a barrier to healthy self-image and esteem.
source: palmerphysicaltherapy.com

“It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.” —George Sheehan

Abs, 6-packs, flat bellies! That’s what most of us think of when we hear “Core.” It’s much more than just the appearance of your stomach. Believe it or not, your diaphragm is a part of your core. That’s right, how you breathe or lack of breathing can contribute to a host of problems.
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Sometimes we focus so much on the muscles when working on diastasis that we forget what's inside. ⠀
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When you think of the core, you might be visualizing an abdominal canister filled with air and intra-abdominal pressure....pressure that pushes on the linea alba when doing things like sit-ups or leg raises.⠀
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But it's important to keep in mind that the core is anything but hollow. It's jam packed with organs that fit into place like a puzzle. There's also fluid and because it's a closed environment, there is pressure contained within it as well. ⠀
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This pressure rises and falls with each breath and fluctuates throughout the day depending on what we're doing. Even if you're just sitting, there is pressure within the core. ⠀
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This pressure is not all bad. We need it. It's natural. Yes, some pressure can be excessive and can strain the connective tissue of the abdominal wall. In these cases we simply work at modifying the task to either reduce intra-abdominal pressure or disperse it around a bit better.
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It's better to be educated on intra abdominal pressure rather than fear it. ⠀
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Pre and post run. Visited the amazing today and she took care of me as always 😉 I hesitated to run since my hair was actually styled 😂 but I got the job done.