May Reflections: Hair and Running

HAIR

Another updo with two daisies.

Last month was my 1-year HHCJ anniversary. It's strange but I didn't celebrate it with any bells and whistles. In fact I didn't really celebrate it at all! Last year when I started this journey I felt like a year was a long way off. Now that it's been a year I'm wondering where the time went.

In general I'm content with the progress that I've made. My continuing goal is to maintain healthy hair. I'm not obsessed with length, although I do want to continue to retain length. However, I doubt I'll do any further length checks.

I'm still figuring out what my hair likes and how to cope with my hair given my schedule restraints. I mentioned in the post Henna Application 2, that I wanted to try washing my hair every 2 weeks to cut down on manipulation. I don't like it. A clean scalp is important to me especially with all the exercising I do and 2 weeks is simply too long.

Now I want to try washing my hair with my twists in. (Check out Week 50 hair for more info) So this weekend I will wash and deep condition my hair with my twists in. When I apply my kimmaytube leave-in I will unravel each one individually, detangle, and then apply product.

On Tuesday of this week I did a "quick fix" because my hair needed some attention. I rinsed my scalp with a cheap conditioner really well and then applied my Aussie quick fix deep conditioner while I showered. My twists were still in the whole time. I rinsed it out and then applied my kimmaytube leave in, my Qhemet Biologics moisturizer and some coconut oil.

Since my hair gets very frizzy, I retwisted the perimeter of my head just so I would look presentable. I loved the results, my hair felt and looked great.

Overall, I'm trying to spend less time on my hair without sacrificing the health or appearance of it. I've learned to love my hair and how to manage it so that it's not only healthy, but also looks great too. I'm so happy I had the courage to embark on this journey because it's given me much more confidence in rocking my natural hair.

RUNNING

The conditioning program I started back in March has been going well. While I don't always get every, single, run in during the week and weekends I feel good. I feel like I'm still in shape, taking care of my body and am ready to start training on July 1st.

I've also already signed up for my second marathon in October! (more on that later!)

I've learned so much from when I started running in 2009 until now. I've gone through injuries, life-changes, and everything in-between, but I've stuck with it. I'm still running and still enjoying myself.

My goals for the future are to try trail running and ultramarathons! I plan to run my second marathon in October and the Seville marathon again in February of 2013. After that I want to concentrate on trying some trail running (smaller races at first) and then some ultramarathon training.

My over-arching goals are to stay fit, stay healthy, stay injury free and to continue to enjoy running! For the blog there's much more updates, thoughts and goals to come!

Week 40 Hair: Length Check/Reflections

Very cute style courtsey AfricanExport on youtube!

I couldn't find my camera with the move so I had to take this pic with my phone! (No it's not HD obviously!)

This HHCJ started along with my marathon challenge: Grow 4 and 1/2 inches of hair by the time I ran my first ever marathon.

The plan was to have a length check at each 3 month mark. But life happened so it didn't quite work out that well. 

I took the first pictures of my hair back in May although I didn't actually take any measurements. In August I corrected that mistake. (I took measurements but rounded up a bit to make myself feel better! Yes, I admit it!) 

There were no actual numbers to compare, but I knew my hair had grown. In any case my hair was a lot more manageable and healthy.

For my final length check here are the actual measurements for August 2011  and February 2012. I didn't take any pictures this time. So look at the links above to see how I measured my hair :

Left Side Back:  11 inches to 13 inches (the longest part of my hair measures 19 inches, but the bulk of the strands were at 13 inches)

Right Side Back:  10 inches to 13 inches (the longest part of my hair measures 15 inches)

Left Side Front:  9.8 inches to 12.6 inches

Right Side Front:  10 inches to 11 inches

Bangs:  9 inches to 11 inches

All in all I'm happy with my growth. Healthy hair grows at a rate of 1/2 an inch per month. So I should have grown about 3 inches of hair from August 2011 to now. It seems like the right side was a little stunted. But it tends to grow slower than the left side in general. Not sure why that is!

Most important to me is that:

• I know my hair is healthier. 
• It is stronger, thicker, and more manageable. 
• I know what my hair likes and doesn't like.
• I know how to pamper it when needed.
• I have learned so much throughout this entire journey.

REFLECTIONS

In the beginning, my HHCJ regimen was really long and it had a ton of steps. I've learned to make it a lot simpler. As long as my hair is moisturized and my scalp is clean I'm fine. I know have a repertoire of protective styles for the super hot dry summers in Córdoba. So that I can be sure my hair is protected year round.

I also have more confidence in styling my hair. When I go out I know how to jazz up my hair and make it presentable. Overall, I LOVE MY HAIR!!! While I'm not sure I will do any more length checks, I will still keep the blog updated on my progress. Including any new things that I try.

THE CHANGES

Since moving to Spain I've had to readjust my products a bit. Things that I can find easily in the States either don't exist here or come in another form. So here's some things I'm using now:

All of the products (except for the GLISS) I bought from my local herbalist shop. They are completely all-natural products. The Henna I'm going to use as my protein treatment since I had to leave the ApHogee in the States. I'm excited because I've always wanted to try it and it's super cheap. I bought two boxes and each box only cost me 4€ ($5.38).

I'm also really liking the restructive conditioner (the bottle next to the Henna). I use it as my deep conditioner. It is infused with horse's tail and sage. In the past I used these 2 herbs in the herbal rinses I used to make. They are really good for dry, brittle, hair. 

I also added some honey, olive oil, and a few drops of orange essential oil for fragrance. In the future I want to also add coconut milk for added protein and moisture. I got this recipe from another of my favorite youtubers: Afrikanhairgod.

My hair felt wonderful! It was super soft and luscious feeling even when I rinsed it out. I was worried because I no longer have the use of a hooded dryer. So I just put on a plastic cap and wrapped my hair in a towel. I left it on for about 3 hours simply because I was doing some things around the house.

The shampoo is decent and smells really good. There are tons of others I want to try from the same shop that have other herbs infused that are great for the hair. 

The GLISS I use as my detangler. It says on the bottle that it contains liquid keratin to strengthen hair. That may or may not be true. I just bought it because it was cheap. It smells horrible though. So I will probably try something else once I run out of that.

In the Week 37 Hair post I mentioned that I had bought some new products because I'd run out of other things. So check that post for further information on what I'm using now.

The only other thing that I need is the aloe vera juice. It's expensive here. It costs 20€ ($26) for one of those big bottles. The good thing is that it lasts a very long time. Since I only use 2 tbsp. once a week it will last me at least 6 months. 

This week I used aloe vera gel. We have a humongous aloe plant and my husband cut off some of the plant and blended it to liquefy it. He added some water to it. So I had to add 1/2 a tbsp of vinegar to re-establish the pH of 4.5-5.5 of my kimmaytube leave in. Since I kept the deep conditioner in my hair so long the smell of the vinegar dissipated by the time I needed to use it. But I'm buying the aloe vera juice on Monday!

For more information on my journey be sure to check out the posts below if you haven't already. As well as each week's update to see how my journey has changed and developed these past 9 months. Be sure to also check out my Hair Styles page to see all the styles I've been rocking.

Hair Regimen Part 1: journey and products

 

Hair Regimen Part 2: application

 

 

There are definitely more hair updates to come including my first attempt at applying Henna on March 11th!

 

2012 SEVILLE MARATHON RECAP!

In the Estadio Olimpico de la Cartuja de Sevilla where the race started.

I know I promised the FULL marathon recap earlier this week but work was no joke! I am infinitely grateful to be working full time and with full benefits, but it is taking some getting used to. 

As the saying goes "teaching isn't a 9-5 job." It really isn't. I'm used to working for myself and on my own time. So getting used to having a boss, deadlines, and a set schedule....has been challenging. 

I've only had time to eat, work, and sleep this week. Today I finally washed my hair after two weeks (look for my length check!). So....sorry to keep all those interested waiting. Let's jump right in.

As you all know from my last post, circumstances didn't permit me to run the BI-LO Marathon as I had planned. I mean it came so much down to the wire that I even know what my bib number was (1724)! But it didn't really matter to me where I ran as long as I got to run my 26.2 miles!

RUNNER'S FAIR

First off this has to be the cheapest marathon in history! I bought my ticket for the BI-LO Marathon on the first day it was possible and it cost me about $75. 

I bought my ticket for the Seville Marathon 6 days before it started and it only cost me 42€ ($56). If I had bought it before the final days of the event it would have only cost me 21€ ($28). I mean you can't even run a 5K in the States for that price!

The runner's fair was decent but not super spectacular so I didn't take any pictures. However, I bought a 5 month's subscription to Runner's World for 10€ ($13). With the subscription I got a cool t-shirt, a sports bag, and a travel case. 

I also bought one of those cool neck warmers that you can use to cover your face and head for 9€ ($12). It's cool because the material by your nose and mouth is thinner to make it easier for you to breathe. Plus the material is molded to your mouth. I used that on marathon morning because it was freezing. I love it!

RACE PACK

Again, for this race to be so cheap I got some great goodies in the race pack! I know this is my first marathon, so I really have no idea what you get in race packs. But I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

As you can see I was given a complete running outfit including socks! I mean those kind of shirts with the sports bra included I LOVE LOVE LOVE and quality ones can be expensive. Plus, I just recently discovered the benefits of quality running socks. So this was a great addition to my summer running gear.


FUELING

I mentioned in my marathon countdown post that I wanted to make sure to fuel properly in the days leading up to the marathon. As these days were quite hectic with packing, travelling to another country, and starting a new job...my plans were kind of thrown out the window.

Even so, I still made sure to eat a balanced diet and good things. I never eat airplane food anyway so we made sure to pack food to eat and to replenish once we got to our destination. 

The day before the marathon I had a nice plate of whole wheat pasta with veggies and some fruit for dessert. For dinner I had a salad with beans, shredded carrots, cucumber, and tomato with fruit for dessert. 

I wanted to eat something light (but satisfying) before going to bed so that I wouldn't have stomach problems in the morning. This really worked for me. Especially since I didn't eat breakfast and I still had energy to run the race.

THE DAY OF THE MARATHON

I kept my plan of not eating before the marathon. I woke up at 430am and drunk 1 liter of water. I wanted to make sure I was hydrated.... and had enough time to pee some of it out before the race started! We left the house at 6am and got to Seville at around 730am. It was a cold morning but we were all in high spirits.

Hubby taking the pic and the 2 friends that came with.

I did end up peeing once before the race but that was it. There were tons of guys peeing all during the race. It was lucky that they could do so in front of any tree. I however, would have been out of luck! 

The race started in the Estadio Olimpico de la Cartuja and ended there as well.

I ate a pack of my Sports Beans half an hour before the race started (9am) with some water. During the race I ate another pack of beans at kilometer 28 (mile 17) with some water. From kilometer 32 (mile 19) on I would eat oranges, drink water and/or sports drinks at each aid station as needed.

During my long runs I wouldn't usually refuel but I felt fine during the marathon. I felt like it gave me that extra bit of energy to finish the race. I even sprinted the last few meters! 

Here's some footage of me crossing the finish line. (Just look out for the girl in pink!)

It was such an incredible event and I had such a great time. It was nothing like the half marathon in NC where no one was there to take pics of me at the finish line. These wonderful people took a TON of photos and videos.

 

I finished my very first marathon in 3 hours and 47 minutes.

I was surprised at how good I felt afterwards! Only my legs hurt. I ran this marathon super conservatively because I was so afraid that I wouldn't be able to finish. 

There were no time goals in my mind. I just wanted to run the entire time without stopping. I accomplished that and then some! I felt like I could have kept running or even increased my pace.

I know it's crazy but I already have my time goal for next year: 3 hours and 30 minutes or better!

THE DAY AFTER THE MARATHON

I was still on my high although my legs were KILLING me! It was super painful to walk and I had to go to a job interview the same day. I was lucky enough to get the job. But that meant that on Tuesday I was on my feet for about 12 hours. Teaching is not a sedentary job! 

My wonderful husband gave me a massage the day after and actually moving around really helped. Right now (Saturday the 25th) my legs feel completely fine. I plan on running again on Tuesday.

THE FUTURE

I did no running for the entire week after the marathon. Since I feel better I want to start running again so I don't get out of the habit. Although I won't start training or planning my next race until March 17th. 

So now I'm just running for pleasure and to stay fit. I'll update the blog more on my post marathon running schedule once I get it finalized.

For now I'm just happy that I did it and had a great time. I can't wait for the next one!

A Complete 360

I realize that I've been COMPLETELY MIA these past couple of weeks. My last post was on the 7th and it's now the 20th of February! However, I have a super legitimate reason...

MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED BACK TO SPAIN!

We got here on Tuesday (the 14th) in the afternoon. So that's why I didn't have the time to update my blog or fill you guys in. It was a kind of spur of the moment decision. I didn't want to "let anyone in on the secret", so to speak, until everything was finalized. Although I sort of mentioned it in my February Goals post.

I can honestly say that we are happy with the change and the move. I'm not going to elaborate on all the details, except to say that we were not happy in North Carolina. This move was like a new beginning and I'm excited to see where it will lead us.

MARATHONING

I didn't get to run the Myrtle Beach BI-LO Marathon as planned....so I ran the Seville Marathon on Sunday! It worked out perfectly! We bought our travel tickets on Monday and that same day I registered for the Seville Marathon.

I still got to run my 26.2 miles!

Don't worry, I will give you all a full recap of the Seville Marathon including:

• Runner's Fair
• Race Pack
• Fueling the days leading up
• The night before
• The day of the marathon!
• The day after the marathon (today)

I went with my husband (of course) and two friends, and they all took tons of pictures.

HAIR UPDATES

There's also some hair updates I want to let you all know about. I've had to adjust my regimen because of the move and get some new products. As well as let some other products go. Thankfully I have an awesome sister who is planning on sending me some care packages with hair products!

I've also been experimenting with some new hairstyles that I saw on youtube. When I got here I wanted to give my hair a "treat" so I wore it out and attempted to do some styling. 

Next weekend I also have my next length check! The plan was to grow 3 1/2 inches of hair by the time I ran my marathon. The marathon goal has been accomplished! On Sunday (February 26th) we'll finally see whether this HHCJ paid off!

LIFE IN CÓRDOBA

So yes, I'm slowly getting back into life in Córdoba. I'm working full time already and love it! Even the supermarkets have prepared for our return! There are TONS of vegan and organic options now available in our local supermarkets! This is a BIG change from when we left.  We've been seeing family and friends and overall enjoying ourselves. It was also great to have our car back!

So for those of you who've been wondering where I've been, I'm still alive and kicking, as they say. I'm also fully prepared to get back into the blog. I've missed it! Thanks for hanging in there with me.

Look for all things marathon-related tomorrow!

Week 26 Hair

I have been super lax with my hair these past weeks. I have been following my regimen but I haven't done any styling or anything even remotely interesting to my hair. 

Here's the proof:

This is my Lazy Day Style #1. My hair has been like this, or in a bun, for the past few weeks. For Thanksgiving I might try another hairstyle involving curls. But my lovely sister is going to do it! I don't have the energy to even attempt to try why she wants to do. But if it finally gets done I will surely post pictures.

I haven't even gotten myself together to do my 6 month length check!

In fact, I've decided that I probably won't do another length check until next year. Mainly because I'm really pressed for time on Sundays. Especially now that my mom is on crutches for six weeks. She has a type of tendonitis and has to be in physical therapy for 4-6 weeks. 

So Chema and I have to be her chauffeur so to speak. Sundays are when my mom does her grocery shopping, when I do my long runs, and go through my hair washing process. By the end of that I'm exhausted! 

This weekend, for example, was Thanksgiving day shopping, I also had to run 15 miles and then do my hair...enough said.

However, I wanted to give you all this mini check-in to let you know I am still caring for my hair. I gave myself a protein treatment (Aphogee) on Sunday and the next one is on December 11th. So all is going well.

Week 23 Hair

Next week is my 6 month HHCJ mark! 

I'm excited to see if my hair has grown. It's interesting when you establish a routine because you don't really notice the progress that you are making.

For me, I don't feel like my hair has done much since the last time I measured it. 

Not for any particular reason. I still do the same things, but I think I'm getting a little bored.

One positive thing about my wash routine this week is that it was a lot easier to detangle and I didn't have many shed hairs. This morning I went to run at 7am, and it was 30 degrees, so I wanted to wash my hair quickly and warm up.

Today I had the quickest detangling session since I started this journey.

To help motivate myself, I'd like to try some new products to "spice up" my routine. However, I still have lots of stuff to use up. I do need to purchase more deep conditioner so I hope to do so on Monday.

At the beginning of my journey I definitely went overboard with the products. I'm just discovering that now as I've still been using the same products for 6 months now.

Mainly because I was really inspired by the women on youtube. I wanted to try everything! There's still a bunch of things I'd like to try at some point.

Next week I will talk a lot more about my next steps in my journey. But I'll tell you one thing I know, without a doubt, that I want to work on:

Trying new hairstyles. 

I keep telling myself I will practice cornrowing and flat twisting and the dozens of other cute styles on youtube. But I never do. Actually, I'm rather good at cornrowing other people's hair. So I do know how to do it. I just need to take time and practice.

The hard thing is that I wash my hair every week and for me that is a chore! I do my long runs on Sundays as well as accompany my mom to the gym. So after all that I don't have the energy to spend extra time working on styles.

As they saying goes, people find time for what they want to find time for. For me, I'd rather spend time:

Exercising
Writing
Watching other people do great styles on youtube
And now, finding vegan recipes.

Hair is a priority, but not a "top" priority...yet. Yes, it's a bit ridiculous because my hair is one of the main reasons I started this blog.

Like I said above, I believe I'm entering a HHCJ rut. So to snap myself out of it, I will try to make hairstyles a top priority in the near future.

We'll see how this develops over the coming weeks.

Week 24 Hair

Length check

Detangle

Shampoo

Deep condition

Kimmaytube leave in

Twists

Week 12 Hair: 3 MONTH LENGTH CHECK!!

Before I get into the length check and pics, here's another style that I wore when I took my protective style (twists) down at the end of the week. I just used gel to slick back the sides and then twisted the ends. Simple and got the job done.

Now for the length check. When I started my HHCJ back in May, I took pics but I didn't actually measure my hair. Go figure. The good thing is that I can tell that my hair grew, especially the bangs. 

However, I don't have any actual numbers to compare the growth to. That'll have to wait until my 6 month mark on November 6th (when I'm running my 2nd half marathon coincidentally).


My "sister-in-law"* took these pics because my husband was otherwise engaged. So they aren't identical to the ones I took in May. I did wear the same shirt though, so you can look at Hair Regimen Part 2: application to compare. 

*I put that in quotations because my huband's (Chema) brother (Bruno) isn't actually married. But I digress.

This side reaches my nipple. I was (am) super excited about that! I could definitely tell that it grew just by tugging on it.

Left-side back: 12.6 inches (32cm)

 For some odd reason, the right side is shorter than the left. Maybe because I sleep on my right side? I could be making that up but I don't know what else it could be. I realize that when I'm doing my hair this side does tangle more than the other. So I guess I need to be more patient with it. I'm not even sure if it's grown since May. I'll have to take another look at the pictures.

Right-side back: 10.6 inches (27cm)

 I can definitely tell this side grew. It was like halfway down my collarbone in May.

Left-side front: 10.2 inches (26cm)

 The same for this side. As you can see the measurements don't differ for either side.

Right-side front: 10.2 inches (26cm)

My bangs are where I noticed the most growth. In May my bangs only just reached my chin. In this picture you can see how I can pull it under to about the middle of my chin. It doesn't reach my neck just yet.

Bangs: 9 inches (23cm)

 To me the back looks comparable to the pictures from May. I'll have to see in November if there's any growth.

Back: like a silly person I forgot to measure it but it's past my shoulder blades

In general I'm happy with my progress and my growth. Now that I have the measurements I can be sure in November how much length I've retained. My hair is softer, healthier, more manageable and sheds less overall. I can't wait until the 6 month mark!

Week 13 Hair

• Shampoo
• Detangle with conditioner
• Deep condition
• Kimmaytube leave in
• Twists

Hair Regimen Part 2: application

The last post explained my hair journey and the products that I am currently using. This one will describe to you (as detailed as possible) how I handle my hair each week and between washes. 

PREPARATION

I am already behind as this is technically week 3 of my journey. But I hope to get better at documenting things in the future. I wanted to take more glamorous pictures of my hair growth. But I forgot to do so yesterday when I did my hair. So....you will have to see me in my pijamas!! To not bore with the pictures I only posted pics of one side of my head. Meaning the bangs, front, sides, and back are shown, but not on both sides. Mainly because the hair is the same length on each side of my head! Also, my hair is layered, which is why it's different lengths. 

My goals in this hair journey are:

1. To grow out my bangs
2. To reach below bra strap length
3. To maintain healthy hair

In the interests of time (and space) I will only detail what I do now and not what I've done in the past. The point is to start fresh anyway!

STEP 1:

Each week before washing my hair I detangle with conditioner. Depending on my mood I will detangle in the shower or out. For the past two weeks I've detangled out of the shower. Mainly because I feel guilty about wasting water and since I feel guilty I rush. You cannot rush through detangling! Doing so will lead to breakage and the pulling out of your hair. Be patient with those knots.

I smooth my hair with the conditioner, focusing on my ends. Then I run my fingers through my hair gently. If I come to a knot, I stop, apply more product, and massage the knot out. I don't just run my fingers through the knot. I might as well use a comb then. The objective is to be gentle with your hair. You want to free up your naturally shed hair without compromising the rest of it.

I detangle in sections. The number of sections varies but I try to keep them small and manageable. Not too small, or I'll be detangling all day!

STEP 2:

I leave the twists in my hair while I shampoo giving special care to wash my scalp well and rinse well. I also squeeze the twists to make sure all the product is removed but I don't undo them. Otherwise I'd have to detangle all over again.

STEP 3:

Once I detangle and shampoo I deep condition. Right now I'm using a Shea Moisture product from their raw shea butter line: deep penetrating masque, and I do like it. It smells delicious and is nice, thick, and creamy. I'm not sure if it does anything super special to my hair though. So I doubt I'd buy it again. Typically, I just add olive oil and honey to my normal conditioner. I love this mix! It makes my hair feel incredible. In fact, I might just go back to this next week to truly compare. I deep condition anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour.

STEP 4:

After such, I apply an herbal rinse (check out Hair Regimen Part 1: journey and products for the recipe) to my hair and leave it in. I do squeeze out the excess water but I don't rinse it out. Then I proceed to apply the kimmaytube leave in (recipe in Part 1) and put my hair in big twists to air dry. I also oil my scalp at this time.

THE NEXT DAY:

• I apply moisture in the form of water or my Giovanni leave in conditioner
• A moisturizer
• Seal with oil

ADDITIONAL CARE

Every four weeks I give myself a caramel treatment and a hot oil treatment (both recipes in Part 1). Although not on the same weekend, I alternate. This weekend I will do a caramel treatment, while the week before last I did a hot oil treatment. I also apply protein to my hair in the form of my Infusium 23 Leave in. But I want a stronger one. I'm just not sure what to try so I am open to all suggestions! Leave a comment!

That's it. Tonight I will put my hair in smaller twists. I sweat a lot at yoga today so my scalp is a bit dry. I will apply my leave in condtioner, a moisturizer (probably the Qhemet Biologics) and then my shea butter cream. This week I am going to try to keep the twists in all week until it's time for my wash. My hair still feels moisturized and looks moisturized but my twists are fuzzy at this point. Plus, I still have to run tomorrow. So I will try to put them in smaller ones and helpfully this will help the frizz factor.

ONE FURTHER THOUGHT:

I haven't decided yet if I want to do a Day 3 wash/rinse or not. The weather is warmer now. So I sweat more even when not exercising. I just want to make sure that my scalp stays clean. However, I want to manipulate my hair as little as possible. Last week I did a mild rinse with apple cider vinegar. This week if my scalp itches I might consider it. I am going to try to keep my hair in ONE style all week to lower manipulation as well.

Any questions, comments, suggestions....leave comments!

Today there won't be a Daily Fitness Tip....sorry. I just don't have time. However, tomorrow will be blog posts as usual so don't miss out on what's coming next: YOGA!