Today’s How I Work It Out comes from Rebecca Stetzer, a 38-year-old living in Trempealeau, Wisconsin. She works as a registered dietitian, specializing in treatment of eating disorders and disordered eating, and has a full house, which she loves. 

She and her husband Geoff have two kids (Ava, 11, and Adelyn, 8) and many pets: a dog named Tucker (Goldendoodle, her BRD), and another named Lily (Great Pyrenees, NOT her BRD), two cats (Sophie and Sammy), a ball python (Vanilla Bean), and a bearded dragon (Leo). Her family also recently adopted some older hens who live outside: Dumpling, Hazel, PomPom, Muffin, and Cosmo!  

Rebecca is training for Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN, in June; Grandma’s has been on her bucket list for a long time. She’s using the Go the Distance program from the Train Like a Mother Club. Here’s a week of Rebecca putting in the work for a strong 26.2 in June as she continues to care for her full house. 

On Wednesdays, we run tempo workouts! This is week 6 of training for Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN, a race that’s been on my bucket list for a long time. I’m using the Go the Distance plan from Another Mother Runner.

As I often do, I waited for my husband to get home from work to take over with the kids before I head out. It is a gift to live near the Mississippi River, which has a lot of areas are designated wildlife refuge. This time of year, I’m guaranteed to see all kinds of migrating waterfowl—ducks, geese, and trumpeter swans—as well as bald eagles with their growing nests. I even scared up a sandhill crane whose loud and prehistoric-sounding call also scared me a little!

I felt a little heavy in my body as I often do in the second half of my menstrual cycle, (I can’t remember that phase is called.) But I got it done. Since both both kids were happily chatting with friends on their devices, when I got home, I headed downstairs for some strength.

Today was another “feeling heavy in my body” day. It’s also the week following the end of Daylight Savings, so that explains a lot of this tiredness I’m feeling. 

The plan called for 4 miles. While running, I had strange mixture of feeling like I was working hard to move my body and having the sensation that I was going nowhere. Then I’d look down at my watch and see my pace was too fast. 

The feedback of my pace reminded me to slow down, which had me feeling like my progress is slow. It was challenging and confusing, and I felt sort of felt ambivalent toward the run when it was done. I worked it out though, and as we say in our house: it’s all good.

Ahhh, rest day. I usually don’t have a problem with embracing rest days. It’s only difficult when the weather is especially beautiful or when I have unexpected free time. Both of those happened today! 

My daughter, Ava, was able to make it to school today. After months of progressing symptoms of widespread pain, decreasing mobility, and cognitive decline, she was diagnosed in February with Functional Neurological Disorder, or FND.

This has turned our lives upside down, to say the least. She rarely makes it to school, and we’ve started Homebound Instruction through the school district. 

Each day, I spend at least several hours caring for Ava, slowly working our way through some schoolwork, researching FND, and putting together a treatment team. I’ve cut my own client caseload down so that I’m working part-time in my private practice. We have friends over to our house as much as possible so she can keep her friendships strong.

Today, I’m celebrating that Ava is at school, because it means she’s having a good day in her body. And that is a huge win!

Saturdays are for long runs, which I enjoy. A long run means I get to settle into a pace and enjoy the ride; I get a mental clear-out; and I get a power nap afterward!

Today was windy. Oh March, how you keep things interesting! I planned my route so I had a tailwind for the second half of the 14 miles. I felt good the whole way. My route consisted of paved roads through our little town and state park, with the start and finish on the dirt rails-to-trails path. 

I contemplated a lot during this run. I reflected on what we’ve been through recently as a family, the adjustments we’ve had to make in our schedules, our expectations, and what is “normal”. 

We’ve become savvy on packing and unpacking Ava’s power wheelchair from the car, and planning our outings as we navigate accessibility needs and barriers. Geoff’s dad contracted polio as a 12-year-old and was in a wheelchair the rest of his life, so Geoff has the unique perspective of always considering accessibility and anticipating someone’s needs. It’s one of the things I love most about him. 

I also felt curious about the future. We’re trying to get Ava into an inpatient treatment program for chronic pain and FND, so my thoughts wander to where we’ll be a month from now. 

Will we still be at home, or will I be going for runs in Milwaukee, Madison, or even Cincinnati? The interesting thing about these thoughts during long runs is that for me, they really do come with curiosity as I feel like I’m in a meditative state. They don’t come with strong emotions or reactions; this is a time when my thoughts can come and go with ease. (Can you tell I work in the mental health field?)

Oh, the day after long runs. In the past, I’ve taken these days as rest days during marathon training. 

But on the Go the Distance plan there is a run scheduled for the day after long runs. I have yet to get myself to actually do this run. Today is no exception; we kept busy as a family, doing some shopping and cleaning the house. 

The longer I waited, the harder it got to get myself to run. In the end, I called it a day. It’s okay to choose family and enjoyment over exercise, especially if it feels like that’s what you truly need. Health and well-being is more than just movement; it is addressing the emotional, spiritual, relationship and other needs we have as humans.

Happy St. Patty’s Day! My husband is one quarter Irish and loves traditional food, so I made him corned beef and cabbage for dinner. (He had it all to himself!)

I played plumber this morning, taking apart the plumbing underneath the sink in the kids’ bathroom, cleaned it out, and successfully put it back together without breaking anything! Now it drains well, and the plug works again. Feeling pretty proud of myself!

I took Ava to physical therapy and we had Adelyn’s neighbor friend over to play for a while after school. The weather was glorious and I wore shorts on my run!

Yesterday was supposed to be a rest day and today was supposed to be 4 miles. But since it’s 60 degrees out and tomorrow we’re getting a blizzard (ug, March!) I’m switching things around and doing my 6 miles today so that I only have to do 4 miles on the treadmill while it snows all day Wednesday. 

The plan called for 6 miles with a negative split. I tried to do it by feel rather than looking at my watch constantly, and I ended up with a negative split! It probably was complete luck, but I like to think I’m good at reading my body sometimes. Ended the workout with some strength training in the basement. 

I’m feeling good and strong so far in this training cycle. I’m looking forward to Grandma’s Marathon, and hope that whatever happens I can just make it there and enjoy it. With all the uncertainty going on in life right now, I like having something concrete to focus on each day that’s just for me.

Good luck to you, Rebecca, as you continue to train for Grandma’s and navigate the next steps for Ava and your lovely family.