Monday, December 15, 2008

December 15,2008

The weekend is over which means so are the parties and the parades (well most of the parties). We celebrated our family birthday party for the kids on Saturday and it was a lot of fun. Then on Sunday my husband was driving his stations fire engine in our local parade. The weather for both days was beautiful and a great time was had by all!

This week is my daughters actual birthday, so I need to get stuff for her school party and of course we'll have another small birthday dinner with just us. I still have some Christmas prep to do (baking and presents) this week but things are winding down. Which is a good thing, because I'm feeling quite exhausted right now!

Food this weekend was only OK because of the party. I did get a great run in on Saturday but again was EXHAUSTED Sunday and didn't exercise. Today I'm still feeling run down and I think a big part of it has been my poor eating habits. This summer, when I was eating well during LLE, I had energy galore and really need to get back to that!

I will post my meals later - off to school!

Be Exceptional
Just Be Good For Today
PWE2

Thursday, December 11, 2008

December 11, 2008

I'm hoping this link will take you to my food journal at LL. If it works then my time spent typing will be greatly reduced. The day has been going well. I've made a goal of trying to decrease my diet soda intake. I had one with lunch and my goal is to have no more today. There has been a discussion on the LL board about diet soda being a trigger for many people and the last thing I need is to be taking in yet another trigger.

I'm off to make a healthy dessert and then exercise.

Be Exceptional
Honor Yourself
PWE2

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Accountability!

I'm taking a page from my friend Melissa and putting this info out as an accountability step. I took my measurements tonight and I will continue to post them each week. If you don't see them PLEASE call me on it!

Here they are:
December 10, 2008
Weight: 156
1 Site Skinfold: 27 mm
% BF: 33.8%
Fat Lbs.: 52.7
LBM: 103.3
Upper chest: 37.5 in.
Chest: 39.5
Rib Cage: 34.5
Waist: 38.75
Hips: 40
L. Thigh: 21.5
R. Thigh: 21
L. Calf: 14.5
R. Calf: 14.25

Those measurements do not make me very happy but now they are out there and I will now begin to reduce them. I have also come up with some weight and running related goals. Here they are:

Jan. 11th: Icicle 10 Miler
Wt. 150.5
Time: 1:19:59 or faster

Mar. 15th Caesar Rodney 1/2 Marathon
Wt. 140.5
Time: 1:48:10 or faster

Apr. 19th Buckley's 10K
Wt. 135.5
Time: 47:19 or faster

May 17th DE 1/2 Marathon
Wt. 135.5
Time: 1:44:50

There it is, some of it is based on previous times I have run these specific races and others are based strictly on a target pace. This is going to be extremely challenging but it is something I will work at with all my ability.

Be Exceptional!
Just be good for today!
PWE2

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

I've been MIA

From my blog - again!

Life really seems to get me going these days. I feel like I never have enough hours to get everything done (as I'm sure many can relate).

I have tried to buckle down with LL again - the system/site/people are great, it's me that drifts away. I have joined a team to help me get through the holidays. My weight is higher that it has been in a long time but I've already been able to drop a couple pounds.

I'm hoping to be able to post here more - if anyone has ideas about stretching time I'm all ears!!!(LOL)

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

PWE2 - Day 3

Day 3 is in the books. I am proud that I was able to ride my bike for 30 minutes with my Cardio Coach workout. I wasn't sure my butt would last that long but it and I did well. I was sweating like a pig and it felt great!

I'm a work in progress with my eating but I'll continue to work on it every day!

Off to watch a movie because I'm tired of politics!!!

Monday, November 03, 2008

PWE2 - Day 2

I dropped a pretty fair amount of water weight yesterday. The scale read 146 this morning. I followed through on my plan for lifting this morning although my neck/back muscle spasm thing is trying to spoil my plans. I did avoid my bent-over rows but other than that things went well.

I road my bike, on the trainer, for 10 minutes. I know 10 minutes isn't much but I'm doing it more to get my butt used to the seat. There is a huge difference between my road bike and my hybrid bike. Everything is totally different between the 2 bikes and I'm trying to ease my way into everything. When I got on the bike yesterday, I felt like I was going to go head-over-heels over the handle bars because the angle is MUCH steeper than I'm used to.

I'm trying to keep myself positive about my eating. Today has not been perfect but I'm taking forward steps. I've done well with my water intake which will be key for me! I think I'm going to have to ask my dh and my kids to hide the candy. It is pretty clear to me that I will not be able to keep away from it. I'm not going to kick myself for a piece here and there but I know stopping at just one piece is VERY difficult for me.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a 5.5 mile hill run. I hope the rain stays away so that I can get it in. I'm not sure I can stay on the bike long enough to get a sufficient workout.

I'm off to plan for tomorrow!

Sunday, November 02, 2008

I Choose!

I choose how I act!
I choose how I eat!
I choose how I react!
I choose to make positive changes in my life!

My kids are big High School Musical fans. So, as a result, I have heard all the songs and seen all the movies many times. I can hear you now: "What in the world does High School Musical have to do with the opening statements?"

More than you might think!

If you aren't familiar with the High School Musical trilogy, the characters are juniors and seniors in high school and they deal with all the "normal" high school pressures (OK, Hollywood's version of "normal high school pressures"). But, the part I take away from the stories is that they end up doing the things they love and the things they have a passion for - even when doing so causes them grief with their friends.

Again, you're asking "Why is she telling me this?" Here it is - they chose what was right for them and so am I! I like being healthy, I like exercising, I like the way good and healthy food makes my body work and feel. So I am choosing to make those things a priority even if it cause me problems in other areas of my life.

The kids in the movies were dealing with peer pressure, which is a huge problem for many people. My pressure comes from within - THE BEAST. For me THE BEAST is a voice inside that tries to draw me toward things that I know are not in my best interests. In the past, I have chosen to listen to this voice. I have chosen to eat the candy. I have chosen to eat the fast food, I have chosen to not do my lifting workouts. I am now choosing to not listen to THE BEAST!

I am starting today - I chose to get up early to run this morning but I was only going to do a little bit. S, I got dressed and went out to set up my Garmin but when I turned it on the charge was gone (I guess I forgot to turn it off yesterday) and since I was running alone, I thought about just skipping the run - I sometimes struggle to get out the door when I run by myself. I chose to take that positive step and walk out the door. While running, I thought 3 laps around the neighborhood would be good. But, I realized that THE BEAST was talking again and I needed to shut him up here and now! I did 4 laps which gave me 5 miles for the workout.

After my shower, it was time to deal with breakfast. Now, the candy abounds in my house right now and my dh was getting doughnuts for breakfast. I chose to have a healthy and balanced breakfast of an egg white sandwich.

These examples may not sound like much but I'm going to put many of these small steps together and end up with huge strides! Even the Sermon at church rung true with me this morning. Father Bob made the statement: "We are all broken sinners and on our worst day we choose the things that make us comfortable." That is exactly what I've been doing with myself. Change is uncomfortable and instead of putting myself in uncomfortable situations I've chosen to give into THE BEAST.

So, this brings me to my:
PWE2 Challenge

For those that don't know, PWE2 ( the 2 means squared) stands for: "Pursue a Worthy Endeavor - Persist Without Exception" and was thought up by David Greenwalt, creator of The Leanness Lifestyle. My worthy endeavor is ME! As of today, I weigh 149.5 pounds and have a body fat of 32.7% (as per a 1 site measurement). I also took circumference measurements which I will post later. So, over the next 6 weeks (Nov. 2 - Dec. 13) I plan on losing 10 pounds of ugly and unwanted fat. Will this be uncomfortable? YOU BET! Am I up for the challenge? YOU BET! I am also going to attempt to make regular updates here so feel free to send a butt-kick or an ata-girl if you get a chance.

Remember, you have the power to choose what path you take. Make it a good one!

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Halloween is over!

YEAH!


Being a preschool teacher makes Halloween a very stressful time. Many of the 2 and 3 year old kids don't deal well with all the hub-bub and it creates a lot of stress at school. My kids deal well with Halloween - unfortunately(LOL)!



My kids went out and came back with an unbelievable amount of candy! Now I have to deal with trying to stay away from it. Before I get any further into this entry I want to add pics of my kids in their costume:



My daughter's nose actually made a roaring noise when you pushed the nose. My son wasn't so sure about the shoulder pads at first but once he got them on, he thought he was the coolest thing around!

I'm still struggling with my eating, it's very hard to get back on track once you've jumped off the wagon. Now with the candy in the house, it is all that much harder. I have been slowly adding miles back into my week and next week we will be running 3 days during the week and on the weekend. I'm also planning on getting back into my lifting routine this week. My goal is to lift twice a week an if I can get the third day in I'll be thrilled. It has just been difficult finding the time in the afternoon to get the session in on Wednesdays.

I'm still struggling with my family and church but regardless of how it works out, I know it is out of my hands. It is also a situation that probably won't be resolved any time soon. I'll just keep praying and asking them to come.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

I'm Feeling Out-of-Control.....

....in many aspects of my life!

First, with my eating. Ever since my marathon, and maybe even a touch before, I have been absolutely awful with my eating! I've been eating things that I haven't touched in months and I'm just shoveling it in left and right. Every morning I wake up and tell myself that I'm going to have a clean day and by lunch it's already off track. I don't know how to get myself off this "treadmill" that I'm on but I know that I need to do something about it SOON!

Next, every Sunday I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle with my family about going to church. My husband believes in God but does not attend church except on special occasions. I ask him to church but he will only "humor" me on days like Christmas and Easter. I also "fight" with my kids each week. My main wish, is that my family could attend services each week together and that we would all want to be there.

This weekend, that wish was seriously shaken. I asked my kids if they would go to church with me and they both said no and it hit me. I had honestly given up hope that my "dream" would ever come true. I keep telling myself that "all things are possible through Christ who strengthens me" but right now, with this situation, I'm not sure I believe it. Let me tell you, it is a bad place to be. I was in tears most of Sunday morning. I cried on the way to church and even during the service. I had no control over it and I just had this feeling that I couldn't shake. It is a work in progress!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Tomorrow it begins again

I have given myself a week to rest but tomorrow I am starting back up again. I have developed a bit of a cold so I want to take it easy but I WILL be exercising tomorrow. I will do an easy lifting session tomorrow and then an easy run on Tuesday. After that, I will see how I feel and hopefully keep on going.

I am also making a commitment to clean up my eating again. I have not been doing very well in that department and it is very important so tomorrow starts a new program for both my exercising and my nutrition!

Friday, October 17, 2008

Steamtown Marathon

Boy has it been a long time since I've put in an entry!

Well, I ran in the Steamtown Marathon last weekend and I didn't reach my goal of running a 3:50 marathon time. However, because of all the difficulty I had I'm pleased with my effort. I finished in a time of 4:32:59, which is about the same time I ran the MCM last year. The difference? I had to walk the last 5 miles of Steamtown.

I was running with my friends Helenann (who finished in about 4:05) and Cathy (who finished in about 4:12) and we were doing very well. The weather was beautiful and we felt great! Our time was right about where it needed to be through mile 18. I did have to stop for the bathroom twice in those first 18 miles which was not expected - I think I'm going to have to change my long run fuel source.

Like I said, at mile 18 we had to cross a chip timer and I was 4 minutes over my desired pace but feeling OK. I actually thought I just might be able to make up that time or at least come close. Then the wheels started to come off, so to speak. Somewhere between miles 20 and 21 I felt like my legs might want to cramp so I stopped for a second to do a little stretch. Of course, when I stretched my quad, my hamstring cramped - go figure! The cramps weren't too bad though and I got right back into the race. Then, shortly after passing mile 21 I turned a corner and got a VERY sharp pain in my right knee. The pain was enough to make me stop and walk a little. I thought that if I walked just a bit, maybe I could shake it off and still finish near the 4:00 mark - I would have been absolutely thrilled with that time. Unfortunately, I was not able to do much more running. I was completely unable to run any of the uphills, I could run a few steps on the flats but then the pain would really shut me down again and I could do some shuffling on the downhills.

I have to admit that quitting crossed my mind for about a millisecond but I told myself that it was not an option. I had put too many training hours in and Coach Mary (at LL) had helped me too much for me to not honor this commitment. I even put on my shirt PWE2 to help me remember what I was doing this for. I kept telling myself to stick with it and I would be a success - honoring commitments and keeping self-promises is the important part, not the time it takes you to cross the finish line. I will have other opportunities to run 3:50 marathons and that will be an awesome accomplishment. However, this one may actually mean more to me because I didn't give up even when parts of me really wanted to.

Anyway, I decided that I would walk until I reached the last downhill to the finish line. At that point I really wanted to run that last downhill. I was able to accomplish this and the rest is history as they say. I've taken this week off but want to get back into some easy runs this upcoming week. I've also let my nutrition slip a bit the past week and need to get back into that groove as well. I think I'm experiencing some of the depression (for lack of a better title) that I've read some people experience after a big event like this. Most of it has manifested itself in my inability to eat right this week. I just want to eat fatty, junky stuff and am having a really tough time getting the ship righted. I will do it though!

Remember, the journey is the important part and not how long it takes you to get there! Oh, and the Steamtown Marathon is a great marathon to run. If anyone reads this and is considering doing a marathon, I would highly recommend this one. It isn't easy but the scenery is breath-taking (leaves were in full color) and the race itself is well run and well supported!

PWE2

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Finally a LLE Update 8/12/08

WOW I can't believe so much time has gone by since my last post! LLE has really been keeping me busy but I am SO enjoying every minute. The program includes reading, listening to audio, watching videos and even quizzes!

The shoes pictured are my new Adidas Supernovas. I got them through the mi Adidas program that Bill gave me as a Christmas present. You have to actually go to their store and have the shoes custom fit to your feet and then you get to create the design. And you create the ENTIRE design from the stitching color to the base shoe color. It was an awesome experience and I highly recommend doing it at least once. There are all sorts of shoes you can pick - basketball, tennis and soccer are the ones I know for sure (other than running of course).

My training is going well. I need to update my miles on the side bar but I've been not only hitting my mileage but also feeling great doing it. Through my work with Coach Mary, in LLE, I've come up with a mantra that is all so true: "I Run As I Eat!" I've always known it to be true but I've never really followed through with it. Since starting LLE I can see the difference. I see it in the fat that I've lost and in my ability to run fast, run long and run hard but smooth on the hills. I am actually pulling away from most of my running group when we go up hills. In fact, the other day we got caught in a thunderstorm and the last bit of our run was up a steep hill. The comment I heard when we were finished was that I "broke them" on the run. I just wanted to get out of the storm so I kind of felt bad but when I look back, I'm proud of the way I was able to maintain my form, power and speed up that hill especially since I significantly picked up the pace over the last 3-4 miles of the run (it was about 12 miles total).

Anyway, I hope to update a bit more often. Oh, I forgot to mention - my shoes are my leverage for the challenge. I will not be wearing them until I reach my goal weight!

New Addidas Shoes





A detailed explaination will follow shortly - off to play some tennis with the kids!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Day 2 of LLE

Things have gone very well today! I got in a good run this morning - interval training. I really feel like my running has been getting stronger. My trail run yesterday felt great and everyone else kept saying how it was such a quick pace - didn't feel that fast to me. Then today, I felt really strong while running the intervals. The woman I run them with was really struggling - she may have been having a bad day but that doesn't negate the fact that I felt strong.

I've also been able to drop my weight to 149.5. That means I'm 1 pound away from hitting my $60 leverage!

As for my assignments for LLE: I'm rereading the nutrient chapter in The Leanness Lifestyle. It is interesting to read again. Not because it is new information - I know the info - I'm just now seeing the info differently. It was a number of years ago that I read it the first time and a lot has happened since then. Last year during one of my adult Sunday school classes, we talked about how things can appear differently because of the "lenses" that we view the world through. Everyone has been through different experiences which color how you view the world. That is what I feel like right now. I'm seeing the information in the book and on the site differently because of where I'm at now in my life. It's a really cool feeling - everything is feeling new again!

That's all for tonight - tomorrow is a lifting day. Oh, and I'm going out with some out-of-state friends tomorrow for dinner. I will be having salmon and steamed veggies. No other eating allowed!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

The Day Is Here!

Today was my first day in LLE. Not much new and exciting happened. The first couple of weeks deals mostly with getting better acquainted with the Club. I feel pretty confident there so I'm just going to continue to clear my To Do List and trying to better myself.

I've had a huge calorie expenditure day and must admit that I gave in to some poor thinking and some poor eating. The food itself wasn't "bad" but my meals weren't according to my plan. It was more carbs than I should have consumed. I made some good choices though. My lunch was eaten in a restaurant but was very healthy and when we went out tonight, the family had some ice cream but I stayed away. Overall, I'm OK with the day. I have a lot of room for improvement but that is ultimately what this is all about - improving each day in thoughts and deeds.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Tomorrow is the Big Day!

Tomorrow I start my LLE 1.0 program! I have been chomping at the bit for the past week. I'm really excited to start this journey. I don't really know what to expect but I'm really looking forward to jumping in with both feet.

I've also started reading a very good book. It is called What To Say When You Talk to Your Self by Shad Helmstetter, Ph.D. It deals with using positive selt-talk. It is a step beyond positive thinking. The basic idea is that not only do you need to eliminate the negative behaviors and attitudes but because that then leaves a void you need to make sure you fill it with positive self-talk, behavior and attitudes. That is very simplified so I would highly recommend the book to all. It has already made me aware of many things that I was doing that I now know need to stop.

Things have been going really well the past week. My exercise has stayed steady and my whole mindset about my nutrition is different. There have been time, during the past week, where I've heard myself saying: "You have a few days before LLE starts, go ahead and have some junk!" That, my friends, is the feast beast talking!! Normally, I would have given in to that voice but not this week - I've actually kept that beast under wraps and have reduced my weight to 150 (started at 154).

I will update what my first day is like tomorrow.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

I'm Taking a VERY Important Step!

I've been a part of Club Lifestyle for a number of years now and I truly believe it is the best and most comprehensive program out there, for the transformationist - hands down! Within the Club, Coach has some pretty intense programs that you can participate in and get extra, specialized attention. You can participate in a Bootcamp or become an Elite member. These 2 programs have been a dream of mine but to be completely honest, I couldn't afford them. I know that they are worth every penny that Coach charges and that if you compared the services and expertise that you got it is actually a "steal". However, the costs were simply outside of our family budget.

Now for the AWESOME news. Coach has created a program called Leanness Lifestyle Evolution (LLE 1.0) and I have officially signed up. I'm not going to be working with Coach Dave but we have a number of other absolutely wonderful coaches in the Club. I am so excited to be getting the chance to learn about all the missing pieces and to be pushed to my absolute best. I've had some interesting conversations with Coach Dave over the past couple of days. It can be a touch grating at times but I really do love the way he just lays it out there and doesn't worry about "hurting your feelings" - don't get me wrong, he isn't hurtful, he just puts out an objective opinion. That can be really hard to hear but so very important.

I've actually been doing pretty well this week. I believe I started at 155# on Sunday and I'm now down to 151.5#. Must of this early weight loss is fluid and I know that but I was struggling so much for so long that it's just nice to see the numbers moving in the right direction. I think the better eating and the resistance training is paying off. Today's trail run (very hilly) felt really pretty easy. I led the group most of the 7 miles but did slow down a bit to back track to some of the other runners that were struggling on a particularly tough hill. I even had a couple of runners today mention how great I did. I don't need the praise but it is nice to hear.

Tomorrow's workout will be interval training. I'm very interested to see how that goes. I'm really looking forward to fast times and strong running as my nutrition improves and my training progresses. I honestly feel that with everything I'm going to learn in my class, the weight I'm going to lose and the training (and better nutrition) I'm going to put in - I WILL qualify for Boston on October 12th at the Steamtown Marathon!

Saturday, July 05, 2008

I Have Taken Action!

It is time to get this extra weight off! My first step was to come up with a leverage - something that I give to someone else to "hold". If I make my goal then I get it back and if I don't make my goal then I lose it. I'm not usually very good at coming up with effective leverages but I've chosen cash. I have given my husband $60 to hold as my leverage. That amount my not seem like a lot but it is 30% of my monthly spending money so it will be a substantial hit to me if I lose it. My goal is to lose 6 pounds by July 31st.

When I reach this goal I will then set a weight lose goal for August and add another $60 to the pot. Yes, that's right! In August, if I do not make my goal I will lose $120! I am determined to get my weight down for Steamtown and for my health!

I've also come up with a mantra for myself: Better lifestyle; Better life! I know that it is time to view this whole process differently. I feel like I'm still working on this like it is a "diet" - something I'm going to do for a set period of time and then stop. I need to change that point of view and consider this a lifestyle!

Today I ran 5 miles, at a nice quick pace (8:24 m/m) and then started the Afterburn lifting program. The Afterburn program is very challenging and I think it will really help my running as well! I started with 2 sets of the exercises and my whole body was pretty shaky when I was finished. In addition, I can already feel that I'm going to be a touch sore tomorrow - I Love That Feeling after a good lifting session!

I'm very pleased with the way today has gone. My husband and I went to some outlets today (actually got some Christmas presents bought) which meant that lunch was eaten out. I had a nice salad with some chicken and some Asian-sesame dressing. Dinner was here at home and I did well with controlling any "trolling". I am excited to see if I have a weight drop in the morning. I also took the step today of taking some body measurements. Both circumferences and a 1 site skinfold. I will take these measurements on a regular basis to make sure my efforts are progressing me forward.

Day 1 is over and it has been very successful!

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Commitment and other ramblings

Let me start by saying that some of this may ramble and go off in who-knows-what direction so please bear with me.

What is Commitment?
  1. To be responsible for.
  2. To entrust; consign.
  3. To place officially in custody, a confinement.
  4. To pledge or obligate (oneself). This is the definition I am concerned with!

I have come to realize that commitment is something I have trouble with. That is......commitment to myself!

I recently listened to an interview with Curt King on the LL Blog Site. It really seemed to describe what I've been going through and I highly recommend you listen to it. He has made an amazing transformation and is reaping the benefits of all his hard work. It is where I want to be!

My goals are to run a 3:50 marathon at Steamtown (this would qualify me for Boston) and to weigh 135# while doing it. I am currently 155# and I honestly don't feel like I will be able to accomplish my race goal at my current weight. Yet, I can't seem to avoid eating those crappy carbs.

I'm running 30-35 miles per week and trying to do resistance training 2-3 times per week. And yet my weight continues to rise. There is a saying at Club Lifestyle: "You can not out run what you can potentially eat." I am living proof of that statement!

I have gotten myself to a weight that is uncomfortable. I feel bloated and my clothes don't fit. You would think all these factors together would be enough to get me back in the groove. However, that hasn't happened yet. This led me to the conclusion that I just have trouble making and keeping a commitment to myself. Is that nuts or what?!

I'll be honest - I don't have a solution to my problem and I feel like I'm in a very dangerous place. I'm standing on the proverbial fence. One side has me back on track - exercising hard and eating correctly. The other side has me saying "Who gives a f#@* - this is too dang hard and it isn't worth it!"

The other thing I don't understand is the fact that I honestly feel that fitness is a passion for me. But, if it is such a passion, why do I have trouble putting all the different aspects together? I truly want to get to a point where I view food as a fuel, which would allow me to say no when food is offered and it's not the correct time or food.

I don't have a great end for this post. I would love to be able to say that writing this has made things crystal clear and I now know what road I will take and how I'm going to get there. Unfortunately, I can't. I know what side of the fence I want to be on - I just don't know how to get there. Or, maybe I'm afraid to go there. Not sure why I'd be afraid of being healthier and looking better but on some level I'm sure it's there.

I don't know how many people actually read this blog but I would love to hear your comments. I also sincerely hope that this post could, in some way, help at least 1 person out there. It is worth it to strive for your best. It is hard but I have to believe that I will come out a better person physically, mentally and spiritually if I honor myself by committing to not only myself but also to a proven program. Leanness Lifestyle is that program! It's not easy but if you commit to it 100% it will take you farther than you could ever dream.

I'm going to take that first step right now - anybody want to join me?

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Cool Video

I found this video on You Tube and thought some of the exercises were really cool. I want to try the hamstring curl exercise he does on the plates!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

First camera pictures




Here are the first 3 pictures. The first one is my son Will, the second one is of my daughter Ally & the last one is of me (my son took a picture just as I started to speak - hence the squinty eyes & funny smile) & my first baby Boomer.
Have a great day!

Birthday Pictures


Here is a picture of the camera that I got for my birthday! It is awesome and I love it! I will post the first couple of pictures that we took with the camera.
I've been doing much better with my nutrition and fitness programs over the past couple of days. It isn't much but I was able to drop 1/2 a pound. I'm also going to try a little visual incentive program with myself. I'm going to put a sticker on the calendar every time I have a successful day. Note, that it doesn't have to be a "perfect" day - I'm trying to get out of my all-or-none mentality and move toward a lifestyle.
Today's run was difficult because of the humidity. We have been in a pretty bad heat wave over the past week or so. It was nice for the kids swim lessons though - the hot temps and heated up the pool water nicely so that it is refreshing but not freezing! Speaking of swim lessons, the kids did well yesterday. Will struggled a touch because of his lack of confidence and I was actually nervous that they might try to move him down a group but he made it through yesterday and then we worked on some things when we stayed afterwards. He seems to be gaining confidence so I'm happy. Ally is her normal fish self and did great!
Off to get some work done before swim lessons!

Friday, June 06, 2008

The Day Has Come!

I'm officially 40!

It has been a really fun day. Early this morning, the kids and I loaded the dog in the car and went to the park. There is a pond there where you can let the dog off the leash and let him run and swim. My dog is 11 years old so he isn't as spry as he used to be. However, he did get in the water and retrieve some sticks (he's a choc. lab btw) and ran around with an obviously much younger dog. We all then did a little bit of walking on the trails and then came home.

In the afternoon, some of the kids friends came over and we ended up playing hide-n-go-seek and then we got the bubble machine out and chased bubbles. The whole afternoon was just a blast!

Then my hubby took us out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. I ate way too much but it was delicious! After dinner they gave me my totally fabulous present - I got a digital camera! I will post more about the camera in my next post. I'm still trying to figure it all out and the battery is charging. I can't wait to take my first picture!

Gotta run!

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Not so good lately!

Talking about my food intake - I am making poor food choices AND eating way too much of it! The worst part (to me) is that as I make those poor choices, I'm conscious of what I'm doing and pretty much say f*** it and go ahead with an action that I KNOW I should stop dead in it's tracks. An action that I KNOW will make me feel worse afterwards. How utterly messed up is that?

On a positive note, my exercising has been going well. I've done 3 lifting sessions this week and have had some pretty good runs. However, I must keep reminding myself of something that Coach Dave says:

You can not outrun poor nutrition choices!

It is so true! I could run and lift for hours and hours every week (OK, I already do) and if I continue to eat crappy food and make crappy choices - I will continue to gain weight and not lose it, no matter how much I'm exercising!!!!!!

A friend from LL is having a "Junkless June" competition with 25 of her relatives. Each person writes down 3 thing that they feel will be difficult to live without for the next 30 days and then everyone much avoid every item on the list. Every "cheat" costs you $5 and if you drop out you owe $20. I thought this was a great idea and asked my parents if they wanted to join me in a similar competition. I will also ask my dh but I have a feeling he is going to say no - but it can't hurt to ask.

Off to do some chores around the house - until next time!

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Saturday 5/24/08

I read something totally awesome on the LL website. The post was about putting a face to your Beast. What is the Beast you ask? The Beast is that little voice inside you that tells you: "go ahead and eat that crappy food - you've had a hard day and you deserve it!" I give into that Beast WAY TOO OFTEN!

Anyway, back to the post: it talks about how Coach David talks about putting a face to the Beast so that you have a picture in your mind when it calls. To me, that makes the Beast become concrete - something I can actually fight against - not an abstract concept that I just can't truly grasp. The person posting put a co-workers face to her Beast and obviously found motivation galore!

What does your Beast look like? I definitely have a face to mine now!!!

I had a great workout this morning! Got out and hit the trails first thing. If felt great to be back out there again. It was really tough but the weather was beautiful and the sunrise - awesome! We saw deer, squirrels, herons and rabbits. Part of the run was along a creek so we had the sun shining off the water and the wonderful sound of running water.

The run itself was slow and easy - most of us are either recovering from races last weekend or illnesses. We ran a touch over 7 miles and did it in a little under 1:30. I really didn't care how fast we went I just needed to get back out onto those trails. We are heading back out tomorrow too!

Nutrition has been good so far also. I stayed away from the donuts the kids had this morning and from the fries at lunch. I will also keep the rest of the day clean because my Beast now has a face and I WON'T let that face win!!!

Monday, May 19, 2008

Race Results and a Long Week

This past Sunday was the Bell Supply 10 Miler that I've been training for. Last year I ran it in 1:16:00 and placed 3rd in my age group. Over the past year, I have logged many "slow" miles and not many "fast" ones. I've also put on probably a good 10 pounds. However, I still had a goal of running this year's race in a faster time and moving up in my age group win. Well, I'm proud to say that 1 of those goals was achieved and I came really close to the other one. I was unable to run the 10 miles in a faster time but I was able to complete it in 1:18:10. Even though I didn't reach my goal, I'm thrilled with the time. I left it all out on the course and I honestly don't think I would have been able to go any faster than I did!

The goal I did achieve: I was able to move up a place in my age group and ended up with a 2nd place trophy (see above). They are cute little bobble head trophies! I was also the 4th woman to finish and 23rd overall finisher.

The busy/long week stems from the fact that it is our last week of school with the kids. So, there are programs, trips, picnics and report cards. I still need to go in next week and clean up the room and take things off the walls and those sorts of things but at least there aren't any after hours planning etc. I'm really looking forward to having the summer off so that I can get my head straight. It has been a challenging year with my co-teacher and I'm looking forward to moving on to something new!

I have also been maintaining my running. I've been able to get in 1 lifting session (still need to finish 2 more by Sunday) and I've gone out for 2 runs. My legs were still pretty tight and tired on Tuesday but felt much better today. I'm hoping to get out for 5 miles tomorrow.

Time flies when your blogging.....off to our school picnic!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Sunday 5/11/08

This was a really great weekend!

Saturday looked like it was going to be an awful day because of an insane schedule. We were supposed to have soccer pictures, soccer games and a birthday party that my dd was going to. As it turned out, the rain we've had lately cancelled the pics and the games which lightened the load tremendously. Instead of running around all day long, we actually got a chance to sit and relax. The birthday party was also good because it turned out to be a drop-off type party. So, instead of sitting in a bowling alley for 3 hours I was able to go home and relax - again. That never happens!!!

My workout was also good on Saturday. Because of the supposed insane day, I stayed at home and ran (1 less hassle). I was able to cover 8 miles in a little over an hour. Today's workout was also good. I met Cathy and we ran 10.6 miles in about 1:41:00. Not real fast but not real slow. Overall a good weekend of running! Next Sunday is my 10 miler and I really want to try and beat my time from last year so I probably won't run on Saturday. My schedule is also up in the air for this week because dh will be working some more overtime and the weather forecast is a bit iffy.

I also had a great Mother's Day! My dd tried to give me breakfast in bed - unfortunately, she put cereal in a bowl (with the milk) at about 6 am and I didn't get home until about 7:45 am. Needless to say, it was a bit soggy! However, I loved the thought and the effort. The kids made me some beautiful crafts and my dh bought me some Techwick running shirts - love that material. It's from EMS at it is absolutely awesome!

Total Different Topic!
I was reading a post by IronWil and she posted something right on the mark for me. Here is a section from her post:

I'm learning that habits, good or bad, are pretty powerful things. They're so powerful in fact, I've recently come to admit that some of mine have involved behaviors I didn't even enjoy, but simply felt compelled to repeat regardless of knowing I'd just feel like crap in the end. From oversleeping to letting people regularly waste my time, my actions and interactions weren't benefiting me at all, and I only felt regret and anger with myself for allowing them to continue. Problem was, however, I didn't know how to make myself stop.

I spent a lot of time and energy trying to find the big cause... that subconscious, psychological need now manifesting itself as said habits, but you know what? I finally just woke up and realized they were all just simple practiced actions, and like all animals, I'd been trained.

The comments that I've put in bold really jumped out at me. Many of my poor food choices are just unhelpful habits that I have felt compelled to repeat over and over again. I then also go through that painful experience of trying to figure out "WHY" I do these things to myself. I think I really just need to start "sucking-it-up" and work on breaking those habits. I know it won't be easy but as they say: It takes 2 weeks to form a new habit. I need to start working on those new habits right away!

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Triple Crown Race Report and other stuff

I'll admit it - I'm not going to get a race report typed in here. I am mentally and physically worn down from work and it just isn't worth trying to get it typed. Suffice it to say, I had an awesome time and I honestly believe that I WILL do it again next year. The official results are in:

Finish time: 5:51:46
87th Overall finisher
13th Female finisher
3rd in my age group (30-39)

I am thrilled with the results especially knowing that I walked a number of miles with a friend who was struggling. I could have had a better time but friends and safety are (and always will be) much more important!

This week has been crazy with work, kid activities and hubby working OT. I haven't gotten in much running but it's probably a good thing because of all the other types of stress recently. I'm still hoping for a good showing at the Bell Supply Ten Miler on the 18th!

I had a rude awakening of sorts last night. We had a school function and I get my nice shorts out to put on and they were TIGHT! I know that I'm heavier than I would like to be but those shorts were pretty darn loose last summer. This has prompted me to get off my horse and set some goals (they aren't necessarily finished and polished but it's a start). My transformation goal is to get down to 130 and 19% body fat. I may not maintain that weight but I will get there! I still need to work on some intermediate goals but they will be up soon too.

Gotta go!

Friday, May 02, 2008

I'm Working on a Write-up

I have it written but it is taking a while for me to type it onto the computer. Short version: the race was awesome and I definitely want to do it again next year! I finished in 5:51:46 and made it through the river without difficulty. The only problem I had was a small blister on my right foot - it really wasn't a bad blister, it was just under my toe nail so that was a bit of a problem. The good part was that it didn't bother me until after the race so things were good.

I was able to run 3 time this week (Tues - Thurs), for a total of 13 miles, but then really crashed last night. I even started to get a sore throat. As a result, I'm running tomorrow (weather seems like it is going to cooperate more on Saturday than on Sunday) and taking Sunday off. Hopefully, the extra rest day will be enough to keep me healthy.

I'm hoping to get back into a lifting routine next week but will let my body tell me if it is ready. I also want to start performing track workouts and am hoping my friend Cathy will want to do them with me again!

That's all for now - will post that write-up when it's finished!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

This is it!

Today is my first Trail Marathon! I've been looking forward to this race for a long time and I'm really excited that it is finally here. I will post a write-up as soon as I can.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Preparation for the marathon

I've done my last run before the race and I'm now trying to increase my carbs. I have to say that it isn't doing much for my weight loss goals. The good thing is that I know a lot of it is carbs and the water that goes along with it.

I want to make a public declaration: When this race is over, I WILL concentrate on my weight loss goals and I will lower my weight and my body composition. I will determine the specifics in the next couple of days.

Off to school!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Confession Time!

I have had a couple of days of: "I JUST DON'T CARE ANYMORE!" - speaking of weight loss and healthy living of course. There have been many factors contributing to this attitude and as a result I haven't been checking in here and I haven't been following a good program either. The only constant has been my running. I'm in my taper week so I ran 5 miles on Monday, 4 miles today and 4 more are on tap for tomorrow. After tomorrow, running will cease until the marathon on Saturday. I will admit that I have started each day with the best intentions but have given in to that inner brat each and every day. I'm writing about it now so that I can get the ship going in the right direction today!

Today has been going well. Here are my meals (actual and planned):
1. Fritatta
2. Smoothie
3. Crab & pasta salad with veggies
4. Veggies & cc dip (planned)
5. Buffalo steak, baked fries & salad (planned)
6. LL cheesecake (planned)

I will write again tonight to update today's results and plan for tomorrow.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Friday 4/18/08

Not much time but I did want to check in. Today wasn't a great day - started first thing when something wonky happened with my alarm and I overslept by an hour. Eating was only so-so and I never got my lifting in.

Tomorrow is my last long run before the marathon. I want to go at least 10 miles but that is going to depend on the people I'm running with. I won't run the trails alone so if they need to leave I will finish with whatever I have.

Gotta go - better planning tomorrow!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Review of Thursday & Plan for Friday 4/18/08

Had a few too many snacks today. I found myself eating some bite-size turnovers at work today. They are one of those things that if around....I eat. I tried to modify the rest of my meals but they were still calories that I didn't need to have.

Tomorrow is a room day at work. That means that the kids are off and all the teachers get a chance to do "whatever" needs to get done. We have an open house coming up and I'll probably be working on some of those crafts. I'm really looking forward to being on my own schedule and just doing what needs to be done.

I got my new running shoes today. Lori told me about Holabird and they do have good deals. Shipping is free if you order is over $50ish and I got the shoes in a day and a half. Lori has been using them for a while and has had nothing but good interactions. I may find myself as a regular customer as well.

Goals:
1. Monthly goal: I will weigh 146# by 5/1/08.
2. Weekly goal: I will lift 2x & run 5x by 4/20/08.

Nutrition:
1. Fritatta
2. Smoothie
3. Tuna and baby carrots
4. Veggies & cc dip
5. I have this planned but I don't' have the menu in front of me - it will be healthy
6. LL cheesecake

Workout:
Tomorrow is a rest day from running but I am going to do an UB workout.

Friday Goals:
1. I will lift in the am.
2. I will follow my nutrition plan - taking my snack and lunch to work.
3. I will drink 72 oz of H2O - did well today (over 72).

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Review of Wednesday & Plan for Thursday 4/17/08

Today was an excellent day! It started with a small drop on the scale. Then I met my friends for a run and we decided to do an "easy" 5 miler. Well, that didn't last long! The group started out with a pretty quick pace - after about a mile I told everybody that I didn't want to go as fast as they were running and was slowing down. Now, that usually has at least one person drop back with that person but not today (at least for a bit). I decided to just hang onto the back of the group and not push the pace but they were pulling away. Just about that time, Lori decided to drop back with me - it was nice to have a partner again! However, at about the 3 mile mark she started to pick it up again and I knew I was fighting a losing battle so I decided to just go with it. Shortly thereafter, Lori made the comment that she would love to pace the other 3 runners (they always seem to push the pace). I told her that I had given up on trying to have an easy run and that if she wanted to go we were going. As we passed the other 3, they made a comment to the affect: there go our speedy down hill runners. My comment back was, "I've given up on an easy pace so now it's time to go". At this point I was pissed and ran like it. We ended up running the 5 miles in 45 minutes flat. A 9 minute per mile pace may not sound super fast but we usually go at about 10 to 10:30 per mile so the increase was substantial. I will not be running that fast again tomorrow - I've had 2 hard days in a row and I need to start a bit of a taper for the marathon.

My eating has also been good today as was my lifting routine. I followed my plan - I ate according to plan AND lifted after work. It really feels good to be back in a groove!

Goals:
1. Monthly: I will weigh 146# by 5/1/08
2. Weekly: I will weigh 148#, lift 2 times & run 5 times by 4/20/08

Nutrition:
1. Fritatta
2. Smoothie
3. Turkey sandwich
4. Veggies & cc dip
5. Steak Fajitas
6. LL cheesecake

Workout:
4-5 mile run with group

Thursday Goals:
1. I will run first thing in am.
2. I will drink 72 oz of water (freeze jug and then take to work)
3. I will follow my nutrition plan (take my snack & lunch to work)

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Review of Tuesday and Plan for Wednesday 4/16/08

Today was a good day! I had a few snacks but overall I stuck with my plan and am pleased with my effort.

I'm going to go get some new running shoes tomorrow. While running today, I started to get some pain in the top of my left foot and last week I had some pain on the bottom of my foot. Pain on the top + pain on the bottom = New Shoes (in my book anyway). Speaking of today's run, it was a great one! We set out to run our 5.5 mile hill course and for some reason we started pushing the pace pretty early on. We ended up running 7 miles and had an average pace of 9:28m/m. I'm very pleased with that because the hill is steep and long and Danielle and I pushed it hard the whole way.

Goals:
1. Monthly: I will weigh 146# by 5/1/08
2. Weekly: I will weigh 148#, lift 2 times & run 5 times by 4/20/08

Nutrition:
1. Fritatta
2. Smoothie
3. Tuna & grapes
4. Veggies and cc dip
5. Chicken fried rice (Precision Nutrition)
6. LL cheesecake

Workout:
4-5 mile run (pretty flat course) & UB lifting session

Wednesday Goals:
1. Run first thing in am.
2. Lift when I get home from work.
3. Follow nutrion plan (bring snack and lunch to work).
4. Drink 72 oz of H2O.
5. Buy new running shoes.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Plan for Tuesday 4/15/08

Today is finishing well!

Goals:
1. Monthly: I will weigh 146# by 5/1/08
2. Weekly: I will weigh 148#, lift 2 times & run 5 times by 4/20/08

Nutrition:
1. EW omelet & 1/2 banana
2. Protein/fruit smoothie
3. Tuna & apple
4. Veggies & cc dip
5. Turkey, cranberry sauce & mixed veggies
6. LL cheesecake

Workout:
Run - 6 mile hill climb

Tuesday Goals:
1. Run first thing in am.
2. Follow nutrition plan - make sure I have everything made and ready to go tonight.
3. Drink 72 oz of H2O - freeze jug tonight and take to work.

I am hopeful that I will see a bit of a budge on the scale tomorrow morning. I will also start posting that info to keep myself accountable.

BTW - if you want a really inspirational read, try reading Julie's blog! She is an amazing person and a great runner to boot!

Monday 4/14/08 Review

Today was both good and bad in terms of my plan. I woke up first thing this morning, to do my lifting, and just couldn't get moving. I felt exhausted! So right off the bat things were going south - but that didn't stop me! I made sure I had breakfast according to plan and made my protein shake for meal 2. Off to work I go and then I realize that in all the morning preparation, I forgot to make my own lunch. After school was over and in between errands I grabbed a burger which again was not to plan - but that didn't stop me! I made sure I did my lifting when I got home and my next meal was according to plan. So far I have had 5 of my 6 meals and feeling confident that the last one will be just how I planned. I have also consumed 72 oz of water.

So, even though my day didn't go exactly how I had planned it, I am quite pleased with how I stopped myself from allowing the day to spiral out of control. Tonight, I plan on making all of tomorrow's lunches so that I don't feel as rushed in the morning.

Tomorrow's plan to follow later!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Plan for Monday 4/14/08

I'm going to try journaling here. I am usually most successful when I'm consistently journaling and it just hasn't been done lately and as a result my weight loss has stalled. I haven't had a plan most days and it has resulted in poor choices. My hope is that I will be able to write each night as my plan for the next day, so here we go.....

Goals:
1. Monthly goal - 146# by 5/1/08
2. Weekly goal - lift 2 times, run 5 days and weigh 148 by 4/20


Nutrition:
1. Fritatta
2. Protein shake with banana
3. Tuna salad with veggies
4. Veggies and cc dip
5. Baked chix strips & mashed cauliflower
6. Protein packed pumpkin pie

Exercise:
Lifting - UB

Monday Goals:
1. Exercise first thing in am
2. Drink at least 64 oz or H2O
3. Follow my nutrition plan

Hopefully by posting this and coming back and documenting how I've done will keep my mind a bit more focused on what I need to do to achieve my goals. Speaking of goals, my trail marathon is coming up in 2 weekends and I'm really starting to get excited about it! I've done 1 previous marathon but this is going to be completely different and I think that is why I want to do it so much. Lori was talking about possibly downgrading the other day and I told her that I DID NOT want to downgrade. Fact is, I know I can walk the distance so finishing the miles is not the issue. In fact, I'm planning on walking part of the race - I just want to run the best race I can and hopefully finish in less than 6 hours. LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN!!

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Runner's High!



We had a wonderful run this morning! The temperature was about 58 degrees at 4:30 am. I was able to run in shorts and a T-shirt for the first time this year. I've been in shorts this year but not shorts with a T-shirt. We felt great the whole run. It is so much easier when you don't have all the extra clothes on! We ran for about 2:30 hours without stopping. This may not sound all that amazing but we were running on some very hilly and some very challenging trails. 2:30 hours on the trails is NOT equal to 2:30 hours on the roads.


OK, we didn't run it at Bionic speed but it still felt great! We were able to cover about 14 miles and went for a total of 3:03 hours. During the last couple of miles we hit some pretty steep hills that were absolutely covered with crazy roots and rocks so we walked a bit more than we would have wanted but we just didn't feel safe on the hill.
I think I'm actually starting to feel better about the marathon. It is in 2 weekends and I'm still nervous about crossing the water but I'm not nearly as nervous about being able to cover the distance. I want to get another hilly trail run in tomorrow but I'm not sure if the timing is going to work out.
I'm also trying to make sure I get in at least 2 lifting sessions each week. I'm not necessarily going for heavy weights but I would like to make sure I get in at least those 2 sessions each week. I'm hoping that it will help me to drop some more of this weight.
Speaking of weight loss....my eating hasn't been great over the past week or so but it hasn't been horrendous either. I feel like I'm making some forward progress but I still have a way to go!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Thursday 4/10/08

I thought these were great quotes:

"If you want to win a race you have to go a little berserk. "
Bill Rodgers
“Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us daily. ”
—Sally Koch, author

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

This week has been much better!

I've actually run 3 days in a row and tomorrow will be 4! I've covered 17.77 miles so far this week and I'm scheduled for another 4 tomorrow. Friday will be a rest day and then we'll be running for about 4 hours on Saturday (assuming the weather isn't crappy!).

The trail marathon is in a couple weekends and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried. I know I've been down this road before but I just don't feel like I've gotten enough consistent training in. In the back of my mind I know I will be able to finish because I will be combining walking and running. I think it is just the fact that I was sick that one week, then I didn't get to run the following week because my husband was out of town and most importantly, the weekends have been horrible in terms of weather. It seems like every weekend it rains and our runs either get cut short or cancelled.

But, the race is in the future and my runs are here and now. I'm just going to enjoy each day and each run as they happen!

Sunday, March 30, 2008

I'm Quite Proud of Myself!

Today I went out and ran 10 miles by myself! I can't tell you the last time I went out for a run alone - unfortunately it will probably be the only run this week because of my husband being away on a business trip.

I took a page out of my friend Lori's book and connected my Ipod up to a small speaker and put it in my pocket. What a difference it made!!! I've never been able to run with headphones on because I tended to run to the beat of the music and would get all out of sync because the music would get too fast and I would cramp etc. However, having the music just out there and not right in my ears really helps - you get the benefit of the distraction but not to the point where you have no idea about your surroundings. Much safer!!

My pace was also quite good (about 9:45m/m) and I completed 10.01 miles. I could start to feel it at the end - legs were getting a bit tired and my lungs were struggling but the good part was that I didn't feel like I was going to cough up my lungs at the end. This makes me feel a touch more comfortable in my ability to finish the trail marathon. The good part about this race is that there aren't any other goals other than to finish it. I fully intend on walking parts and my finish time is not something I'm concerned about. It is a tough course and I just want to say that I completed it!

Off to take my wonderful hubby to the airport - I'm going to miss him!!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Saturday 3/29/08

This is going to be a tough week for me for a number of reasons. My husband will be away until Thursday afternoon so for the next week I'll be a single parent. In addition, because he will be gone, I won't be able to do any running (although I am hoping to work something out with a friend of mine so that we can get some miles in during the evening hours) - no one to watch the kids.

It is going to be really strange not being able to run but I'm going to try and do some combo workouts. I find it very boring to just sit on the bike for an hour but I thought I could combine some jumping rope and the bike as well as some lifting and the bike. I'm hoping that the changing up of the type of exercise will really give my body a boost because I really am getting nervous about the trail marathon. I put a countdown timer down at the bottom of the page (although I may try and move it around) and there really isn't a lot of time to get ready for this race and with my cold etc it is just really freaking me out!

My nutrition plan has been going really well. I made a weight loss goal on LL and I've been doing a good job at not only following my plan but also logging everything. I'm also being rewarded on the scale - I've dropped 3 pounds over the past few days (yes I realize that a lot is water weight). The way I've been feeling the past few days (minus the cold) just really hits home just how much of an affect a good nutrition plan can have - I just feel better!!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Getting Better

I'm glad to say that although I'm not back to "normal" I am getting better. I've been able to do 3 days of running this week and would love to get out tomorrow but I think the weather will not be cooperating. I had less trouble with the actual running than I thought - the worst part was stopping! Pretty much as soon as I stopped running, the coughing fits started and I thought I was going to be sick a number of times!

It wasn't great but it was a step in the right direction!!!

Friday, March 21, 2008

It's Official....

...I'm sick and I've got it bad!

I've been fighting the chills and the sweats all day and a good portion of yesterday. I knew it was bound to happen - there are just too many people around me that have been sick. That's happen when you work with kids!

Here's to getting well and getting back to running!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

I NEED to get my act together!

I've been doing a little bit better with my nutrition but not well enough! I'm up higher than I've been in a long time and I really need to just get my act together. I haven't been writing down my plans or making my food a head of time and those are 2 things that just sabotage my efforts BIG TIME!

So, starting today, I am going to start writing down my plans again. I hope it will enable me to get a handle on this aspect of my life. Other things are coming together and I'm feeling good about that. However, without having my physical/nutritional life in balance the rest just doesn't feel "right"!

I didn't run today because of some heavy rain this morning. I'm hoping to get in about 5.5 miles (on a hilly route) tomorrow and then 20 on the trails on Saturday. Off to write down my plans!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Awesome Run!


We had a great run this morning! We met at the trail entrance, bright and early (4:30 am) and got out head lamps on. Yes, it was still pitch black out! However, the rain had stopped and the temps were great - about 45 degrees or so. There were 4 of us that set out on out planned 4 hour run. It was hard going because of the dark and I was a casualty of that darkness. There was a nasty little tree root that jumped out of the darkness and grabbed my foot - actually I just plain kicked it and went for a tumble. My toes/feet are always a BIG concern for me because of the big bunions I have on both feet so I knew I was in trouble as soon as I hit that root. I managed to roll a bit on the way down but I still hit my left knee pretty hard. So there I am, feeling quite embarrassed, with a sore right toe and a sore left knee. The good part was that I didn't rip my pants (they're my favorite pair)!
After the fall we did pretty well. We were all feeling pretty good and making good time - slower than a normal run but good because of the darkness and the hills (the trail we run is REALLY hilly). Two of us had pretty good lights but the other two were struggling with their lights so we did a bit of rearranging in our running order which helped a lot. However, soon after that, one of our runners starting having a lot of trouble with her cold. She was struggling to breathe any time we pushed up a hill and we started doing a lot of walking. As soon as it was light enough to see, the other 2 runners decided that they could make it back on their own and wanted to go at a slower pace. I think we were at about mile 10 at this point and feeling pretty good so Lori and I kept going at our own pace. As the next couple of miles went by, we could slowly feel the trail taking its toll (and my knee and toe were starting to stiffen up too) but we kept pushing until about mile 14 and then we walked for a bit. Walking NEVER FELT SO GOOD!! I'm not really sure how far/long we walked but the body was definitely starting to give out. I was to the point where ever step was really starting to hurt but I wanted to keep going - our goal was 4 hours and our hope was 18 miles (didn't think we'd make that). We ended up stopping at about 3 hours and 48 minutes and ran 17.5 miles. We probably could have gone the extra 1/2 miles but we were both ready to STOP!
My legs, no make that my body, was pretty sore all day. I made sure to ice my knee and foot many times throughout the day to help get rid of the pain. It has worked a bit but I think tomorrow it is still going to be a bit sore and stiff. I can't meet the group to run tomorrow and I don't know if I'll try to run on my own or ride the bike. That will probably depend on how my knee feels.
Off to do a bit of reading and then to bed - I'm really looking forward to the bed part! Keep on runnin'!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Another new exercise session!


Today I went swimming, for exercise, for the first time in.....well let's just say it's been a really long time! Last summer, we joined an outdoor pool but the kids didn't really have much in the way of swimming skills so I didn't want to leave them alone. I would occasionally sneak in a couple of laps here and there but nothing worthy of note.


It was really GREAT! There weren't huge numbers of people (everyone had their own lane) and I didn't die. That last part, I feel, is really key - LOL! It also just felt great to do something different. I swam for about 40 minutes and was then able to shower and dress there so when I got home, all I had to do was worry about getting the kid's stuff ready. If the finances were there, I would join the gym tomorrow!
Tomorrow I will be back out on the roads - I'm hoping for a 6 mile run. Not sure if I'll get that in because the other people I'm meeting have all been fighting bad colds so they may not want to run those types of miles so soon. I'm hoping to be a bit more consistent this week because I realized today that our trail marathon is about 5 weeks away. That means we also need to get at least one 20 miler in here soon too. Hopefully the weather will cooperate a bit more this weekend!!
Keep on runnin'!

Saturday, March 08, 2008

I did something new today!

I signed up for a 3 day pass at out local YMCA and exercised in their gym. We were supposed to run 18 miles out on the trails but the weather wasn't cooperating. We have had torrential downpours, hail and lots of wind. So, my friend Lori suggested I get the 3 day pass and we do a workout inside. We ran for an hour on the treadmill - I can't believe I actually lasted an hour because I despise running on a treadmill. However, it is different when you are running next to friends and can talk while you run.

Then after finishing a little over 6.5 miles on the treadmill we got on the stationary bikes. These were really cool because you had a computer screen in front of you and you actually raced a course and they are linked so Lori and I were on the same course at the same time. The other really cool aspects were the fact that the resistance changed with the change in elevation (we did a snowy mountain course), there is a gear shift and you have to actually steer the bike or you go "off the mountain". Overall it was a really good experience.

I'm planning on going back on Monday and trying to swim a bit - that should be interesting! I tried swimming a bit back in the summer and it really kicked my butt! Lorie told me she does 66 laps every Monday - I'm not sure if I'll do that many or even if I can do that many!

Speaking of swimming, biking and running....as we were riding, Lori started talking about trying a 1/2 Ironman Triathlon and about me joining the Y. I would love to do both (especially after today's good experience), however, it isn't in the finances right now pus it just doesn't make sense to join now because we will be joining our other pool in the summer. I am hoping to be able to join once the fall comes around and the kids get into school. I think both kids will be in full day programs next year and it would give me a great opportunity to hit the gym in the afternoon. If that happens I would love to try and find a triathlon next spring!

First things first - I have a trail marathon to get ready for. We aren't going to be able to get out on the trails this weekend but I am hoping to get at least 13 miles in tomorrow (more if time allows and if the wind allows). Tomorrow will also be tough because we move the clocks ahead 1 hour so we lose an hour of sleep. Such as life when your a runner I guess - Happy running!!

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Saturday 3/1/08

“The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitudes.”
—Victor Frankl (1905-1997), Holocaust survivor, neurologist, psychologist, author

I posted this quote a few days back. It had been sent to be via email. Then about 2 days later, I found the same exact quote in a book I was reading. I figured it had to be really important if it was being made so obvious to me! BTW, the book was called "Eat That Frog" by Brian Tracy and it was a very good read - I highly recommend it!

OK, onto other things! I've been keeping my training pretty regular - running anyway. I haven't been lifting regularly. Truth is, I've been finding it quite difficult to fit in all the things I want to do in any given day. That reminds me of another quote I've heard: "You can do anything you want, but you can't do everything you want". I'm not sure who said it but I first heard it through LL and David Greenwalt. So, it pretty much comes down to the fact that I'm not making my fitness and my nutrition a top priority!

I was able to get in about 120 miles in February which I think is pretty good considering it is a short month. March has also started off well. We did just short of 14 miles on the trails this morning in about 3 hours. The trails we run are quite hard and it is GREAT preparation for our trail marathon. The group is going out again tomorrow but I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to make that one. It might not be a bad thing if I have to miss tomorrow because my legs are pretty sore right now.

I found out the other day that my son has gotten into my daughters elementary school (we have a choice system). I really didn't fear that he wouldn't but now we have to decide if we are going to accept the placement. The school I teach at has a Kindergarten class but we only have 4 kids signed up for it and we need at least 5. Our program is a full day program and the other one MAY be a full day program but that hasn't been officially decided yet. I worry that he me be "lost" in a really big class. Lost in that he is such a good kid that he won't get the attention that you get in a smaller class. He isn't into school as much as my daughter is and I think the extra attention he would get in the smaller class would get him off onto a better start. The good thing is that our director knows that we all have to make our decisions (of acceptance) by the 21st of this month so she will be making her decision in the next week or so.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Thinking Positive


THINKING POSITIVE

I woke up this morning after a 3rd night of not being able to sleep, I'm fighting a cold, my neck feels like it could spasm & it is that time of the month. I got myself out for my exercise, modified because of the above list, and decided something while I was out there. I need to decide to be positive. So here is the challenge: Decide to be positive all day.

1. The kids getting on your nerves - decide to be positive, many people want kids and can't have them.
2. Family (Parents, In-laws, Dh...) driving you nuts - decide to be positive, many people in this world are completely alone.
3. Falter on your program yesterday - decide to be positive, today is a new day and a fresh start.
4. Feeling bad about where you health is right now - decide to be positive, you are making a difference in you health each and every day.
5. Things at work driving you insane - decide to be positive, many people don't have jobs, money or a roof over their heads.

These are just a few. We all have things in our lives that get us down - Don't let it happen, BE POSITIVE TODAY!

Great quotes

I've been meaning to post these but life has been so crazy that I haven't gotten around to it. So, here they are in one big group (ok maybe not so big - LOL).

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
—J.K. Rowling (b. 1965), novelist
“Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable. ”
—Peter F. Drucker (1909-2005), writer, professor, management consultant
“The last of the human freedoms is to choose one's attitudes.”
—Victor Frankl (1905-1997), Holocaust survivor, neurologist, psychologist, author
These have all really given me things to think about. Especially that last one - we do choose what our attitudes are and will be. We don't have to be down in the dumps because of things going on around us. In fact, I posted something on a site I used to frequent a lot (and am getting back to more now) that deals with this topic and I think I'll go get it and post it because it is something that I need to re-read and keep reminding myself of.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Sunday 2/17/08

“Who, being loved, is poor?”
—Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), poet, playwright, novelist
I haven't posted in a while but this quote definitely needed to go up - I love it! I think we all forget this way too often. We don't need more money and more things. Sometimes the simple things are all we need to be and feel fullfilled.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

I'm Ready For A Break!



My legs are tired! In the past 4 days I've covered about 30 miles. So I'm going to take a break tomorrow - I may even sleep in a bit!!


I thought about taking today off but Lori was going to be out running with us and it has been a while since she has been able to make a weekday run so I decided to give it a try. I could tell pretty much right away that my legs were pretty darn tired. Then for some unknown reason, a couple of our group runners decided that they wanted to run fast. I say unknown reason because they kept saying how tired they were because the day before was so long and tiring. I stopped at 5 miles and when I took a look at our splits, the only mile that was over 10 m/m was the first one - all the others were faster. The other 3 runners decided to keep going after I stopped and I found out later that the next mile was done in like 7:50 m/m! I am SO glad I stopped at 5 - I kind of kicked myself for a second after I stopped but that faded quickly. Then to hear that time afterward.....boy did I make a GREAT decision!

So, I'll take tomorrow off and jump back into it on Thursday. I guess I am getting older because I haven't ever really experienced this before. I haven't even been lifting as much as I would like so it isn't that.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and I've decided that for Lent I will be trying to clean up my eating. I seem to be able to control my eating better durning this period. It doesn't really make sense to me but I guess my promise to God means more to me than a promise to myself. There is something very wrong in that statement. Now, don't get me wrong, promises and covenants with God need to have that sort of priority but wouldn't you think you deserve to give yourself that same sort of respect and commitment?!?! Something else to keep working on I guess.

Saturday, February 02, 2008

February '08 Begins

January '08 ended with a fall and a fender-bender. Not really the way I expected the day to go. I went for a 6 mile run, on Thursday with a friend, and close to the end of our session I caught my toe on a big metal plate and went down. Luckily, all my experience in many different sports has taught me how to fall. As I went down, I rolled with it and as a result I didn't really get hurt - just a bit of a bump on my elbow. Then on my way to school, someone ran into the back of our van. Luckily, no one was really hurt and there was no damage to either car. I will say that my neck and upper back are a touch sore but it is all muscle related. After a day like this one I was really hoping for a better February!

February '08 began yesterday with a huge rainy downpour all day long - not the start I was looking for. However, February 2nd has started out wonderfully! We were planning on running trails this morning but with all the rain yesterday, we decided to stay on the streets. So, we met at 5:30 am (which is a better start time for me anyway) and off we went. The temperature was about 35 degrees so I decided to go with loose tights, a short sleeve shirt and nylon jacket and no gloves. About a mile or so into the run, I was beginning to think I had mad a mistake about the gloves. However, true to form, in about 5 more minutes I was really glad I had left them in the car. My layers ended up being a perfect choice!

We ran 10 miles in about 1:45 (about 10:30 pace). The distance was nice, the temperatures were good, the company was great and the sunrise was pretty. Overall, a great way to start the weekend. The best part though was the fact that I was able to get home in time to have breakfast with the family. Last week, Will asked my husband why I didn't want to have breakfast with them anymore - talk about breaking my heart! So, this week especially, it was very cool that I was able eat with them! Tomorrow, we are planning on doing another 10 miles - 20 miles on the weekend is not bad.

My mileage for January was just shy of 100 miles. I'm shooting for about 125 each month so I was pretty far short of that monthly goal. I know though, as the warmer weather comes around the miles will start to increase and I may be able to make up the difference.

The registration for the trail marathon that we want to run is now open so I will be registering for that soon. Lori also wants to run a marathon in March (the trail marathon is at the end of April). I don't know about that one yet - I want to look at it a bit before committing. The good thing is that they are both local (day trips) so the only real cost is the race itself.

Off to clean the house - did I say February was starting off well?!?!?!?!?!

Monday, January 28, 2008

13 Years Ago Today.....

..... I Married the Love of My Life!

'nough said.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Trail Pictures






Here are the pictures that my daughter took on the trail. I think she did a wonderful job - especially considering that she is only 7 years old.


Awesome Saturday - 1/26/08

I had an awesome run today. It was our weekly trail run (we try to get out to the trail at least once a week anyway - doesn't always happen but we sure do try). It was quite cold at 6:45 am but when the sun came up it was beautiful! Most of the run is done right next to a river. There is still snow and ice (just a little) back on the trails and on the water and it can just take your breath away with its beauty!

We covered about 8 miles - at a nice easy pace (a little over 11 m/m). We had 6 runners show up. Three of them turned around at 3.5 miles and three of us went on to a bit over 4 before turning around. The only bad/scary part was the we came upon some hunters in the park. Last Saturday and today there was deer hunting in the Delaware portion of the park. There was not supposed to be any hunting done in the Pennsylvania portion of the park - which we confirmed with the park rangers before leaving. Unfortunately these idiots decided to ignore that fact. We almost turned around when we first saw them but the told us that they didn't realize it wasn't in PA as well and that they were going to stop and head back. They lied! All 6 of our group today ran into them again after we had turned around. When my group got back to our cars we stopped at the park office to report the incident but there wasn't anybody there. One of our group members knows some federal law enforcement personnel and he said that he was going to report the incident to them. Nothing will probably happen but it's just nice to know that you at least reported it.

Speaking of the group, we have been bouncing around the idea of giving our group a name. There are a number of running groups in the area but many of them just let you fend for yourself. If you are out on a trail and end up with some sort of problem, they just leave you. We make it a point to get everyone back safely - no one is left and no one goes back by themselves. It is one of the things that I love about this group, we all really care about each other! Lori came up with a name which I thought was really cool. I'm not sure how she wants to spell it but she came up with "The WhYers". This actually has a double meaning - we meet at the Y on week days which is meaning one and the second is why do we run? why do we run marathons? why do we run early in the morning? etc. I thought it was awesome!

I gotta go - the kids want to play Go Fish!

Friday, January 25, 2008

Great read!

I found this enty by Tom Venuto on his blog and thought it was great. It is something I want to keep in front of me to remind me of how important goals are and that I need to make them, read them, adjust them if necessary and of course achieve them! Enjoy!


Your Fitness Future Foretold: 20 Predictions for 2008
Tom Venuto
Happy new year! This is the first post in 2008 for the Burn The Fat Blog and today I’m going to predict your future and forecast exactly what kind of results you’re going to get in 2008. Sylvia Browne, step aside… I’m pretty good at this..

Several years ago, a public relations firm in New York City asked me to write an article for one of their publications about fitness trends and predictions for the coming year. It turned out that my “crystal ball” was pretty darn accurate. I nailed most of the predictions I made about aerobics classes, yoga, core training, “holistic” approaches, online personal training technology, the baby boomer market, increasing obesity and many other subjects.

I do confess, it wasn’t that difficult, because instead of just taking a stab in the dark at it, I actually did some research on industry statistics. I also had some “insider insights” because I’d been a health club manager for so many years and was privy to fitness business trends.

This year, instead of making predictions for the whole fitness industry, what if I could take out my crystal ball again and predict with 99% precision exactly what kind of results you will achieve with your body by the end of 2008?

Well, I can do that too!

I would claim that I have some kind of “gift” for this, but to be honest, you and I don’t need to be psychic to make predictions like these.

There are two things you can always count on: (1)Nature’s laws of cause and effect and (2) human nature.

On that basis, here are my 20 fitness predictions for 2008:
I PREDICT that if you can reach into your pocket on any day in 2008 and pull out a card or piece of paper with all your body and fitness goals written on it in vivid detail, the odds are 95 to 1 in favor of you achieving every one of those goals before the end of the year.
I PREDICT that if you focus your thoughts on your goals and how you are going to achieve them, all day long, you will reach your goals so fast in 2008, it will make your head spin.
I PREDICT that if you focus your thoughts on health woes and body fat problems and if you think about what you don’t want, all day long, your problems will get worse than ever this year.
I PREDICT that if you made a new year’s resolution, but you didn’t turn it into a specific, written goal with a deadline and a strong reason why you must achieve it, you will freely abandon it the moment the going gets tough.
I PREDICT that if you can tell me all the reasons why achieving your health and fitness goals are important to you, you will be motivated from within to stick with it when the going gets tough
I PREDICT that at times, the going is going to get tough.
I PREDICTthat if you can tell me today what is your life purpose and what is your lifelong vision for your body and your health, you will still be as motivated and driven at the end of the year as you were at the beginning.
I PREDICT that if you don’t have long term goals and a “big picture” vision for your life that you will lose your New Year’s enthusiasm and motivation in a matter of months or even weeks.
I PREDICT that the way you see yourself in your mind’s eye today will be an exact reflection of what you see in the mirror at the end of the year.
I PREDICT that if you have a setback that seems to get in the way of you reaching your health and fitness goals and you tell yourself “this just is temporary; this too shall pass,” then it won’t set you back and it will pass.
I PREDICT that if you believe the way your body looks today is out of your control and you feel helpless or powerless to change, you won’t even make much of an effort this year.
I PREDICT that if you accept complete responsibility for the way your body looks today and you believe that you have the power to change, that you will take action and keep taking action, even through the tough times.
I PREDICT that if you’re unhappy with your physical condition and you say, “it’s not my fault” or you blame it on genetics, hormones or age, then your body will look pretty much the same at the end of 2008 as it did on New Year’s day.
I PREDICT that the more you have patience, a long term perspective and the ability to postpone immediate gratification, the more likely you are to be a success one year from now.
I PREDICT that the more you seek “miracle pills” or “quick fixes,” the more likely you are to be a failure one year from now.
I PREDICT that you will be tempted by many quick fixes in 2008.
I PREDICT that if you hang out with losers and negative people this year, you will become just like them.
I PREDICT that if you hang out with winners and positive people this year, you will become just like them.
I PREDICT that you will run into more negative people and losers this year than positive people and winners.
I PREDICT that if you recruit just one friend or support partner that stands behind you and the lifestyle changes you want to make in 2008, you will double your chances for success. If you surround yourself with numerous support partners, you will become virtually unstoppable. So how does your future look for 2008?

Based on my “predictions,” if it doesn’t look as bright as you’d like it to be, then don’t worry, because a prediction is not predestination.

You can’t do anything to change the past, but by changing your thoughts, attitudes and actions in the present moment, the future is yours to create.Your friend and coach,
Tom Venutowww.BurnTheFat.com