Wednesday 6/20/07

Training has been very good lately. I've had some very productive runs. Today's workout was speedwork: 9 x 400. I haven't looked at my paces yet but I felt like I was working pretty hard. The weather was not helping - at 5:15 am it was 71 degrees and 93% humidity. We had a storm front come through last night and it is making for some really icky weather.

I'm really beginning to wonder whether I want to go through all the trouble of trying to lose weight while training for this race. I have been maintaining my weight at about 140 for a while now and have been struggling to lose more. Most of my problem is mental and I realize that - a part of my brain keeps telling me that I look good at 140 so why do I want to drop lower. Would I look better at 130 or 135? Probably, but I just can't seem to get all cylinders firing at the same time. Anyway, something to ponder!

Saturday 6/16/07

WOW has this week gone by quickly! It started a little crazy but ended with a really fun time. Yesterday we took the kids to Dutch Wonderland (DW) which is an amusement park. It is really nice for younger kids because it isn't huge like the Hershey Parks and the Disney parks. DW has a small water section with slides and a play area as well as your typical ride section. The kids are able to make it around the entire park and do everything they want without being so exhausted that all you do is fight by the end of the day.

I think it was a really good way to end the week especially for Will. Although I have to say both kids got some other treats this week as well. Ally got to spend some 1 on 1 time with Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop and I took Will to see Shrek 3. It made me feel really good when he got so excited telling people that we did a special thing together - just the 2 of us. He was more excited about that than he was to see the movie - melts your heart!

Workouts this week have been really good. I completed all my workouts including a 10.5 mile run this morning. I tried using my Hammer Nutrition products that I received earlier this week and they worked really well. I didn't have any stomach problems and used both gels and Heed (lemon-lime flavor). I added a bit too much water to my Heed powder so it was really diluted but I still liked the flavor and it didn't leave any aftertaste in my mouth which is what I was really looking for. I also have a packet of the orange flavor and will try that tomorrow. I think I may also have a local place that sells the Hammer products - now all I have to do is find it. I know generally where it is but I haven't seen any signs or anything for it so I'm not positive.

I was also excited to see that I've now run over 300 miles this year! When I first put that ticker up on the blog I just picked a number that I thought would be a real challenge to hit. One that would give me incentive to go out and run each morning. Now here we are, half way through June and I'm already over 300 miles. The interesting thing now will be to see just how many miles I can run in a year!

Until next time!

We both did well!

Yes, we both made it through the ordeal without too much difficulty. Will got upset only two times. The first time, which was pretty funny, was when he was supposed to put on one of the hospital gowns. He was wearing his Thomas the Tank Engine jammies and did not want to wear the gown. He cried and tried to run away and screamed and cried some more. We eventually decided that we wouldn't fight it.

The second time he freaked out was when he was coming out of his anesthesia. He was ANGRY because we wouldn't let him get down and walk around. The nurse was great and explained to us that because the anesthesia wasn't out of his system, he needed to either stay in bed or sit on our lap. She did say that if we held onto his arms/hands we could walk him around since he was fussing so much. Will didn't want any part of any of those situations. So, it came down to me holding him on my lap (in a big bear hug) while he screamed and cried and punched and kicked (all at me) and just pretty much tried everything he could do to squirm out of my arms. This probably lasted 25 minutes or so and then is just switched off and he was his normal loving self. It was very strange to watch - when he was upset, he didn't want any of the drinks or foods that the nurse was offering him. After he calmed down, he drank some juice, had a Popsicle and drank a Slurpee/icee. He was a totally different person. He doesn't remember any of the violence and the nurses told us that it would probably happen that way.

As a result of all that, I am already really sore. All the muscles in my back hurt. Just sitting still is uncomfortable and when I reach my arms in front of me like I would in a hug, I can feel every single muscle in my back - and yes they all hurt.

However, it was all worth it! His eyelid is all clear out and the doctor said he couldn't believe all the gunk in his eyelid. It pretty much filled his whole lid. He got 2 stitches to close it up and can't go swimming until Friday or Saturday. I'm going to take him to see a movie tomorrow so that should be fun. I'm just really happy that it is all finished and that we can hopefully move on and not worry about this any more!

We Need your Prayers!

This morning is Will's surgery. Please keep us in your prayers! We have to be at the hospital at 8:45 am and his surgery is at 10:15 am. The procedure is supposed to take about 30 minutes but we could potentially be there all day. I'm really hoping that everything goes smoothly, on all levels, and that we are out of there pretty quickly. I must admit that even though I know it is a very routine procedure, I'm getting a touch nervous. I know this will turn out just fine but he is and always will be my "baby".

My parents are watching Ally so it is really cool that she doesn't have to sit with us and be board to tears. She is going to have a great time with them (as she always does).

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Saturday 6/9/07

Today's long run felt really hard. My legs felt very heavy and tired. I still ran it at a good pace but I never really felt "good" this morning. It was quite humid and that may have had something to do with it. In addition, I did some lifting the other day and my legs were a bit sore still. Not that it really matters - I'm going to have days when I feel awful and days when I feel like I'm flying. The important thing is that I got my 9 miles in. It took me 1:20 and my pace was 8:48m/m. I'm feeling a bit sore and stiff right now so I'm definitely going to be doing some more stretching as the day progresses.

I think I'm going to try and get a 2nd pair of running shoes today. I can't remember if I wrote before, but Bill got me 2 gift cards for a local women's sports store for my birthday. I think I'm going to get the same shoe I have right now. I've read different things about it - some say get different types of shoes so that your foot gets a different feel and others say to stick with the same shoe because you know it is already a good shoe for you. I'm just going with the same shoe and see how it goes. If I continue with the longer distances, I may try a different shoe after the marathon.

Have a great weekend!

Friday 6/8/07

"The five S's pf sports training are: Stamina, Speed, Strength, Skill and Spirit; but the greatest of these is Spirit."Ken Doherty, former coach and Penn Relays director

Today was a pretty trying day. First thing this morning I had to take our dog to the vet. Let me just say, Boomer (my dog), does not like the vet at all. It is always stressful for both him and us when we go - not to mention expensive!

Then in the afternoon, we had to take Will (my son) to the hospital for his pre-surgical check-up. Today was pretty much just paper work and physical type stuff but it still makes you realize that he is have surgery on Monday. He has a blocked oil duct on his eye lid and the surgeon is going to make a small incision and unblock it. Everyone is telling us that it is a short easy procedure but it isn't really the procedure that concerns me. You never know how someone is going to react to anesthesia and that is really the part that concerns me about the whole day. I know deep down that God is looking over us all and will watch over him and keep him safe but I guess it is human nature to worry - I need to find a way to hand it all over to Him and be at peace.

Today was a rest day and tomorrow is my long run (9 miles). I have been able to drop about 3 pounds since starting my last goal on LL. My eating has in no way been perfect but I think I'm actually starting to turn things around. I am thinking about things before I eat them - I think that is a positive step. Sometimes I still give in and eat the "crap" but at other times I am able to stop myself and either make a better choice or just forgo all together.

One thing I am disappointed in is that I have only gotten 1 donation, for Tim, from my daughter's Kindergarten class. I would have expected to have gotten more of a response from them in particular. I sent notes to the entire school but didn't necessarily expect everyone to run up and donate. I did however, expect the Kindergarten class to show more support. This isn't to say that I won't hear from them as the summer progresses - I just don't know.

Until next time!

Happy Birthday to Me & Day 2!

No I'm not crazy, it is not day 1 of my birthday, it is day 2 of my challenge. Yesterday was a pretty good day and my weight dropped to 140.5. Just so that everyone knows, at LL we track our weight daily. I don't get all that hung up on the number because I know that weight can fluctuate wildly in the course of the day. Until I started at LL, I never realize just how much what we eat and drink can effect our daily weight - I knew it fluctuated but didn't realize the extent of that fluctuation. I realize that some out there would consider daily weigh-ins excessive. However, I feel that as long as you don't get obsessive about it, it is a great tool. Coach Dave suggests you weigh daily and plot it on a chart (done for you at Club Lifestyle). By doing this you really do see trends and the big picture. Trends are important (especially for women) because you can get a handle on what happens to your body within a given month. The big picture is obviously important - even if your weight goes up and down every day, by plotting it on the chart you can watch the overall weight move downward - very motivating!

As for my birthday - I started it out with a great interval workout. I ran a total of 4.7 miles and the average pace was 8:08m/m which included my warm-up and cool-down running. I've also made some of Hokie's Sweet Potato Brownies. So far a pretty productive morning! We are going out to dinner tonight - I think I'll choose Red Lobster as my dinner place that way I can get some yummy food but try and keep it a bit on the healthy side. I want to enjoy the food and the company (my family of course) but not go completely off the deep end.

I'm also really excited about starting a Bible Study! Kristen, Julie, Melissa, Helen and I are going to be studying Max Lucado's book called It's Not About Me and I am really looking forward to it. It has been a long time since I've been able to participate in one. Ever since I started working, I lost my weekly Bible study group and I have really missed it. It will be good to get back into a study group.

Well, off to run some errands!

Tuesday 6/5/07 - 7 DAY CHALLENGE

I am issuing a 7 Day Challenge to myself:

7 Days to:

Follow my exercise plan

Eat according to my LL plan

Record my calories correctly and accurately

I am also going to take some circumference measurements and will add them to this post after I take them. My eating has been my weak point lately (as per the norm.) and this needs to change. My marathon plan is really starting to kick into high gear and the miles will be adding up quickly. I need to make sure I am giving my body the good fuel it needs so that I stay healthy and injury free!
I took a break and did all my measurements. Now I must note that the skinfold I took is a 1 site test, which isn't going to be the most accurate and it is taken at the hip area which happens to be my worst spot. So, I believe it to be a bit high but the important thing is that it gives me an objective number to compare against. For better or for worst, here are the numbers:

Date: 6/5/07 Time taken: 8:30 am

Weight: 141.5
Body fat: 24%
Fat pounds: 34#
LBM: 107.5#
Upper chest: 35.75in
Chest: 36.75in
Rib cage: 33.5in
Waist: 35.25in
Hips: 37.5in
Thighs (avg): 20in
Calves (avg): 14in

Well there it is. I will stay with my challenge for 7 days and then take the measurements again - not necessarily the body fat values but definitely the circumferences and we'll see how I do.

Feel free to call me out if I don't post my progress. Speaking of progress, I had a good run this morning. I went 4.7 miles and ran at a pace of 8:05m/m. I still need to get some lifting in today and I will be taking the kids to the pool after lunch. Looks like another busy day!

Saturday 6/2/07

"Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is usually more important than the outcome."
Arthur Ashe, tennis player

I've been getting motivational quotes from Runners World and I love this one. The best part is that it is true. Just by keeping at it, day in and day out, you become a success. You may not be where you originally pictured yourself but you will be better off than when you started. How many times have we told ourselves: "I don't think I'll exercise today because I'm just too tired." but then we force ourselves to get out and do it anyway and feel absolutely AWESOME for having accomplished the task. The journey that we traveled in order to complete the exercise session that day, made us a success in that one aspect of our lives. Deep stuff for sure (LOL)!

Yes, I did get out and exercise today - 8 miles. It felt pretty good. The pace was around 8:45m/m and the temperature was around 70 degrees when I started at 5:30 am. The first heat wave is officially here. Nothing monumental happened - it was just a nice run on a nice morning.

Nutrition has been fair this week. There were actually a couple of days when I didn't prepare well enough but overall I'm slowly dropping a couple of pounds and will drop down at least 10 pounds for the race. That is one of my goals - to run the race at 130#. I think that is a doable weight that I can not only attain but also stick with over a period of time.

Hoping to have a nice fun day with the family. Maybe get to the pool or go for a bike ride. Have a great weekend!

I just realized that I have officially passed the 1/2 way mark to my goal of running 500 miles. I now know that I'm going to pass that total relatively easily - I made the goal before I decided to train for a marathon. It will still be cool to pass 500 miles and then see how far I can go during the rest of the year!

Thank God it is almost Friday!

This week has been really hard because I spent all week clean up my classroom. I have been exhausted!!! But today was finally the end. After the day was over, I took the kids to the pool for the first time this summer. We had a great time and I actually got a chance to swim some laps and boy am I OUT of swimming shape! The pool is a 50 meter pool and I've only ever used a 25 meter pool so it was pretty weird. My foot almost cramped a couple of times too. I was only swimming down and back, mostly so the kids were left unattended, and I was pretty wiped when I got back. It will be interesting to see if I get sore tomorrow. I am definitely going to try to incorporate laps each time we go. I won't be able to do any prolonged lap swimming because I will be alone with the kids and I don't want to leave them alone. I have them sit on the side, out of the water, and I feel bad about that so I won't do anything farther than down and back at one time.

My running has been moving on pretty well. I missed a session on Wednesday because I was absolutely exhausted from cleaning my room and then class on Tuesday night. I was forced to clean up my classroom all by myself this week. I have to say that it did tick me off just a bit (there should have been at least 2 and possibly 3 people) doing the work that I did this week. On top of having to do it all myself, I had the kids with me as well - it is just really hard because the kids get bored and I just didn't have the time to stop and entertain them.

Tomorrow is an off day for my running and I am going to do something that I haven't done in I can't tell you how long. I am going to sleep in! It may be 6am when I get up and I don't care. The point is, I'm not getting up with an alarm and I can't wait!!

Off to plan for tomorrow!

No More Whining!

I've had enough of myself! I've been making excuses and it is now going to stop. School is finished (inservice days next week) and there is now excuse for not eating right and getting my "stuff" done!

Today has been really good so far. I had a pretty good run this morning: 8ish miles in 1:10 (8:45 pace). I tried having 2 GU gels (one before and one during) for fuel and it seemed to work OK. I had vanilla and chocolate. I wasn't real thrilled with the vanilla but I'm willing to give it one more try before I write it off.

My eating has been good so far and I'm planning on keeping it that way! Off to get some of those jobs finished!

My daughter has officially graduated from Kindergarten

It was a beautiful program today! I don't have any pictures right now but I will try and post some when I get them.

Will sang during the first program and his class was precious. He tends to not sing a whole lot during the programs (he saves his singing for me). But there was one little boy in his class that pretty much ran the show. Unfortunately, he always seemed to start the songs early so the pianist, the teachers and the rest of the class always seemed to be playing catch-up. It was very cute though.

Ally sang in the second program and the whole class did a wonderful job! Then our director spoke and we all said goodbye to Donna (Ally's teacher) and I don't think there was a dry eye in the place. I am going to miss her a lot. She is a wonderful person and teacher!

After the programs were over we had a small party for the graduates and then we went out to lunch (Bill, myself, Ally, Will and my parents). After that we came back to the house to give my Mom her birthday and Mother's day presents. We got her a digital picture frame (I got one too) and it looks really cool!

Off to do some house projects.

I'm Angry with Myself!

I have now officially gained back all the weight I worked so hard to take off over the past couple of months! My eating has been out of control and I can't seem to find the desire to get it back on track. I will keep to my plan for a day or so and then off the plan I go. I know this is an out tune but I can't seem to get myself to stay on track and I don't understand it!!!



I can't seem to come up with good weekly leverages. It just seems like my "willpower" doesn't get me through the week and yes I have been known to "blow-off" the leverage that I have set-up. So obviously, they aren't the correct leverages and don't mean crap to me.



I want to just flip that almighty switch and have the feeling I had last year at this time. I was in the Leanness Lifestyle groove and the weight was dropping fast. I was working and still managing to get my second workouts finished. Now, I will say that my work dynamics have changed: I am now a lead teacher (vs. an assistant teacher) which requires A LOT more home prep work and my daughter is in full day Kindergarten, so in the middle of the afternoon I have to stop everything I'm doing and go back to school and pick her up. Last year, I was on my bike during the time that I now go to pick her up. I'm also taking a night class which has a fair amount of homework. That being said, others manage working full-day jobs and get their workouts finished.



I'm just so frustrated with myself! I know what I'm supposed to do but just can't seem to get it done. I feel like it is affecting my entire life. My house is a mess and I'm not giving my husband the attention he needs or deserves either.

I started this post the other day with plans of adding more - I think I'll end it and move on to another post.

Just found this video of Coach competing

Way to go Coach - awesome transformation! Leanness Lifestyle is an awesome program and one that everyone can follow. You don't have to desire to be a competetive bodybuilder. You just need to want to become healthier. However, look at the amazing body that you can achieve just by following the Leanness Lifestyle!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i71kCynMUNE

My competitiveness got the best of me....

......I decided to run the entire race.

It was a great day for a race. I'm not sure what the temperature was at the start but it was in the mid to upper 50's. There was a bit of a breeze - you hardly felt it during some sections of the course and really got smacked in the face in other sections.

This was actually the first year for the 10 mile race. It was run in conjunction with the DE Marathon and a marathon relay. The whole day was run very well. There were food and clothing vendors and a health fair. The marathon is sponsored by the Christiana Care Health System and is actually a fundraiser for them. Overall I was very impressed with the whole day - the medical setup was first rate, the police coverage was awesome, the volunteers were great and the whole thing went very smoothly (everything was kept pretty much on schedule).

As for the race itself, the cannon (and yes it was a small cannon) went off and I jumped about 2 feet in the air but managed to move with the crowd to the start line. My initial goal was to finish in about 1:20 which would put me at about 8m/m but as is the norm for me at the beginning of a race, I shot out with everyone else. I kept telling myself to stay true to my plan and run within myself. Needless to say, when I looked down at my watch and saw a pace of about 6m/m I decided to slow down just a bit. I found someone ahead of me (runner #1146 - don't know his name) and decided to just keep him about 10 yards in front of me. He seemed to have a good pace going and it was working well for me.

I think it was around mile 4 I found myself surging up a hill. It wasn't actually a planned surge, I was just moving my arms and legs and found myself catching up to the runner. I looked at my watch and I was again at about 6m/m, it didn't feel real hard but I knew that I didn't want to try and maintain that pace. Our course then moved from the city streets to the park around the river. It is a beautiful area! We ran along the river until we came to the bridge and boy wasn't that hard to run across. I was really bouncing with all the people going across and it jarred me quite a few times. Shortly after crossing the bridge, near mile 7, I was really starting to feel it. The sun was out and shining brightly and frankly it was starting to get quite warm (no breeze in this section of the course). I was actually entertain ideas of slowing down but I just picked out a person in front of me ( he was wearing a blue shirt and red shorts) and tried to stay with him.

After that section, between mile 7 and 8, the sun went behind some clouds and the running got a bit easier. That is until we got closer to the Riverfront area (close to the start/finish area) - this was one of the areas where the wind was really strong! But, by this time I was closing in on the finish and I really felt like I had a bit left in my tank. I had been able to pull up even with the runner in the blue shirt and now I was pulling away from him. There were another 2 runners (young girls - under 18) who had been running in the same pack I was and they had even more in their tanks because they pulled away from me quite easily. But at this point, I was in the last straight away and I knew I was going to make my time goal and I just kept pushing as hard as I could. I almost caught one of the 2 girls but not quite, I think I was a second behind.

My finishing time was......Gun time 1:16:00 and Chip time 1:15:51. That works out to be a pace of 7:36m/m. Good for 3rd place in my age group! I was the 6th woman to finish and the 21st overall finisher. The trophies they gave out are quite unique, they are bobble-head trophies. They actually look pretty cool! I will put pictures up a little later.

I am thrilled with how I did! I haven't looked it up but I think today's time was just about the same as my 15K race last October and it is a farther distance! The funniest part to the whole day.....remember runner #1146? After the race, he came up to me and thanked me for being his pacer because he had been keeping me within about 10 yards in order to maintain his pace. I just laughed and then told him that I had actually been doing the EXACT same thing to him for the first 4-5 miles. You just never know what is going to happen during the course of a race!

I'm a bit sore right now so I think I'll probably take the day off tomorrow or maybe go for an easy walk. Have a great evening everyone - I will post a link to the results when they are available.

Pre-race: Sunday 5/20/07

I've had my breakfast and have started to get the rest of my stuff together. Yes, the jitters have started. It is a weird feeling to have all my race stuff already. It throws off my timing for when to get there. Plus they will be closing road to get ready for the race so I don't want to wait too long and get caught in that mess. I just like to get myself set and ready nice and early - unfortunately, I don't really like to wait and those 2 things don't go together too well (LOL)!

It also looks like the weather is going to be nice for us. There was the possibility of some scattered storms but I think the whole thing passed on by us overnight. I think the temperature is going to be nice as well.

Off to finish my prep. More details later!

Have I found an answer......?

I think I may have figured out why I've been feeling so weird about this race. I think my psyche is having trouble reconciling the run/walk technique with my competitiveness. When I run in a race, I've always tried to do my best and shoot for age group wins/placings. Now I've started doing this run/walk technique - I have really loved doing them on my long runs and I think it will be a necessity for this first marathon where my goal is to just finish. If, after the MCM, I decide to continue to run in marathons, one of my goals may be to run the whole thing and then eventually finish by a certain time, shoot for PRs etc. But for this first one it is just to finish and I think my brain will be OK with that technique during the race but for this one I'm struggling. I know I can run 10 miles and I always love to shoot for age group runs in my 15K in the fall (not all that much different in distance) so I think my head wants to do the same for this race. I'm actually thinking about combining the 2 attitudes: run the first half of the course using the run/walk technique and then for the last half of the race try to run it straight and see what time I can get. I'm just going to see how I feel tomorrow and go with it!

I was able to sit down and talk with Donna yesterday about Tim. The more I learn about what happened to him, the more it scares me. He has a condition called Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome (PAPS) which is also called Hughes Syndrome. Basically what happens is the body produces antibodies that attach themselves to the fat cells in the body (the phospholipids) and together they cause clots to form in the body. The clots can form anywhere - his formed near his heart so he had a heart attack. It could have just as easily formed in his brain and he could have had a stroke. He was healthy and took great care of himself - he had no control over the situation. He was a ticking time bomb and never knew it. There are tests to check for the antibodies but, especially when there aren't any symptoms, it isn't something anyone would ever think to check for. Now that they know he has the condition, it is treatable but because of the damage it caused over the years, he needed the new heart and has all sorts of other problems to deal with. He is a very amazing person and I think I'm going to get a chance to meet him in a couple of weeks. I am VERY excited about that - I will also gather up more details about him and post that at a later date.

I'm (with the help of friends and family) coming up with many great ideas on how to raise money. I don't really know how many people actually read my blog, but if anyone out there reads this and is interested in helping Tim's cause please feel free to contact me and let me know. I will be creating a bank account under a name like "Run for Tim" so no one will have to worry about me keeping the money. That is actually something that has been worrying me - I don't want people to be afraid that I'm just going to take this money. Tim needs it so badly and I just want to help! I'm thinking about making some silicone bracelets and selling them as well as making up some T-shirts. The idea for the T-shirt is twofold - for those willing to donate a certain amount (haven't set the amount yet) they will get their names on the back of the shirt and receive a shirt and those that can't quite manage that level could just buy a basic shirt. No designs have been created or finalized yet but I'm excited about the idea (both of them).

I made Julie B's brownies yesterday and she was right they are AMAZING! They are most definitely going into the end of year gift packs. I'm stopping at a supply store today to get boxes and then will get them packaged up and out of the house as soon as I can! I can't imagine how many calories are in each piece - truth is, I don't want to know (LOL)!! The recipe says it makes 20 big brownies but I am cutting them up into little pieces because they are unbelievably rich and sweet.

I'm also going to pick up my race packet today. This is actually the first race that I will pick up the packet before the day of the race - just something else to add to the newness of the situation. I'm also taking my daughter to a birthday party today. She was invited to a roller skating party. Finally, my husband needs to go into work for a while in the early evening (I may have to leave the party a touch early in order to get home). Not really the nice restful day I would have planned on the day before a long race. But it is life and I love it!

Until tomorrow!

Thursday 5/17/07

Today was a pretty average day. I went out for a nice easy 3 mile run (only ran about 2.6 because of a bathroom stop). It actually felt a bit empty, probably because I had a purpose during the tempo run and none here. It is nice when you can just let your mind wonder (and my mind was on Tim and all the things I want to do with the fundraiser) but it just didn't feel "right". I don't mean to say that it was a bad run because I felt good during the whole run. It was just a mental thing.

Tomorrow is a rest day and I think I'm going to do just that. Sometimes I will do a cross-training session on my rest days but with the race on Sunday, I think I rest today and maybe go out for a walk on Saturday. I'm getting excited about Sunday but nervous at the same time. It's weird because I've run 15Ks before without any problem - so what makes this race any different? I know I'm in great shape so that isn't the reason. I guess it is because I'm going to use the run-walk technique but that isn't going to stop me from finishing it would only make it easier. I don't know! Maybe it is just because so much is going on in my life right now that I'm worrying about anything and everything.

Off to plan for tomorrow - going to make the brownie recipe that Julie B. posted in her blog tomorrow. If it turns out well (and I know it will) I'm going to put it in my end of school year gifts.

Wednesday 5/16/07

I had a great run this morning! It was a 35 minute Tempo run - I did 10 minutes warm-up, 15 minute run and 10 minute cool down. I covered 4.5 miles and I was consistently in the 7 - 8 m/m range during the run part of the workout. The overall pace was 8:16m/m. I will say that my legs were feeling a bit tired after the run (while I was making breakfast and getting ready for school etc.). But have felt better as the day has progressed.

I went to a women's sports store and bought a new pair of running shoes today. I realized that my current pair has well over 300 miles on them. I will be using both sets of shoes for a little while. Then when the next version of the Asics Gel-Cumulus comes out I will try to get this earlier model at a discounted price.

After I got my shoes, Will and I stopped at a park and walked/ran on some trails. He has amazing amounts of energy! I can't believe how well he handles those types of activities, especially considering he is only 4. I'm really looking forward to being able to take the kids to the parks during the day (after school lets out). They both seem to love walking on the trails so I want to encourage it as much as I can!

Time to go pick up Ally from school!

Tuesday 5/15/07

Things are going well with my training and my eating. Yesterday was a "perfect" day! I was able to do a Cardio Coach workout and I followed my nutrition plan to a tee.

Today was a 3.5 mile run. I was a bit tired when I got up this morning which is normal because I'm up late Monday nights. I've really enjoyed the class I'm taking, and have learned a great deal, but boy does it wear me out on Tuesday mornings. However, I did get myself out and had a good run. I went 3.8 miles and ran it at a pace of 8:30m/m

Today was also our last gym day of the school year. I can't believe that we only have a little more than a week left of school. My little girl will be graduating from the school (our school goes through kindergarten) - I'll have to put her on a bus next year and send her to a different school. I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with that but I'll just take it one step at a time.

Speaking of one step at a time, my 10 miler is just 5 days away. I'm really looking forward to it! Packet pick-up starts Saturday at 11am and the race begins at 7:10am on Sunday (the marathon starts at 7am). Even as I sit here ant write about it, the nerves start to tingle. I am going to use the run/walk technique but I'm also going to try and push the pace while I'm running. I think I'll use a Gatorade and water combo for fuel during the race. I've had GU once but I don't want to risk it messing with my stomach during the race. My goal for the race to to maintain 8m/m and finish in a time of 1:20:00. Last October, I ran the 15K at a 7:30m/m pace so I think the 8 is doable. Only time will tell.......until tomorrow!

Sunday 5/13/07

Happy Mother's Day to all those Moms out there!

I had a great day yesterday playing with the kids in the pool (at a birthday party). They have progressed a lot since the start of last summer. I can't wait to get them to the pool this year and start their swim lessons. I have no doubt that they will be little fish by the end of the summer!

All the playing in the pool really took its toll though - I was exhausted last night! I was in bed at 9pm and pretty much fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I got up this morning as usual but it was raining and I was still pretty tired. So, I laid down on the sofa for about 2 hours and then got up and did my run. I went about 3.5 miles and my pace was 8:12m/m. I felt like a really easy pace so I was surprised to see the 8:12 when I was finished - it just didn't feel like I was going that fast.

I'm really looking forward to next weekend. I will pick up my race packet on Saturday and then the race begins at 7:10 am. I am going to stick to my workout plan for the beginning of the week but I'm not sure how I will alter the end of the week. I will be doing either some easy runs or maybe some cross-training. I'll just see how it goes.

Bill got called out for an emergency this morning (at work) so I'm not sure what the rest of the day will be like. I was hoping to go out for lunch but I don't think he is going to be home in time. I guess the kids and I will just eat here. If I don't hear from him soon I may go out and run some errands - it is a beautiful day and I don't really feel like sitting inside all day!

Saturday 5/12/07

I ran 9+ miles today and feel pretty good about the session. My pace was about 8:25m/m and it took me about 1:15 to finish the workout. My knees are a bit creaky this afternoon but overall I feel good. I'm about to take the kids to a birthday party at a pool. I'm hoping to be able to get in with the kids and work my legs out a bit - we'll just have to see how it goes.

Food hasn't been so good the past couple of days and I really need to get back on track. I made my weight goal and my head then tells my body to "celebrate" with a piece of junk. It has happened to me before. I don't want to let it get out of hand! I will also be able to get in some extra cross-training soon. There is only a couple more weeks of school and then we will be able to get to the pool and add in some extra bike workouts.

Off to the birthday party!

I'M IN - IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

I'm entered into the Marine Corp Maration!

I am so excited about this - I don't think I ever thought I would actually ever do a marathon but thanks to Kat for giving me a little nudge I am now going to realize a dream!

It is also giving me the chance to help someone in need. Which makes it all the more special!!

Tuesday 5/8/07

This past weekend was not a fun one. I ended up working my tail off doing homework for class and finishing projects for our Spring Arts Night at school. The worst part was trying to finish one of my homework assignments because I didn't really understand the homework. I worked on it for hours (and I'm not exaggerating) and I still don't think I did it right. At least everyone, in my class, seemed to be equally confused and frustrated. I didn't feel quite as "stupid" when I found out that everyone was struggling.

I didn't realize just how much of an energy drain it was to go through that sort of process. It gives you a look into the world of those that deal with those types of feeling on a daily basis. I was so drained on Monday morning that I did not even exercise. I got up to do it but just couldn't get out the door. Then it was a long day of school and then class in the evening. However, I did get out this morning for a run. It felt really good and started my day off on the right foot.

I'm taking my son to the opthamologist in about 30 minutes. I think he has a sty on his eye lid but it has been acting weird so our family MD suggested we go to an opthamologist. It seems to be coming to a head at this point so I'm hoping it will clear up soon. The good part is that it has really seemed to bother him at all. I just want to get some answers.

Then tonight is Tball. We just got the kids a new bat so I think they will be really excited to use it. We did a bit of hitting in the back yard over the weekend and both the kids did really well. I'll be interested to see how they do when using the T (we were tossing the ball to the kids this weekend).

Times up until next time!

Sunday 5/6/07

I have to admit that I'm a touch bummed this morning. Yesterday was a great day! I had an awesome run and my eating was pretty good. I did have a dinner that was high in sodium so I'm thinking that it was the culprit. I really thought I would make my goal weight this morning but it actually went up a .5 pound. Realistically, I know it is water weight and I'm not overly concerned about it - I was just really excited about the day yesterday and thought I would be at goal today. Such is life, I just have to drink a boat load of water today and just keep on - keepin' on!

On the good side, I got out for my run this morning and my legs felt pretty good. I didn't feel overly tired or sluggish which I think is a good sign that I'm not progressing too fast.

Today will be a busy work day - lots of projects to get done. Unfortunately, all of it is school related (work school and class school). I still have to finish my homework and then finish some work projects for our Spring Arts Night. Luckily, Bill is taking Will to his birthday party and I will have some time to get stuff done. I had originally wanted to take Ally out and do something special but I realised last night that I have A LOT to get finished today AND when I woke up this morning a cold front had moved in and has really kicked up the wind. I don't think we would be very comfortable doing things outside today.

Speaking of birthday parties - I have take my kids to more birthday parties in the last month or so, than I think I attended in my entire life! Everybody has a lot of fun but it takes up a great deal of time and it is getting a touch expensive. Just a bit of a rant!

Off to start my busy day with a childless (my children that is) church service. I'm really looking forward to the quiet time with the Lord - hard to do with the kids sitting next to me trying to get my attention all the time.

Saturday 5/5/07

I had a great run this morning. I ran 8.3 miles and felt great (8:30m/m)! There was only one time when I felt like my legs were a little heavy and I know exactly why it happened. At around 5 miles, I stopped to use the bathroom and when I got going again my legs were feeling a bit tired. The sensation went away pretty quickly though.

The weather is great right now for morning running. It was 47 degrees when I got started so I was a bit chilly at the beginning but I'm able to do the entire run in shorts and a long sleeve shirt. I love when I don't have to put on 100 layers just to get out and exercise. The sunrise was beautiful again today. However, the best part was that I saw a red fox. It probably had babies somewhere close because it was MAD at me! I've never heard a fox make any noise and was very surprised to hear it squawk at me - it sounded a lot like a bird. I was actually afraid for a minute that it might charge at me. I was trying to give it lots of space. The whole incident went off without incident though and boy did it give me a boost - it is very cool to see nature out and about. We (humans) are spreading out so much that seeing things like that have become such a rarity.

Well off to do the rest of my day - I think I'm heading out the door to have a catch with my daughter!

Thursday 5/3/07 & Friday 5/4/07

My legs are starting to feel the fatigue of this week (21.2 miles since Saturday). Tomorrow is a non-running day and I think I will enjoy it. I will probably not exercise in the am and then just do some easy biking in the afternoon. I still have a weight loss goal to reach so I don't want to completely stop exercising but it will definitely be an easy day tomorrow. Saturday is my scheduled long run and I'm shooting for between 7 & 8 miles.

It was definitely a struggle to get out the door this morning but between the weight loss goal and keeping Tim in my thoughts, I was able to get out.

I actually started this entry on Thursday morning and then never got back to it - oh well! Today was supposed to be a rest day and it was pretty much an easy day. I was able to get on the bike for a nice easy spin for about 25 minutes. Tomorrow will be different though! It is my long run day so it will be out the door a little after 5am to go to my Saturday morning path. I have really come to look forward to those runs. I love running and watching the sun start to come up - seeing all the different colors in the sky is just amazing!

It's funny, just last year I was almost afraid to do a run that was in the 8 mile range - and even thinking about a marathon was TOTALLY out of the question. It is amazing how much your body and mind can change in the course of a year. I guess that is the whole point - always striving to push yourself to something new. It doesn't have to be huge like an ultra marathon, it just has to be something new and different and challenging to you.

Wednesday 5/2/07 - Plus

Today was a really good day. We went on a field trip to a theatre today and the kids loved it. There was lots of singing and dancing and they introduced the kids to some really great stories (me too). I don't know which the kids loved more though - the show or the bus ride.

My workouts were also good today. I had my run this morning and then I was also able to get in two 20 minute bike sessions. I'm into crunch time and I have just a touch more weight to lose so that my check doesn't get sent to "the vile" organization next Wednesday. I am also still getting A LOT of inspiration by just thinking about "Running for Tim". I just know this is the right thing to do and because of that fact, I know that I will get into the race. Just 1 more week and I'll know for sure - I'm getting excited just thinking about it.

My director is also going to bring my idea to the church board (our school is sponsored by a Lutheran Church). Any time we want to ask people to help with something like this, we need to ask their permission first. I don't think I'll have any trouble getting them to OK it. That will them give me, hopefully, 3 churches to help support the cause (mine, my parent's and school's). I still need to come up with a dollar figure to shoot for. Julie A., if you read this would you give me some input please. I know you were required to raise a certain amount of money but I can't remember how much that was. I want a number that would really help them out but that isn't going to be absolutely impossible to raise. I'm also not going to have much opportunity to do things like auctions and such.

Well, I guess that is it for today. I'm scheduled for a 3 mile run in the morning. Here's to seeing more weight loss!!

Wednesday 5/2/07

I'm going to try and get back on later with a more detailed post but I'm just excited to say that this week has been going GREAT! My running has felt really good (but my legs are a bit tired this morning), my eating has been MUCH better and the weight has been steadily dropping.

I'm feeling really good!!

Weekend Concerns and Other Stuff

Concern 1 is that my eating has been less than stellar. I'm not sure what is going on. I am so close to my goal of 135# and I was doing really well with my eating and then all of a sudden I find myself eating all this crap. The one thing that has been pretty consistent has been my exercising - the 10K race was such a thrill and then I took it a bit easy for a couple of days but then got right back into it. That leads me to Concern 2 - Saturday I had planned to do a 6 mile run but at about 4.5 miles I started to get this "twinge" in my lower leg. It wasn't a sharp pain and it wasn't really crampy but I decided to do the smart thing and stop running. I walked back to my car and then did some stretching before going home. My exercising is the thing that has been keeping me sane - I couldn't afford to lose it. Luckily, this morning it felt good so I went out for that 6 miler I wanted to run yesterday. It was a good run - not real fast (about 9 m/m) - and I used the run/walk technique. I was glad to get it in.

Now onto better news - I just signed up for The Bell Supply Ten Miler. It is being run in conjunction with the Delaware Marathon. I'm really excited about it for a number of reasons. One, we will begin the race with the marathoners so I will get a feel for what the whole marathon experience will be like. Two, it will be a pretty big race so I will find out what it is like to run in a Big crowd. Finally, the race will be using transponder timing and I've never used that before. I will be a great experience and probably the best part to the whole day will be the fact that it is close to home - I won't have to find a place to stay or anything like that. I will sleep in my bed and eat my own food etc.

Tuesday 4/24/07

I'm feeling pretty good today. Yesterday, my butt was pretty sore as were my groin muscles - not to the point of incapacitation though. I was able to do some body weight lifting yesterday (only doing body weight because my elbow is flared up again and holding the weights increases the soreness) as well as "Action Day" in gym class. Overall I felt yesterday was a good "day after" type of a day.

This morning I woke up and did a 3 miler. I was a little tight at the beginning but really started to loosen up as I went. I'm now moving into my next training program but I'm not sure I want to go with it. I had planned to combine a number of Hal Higdon programs as a build up to my marathon training. However, now that I've built up a good distance base, I don't know if I want to drop it back in miles. My long run would drop all the way back to 5 miles and then take me another month to get back up to the 8 miler that I did a couple of weeks ago. If there is anyone out there that has a suggestion as to how I should/could proceed, I would love to hear from you. I've been running for quite a while but I still haven't mastered the ability of creating my own training programs!

I'm also feeling pretty good about my weight right now. I'm at 137 which is behind schedule on my LL plan but I think I will still be able to make my 135 goal by May 9th! I have a little over 2 weeks and I feel like I can really knock this thing out!

My First 10K is finished!

OK, I didn't win the London Marathon (which is what I believe she is winning in the above picture) but I did win my age group! I couldn't believe it!! And to top it all off I was actually the 2nd woman to finish the entire race (31st overall finisher). The woman who won the race is also a sponsored runner which makes it that much more satisfying!!

It was a beautiful day and like always I was there really early (about 45 minutes before the race). Getting there that early is a good thing and a bad thing - it gives me plenty of time to take care of things like registration, the bathroom, getting all my race gear on, the bathroom and yet again, the bathroom. The bad part is that I don't really like to wait around. Once I'm ready, I want the thing to start - how rude of them to not adhere to MY schedule (LOL)! I think the official temperature at race time was about 66 degrees and boy was the sun shining. You couldn't have asked for a nicer day!

The course was a rolling hill course with a majority of the beginning going downhill and then, of course, the majority of the end was uphill. I started out right behind a group of women that seemed to be holding a pretty nice pace although it was significantly faster than my originally intended pace of between 8:15 and 8:30. But being the competitor that I am I decided to stick with them at least for the first half of the race (remember, it was mostly downhill). I felt good and just went with it. I tried hard not to look at my Forerunner too much because I didn't want to start to panic - I knew it was fast but I figured, as long as I felt reasonably fresh I was going to go for it!

Around mile 2 the group of woman started to break up and that was when I decided to just push ahead. Not too long after that, I found myself running alone. I had left most of them behind and started using a technique I use in every race I run. I pick a person in front of me (preferably a woman) and try to reel her/him in. Once I catch and pass that person I pick another person to chase down and continue that until the end of the race. For me at least, it helps the miles and the pain go faster. You have that immediate goal right in front of you and you can tell if you are getting closer to it or falling behind - it is a great motivator for me during a race!

Then at about the 5K mark I could really feel the fatigue start to set in. At that point, the course had started to move mostly uphill and was getting pretty difficult. I ran with a man for a little bit and confessed to him (after he had commented that I had a nice pace going) that it was significantly faster than I was used to and I wasn't sure if I would be able to maintain it. As I started to pull away, I wished him a good race and he told me to keep the pace going. It wasn't much but it was really nice to hear that positive support from a fellow runner. One of my pet peeves is when runners don't support each other on the road. I'm all for doing your best and striving to win but not at the expense of those around me - but I digress.

Once I got to the 5 mile mark, I knew I was going to make it. My pace might slow in that last mile but there was no doubt that I was going to have a great time at the end of the day. Luckily for me there were still a few women right in my sites and I set off to catch them! One by one I picked them off. I passed the last one at the 6 mile mark. We turned the corner and I knew that the finish line was only 2/10ths of a mile up the hill (yes the finish was totally uphill!!). From somewhere deep inside, I pushed the pace up just a notch all the way to the finish line. My husband and 2 kids where there to meet me! That was the BEST part!!! As my husband walked toward me he held up 2 fingers and told me I was second. I was like cool, 2nd in my age group is awesome and was told me no - you are the 2nd woman to cross the finish! I could believe it! At that point, I looked at my Forerunner and it gave me a finish time of 47:29 and a pace of 7:32 I almost fell over right there but my kids just had to show me what they could do on the playground - it was a perfect ending!

I had intended to use this race as a challenging training run so that I could gauge where my fitness level is. Today has passed my wildest dreams! I've always known that I was a good runner and the more I compete in races the more I wonder just how far I can push myself. This year, I want to run more consistently and compete in more races than in previous years. I am also hoping to run in my first marathon. Hopefully this is the first step toward a really great year of running!

Congrats to Julie Berg who just completed the McNaughton 100 in under 28 hours 30 minutes and took first place. I don't think I'll ever run that far at one time. Every one who runs in those races (whether they are able to finish or not) are amazing! Way to go Julie!!!

Off to play with the kids! Have a blessed evening - I know I will!

Pre-race jitters are starting!

I woke up this morning just like I usually do and was feeling pretty good. Now that I've gotten on the computer though, I can feel that nervousness starting to kick in. It isn't a bad feeling - I actually kind of like it. My biggest concern on these days is the bathroom. I really have a tendency to need the bathroom when I run. I don't know what it is about my body but I always seem to have to take a dump during my long runs. I've had to move my weekend long runs to a local park area that has port-a-pots. I mapped myself out a figure-8 type course that passes the bathroom over and over again just in case I have to stop. I would much rather be out on the roads and see the different scenery when I run but every time I do that (for long runs) I get out there in no mans land and have to go.

Other than that I'm confident about the day. I know I can run the distance (10K). The course is a loop course and it is in a hilly area. From the race description, it sounds as if the beginning is downhill and the end is uphill. But it is in a really pretty area so I'm going to do my best to ignore the hills, enjoy the scenery and run by butt off. I don't really have a goal time in my head but a lot of my training runs (with walking) have been between 8:30 and 8:50 pace - I'm planning on running the whole distance so if I can be between 8:15 and 8:30 I'll be pleased.

Well, off to eat a good breakfast!

Reality is back with a vengeance!

Last week was such a tease - because I was on spring break, I was able to get on the computer and get my blog updated as well as many other computer "things" that I love to do. This week has been a totally different story. I feel like I haven't been able to keep up with 1/2 of the things I wanted to do.

But, at least I will get an entry in today - I'll worry about tomorrow.......later!

This week has been a step-back week for me in terms of my running. Tomorrow, I have signed up for a 10K run. I realised recently that I have never run in a 10K race. I've done 5Ks, 15Ks and a 1/2 marathon but no 10Ks. I decided it was time! My goal for the race is pretty much just to run it. My training has consisted of using a run:walk technique for any distance over 5 miles. So tomorrow, my main goal is going to be just running the entire distance and if I can keep my pace between 8:30 and 8:45 I will be happy!

Today is also going to be a busy day. My kids have their first T-ball game along with pictures and the league's opening ceremony. I was also asked to be an assistant coach so I have to be there for everything. The bad part is that we have to be at the field at 8:30 for the pictures and ceremony (also not sure when the ceremony is supposed to take place) and then our game isn't until noon. The head coach hasn't really given us any information about what the day is going to be like. I'm hoping that the pictures and the ceremony will be over early and that we will be able to leave and get some lunch before the game starts. They are also at different fields so regardless of what the timing is like, we will have to leave for another field after the ceremony. Nothing can ever be easy can it?!

Yesterday took its toll........

.....on my eating and on my energy level. I am exhausted this morning! I got up to exercise, like I normally do, and was scheduled for 60 minutes of cross-training. I did not get it done - I'm hoping to do something a bit later. The weather isn't cooperating either. We are in the midst of a really big rain storm. There are flood warnings in effect and it looks like it is going to rain for the next 3 days. So, I'm not sure just how much running I'll be getting done in the next few days. I will just have to get on the bike and do my Cardio Coach workouts.

My eating was pretty crappy yesterday as well. I burned lots of calories yesterday but also ate lots of processed foods - I was out most of the day but that is no excuse. I should have planned a bit better and had better options at my disposal. But, yesterday is over and all I can do is make today the best it can be. I will be drinking lots of water to help get all that junk out of my system and I will be making sure that I do MUCH better with my food choices. The day has started off better in that respect. I have had a nice balanced breakfast and will continue that in the meals to come.

I also need to keep my leverage in mind. If I don't make my goal my money will be helping an absolutely awful group of people! I need to focus on that and get everything back on track!

What a great day!

The day started out with a great run - it was my long run for the week (8 miles). I decided to try taking in some fuel during this run. I tried some Sports Beans at about 30 minutes into the run. They tasted good but I wonder if they would be too hard to eat multiple times while running. The good news is that I didn't notice any stomach problems after I ate them. If anybody out there is actually reading this and has any input on fueling during long runs I would love any feedback you could offer.

I'm not sure if it was the fuel but I had a great run. My pace was 8:34/mile - significantly faster than last week. It felt harder than last week but not to the point where I felt like I was really struggling. I just felt like my legs were a touch tired. Then after I got home, we decided to take the kids to the Philadelphia Zoo. We figured that we did a good 2 hours of actual walking - I just thought my legs were tired during the run (LOL).

My eating hasn't been great today - doing lots of eating out and on the run. I will definitely try to clean it up the rest of today and definitely tomorrow.

I can't believe it!

After the crappy nutrition day I had yesterday, my weight didn't increase. I thought for sure that it would be up quite a bit. Today needs to be MUCH better. The good thing is, that the weather is better today to I'll be able to get out and do things. I'll be doing my second (official) session of my Muscle Audio together with the LL Muscle Professor.

I'm not sure if I will be getting a cardio session in today because I have A LOT of paper mache to do today. That needs to be my focus for the day because I have to get them finished for Monday and it is supposed to rain on Sunday so I don't want to be fighting the weather. If I get most of them (if not all of them) finished today it will have all day tomorrow to dry before the damp weather moves in. Hanging them outside has been great! I actually finished my "egg" and put a coat of paint on it. I wanted to see how much the paint would get soaked into the paper. There was no soaking in at all - one coat of paint on the outside will be perfect! I really hope the kids like doing this project. Next year, if I do it again, I'll start earlier and have the other teacher help by doing some too.

I had a great lifting workout this morning! My ipod ran out of steam 1/2 way through but my husband had already left for work so I turned up the computer and listened to the rest of the workout from there. It really does make a difference in my lifting. I did 2 sets without the audio (before I thought about listening to it on the computer) and I just didn't feel like I got the same intensity out of it. It is almost like you have a training partner right there spurring you on to better things. That is probably the thing I miss most about training at home - no one to push you or spot you. But, it is what it is and I need to work with what I have.

Well, I've taken enough rest time. I have finished 2 more "dino eggs" (my paper mache) so I only have 17 more to go!

Not a good day......

My eating has been pretty poor today! I have eaten so much crap - I'm not really sure what was going on but I just couldn't seem to stop eating it all. Then on top of that my son has been acting like a real pain in the...... I finally had enough and snapped. He ended up with no bedtime story and no night time TV. Some good did come out of it though - I had an awesome run. I went about 3 miles in a pace of about 7:15/mile. Those exercise sessions that you use to burn off that frustration and anger can be some of the best ones.

I'm still really struggling with the food today but I will make it through. I now officially have $50 riding on it. The check was sent to my friend and will be sent if I don't make my 135 weight. That is not an option so I will get back on my horse and have a good day tomorrow!

The Good and the Bad

The bad first: I ate way too much yesterday. It was a really funny thing though because I knew I was eating things that I hadn't eaten in a long time but there really wasn't a time when I stuffed myself. It was more of an absent-minded eating situation. When the day was all said and done, I knew my weight would be going up and it did (from 137.5 to 139). I'm not freaking out about it though. I had a great time yesterday but now that the day is done, it is time to get back to work. I have a leverage that I cannot and will not break. I am writing the check and sending it to Katrina today!

Now the good: my muscles are sore today! Why is that good? It means that I had an effective lifting session yesterday. My legs are sore and I can definitely feel my back muscles but my forearm/elbow isn't really all that sore. I still have discomfort when I pick things up in a certain position, but it is definitely getting better.

Today's run was pretty good. It was a bit tough to get started because my legs are sore but overall it felt good. My pace was around 8:30/mile for 3 miles. I then added about 15 minutes of fast walking. I still want to get some more time in (maybe later on the bike) but I had to get back to the house because my husband had to leave for work.

Today's food: I have my plan all set. I will be throwing away all the "extra" stuff in the house and I will be writing and mailing my leverage check today. I feel very confident that I will be back on track TODAY!!!

Back into Lifting! 4/8/07

Happy Easter!

I just finished up a great lifting session. I used the LL Muscle Audio and it was really cool! Coach David offered a free trial download to all Club Lifestyle members so I gave it a try. He was right, if you enjoy using Cardio Coach for your aerobic sessions you'll love the Muscle Audio for your lifting sessions. Having him right there in your ears the whole time keeps you right on track - it keeps your pace nice and steady and helps you get through each and every rep. The other cool feature is that you can use it in conjunction with the Muscle Professor on site. That way your workouts progress at a great rate too. Very cool!

However, I still need to keep the weights moderate because of the tendinitis in my elbow. It has definitely gotten better but it is still hanging around. I'm debating whether I should contact the MD about it or just wait and see how it goes. I'm leaning toward waiting a bit, getting back into my routines, and then see where it goes from there.

The other great news is that my weight dropped to 137.5 today. I'm sure it will go up a touch after today, because I plan on allowing myself some treats today. I don't want to go overboard but I also want to enjoy the day. The really tough part will come later this week when there is all the kid's candy laying around the house. I tried to keep our candy to a minimum but I know the kids are going to get a boat-load from my husband's sister and by my parents. Last year is was an obscene amount of candy!

Anyway, I need to go make and eat my HEALTHY breakfast. Enjoy your day and have a Blessed Easter! Remember the Reason for the Season!!

I had one of THOSE workouts.........

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!!!

I felt like I was floating on air. I ran 7 miles using a run:walk (9:1minutes) technique and still had an average pace of 8:50 per mile. I couldn't believe it!! I knew I was having a good run because every time I looked down at my Forerunner my pace read in the 8:30 range. I did not feel like I was going that fast.

When I do my long runs, I just let my body choose the pace. I don't really shoot for anything in particular I just let my legs and my breathing let me know how fast to go. I just can't describe how awesome today was.

I also realised something while I was running. The miles just fly by when I use the run:walk technique. I pretty much focus on smaller 10 minute segments and before I know it, I'm more than 1/2 way done the workout. I think it is also helping my legs by adding in the walks. I could feel some fatigue toward the end of the workout but when you only have a mile or so left you can mentally just push yourself through the rest of the workout. Besides, if I didn't feel some tiredness it wouldn't be a sufficient workout - you need to constantly push yourself just a touch if you want to progress.

Well, I guess that's it for now. I'm off to enjoy this feeling I have. Reality will hit again tomorrow - trying to avoid all the sugar that will be flying around. At least 2 Easter egg hunts and 3 baskets each for the kids. I really need my leverage to keep me on the straight path right now!!

Pre-exercise Check-In 4/7/07

Today is my long run and I will be leaving for the course in a few minutes. I took my NO-Explode and am just giving it a few minutes to settle into my system. I am very pleased to say that I'm actually starting to see the scale move. I'm down to 138.5 this morning! It is amazing what a good leverage can do!! Do YOU want to know more about leveraging? If the answer is yes then please check out the LL site and the LL book. It will be so worth your time effort and money!! I started with Body for Life and still think it is a good starter program but LL is just plain better. Coach David isn't afraid to tell you the truth - the entire truth - about weight loss and getting fit. It is a lot of work and it is just plain hard at times! The the feeling you get when you are doing the program correctly is AMAZING! I'm not at my current goal but the feeling I have right now is awesome - I can't really describe it but I just feel great and so can you!

There is my shameless plug for what I consider the best program around!!! I'm off to get dressed and go for my 7 mile run. Writing all this has gotten me so psyched - I can't wait to start my run!! LATER!

Week in Review 4/6/07

This week has been pretty good on the exercise front. I've gotten in 9.5 miles of running (with another 7 on tap for tomorrow) plus 2 more days of cross-training. Today is supposed to be a rest day but I think I'll try to get out for a walk or something a little later - nothing super strenuous but I still want to do something.

My eating has been better the past 2 days. I decided or a leverage for my current goal (I think I wrote about it on a previous post) and it has already started to pay dividends. There were a number of times yesterday when I wanted to go trolling but stopped and thought about my check being sent to an organization that I despised and having to tell my husband that the group would now have our name and address. It stopped me right in my tracks - I will make my goal!!

The added benefit is that I've actually started to see some drops on the scale. I know that I've definitely started to feel better and carry myself in a more positive way since I've gotten back into the groove this past couple of weeks. As a nice little reward for myself, I'm actually taking the time this morning for a nice little hair color touch-up. I'm not really one to do things for myself so it always feels kind of weird when I do take the time for me. I know that is not a good way to be but it is what it is. I've tried to make those goals of doing something for me but then I look at the money it would cost and I wimp out and don't do it. I know there are "free" things I could do but such is life I guess. The weird/sad part is that my husband wouldn't care if I went out and spent some money on myself - it is all on my shoulders. I'm doing it to myself.

I took a break while writing this to finish my hair. It looks good but it is probably a shade too dark. I don't like hair that look like there is an abrupt change. Also when you go too dark it looks "fake" - yes I know it is fake but you don't want it to look that way! Next time I touch up my hair I will definitely go a shade lighter.

I'm really looking forward to the next week. We are on Spring Break! We don't have a lot planned but we are going to take the kids to the Baltimore Aquarium. I haven't been there since I was a little kid and am really looking forward to it as well. Speaking of kids - I hear mine starting to stir so I will end this entry.

Saturday 3/31/07

I had a great 6 miler this morning. The weather was cold but not bitter and windy. I don't mind running when it is cold but I hate running in the wind! The best part was the beautiful sunrise I was able to witness. Words can't really express (at least not mine) how beautiful it was. I happened to pass a gentleman, coming toward me, right after I really noticed how pretty it was. He was just starring at it too.

I was also pleased with the effort of the run. I started out using the run 9 min/walk 1 min technique but then finished the last couple miles just running. My pace ended up being about 8:50/mile for the 6 miles - even with the walking bouts.

Then I ended up spending about 1.5 hours helping clean up one of the local baseball fields. My kids Tball league was having a field clean-up day. I worked my butt off this morning - I have the blisters to show for it. I ended up eating too much as a result (I felt super hungry all day long) so I will definitely have to buckle down this week.

I set a goal, at Club Lifestyle, of losing 6 pounds in 7 weeks so I have my plan all printed out. I need to sit down and create my specific meal plans but I'm feeling good about the direction I'm heading. There is a 10K I want to sign up for and I still need to pick my charity for my leverage but I definitely feel like I'm making progress.

Time to get ready for bed!

My computer has been tied up

I haven't been on as much as I would have liked because my hubby has been logging some major computer time in the evenings. He is downloading music onto our computer and it is taking a long time to complete the job.

Even though I haven't been on, I've been doing pretty well this week. I've completed all my workouts and have even been able to start back with a little bit of lifting. My eating has also been a bit better the past couple of days. I've decided on a pretty good leverage: I'm going to write a check, about the cost of my marathon registration (I can't seem to find exactly how much the registration is going to be so I'm guessing), and if I don't make my weight loss goal a friend will send the check to charity. If I make the goal she will send the check back and I will have the money for the race. If I don't make it I will basically be paying double just to run in the race. I also need to decide on a charity - preferably one that I don't particularly like so that I will be more focused on reaching my goal!

Tomorrow is my long run for the week (6 miles). Today was supposed to be an off day by my son wanted to go on a hike so the whole family went out to the trails in a local park and walked/hiked for just under an hour. I'm really proud of how well the kids did. We went up a couple of really steep hills and they buckled down and made it up with just a little bit of help. It was really cool to watch them be so determined to get up the hill!

Speaking of the kids - time to get them to bed!

I think I added a ticker

I just added in the code for a ticker at the top of my blog and I'm hoping that after I post this message it will still be there.

Here it goes!

OK, it was still there so it works - YEAH! I wish I could center it on the page but I'm not going to worry about that. It was too hard to figure out how to get it there in the first place.

Sunday 3/25

I had a really good run this morning. I went 6 miles and my pace was around 9:25 /mile. I'm using a run - walk technique on my long runs. My friend Katrina uses it and we are planning on using this technique when we run our marathon. We want to run it together so I'm trying to get used to the technique. We are using a ratio of 9 minutes of running to 1 minute of walking. It is somewhat hard to adjust to the slower paces but I have a feeling it will be better for my legs in the long run. I've decided that I'm not going to use it for any runs shorter than 5 miles.

Nutrition has yet again been a struggle today. I can't figure out why I'm having such a hard time staying away from the CRAP! But, tomorrow is another day and I will continue to strive for a better day.

If there is anyone out there who actually reads my blog & knows computer "stuff", I have a question for you. I would like to add a chart to my sidebar where I can update my running mileage. I think it would be cool to watch my mileage change over the course of a year. However, I can't figure out how to get one on the sidebar. Also, I never know where to add things in the code so that it doesn't mess up the rest of the screen. Any help would be appreciated!

Trying to be more consistent - with everything!

As the title suggests, I'm going to try and write more consistently and stick to my program more consistently too. If there are any regular readers out there, please feel free to check up on me and demand regular check-ins. I love the accountability!!

This morning didn't really start the way I had planned - I forgot to set my alarm so I woke up about 45 min. later than I had planned. I had decided, last night, that I would do my Drill Max DVD instead of my bike so when I got up I went down and did my workout. I finished about 50 minutes of the DVD before my son and husband came downstairs. I had originally wanted to get 60 minutes completed but I didn't think it was fair to them to have to sit there and watch me exercise to a DVD.

This particular workout combines cardio and some weight training. It was the first weight training I had done in a while because of my arm. So far it feels pretty good so I'm really hoping that I will be able to get back into my lifting soon. The arm is not completely healed - still have some discomfort on and off - but I'm encouraged by the progress.

I've been trying some new supplements lately - by BSN and they taste very good! I've been using the NO-XPLODE (not sure how much of an effect it makes). It is a pre-workout energy igniter and the literature states that you will feel the energy and the focus is about 30 minutes. However, most of the time I don't really feel much change. Not sure if I need a bigger dose or if it just doesn't work for me. I'm not usually affected much by things like caffeine so there is a good possibility that it just won't do much for me. However, the product I'm most excited about is their protein powder Syntha-6. Yesterday I tasted the Vanilla Ice Cream flavor and it was out of this world! I also have sample packets of Chocolate and Strawberry and am very excited to give them a try. I'm also hoping that they make variety packs of these but I have a feeling they don't. If they don't, I have quite a bit of protein powder to finish up before I get anymore. However, when I do finish them I will definitely get some of the BSN flavors.

Nutrition has been my biggest problem. I've been making my plans but not sticking to them. I have been munching during the afternoons and that needs to stop. It hasn't been bad food but the volume ends up being too much and I'm not losing any weight. I've actually been staying pretty consistent at about 138. I need to really try and get serious and get myself down to 135. Hopefully, I will then be able to maintain that weight - I think I will feel better there. I know 3 pounds doesn't sound like much but it can make a difference in my clothes.

Time to get the day started.

Last night was a great run!

Jen Rhines

Yesterday morning was not a good morning energy-wise. I felt exhausted so I decided to not go out and exercise. In some ways, I think it was a big mistake I agree with Coach David when he says that if you just don't feel like exercising you should probably go anyway - you'll feel better afterwards. But on the other hand, I think it is also important to listen to your body. It can make for a rough inward dialog!

Anyway, I knew that I needed to make a point of getting out for a run. I'm looking to run in a 10K next month and then my normal 15K and hopefully the Marine Corp Marathon in October (hopefully some others over the summer as well). I've been doing a lot of bike training and need to start getting some miles on my legs. Well, after letting dinner settle, I got myself out on the road and felt really good. I ran my scheduled 3 miles at a pace of just over 8 min/mile.

I've also started my strengthening exercises for my arm. It was a bit sore yesterday but feeling pretty good today. I called the MD to get a refill on my Naproxen prescription just to make sure that I totally wipe this thing out. I'm hoping that I will be able to start some really lifting next week. I will start light and work my way up.

Today has been OK - it is a cross training day so I did just under 30 minutes of Taebo this morning and will get on my bike a bit later today. Eating has been OK so far today too. This is the area that I've been struggling the most with. My body really wants to stay at my current weight - about 138. I'm trying to decide whether I want to stay here for awhile or whether I want to push my way through to 130-135 and then try and stay there.

I'll try and update later on how my 2nd workout went.

Addendum:

Well the evening completely got away from me. I ended up finishing up my homework instead of getting my 2nd exercise session completed. To be honest, I'm not sure where my priority lies with those two choices. I am learning a great deal with my class and I need to have the credits for my job (so I need to do well). The problem is, there is a lot of homework involved with the class - lots of reading a writing article reviews and observing children in different situations with write-ups. It isn't really "hard" work but it is time consuming and right now we are in the meatiest section of the course - Child Development. I'm not happy that I didn't get the extra workout in but I'm content with my decision. Tomorrow's workout will depend on the weather. If it is not raining, I'm going for a 6 mile run. If it is raining I will do a 60 minutes Cross on my bike.

Inconsistent

The title is perfect for not only my posting but also for my fitness program. I have been dropping lots of bucks to my hubby because I haven't been following my program. For every goal I don't check off. on my LL list, I owe my hubby $5. There is a bunch of dollars not going into my savings fund because of my inconsistent performances. I really wish I could put my finger on the reasons for my problems. I've been struggling with them for quite some time now. A couple of times I thought I had it all figured out only to find myself struggling again in less than a week. But, as I posted before, I will never give up so if you look at the big picture I'm ahead of the game. Now all I have to do is get the smaller picture in better focus.

The positive for today has been my workout. I was supposed to run 5 miles today but we had a descent ice storm yesterday so the roads were a mess. I decided to sleep in a bit (I slept until 7am and I can't remember the last time I stayed in bed that late - it felt GREAT! I think I needed it.) and then did a bike workout in the afternoon. I really busted my butt for 55 awesome minutes. It also appears that the roads have cleared enough for me to run tomorrow morning before church. I may have to do a lot of little loops in my neighborhood but I need to start getting those miles in on my legs. My cardiovascular conditioning is pretty good (at the MD's the other day my heart rate was 56 bpm) but I need to get my legs used to the pounding of running.

My friend Katrina runs her 1/2 marathon tomorrow and I can't wait to hear how she does. We are planning on signing up for the Marine Corp Marathon in the fall so she has a great base under her already. I know I wouldn't be able to cover that distance right now. However, I can usually get up to speed relatively quickly if I can get out on the roads consistently - I am SO ready for the weather to get warmer and stay warmer!

Update

Maybe in some small way I'm being rewarded for my efforts today. It appears that the car had a battery problem. The tow truck driver got the car started and told my husband that the problem was most likely a dead battery - no guarantees mind you. Nevertheless, my husband put in a new battery and it started like a dream. Now let's all keep our fingers crossed that it stays that way!

I'm on my LAST nerve!!

I'm really trying to be good and not turn to food like I usually do when I'm stressed - so I'm writing instead. It all started (well maybe not "all") first thing this morning. I got up about 4:45am so that I could wake up a bit and then go out for a run. Well, at about 5:10am my 4 year old son comes walking down the steps. Needless to say, I wasn't able to get out for my run first thing. That wasn't too bad because I just went a bit later when my husband got up. The bad part is that my son's behavior is awful when he doesn't get enough sleep - everything is a major catastrophe and tears flow at the drop of a hat. After a while it REALLY grates on your nerves!

Then, just as we were leaving the local fire station (picking up new batteries - don't forget to change your smoke detector batteries and your clocks) the van decides to just stop working. It is some sort of electrical problem but it just isn't something I want/need to deal with right now. My husband is trying to figure it out right now but my gut is telling me I'm going to be without a car for a while. Not having a car would be a major problem come Monday! The car has acted funny the past week or so, so I guess it is our own fault but the problems were with things like the windows. One of the power windows wouldn't work and then all of a sudden it worked. I thought it was a motor problem in the door at first but now that this has happened I'm thinking the problems are related.

Then, after running home to get the other car (got me some extra exercise - I guess that is a plus) we got home and my son had yet another meltdown and got sent to his room. Then, not 5 minutes after I let him out of his room he has another one. I try to keep telling myself that it is because he is tired and because he is 4 years old. But, it isn't making it any easier to deal with!!

Well, I guess this has helped a bit. I'm still very frustrated but I don't I'm going to raid the frig. Plus, "my Flyers" just scored a shorthanded goal to go up 3-1 over the Boston Bruins. I just wish the Flyers were having a better year!

I'm Famous!

Not really but a friend of mine interviewed me for her husband's fitness website. I thought it turned out pretty well. Hopefully, I don't come off as too much of a dork - but even if I do it is who I am and I'm proud of me!

Hope you enjoy the article and even get some useful information from it. By the way, the website is pretty new but I know they are working very hard to get some really great info on it. Enjoy!

http://www.osxfitness.com/cheryleinterview.html

Just a quick note

I finally got out for a run this morning. I added some fast paced walking and was able to get out there for about 50 minutes. It felt good to be out and running again. I am going to look up some 10K training programs and go for it.

My eating has been great today. I've had 4 of my 6 meals and they have all been according to plan.

I don't plan on owing my husband any money again today!!

Peace.

Today has been great so far!

I had some eye openers today. The first one happened while I was watching "Handy Manny" with my son (that's a TV show by the way). The show was talking about making mistakes. I realised that was what was going on in my fitness plan - I was making LOTS of mistakes. However, one positive thing about the situation is that I'm not giving up in any way shape or form. The other positive point is that I am trying to learn from this time in my life. I know that if I just keep working at it I WILL reach my goals. It may not happen tomorrow but it will happen!

The other eye opener was when I put my jeans on today. They were a pair that not too long ago were quite loose but not anymore. They were tight everywhere - the waist, the seat and the thighs. I really hated that feeling. Right now I'm at 140 and I need to be between 130 & 135! The really funny thing is that even though I knew what the scale said, I kept telling myself that 5 pounds isn't that big a deal and yes, a couple of outfits were a bit more snug than they used to be, I still look good in my clothes and I'm probably a lot better off than most of the population. WHAT STINKIN' THINKIN'!!!! I'm heavier than I should be or want to be and I need to make some changes and make them NOW!!

I had an awesome Cardio Coach workout (vol. 6 is great)! It lasted about 50 minutes and it was really challenging. I've also got a leverage system working thanks to Allie over at LL. I'm using my checklist and for every item that I don't mark off at the end of the day, I will give my husband $5. That can become VERY expensive if I don't follow through. I'm also trying to save for a special present for myself and every dollar that goes to him doesn't make it into my savings fund. I love this for a couple of reasons: 1. The leverage is a daily event and not something that I can skip today with the thought "I'll make it up tomorrow" & 2. It is taking me further away from something I really want. Something that I want badly enough that I've started to save a year in advance for it! I am going to use this leverage system until the end of March and see where it takes me - if all goes well and it is a system that works for me I may very well continue it!

My nutrition has also been great today. I've stuck to my plan without fail and haven't had any "cheats". I've even decided to forgo my usual "splurge dessert" because I've had way too many splurges this week as it is. Also, by skipping the splurge, I will make sure that I complete all my checkoffs for the day.

I downloaded some more music today and I want to go out and try it. It was a podrunner podcast and he puts together mixes according to heart rate. I actually got 2 downloads at different speeds and want to try out each both while I'm walking or running and also on the bike. I figure if I can supplement my main workout with the podrunner material it will only help my cause.

One bad thing is that I think I've developed some tendinitis in my right elbow. It has really been bothering me lately. I'm going to take the week off from lifting and see how it feels. The world can't be all roses - right?!

Boy has it been a long time!

I have had the darnedest time finding the time to get everything I like to do done! As a result, my blog has been neglected lately. It's funny, not too long ago I seemed to be able to get everything I wanted to do done. I was exercising (many times multiple sessions), taking care of the family, doing my prep work for school and doing a little bit of house cleaning (notice I said a LITTLE bit - I really don't like to clean the house so it's always last - LOL). Even with all that, I was still able to keep up to date with my LL logs and keep my blog up to date. Now, I'm struggling with most of that list.

I have been trying to evaluate why things are the way they are and I don't seem to be getting anywhere with it. I feel like I should be able to just flip that switch and get back on track but it isn't turning out to be that easy. My main focus today was to make sure I got in a good workout first thing this morning and I accomplished that! I did 30 minutes of Drill Max. I wanted to try and get a bit more in later but the day didn't work out that way - lots of errands to get done. I am happy with that part of my day though. My goal was to get the workout in early and I did that. Food was so-so, mostly because I forgot to bring both my snack and my lunch to work. I really could have kicked myself!

Tomorrow is another day and I will again make a goal of exercising first thing in the morning. If the weather is nice I will be trying to get out for a run. It has been a long time since I've been on a run, mostly because of bad weather. If the weather doesn't cooperate I will do Vol. 6 of Cardio Coach on my bike.