This past weekend was amazing & I'm SO sad it's over!!! It all started last year when I found out about the Empower Conferences that are held around the country. I REALLY wanted to go, but it was expensive & I never ended up signing up for it. As the weekend came & past, I was SO sad that I missed it. Fast forward to the beginning of this year & I started seeing advertisements for the conference. Then there was a call for volunteers on their FB page & I found out that if you volunteer, you get to attend the conference for FREE!!!
My shift started Thursday night & it was EXHAUSTING!! All of the equipment for the classes had been shipped to the hotel in boxes, so we had to open everything up & get them to the correct room for Friday morning. I had gotten up early to workout as normal that day & this was like a whole other workout on top of that! I was SO tired when I got home from volunteering that night.
Friday is when the conference officially opened & I was hoping to go some time during the day, but I had to continue my job as mom first & drop off and pick up the kids from school, so I wasn't able to attend any classes. I showed up to volunteer again at 5 & we quickly moved a few things around & then we were told we could go attend a class!! I was SO excited since I had missed all of the classes during the day. I chose to go to a Yoga/African Dance class and it was AMAZING!!! I am on a dancer & don't do Zumba or anything that I feel will make me look like a fool. However, the instructor quickly put me at ease and we just had FUN! I really didn't think the two went together, but it was just such a GREAT way to move & I got into it & just let go. I finished up Friday night by deflating a ton of exercise balls, which was fun too LOL We had a bunch of time for girl talk & bonded.
FINALLY Saturday rolled around & I was able to take some classes!! I even got to sleep in & didn't get up until 7!! I went to my first class at 8:45, which was a Vinayasa Yoga class. It was PACKED, but I still really enjoyed the movement & the instructor. After that I went to a Kamagon Ball demo/class. Kamagon balls are kind of like rubber kettlebells, except that they have two handles & are filled with water. The water gives a little extra resistance & it was SUCH a cool class. It was set up like a bootcamp class, & I really enjoyed it & the instructor :) We had a quick break for lunch & then I took a class called Strength & Alignment. We got to work with Leslee Bender, who created Bender Balls as well as PostureFit bars. They are short, weighted bars with a big cushion on them that you can use for many things!! We started off putting them behind our necks, so we could feel proper alignment in our spine. It was amazing to try squats with them & without them, there was a HUGE difference!! I am really fascinated with proper alignment after taking this class b/c I have something weird with my hip that I've always wondered if I could do anything about it. I'm looking into more information on it, as well as any classes in my area.
With each class being over 2 hours long, I was physically tired & just GROSS from working out for 6 hours. I had some time before I had to volunteer again, so I went to a seminar. It was good & interesting, but I felt that I had heard the same things before, but I did leave early & maybe I missed the best part!! Saturday evening was another quick night of moving a few things around & packing them up, but then there was a room we couldn't get into, so we all were able to go home early!! I was SO tired & happy to be able to go home & see my family! I missed them after being gone all day.
All in all, I had a GREAT time at the conference. I wish there had been more/better freebies, but I loved the classes that were offered & I really enjoyed vounteering!! We had an awesome group that was together for 3 nights in a row, so we really got to know one another. I already miss those girls & wish that I had gotten information from them to be able to keep in touch. It was nice to be around people who understand my love & passion for fitness. A lot of times people don't understand it & think it's something negative in my life, but being around fitness professionals showed me that I am not alone. I am definitely motivated to finish my Personal Trainers cert & I am also thinking of getting a Group Fitness cert too. The classes I attended were SO fun, I'd love to be able to go next year as a professional!! :)
The Empower Conference is held around the country, so definitely check out the website & see if/when there's one in your area!! http://empowerfitnessevents.com/events/
A look at faith, fitness & running through my eyes.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Monday, February 24, 2014
Love Your Tummy Project
I am excited to announce that I am starting the Love Your Tummy project on March 1st!!!
I want to make it an inclusive project, which means, you're ALL invited to do it with me!!! :) Actually, I NEED you to do it with me so that it works LOL I want to share pictures & stories of women who have struggled with their tummies, after children or after losing weight. This is for all of us!!!
It starts with me. I have struggled for the past 6 years with the tummy that my twin pregnancy left me with. I never had "stretchy" skin anyway, I got stretch marks from puberty. However, I was HOPING pregnancy would be different. I put olive oil on my belly, shea butter, you name the home remedy & I tried it!!! I always thought I had a cute tummy before pregnancy, it was not necessarily flat or a 6-pack, but I liked it. Well, I gained 50 pounds with my twins & my belly was stretched to it's max!! I swear, I think my girls were born early b/c my body couldn't give them any more room!
This pic is from 3 weeks before the girls were born:
So no one really talks about what happens to your belly after the baby is out of it....it just hangs there. :/ Not for all women, I understand that, but for me & other women, you're left with extra skin & stretch marks. Since having my twins, I've really struggled with my belly. I've hated it. I've tried coconut oil, dry skin brushing, even stretchmark oil & I honestly think that nothing will help my belly, except a tummy tuck. It's been a huge weight to carry around, it's something I think about every day. I used to plan my outfits around my belly, if I bend down or sit down, it is pushed over my pants. Even when I work out, I am terrified of my shirt lifting up & showing my belly.
BUT, I'm DONE with all of that nonsense!!! For the past year I have been working towards loving ALL of myself. That includes my belly. I have been following some pretty awesome, fit ladies who have shared pics of them getting competition ready, or even featured in a magazine, all with tiger stripes & a mummy tummy!!! I have been inspired. My belly DOESN'T have to hold me back in fitness, and it SHOULDN'T hold me back from loving myself.
I am still in process of learning to love my belly, I KNOW that it held my children & housed them until birth. For that I am thankful. I hold onto that when I really think poorly of it, but I have decided that I want to start a movement. I want real women to be proud of their bellies, whether they've have multiples, multiple pregnancies or have lost a lot of weight. Ladies, ALL of those things are things to celebrate & be proud of. It may have left some marks on our bodies, but that is OK.
If you have a picture & a story that you want me to share, please submit it to my fitness FB page: The Sweat Life: Health & Fitness. I will begin posting them on March 1st!! I am excited about this b/c I know how much seeing other women love themselves & their bodies has helped me accept my own body. I am hoping the same goes for all of the people who are touched by the Love Your Tummy Project!!!
This pic is from 3 weeks before the girls were born:
So no one really talks about what happens to your belly after the baby is out of it....it just hangs there. :/ Not for all women, I understand that, but for me & other women, you're left with extra skin & stretch marks. Since having my twins, I've really struggled with my belly. I've hated it. I've tried coconut oil, dry skin brushing, even stretchmark oil & I honestly think that nothing will help my belly, except a tummy tuck. It's been a huge weight to carry around, it's something I think about every day. I used to plan my outfits around my belly, if I bend down or sit down, it is pushed over my pants. Even when I work out, I am terrified of my shirt lifting up & showing my belly.
BUT, I'm DONE with all of that nonsense!!! For the past year I have been working towards loving ALL of myself. That includes my belly. I have been following some pretty awesome, fit ladies who have shared pics of them getting competition ready, or even featured in a magazine, all with tiger stripes & a mummy tummy!!! I have been inspired. My belly DOESN'T have to hold me back in fitness, and it SHOULDN'T hold me back from loving myself.
I am still in process of learning to love my belly, I KNOW that it held my children & housed them until birth. For that I am thankful. I hold onto that when I really think poorly of it, but I have decided that I want to start a movement. I want real women to be proud of their bellies, whether they've have multiples, multiple pregnancies or have lost a lot of weight. Ladies, ALL of those things are things to celebrate & be proud of. It may have left some marks on our bodies, but that is OK.
If you have a picture & a story that you want me to share, please submit it to my fitness FB page: The Sweat Life: Health & Fitness. I will begin posting them on March 1st!! I am excited about this b/c I know how much seeing other women love themselves & their bodies has helped me accept my own body. I am hoping the same goes for all of the people who are touched by the Love Your Tummy Project!!!
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Fit For Competition UPDATE
So I've been doing the Fit For Competition diet & meal plan for just about 6 weeks now. I am noticing changes in my body & I am excited!!! After the first month, I was down 1.5 inches in my waist & 1 inch on my hips!! I was also down 1.5% body fat. I am THRILLED with those results & am excited to see what changes lie in store as the months go on.
We're already on Phase 2 of the program & thankfully the meal plan got a little more relaxed. During the first phase, I am proud to say that I began eating FISH!!! Seafood is something I previously would NOT touch! For ANYTHING!! However, on our cruise in December, I tried aligator & frog legs, so I thought that I should give fish a try too. So far, I don't LOVE it, but it's pretty decent & I actually miss having it in my diet since we added in more chicken & turkey during Phase 2. I am proud of myself for opening up to try new things.
I've been asked a few times by different people, why I decided to do the program. The answer is pretty simple, I just wanted to see if I could do it :) I have that runner's mentality, where you start off running & then you get hooked, so you sign up for races & then keep upping the distance you run. When you run, everyone is asking when you'll go further. They want to know when you'll do a half & once you've done that, they want to know when you'll do a marathon. It's the same with lifting weights, except the only competition really, are bodybuilding shows. Now, I am not signing up for one, I do not have plans to be on stage, but that's why I love this program. It's for people who plan to compete as well as for people just looking to get in competition shape. Anyways, I started lifting last year, so the next step for me was to get in competition shape, b/c I wanted to take my workouts/eating up a notch. I needed guidance & accountability to get where I want to go.
I don't have an ultimate goal weight or even body fat %. I just want to gain muscle & lose fat, whatever those end numbers are is up in the air. I was happy with where I started & I'll be happy if I end up back there, but for now, I want to see what my body can do. I would follow body builders on Instagram & Facebook & wonder if I could do what they were doing. Prep my meals & do all of the intense workouts, so now I am!! It's definitely hard and there are times where I've felt sorry for myself for not being able to eat whatever I want, but it's a sacrifice for a period of time, not forever. This program is 6 months long, not the rest of my life. However, I wasn't happy eating whatever I wanted, I always felt guilty & told myself that at least I was working out hard in the gym. I really do want to make eating clean a lifestyle & my goal for this year was eat clean for at least 6 months, so BAM, this program covers that :)
I am excited to say that I have a vision for this summer & I can't wait to share it with you all, but I am still working out some details. Stay tuned for my next update!!!
We're already on Phase 2 of the program & thankfully the meal plan got a little more relaxed. During the first phase, I am proud to say that I began eating FISH!!! Seafood is something I previously would NOT touch! For ANYTHING!! However, on our cruise in December, I tried aligator & frog legs, so I thought that I should give fish a try too. So far, I don't LOVE it, but it's pretty decent & I actually miss having it in my diet since we added in more chicken & turkey during Phase 2. I am proud of myself for opening up to try new things.
I've been asked a few times by different people, why I decided to do the program. The answer is pretty simple, I just wanted to see if I could do it :) I have that runner's mentality, where you start off running & then you get hooked, so you sign up for races & then keep upping the distance you run. When you run, everyone is asking when you'll go further. They want to know when you'll do a half & once you've done that, they want to know when you'll do a marathon. It's the same with lifting weights, except the only competition really, are bodybuilding shows. Now, I am not signing up for one, I do not have plans to be on stage, but that's why I love this program. It's for people who plan to compete as well as for people just looking to get in competition shape. Anyways, I started lifting last year, so the next step for me was to get in competition shape, b/c I wanted to take my workouts/eating up a notch. I needed guidance & accountability to get where I want to go.
I don't have an ultimate goal weight or even body fat %. I just want to gain muscle & lose fat, whatever those end numbers are is up in the air. I was happy with where I started & I'll be happy if I end up back there, but for now, I want to see what my body can do. I would follow body builders on Instagram & Facebook & wonder if I could do what they were doing. Prep my meals & do all of the intense workouts, so now I am!! It's definitely hard and there are times where I've felt sorry for myself for not being able to eat whatever I want, but it's a sacrifice for a period of time, not forever. This program is 6 months long, not the rest of my life. However, I wasn't happy eating whatever I wanted, I always felt guilty & told myself that at least I was working out hard in the gym. I really do want to make eating clean a lifestyle & my goal for this year was eat clean for at least 6 months, so BAM, this program covers that :)
I am excited to say that I have a vision for this summer & I can't wait to share it with you all, but I am still working out some details. Stay tuned for my next update!!!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
FitforCompetition
So, I've toyed with the idea of doing a fitness competition. I am not sure I would EVER do one, but I would LOVE to be in competition shape. That's why, when I saw that my girl, Amber, from Mother Pumper, put together a fitness competition prep program, I was EXCITED to check it out!!!! Here is the link: http://motherpumper.com/fitforcompetition/, check it out & if you want to sign up, PLEASE remember to put down that Becki Allen sent you!! The price tag is a little overwhelming, but there are two payment plans you can choose from, you can sign up for a monthly payment or you can pay every other month. The price is SUPER fair when you consider you would be able to work one on one with THREE trainers!!! AMAZING!!! Seriously, this program ROCKS!!!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Good-bye, so long 2013
How in the world is 2013 coming to a close?!?! WHERE did the year go?!?!? Well, it's the last day of 2013, so I wanted to take some time to reflect on the year. These were the goals I set for myself this year:
1. Run my first full marathon (probably in the fall)
2. Continue workout group at church
3. Continue running outside with running group
4. Take a yoga class
5. Make more of our dinners/eat healthier
6. Make a recipe off of Pinterest at least once a week.
7. My DREAM, which who knows if it will happen....to go on a yoga retreat
It looks like I really only accomplished 3 of those goals & the last one is debatable :/ I will say that I am OK with that though :) I feel SO proud of myself when I look back at the year.
As you can tell, I am EXCITED about 2014!!! I feel like there will be a lot of new opportunities for me in the new year :) I am meeting with a guy from my gym on Friday who is opening up his own gym in Feb to see if there is something for me there. I am a little nervous, I don't want to work a whole lot more than I am now, I really want to be there for my kids. So that is something to take into account. Anyways, onto my list!!
My goals for 2014:
3. Continue running outside with running group
4. Take a yoga class
5. Make more of our dinners/eat healthier
It looks like I really only accomplished 3 of those goals & the last one is debatable :/ I will say that I am OK with that though :) I feel SO proud of myself when I look back at the year.
- I ran my longest races this year, I did not accomplish a full marathon, but I ran two 25Ks, which is 15 miles. I am happy with that!!
- I ran my first half marathon out of state. I will NEVER forget the Kentcuky Derby Half Marathon LOL I have wonderful memories of spending time with my BIL & taking the wrong turn & ending up on the FULL marathon course.
- I started lifting, which has become my PASSION & LOVE!!
- I am a Train Dirty Fitness Ambassador AND certified to teach a TDF bootcamp. I NEVER would have dreamed that up for myself, so I feel incredibly blessed to have done those things :)
- I am working on getting certified to be a personal trainer & hopefully will accomplish that goal in 2014.
- I attended the Inspiration & Perspiration conference in November & I met some AMAZING ladies and will probably never be the same b/c of them :)
- I have done a lot of things I NEVER thought I would do & have done things that I was scared of. I have a newfound confidence in myself and the things I can do. I am ready to conquer more fears in 2014!!!
- I had my first modelling job in 2013, and am now all over the website LOL
- I started the year off doing the Whole30 & since then ate clean MAYBE about 60% of the year. Another thing I didn't think I could do & yet accomplished in 2013!! :)
As you can tell, I am EXCITED about 2014!!! I feel like there will be a lot of new opportunities for me in the new year :) I am meeting with a guy from my gym on Friday who is opening up his own gym in Feb to see if there is something for me there. I am a little nervous, I don't want to work a whole lot more than I am now, I really want to be there for my kids. So that is something to take into account. Anyways, onto my list!!
My goals for 2014:
- get my Personal Trainer certification
- Lift heavy ALL year!!
- Eat clean 70/80% of the year & get my kids to each more vegetables & hopefully not cry when they see something green on their plates! HAHA
- Run a race or two
- Work in the fitness industry
- Go to the Train Dirty Fitness get together in the fall
- Use my TDF bootcamp certification, hold classes
That's about it!! I can't wait to look back in a year's time to see where life has taken me :)
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Exciting things ahead
You guys, I LOVE lifting!!! It is seriously my passion :) I am in Stage 3 of the New Rules of Lifting for Women & it has been amazing!! My body is continuing to change as I gain strength. I am also in a group for accountability with eating clean (MotherPumper14by2014 on FB-- join if you want to be part of this great group of ladies!). We started last week & I am down 2 pounds since we started!! I have been maintaining since the summer, not really losing but not gaining either. I haven't been focusing on my diet like I should be & I think it's showed. I am fine with my weight actually, but I definitely want to eat clean through the end of the year & hopefully burn fat. I can't wait to start the new year feeling my best! :) We are also going on a cruise at the beginning of December, so I want to be looking good for that too LOL
I have loved being a Train Dirty Fitness Ambassador. Crystal, the founder of Train Dirty Fitness, has given us a lot of opportunities to partner with companies as well as try new products or get discounts on products. I am SO excited to be meeting her on FRIDAY!!! I am driving to Wisconsin to be certified to teach a Train Dirty Fitness bootcamp :) I can't wait to bring TDF to Chicago!!! I am hoping to get classes started in a school or church. I am still praying for opportunities to hold classes in the area.
I am ALSO going to the Sweaty Betties' conference, Inspiration & Perspiration, this weekend. It is a fitness & motivational conference. I am hoping to come back with a focus on my goals for 2014. I am SO excited to meet some awesome ladies that I only know through FB as well as network & meet some of my awesome fitness idols!! Life is getting exciting for me & I can't wait to see what the next year holds!! I am hoping to go back to school & get certified as a personal trainer or wellness coach within the next year & maybe start working at a gym. Things are a little up in the air in that area though.
As far as life, I am loving the Y! I have made some friends in the weight room, I love lifting with the old guys in the morning! They certainly make me feel good about myself. One old guy stopped me on my way to the treadmill the other day & told me that I had the best figure there!! I am still feeling good about that one, even though that's not what it's all about. I have to say that it's OK to let a compliment make you feel good, even days after it's paid! :) I am also loving the Yoga class at the Y. Our yoga teacher is just so gentle & relaxing, even though she pushes us to try new things. I think my favorite poses she's had us do are handstands & birds of paradise. They are crazy hard poses, and I am still working on them, but it is fun to try new things :)
I have loved being a Train Dirty Fitness Ambassador. Crystal, the founder of Train Dirty Fitness, has given us a lot of opportunities to partner with companies as well as try new products or get discounts on products. I am SO excited to be meeting her on FRIDAY!!! I am driving to Wisconsin to be certified to teach a Train Dirty Fitness bootcamp :) I can't wait to bring TDF to Chicago!!! I am hoping to get classes started in a school or church. I am still praying for opportunities to hold classes in the area.
I am ALSO going to the Sweaty Betties' conference, Inspiration & Perspiration, this weekend. It is a fitness & motivational conference. I am hoping to come back with a focus on my goals for 2014. I am SO excited to meet some awesome ladies that I only know through FB as well as network & meet some of my awesome fitness idols!! Life is getting exciting for me & I can't wait to see what the next year holds!! I am hoping to go back to school & get certified as a personal trainer or wellness coach within the next year & maybe start working at a gym. Things are a little up in the air in that area though.
As far as life, I am loving the Y! I have made some friends in the weight room, I love lifting with the old guys in the morning! They certainly make me feel good about myself. One old guy stopped me on my way to the treadmill the other day & told me that I had the best figure there!! I am still feeling good about that one, even though that's not what it's all about. I have to say that it's OK to let a compliment make you feel good, even days after it's paid! :) I am also loving the Yoga class at the Y. Our yoga teacher is just so gentle & relaxing, even though she pushes us to try new things. I think my favorite poses she's had us do are handstands & birds of paradise. They are crazy hard poses, and I am still working on them, but it is fun to try new things :)
Monday, October 14, 2013
I'm baaaaaaaaaaack
Whoa, it looks like I took a 3 month hiatus from the old blog!! Sorry about that. I honestly was struggling for awhile there though. After we moved I couldn't hit the weights & I wasn't motivated to run, so I took some time off :( We FINALLY got a membership to the Y in August & it's been awesome ever since!! I started a new lifting program in September & I'm just starting Phase 2 today :) I love seeing myself get stronger, I am writing down the weights I lift & it's been so cool to see where I started & where I am now. I've still been having trouble cleaning up my eating, but I am working on it. We're going on a cruise at the beginning of December & I want to look good for that!! :)
I also have some awesome news. I have been picked to be a Train Dirty Fitness Ambassador!!! What that means is that I get to promote the Train Dirty Fitness mentality; here it is in Crystal's own words:
TDF Ambassador: someone with a kick a$$ attitude who believes in the vision of TDF: #safeplace, free of judgement, everyone fits in, and health/fitness are consistent not quick fixes.
It's been awesome to work with Crystal & be a part of her TDFA team :) The ladies there are amazing & totally supportive!! I love it. I am also planning on getting certified to train groups in Train Dirty Fitness bootcamps! That's coming up in November & I am putting together birthday money & Christmas money to do it LOL
Other than that, life has been interesting!! The girls started Kindergarten, which has given us all a new routine. Charlie is still at home with me all day, which is so fun. I even asked him this morning if he wishes he went to school, but he said he's happy being at home with me :)
Have a great week friends!!! I'm hoping to be blogging more, especially as I get more involved with TDF & look ahead to new fitness ventures!!
I also have some awesome news. I have been picked to be a Train Dirty Fitness Ambassador!!! What that means is that I get to promote the Train Dirty Fitness mentality; here it is in Crystal's own words:
TDF Ambassador: someone with a kick a$$ attitude who believes in the vision of TDF: #safeplace, free of judgement, everyone fits in, and health/fitness are consistent not quick fixes.
It's been awesome to work with Crystal & be a part of her TDFA team :) The ladies there are amazing & totally supportive!! I love it. I am also planning on getting certified to train groups in Train Dirty Fitness bootcamps! That's coming up in November & I am putting together birthday money & Christmas money to do it LOL
Other than that, life has been interesting!! The girls started Kindergarten, which has given us all a new routine. Charlie is still at home with me all day, which is so fun. I even asked him this morning if he wishes he went to school, but he said he's happy being at home with me :)
Have a great week friends!!! I'm hoping to be blogging more, especially as I get more involved with TDF & look ahead to new fitness ventures!!
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
July & a Giveaway!!
Hey fitness friends :) I hope everyone is doing well!! So we are finally at the mid-way point to 2013. How are everyone's new year's resolutions coming?? I have started training for my marathon!! I should be on Week 3, but only just started running again, regularly, last week. I joined a July challenge to run at least a mile every day & I figure that will help me get my training in check. I am excited!!
I am also excited b/c I have my very FIRST, EVER Giveaway!!! It is a new fuel company called Frog Fuel. I am really looking forward to trying their products, especially with all of the running I'll be doing this month!!
From their website: Why use FrogFuel?
1. It's hydrolyzed. Faster absorption means better performance and quicker recovery!
2. It's a Pure Collagen Protein - Improved skin, muscle mass and tone, increased joint flexibility, healthier bones, arteries, hair, nails and eyes.
3. Contains Taurine - Help rebuild muscles faster!
4. Used in the health care industry and qualified as a medical food!
5. You can toss it in your go bag.
Pretty cool, huh?? I can definitely get behind this company & their product!! If you win the Giveaway, you will get 3 protein shots & a Frog fuel sticker. To be able to win, just take the quiz below & comment on the blog with the result you get!
Frog Fuel Quiz
I am will be choosing a winner TONIGHT at 9 PM!! So take the quiz ASAP & get back to me, let me know what your Fuel level is!!
I am also excited b/c I have my very FIRST, EVER Giveaway!!! It is a new fuel company called Frog Fuel. I am really looking forward to trying their products, especially with all of the running I'll be doing this month!!
From their website: Why use FrogFuel?
1. It's hydrolyzed. Faster absorption means better performance and quicker recovery!
2. It's a Pure Collagen Protein - Improved skin, muscle mass and tone, increased joint flexibility, healthier bones, arteries, hair, nails and eyes.
3. Contains Taurine - Help rebuild muscles faster!
4. Used in the health care industry and qualified as a medical food!
5. You can toss it in your go bag.
Pretty cool, huh?? I can definitely get behind this company & their product!! If you win the Giveaway, you will get 3 protein shots & a Frog fuel sticker. To be able to win, just take the quiz below & comment on the blog with the result you get!
Frog Fuel Quiz
I am will be choosing a winner TONIGHT at 9 PM!! So take the quiz ASAP & get back to me, let me know what your Fuel level is!!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Chicago Women's Half Marathon
I signed up for the Chicago Women's Half Marathon in December or January...as soon as it was possible. Last year was the first year for the race & they gave away yoga mats!! I am a sucker for cool giveaways & I love yoga mats...but this year we didn't get something as big. We got Sweaty Bands, which I never use, but I used the morning of the race & it truly didn't slip!! I was impressed, so I might need to get some more of those :)
Anyways, my goal was once again, to come in under 2 hours. I really do think I broke 2 hours in Kentucky, but since it wasn't my official time, I feel like it doesn't really count. I started off pretty well, I was running about 8:30 min/miles for the first few miles. I kept trying to slow down to conserve energy, but I could only slow down to 8:45 min/mile!! However, it was getting hotter as we ran (race started at 6:30 AM) & I haven't trained in the heat this year. In fact, I wasn't trained well for this race very well. The last run I had over 10 miles, heck, over 5 miles, was the Kentucky Derby Half Marathon, in April!! I had been lifting weights 6x a week in April/May, but not really running. I've run a few times since we moved & got in a 5 mile run last week, but that was it. I knew I would be pushing my body & most importantly, my mind to finish this race.
Quite a few times I wanted to give up, eventually, at about mile 8.5 I just wanted to finish!! I was done trying to come in under 2 hours. The sun was hot & the course went from shady/to open trail along the lakefront. I met a friend along the course at about mile 9, we had originally wanted to start together, but we didn't have each other's correct phone #s. We ran together for about a mile & a half, when she kept going & I started walking LOL I just really couldn't do it anymore. So the last few miles I ran/walked b/c I was just so hot & not in shape for the race.
I finished the race in 2:02:58. I am PROUD of that time!!! It is my fastest "official" time at a race, plus with being over heated & not really trained for the race, I am ecstatic!! Now I need to sign up for a fall race to really prove to myself that I can achieve a sub 2 hr half-marathon. I KNOW I can do it...I just want better weather to do it in. There are some halfs coming up this summer...but I feel like it would be even hotter in July/August. Plus, I would almost rather do trail runs than road races at this point. I just enjoy them more :)
SO-this whole race was awkward for me. My eye started watering in the car on the way to the race. It calmed down a little bit before the race, but once I started running, it was watering beyond my control. I literally had a tear coming down my face for almost the whole race!! Needless to say, my eye make up on that one eye was GONE, while the other eye had all of my make up on! LOL I looked horrible. Not to mention being hot & sweaty and stinky...OH MY..I was a hot mess! Literally!!! LOL I was embarrassed of how I looked, especially as I walked around after the race & picked up some goodies & talked with my friends. Ay yay yay, every race comes with a story, does it not?! Thankfully I had previously read a blog about a woman who started her period while running a marathon, which I kept reminding myself of when I felt embarrassed. At least that didn't happen to me...yet! BAHA!
Anyways, my goal was once again, to come in under 2 hours. I really do think I broke 2 hours in Kentucky, but since it wasn't my official time, I feel like it doesn't really count. I started off pretty well, I was running about 8:30 min/miles for the first few miles. I kept trying to slow down to conserve energy, but I could only slow down to 8:45 min/mile!! However, it was getting hotter as we ran (race started at 6:30 AM) & I haven't trained in the heat this year. In fact, I wasn't trained well for this race very well. The last run I had over 10 miles, heck, over 5 miles, was the Kentucky Derby Half Marathon, in April!! I had been lifting weights 6x a week in April/May, but not really running. I've run a few times since we moved & got in a 5 mile run last week, but that was it. I knew I would be pushing my body & most importantly, my mind to finish this race.
Quite a few times I wanted to give up, eventually, at about mile 8.5 I just wanted to finish!! I was done trying to come in under 2 hours. The sun was hot & the course went from shady/to open trail along the lakefront. I met a friend along the course at about mile 9, we had originally wanted to start together, but we didn't have each other's correct phone #s. We ran together for about a mile & a half, when she kept going & I started walking LOL I just really couldn't do it anymore. So the last few miles I ran/walked b/c I was just so hot & not in shape for the race.
I finished the race in 2:02:58. I am PROUD of that time!!! It is my fastest "official" time at a race, plus with being over heated & not really trained for the race, I am ecstatic!! Now I need to sign up for a fall race to really prove to myself that I can achieve a sub 2 hr half-marathon. I KNOW I can do it...I just want better weather to do it in. There are some halfs coming up this summer...but I feel like it would be even hotter in July/August. Plus, I would almost rather do trail runs than road races at this point. I just enjoy them more :)
SO-this whole race was awkward for me. My eye started watering in the car on the way to the race. It calmed down a little bit before the race, but once I started running, it was watering beyond my control. I literally had a tear coming down my face for almost the whole race!! Needless to say, my eye make up on that one eye was GONE, while the other eye had all of my make up on! LOL I looked horrible. Not to mention being hot & sweaty and stinky...OH MY..I was a hot mess! Literally!!! LOL I was embarrassed of how I looked, especially as I walked around after the race & picked up some goodies & talked with my friends. Ay yay yay, every race comes with a story, does it not?! Thankfully I had previously read a blog about a woman who started her period while running a marathon, which I kept reminding myself of when I felt embarrassed. At least that didn't happen to me...yet! BAHA!
Sunday, May 19, 2013
20 mile run & new products!
Hey there!!! How is everyone doing?? I feel so bad for not being a better blogger. I keep meaning to do a new post, but there are only so many hours in the day & my life is full of kids to take care of and a husband who wants to spend time with me! It's good to be needed, but it makes it difficult to fit in everything that I want to do :)
SO- I have some news. I am one step closer to crossing off one of the things on my 2013 resolutions, I signed up for a 20 mile training run in September!! I am on my way to running a full marathon this year!!! I even found one that I want to do, it is in Indianapolis in October. The Chicago marathon is crazy expensive & was crazy to get into this year, there was a lottery this year due to their website being messed up when registration opened...anyways, I am getting excited!! I've taken a few weeks of from running, I've been concentrating on lifting more, but my training starts in June, which is quickly approaching. I can't believe we're over half way done with May! I am excited & nervous to train, to run further than I have ever run before. I KNOW I CAN do it, but it's still intimidating to think about. These legs are willing, but my mind is weak right now.
OK, SO, my new products :) There is a company called "NLA for Her" NLA for Her website & I had ordered some whey protein for them. Unfortunately, I wasn't a big fan of the taste; I ordered it thinking that it would taste chocolate-y, but it tastes VERY cinnamon-y & I can't get over it. I contacted their customer support & asked if I could try their other products b/c I wasn't happy with their whey. I was thinking I would send their whey back to them, but they never asked for it back, so I've used it a few times more & I still don't like it LOL If I add a banana, some almond milk & peanut butter, I can make it taste OK, but it's still not my favorite.
The other products that they sent me were their aminos (to take when I work out) and their thermogenic fat burner. Let me tell you, I LOVE them!!! I really enjoy the Pink Lemonade flavored aminos, which are gluten free & sugar free. I end up filling up my water bottle A LOT, just so I can keep drinking them! LOL They increase endurance, build lean muscle & enhances recovery.
On to their fat burner, called Shred Her. I was curious to see how this works, since I am in the May challenge for the bathing suit & I really want to win!! So far, I haven't noticed any side effects, other than feeling amazing. I take one before I work out & then another one a few hours later. The ingredients include: Green tea extract, Raspberry ketones, caffeine, citrus aurantium extract & ursolic acid. I am hoping to see a big difference in my progress pics from May 1- May30, although I've only been taking these supplements for about a week.
SO- I have some news. I am one step closer to crossing off one of the things on my 2013 resolutions, I signed up for a 20 mile training run in September!! I am on my way to running a full marathon this year!!! I even found one that I want to do, it is in Indianapolis in October. The Chicago marathon is crazy expensive & was crazy to get into this year, there was a lottery this year due to their website being messed up when registration opened...anyways, I am getting excited!! I've taken a few weeks of from running, I've been concentrating on lifting more, but my training starts in June, which is quickly approaching. I can't believe we're over half way done with May! I am excited & nervous to train, to run further than I have ever run before. I KNOW I CAN do it, but it's still intimidating to think about. These legs are willing, but my mind is weak right now.
OK, SO, my new products :) There is a company called "NLA for Her" NLA for Her website & I had ordered some whey protein for them. Unfortunately, I wasn't a big fan of the taste; I ordered it thinking that it would taste chocolate-y, but it tastes VERY cinnamon-y & I can't get over it. I contacted their customer support & asked if I could try their other products b/c I wasn't happy with their whey. I was thinking I would send their whey back to them, but they never asked for it back, so I've used it a few times more & I still don't like it LOL If I add a banana, some almond milk & peanut butter, I can make it taste OK, but it's still not my favorite.
The other products that they sent me were their aminos (to take when I work out) and their thermogenic fat burner. Let me tell you, I LOVE them!!! I really enjoy the Pink Lemonade flavored aminos, which are gluten free & sugar free. I end up filling up my water bottle A LOT, just so I can keep drinking them! LOL They increase endurance, build lean muscle & enhances recovery.
On to their fat burner, called Shred Her. I was curious to see how this works, since I am in the May challenge for the bathing suit & I really want to win!! So far, I haven't noticed any side effects, other than feeling amazing. I take one before I work out & then another one a few hours later. The ingredients include: Green tea extract, Raspberry ketones, caffeine, citrus aurantium extract & ursolic acid. I am hoping to see a big difference in my progress pics from May 1- May30, although I've only been taking these supplements for about a week.
Friday, May 10, 2013
the struggle
I went for a run yesterday, just me, my shoes & my Garmin. A perfect trio! :) Without my Ipod, I was able to enjoy the sound of the birds, I could focus on my breathing, I took in more of my surroundings than I normally do when I run with music in my ears. I loved it!! I did a quick 3.75 run, if I had to run longer, I might have wished for some music, but sometimes, it's better to enjoy the run, rather than try to tune it out. Anyways, it got me thinking about my "get fit" journey.
As I was running I saw a woman in front of me, she was walking quickly, obviously working out & had weights in her hands. I loved it!! I got excited to see her moving & taking her health into her own hands! When I caught up to her, she turned to look at me as I passed & I said "good job" and gave her a thumbs up :) Hopefully it was encouraging to her, but I don't know. It made me think of where I began.
I started getting interested in health & fitness a few years ago, after I had my son. I really wanted to lose the "last 10 pounds" and get back into pre-baby shape. I ate better & started doing workout DVDs & running again. I started to get serious about fitness when I came across cross fit in the fall of last year & really wanted to look like the cross fit girls. They were strong & healthy and looked amazing, no matter what age they were. Soon, I felt called to begin a fitness ministry at church in the winter/spring of last year. Unfortunately, I took the summer off of working out/running & ran a few races in the fall, but that was about it. By the end of last year, I had gained back some of the weight I had lost & I was just feeling upset with myself. I felt like I always had to hide my tummy or mask my muffin top. I didn't like my thighs & I was self concious of how I looked.
I finally decided that what I was doing wasn't working, I didn't love myself, I was ashamed of myself & I decided that I HAD to do something different than what I was doing. That's when I decided to do the Whole30 in January. I lost 8 pounds that month & kept up with clean eating after the month was over. March was a little dodgy as I kind of ate a lot of crap, along with eating clean. In April I signed up for a detox/meal plan with Cathy Savage and have been following it since then. I am down to my lowest weight since even BEFORE getting pregnant with the twins in 2007.
I am finally proud of my body b/c it is a result of all of the hard work I've been doing this year. I am not totally to where I want to be, I don't necessarily want to LOSE weight, I actually want to gain weight b/c I want to gain muscle. I am working hard at lifting & fueling my body properly. It is a sacrifice b/c I have to give up junk like pizza, cookies, and sweets, but it is SO worth it!! My husband asked me if I felt deprived last weekend after we went out to pizza & I got spinach and a chicken breast and I could honestly tell him No. I remember how I felt about myself when I was eating junk & I don't want to feel like that anymore. I love how I feel about myself now!! It is definitely a motivator to keep going & keep working hard. I look back at pictures from Jan-Now & I love seeing the progress I've made! It makes me want to keep it up & be able to see even MORE change in the future months. :)
As I was running I saw a woman in front of me, she was walking quickly, obviously working out & had weights in her hands. I loved it!! I got excited to see her moving & taking her health into her own hands! When I caught up to her, she turned to look at me as I passed & I said "good job" and gave her a thumbs up :) Hopefully it was encouraging to her, but I don't know. It made me think of where I began.
I started getting interested in health & fitness a few years ago, after I had my son. I really wanted to lose the "last 10 pounds" and get back into pre-baby shape. I ate better & started doing workout DVDs & running again. I started to get serious about fitness when I came across cross fit in the fall of last year & really wanted to look like the cross fit girls. They were strong & healthy and looked amazing, no matter what age they were. Soon, I felt called to begin a fitness ministry at church in the winter/spring of last year. Unfortunately, I took the summer off of working out/running & ran a few races in the fall, but that was about it. By the end of last year, I had gained back some of the weight I had lost & I was just feeling upset with myself. I felt like I always had to hide my tummy or mask my muffin top. I didn't like my thighs & I was self concious of how I looked.
I finally decided that what I was doing wasn't working, I didn't love myself, I was ashamed of myself & I decided that I HAD to do something different than what I was doing. That's when I decided to do the Whole30 in January. I lost 8 pounds that month & kept up with clean eating after the month was over. March was a little dodgy as I kind of ate a lot of crap, along with eating clean. In April I signed up for a detox/meal plan with Cathy Savage and have been following it since then. I am down to my lowest weight since even BEFORE getting pregnant with the twins in 2007.
I am finally proud of my body b/c it is a result of all of the hard work I've been doing this year. I am not totally to where I want to be, I don't necessarily want to LOSE weight, I actually want to gain weight b/c I want to gain muscle. I am working hard at lifting & fueling my body properly. It is a sacrifice b/c I have to give up junk like pizza, cookies, and sweets, but it is SO worth it!! My husband asked me if I felt deprived last weekend after we went out to pizza & I got spinach and a chicken breast and I could honestly tell him No. I remember how I felt about myself when I was eating junk & I don't want to feel like that anymore. I love how I feel about myself now!! It is definitely a motivator to keep going & keep working hard. I look back at pictures from Jan-Now & I love seeing the progress I've made! It makes me want to keep it up & be able to see even MORE change in the future months. :)
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Protein Pancakes & bathing suits
So this morning I embarked on a culinary adventure!! I made protein pancakes for the very first time. I heard about them awhile ago, but never had the motivation to make them, although I've been intrigued by them for awhile. I found a recipe online that called for oats, eggs, greek yogurt, a few scoops of protein powder, some cinnamon, etc. It was pretty easy to threw together & it smelled delicious when I was cooking them in the griddle. The kids even came out of their room to see if I was making cookies LOL I had really high hopes for the pancakes b/c they smelled so good, but then when I took a bite, they were pretty dense & didn't really have a taste. I promise I put even more cinnamon than the recipe called for AND added a dash of vanilla, but those things didn't help with the taste. I am wondering if it would have tasted better to use vanilla flavored yogurt, instead of plain...I also want to try making them with a different flavor of protein. I used vanilla flavor, but I wonder if something bolder would have stood out more. Here's the pics of my pancakes this morning:
The pictures that motivated me to undertake protein pancakes had ooey gooey, creamy goodness all over them. http://well-girl.com/vanilla-chai-zucchini-pancakes/ At first I wasn't going to try any of that, however, when the pancakes turned out to be tasteless, I had to do something!! My sister had made me some sweet potato pancakes when I visited her in KY this weekend & she had made some YUMMY peanut butter creamy topping to go on them. I threw together what I thought she mentioned she had used to make the topping. I had to add water a few times to make it more gooey, and the topping tasted pretty good, although I used almond butter....so all in all, it was kind of a fail! It makes me sad b/c I was really hoping to find a new & yummy & high protein for breakfast. Now I want to try to make the sweet potato pancakes that my sister made me this weekend. They were sooo good!! Here's the recipe: http://www.sprint2thetable.com/recipage/?recipe_id=6038451
SO bathing suits....I already have a few, but the cleanse/detox group I am a part of started up a challenge for May. We are done with our cleanse & are working on our maintenance and the leader of the group said that whoever has the best transformation pictures for the month of May, will win a FREE bathing suit!! I am SUPER excited, it finally gives me a goal to work towards LOL A lot of the people in the group are doing figure competitions, which is not something I'm currently doing, so they have a show date, which gives them more focus. I'm kind of just doing the maintenence to help me eat clean, but the challenge is definitely motivating me to clean up my diet even better than I have in April. So I told Nick, that for me, May would be a pizza-free month!! I did it in January, I know I can do it again. (we eat a lot of pizza in this house!) I am also trying to stick closer to the meal plan. Our meal plan has a cheat meal built in, but now I'm debating if I should even do those or not. I am trying to lift heavier so that my muscles will change even more than they have in the past few months. I really want to WIN!!
The pictures that motivated me to undertake protein pancakes had ooey gooey, creamy goodness all over them. http://well-girl.com/vanilla-chai-zucchini-pancakes/ At first I wasn't going to try any of that, however, when the pancakes turned out to be tasteless, I had to do something!! My sister had made me some sweet potato pancakes when I visited her in KY this weekend & she had made some YUMMY peanut butter creamy topping to go on them. I threw together what I thought she mentioned she had used to make the topping. I had to add water a few times to make it more gooey, and the topping tasted pretty good, although I used almond butter....so all in all, it was kind of a fail! It makes me sad b/c I was really hoping to find a new & yummy & high protein for breakfast. Now I want to try to make the sweet potato pancakes that my sister made me this weekend. They were sooo good!! Here's the recipe: http://www.sprint2thetable.com/recipage/?recipe_id=6038451
SO bathing suits....I already have a few, but the cleanse/detox group I am a part of started up a challenge for May. We are done with our cleanse & are working on our maintenance and the leader of the group said that whoever has the best transformation pictures for the month of May, will win a FREE bathing suit!! I am SUPER excited, it finally gives me a goal to work towards LOL A lot of the people in the group are doing figure competitions, which is not something I'm currently doing, so they have a show date, which gives them more focus. I'm kind of just doing the maintenence to help me eat clean, but the challenge is definitely motivating me to clean up my diet even better than I have in April. So I told Nick, that for me, May would be a pizza-free month!! I did it in January, I know I can do it again. (we eat a lot of pizza in this house!) I am also trying to stick closer to the meal plan. Our meal plan has a cheat meal built in, but now I'm debating if I should even do those or not. I am trying to lift heavier so that my muscles will change even more than they have in the past few months. I really want to WIN!!
Monday, April 29, 2013
Kentucky Derby Half-Marathon
Hellloooooo!!! I feel like it's been awhile since I've been on here, but I was out almost all last week trying to recover from the Earth Day Race LOL I was.in.pain!! I don't think it was necessarily the 15 miles that did me in, I think it was those darn hills!! My leg muscles were sore for quite a few days after the race. I ran a mile for recovery last Monday & then I don't think I ran for the rest of the week. I did continue with my weight lifting plan though.
ANYWAYS, that's old news, the really exciting stuff I want to talk about happened this weekend!! I drove down to KY this weekend for a race. It was the first time I traveled for a race. Originally, my plan was for my younger sister to come with me & to stay with my older sister, but those plans changed due to flooding in the area & my younger sister's sewer backing up into her basement...yada yada yada, I ended up driving down alone! It was a 5 hour drive & it was lonely. I drove straight to the expo in Louisville, which was pretty fun, but again, lonely doing it alone!! Everyone else had someone to talk to & by that time, I had driven 4 hours & just wanted to go to my older sister's house, which was still an hour away. I did pick up a cute running t-shirt along with my race packet, so that made me feel better LOL I got lost trying to leave Louisville & then I got lost driving to my sister's house (Google maps does NOT know the quickest way to get there!!), so my BIL offered to drive me to the race on Saturday morning. I GLADLY took him up on his offer, so that I wouldn't have to spend the morning alone, AND he knows his way around the Louisville area, so at least I wouldn't be late to the race or driving around trying to leave Louisville after the race.
We woke up at 5 AM (but it felt like 4 AM Chicago time!) and I got all of my race stuff together, but my packet didn't have any pins in it for my bib. My BIL couldn't find any around the house...so I just hoped that there would be some at the race. We drove and talked for the hour it took to get to Louisville & then as we got closer to the race, he let me jump out while he parked. My plan was to go to gear check & then use the bathroom before it was time to race. I couldn't find the freaking gear check & I wandered around the Start along with many other people looking for the gear check. Finally, someone knew where it was, so I dropped by stuff off & picked up some pins for my bib! YAY!! However, there was a sea of people between me & the potties, so there was no way to go to the bathroom before the race! NOT COOL!
The race started & I was feeling good! I LOVED racing in a new city, looking at all of the sites & taking it all in. The people of Louisville were out, we never went long without coming across someone or a group of people cheering us on. It was really awesome. I held myself back through mile 5, I didn't want to go out too quickly & burn out towards the end. I felt good the whole time & was enjoying the race so much that I forgot we got to run into Churchill Downs!! When I saw that we were coming up to Churchill Downs at mile 8, I was SO excited. We didn't run on the track that the horses race on, we ran in the middle of the track, but we DID get to see some horses running, it looked like they were training, but it was SO exciting to be near the track of the Kentucky Derby AND to see the horses there too! :) I loved it.
This is where my race goes downhill. At mile 9, the marathoners & half-marathoners split up. Up to that point, we were all running together. The Half-marathoners were going to loop back up near the Start to go to the Finish line. The marathoners, however, were going to run another 3-4 miles AWAY from the Finish line, before heading back up to complete their 26.2 miles. Unfortunately, I ended up following the people in front of me, not really paying attention to where I was supposed to go & I ended up on the marathon course. I was still feeling awesome, I was even starting to ramp up my speed at mile 10, thinking that the finish was only 3.1 miles away! Looking back, I did wonder why there wasn't that many people along the route, cheering us on at mile 10, since we were getting close to the Finish line (or so I thought). Finally, we came upon Iroquois Park, which I KNEW was part of the marathon course & where there was a BIG HILL!! This was where I realize that I was NOT going the right way :( I continued through mile 11 and then I asked a runner next to me what race he was doing. He told me that we were doing the marathon!!! LOL
I stopped running to tell one of the police officers along the route that I was not supposed to be running the marathon, I had signed up for the half!! He told me that there was no way to get to the Finish line, but to keep going b/c I was half-way done! UMMM...he is obviously NOT a runner, training for a half-marathon is NOT at all like training for a full marathon!! I wasn't ready to make the 13 mile run back to the Finish line :( I kept going though, thinking that since I knew I wasn't close to the finish line, I could at least go to the bathroom & started looking for porta-potties along the route. No such luck :( I reached mile 13 & didn't know what to do!! I went a little further & there was another police man, along with a few cheering people & an ambulance! I figured they might take me away in the ambulance if I told them my situation. AGAIN, the police officer said that there was nothing he could do and that I should just finish the full marathon. UGH!!
One of the ladies who was there cheering for her husband over heard me talking to the police officer & told me she was heading to the finish line, once her husband ran by. FINALLY!! I only had to wait about a minute or two, he stopped by, she gave him a bar of some sort, he hugged his kids & then he was on his way. So we went back to her car, along with her 3 kids & we start to head to the finish line. Unfortunately, it was hard to find it since most of the streets were shut down due to the race. It was nice to talk to her, she had twin boys who were 10 & a little 5 yr old girl. So we chatted about twins & the difference between boys & girls. She was really sweet!! Our drive to the finish line took about an hour! My poor BIL was waiting for me to meet him at the runners' reunite meeting area. I told him that I would be done in an hour, but now it had been 3 hours!! I didn't have a phone on me, so there as no way I could let him know what had happened! :( I felt SO BAD for him!! When we got close to the finish line, I thanked the nice lady & ran off to try to get back into the race.
The first police officer I talked to told me that once I was off the course, I couldn't get back on :( I REALLY wanted to run through the finish line and get my metal at that point. I was SO upset about the way the race went. There was another man who I talked to, who went & talked to a few other people & they waved me into the race. I was FINALLY able to run through the finish line, with my official time being 2:49!! GAH!! A whole hour longer than my 13.1 run :( BUT I did get my metal & my BIL was right where we agreed to meet, so we could finally head back to my sister's house.
Thankfully I had my Garmin on & I was able to see that I definitely made my goal of finishing 13.1 miles in less than 2 hours, but it wasn't official :( I went from enjoying the race & loving every second of it, to my world crashing down as I realized I wouldn't finish at 13.1 miles & might possibly have to run a FULL Marathon!! CRAZY!!! I am finally at peace with how things went, but I really had to process my emotions about it. I was mostly disappointed with myself for not realizing sooner that I was on the marathon course. I hated the way I felt at the finish & wished I could have run triumphantly through the finish line under 2 hours. I am SO upset that it didn't happen that way, but I am also proud of myself for reaching my goal. It's a bittersweet feeling though. I am now on the lookout for another half-marathon to crush!!
Me with my medal after the race!
ANYWAYS, that's old news, the really exciting stuff I want to talk about happened this weekend!! I drove down to KY this weekend for a race. It was the first time I traveled for a race. Originally, my plan was for my younger sister to come with me & to stay with my older sister, but those plans changed due to flooding in the area & my younger sister's sewer backing up into her basement...yada yada yada, I ended up driving down alone! It was a 5 hour drive & it was lonely. I drove straight to the expo in Louisville, which was pretty fun, but again, lonely doing it alone!! Everyone else had someone to talk to & by that time, I had driven 4 hours & just wanted to go to my older sister's house, which was still an hour away. I did pick up a cute running t-shirt along with my race packet, so that made me feel better LOL I got lost trying to leave Louisville & then I got lost driving to my sister's house (Google maps does NOT know the quickest way to get there!!), so my BIL offered to drive me to the race on Saturday morning. I GLADLY took him up on his offer, so that I wouldn't have to spend the morning alone, AND he knows his way around the Louisville area, so at least I wouldn't be late to the race or driving around trying to leave Louisville after the race.
We woke up at 5 AM (but it felt like 4 AM Chicago time!) and I got all of my race stuff together, but my packet didn't have any pins in it for my bib. My BIL couldn't find any around the house...so I just hoped that there would be some at the race. We drove and talked for the hour it took to get to Louisville & then as we got closer to the race, he let me jump out while he parked. My plan was to go to gear check & then use the bathroom before it was time to race. I couldn't find the freaking gear check & I wandered around the Start along with many other people looking for the gear check. Finally, someone knew where it was, so I dropped by stuff off & picked up some pins for my bib! YAY!! However, there was a sea of people between me & the potties, so there was no way to go to the bathroom before the race! NOT COOL!
The race started & I was feeling good! I LOVED racing in a new city, looking at all of the sites & taking it all in. The people of Louisville were out, we never went long without coming across someone or a group of people cheering us on. It was really awesome. I held myself back through mile 5, I didn't want to go out too quickly & burn out towards the end. I felt good the whole time & was enjoying the race so much that I forgot we got to run into Churchill Downs!! When I saw that we were coming up to Churchill Downs at mile 8, I was SO excited. We didn't run on the track that the horses race on, we ran in the middle of the track, but we DID get to see some horses running, it looked like they were training, but it was SO exciting to be near the track of the Kentucky Derby AND to see the horses there too! :) I loved it.
This is where my race goes downhill. At mile 9, the marathoners & half-marathoners split up. Up to that point, we were all running together. The Half-marathoners were going to loop back up near the Start to go to the Finish line. The marathoners, however, were going to run another 3-4 miles AWAY from the Finish line, before heading back up to complete their 26.2 miles. Unfortunately, I ended up following the people in front of me, not really paying attention to where I was supposed to go & I ended up on the marathon course. I was still feeling awesome, I was even starting to ramp up my speed at mile 10, thinking that the finish was only 3.1 miles away! Looking back, I did wonder why there wasn't that many people along the route, cheering us on at mile 10, since we were getting close to the Finish line (or so I thought). Finally, we came upon Iroquois Park, which I KNEW was part of the marathon course & where there was a BIG HILL!! This was where I realize that I was NOT going the right way :( I continued through mile 11 and then I asked a runner next to me what race he was doing. He told me that we were doing the marathon!!! LOL
I stopped running to tell one of the police officers along the route that I was not supposed to be running the marathon, I had signed up for the half!! He told me that there was no way to get to the Finish line, but to keep going b/c I was half-way done! UMMM...he is obviously NOT a runner, training for a half-marathon is NOT at all like training for a full marathon!! I wasn't ready to make the 13 mile run back to the Finish line :( I kept going though, thinking that since I knew I wasn't close to the finish line, I could at least go to the bathroom & started looking for porta-potties along the route. No such luck :( I reached mile 13 & didn't know what to do!! I went a little further & there was another police man, along with a few cheering people & an ambulance! I figured they might take me away in the ambulance if I told them my situation. AGAIN, the police officer said that there was nothing he could do and that I should just finish the full marathon. UGH!!
One of the ladies who was there cheering for her husband over heard me talking to the police officer & told me she was heading to the finish line, once her husband ran by. FINALLY!! I only had to wait about a minute or two, he stopped by, she gave him a bar of some sort, he hugged his kids & then he was on his way. So we went back to her car, along with her 3 kids & we start to head to the finish line. Unfortunately, it was hard to find it since most of the streets were shut down due to the race. It was nice to talk to her, she had twin boys who were 10 & a little 5 yr old girl. So we chatted about twins & the difference between boys & girls. She was really sweet!! Our drive to the finish line took about an hour! My poor BIL was waiting for me to meet him at the runners' reunite meeting area. I told him that I would be done in an hour, but now it had been 3 hours!! I didn't have a phone on me, so there as no way I could let him know what had happened! :( I felt SO BAD for him!! When we got close to the finish line, I thanked the nice lady & ran off to try to get back into the race.
The first police officer I talked to told me that once I was off the course, I couldn't get back on :( I REALLY wanted to run through the finish line and get my metal at that point. I was SO upset about the way the race went. There was another man who I talked to, who went & talked to a few other people & they waved me into the race. I was FINALLY able to run through the finish line, with my official time being 2:49!! GAH!! A whole hour longer than my 13.1 run :( BUT I did get my metal & my BIL was right where we agreed to meet, so we could finally head back to my sister's house.
Thankfully I had my Garmin on & I was able to see that I definitely made my goal of finishing 13.1 miles in less than 2 hours, but it wasn't official :( I went from enjoying the race & loving every second of it, to my world crashing down as I realized I wouldn't finish at 13.1 miles & might possibly have to run a FULL Marathon!! CRAZY!!! I am finally at peace with how things went, but I really had to process my emotions about it. I was mostly disappointed with myself for not realizing sooner that I was on the marathon course. I hated the way I felt at the finish & wished I could have run triumphantly through the finish line under 2 hours. I am SO upset that it didn't happen that way, but I am also proud of myself for reaching my goal. It's a bittersweet feeling though. I am now on the lookout for another half-marathon to crush!!
Me with my medal after the race!
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Earth Day 15 mile run
Today I ran a 15 mile race. I hadn't really thought about it or trained for it this month b/c of the flu & then the cleanse. It definitely showed!! I had a hard time making it through the last 5 miles, thankfully I was running with a buddy and with his encouragement, I was able to finish strong!!
The good things about the race were; it was a 5 mile loop that we ran 3 times. It was REALLY well marked, it was mostly dry, there was only 1 muddy spot. We stopped at the aid station 3 times & the people there were REALLY sweet & encouraging! It was great :)
The bad things were; the hills!! I was SO unprepared to run hills today. I tripped over a brand/tree root & I fell in the dirt. My legs were cramping SO BAD after the race, I couldn't sit, I couldn't walk, I couldn't stretch! NO matter what I did, I was in pain. It showed on my face & a kind soul had mercy on me & offered me some tylenol. I GLADLY took it & have been feeling awesome the rest of the day. Mental note for my next race: Pack Tylenol! LOL
So my next race is Saturday! HAHA! I am really excited about it though. I'm driving down to KY with my younger sister & we're going to stay with my older sister. I am so excited at the prospect of a sister weekend!! I am running a half-marathon down there & part of it is on the Kentucky Derby race course! I am super excited about it. It's a road race, so it will definitely be a smoother course than the trail run I did today. I am learning to love trail runs though, they are more intimate & you get CANDY at the aid stations :) My meal plan was lifted for today & I definitely ate candy at the race. If you can't eat it when you're running 15 miles, when CAN you eat candy?!?!
The good things about the race were; it was a 5 mile loop that we ran 3 times. It was REALLY well marked, it was mostly dry, there was only 1 muddy spot. We stopped at the aid station 3 times & the people there were REALLY sweet & encouraging! It was great :)
The bad things were; the hills!! I was SO unprepared to run hills today. I tripped over a brand/tree root & I fell in the dirt. My legs were cramping SO BAD after the race, I couldn't sit, I couldn't walk, I couldn't stretch! NO matter what I did, I was in pain. It showed on my face & a kind soul had mercy on me & offered me some tylenol. I GLADLY took it & have been feeling awesome the rest of the day. Mental note for my next race: Pack Tylenol! LOL
So my next race is Saturday! HAHA! I am really excited about it though. I'm driving down to KY with my younger sister & we're going to stay with my older sister. I am so excited at the prospect of a sister weekend!! I am running a half-marathon down there & part of it is on the Kentucky Derby race course! I am super excited about it. It's a road race, so it will definitely be a smoother course than the trail run I did today. I am learning to love trail runs though, they are more intimate & you get CANDY at the aid stations :) My meal plan was lifted for today & I definitely ate candy at the race. If you can't eat it when you're running 15 miles, when CAN you eat candy?!?!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
The Cleanse is OVER!!!
So Tuesday was Day 7 of my cleanse and it.was.HARD!! It was a deep cleanse day, which means, NO MEALS :( I did get to have 2 shakes & 2 chocolate/green tea treats (which were HEAVEN!) but that was it for "food". I started the Maintenance program yesterday, which is 30 days & it consists of 6 small meals a day, so I'm eating about every 2-3 hours. I am still getting shakes a few times a day, but I finally get to have a breakfast that I can CHEW! It's awesome LOL Plus, I get 2 dinners, it's pretty awesome LOL I am loving it!!!
So the results from the detox/cleanse are in. I lost 3 pounds total, I lost an inch from my waist & an inch from my hips!! AMAZING!!! I am seriously happy with the results :) It makes me determined to stick close to the maintenance program so that I don't go crazy & gain a whole bunch of weight back. I want to keep up the results & hopefully gain muscle. I saw something earlier this week that said for my body type, an ecotmorph (naturally thin, with long limbs), to gain muscle, I need to be eating a lot of small meals. I haven't tried that before, so I am looking forward to seeing the results at the end of the month!
So I might be slightly obsessed with buying workout shirts with cute sayings on them LOL When Nick sees that I bought another one, he always asks "what does this one say?" HAHA. So here's the pic of all of my cute work out tees. I didn't realize it, but I was missing one from the pic:
So the results from the detox/cleanse are in. I lost 3 pounds total, I lost an inch from my waist & an inch from my hips!! AMAZING!!! I am seriously happy with the results :) It makes me determined to stick close to the maintenance program so that I don't go crazy & gain a whole bunch of weight back. I want to keep up the results & hopefully gain muscle. I saw something earlier this week that said for my body type, an ecotmorph (naturally thin, with long limbs), to gain muscle, I need to be eating a lot of small meals. I haven't tried that before, so I am looking forward to seeing the results at the end of the month!
So I might be slightly obsessed with buying workout shirts with cute sayings on them LOL When Nick sees that I bought another one, he always asks "what does this one say?" HAHA. So here's the pic of all of my cute work out tees. I didn't realize it, but I was missing one from the pic:
Here is me in my newest one:
I love it! And I plan to get a workout in wearing it today! I can't wait :)
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Grieving for Boston
I am still in shock & grieving over what happened at the Boston Marathon yesterday. As a runner, the bombs hit a little too close to home. This could have been any race....
As I posted on my health & fitness page on Facebook, a race is not a one time event for runners. It is the culmination of hours of training, eating right, focusing on form, and sometimes even blood, sweat & tears. What should have been a joyful ending to a prestigious event was marred yesterday. Runners consider it an honor to run the Boston Marathon. You have to qualify to run the race & you hear rumors of Heartbreak Hill & just flying out to run a race has a certain glamorous air to it. So it is sickening to think that what should have been a joy filled event for every runner of that race was reduced to a terrifying event. To think that some runners, so close to crossing the finish line with their arms raised high & a smile on their faces, were instead thrown to the ground, hit with schrapnel and sent into a panic. It just kills me. I've heard that the bomb even seems to have been made to go OUT into the race, it didn't even go through 2 pains of glass of a nearby building, it was loaded with extra bbs just to create more damage. These were runners, their friends, their families, people who gathered to celebrate an athletic accomplishment, there was no ill will towards ANYONE running yesterday & instead those people were hurt & some even killed. It was a completely senseless crime. I don't understand why it happened.
To this end, I am fired up, even more than ever to run in Boston some day. I would LOVE to be there next year, but that would mean running a marathon this year with a qualifying time. I am not sure I can do that yet :( I am resolved to volunteer at the Chicago Marathon this year, I didn't even try to sign up, and after all of the craziness surrounding the lottery and all of that, I was glad I didn't. However, I want to support our community of runners, I want to be a voice & take a stand against these kinds of senseless acts of violence. I know it is a small act, but I am wearing a race shirt today to support the runners of the Boston Marathon. It is not much, but it is what I can do right now. I love runners, they are accepting & kind people. The crowd that gathers at races are always encouraging & uplifting, runners that finish their race, generally stick around to cheer on those that are still running. It is a good group of people & I am proud to count myself among them.
As I posted on my health & fitness page on Facebook, a race is not a one time event for runners. It is the culmination of hours of training, eating right, focusing on form, and sometimes even blood, sweat & tears. What should have been a joyful ending to a prestigious event was marred yesterday. Runners consider it an honor to run the Boston Marathon. You have to qualify to run the race & you hear rumors of Heartbreak Hill & just flying out to run a race has a certain glamorous air to it. So it is sickening to think that what should have been a joy filled event for every runner of that race was reduced to a terrifying event. To think that some runners, so close to crossing the finish line with their arms raised high & a smile on their faces, were instead thrown to the ground, hit with schrapnel and sent into a panic. It just kills me. I've heard that the bomb even seems to have been made to go OUT into the race, it didn't even go through 2 pains of glass of a nearby building, it was loaded with extra bbs just to create more damage. These were runners, their friends, their families, people who gathered to celebrate an athletic accomplishment, there was no ill will towards ANYONE running yesterday & instead those people were hurt & some even killed. It was a completely senseless crime. I don't understand why it happened.
To this end, I am fired up, even more than ever to run in Boston some day. I would LOVE to be there next year, but that would mean running a marathon this year with a qualifying time. I am not sure I can do that yet :( I am resolved to volunteer at the Chicago Marathon this year, I didn't even try to sign up, and after all of the craziness surrounding the lottery and all of that, I was glad I didn't. However, I want to support our community of runners, I want to be a voice & take a stand against these kinds of senseless acts of violence. I know it is a small act, but I am wearing a race shirt today to support the runners of the Boston Marathon. It is not much, but it is what I can do right now. I love runners, they are accepting & kind people. The crowd that gathers at races are always encouraging & uplifting, runners that finish their race, generally stick around to cheer on those that are still running. It is a good group of people & I am proud to count myself among them.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Cleanse Day 6!!
I'm on day 6 of the cleanse!! YAY!! I have to say, it was a lot easier when I had the flu & didn't want to eat any real food LOL I definitely noticed that it was harder to not eat food that you chew a few days ago. Now I am fantasizing about donuts, oranges, cereal, ANYTHING!! It makes it hard that my kids are eating all of the time. Even if it's fruit, I want it! The cleanse is going fine though, I tried beets for the first time and quinoa. Hard to believe, but I've never had quinoa before. It was delicious. I will probably add it in small amounts to my diet after this.
So the cleanse is a lot of drinks, I'm not sure what I expected when I signed up for the cleanse. It surprised me how little we get to eat & how much we drink! My favorite is a green tea drink that you can add cold or hot water to. The tea with hot water is my favorite evening snack! There are these delicious little chocolate treats, but you only get 1 a day :/ On the deep cleanse days, you get a few more, but that's the only food you chew on those days. I can't believe I made it through this week! Nick took the kids out for pizza & ice cream Friday night. Guess what I had? I brought a shake with me & sipped on that while everyone ate their food. Thankfully their meal kind of grossed me out b/c I knew there was no nutritional value to it. I wasn't too tempted thinking of how I would feel afterwards, if I ate the meal with them.
SO- tomorrow is our last cleanse day & it's a deep cleanse, meaning no food :( I will be hiding out in the house all day. I can imagine that I will be a little cranky LOL BUT on Wednesday I get to go back to eating. YAY!! I start the maintenance schedule of 6 small meals a day. I can't wait, I'm really looking forward to it. This has been an interesting experience. I am glad I tried the cleanse, I know it has helped me get closer to my goal of burning fat & adding muscle. I have lost 2 pounds doing the cleanse & before I even started I lost 2 pounds from the flu, so I am down a total of 13 pounds since January!! So I am where I want to be in fat loss & now I need to focus on building muscle. I read an article today that outlines different body types & what kind of exercises & nutrition you need to build muscle for those body types. Turns out I am an ectomorph, which has a hard time gaining muscle, which means I am supposed to eat a lot of small meals. Perfect!! That's already been my plan :) So I hope to see a difference in my muscles when I am done with the plan, in May.
So the cleanse is a lot of drinks, I'm not sure what I expected when I signed up for the cleanse. It surprised me how little we get to eat & how much we drink! My favorite is a green tea drink that you can add cold or hot water to. The tea with hot water is my favorite evening snack! There are these delicious little chocolate treats, but you only get 1 a day :/ On the deep cleanse days, you get a few more, but that's the only food you chew on those days. I can't believe I made it through this week! Nick took the kids out for pizza & ice cream Friday night. Guess what I had? I brought a shake with me & sipped on that while everyone ate their food. Thankfully their meal kind of grossed me out b/c I knew there was no nutritional value to it. I wasn't too tempted thinking of how I would feel afterwards, if I ate the meal with them.
SO- tomorrow is our last cleanse day & it's a deep cleanse, meaning no food :( I will be hiding out in the house all day. I can imagine that I will be a little cranky LOL BUT on Wednesday I get to go back to eating. YAY!! I start the maintenance schedule of 6 small meals a day. I can't wait, I'm really looking forward to it. This has been an interesting experience. I am glad I tried the cleanse, I know it has helped me get closer to my goal of burning fat & adding muscle. I have lost 2 pounds doing the cleanse & before I even started I lost 2 pounds from the flu, so I am down a total of 13 pounds since January!! So I am where I want to be in fat loss & now I need to focus on building muscle. I read an article today that outlines different body types & what kind of exercises & nutrition you need to build muscle for those body types. Turns out I am an ectomorph, which has a hard time gaining muscle, which means I am supposed to eat a lot of small meals. Perfect!! That's already been my plan :) So I hope to see a difference in my muscles when I am done with the plan, in May.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Cleanse Day 2
Today is Day 2 of my Isagenix cleanse with Cathy Savage. I have never done a cleanse before, so I didn't really know what to expect. Basically I have regimented meals & supplements and then I also got a workout schedule to go with it. I am supposed to eat my meals at specific times & take supplements at specific times & then do specific workouts each day. The spacing between the meals is important, I guess, I think it has something to do with blood sugar levels or something, I am actually not really sure. Anyways, I got my big box on Tuesday & was excited to see all of the stuff in it :) it's been interesting using all of it b/c I feel like a professor mixing things & measuring them LOL However, I've been sick with the flu, so it hasn't been all that fun :/
The meals for the cleanse have specific timing, but I napped a couple times yesterday, which spaced out my meals weird. THEN the biggest thing I did was not take my pre/post workout supplements correctly b/c it was placed in the schedule in the afternoon & I workout first thing in the morning, so I was looking at the morning part of the schedule rather than the afternoon part of the schedule. Sheesh! All of this stuff is complicated. Thankfully I've been home yesterday & today and that's made it quite easy to get all of my meals/shakes/supplements in, I can't imagine having to bring all of this stuff with me when I'm out, to keep with the timing, so we'll see how tomorrow goes when I have Bible study!
Honestly, I can't tell if I have more energy/feel great on the cleanse b/c so far I haven't felt that great, but that's b/c I've been sick. I DID workout today & yesterday though. Yesterday was supposed to be a cardio day, but my stomach was upset, so I just did weights. Today was a lower body work out, which I did & then I tried to get a run in. BAD IDEA! I ran for 15 minutes before feeling awful, so I stopped & started to walk upstairs when I got light-headed and dizzy & I ended up throwing up :/ NOT COOL!!
I am hoping tomorrow is a better day & that I feel better. I am looking forward to the workout schedule that has been put together, the cardio looks different & fun from what I normally do (running on the treadmill), I think my normal workout room companions will think I am crazy, but I want to do everything the schedule says! The strength portion of the workouts seems cool too, I think there are some new & different moves than I've been doing from the plan on bodybuilding.com. I love learning new things, so I'm really looking forward to these new moves in my repotiore!
Here is the schedule I've been following for the last two days, the meals & the workouts:
The meals for the cleanse have specific timing, but I napped a couple times yesterday, which spaced out my meals weird. THEN the biggest thing I did was not take my pre/post workout supplements correctly b/c it was placed in the schedule in the afternoon & I workout first thing in the morning, so I was looking at the morning part of the schedule rather than the afternoon part of the schedule. Sheesh! All of this stuff is complicated. Thankfully I've been home yesterday & today and that's made it quite easy to get all of my meals/shakes/supplements in, I can't imagine having to bring all of this stuff with me when I'm out, to keep with the timing, so we'll see how tomorrow goes when I have Bible study!
Honestly, I can't tell if I have more energy/feel great on the cleanse b/c so far I haven't felt that great, but that's b/c I've been sick. I DID workout today & yesterday though. Yesterday was supposed to be a cardio day, but my stomach was upset, so I just did weights. Today was a lower body work out, which I did & then I tried to get a run in. BAD IDEA! I ran for 15 minutes before feeling awful, so I stopped & started to walk upstairs when I got light-headed and dizzy & I ended up throwing up :/ NOT COOL!!
I am hoping tomorrow is a better day & that I feel better. I am looking forward to the workout schedule that has been put together, the cardio looks different & fun from what I normally do (running on the treadmill), I think my normal workout room companions will think I am crazy, but I want to do everything the schedule says! The strength portion of the workouts seems cool too, I think there are some new & different moves than I've been doing from the plan on bodybuilding.com. I love learning new things, so I'm really looking forward to these new moves in my repotiore!
Here is the schedule I've been following for the last two days, the meals & the workouts:
And here are my trusty supplements/shakes/etc:
Monday, April 8, 2013
Happy Monday!!
Oh Monday, the day everyone loves to hate! Well, the sun is actually shining right now, after a big rain storm, so that makes me happy :) I am also excited about a few things happening this week!! But first let me tell you a little bit about the 5K I ran on Saturday.
I signed up to run the 5K b/c a friend of mine from church was putting it on. It is for a small Christian school & I wanted to do it to support my friend and the school :) Well, I am SO happy that I did!! I got a PR for the 5K! I started out in front & a girl ended up catching up with me, so instead of let her pass me, I ran with her at her pace. It turned out that we finished the first mile in 8 minutes! That is WAY faster than I normally run, so I held back a little back & went down to a 8:20/8:30 minute mile for the next few miles, but when we got to about 2.5 miles, I started picking up the pace, knowing that the finish would be coming up quickly. I ended up finishing the 5K in 25:59!! WHAT?! That is insane!! A few years ago, my goal was to finish in 30 minutes & I blew that out of the water! I was telling my sister last week that I could probably finish in 27 minutes, so that was my goal this time around, even that goal was demolished! I am SO happy :) I never thought I could run that fast!!
SO- about this week....I am starting another challenge, this time it is with a respected fitness competition coach, Cathy Savage. I bought some Isagenix products from her, there is a pre-workout & post-workout supplement, some protein & a bunch of other stuff. I am excited to have this opportunity to learn more about how to use supplements b/c I have only just started using them and am only using protein right now. I definitely want to learn more!! Anyways, she is also providing a grocery list, a nutrition guide & a workout guide as well. I am really hoping to see some great results b/c I know her girls kill it on the fitness competition stage :) I would LOVE to compete someday, but Nick isn't 100% behind that, so for now I am just training & hoping to change the composition of my body to be more muscle mass & less fat.
The OTHER thing I mentioned in my last post that I was excited about was becoming a Body FX rep. I signed up for FREE!! Body FX is a new fitness company that launches TODAY!! I was really excited about it b/c the products are all gluten free, they use natural sweeteners such as Stevia for their products & the main DVD they are selling now is JNL Fusion by Jennifer Nicole Lee who was a contributor to Bodybuilding.com AND was a fitness competitor!! How amazing is that?!?! I am seriously behind this company ALL THE WAY, but Nick didn't want me to be a rep anymore due to the fact that he was worried I would be pressuring friends & family to buy the product. My approach would not be to pressure people but to be so enthusiastic that they would want to try it out themselves! Anyways, I had to step down from that b/c I respect my husband & what he wants for me & our family....BUT I believe I can still sign people up to purchase if they want to?? I'll have to check in on that. Here are the DVDs that will be available & I'll see if I can find a link to the supplements. BodyFX DVDs Here is an amazing video about the supplements!! It gets me excited :) BodyFX Supplements
Those are the things that are getting me excited this morning!! I hope you are excited to begin a new week, a new DAY to work hard & meet your goals :)
I signed up to run the 5K b/c a friend of mine from church was putting it on. It is for a small Christian school & I wanted to do it to support my friend and the school :) Well, I am SO happy that I did!! I got a PR for the 5K! I started out in front & a girl ended up catching up with me, so instead of let her pass me, I ran with her at her pace. It turned out that we finished the first mile in 8 minutes! That is WAY faster than I normally run, so I held back a little back & went down to a 8:20/8:30 minute mile for the next few miles, but when we got to about 2.5 miles, I started picking up the pace, knowing that the finish would be coming up quickly. I ended up finishing the 5K in 25:59!! WHAT?! That is insane!! A few years ago, my goal was to finish in 30 minutes & I blew that out of the water! I was telling my sister last week that I could probably finish in 27 minutes, so that was my goal this time around, even that goal was demolished! I am SO happy :) I never thought I could run that fast!!
SO- about this week....I am starting another challenge, this time it is with a respected fitness competition coach, Cathy Savage. I bought some Isagenix products from her, there is a pre-workout & post-workout supplement, some protein & a bunch of other stuff. I am excited to have this opportunity to learn more about how to use supplements b/c I have only just started using them and am only using protein right now. I definitely want to learn more!! Anyways, she is also providing a grocery list, a nutrition guide & a workout guide as well. I am really hoping to see some great results b/c I know her girls kill it on the fitness competition stage :) I would LOVE to compete someday, but Nick isn't 100% behind that, so for now I am just training & hoping to change the composition of my body to be more muscle mass & less fat.
The OTHER thing I mentioned in my last post that I was excited about was becoming a Body FX rep. I signed up for FREE!! Body FX is a new fitness company that launches TODAY!! I was really excited about it b/c the products are all gluten free, they use natural sweeteners such as Stevia for their products & the main DVD they are selling now is JNL Fusion by Jennifer Nicole Lee who was a contributor to Bodybuilding.com AND was a fitness competitor!! How amazing is that?!?! I am seriously behind this company ALL THE WAY, but Nick didn't want me to be a rep anymore due to the fact that he was worried I would be pressuring friends & family to buy the product. My approach would not be to pressure people but to be so enthusiastic that they would want to try it out themselves! Anyways, I had to step down from that b/c I respect my husband & what he wants for me & our family....BUT I believe I can still sign people up to purchase if they want to?? I'll have to check in on that. Here are the DVDs that will be available & I'll see if I can find a link to the supplements. BodyFX DVDs Here is an amazing video about the supplements!! It gets me excited :) BodyFX Supplements
Those are the things that are getting me excited this morning!! I hope you are excited to begin a new week, a new DAY to work hard & meet your goals :)
Monday, April 1, 2013
Happy April!!
Can you even believe it's April?! Where did March go?? I feel like it was a crazy, whirlwind month! I had a baby shower & birthdays galore! Speaking of birthdays, yesterday, along with being Easter, was my husband's 31st (golden) birthday!! As you can imagine we celebrated him all day long! I made him a special breakfast that he requested (creme brulee french toast), which is basically sugar crusted bread LOL We went to my parent's house to celebrate Easter after church & we had snacks, I may have eaten a few M&Ms too. Then we had a super yummy healthy meal, I had a chicken breast, a salad, sweet potato fries & asparagus. It was SO yummy, but then the cake came out...it WAS a gluten-free cake...but STILL. After we left my parent's house, we went to my IL's house for cake to celebrate my husband's birthday. By the time dinner rolled around, I was SO full of cake that I couldn't even eat anything. It was insane I tell you!!
Thankfully my kids had their regularly scheduled day at preschool today, so I got to run outside!! They had spring break last week and I wasn't able to get outside at all other than that to run. Anyways, it has been awhile since I've been able to run around outside, I did a quick 5K & finished in 27 minutes!! Awesome!! My pace was sub 9 minute mile!! SWEET!! I think that's the fastest I've ever run a 5K :) Now to get there on my longer runs.
I was thinking of doing the Whole30 challenge again this month, but I found another challenge that I am going to do, that I am super excited about! I also have an opportunity that I am exploring now & am getting excited about :) I'll be able to talk more when I learn more!! All in all, today was a good start to a new month, with lots of things to look forward to.
Thankfully my kids had their regularly scheduled day at preschool today, so I got to run outside!! They had spring break last week and I wasn't able to get outside at all other than that to run. Anyways, it has been awhile since I've been able to run around outside, I did a quick 5K & finished in 27 minutes!! Awesome!! My pace was sub 9 minute mile!! SWEET!! I think that's the fastest I've ever run a 5K :) Now to get there on my longer runs.
I was thinking of doing the Whole30 challenge again this month, but I found another challenge that I am going to do, that I am super excited about! I also have an opportunity that I am exploring now & am getting excited about :) I'll be able to talk more when I learn more!! All in all, today was a good start to a new month, with lots of things to look forward to.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)