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 :)
A look at faith, fitness & running through my eyes.
Showing posts with label determined. Show all posts
Showing posts with label determined. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
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!!
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, 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?!?!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Confession
OK friends, I have something to confess. I have not been eating clean the past few days :/ It all started on Saturday. My husband worked hard on the house all day, so I decided he should have a treat & should pick where he wanted to go for dinner. Turns out he wanted Chicago style deep dish pizza. UM, so NOT clean :( Sometimes we have to do things for other people though, right? I checked out the salad options & none of them piqued my interest. Not enough protein, or worse yet, FRIED protein & I hate paying for a salad at a restaurant that will leave me hungry. So I decided to have some pizza. WORST.DECISION.EVER!! I definitely paid for eating all of that cheese & grains!! It sat like a brick in my stomach for the rest of the night & even into the next day :( UGH!!
Today I gave into convenience & at a peanut butter & jelly sandwich and some corn chips. Ugh, now I don't know why I did that, but at the time, it just seemed easier than making anything, even a salad, I was just too hungry in the moment & to be honest, I've missed pb&j!! Anyways, it was good & didn't hurt my stomach as much as the pizza did. I am trying my hardest to be kind to myself and not beat myself up for a few poor choices. I will not be defeated by these slips & am choosing to continue on, eating clean. Besides, I am doing another Whole30 in March, and I don't want it to be a bad transition. I want it to be a pretty smooth adjustment since I am trying to continue on the Paleo diet.
Life is a struggle though isn't it? I mean there will always be falls & failures. We will never do everything perfectly. I am learning that I can't beat myself up for that. Life will not be perfect or easy, this side of Heaven. I am beginning to think that how you react to your slips, screw ups, & falls determines how the rest of your journey will go. I think it can get into your head & make you give up, or it can spur you on to do better. It can actually strengthen any future resolve.
I have obviously learned that I will not be eating deep dish pizza again LOL I hated the way it made me feel. However, I think a sandwich here or there is OK. It will not be my normal lunch, but I can't let the fear of what may happen scare me away from starting over & from having grace with myself. I will admit that I began to think of where eating like that has gotten me. I was not happy with how I looked & I didn't have energy and I don't want to go back to that lifestyle. I would rather be eating clean & moving forward, I will hopefully be better prepared & have a lunch in mind when I am out and about in the morning.
Today I gave into convenience & at a peanut butter & jelly sandwich and some corn chips. Ugh, now I don't know why I did that, but at the time, it just seemed easier than making anything, even a salad, I was just too hungry in the moment & to be honest, I've missed pb&j!! Anyways, it was good & didn't hurt my stomach as much as the pizza did. I am trying my hardest to be kind to myself and not beat myself up for a few poor choices. I will not be defeated by these slips & am choosing to continue on, eating clean. Besides, I am doing another Whole30 in March, and I don't want it to be a bad transition. I want it to be a pretty smooth adjustment since I am trying to continue on the Paleo diet.
Life is a struggle though isn't it? I mean there will always be falls & failures. We will never do everything perfectly. I am learning that I can't beat myself up for that. Life will not be perfect or easy, this side of Heaven. I am beginning to think that how you react to your slips, screw ups, & falls determines how the rest of your journey will go. I think it can get into your head & make you give up, or it can spur you on to do better. It can actually strengthen any future resolve.
I have obviously learned that I will not be eating deep dish pizza again LOL I hated the way it made me feel. However, I think a sandwich here or there is OK. It will not be my normal lunch, but I can't let the fear of what may happen scare me away from starting over & from having grace with myself. I will admit that I began to think of where eating like that has gotten me. I was not happy with how I looked & I didn't have energy and I don't want to go back to that lifestyle. I would rather be eating clean & moving forward, I will hopefully be better prepared & have a lunch in mind when I am out and about in the morning.
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