Hello, friends! I've missed you all! I wish I could keep up with everyone, I really do. :( But my work has recently become very strict with internet usage, which has made a huge impact on my blogging. Boo. I rarely get on the computer when I'm at home because A) I'm on it all day at work and 2) I'm tied up with the kids and other responsibilities. I've been very blue without blogger in my life. But...it is what it is.
I still want to track my workouts and will hopefully post something soon about my training updates. As far as my wreck recovery, I'm still going to my chiropractor and PT 3 times a week and I'm also going to pain management. Since I've had ongoing back and neck problems for years, I'm being treated in a variety of ways that will hopefully all work together to make an impact. I'm currently getting trigger point injections every 3 weeks to help break up the tension in my shoulder/neck muscles. I've been running again, but after a 3 week hiatus. I rocked a 10 mile run last weekend with my pace being 1:10 under my goal HM pace - woah! Even shaved 9:59 off my last 10 mile run! But then I came down with a nasty sinus and ear infection this week and lost my voice on top of that. So I haven't ran since Monday. Boo. Kinda scary since my half marathon is just 2 weeks away...but I'll make do.
Anyway, to my followers, I'm sorry I've been MIA and I'm sorry I haven't been able to keep up with all of you. I really miss being in the loop! But I wanted to let you know that I'm still alive and still training. I'm excited that some of you have found me on FB so we can keep up. And for those of you that haven't yet but would like to be my FB buddy, my email address is randyandashleyrobbins@yahoo.com.
Until then, thanks for sticking around and remaining loyal followers, even tho I've sucked at keeping up with everyone. I hope everyone is doing great! And hopefully I'll have some exciting news to share with everyone soon! :)
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Bad Luck & Being MIA...
Hello, Bloggie Friends. I know I haven't been around much the past few weeks...but I can explain.
Around this time last year I was pretty new to blogging and didn't have many followers yet...but some of you may remember me posting about getting into a car accident on the way to my birthday party last year. I posted about it in my other blog too. Well I'll be damned if we didn't get into ANOTHER wreck on the way to my birthday party AGAIN this year. True story. Of all the luck...
Randy and I were on our way to the bar/restaurant where the party was to be held and had just exited the highway and turned left on a street downtown. Another vehicle was exiting the interstate and did not slow down or even LOOK to yield and came barreling across all lanes of traffic going 40 - 50 mph and just SLAMMED into us. Luckily, no one was seriously injured. Unfortunately, my car is totalled and we definitely got pretty banged up. I have bruises on my legs from where my shins hit the dash board and on my chest from the seat belt. It also messed up my lower back and my neck. Randy's back and neck are pretty sore as well.
The frustrating thing about my neck injury is that I've had ongoing neck problems since I was 15. Two discs in my neck are herniated and I've been through all kinds of pain management, physical therapy, chiropractic, and steroid treatment. I've had three cortisone injections in my neck and I've had pretty much everything shy of surgery. In addition to the already-messed-up neck, add a wreck in January 2008 that totalled my car, the previously mentioned wreck on the way to my birthday party in February 2009, and the current wreck in March 2010. I went to the doctor last Monday and will be seeing him again tomorrow. I've also gone to my chiropractor multiple times as well. I'm going to be treated for quite awhile for the re-injured neck...which sucks, but in the grand scheme of things, it could have been a lot worse.
On the down side, my half marathon is 6 weeks away and I haven't ran in over a week and a half. In fact, I'm still having a bit of trouble even walking. I'm on pain killers, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories, and a steroid pack. But this is probably going to be a slow recovery involving many trips to the chiro and PT.
And to top it all off, it's taken me over a week to even post about it because I've basically lost all internet access at work. :( Those of you that know me well know that I don't care to be on the computer much while I'm at home since A) I'm on a computer all day at work, and 2) I'm so busy at home with the kids and trying to keep up with my training regimen, etc... So...unfortunately, my blog time will now be limited. Boo. I'm bummed because I was already struggling to keep up with everyone...and this only makes it worse.
Anyway, I'll try to get on and follow everyone when I can. I hope everyone is doing well! And if you haven't already, feel free to track me down on FB - at least I can access FB from my phone! :)
Around this time last year I was pretty new to blogging and didn't have many followers yet...but some of you may remember me posting about getting into a car accident on the way to my birthday party last year. I posted about it in my other blog too. Well I'll be damned if we didn't get into ANOTHER wreck on the way to my birthday party AGAIN this year. True story. Of all the luck...
Randy and I were on our way to the bar/restaurant where the party was to be held and had just exited the highway and turned left on a street downtown. Another vehicle was exiting the interstate and did not slow down or even LOOK to yield and came barreling across all lanes of traffic going 40 - 50 mph and just SLAMMED into us. Luckily, no one was seriously injured. Unfortunately, my car is totalled and we definitely got pretty banged up. I have bruises on my legs from where my shins hit the dash board and on my chest from the seat belt. It also messed up my lower back and my neck. Randy's back and neck are pretty sore as well.
The frustrating thing about my neck injury is that I've had ongoing neck problems since I was 15. Two discs in my neck are herniated and I've been through all kinds of pain management, physical therapy, chiropractic, and steroid treatment. I've had three cortisone injections in my neck and I've had pretty much everything shy of surgery. In addition to the already-messed-up neck, add a wreck in January 2008 that totalled my car, the previously mentioned wreck on the way to my birthday party in February 2009, and the current wreck in March 2010. I went to the doctor last Monday and will be seeing him again tomorrow. I've also gone to my chiropractor multiple times as well. I'm going to be treated for quite awhile for the re-injured neck...which sucks, but in the grand scheme of things, it could have been a lot worse.
On the down side, my half marathon is 6 weeks away and I haven't ran in over a week and a half. In fact, I'm still having a bit of trouble even walking. I'm on pain killers, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories, and a steroid pack. But this is probably going to be a slow recovery involving many trips to the chiro and PT.
And to top it all off, it's taken me over a week to even post about it because I've basically lost all internet access at work. :( Those of you that know me well know that I don't care to be on the computer much while I'm at home since A) I'm on a computer all day at work, and 2) I'm so busy at home with the kids and trying to keep up with my training regimen, etc... So...unfortunately, my blog time will now be limited. Boo. I'm bummed because I was already struggling to keep up with everyone...and this only makes it worse.
Anyway, I'll try to get on and follow everyone when I can. I hope everyone is doing well! And if you haven't already, feel free to track me down on FB - at least I can access FB from my phone! :)
Friday, March 5, 2010
February Totals
February was not too shabby, especially in comparison to January, which got off to a slow start due to my detox and all. The only disappointment is that I still haven't gotten back into swimming and biking yet, which I REALLY need to do if I plan on doing any triathlons this spring (and I DO). I've been really focused on training for the OKC Half Marathon though - in fact, I've REALLY stayed on track with my schedule this year - I've been out there in the freezing cold, snow, sleet, wind...you name it! And I'm quite proud of myself, to be perfectly honest. I'm still pretty new to running and this is the first year I've ever braved the cold. Purchased my first pair of running tights and fleece lined gloves just this season - and oh have I been putting them to use! And I've found that I actually LIKE running in the cold. I think I'm going to be dreading the heat this summer when I'm deep into training for Chicago.
Anyway, now I'm just rambling and getting waaaay off track...which I often tend to do. ;) So, without further delay, here are my February and Year-To-Date totals:
February Totals:
Running: 10 days, 46.15 miles
P90X: 6 days
Weights/Toning: 4 days
Misc Cardio (cardio that is not running, swimming, or biking, such as walking, elliptical, Just Dance, or any of the P90X cardio workouts): 9 days
Total Days of Cardio: 15 (some days had a combo or running and another form of cardio)
Total Days of Working Out: 18
Year-To-Date Totals:
Running: 15 days, 60.95 miles
P90X: 9 days
Yoga: 1 day (I really need to get back into yoga.....)
Weights/Strength Training: 8 days
Misc Cardio: 11 days
Total Days of Cardio: 22
Total Days of Work Outs: 27
Looking forward to what March will bring! Happy training, everyone! :)
Anyway, now I'm just rambling and getting waaaay off track...which I often tend to do. ;) So, without further delay, here are my February and Year-To-Date totals:
February Totals:
Running: 10 days, 46.15 miles
P90X: 6 days
Weights/Toning: 4 days
Misc Cardio (cardio that is not running, swimming, or biking, such as walking, elliptical, Just Dance, or any of the P90X cardio workouts): 9 days
Total Days of Cardio: 15 (some days had a combo or running and another form of cardio)
Total Days of Working Out: 18
Year-To-Date Totals:
Running: 15 days, 60.95 miles
P90X: 9 days
Yoga: 1 day (I really need to get back into yoga.....)
Weights/Strength Training: 8 days
Misc Cardio: 11 days
Total Days of Cardio: 22
Total Days of Work Outs: 27
Looking forward to what March will bring! Happy training, everyone! :)
Thursday, March 4, 2010
My Amazing Birthday Weekend, Including A 10 Miler!
My birthday weekend was nothing short of FABULOUS, people! Oh, and the fun is not even over yet - in our house, you get more than just one day to celebrate your creation. You get more than even a weekend. Let me tell it to you like THIS - my bday was Saturday and the celebration won't be over until this coming Sunday. Werd. That's how we roll.
I'll start off with Friday (aka Birthday Eve). Started the morning off with a little Starbucks with a good friend of mine, followed by a sweet card & gift from my old (and FAVORITE!!) boss. And I'll be damned if she didn't get me a bottle of BITCH wine! Srsly, that's what it's called. Oh yeah, and it sure was dressed in a kimono. Srsly, I couldn't make this up.
Friday evening Randy and I had plans to attend a celebration for our friends' anniversary at O'Dowds. We got there early so we could have dinner first and then hung out and spent the evening with friends. I had a few drinks, but not so many that I wasn't able to get up at 8am the following morning for my bday 10 miler. ;)
I took my time getting up and around the next morning, so I didn't actually head out for the run until around 9am. It was 26 degrees out, 18 with the wind chill. I got going on my first 3 mile loop and just wasn't feeling it. My poor little leg muscles were just frozen and tight. I felt like I couldn't warm up and get loose and every step just HURT. I stopped at my house after the first 3 miles - I had intended to pop in for a quick stretch...but I threw my ear warmers on the table, threw off my headphones & gloves and stomped up to my room for the Biofreeze. At this point, I was hurting....and not sure if I would be able to finish the last 7 miles. But I took a few minutes to clear my head. I stretched really well, lathered up in Biofreeze, took a Gu, drank some vitamin water, took a puff from my inhaler...and set out for the last 7 miles...and suddenly I was a brand new woman. All I really needed was a good stretch. The last 7 miles were cake. You might even say BIRTHDAY cake. ;)
I went for a new route since I didn't want to run same boring old route 3 times. I picked a really good one too - lots of rolling hills to challenge me - and I was able to tackle them ALL! I felt GREAT during the last 7 miles. In fact, I had planned to walk a bit around mile 7, and possibly stop to stretch a bit...but that wasn't necessary. I just downed my Gu and kept on going.
During my run, I had plenty of time to reflect over the past decade of my life. I started thinking "Hmmm...what did I do the morning of my 21st birthday?? Oh yeah...I was in Vegas and spent the day hungover and dry heaving in every hotel & casino on the strip, LOL." If you would have told me on my 21st birthday that I would be spending the morning of my 31st birthday running 10 miles, I would have laughed in your face!
I finished the 10 miles strong and felt GREAT! I am so ready to take on this next half marathon! I ran my 10 miles with my pace being 10 seconds faster than my goal race pace! And let me tell you, nothing makes a girl feel better about getting older than tackling a 10 mile run on her birthday! :)
I went home and stretched after my run and enjoyed an amazing brunch made by my wonderful husbie - eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, and CHOCOLATE MILK!! :) I then took an ice bath, and was pleasantly surprised to find I was barely sore the next day!
We had a wedding to go to Saturday afternoon. But before we left, my family presented me with my bday presents - tickets to see Chelsea Handler at Starlight in May from the hubs (HELLO!!!!!! EEEEEIEIIIIEIEIEEEAAAYYY <---stole this from The Running Dork), and Born to Run from my girls! What amazing gifts - I could not ask for more!!!
I'll start off with Friday (aka Birthday Eve). Started the morning off with a little Starbucks with a good friend of mine, followed by a sweet card & gift from my old (and FAVORITE!!) boss. And I'll be damned if she didn't get me a bottle of BITCH wine! Srsly, that's what it's called. Oh yeah, and it sure was dressed in a kimono. Srsly, I couldn't make this up.
Friday evening Randy and I had plans to attend a celebration for our friends' anniversary at O'Dowds. We got there early so we could have dinner first and then hung out and spent the evening with friends. I had a few drinks, but not so many that I wasn't able to get up at 8am the following morning for my bday 10 miler. ;)
I took my time getting up and around the next morning, so I didn't actually head out for the run until around 9am. It was 26 degrees out, 18 with the wind chill. I got going on my first 3 mile loop and just wasn't feeling it. My poor little leg muscles were just frozen and tight. I felt like I couldn't warm up and get loose and every step just HURT. I stopped at my house after the first 3 miles - I had intended to pop in for a quick stretch...but I threw my ear warmers on the table, threw off my headphones & gloves and stomped up to my room for the Biofreeze. At this point, I was hurting....and not sure if I would be able to finish the last 7 miles. But I took a few minutes to clear my head. I stretched really well, lathered up in Biofreeze, took a Gu, drank some vitamin water, took a puff from my inhaler...and set out for the last 7 miles...and suddenly I was a brand new woman. All I really needed was a good stretch. The last 7 miles were cake. You might even say BIRTHDAY cake. ;)
I went for a new route since I didn't want to run same boring old route 3 times. I picked a really good one too - lots of rolling hills to challenge me - and I was able to tackle them ALL! I felt GREAT during the last 7 miles. In fact, I had planned to walk a bit around mile 7, and possibly stop to stretch a bit...but that wasn't necessary. I just downed my Gu and kept on going.
During my run, I had plenty of time to reflect over the past decade of my life. I started thinking "Hmmm...what did I do the morning of my 21st birthday?? Oh yeah...I was in Vegas and spent the day hungover and dry heaving in every hotel & casino on the strip, LOL." If you would have told me on my 21st birthday that I would be spending the morning of my 31st birthday running 10 miles, I would have laughed in your face!
I finished the 10 miles strong and felt GREAT! I am so ready to take on this next half marathon! I ran my 10 miles with my pace being 10 seconds faster than my goal race pace! And let me tell you, nothing makes a girl feel better about getting older than tackling a 10 mile run on her birthday! :)
I went home and stretched after my run and enjoyed an amazing brunch made by my wonderful husbie - eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, and CHOCOLATE MILK!! :) I then took an ice bath, and was pleasantly surprised to find I was barely sore the next day!
We had a wedding to go to Saturday afternoon. But before we left, my family presented me with my bday presents - tickets to see Chelsea Handler at Starlight in May from the hubs (HELLO!!!!!! EEEEEIEIIIIEIEIEEEAAAYYY <---stole this from The Running Dork), and Born to Run from my girls! What amazing gifts - I could not ask for more!!!
As I mentioned, we had a wedding to attend on Saturday, but Rylie and I did bake a cake together Saturday night (Better Than Sex Cake, which I told Rylie is called Better Than Christmas Cake - Ha!). Oh, and we will be celebrating this weekend with a night on the town with friends Friday night followed by a small gathering at our house on Saturday. This has been one of the BEST birthdays ever!!!
Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes!!! I'm so ready for another amazing year! :)
Saturday, February 27, 2010: 10 mile run!!!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Training Updates
Just some updates on my latest workouts. I've got some more exciting (well, to me anyway...) stuff coming up, so stay tuned! :)
Wednesday, February 24, 2010: 4 mile run (This was supposed to only be a 3 mile run...but it felt so great, I went ahead and tacked on an extra mile for good measure. It was 23 degrees out, and only 16 with the wind chill...but it was sunny and pretty out and didn't feel that bad. It's crazy, but I've found myself actually enjoying running in the cold. Well, as long as it's not sub zero. ;) And - funny - I ran this 4 mile easy run faster than my 4 mile race a couple weeks ago. The funny part is that the race was on a completely flat course and my neighborhood run was all over some hills AND with a quarter mile of snow and ice covered sidewalk that I had to HIKE over, and I still finished MINUTES faster than I finished the race. LOL...good stuff. But like I said, on this particular day, I just had a GOOD run.)
Thursday, February 25, 2010: Warm up on elliptical, P90X Kenpo
Friday, February 26, 2010: Cardio X (P90X)
I'll save my birthday 10 miler for a separate post all to itself - because it was THAT.AWESOME. that it deserves a post all its own! ;) And then I'll follow up with my February totals. :)
Wednesday, February 24, 2010: 4 mile run (This was supposed to only be a 3 mile run...but it felt so great, I went ahead and tacked on an extra mile for good measure. It was 23 degrees out, and only 16 with the wind chill...but it was sunny and pretty out and didn't feel that bad. It's crazy, but I've found myself actually enjoying running in the cold. Well, as long as it's not sub zero. ;) And - funny - I ran this 4 mile easy run faster than my 4 mile race a couple weeks ago. The funny part is that the race was on a completely flat course and my neighborhood run was all over some hills AND with a quarter mile of snow and ice covered sidewalk that I had to HIKE over, and I still finished MINUTES faster than I finished the race. LOL...good stuff. But like I said, on this particular day, I just had a GOOD run.)
Thursday, February 25, 2010: Warm up on elliptical, P90X Kenpo
Friday, February 26, 2010: Cardio X (P90X)
I'll save my birthday 10 miler for a separate post all to itself - because it was THAT.AWESOME. that it deserves a post all its own! ;) And then I'll follow up with my February totals. :)
Saturday, February 27, 2010
31 Things About Me On My 31st Birthday
So, I totally stole this idea from This Guy - he posted 30 random things about himself for his 30th birthday and I thought that was pretty cool. Sooooo, here are 31 random things about me in honor of my 31st bday!
1 - My middle name is Corinne (after a cage dancer, no less) and I spent a good portion of my childhood trying to get my friends to call me Corinne or Cori instead of Ashley. I always hated my first name. Nicknames like ash-tray, crasher, trashley, and smashley are a little rough growing up. But I have since embraced the nicknames of Ash-Hole and Smash. ;)
2 - I have been bungee jumping (at the age of 13!), parasailing, and skydiving. I hope to one day go hang-glidinging. I also want to ride in a hot air balloon, but my husband has NO desire to take me.
3 - I've never had stitches (other than post-childbirth), and up until 2 years ago, I had never broken a bone either. Then I slammed my finger in our basement door (and I mean SLAMMED) and shattered the tip of my left middle finger. The x-ray showed that bone just completely pulverized - it was in at least 8 pieces. I severed most of the nerves too and have very little feeling in that finger now.
4 - Despite not ever having any "serious" injuries, I still managed to land myself in the ER 3 times in 2007 (after having NEVER been to the ER in my life prior to that year). The first time was for a severe kidney infection, the second time was because I had a seizure, and the third time was due to the previously mentioned finger smashing. And ironically, I had the SAME doctor in the ER all three times. By the third time, I'm sure he was rolling his eyes and thinking "what NOW??" LOL
5 - I once savagely killed a lightening bug with my bare hands.
6 - I LOVE avacados and think they go with just about EVERYTHING - sandwiches, burgers, salads, burritos, etc. YUM!!!!
7 - I also love ranch dressing and think it goes with just about anything too, esp pizza!
8 - I love - LOVE - Chelsea Handler. It's probably an unhealthy obsession...but yeah, I've been following her since she was on Girls Behaving Badly, then The Chelsea Handler Show, and now Chelsea Lately. I've read (and own) both her books, with the third one on pre-order. I even had a onsie made for Harper that says "I Love Chelsea Handler" and submitted it to Chelsea's "Big Fat Baby Contest." Oh, and did I mention that Chelsea's bday is just 2 days before mine??!!
9 - My dad is a musician and was actually a full time professional musician up until I was a year old. One of his bands even put out an album. He still plays now for fun, doing shows on the weekends and he's friends with MANY talented musicians. I grew up around music, going to festivals, and even got to meet a few "famous" people. My dad's former band opened for Rick Trevino and Eddie Rabbit, and my dad has also played with Reba McIntyre's sister.
10 - I love lamp.
11 - I have had the same best friend for nearly 24 years. We've decided we are taking a trip next year to celebrate our 25th Friendiversary.
12 - I did NOT get up at 7am on my bday to post this....and I totally *heart* the "post options" on here so I can set up a posting ahead of time. ;)
13 - I LOVE sushi. And cheese. Not together, tho.
14 - 2 friends and I managed to convince my entire home town that I married a guy in New Orleans as a drunken Mardi Gras mishap. The rumor spread like wild fire and was even brought up by the head of the Sociology Department in one of my soc classes 2 years later. To this very day, there are SEVERAL people that still believe this story!
15 - I draw really great stick figures.
16 - Each of my kids has a "special number" tied to the day they were born. Rylie's number is 7 - she was born at 4:47am weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces. Harper's number is 8 as she was born on August 18, 2008 (08/18/08). What's even cooler about Harper's birthday is that my great-grandmother was born on July 17, 1907 (07/17/07) - exactly 1 century, 1 year, 1 month, and 1 day before her great-great-granddaughter.
17 - I could probably manage to eat my weight in chocolate on any given day. And I'm determined to test this theory one day.
18 - There are times when I think that my husband and I are such polar opposites (you might even say BI-POLAR opposites, lol), that I honestly wonder how the hell we ended up together. But yet, despite our extreme differences...we just FIT.
19 - 2 of my all time favorite albums are "Doggystyle" by Snoop Dogg and "Eazy Duz It" by Eazy E. Some may find it hard to believe that an all American blonde (former) cheerleader would be into gangsta rap....but you should have seen me back in the day doing drive by shootings with my supersoaker water guns while blaring some Boyz In Da Hood. Srsly, I couldn't make this up if I wanted to!
20 - I sometimes communicate with my house plants via interpretive dance.
21 - I have lived in 3 states - Kansas, Arizona, Missouri. The next time I move will hopefully be to Mexico. This is something Randy and I hope to do in the next few years. We'll see if it really happens...
22 - Chipotle is my fave post-race (or post-long training day) meal. Oh yes, don't mess with me and my burrito bowl, b!tches!
23 - Beer must also be included post-race (or long training). Or wine. Or BOTH!
24 - There was a time in my life where I could drink an entire case of beer in one night without getting alcohol poisoning. Wow...was that really ME??
25 - I own my own company dedicated to raising and breeding Chia Pets.
26 - My favorite kinds of candy are anything with chocolate, Jelly Bellies, Tootsie Rolls, and Twizzlers. Oh, and I will accept any and all of these as birthday gifts, fyi.
27 - I totally have the hots for Dr. Drew. That is one buff silver fox that just turns me on with his intelligence & sexiness. Rawr.
28 - One of my favorite quotes in the world is something my dad once told me: "Happiness is not a destination, it's a journey." These are truly words to live by.
29 - 7 of my "random things" involved food/drinks/candy...and I find this to be a shockingly LOW number for me.
30 - My future goals involve traveling the world to spread my teachings, and eventually, I would like to fight myself to the death.
31 - I clearly have found it difficult to come up with 31 things about myself and went ahead and threw a few randoms in there for ya. ;)
Hope you enjoyed learning some randsom schtuff about me on my bday! And hopefully I'll have a really awesome weekend to report on come Monday! :)
1 - My middle name is Corinne (after a cage dancer, no less) and I spent a good portion of my childhood trying to get my friends to call me Corinne or Cori instead of Ashley. I always hated my first name. Nicknames like ash-tray, crasher, trashley, and smashley are a little rough growing up. But I have since embraced the nicknames of Ash-Hole and Smash. ;)
2 - I have been bungee jumping (at the age of 13!), parasailing, and skydiving. I hope to one day go hang-glidinging. I also want to ride in a hot air balloon, but my husband has NO desire to take me.
3 - I've never had stitches (other than post-childbirth), and up until 2 years ago, I had never broken a bone either. Then I slammed my finger in our basement door (and I mean SLAMMED) and shattered the tip of my left middle finger. The x-ray showed that bone just completely pulverized - it was in at least 8 pieces. I severed most of the nerves too and have very little feeling in that finger now.
4 - Despite not ever having any "serious" injuries, I still managed to land myself in the ER 3 times in 2007 (after having NEVER been to the ER in my life prior to that year). The first time was for a severe kidney infection, the second time was because I had a seizure, and the third time was due to the previously mentioned finger smashing. And ironically, I had the SAME doctor in the ER all three times. By the third time, I'm sure he was rolling his eyes and thinking "what NOW??" LOL
5 - I once savagely killed a lightening bug with my bare hands.
6 - I LOVE avacados and think they go with just about EVERYTHING - sandwiches, burgers, salads, burritos, etc. YUM!!!!
7 - I also love ranch dressing and think it goes with just about anything too, esp pizza!
8 - I love - LOVE - Chelsea Handler. It's probably an unhealthy obsession...but yeah, I've been following her since she was on Girls Behaving Badly, then The Chelsea Handler Show, and now Chelsea Lately. I've read (and own) both her books, with the third one on pre-order. I even had a onsie made for Harper that says "I Love Chelsea Handler" and submitted it to Chelsea's "Big Fat Baby Contest." Oh, and did I mention that Chelsea's bday is just 2 days before mine??!!
9 - My dad is a musician and was actually a full time professional musician up until I was a year old. One of his bands even put out an album. He still plays now for fun, doing shows on the weekends and he's friends with MANY talented musicians. I grew up around music, going to festivals, and even got to meet a few "famous" people. My dad's former band opened for Rick Trevino and Eddie Rabbit, and my dad has also played with Reba McIntyre's sister.
10 - I love lamp.
11 - I have had the same best friend for nearly 24 years. We've decided we are taking a trip next year to celebrate our 25th Friendiversary.
12 - I did NOT get up at 7am on my bday to post this....and I totally *heart* the "post options" on here so I can set up a posting ahead of time. ;)
13 - I LOVE sushi. And cheese. Not together, tho.
14 - 2 friends and I managed to convince my entire home town that I married a guy in New Orleans as a drunken Mardi Gras mishap. The rumor spread like wild fire and was even brought up by the head of the Sociology Department in one of my soc classes 2 years later. To this very day, there are SEVERAL people that still believe this story!
15 - I draw really great stick figures.
16 - Each of my kids has a "special number" tied to the day they were born. Rylie's number is 7 - she was born at 4:47am weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces. Harper's number is 8 as she was born on August 18, 2008 (08/18/08). What's even cooler about Harper's birthday is that my great-grandmother was born on July 17, 1907 (07/17/07) - exactly 1 century, 1 year, 1 month, and 1 day before her great-great-granddaughter.
17 - I could probably manage to eat my weight in chocolate on any given day. And I'm determined to test this theory one day.
18 - There are times when I think that my husband and I are such polar opposites (you might even say BI-POLAR opposites, lol), that I honestly wonder how the hell we ended up together. But yet, despite our extreme differences...we just FIT.
19 - 2 of my all time favorite albums are "Doggystyle" by Snoop Dogg and "Eazy Duz It" by Eazy E. Some may find it hard to believe that an all American blonde (former) cheerleader would be into gangsta rap....but you should have seen me back in the day doing drive by shootings with my supersoaker water guns while blaring some Boyz In Da Hood. Srsly, I couldn't make this up if I wanted to!
20 - I sometimes communicate with my house plants via interpretive dance.
21 - I have lived in 3 states - Kansas, Arizona, Missouri. The next time I move will hopefully be to Mexico. This is something Randy and I hope to do in the next few years. We'll see if it really happens...
22 - Chipotle is my fave post-race (or post-long training day) meal. Oh yes, don't mess with me and my burrito bowl, b!tches!
23 - Beer must also be included post-race (or long training). Or wine. Or BOTH!
24 - There was a time in my life where I could drink an entire case of beer in one night without getting alcohol poisoning. Wow...was that really ME??
25 - I own my own company dedicated to raising and breeding Chia Pets.
26 - My favorite kinds of candy are anything with chocolate, Jelly Bellies, Tootsie Rolls, and Twizzlers. Oh, and I will accept any and all of these as birthday gifts, fyi.
27 - I totally have the hots for Dr. Drew. That is one buff silver fox that just turns me on with his intelligence & sexiness. Rawr.
28 - One of my favorite quotes in the world is something my dad once told me: "Happiness is not a destination, it's a journey." These are truly words to live by.
29 - 7 of my "random things" involved food/drinks/candy...and I find this to be a shockingly LOW number for me.
30 - My future goals involve traveling the world to spread my teachings, and eventually, I would like to fight myself to the death.
31 - I clearly have found it difficult to come up with 31 things about myself and went ahead and threw a few randoms in there for ya. ;)
Hope you enjoyed learning some randsom schtuff about me on my bday! And hopefully I'll have a really awesome weekend to report on come Monday! :)
Friday, February 26, 2010
Birthday Tribute To The Running Dork!
It's special tribute time!!! Today I would like to wish a VERY SPECIAL (in soooo many ways) PERSON a VEEEEERY HAPPY BIRFDAY!!!!! This one's for you, RUNNING DORK!!!!
The only person I LITERALLY make long-distance friendship hearts with. Tear.
Aw, look at us the day we met.
We were so excited to finally meet each other!!!
And clearly, we had a good time.
Who else would hang out a car window with me to cheer on our fellow friend (The Running Lawyer) in a race??
And I'll NEVER forget when she put her meat in my box.
Oh, and these tiny little carts...how cute!
I can't think of anyone else I'd rather look longingly at.
And as a card carrying member of The Quadrouple, it is her honorary DUTY to do the following:
Be pensive.
Do Jazz Hands.
And the Shocker.
And - oh yes - make friendship rainbows.
I *heart* you, dear friend! Hope you have the bestest bday ever!!!!
*PS - I scheduled this to post at 2:26am....since your bday is 2/26 and I'm so clever and all. ;)*
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
2 Weeks Worth Of Workout Updates...
WARNING!
This will probably be boring to most of you...but for my own personal use, here are my most recent workouts:
Friday, February 12, 2010: 3.2 mi run (fastest pace this year - cut MINUTES off my time!)
Sunday, February 14, 2010: 4 mi run (Love 2 Run Race....miserable. just miserable. Had 7 miles on the schedule, but could barely shuffle along enough to finish the race. It was -3 degrees out and THE most miserable run of my life. Period.)
Monday, February 15, 2010: Just Dance (Wii game...and yes, it's a workout!)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010: 4 miles on elliptical, legs & abs (How cute was the elliptical to say that I did 4 miles in just 30 minutes?? Cuz yeah, we all know I don't run at a 7:30 pace! That's just plain funny right there. I think the elliptical just wants to be my friend, so she over-did it on the niceness scale. I tried to tell her that it's one thing to be nice and another thing to be FAKE. Guess she just doesn't get it....like so many other girls I know, lol. But it's okay. At least she's not mean like the treadmill. I hate that bitch.)
Thursday, February 18, 2010: 1.75 mile run (Pathetic, I tell you. This was SUPPOSED to be a 3 mile run. But I just wasn't feeling it last week. AT ALL. I mean, after that dreadful -3 degree race with all the pain and discomfort, I couldn't even THINK about running. That's why I did the elliptical the day before. I took a brief nap after work and was soooo tired and had no desire to run...but it was sunny and 48 degrees outside - 50+ degrees warmer than Sunday! So I felt like I really needed to take that opportunity to get out there and enjoy the weather! Well, I don't know what the hell my problem was...I haven't had a piss poor running experience like that in FOREVER! But yeah, I just COULDN'T. I tried...and failed. Miserably. Didn't even make it 2 miles, and I walked a lot of it. I felt heavy, tired, and pathetic. Definitely just a bad. running. day.)
Saturday, February 20, 2010: 8 mile run (Longest run of the season so far, and actually my longest run since last spring! I was a little nervous after my 2 previous crappy runs. So I went to weather.com and found that the warmest part of the day with the minimal amount of wind would be 12pm - 2pm that day with the high of 34 degrees and wind only 6 - 7 mph.
I chose a pretty flat trail to run on since it was a longer distance, it was "yucky" out [I'll get to that in a minute], and my earlier runs from the week had sucked ass...so I was trying to make things a little easier on myself. The trail is 7 miles total, with a 3.5 mile out & back. The first and last 2+ miles are pretty boring. It was a gray day and all the trees were bare and there wasn't much to look at other than the highway. This trail is on an elevated embankment in the middle of nowhere, really. But the last mile to the turn around point was in a wooded area and was kinda pretty.
My pace was UBER slow that day, but I didn't really mind. It was a longer distance, so that was to be expected. And it was cold and windy out, and honestly, I was just glad to be out there DOING it instead of at home on my couch. And did I mention that I had gone to a wedding the night before and drank a significant amount of wine?? Yeah.
So I got to the turn around spot at 3.5 miles, stretched for a few min, and took a Gu [Chocolate Outrage, I swear it's like crack - I LOVE IT!!!], and then headed back to where I started. I have to admit, just that little break to stretched helped tremendously. The way back was a little rough though. The wind was in my face on the way back and shortly before I hit 5 miles, I started to see little flecks of white out of the corner of my eye. Sleet. Great. I still had 2 miles to go.
My legs were also a little fatigued and stiff, so I had to start walking 1 out of every 10 minutes. I finally made it back to my car with the 7 miles on my schedule completed. Technically, I was supposed to run 7 miles the previous weekend, but only did 4 since it was -3 degrees that day. I was supposed to do 8 miles on this particular day, but felt I should do the 7 mile run first - trying to avoid injury and not take on too much too fast.
My cheeks were completely frozen and I was ready to head home. Took the Garmin off, started stretching, and suddenly I felt like I wanted to go ahead and put in that last mile. Strapped the Garmin back on and I was off. By this time, there were huge snowflakes falling and I have to tell you, it was sooooo beautiful. People in cars were staring at me like I was crazy and I was just smiling like a crazy fool because I was feeling great and totally enjoying the beautiful snow. The last mile was basically just a cool down mile, but I felt pretty awesome to have completed 8 miles that day.
The only bad thing was that I was so cold afterwards that I didn't stretch nearly enough. And when I got home, I was so ready to get out of my cold, wet clothes that I didn't use the foam roller and I didn't ice bath either since I was shivering and my teeth were chattering. Instead, I took a hot shower and LOVED every minute of it! I then dressed in head-to-toe fleece and lounged on the couch the rest of the day.
All in all, the run felt good - minimal pain, able to run most of it, not very sore the following day other than tight IT bands...need to go see Dr. Jesse at Quest Performance Center & have him fix me up.)
Tuesday, February 23, 2010: 1 hour of weights (bicepts, triceps, shoulders, back, hamstrings, abs)
Well, now I'm current on my workouts. I sure am ready for spring to get here! Our roads are covered in ice again, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do about running this week. I've come to the conclusion that I'm not going to run on a treadmill anymore - I feel like it flares up my injuries and I'm just not willing to take that risk. So today will be an elliptical day...and probably every day until Saturday when I need to head out for my "long" run. I hate that it will be a week since my previous run, which was also a long run, with no short runs in between...but this weather is really becoming an obstacle. I have a feeling I'm going to have to hit up the same trail too, if I want to find something not covered in ice. So yeah, looks like a boring and cold trail run of 9 miles the morning of my birthday. Wish me luck with that one!
Monday, February 22, 2010
2010 Goals
Okay, so I'm FINALLY getting around to posting this. Yeah, I procrastinate.....but better late than never. ;) Okay, I'm going to list the goals first and then offer some additional info below.
2010 Goals:
1) STAY INJURY-FREE!!!
2) Complete (at least) 1 Race Every Month
3) Race A New (LONGER) Distance (either a full marathon or a half ironman)
4) Beat My Previous Half Marathon Time
5) Run A Sub 30:00 5K
1) STAY INJURY-FREE!!! - This goal is FIRST and foremost! Without this one, it will be extremely difficult to achieve the other goals on my list for the year! I'm really trying to be smart about my training this year. Last year, I ended up with 2 stress fractures....which, looking back, is no surprise when you consider that I went from just starting to run to training for a half marathon in only 5 weeks. That wasn't too bright. So I'm easing into things more, making sure to stretch, ice bath, etc. Hopefully I can keep the injuries at bay this year!
2) Complete (at least) 1 Race Every Month - I think this will be a fun one. Last year was my first year to race and I did the bulk of them in the spring and fall (the nice months) and absolutely NONE in the winter. I think doing a race every month will keep me focused and on track with training and will also allow me to "test drive" each month of the year and find out what months I enjoy racing in the best. So far, I've already completed a race for January (Groundhog 5k) and February (Love 2 Run 4 Mile).
3) Race A New (LONGER) Distance (either a full marathon or a half ironman) - Well, I already let the cat out of the bag on this one when I mentioned a little something about registering for the Chicago Marathon. ;) It was a real toss-up, though. I actually really wanted to do the RedMan Half Ironman this year. ACTUALLY, I wanted to do it LAST year until I ended up injured... But when I really thought it through, I realized that I would first need a new (better) bike, and I don't have the money to drop on that right now. I would need to invest well over $1000 for this and I just don't have that kind of money. Plus, I think I would like to get a full marathon under my belt before I go trying out any iron distances. So, a marathon it is....Lord help me make it through this one!
4) Beat My Previous Half Marathon Time - In all honesty, this really shouldn't be all that hard to do considering how slooooooow my HM was last year. Last year's HM was not only my first half, but my first RACE. I ran it with only 5 weeks of training. I didn't even own a Garmin at the time and had no way of gaging my pace. I was just sooooo clueless at the time (even more clueless than I still am now, lol). I'm feeling pretty confident at the moment that I can beat my slow-as-all-get-out time last year. If not, then something is definitely wrong with me. ;)
5) Run A Sub 30:00 5K - Yeah, I realize this prob seems like a ridiculously slow 5K time for most people....but I would LOVE to be able to run a 5K in under 30 min! And with the way my pace has been improving lately, I'm really hoping this will happen before the year is over. And if not...well, there's always next year. ;)
Well, there you have it, folks - The Running Worm's 2010 Goals! Wish me luck!!! :)
2010 Goals:
1) STAY INJURY-FREE!!!
2) Complete (at least) 1 Race Every Month
3) Race A New (LONGER) Distance (either a full marathon or a half ironman)
4) Beat My Previous Half Marathon Time
5) Run A Sub 30:00 5K
1) STAY INJURY-FREE!!! - This goal is FIRST and foremost! Without this one, it will be extremely difficult to achieve the other goals on my list for the year! I'm really trying to be smart about my training this year. Last year, I ended up with 2 stress fractures....which, looking back, is no surprise when you consider that I went from just starting to run to training for a half marathon in only 5 weeks. That wasn't too bright. So I'm easing into things more, making sure to stretch, ice bath, etc. Hopefully I can keep the injuries at bay this year!
2) Complete (at least) 1 Race Every Month - I think this will be a fun one. Last year was my first year to race and I did the bulk of them in the spring and fall (the nice months) and absolutely NONE in the winter. I think doing a race every month will keep me focused and on track with training and will also allow me to "test drive" each month of the year and find out what months I enjoy racing in the best. So far, I've already completed a race for January (Groundhog 5k) and February (Love 2 Run 4 Mile).
3) Race A New (LONGER) Distance (either a full marathon or a half ironman) - Well, I already let the cat out of the bag on this one when I mentioned a little something about registering for the Chicago Marathon. ;) It was a real toss-up, though. I actually really wanted to do the RedMan Half Ironman this year. ACTUALLY, I wanted to do it LAST year until I ended up injured... But when I really thought it through, I realized that I would first need a new (better) bike, and I don't have the money to drop on that right now. I would need to invest well over $1000 for this and I just don't have that kind of money. Plus, I think I would like to get a full marathon under my belt before I go trying out any iron distances. So, a marathon it is....Lord help me make it through this one!
4) Beat My Previous Half Marathon Time - In all honesty, this really shouldn't be all that hard to do considering how slooooooow my HM was last year. Last year's HM was not only my first half, but my first RACE. I ran it with only 5 weeks of training. I didn't even own a Garmin at the time and had no way of gaging my pace. I was just sooooo clueless at the time (even more clueless than I still am now, lol). I'm feeling pretty confident at the moment that I can beat my slow-as-all-get-out time last year. If not, then something is definitely wrong with me. ;)
5) Run A Sub 30:00 5K - Yeah, I realize this prob seems like a ridiculously slow 5K time for most people....but I would LOVE to be able to run a 5K in under 30 min! And with the way my pace has been improving lately, I'm really hoping this will happen before the year is over. And if not...well, there's always next year. ;)
Well, there you have it, folks - The Running Worm's 2010 Goals! Wish me luck!!! :)
Friday, February 19, 2010
Love 2 Run (AKA The Lesbian Race) Race Report
ALSO known as....the coldest efing race I hope to ever run in my life. Yeah, it sucked that bad. First off, when you are dressed like THIS before the race and you're still frozen solid the second you step outside, you know it's colder than balls:
**I still managed to PR - LOL! I will say this though, this was only the SECOND 4 mile race I've ever ran and I had a stress fracture (not yet diagnosed at the time) during the first one...which was also just 6 days after my first half marathon and I could barely walk at the time, let alone run. So yeah....beat my previous 4 mile race time by 2:57.
**The Running Chalupa & I had an AMAZING brunch at Corner Cafe after our race (this is becoming a tradition) and it was DE-LIC! We split 2 meals - chicken strips & fries, and waffles with eggs & bacon - oh yeah! Oh, and we downed it with some loving chocolate milk. Highlight of the day. Well, that and the nap I took when I got home. ;)
Here are some pics we took after the race. One even shows our faces! LOL
About to run a race...or about to rob a bank?? Take your pick...
Yeah, I knew the weather on Sunday was not going to be in our favor. It was the coldest day in the 10 day forcast by about 15 degrees. Nice. Turns out that with the wind, it was a whopping -3 at the downtown airport that morning.
Here I am, preparing to freeze my tatas off....
Oh wait, I forgot to cover my ears with an additional layer!
The Running Chalupa looks like she's about to knock off a liquor store!
We arrived at the downtown airport (which is only about 5 miles from my house) more than an hour before the race so we would have enough time for packet pick-up and a quick warm up. Yeah...the crowd was small and the extreme early arrival was totally unnecessary. So we pretty much just chilled (literally) for about an hour. I had 7 miles on my schedule that day and had planned to run an extra loop after the race. About 30 minutes before the race, the thought crossed my mind that we should have done the extra loop BEFORE the race as a warm up...and because we were there so early. But by then, it was too late. Oh well. Honestly, if I would have done the "warm-up" loop, I probably would have ended up not even running the race. How sad is that??
The race itself was pretty uneventful. I've ran at the downtown airport plenty of times - did a lot of my half marathon training out there last year. It's completely flat, but the wind can be pretty brutal since it's out in the middle of nowhere. But yeah...I was not prepared for the SUCK of this race. Here are the lowlights:
**Garmin battery died less than a mile into the race, so I had no clue what my pace or distance was pretty much the entire time.
**My legs were frozen solid, even after the small warm up that Val and I did. What this amounted to was extreme pain in my calves and shins with every step I took. The muscles were just cold and tight and it completely hurt to "run."
**I ended up having to stop to stretch my calves and walk a bit THREE times!!! I can't even remember the last time I had to walk during a run, let alone a short 4 miler on a FLAT course. That was a bit of a blow to the ego...esp after all the really great runs I've had lately.
**Another runner actually had to ask me if I was okay as I limped along in pain and agony from stiff, cold muscles.
**I never did run my extra 3 miles I had on my schedule that day....I was barely able to finish the race.
There WERE just a couple of highlights too, though:**I still managed to PR - LOL! I will say this though, this was only the SECOND 4 mile race I've ever ran and I had a stress fracture (not yet diagnosed at the time) during the first one...which was also just 6 days after my first half marathon and I could barely walk at the time, let alone run. So yeah....beat my previous 4 mile race time by 2:57.
**The Running Chalupa & I had an AMAZING brunch at Corner Cafe after our race (this is becoming a tradition) and it was DE-LIC! We split 2 meals - chicken strips & fries, and waffles with eggs & bacon - oh yeah! Oh, and we downed it with some loving chocolate milk. Highlight of the day. Well, that and the nap I took when I got home. ;)
Here are some pics we took after the race. One even shows our faces! LOL
So I now have 2 races under my belt for 2010 - 1 in January and 1 in February. Oh, and the next time I think about registering for a race with temps like this, please -for the love of God- talk me out of it!!!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Happy Birthday To The Running Lawyer!!!!
See the chick on the right?
February is a pretty awesome month, considering the entire Throuple will be celebrating a throuple of birthdays this month - we're pretty awesome like that. We travel in packs, too. So watch out!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
2009 Recap
Yeah, yeah, I'm a little behind... And I have even had this post all ready to go for a couple weeks now, but I've been waiting to upload pictures.... But honestly, I just don't have that much time, so I'm just going to post it as is. The first month of this year has been so insanely busy, I just haven't had a chance to get around to recapping '09, but better late than never. So, here goes:
2009 was one of -if not THE- best years of my life. Although there was a healthy mix of highs and lows, overall it was a year of many successes, accomplishments, achievements, love, laughter, friendships, fun, and happiness. Where do I even begin...??
In January I registered for my first triathlon (and let's face it, first RACE) ever - an olympic. It was scheduled for June. I began training on my own in January and began team training with TNT in February. I've always worked out and tried to stay in shape...but I've never been a runner. Or a swimmer or biker for that matter, either. My workouts consisted of regular muscle conditioning classes and the occasional elliptical session thrown in from time to time. Once in awhile I'd go for a "run".....and then not go for another one for 2 - 3 months. Looking back, it was a huge deal just to be able to run 1 - 2 miles without having to stop and walk.
In February, I had a monumental birthday and turned the big 3-0. My husband threw a huge surprise party for me, which was one of the best birthdays I've ever had! That night, a couple friends told me they were training for a half marathon and asked if I'd want to do it with them. At that time, I was only up to running 3 miles and was a bit skeptical. But somehow I decided to take on the challenge.
In March, I juggled my triathlon and half marathon training. In hindsight, I definitely took on more than I could handle, as I later ended up with a stress fracture. But I will say that training for the half with my friends definitely brought us all a lot closer. It definitely solidified our friendship and allowed us to share something that will forever be just between us.
In April we made the trip to St Louis where I ran my first ever Half Marathon...and yes, it was my first ever RACE - period! The emotions I felt at the start line were overwhelming. I had never ran a race before, let alone a race with 15,000 other people. What an experience!
I discovered a new found love for racing and raced 4 weekends in a row in April and May. But the pain I first noticed during my HM training started to get worse and worse. By the time I got an MRI, I pretty much already knew it was a stress fracture. Just weeks away from my triathlon, I ended up having to drop out of the race. It was a tough blow...but in the end it all worked out.
In May, my oldest daughter completed her first year of kindergarten! Around that same time, she expressed an interest in running and ran 2 5k's with me that spring. She also got invited to join the competitive team in gymnastics.
After 6 weeks of rest and healing, I began to train again in late July for another triathlon. I made even more new friends on this new team and really enjoyed all the open-water swims during the nice weather.
In August, I ran my first race in several months - Race for the Cure. It felt great to run again and I was even able to PR! August was a busy month for our family - Harper turned 1, Rylie turned 7, and she also began 1st grade. Late August was also the peak of my triathlon training.
In September, I made the trip to DC with my mom and members of my TNT team and competed in my first triathlon! What an exilerating experience - I mean, hello - I swam in the POTOMAC RIVER!!! Words cannot even describe the emotions I felt as I caught glimpses of monuments and national treasures in our nation's capital during my race that day! I conquered a HUGE dream of mine that day - it's a moment in my life that I will never, EVER forget!
I felt good after my tri and was ready to take on more races. I registered for my first 10k and ran it a few weeks later. I even committed to doing the Giblet Jog with Dork & Lawyer...but soon learned that my body just isn't designed to run back-to-back days...as I soon felt an all-too-familiar pain in my left leg. I didn't need a doctor to confirm it this time - it was another stress fracture.
I took more time off, but still accompanied my family to the Jared Coone's Memorial Pumpkin Run in October. I had already registered all of us for the race, but since I couldn't run with my injury, I just volunteered instead. Also in October, Randy and I celebrated our anniversary with a trip to Mazatlan, Mexico with some friends of ours. It was our first trip together since our honeymoon and it was so needed and so much fun! We had an amazing time together and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate our anniversary.
I started running again in November so I could participate in the Giblet Jog with the Throuple (me, Dork, and Lawyer). But I ended up downgrading from the 10 Mile Turkey Trot and Gobbler Grind Half Marathon to the 2 Mile Turkey Trot and Gobbler Grind 5k. It was still 2 races in 2 days...and I managed to PR in both races! But more importantly, the weekend was a BLAST with great running friends that I adore!
December was mellow on the running front...but busy with the holidays, my husbie's birthday, and time with family.
Overall, 2009 was quite the year - I started blogging, turned 30, met lots of friends through TNT and the blog world, started racing for the first time ever, did 9 races - most of them being "firsts" of that distance, and pretty much a PR every time - hey, when you start out as slow as me, all you can do is improve! ;)
1 2 mile race
4 5k's
1 4 mile race
1 10k
1 half marathon
1 olympic tri
I would definitely say that '09 was a success....2010 has some big shoes to fill!!!
2009 was one of -if not THE- best years of my life. Although there was a healthy mix of highs and lows, overall it was a year of many successes, accomplishments, achievements, love, laughter, friendships, fun, and happiness. Where do I even begin...??
In January I registered for my first triathlon (and let's face it, first RACE) ever - an olympic. It was scheduled for June. I began training on my own in January and began team training with TNT in February. I've always worked out and tried to stay in shape...but I've never been a runner. Or a swimmer or biker for that matter, either. My workouts consisted of regular muscle conditioning classes and the occasional elliptical session thrown in from time to time. Once in awhile I'd go for a "run".....and then not go for another one for 2 - 3 months. Looking back, it was a huge deal just to be able to run 1 - 2 miles without having to stop and walk.
In February, I had a monumental birthday and turned the big 3-0. My husband threw a huge surprise party for me, which was one of the best birthdays I've ever had! That night, a couple friends told me they were training for a half marathon and asked if I'd want to do it with them. At that time, I was only up to running 3 miles and was a bit skeptical. But somehow I decided to take on the challenge.
In March, I juggled my triathlon and half marathon training. In hindsight, I definitely took on more than I could handle, as I later ended up with a stress fracture. But I will say that training for the half with my friends definitely brought us all a lot closer. It definitely solidified our friendship and allowed us to share something that will forever be just between us.
In April we made the trip to St Louis where I ran my first ever Half Marathon...and yes, it was my first ever RACE - period! The emotions I felt at the start line were overwhelming. I had never ran a race before, let alone a race with 15,000 other people. What an experience!
I discovered a new found love for racing and raced 4 weekends in a row in April and May. But the pain I first noticed during my HM training started to get worse and worse. By the time I got an MRI, I pretty much already knew it was a stress fracture. Just weeks away from my triathlon, I ended up having to drop out of the race. It was a tough blow...but in the end it all worked out.
In May, my oldest daughter completed her first year of kindergarten! Around that same time, she expressed an interest in running and ran 2 5k's with me that spring. She also got invited to join the competitive team in gymnastics.
After 6 weeks of rest and healing, I began to train again in late July for another triathlon. I made even more new friends on this new team and really enjoyed all the open-water swims during the nice weather.
In August, I ran my first race in several months - Race for the Cure. It felt great to run again and I was even able to PR! August was a busy month for our family - Harper turned 1, Rylie turned 7, and she also began 1st grade. Late August was also the peak of my triathlon training.
In September, I made the trip to DC with my mom and members of my TNT team and competed in my first triathlon! What an exilerating experience - I mean, hello - I swam in the POTOMAC RIVER!!! Words cannot even describe the emotions I felt as I caught glimpses of monuments and national treasures in our nation's capital during my race that day! I conquered a HUGE dream of mine that day - it's a moment in my life that I will never, EVER forget!
I felt good after my tri and was ready to take on more races. I registered for my first 10k and ran it a few weeks later. I even committed to doing the Giblet Jog with Dork & Lawyer...but soon learned that my body just isn't designed to run back-to-back days...as I soon felt an all-too-familiar pain in my left leg. I didn't need a doctor to confirm it this time - it was another stress fracture.
I took more time off, but still accompanied my family to the Jared Coone's Memorial Pumpkin Run in October. I had already registered all of us for the race, but since I couldn't run with my injury, I just volunteered instead. Also in October, Randy and I celebrated our anniversary with a trip to Mazatlan, Mexico with some friends of ours. It was our first trip together since our honeymoon and it was so needed and so much fun! We had an amazing time together and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate our anniversary.
I started running again in November so I could participate in the Giblet Jog with the Throuple (me, Dork, and Lawyer). But I ended up downgrading from the 10 Mile Turkey Trot and Gobbler Grind Half Marathon to the 2 Mile Turkey Trot and Gobbler Grind 5k. It was still 2 races in 2 days...and I managed to PR in both races! But more importantly, the weekend was a BLAST with great running friends that I adore!
December was mellow on the running front...but busy with the holidays, my husbie's birthday, and time with family.
Overall, 2009 was quite the year - I started blogging, turned 30, met lots of friends through TNT and the blog world, started racing for the first time ever, did 9 races - most of them being "firsts" of that distance, and pretty much a PR every time - hey, when you start out as slow as me, all you can do is improve! ;)
1 2 mile race
4 5k's
1 4 mile race
1 10k
1 half marathon
1 olympic tri
I would definitely say that '09 was a success....2010 has some big shoes to fill!!!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Groundhog Race Report - i.e. A Crazy-Fun Weekend With The Quadrouple...And A Teensy Bit of Running
Okay, okay, okay....I figure since I ran my second race of the year on Sunday and need to get THAT race report up, I might as well post my FIRST race report of the year beforehand....so, here ya go. And yeah, you probably already read all about it from these fools:
Basically, the weekend was a whole lot of fun, laughter, FOOD, and dirty jokes/sexual inuendo, with a little bit of running thrown in for good measure. The 4 of us ladies (Dork, Lawyer, Sri Lankan, and I) started out with a little of all the above (minus the running) at Stix.
Here's a pic of Dork & Myself with the cute little carts of sweet potato fries - YUM!!
Here's a couple group pics at Blanc. I particularly like the "pensive" photo. I know I was reflecting back on the moment Beka put her meat in my box...
And I still hold claim that I BEAT the Running Chicken!!! It doesn't really matter that we began at the same time and he ran a 10k and I only ran a 5k....I still beat that guy. Fair and square.
Basically, the weekend was a whole lot of fun, laughter, FOOD, and dirty jokes/sexual inuendo, with a little bit of running thrown in for good measure. The 4 of us ladies (Dork, Lawyer, Sri Lankan, and I) started out with a little of all the above (minus the running) at Stix.
Here's a pic of Laywer & Dork enjoying some sake.
We then headed over to the Nike Outlet for a brief shopping excursion, followed by a delicious viewing of Josh Duhamel in "When In Rome." We then picked up the Sri Lankan's husbie (AKA Sherpa) and headed to Blanc Burgers & Bottles for dinner.
Here's a pic of Dork & Myself with the cute little carts of sweet potato fries - YUM!!
Blanc was amazing. I had an inside out burger - aka a burger stuffed with blue cheese on the inside, which I can only describe as a food orgasm. O...M...G...!!! Wow. That's really all I have to say about that.
And here, one of the highlights of the evening, Beka putting her meat in my box - a moment I will remember forever.
Here's a couple group pics at Blanc. I particularly like the "pensive" photo. I know I was reflecting back on the moment Beka put her meat in my box...
After a fantastic dinner, we called it a night. That's because we had the following to look forward to the next morning:
In case you are wondering, Indi and I are pretending to be groundhogs in that middle photo. ;)
The 5k began at 9am and the 10k began at 10am. With the limited amount of parking available, we really tried to get there early...and then we had a long wait. But not really. The Running Chicken was running late (again), The Running Lawyer left her iPod in my car and had to go back and fetch it, and the lines for the bathroom were ridiculous...so really, not much time to spare.
The 5k began at 9am and the 10k began at 10am. With the limited amount of parking available, we really tried to get there early...and then we had a long wait. But not really. The Running Chicken was running late (again), The Running Lawyer left her iPod in my car and had to go back and fetch it, and the lines for the bathroom were ridiculous...so really, not much time to spare.
Here's a pic of the crowd in the caves before the race.
I will say that running in a cave is def a first for me. And with the wind and cold that day, I will say that I'm GLAD we were inside! It was actually a little toasty for my taste, but still better than the frigid cold. AND, for the record, this is the only underground race in the country - cool!
The entire group was registered for the 10k except for me, since I had just started running again and did not feel prepared quite yet for a 10k. I opted to run the 5k instead, but didn't really want to run at 9am with all of my buddies running at 10am...so I just ran with the 10k-ers, but ducked out after the first loop. And with no garmin signal in the cave, I have no idea what my pace was or what my splits were...and honestly, that's just fine with me. After a 2 month hiatus from running, I really don't care to know just how slow I was... ;)
Here's a pic of me and Indi....I'm the pink blur beside Indi.
And I still hold claim that I BEAT the Running Chicken!!! It doesn't really matter that we began at the same time and he ran a 10k and I only ran a 5k....I still beat that guy. Fair and square.
Here are some of the fasties....pretty sure they lapped me & Indi on our first loop as they headed for the home stretch....sure is great on the ego when that happens, LOL.
And the white blur you see here, my friends, would be my homie - The Running Dork!
Oh, and while at the race, we saw The Running Santa Claus (above Indi's head there). I really wanted Mark to go sit on his lap and tell him what he wanted for Christmas, but he declined....
No running group would be complete without a Sherpa. Here's ours - he pretty much rocks - lugs our stuff around, snaps photos, and does it with a smile!
Here's the Sherpa with the Running Ladies! **Notice all the matching....all 4 ladies in matching running tights, Beka, Kristen, and Indi in the same shirt (Beka & Kristen's are even the same color), and Kristen & I have the same pink shirt on underneath...we are quite a bunch.**
And of course, you can't have a race with the Quadrouple without Jazz Hands photos!!! Ignore the Running Party Pooper in the background....jazz hands will be photoshopped on him soon enough...
This photo...well, it speaks for itself.
After the race, we headed over to the Flying Saucer for some more delicious food...and BEER! The follow pics were taken at The Flying Saucer:
The Ring of Honor....no, it's NOT like a pearl necklace.... ;)
Beka & I looking longingly into each others eyes...and Kristen pouts for being left out. Classic.
Apparently a delicious meal makes us pensive. It also reminds me of Beka's meat...and my....box....
Yes, another successful weekend of fun, food, beer, friends, and oh yeah, what's that other thing....running. And here you thought you were going to get a RACE REPORT - ha!!! But I will leave you with the BEST pic of all - oh yes, are you ready for this one?? The Friendship Rainbow! Heart. And maybe even a tear.
Friday, February 12, 2010
I'm A Bad Blogger...
I have 4 draft posts I'm working on right now and feel like I'll never get to due to the craziness of my life right now. Work is insane, I never have a moment to myself at home...so where does that leave me? With little time for blogging.
So anyway, today I really just want to update my blog with my last several workouts. This is mostly for my benefit, so I'm sorry if it bores you. I'll try to get my Groundhog race report out soon...you know, since it was 2 weeks ago and all and I'm running another race this weekend. Val (who I think I'm going to have to start calling The Running Chalupa, fyi) and I are running the Love 2 Run race on Valentines Day together. It's a 4 mile loop out at the downtown airport. The high for Sunday is 24 - the HIGH. I'm pretty sure around 9am, we'll be lucky if the temp is even in double digits. Add to that the wind out at the airport and yeah....I wonder if it'll even be above 0??? Yikes!
Oh, and it's unfortunate that Val and I had already registered for the race before we thought to register as a couple since this race has both a singles and a doubles division. Cuz how cute would it have been for the 2 of us to cross the finish line holding hands on Valentines Day?? ;) I have since discontinued calling it the Love 2 Run race, and am now refering to it as our Lesbian Race. Heehee.
I hope everyone has a great weekend! Have a super V-Day & eat lots of chocolate!!! :)
Recent Workouts:
Thursday, February 4, 2010: P90X Kenpo, 3.1 mile run (same route as Tuesday, beat time by 4 *yes, 4!!* seconds, lol)
Friday, February 5, 2010: P90X Cardio X, Wii - Just Dance (has anyone played this game?? so fun!!)
Saturday, February 6, 2010: Wii - Just Dance, 6 mi run (Longest run since September! Ry ran the first 2 miles with me. Pace for miles 2 and 4 was exactly the same, miles 1 and 3 within 3 seconds of each other, mile 5 was the slowest - mostly uphill, and mile 6 was the fastest - yay! Mile 6 was mostly downhill, but still....I like ending with my fastest mile ;) .)
Monday, February 8, 2010: P90X Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps
Wednesday, February 10, 2010: 3 mi run (coldest run of the year...fastest pace of the year! negative splits...and last mile 1:55 faster than the first!)
So anyway, today I really just want to update my blog with my last several workouts. This is mostly for my benefit, so I'm sorry if it bores you. I'll try to get my Groundhog race report out soon...you know, since it was 2 weeks ago and all and I'm running another race this weekend. Val (who I think I'm going to have to start calling The Running Chalupa, fyi) and I are running the Love 2 Run race on Valentines Day together. It's a 4 mile loop out at the downtown airport. The high for Sunday is 24 - the HIGH. I'm pretty sure around 9am, we'll be lucky if the temp is even in double digits. Add to that the wind out at the airport and yeah....I wonder if it'll even be above 0??? Yikes!
Oh, and it's unfortunate that Val and I had already registered for the race before we thought to register as a couple since this race has both a singles and a doubles division. Cuz how cute would it have been for the 2 of us to cross the finish line holding hands on Valentines Day?? ;) I have since discontinued calling it the Love 2 Run race, and am now refering to it as our Lesbian Race. Heehee.
I hope everyone has a great weekend! Have a super V-Day & eat lots of chocolate!!! :)
Recent Workouts:
Thursday, February 4, 2010: P90X Kenpo, 3.1 mile run (same route as Tuesday, beat time by 4 *yes, 4!!* seconds, lol)
Friday, February 5, 2010: P90X Cardio X, Wii - Just Dance (has anyone played this game?? so fun!!)
Saturday, February 6, 2010: Wii - Just Dance, 6 mi run (Longest run since September! Ry ran the first 2 miles with me. Pace for miles 2 and 4 was exactly the same, miles 1 and 3 within 3 seconds of each other, mile 5 was the slowest - mostly uphill, and mile 6 was the fastest - yay! Mile 6 was mostly downhill, but still....I like ending with my fastest mile ;) .)
Monday, February 8, 2010: P90X Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps
Wednesday, February 10, 2010: 3 mi run (coldest run of the year...fastest pace of the year! negative splits...and last mile 1:55 faster than the first!)
Monday, February 8, 2010
Oh yeah, that just happened!!!
I'm completely blaming peer pressure on this one. The Running Dork has been dangling the Chicago Marathon in front of me like a chocolate covered steak coupled with beer and rainbow hugs - how could I say no??? First off - have I always wanted to go to Chicago? I believe the answer to that one is a big fat YES! Here I live in the midwest but have never been to Chicago - what gives?? I've been dying to get to Chi Town JUST to eat some Chi Pizza for 3 days straight! Secondly, have I ever given much thought to running a full marathon? Of course. I read all these blogs by runners and feel their victories as I read about them crossing the finish line and I feel that rush of adrenaline just thinking that one day that could be me. Yeah, I just started running last year. But I ran a half marathon last year and I'm running another half this year. So what better time for a full than just a few months after a half, right? I can just keep the momentum going and cross another item off my bucket list.
Maybe I rushed into this decision? Perhaps I got wrapped up in the excitement of doing another race with some of my fave girls on this earth. And maybe, just maybe, the words "free place to stay" on top of all the other temptations was enough to push me over the edge....but whatever it was, it IS official - yesterday I registered for the 2010 Chicago Marathon!!!! WISH ME LUCK!!!!!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
I Fought The Wind & The Cold...And I WON!
Yesterday was a successful day of working out. I did the P90X Plyo workout during lunch. Well, I did a little over half of it....that workout is over an hour long. Add in enough time to change in and out of workout clothes and grab a lunch and well, my lunch break just isn't that long. BUT, I also managed a 3.1 mile run after work as well.
First, let me say that I dreaded my run all day long. It was cold out. As in frigid. And I just don't fair well in the cold. I know there are peeps out there that can run in sub 0's all the time. I am NOT one of those people. Hell, I was nervous about running in the 50's just last year. I have since discovered that 50's = my fave temps to run in. But yeah, I can probably count on 1 hand the number of times that I've ran in 40 degrees or below. It just doesn't happen for me. But I also hate (as in LOATHE!!!) the treadmill. So all day yesterday, I battled it out in my head - run outside in 29 degrees and 10mph wind, or tough it out on the stupid treadmill??
I finally decided to give it a shot outside just to see how it would go. The first mile was tough. The wind was in my face and my pace was sloooooow. The second mile, the one with the most hills, was also a struggle due to the hills...but I made it through all the hills without walking. I finally got to the last mile and by then I was cruisin. My last mile was my fastest, which is rare for me. And my overall pace was my fastest since I started running again a few weeks ago. So I would say the run was a success. I was feelin pretty good at the end - finally warmed up and ready for a few more miles. But I'm really trying to stick to my schedule and not push myself any further. The last thing I want to do this year is reinjure this darn stress fracture for a THIRD time!
Oh, and I have learned that recovery socks are my new best friend! (Thank you, Running Lawyer!!!) :)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010: P90X Plyometrics, 3.1 mile run
First, let me say that I dreaded my run all day long. It was cold out. As in frigid. And I just don't fair well in the cold. I know there are peeps out there that can run in sub 0's all the time. I am NOT one of those people. Hell, I was nervous about running in the 50's just last year. I have since discovered that 50's = my fave temps to run in. But yeah, I can probably count on 1 hand the number of times that I've ran in 40 degrees or below. It just doesn't happen for me. But I also hate (as in LOATHE!!!) the treadmill. So all day yesterday, I battled it out in my head - run outside in 29 degrees and 10mph wind, or tough it out on the stupid treadmill??
I finally decided to give it a shot outside just to see how it would go. The first mile was tough. The wind was in my face and my pace was sloooooow. The second mile, the one with the most hills, was also a struggle due to the hills...but I made it through all the hills without walking. I finally got to the last mile and by then I was cruisin. My last mile was my fastest, which is rare for me. And my overall pace was my fastest since I started running again a few weeks ago. So I would say the run was a success. I was feelin pretty good at the end - finally warmed up and ready for a few more miles. But I'm really trying to stick to my schedule and not push myself any further. The last thing I want to do this year is reinjure this darn stress fracture for a THIRD time!
Oh, and I have learned that recovery socks are my new best friend! (Thank you, Running Lawyer!!!) :)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010: P90X Plyometrics, 3.1 mile run
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Workout Updates and January Monthly Totals
First off, I haven't done "monthly totals" in forever....probably September. Geez, I suck. I also never did my yearly totals for last year either, which I still need to do for my own benefit. Sigh... And here it is, already February, and I haven't even done a 2009 recap either. I'm so behind. But for now, here are my most recent workouts, followed by my totals for January (totals kind suck considering I was detoxing half the month and therefore not working out....)
Thursday, January 21, 2010: 40 minute walk w/dogs
Friday, January 22, 2010: P90X Legs & Back
Monday, January 25, 2010: 2.6 mile run on treadmill (had to stop early due to pain in the left leg)
Saturday, January 30, 2010: 45 min on elliptical, abs, biceps, triceps, shoulders, inner & outer thighs
Sunday, January 31, 2010: 5k race (race report coming soon!)
Monday, February 1, 2010: abs, biceps, triceps
January Monthly Totals:
Running: 5 days, 14.8 miles
P90X: 3 days
Yoga: 1 day
Weights/Strength Training: 4 days
Misc Cardio: 2 days
Total Days of Cardio: 7
Total Days of Work Outs: 9
Be on the lookout for my race report from Sunday involving The Running Dork, The Running Lawyer, The Running Sri Lankan and The Running "Chicken".
Thursday, January 21, 2010: 40 minute walk w/dogs
Friday, January 22, 2010: P90X Legs & Back
Monday, January 25, 2010: 2.6 mile run on treadmill (had to stop early due to pain in the left leg)
Saturday, January 30, 2010: 45 min on elliptical, abs, biceps, triceps, shoulders, inner & outer thighs
Sunday, January 31, 2010: 5k race (race report coming soon!)
Monday, February 1, 2010: abs, biceps, triceps
January Monthly Totals:
Running: 5 days, 14.8 miles
P90X: 3 days
Yoga: 1 day
Weights/Strength Training: 4 days
Misc Cardio: 2 days
Total Days of Cardio: 7
Total Days of Work Outs: 9
Be on the lookout for my race report from Sunday involving The Running Dork, The Running Lawyer, The Running Sri Lankan and The Running "Chicken".
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Workout Updates
Thanks again to everyone for your continued support through my detox endeavors. Ending the detox was not an easy decision to make. But it came down to toughing it out for a few more days to get the full benefits in exchange for not being able to ingest vegetables again for a veeeery long time, or go ahead and quit early and still be able to consume veggies in my day-to-day diet. I really had to weigh out the pros and cons of each side. And although my judgement may have been a bit irrational at the time, due to the hunger and severe NEED for solid food, I feel that in the end, I made the right decision for me.
So now, moving on from the detox, I'm pleased to announce that I'm back in the swing of things again, workout wise. I have no idea what came over me in December, but I became a huge, lazy piece of shiz! But that is all behind me now. I have plenty of spring races coming on the horizon, including Half Marathon #2 - woot! So as soon as I phased off the detox, I knew I had to make up for it by getting my rear back into shape. So below are my workouts for the past week and a half - note, I've worked out more in the past 3 days than I have in the past 2 months. Fact. LOL...and sad.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010: P90X Ab Ripper X
--This was my first workout in nearly 2 months. Sigh, I know. I suck. The holidays, illnesses, and life all got in the way. Moving past that, I got my butt in gear and did the ab ripper workout. The following morning, I didn't even feel any soreness. As the day went on, I began to feel more and more sore. By Thursday, I couldn't laugh, cough, or even breathe without about doubling over, lol.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010: 2 mile run - treadmill
--This was my first run since November. I struggled, but made it the whole way through without walking. My pace was around 10:00 - 10:30. I was incredibly sore the next 2 days - could barely walk, lol.
Monday, January 18, 2010: 4 mile run
--This was my first run outside since Gobbler Grind in November. I still consider myself a new runner. I just started running consistently last year. And even my "consistent" running hasn't been all that consistent. I'm the epitome of a "fair weather runner." I don't even own all the proper gear for cold weather running. In fact, there are probably only a handful of times that I've ran in temps below 50 degrees. And they were probably all in the mid to upper 40's. So I set a new record on Monday when I pounded out 4 miles in only 36 degrees. I know, 36 isn't even THAT cold. But this is a new accomplishment for me, and I was quite proud of myself.
I met up with my friend Valerie at a new trail Monday morning (I love work holidays!) and set out for a run. Neither of us had ran in awhile (minus my pathetic 2 mile TM run on Wednesday), so neither of us really knew what to expect. The run was def slooooooow (for me, at least...Val blew right past me very early on). But the scenery was beautiful. There was snow on the ground, we were in a wooded area with a trickling stream and several little bridges to run over, and there was a LOT of fog out that morning. It was absolutely breathtaking! And to my surprise, I was able to pound out 4 miles! This is only my second run back from a 2 month hiatus and I was able to run 4 miles! Wow....a year ago, it took me several months to work up to 4 miles! I remember being excited just to run 1.5 - 2 miles.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010: P90X - Shoulders & Arms, and Ab Ripper X
--I'm trying to get back into the P90X program, but with training for some upcoming races, I won't be able to follow the schedule exactly. So I've just incorporated it into my schedule on the days I want to do strength training / weight training.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010: 3.1 mile run, yoga
--I ran 3 miles outside in my hood - LOTS of hills....and I ran 'em all! My pace was slow, yes. Like ridiculously slow. But the run actually felt good, so I'm not going to focus on my pace. I really only took my Garmin to see my distance. It was cold out too. And windy. But again, it felt good. When I got home, I stretched really well and did 45 min of yoga. It was a good workout day.
So, it's official - I am training to run the Oklahoma City Marathon (okay, the half marathon) with The Running Dork and The Running Lawyer. That's the "big" event I'm training for at the moment...but I have several other races on the radar as well. A goal I really wanted to set for this year was to run at least 1 race every month this year. So far, I have the first half of the year covered. :) I'll post more about upcoming events soon.
So now, moving on from the detox, I'm pleased to announce that I'm back in the swing of things again, workout wise. I have no idea what came over me in December, but I became a huge, lazy piece of shiz! But that is all behind me now. I have plenty of spring races coming on the horizon, including Half Marathon #2 - woot! So as soon as I phased off the detox, I knew I had to make up for it by getting my rear back into shape. So below are my workouts for the past week and a half - note, I've worked out more in the past 3 days than I have in the past 2 months. Fact. LOL...and sad.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010: P90X Ab Ripper X
--This was my first workout in nearly 2 months. Sigh, I know. I suck. The holidays, illnesses, and life all got in the way. Moving past that, I got my butt in gear and did the ab ripper workout. The following morning, I didn't even feel any soreness. As the day went on, I began to feel more and more sore. By Thursday, I couldn't laugh, cough, or even breathe without about doubling over, lol.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010: 2 mile run - treadmill
--This was my first run since November. I struggled, but made it the whole way through without walking. My pace was around 10:00 - 10:30. I was incredibly sore the next 2 days - could barely walk, lol.
Monday, January 18, 2010: 4 mile run
--This was my first run outside since Gobbler Grind in November. I still consider myself a new runner. I just started running consistently last year. And even my "consistent" running hasn't been all that consistent. I'm the epitome of a "fair weather runner." I don't even own all the proper gear for cold weather running. In fact, there are probably only a handful of times that I've ran in temps below 50 degrees. And they were probably all in the mid to upper 40's. So I set a new record on Monday when I pounded out 4 miles in only 36 degrees. I know, 36 isn't even THAT cold. But this is a new accomplishment for me, and I was quite proud of myself.
I met up with my friend Valerie at a new trail Monday morning (I love work holidays!) and set out for a run. Neither of us had ran in awhile (minus my pathetic 2 mile TM run on Wednesday), so neither of us really knew what to expect. The run was def slooooooow (for me, at least...Val blew right past me very early on). But the scenery was beautiful. There was snow on the ground, we were in a wooded area with a trickling stream and several little bridges to run over, and there was a LOT of fog out that morning. It was absolutely breathtaking! And to my surprise, I was able to pound out 4 miles! This is only my second run back from a 2 month hiatus and I was able to run 4 miles! Wow....a year ago, it took me several months to work up to 4 miles! I remember being excited just to run 1.5 - 2 miles.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010: P90X - Shoulders & Arms, and Ab Ripper X
--I'm trying to get back into the P90X program, but with training for some upcoming races, I won't be able to follow the schedule exactly. So I've just incorporated it into my schedule on the days I want to do strength training / weight training.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010: 3.1 mile run, yoga
--I ran 3 miles outside in my hood - LOTS of hills....and I ran 'em all! My pace was slow, yes. Like ridiculously slow. But the run actually felt good, so I'm not going to focus on my pace. I really only took my Garmin to see my distance. It was cold out too. And windy. But again, it felt good. When I got home, I stretched really well and did 45 min of yoga. It was a good workout day.
So, it's official - I am training to run the Oklahoma City Marathon (okay, the half marathon) with The Running Dork and The Running Lawyer. That's the "big" event I'm training for at the moment...but I have several other races on the radar as well. A goal I really wanted to set for this year was to run at least 1 race every month this year. So far, I have the first half of the year covered. :) I'll post more about upcoming events soon.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Detox Update: Day 8 - The Final Day
Day 8 - Monday, January 11, 2009:
Monday ended up being my final day. I've had very mixed emotions about it, and I've really tried not to beat myself up over not completing the full 21 days. I mean, 8 days it still quite a feat in itself. And I was able to maintain a loss of 10 pounds, which is also quite amazing. (I actually lost 13.8, but gained a few back once I phased food back into my diet. But I'm proud/satisfied with maintaining a 10 pound loss.) I feel much better and slimmer and I'm still glad that I went as far as I did.
Here's what happened at the end - what made me decide to end it. Have you ever gotten really burnt out on a type of food? Say it was something that you LOVED, and you loved it so much that you ate it ALL the time. And you ate it over and over and over to the point that you finally started developing an aversion to it and no longer liked it all that much. Well, I have always loved vegetables. Even as a kid, if my mom was ever cooking dinner and was in the process of chopping veggies, I would sneak in the kitchen and grab some strips of green peppers to munch on. I did this more often than I would sneak chocolate chips or cookie dough while she was baking. My oldest daughter is the same way. If I'm fixing dinner and I ask her if she'd rather have broccoli or asperagus with dinner, she will always say "Let's have BOTH!"
But we all know that there is such a thing as "too much of a good thing." The detox involved ingesting the following each day: green drinks, high density berry drinks, herbal tea, water, fresh vegetable juice, and "cleansing soup," which I have coined PVM for Puree Vegetable Mush. The green drinks and berry drinks aren't bad at all. They are both berry flavored and taste pretty decent. But after having 2 of each every day, they slowly start to lose their excitement. The fresh veg juice is also quite tasty. If you like V8 or carrot juice or any other type of veg juice, you would probably enjoy the juice. The PVM, however, is completely and utterly disgusting.
I explained to my husband that it was the texture that I was struggling with. The texture of the veggie mush is what made me gag and even vomit the "cleansing soup." He laughed at this and couldn't understand what was so bad about it, esp if I like veggies as much as I do. I mean, I eat veggies all day, every day. Ever since he has known me, he has known me to snack on raw veggies throughout the day, eat salads with both lunch and dinner, and have at least one cooked veggie with dinner every night. For someone that loves veggies as much as I do, he could not understand what was so challenging about this soup. So I explained it to him like this - what's your favorite food? For my husband, it's a philly cheesesteak. For you, it may be pizza. Or sushi. Or a giant Chipotle burrito. But just imagine your favorite food. Now put that food into a blender with a cup of water and blend it until it is a thick, mushy substance. Do you think you would still enjoy it? Do you think you would be able to consume it without getting sick?? Because that is exactly what I was having to do with the PVM.
By Day 8, I had only ingested vegetable-based drinks and soups for 8 days straight, with nothing else in between. I was beginning to develop a very STRONG aversion to vegetables. And with veggies being such a huge part of my diet, I just couldn't imagine not being able to eat them anymore. But by Day 8, the smell, sight, and even THOUGHT of veggies was beginning to make my stomach churn. It was to the point that I felt I needed to quit right then, or face the possibility of no longer being able to consume veggies anymore for a very, VERY long time.
So Monday night (last Monday night), it all came to a head. I ended my detox and I did not correctly follow the "phasing off the detox" process. I was so excited to eat solid food, that I went straight to the store and bought just about every vegetable in sight. I then went home and made the world's largest salad with somewhere around 15 different types of veggies. And I made my homemade dressing that I love so much (all organic: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Bragg's liquid aminos -tastes like soy sauce-) and I WENT TO TOWN. I ate the hell out of that salad like I hadn't eat in weeks. And I guess in a sense, I hadn't. I had dressing all over my face and I was so into that salad, that my husband found it quite comical. But I was in heaven.
I consumed that entire salad in a 48 hour time span. The salad I made took up an entire GIANT tupperware bowl and was made up of probably 5 - 7 pounds of veggies. And during those first few days, I made the huge mistake of indulging a bit too much - I had some refined sugar in the form of candy and girl scout cookies. But that's all out of my system now. I'm focused on eating healthy again and I'm maintaining a low-sodium diet consisting mostly of fresh fruits, veggies, lean protein, and light on the starchy carbs, which are all whole grain.
I'm hoping to drop an additional 10 - 15 pounds over the next few months. I may even do another 2-day detox in another month or so, if I think I can handle it by then. In the end, I'm glad I did the detox. I'm disappointed that I didn't stick it out longer, but I'm also proud that I made it as far as I did. You definitely have to be in the right mind set to do something like this. It's a lot harder than it appears.
On that note, please stop by my bestie Melissa's blog and give her some bloggie love - she's kicking this detox's ass and is on DAY 18 of her detox today!!! Words do not explain how impressed and proud I am of her right now! So feel free to pop over and give her some encouragement!
Well, there you have it - my detox journey has come to a finish. And a huge THANK YOU to everyone for your continued support through such a challenging journey - I appreciate your kind words of encouragement more than you know! But even tho my detox journey has come to an end, my new training journey is just beginning! I'll have an update on that posted before long. Oh yes, I'm back! :)
Monday ended up being my final day. I've had very mixed emotions about it, and I've really tried not to beat myself up over not completing the full 21 days. I mean, 8 days it still quite a feat in itself. And I was able to maintain a loss of 10 pounds, which is also quite amazing. (I actually lost 13.8, but gained a few back once I phased food back into my diet. But I'm proud/satisfied with maintaining a 10 pound loss.) I feel much better and slimmer and I'm still glad that I went as far as I did.
Here's what happened at the end - what made me decide to end it. Have you ever gotten really burnt out on a type of food? Say it was something that you LOVED, and you loved it so much that you ate it ALL the time. And you ate it over and over and over to the point that you finally started developing an aversion to it and no longer liked it all that much. Well, I have always loved vegetables. Even as a kid, if my mom was ever cooking dinner and was in the process of chopping veggies, I would sneak in the kitchen and grab some strips of green peppers to munch on. I did this more often than I would sneak chocolate chips or cookie dough while she was baking. My oldest daughter is the same way. If I'm fixing dinner and I ask her if she'd rather have broccoli or asperagus with dinner, she will always say "Let's have BOTH!"
But we all know that there is such a thing as "too much of a good thing." The detox involved ingesting the following each day: green drinks, high density berry drinks, herbal tea, water, fresh vegetable juice, and "cleansing soup," which I have coined PVM for Puree Vegetable Mush. The green drinks and berry drinks aren't bad at all. They are both berry flavored and taste pretty decent. But after having 2 of each every day, they slowly start to lose their excitement. The fresh veg juice is also quite tasty. If you like V8 or carrot juice or any other type of veg juice, you would probably enjoy the juice. The PVM, however, is completely and utterly disgusting.
I explained to my husband that it was the texture that I was struggling with. The texture of the veggie mush is what made me gag and even vomit the "cleansing soup." He laughed at this and couldn't understand what was so bad about it, esp if I like veggies as much as I do. I mean, I eat veggies all day, every day. Ever since he has known me, he has known me to snack on raw veggies throughout the day, eat salads with both lunch and dinner, and have at least one cooked veggie with dinner every night. For someone that loves veggies as much as I do, he could not understand what was so challenging about this soup. So I explained it to him like this - what's your favorite food? For my husband, it's a philly cheesesteak. For you, it may be pizza. Or sushi. Or a giant Chipotle burrito. But just imagine your favorite food. Now put that food into a blender with a cup of water and blend it until it is a thick, mushy substance. Do you think you would still enjoy it? Do you think you would be able to consume it without getting sick?? Because that is exactly what I was having to do with the PVM.
By Day 8, I had only ingested vegetable-based drinks and soups for 8 days straight, with nothing else in between. I was beginning to develop a very STRONG aversion to vegetables. And with veggies being such a huge part of my diet, I just couldn't imagine not being able to eat them anymore. But by Day 8, the smell, sight, and even THOUGHT of veggies was beginning to make my stomach churn. It was to the point that I felt I needed to quit right then, or face the possibility of no longer being able to consume veggies anymore for a very, VERY long time.
So Monday night (last Monday night), it all came to a head. I ended my detox and I did not correctly follow the "phasing off the detox" process. I was so excited to eat solid food, that I went straight to the store and bought just about every vegetable in sight. I then went home and made the world's largest salad with somewhere around 15 different types of veggies. And I made my homemade dressing that I love so much (all organic: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Bragg's liquid aminos -tastes like soy sauce-) and I WENT TO TOWN. I ate the hell out of that salad like I hadn't eat in weeks. And I guess in a sense, I hadn't. I had dressing all over my face and I was so into that salad, that my husband found it quite comical. But I was in heaven.
I consumed that entire salad in a 48 hour time span. The salad I made took up an entire GIANT tupperware bowl and was made up of probably 5 - 7 pounds of veggies. And during those first few days, I made the huge mistake of indulging a bit too much - I had some refined sugar in the form of candy and girl scout cookies. But that's all out of my system now. I'm focused on eating healthy again and I'm maintaining a low-sodium diet consisting mostly of fresh fruits, veggies, lean protein, and light on the starchy carbs, which are all whole grain.
I'm hoping to drop an additional 10 - 15 pounds over the next few months. I may even do another 2-day detox in another month or so, if I think I can handle it by then. In the end, I'm glad I did the detox. I'm disappointed that I didn't stick it out longer, but I'm also proud that I made it as far as I did. You definitely have to be in the right mind set to do something like this. It's a lot harder than it appears.
On that note, please stop by my bestie Melissa's blog and give her some bloggie love - she's kicking this detox's ass and is on DAY 18 of her detox today!!! Words do not explain how impressed and proud I am of her right now! So feel free to pop over and give her some encouragement!
Well, there you have it - my detox journey has come to a finish. And a huge THANK YOU to everyone for your continued support through such a challenging journey - I appreciate your kind words of encouragement more than you know! But even tho my detox journey has come to an end, my new training journey is just beginning! I'll have an update on that posted before long. Oh yes, I'm back! :)
Monday, January 11, 2010
Forget 1 Day At A Time...More Like 1 Hour At A Time!
Okay, as I mentioned this morning, I've had to change my mindset a bit with this whole detox. I'm no longer looking at the big picture of 21 days, but just focusing on 1 day at a time. I will bask in the success of each day completed and will be proud of that, rather than feel down about not making it to the end, if that's what happens.
So yeah, 1 day at a time....at this point, it's becoming 1 HOUR at a time! Just about an hour ago, I was ready to give in and have a snack. I got that whole "f*** it, I'm done, I've had a good run, but now I'm ready for some FOOD" thought back in my head. I was honestly actually planning what I was going to EAT...when I went ahead and prepared my scheduled green drink and got my supplement pills ready to take. I popped the supplements, drank my drink, .....and suddenly, the urge to "cheat" passed. Thank goodness for the "feedings" (aka, nutrient-packed beverages & supplements) every 2 hours to keep me "full" and focused. I just need to make it to the next feeding.
Anytime I start thinking "Holy crap, there's no way I can do 13 more days of this!!" I have to stop and tell myself, "Don't think of it that way - just think about NOW and worry about the rest later. We'll climb that mountain when we get to it." It's just like a race - you can't sit there and think "Crap, I still have 12 miles to go!" or "Geez, I'm only done with my swim, but I still have to bike and run - I'm going to be at this for HOURS!" You just have to focus on the current task at hand and worry about the rest when you get there. So yeah, that's what I'm doing.
Again, thank you all for your support! This could quite possibly be the hardest thing I've ever done. I mean, races are over the same day you start them. Even childbirth doesn't last this long. Granted, pregnancy is 9 months and my second one was a doozy, but this involves WILL POWER. It's a mind over matter kind of thing. Just have to keep focusing on one small piece at a time.
At this point, I want to thank my biggest cheerleader and co-detoxer, my bestie - Melissa. We've been best friends since the 2nd grade. We've been roommates, we've traveled together, we were in each others' weddings, we've supported each other through many ups and downs in our lives. And I have to tell you, if it weren't for her, I would have jumped ship DAYS ago! She has been the best support system EVER and has talked me off the ledge MULTIPLE times with this detox! And she is sooooo kicking ass with this detox - she's on Day 9 and still going strong! So if you get a chance, please go give her some bloggie love and support in her detox journey, as lord knows she's given me a pantload of support this past week through mine!
So yeah, 1 day at a time....at this point, it's becoming 1 HOUR at a time! Just about an hour ago, I was ready to give in and have a snack. I got that whole "f*** it, I'm done, I've had a good run, but now I'm ready for some FOOD" thought back in my head. I was honestly actually planning what I was going to EAT...when I went ahead and prepared my scheduled green drink and got my supplement pills ready to take. I popped the supplements, drank my drink, .....and suddenly, the urge to "cheat" passed. Thank goodness for the "feedings" (aka, nutrient-packed beverages & supplements) every 2 hours to keep me "full" and focused. I just need to make it to the next feeding.
Anytime I start thinking "Holy crap, there's no way I can do 13 more days of this!!" I have to stop and tell myself, "Don't think of it that way - just think about NOW and worry about the rest later. We'll climb that mountain when we get to it." It's just like a race - you can't sit there and think "Crap, I still have 12 miles to go!" or "Geez, I'm only done with my swim, but I still have to bike and run - I'm going to be at this for HOURS!" You just have to focus on the current task at hand and worry about the rest when you get there. So yeah, that's what I'm doing.
Again, thank you all for your support! This could quite possibly be the hardest thing I've ever done. I mean, races are over the same day you start them. Even childbirth doesn't last this long. Granted, pregnancy is 9 months and my second one was a doozy, but this involves WILL POWER. It's a mind over matter kind of thing. Just have to keep focusing on one small piece at a time.
At this point, I want to thank my biggest cheerleader and co-detoxer, my bestie - Melissa. We've been best friends since the 2nd grade. We've been roommates, we've traveled together, we were in each others' weddings, we've supported each other through many ups and downs in our lives. And I have to tell you, if it weren't for her, I would have jumped ship DAYS ago! She has been the best support system EVER and has talked me off the ledge MULTIPLE times with this detox! And she is sooooo kicking ass with this detox - she's on Day 9 and still going strong! So if you get a chance, please go give her some bloggie love and support in her detox journey, as lord knows she's given me a pantload of support this past week through mine!
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