Braggin' rights

Yesterday morning I set out for my long run. I knew I could run 6 miles but I was determined to run 7.

7 miles is the farthest that I have ever run and the last time I did it was over 3 years ago. We were headed to Mexico and of course as always I wanted to lose weight and be fit so I would look good in a swimsuit. So my plan was to eat insane amounts of veggies and protein and run. I made a goal to run 7 miles before our departure. My hubby and I headed to the greenbelt for a long run. He went ahead with the dog because we most definitely do not run the same pace. I had decided to run 4 miles out and then see how far back I could run. The furthest I had gone before then was 5 miles. After I made it 5 I asked myself, "what's one more?" Toward the end of 6 I convinced myself that I never wanted to run that far again so if I continued on I would meet my goal and be finished (FOREVER). I made it 7 and walked the last mile. I was exhausted! I made it to the car and my dog ran up to meet me, jumping on me and smacking me in the chin. My hubby scolded me for allowing the dog to jump on me. I collapsed into a heap along side the greenbelt and started bawling. My hubby looked around to see if there were any spectators. He was embarrassed and so was I but I didn't have the energy to fight it. It was a very long time before I ran again. And until yesterday I had never attempted to go that far.

I have to say that I did make it 7 miles and I walked into the house yesterday with a gigantic smile on my face. No tears and a lot less pain this time around. Now I have to just keep on, keepin on. No quiting this time.

So far, fairly good.

I am doing splendid on my goals: I have been taking vitamins everyday and wearing sunscreen. I am walking during my lunch breaks. I was eating pretty good (until a quick stop at a fast food drive up window- it's nice they have things on the menu like grilled chicken and fruit cups but how can you choose that when the buffalo chicken sandwich is staring you in the face). I am not complaining though....ok really I am.
My goal should have been to not be crabby this week. I love hormones. Do you know who else loves them? My hubby ;)
Went to another spin class today, seemed harder then the last. I thought it would get easier.

We got our start time for our relay.... 2:15am, ouch!

Weekly Goals

I have decided this week my goal is to be aware.
Aware of the type of food I put in my mouth, my activity level, my H20 intake, my daily vitamins and sunscreen usage....
I pledge to be aware. I sometimes feel like I am not present in my own life. That I just float on doing the minimum to get by. Not this week. Today I did pretty good. Ate pretty well, drank quite a bit of water, put on my sunscreen, went for a walk at lunch. Not a bad start. Let's just hope that I can keep it up.

How's it going out there? Ash & Mom? Your the only ones that ever comment so.....

I did it!

I did it. After I blogged I went out and ran 4.5 miles and it felt good. So let's see if it works again today. I am trying to go a little further so wish me some luck.

I love how it seems so easy for some people. They just love to workout. I have to admit that I love it once I get going and get my heart pumping but for some reason I love being lazy even more.

19 days and counting. Wednesday we get to find out our relay start time. Oh how I hope that it isn't 3am. 3am in Stanley, Idaho is going to be very cold!

Not very successful...

Really I have been not at all successful. The tummy bug has hit our house and we have been down for the count since last Saturday. My biggest problem now that I am feeling better is getting back on the horse. I do this all the time....something comes in between myself and working out and it may hold me up for a day or two but then I sabotage myself and it turns into two weeks or more. I was suppose to workout with Ash (team member) this am and go for a run with one of the Relay Teammates this evening. I pretty much talked Ash out of it and then the teammate canceled on me (now she is feeling ill). Now the real question is, will I go for a run this evening or will I come up with some excuse why I should stay home? I am hoping because I am posting this that I will choose the first of the two options.....stay tuned!
Need some motivation, need some inspiration.

Weekend Update

Well the cookies won. But I have been drinking more water so at least I have that going for me.
I have to celebrate my day! I tried again to run 6 miles and today I succeeded my knees cooperated. I am feeling a little better about the relay, 27 days and counting!
I think that my weekly goal for next week will be to eat 3 servings of veggies each day. To some that may sound easy but recently I have been lacking in the vegetable department.
How have you been doing with your weekly goals?

Thanks Ash!

I am encouraged today...team member Ashley got me to the gym today (in spite of her being very sore from a workout the day before). And she gave me a push on switching up my eating habits this week. I have been eating poorly, ok worse then poorly this week. Thanks in part to my lack of will power and Nurse's Week, though I am not a nurse, snacks at the hospital this week have been very plentiful. Today I have no excuses, at home I had 2 cookies and a glass of milk for breakfast. Really? I am pretty sure that some food with some nutritional value may have provided better fuel for my workout. To my defense there was oatmeal in those cookies. I am also still failing miserably at my carry over water goal. At the gym this morning Ashley mentioned she was on her 3rd water bottle. At 10:30 she was already through 2/3rds of my daily goal.
Thanks Ash for some much needed motivation. The rest of those cookies are just going to keep staring at me because I am not biting.

Tomorrow I rest. And drink water :)

Lucky!

Lucky for me my hubbies trip was postponed by 1 day so I took advantage of my chance to head out for a 4 mile job without a jog stroller. I have officially completed my goal for this week but since I have only 30 days left before the relay I am taking advantage of the AT LEAST part of the goal. I have to admit I am amazed that I can jog 4 miles but I cannot drink 8 glasses of water in one day. Really? I am baffled.

Continuing on my bout of luckiness I was thinking today how awesome it was that when I am thinking about quiting God is there to give me a nudge. Yesterday when I was running against the wind I was getting tired and struggling a bit I looked up and the amazing sunset caught my attention and carried me through to my turn around spot. On the way back I was thinking how ironic it was that I felt a terrible gusty head wind when I was headed west and also when I was headed east. Suddenly the wind switched directions causing all the tall grass along the ditch bank ahead of me to swirl and dance. I made it all 4 miles. Today my distractions were a pair of mallard ducks and a very cute little girl walking a very cute little dog. I must say that I am more then lucky I am very blessed!

Keep on, keepin on!

Beg, Borrow, and Steal

That is how I am feeling about me time this week. The hubby is leaving town so I am frantically trying to fit in some workouts before he leaves. Plus my schedule at work has changed around a bit throwing a wrench in my routine. I thought hauling my butt out of bed was hard but hauling it out the door after a 12 hour work day, plus dinner and bath time for baby is ridiculously difficult. But because of you I am 2 for 2.

28 minutes on the treadmill yesterday and a 4 mile jog today. I am getting excited that the days are getting longer and the weather is getting nicer. It was a beautiful evening jog wind gusts and all. I was very grateful for the me time.

How are you doing with your goals team of 4?

The carry over water goal? No bueno!

Goal of goals...

So first off Happy Mother's Day everyone. Had a great weekend in the hills with the family. We did a little bouldering and rode the ATVs, it was a fun time and the weather was fairly cooperative. My grandma and I chose to walk to the bouldering spot instead of riding so score one for the walking club. Also my water drinking goal, um, well didn't go so well this weekend.

The goal of my goals are to be healthy and to stay active. I would love it if you would participate along with me and I am trying to keep them focused on everyone. Another goal I have for my goals is that I will build on them trying to turn them into habits. This week drinking more water should still be on my mind. Also I want to keep my goals away from things like... "My goal is to drop a dress size" or "My goal is to lose 10 lbs" or "I want to get rid of my love handles". Lot's of young girls have bad body images because of society, my goal is to teach my daughter how to be healthy and active without worrying about how she looks in a bathing suit. So I am trying really hard to stop saying, "man I am looking fat" or "look at my cottage cheese butt". It is going to be really hard for me but maybe if I start now by the time she is old enough to notice I will have turned over a new leaf. If you have suggestions for goals I am all ears.

This week the goal is to: walk or run AT LEAST 3 days this week and to go AT LEAST 60 minutes. Not too bad right? What's 12 minutes of a lunch break? Or 10 minutes in the morning or after work? Take some you time.

And then there were 3.....

Water goal? Well yesterday I drank around 36oz. Today I am at approximately 20oz. This is actually good for me. I know you are suppose to drink 8 glasses which at 8oz a glass means I should be drinking 64 but really is that even possible?

I did go to the gym today and did some weight lifting and walked on the treadmill for 22 min. My goal was 20 min but at 20 min I was so close to walking 1.5 miles that I just kept going. I know it isn't much but it is something.

I know this is random but in the gym parking lot today there was a pile of spaghetti. Looks like someone lost their lunch today.

OK girls how did you do today? I know one of you is nursing a sore butt muscle but what about the other one? Mommy?

So tomorrow on my to-do list is run 6 miles. I am nervous about this and have been dreading it for 2 weeks now. I am registered to run the Sawtooth Relay and it is rapidly approaching. So I have to do it. Now that you all know maybe it will motivate me out the door in the morning instead of me crawling deeper under the covers. The weather is not helping motivate me at all.

I can do it, I can do it, I can do it.

Race for the Cure

Did I accomplish my goal? Yes and no....
I went 6 miles but at mile 4 my knee started to bug me and almost to mile 5 it really started to hurt. So I finished by walking to a mailbox then running to a tree until I made it back home.
Am I disappointed? A little.
Am I proud? Heck yes. For one I got my bootie out of bed this morning (even after some serious snooze button usage. Then I actually convinced myself to walk out the door. If I don't think I can do something then I usually don't even try. I had a 4 mile block, I didn't think I could go past that. It has been my longest run for weeks now. Silly part? I have run farther in the past. But I did it...more then 4.

Side note: Really people when your windows are frosty it takes an additional 2 minutes to scrape all of your windows. I ran out in front of a car at an intersection and wondered why the person was rolling down his window. Why? So he could see. Suddenly it dawned on me what was happening and I started to sprint out of his way in case he didn't see me. My lesson: pay more attention.

So tomorrow I should be participating in the Race for the Cure. It is actually the first race I ever participated in. I did it with the Tina's Titans in support of my aunt who was battling breast cancer. I told myself I would do it every year and I haven't done it since. I am not sure I can tell you why I haven't but I just haven't. Tina lost her battle with breast cancer November 4th, 2007. I miss her very much. I can honestly tell you that she is one of my biggest inspirations for trying to stay healthy and active. She was always on the go and loved sports. During her cancer treatments she still often went to the gym though her doctor wanted her to keep it low key (no kick boxing classes). I am a little disappointed in myself that I have made an excuse every year. I am however going to spend Mother's Day weekend camping with my family and hopefully hers as well. That was also a great love of hers. She was the glue that held us all together. So as another year goes by I want to send good wishes to all of those who are participating tomorrow.

(Good luck Aunt Cheryl!)
One of my secret goals or an item on my bucket list is to run the 26.2 with Donna another breast cancer fundraiser in Florida. I guess maybe in my head 26.2 will make up for all the 3.1's I am letting pass me by locally.

Squeeze those you hold dear.

Whew!

Day one.

Members one. (though I may have recruited one)

Walking/ Running zero.

My friend Ashley invited me to a 60 min spin class today and hesitantly I accepted.

Around 10 min into class I looked at the clock. Huge mistake! Really only 10 min had passed.

15 min in I looked over at her brow furrowed, sweat pouring, panting....Really?

Luckily at min 30 we had a little break.

The last 30 min were a blur of sweating, groaning, and grunting.

After? Somewhat lightheaded but I felt great.

Cross training is good right?

So I am breaking away from my freakishness, I am setting a midweek goal: Drink more water!

I hope tomorrow I am able to walk or run but I am pretty sure after that spin class I will be unable to sit.

I am learning that I am stronger then I think I am. I know that you are too!

Let's get going.

I started this blog over a year ago after a run in with melanoma. I wanted to voice my fears and maybe come into contact with some people out there that share them. Well a year has past and this is my very first post. I still have some fears but my focus has changed....

I have decided to start an online walking/running club. My friend Ashley and I attempted to start one last fall but it went like this:

First there was just two of us, then another joined. Finally our club made it to four. Then suddenly we were back to two, and all of that took about two weeks.

Recently I was a "running" buddy for my niece who is participating in the club Girls on the Run. (running is in quotes because I was more of a walking buddy) Anyway the Hornet Run was my inspiration. My hubby ran, and although they weren't entered, my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew walked the course. We had a blast together! I loved it and I think that they did too.

So here we go. Most everyone checks facebook daily, I figure if I am entertaining enough people will check this out too. I am going to set a weekly goal for our club. I am hoping that all of you will participate. I am expecting comments and updates on your progress. As I am the only member so far I will have to do some recruiting. Because I am a freak about things I have to post the goal on a Sunday.......stay tuned, our goal is coming.