Book Club- 7, 8, & 9

Hello! Has everyone been able to keep up with the reading? Been a little difficult lately for me.I had so much going on with the kids last week, my reading kept getting pushed aside.

When is everyone's favorite time to read? I really have to read when the kids go to bed. Unfortunately, that's when I'm the most sleepy as well.

Any comments about the book anyone would like to share?

What's your favorite distance to run? I really like between 5-10 miles. It makes me feel like I had a good workout and the scenery is usually better too :)

Who here hears a song and has to write it down to add to their iPod? LOL...I always want to do this, then forget. Lately I've been wanting to put on some more 80's music. Haven't had a chance to even charge mine lately! The last run I went on I took my phone and listened to Pandora. I love Madonna and some Mary J. Blige from the 90's...I'm not sure why I haven't added those songs yet?

Do you feel it's the running with a friend that bonds you or just the fact you are dedicating those hours every week to that other person to spend time with them(even if it's tears, sweat and pain)? Is it a gradual thing? One moment-or race-in time that instantly bonded you together?
-Running to me is something special. It's painful and joyful at the same time. I can always count on running to give me a good sweat. And, sharing these moments with a good friend can last a lifetime. I think when I did my marathon this year, it truly bonded me to my best friend. We were definitly great friends before, but there is just something about the training runs and racing for that many miles and everything else that goes into it that changes the "DNA" in our friendship. I will never forget it!

At what mile do you usually turn on the tunes?

If I'm alone, they usually go on from the start. When running with someone, I would say around 10 miles is about the point when the conversation goes and music is needed.

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Summer vacation is almost over!!

Chapters 4, 5. & 6...of Run Like A Mother.

Sorry this is coming so late but last week I was encountering a crisis(not really, but to me it was) and couldn't think about anything else. So here I am!! I broke out of my funk, and even got a couple run/walks in, also.

How is everyone liking this book so far? For me I like it, but since I've been into the running world for a few years now, the first few chapters sound like they are giving the basics and necessities, such for newer runners out there. I'm hoping to learn something I didn't know, which I'm sure I will since there is always room for knowledge :)

1. What's your favorite sneaker? Do you ever switch brands according to color or styles, or to try something new?

2. Where do you put your keys on a run?
3. What is your favorite running accessory?
4. What is something you find hard to reason in paying a lot for, but know that if you don't, your quality of training is lessened?
5. Gotta Have-IT...on my wishlist!
6. Favorite shirt slogan? Either one you have seen, or in the RLAM book.
7. What do you do with your old race tshirts that are "ugly, wouldn't be caught dead in that!"?


OPEN MIC: Someone from the group asks a question, if you have any :)

So I am wondering what weekend works best for everyone to meet-up? Friday night, Saturday, or Sunday? You can email me with your answers to make it more private. Kbadillo525@bellsouth.net I will get with you all on Facebook also, to choose a place and time.

I will be posting the next set of discussion questions this weekend. I'm going to try and do it tonight since I have family coming in from out of town, but feel free to answer them whenever since I am late in posting these.

Happy Posting!

Free Wellness Seminar with Triathlete Brendan Brazier!

My friend Jessica, over at Growing Healthy Sprouts, and I, will be attending this FREE wellness seminar at Hoover's Market on Thursday at 8p.m. It's a wonderful opportunity to meet Pro-Triathlete Brendan Brazier! For those of you who don't know who he is, you can head over to Jessica's blog for some more info on him and the seminar,or his own website for more information on Vega, his line of Vegan/plant-based sports nutrition products. Also, you can check out Robot Vegan's fitness article, Learn to Thrive. My friend Jenna had the amazing opportunity to meet him!

If you are interested in attending and live in the Orlando, Fl area, it's preferrable that you R.S.V.P. to Hoover's so they can accomodate seating.

I am very excited and I'm bringing my pen and paper to take notes!

Book Club Welcome!

Welcome to our first book club discussion! I know there are a few of you who may be following along without the book yet and if you are one of them, feel free to share any information about you-as a runner and mother and how you got started.

This weekend we are covering the first 3 chapters. Even if you haven't read the book yet, feel free to answer in on any of the questions if you like.

So here we go with the questions!!

1. How did you get into running? Was it before or after becoming a mother?
2. Did you know who Sarah and Dimity were before reading this book?
3. In the first chapter, Dimity wonders why running means so much to her, that she wakes up before the sun even rises, to feel "alive again." Are any of you early morning runners? How has running made you feel alive?

4. What do you consider a "delicious run"?
5. What is one thing you "despise" about running?
6. Like Sarah, have you become more athletic since having children?
7. Sarah has some great PR's! What are your PR's? No matter what they are, we are all entitled to bragging rights!!
8. What and/or who motivates you?
9. I just got a running log with my Runner's World subcription but, I'm not sure if I'm diligent enough to use one. What is the best form of motivation for you? Are you results driven...need someone to push you...etc?
10. Mental Toughness in chapter 3, is something that is strengthened as an athlete. Pushing your body to the limits and going beyond and a little farther than what you think you are capable of.
How has running changed your mental strength, and in turn, changed you as a mother?
Can you name the specific moment, time, or run, up until this point, that took your mental toughness to the next level?

11. What's your "Mantra"?

Feel free to ask any other question to the group that you would like to discuss! These are just some questions to get the ball rolling :)

Quote of the Day

“I believe in me more than anything in this world.”

Wilma Rudolph

First Day of Blook Club!

Ok, I want to know who has their books? Post a comment below and I will get an idea of how many people are following along!

I looked at the book and since we are to read this book in 2 months, we will read about 3 chapters per week. It sounds like a lot, but the chapters aren't long so it will be fine. You will have today through all of next week to read the first 3 chapters and I will be posting some questions or discussion topics next Friday evening. The discussion may run through Sunday and then we start reading the next 3.

I think this is going to be so much fun! It's nice to know you have someone who's on the same page as you...PUN INTENDED LOL!

Please pass this blog along to others who are interested in joining in.

Talk soon!

Push up Challenge Day 1

We started a little later than expected, but we made today our first day of the push-up challenge. We went to week 1 and did the level 3 on the chart so our first set was 10, then 12, 7, 7, then max or least 9. My last set I was able to do 12. I even got my kids to do it too! Not the same level, but they actually did the middle level! I'm so proud of them. They are able to do it too, because we have them do push ups a few times per week to keep up strength and it's great for my daughter to improve in her swimming. They love to workout with us so I let them because starting young is best.

Well I think tomorrow I will be a little sore. My arms are a little jello-y right now. I will do our next set either Sunday or Monday.

It's not too late to join in! Just check in and post here when you have decided to take on the challenge!

Workout Log

This morning I woke up by 6:30am for absolutely no reason at all! Kids were sleeping and it was nice and quiet. I asked myself, should I take this opportunity to head out the door for a run? Or should I just lay here for awhile even though I know I won't fall back asleep? The athlete in me got up, got dressed, and headed out the door for a quick jog around the neighborhood.

It was a little pathetic and a lot sweaty! This weather is not my favorite. Hot and humid-even at 6:30am!! 30 minutes was enough for me today. I was supposed to start my push up challenge today but didn't get to it and so tomorrow it is! No excuses. I'm waking up early in the morning. That's that.

100 Push-up Challenge

New week, New Challenge!

I came across this website called one hundred pushups and thought, "What better way to improve my upper body strength and tone up using my own body weight?" Not only is this a challenge for me, but for my husband, too. Push-ups are great for toning and using core strength-an important element in any fitness regime.

Since our last challenge ended(21-day detox), I felt compelled to keep us motivated, and one key way to staying motivated is to set up goals.

We are going to start Monday and the plan is for 6 weeks. Today we did our test to see how many push-ups we could do without compromising good form. Taking that number, I will go to the website and find a plan of action for the next 6 weeks. If you are interested in doing it along with me, go to http://www.hundredpushups.com/ and find out exactly what to do. Learn how to do it correctly and there is even a website/blog badge that says "i did the hundred" to proudly post once you've completed the challenge.

Below is a video of my test today. I hope it works since I'm emailing it from my phone.

Ok, so who's in??

New "Blook" Club Coming July 1st!

My first pick for this online book club will be "Run Like a Mother...How to Get Moving-and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity." We will be spending July & August reading and discussing the chapters in either a Q & A form, or any input on each chapter in a positive manner or how it directly relates to you personally if you'd like to share.

Once a month if you live near me, we will meet up at a local coffee shop or maybe a little vino!

So you have a couple of weeks to get your books. You can post a comment below this post, or on my Facebook Page if you plan on participating.

I think this is going to be a LOT of fun!
Feel free to invite others who are interested in reading and/or fitness!

Most posts coming soon!

Detox is Over and Feeling Great!

So the detox is over and my husband and I couldn't feel any better! He's losing weight, we both feel great, and the best thing is that I feel like the 21 days has turned into a way of life for us. We are going to stick with the gluten free at home. If we go out we won't worry about having the wheat since neither one of us are allergic. However I do notice a more bloated feeling when I tried a little wheat. The worst thing that I ate on the detox that made me feel awful was instant mashed potatoes. I know that sounds bazaar, but it's true. I normally keep some on hand just for days I don't have much time for the real thing. Well I did make them once and it was late one night after taking my daughter to swim practice and I was starved! My stomach felt so bad after eating that. I had veggies with it so I know it wasn't that.

I have discovered some new and delicious products like Sunshine burgers, brown rice tortillas, Gardein Orange 'chicken', Van's Waffles(gf & vegan), Rice chips, and much more.

One dish that I discovered when we were out last Monday was in Nature's Table. A new twist on the traditional fuit salad! It was so delicious and new to the taste buds. It was a fuit & veggie salad :) Diced up cucumbers, zucchini, green peppers, grapes, green & red apples tossed with a light, sweet & savory herb dressing. My husband and I were out that morning and trying to find a restaurant that served anything vegan was so difficult. Unfortunately, all the vegan restaurants don't open until 11am and it was only 9:30am. That was really frustrating! But the fruit salad saved the day...or my stomach for that matter ;)

I love a good challenge! I have a new idea for my husband and I-maybe even the kids too!
Stay tuned :)

Lunch!

Now that's a salad!!

Week 1 Detox Recap

So the first week is done!

Honestly the hardest thing for me has been having no coffee. I miss it even more on Sundays. But with 2 weeks left in my detox, I think I still have room to grow. In a way, it's so binding to feel that way about food. Once the craving passes, I will start to feel freedom from something that used to hold me down. I know at times I had though about how coffee was hindering my performance as an athlete. I wasn't eating breakfast as well and went I went out for a run, I felt dehydrated. I would get cramps easier, too. I am so glad I am doing this detox to better my running and also my body.

Last night I made another awesome Mexican Monday recipe. Last week it was tacos using the Boca crumbles. This week, it was roasted POTATO tacos! Not only do I love this recipe but my husband and kids were loving it too! I also happen to think it's great to use something in place of meat that doesn't resemble meat...get me?

This dinner was inspired to me by something my mother ordered at Infusion Tea in Orlando. I made it my own creation by making a corn, black bean, & avocado salsa to top off the Roasted Potato Tacos. I used my brown rice tortilla and filled it with vegan sour cream, roasted potatoes, and my homemade salsa. On the side we had some whole grain brown rice with cumin and black beans and a green salad(that I ended up using to stuff in my taco instead.
The pictures do it NO justice :)

Today is the juice fast. I went to the market and bought some fresh organics to use today. Something different that I bought was daikon, a root vegetable and was told I could juice it and the stems too. I even went crazy this morning and added a small bit of garlic to the green juice I made. I was a little skweemish to think about drinking garlic, but I'm glad I only used a tiny bit and it came out ok-not too strong. I did cucumber, spinach, celery, red apples, ginger & garlic.

So tomorrow is my birthday! I will be following my detox, but for dessert I have my vegan cake! I'm so excited to see what it is. My husband went to the bakery the other day to order it and came up with some creation of his...he said there is two types of fruit in it...but that was all the clues I got...hmmm.

Now to make some more juice!

Week 1 of the Detox and More Pictures

This is a green juice using green apples, cucumber, celery, ginger, kale

 Below is a picture of the "chicken" salad I'm trying to replicate from a nearby heath store that sells this. My mother-in-law and husband are big fans of it so far! Go me :) It's main ingredients are TVP, celery, & carrots.

 My berry smoothie I made yesterday. Strawberries,

 bananas, peaches, blueberries & agave. This one was a

big hit with the kids too.

 For dinner yesterday I made a tofu lasagna. I had enough ingredients leftover to

make two individual dishes for my husband and I for the next day that we

could have for lunch. I used brown rice pasta and almond cheese for the top.

 Below is my regualar lasagna with fresh tomato slices on top(covered by cheese).

It came out really good. Everyone ate it up! I love the brown rice noodles. Have to be careful to overcook them or they fall apart.

In the mornings I've been faithful to having my tea. I only miss coffee sometimes. Mostly when I pass a coffee place. What I'm hoping to get out of this 21 day detox is a healthier body, improve my endometriosis symptoms by eating a lot of anti-inflammatory foods, reduce my risk of injury, and to get leaner in my bodyfat percentage. Being a personal trainer, it is important to me to have a low bodyfat percentage. And I have already lost a couple of pounds. I'm not restricting my calories, but just by following this detox, I have been eating more greens and less bad carbs. I'm not feeling hungry. At night I have not been snacking either which is something I would normally do. If I do get hungry, I would probably have some fruit or tea. My husband is doing really well so far. He likes all the green juices and smoothies I've been making and especially this veggie sandwich I made twice this week on millet garlic & basil bread. WOW, this bread is good! I am going to the health store tomorrow to order some for next week(probably 2 loaves) and while I'm there, maybe grab some millet hamburger buns for my veggie burgers. I am going to try using the veggie pulp from my juicing to make some dip or into burgers...or who knows what I'll come up with! But whatever it is, I will blog it :)

Oh and my birthday is next week!! No cheating for me, EXCEPT for a vegan birthday cake-I'm not giving up my once a year tradition, but it will be vegan.
Til, tomorrow!
See ya then.

Something Exciting

I was going through the manual to my juicer and I was so excited to find out I can make my own almond milk with the juicer! You can also make soy and rice milk too!

Just thought I'd share this because it is beneficial to make your own homemade milk. I may try this down the road when I get more familiar with my machine :)

Staying Motivated-Sign up for a 5k

The hardest part about working out is motivation. And I think that is the case for most people. And of course the busier and more commitments we have, the less time we make for our physical health. We all know it's important and yet, we tend to make excuses. "I'm too tired." ..."I'll start tomorrow." Does this sound familiar? Tomorrow comes, passes and we still haven't made the time to workout. I know I've at times lost motivation. There are a couple tips to keep the fire going though.

One thing that keeps me going is setting goals. It's something I recommend to newbies especially because when you are just starting out from a sedentary lifestyle, there has to be some sort of accountability. Once on a routine, it's not so hard. A goal could be a short term or long term "Where I want to be" in 2 months, 6 months, or even a year. It's good to start short term though to reap the rewards and keep that positive spirit going. Something I usually suggest is to sign up for a 5k. Usually when a person pays for something, they are more likely to put forth the effort for great results. What then happens is then after the goal is completed, you feel good about yourself and will usually want to do another one!

Another way to keep focused on your goals is to do it with someone. Whether it be a personal trainer or a good friend, having someone to keep you accountable is valuable. You will be more than likely to make that workout happen, then to back out; and in the end, you will be happy you didn't. And, if you think you may try to back out, tell your workout partner ahead of time to help you out by not letting you "off the hook" :)

I hope you found this helpful, or maybe even motivating! Have a wonderful week and keep moving!

Listening to Your Body

The connection between mind and body is essential when in training or in everyday activities. You know how you feel at the moment and whether it's normal or not. Knowing when to take a rest and when to push hard is something you must determine ultimately.

I'm a big advocate in "listening" to your body. Now, don't expect to start hearing body parts talking to you literally! What I mean is when you know you aren't feeling up to par, or feeling a little more tired than normal, don't feel pressured into working out. Taking a day or two off if needed is OK!

This past week I've been feeling a sudden surge of fatigue due to a personal health problem I have and every now and again, this happens. So I am not afraid or embarressed to admit I haven't worked out now for maybe 3-4 days(depending on if I get in my weight workout today). I normally workout maybe 5 times per week. There is no point in forcing myself to workout because I know it could either make me feel worse, or my workout would be pathetic. So I did what I felt was best, and that was to rest.

Today I am feeling much better so I'm hoping to get some weights in depending how I feel later on. And if I don't, I'm ok with that too. Because I know that once I'm back to feeling my best, I will get back into my routine.

Have any of you reading this had a similar situation they'd like to share?

Have a great Wednesday!

Relieving Stress Through Exercise

This week as been very stressful for me. Just a lot of anxiety and I was starting to feel my stomach twisting up. The other day I couldn't take it anymore and when my husband got off work, I headed out the door for a walk with my music. And yes, I said walk. I normally will go for a run, but unfortunately, I think I'm getting ITBS on my left side now.Ever since I did that 15k with the big bridges I've been having some trouble running. So now I know it's time to lay off of it and start using that torture tool, the foam roller. I have MUCH experience with it and hope to nip this thing early. Then it started to rain about 10 minutes into my walk so I ran back to my house and finished up on my treadmill. I made it fun though. I'm not into the walking indoors thing, so I have to liven it up a little. I did some incline and side skipping and push ups, all on the treadmill! 60 minutes went by pretty fast and I felt so much better afterwards. I'm not into walking that much just because I don't feel like it's intense enough for me, but like with anything else, it's what you put into it. Increasing the intensity...speed and incline. Just think outside the box and your workout will transform itself.

*NEW* Stay Active Saturday Post By ME!

Check out my post from Saturday on my friend Jessica's Blog, Growing Healthy Sprouts! It's all about keeping your kids healthy and active! I am a couple days late in posting this as we have had a busy weekend-a wedding on Saturday and family beach day on Sunday. So go check out the post now!

Friday's Workout

I really need to get in some cardio today. Tomorrow is my cardio/strength class here in my neighborhood and I am going to be working on upper body mostly so I won't do weights today. The weather is finally nice again. It's been raining and thunderstorming all week! One of my questions on my facebook page was about getting in workouts when the weather interferes with your plans. Luckily I have a treadmill and weights at my house, but there are many people out there without equipment and haven't a gym membership. That's one of the reasons I started my neighborhood strength class-it's a 30 min power workout using no equipment! All you need is your own body weight and a little motivation :) I just started it at the beginning of the year, but it's been slow and I thought there would be more people coming. I decided that I'm going to make up flyers and do a FREE event the last Saturday of April. Maybe I can get more people's attention. I hope to hear from more of you so if you are reading this, leave a comment! :) Have a great day!

Quote of the Day

"Pain in temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." -Lance Armstrong

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calories.htm

Have you ever wondered how many calories you burn during exercise, cleaning your house...maybe even riding in a car? Well check out this website. I thought it was pretty neat and there are lots of activities to choose from!

I guess I cant post pictures from my phone...this lunch was from yesterday but never posted. Oh well. I may post it to my facebook page.

Today's Lunch Special: T, L, & T. That's short for Tempeh maple flavor bacon, Lettuce, & Tomato with a little Veganaise & guacamole on a toasted bagel. Tomato, cucumber & herbed greens salad on the side. I have been making different versions of this sandwich lately but this one is on the A list with me AND my husband!

Decisions, Decisions

I am still trying to decide where this blog is taking me and in which direction. I have a lot of ideas but it's putting them all together and organzing them. I'm still using it to log in my workouts and tell a little about them, but I want to do a little more, a little different. I'm also using this blog to link to my Facebook page. Also, I will be doing a little writing for my friend's blog, Growing Healthy Sprouts. I am really looking foward to this new endeavor!

So until I figure some things out, bare with me and keep coming back!

Thanks.

26.2 Miles and Finished It!

I know it's been a while and didn't write my post about the actual MARATHON! Well, here I am, a little over a month later ready to talk about my first marathon experience.

I wasn't even nervous that morning. I was very excited and I was very confident that it was going to go well. We put in the training and prepared ourselves in every way so that we would be successful and able to finish feeling great...or so we thought.

We spent the night in the hotel and luckily the morning of the race we only had to wake up at about 5:30 am. I know you are saying, "Only?" but compared to some of the other races I've done, that was cake. The line was long outside already waiting for the shuttle bus to drive us over to the race site. Plus, it was freezing that morning and I was relieved with my decision to wear my running tights instead of shorts.

When we finally started the race it was so exciting and the crowd was amazing! So many people participating in the race-most who were wearing pink tutus, pink shirts, and just LOTS of pink! One man who was doing the race, who was not wearing pink, was wearing a U.S. Marine uniform and did the whole race with a backpack and boots!

One thing I have to say about this race was how wonderful the support of the community was. I am so happy I decided to sign up for this event and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. Mile after mile, all of the runners continued to receive support with yells, cheering, fresh fruit, music...and most of all, the support from cancer survivors yelling a big "Thank You!"
My husband, my friend's husband, and her sister were also out there along the course at various points cheering us on and taking pictures. Without the support of your own family, the training and race would not be managable.

One highlight of the race was running on the beach-which was a lot easier than expected and definitly memorable. Not just memorable because of the beauty of it, but because my watch decided to have a mind of its own right before we turned onto the beach, and I spent almost the whole 2 miles(miles 5-7) trying to set it straight so our intervals would be correct.

Unfortunately, the second half of the race my friend's hamstring started hurting worse and worse...until she could barely run. I remember at mile 20 the pain she was feeling and her blister that was not getting better. But I am so proud of her for continuing on the journey to complete her goal. It's in these situations the mind must take control over the body; to tell your pain, "I am in control, not you."

By mile 24, we had been mostly walking, but I felt my body wearing down and yearning for food. Unable to stop for walk breaks any longer, I apologized deeply to my friend and told her I must keep going without stopping, for I could feel my body was shutting down. She had been telling me to go and I know she wasn't upset and so I set off to finish the last 2.2 miles alone. I think those were the longest 2 miles I've ever ran. I stopped maybe twice but felt worse so I kept telling myself to keep going and I did.

I finished in just under 6 hours and my friend actually pulled through and made it to the finish line not too much longer after I did! I know before the marathon, the training was tough, but it was no comparison to the mental and physical toughness that I experienced that day.

If you had asked me the day before the race if I would ever do another marathon, the response would have been a quick, "NO!" But that tune slowly changed while riding the shuttle back to the hotel, even though the pain was still very much real. I started thinking about next year doing it again...and my friend, a few days later, agreed.

Marathon Race Weekend: First, The Expo!

Arriving at the Prime Osborn Convention Center

Leaving our mark...

Man enough to wear Pink...

These boards were placed on our run on the beach.

There were about 6 of them, each saying something

different.

I am a few days late in writing this for a few reasons but the main reason is that I caught the flu, or something like it, yesterday. I was trying to recover from all the soreness but must have had a lowered immune system and I caught my daughters cold.

So to start off the weekend, my husband, kids and I headed up to Jacksonville and spent the night with my family up there. I was so excited and not nervous at all. I just wanted to make sure I didn't forget to bring anything. One thing I brought was vaseline which helped SO much race day. Other things I brought were, my ipod, race gear, my breast cancer hair ribbon and my camera!

Then Saturday came. Had my coffee and breakfast and got ready to go to the Expo. My sister-in-law volunteered to work at the Expo so I drove over there with her.

My friend and her family came up Saturday and met us there. One great thing about these bigger races is the Expo events. There are countless vendors and free items they are just giving away! What was unforgettable about this Expo was, meeting and listening to the famous runner, Jeff Galloway. He had valuable information to give and took questions from the runners.

Another wonderful experience was meeting the woman who started this race, Donna Deegan. She started The Donna Foundation, in which 100% of the race proceeds go to. She was so nice and willing to take the time to get a picture with her and she also signed our bibs!

Then we picked up our race packets, shopped a little, and headed to the hotel to check in. After that, we drove back to my family's house. My husband and mother cooked us a nice spaghetti dinner. Later, said our goodbyes and good lucks and off to the hotel for the night. We stayed a couple miles from the race and the hotel provided us with buses to and from the race site. With over 9,000 participants, it was MUCH better than having to drive there and park.

Finally, the girls watched some Pride and Prejudice and the guys watched some sports, took some pictures and off to sleep we went.

Just wanted to post really quick about my run I did this evening. I felt really good. Not tired and full of energy! 40 minutes with a little sprint at the end. Just about 3 days now until the race and I'm getting so excited! Went over race plans today with S. Everything is coming together now and we even have matching shirts :)

Well off to bed early tonight. Tired. Night.

Weather Forecast For Sunday

Here is the weather forecast for the day of the race and it sounds like it's going to be a fabulous day!

1 Week Until 26.2 with Donna!

I can't believe how fast time has passed and only one week until the big race. I've been cross training a little more and I need to get in a run tomorrow.

I also have my 30 minute cardio interval class I'm holding in my neighborhood tomorrow morning. Yesterday, I had two people show up which was an improvement from Wednesday night and that I had one person. I am thankful however, for anyone who comes. I really do enjoy working out and bringing that enjoyment to others. To help them change their lives and to help them achieve their goals. I know how important it is for someone to need that extra motivation to get them on the path to better health.

So this week is all about preparation for the weekend to come. I am meeting up with my running buddy this week to discuss race plans...which of course includes some coffee and a discussion of apparel :) Yes, it is important to look good AND race-at least to me anyway! The race is for breast cancer, so I'm planning on wearing LOTS of PINK. I recently bought a pink nailpolish.

I looked at the race website and the goodie bag is awesome! A pink bag, backpack style and the race tech shirt has the pretty emblem of the medal on it. Of course there will be other free products in there which are a surprise.

To end this on a positive note, I found an inspirational video to post. It's from the website http://www.values.com/. Enjoy!

Playing Catch-up

I feel like I'm always playing this game of working out and not getting to journal about it right away. I guess that's what happens when you have a husband, 3 kids, and a dog. My routine is normally this: Getting dressed to run. Waiting for husband or family member to watch the kids. Finally getting out of the door to run. Sweet moments of bliss(aka running) or something like that. Back home to hopefully get a shower right away and then if I can remember, stretch...I know most of the time I do stretch right away, but there are times when my hectic life doesn't allow things to go in the right order or the way they should go.



Well I had to write this really quick before I have to head out the door again. Got in a short run and did my workout class. Ok, gotta go!

Swagbucks

I was sceptical at first about joining Swagbucks but I'm really glad I did! I haven't been doing it for that long, but so far I have $10 in Amazon.com e-gift cards and currently saving up for an itunes card. It's so easy! All you have to do is use their search engine to do all of your inquiries and they will randomly award you points! You also get points for having their toolbar and doing the daily poll...I mean, how easy is that??

If you are interested, please use my link as a referral! Get people to sign up under you, and earn points when they win!

Here is my link :
http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/RunnerGirl525

Thanks,

Kristin

Exercise-Great for Mind and Body!

The link below is to Dr. Furhman's blog and this is such a great article. You may be thinking, "I already know exercise is good for me." But, if you are getting that "I don't feel like working out today" mood or "I don't have time," or any excuse to not mess up your new hairdo today, this will give you a little pep talk and get you going!

P.S. Your body will thank you!


http://www.diseaseproof.com/archives/cat-exercise.html

23 Miles and Counting...

On Sunday we set out for our 23 mile-long run. And boy, was it longgg! It took us 5 hours and 2 minutes and it was the first time we didn't stop for a potty break. I have to say, that this run was painful. More like, PURE TORTURE, if you really want to know. I could tell in my legs, particularly my knees, that I hadn't fully recovered from the 20 mile run 2 weeks prior. About halfway through the run my knees started aching and my pinkie toe on my left foot started rubbing against the toe next to it. I tried several times to re-adjust and even took off my shoe to see if that would do the trick. But no! My toe was on fire for about 13 miles and ended up with a nasty blister. I'm not sure what happened. I've never had that happen before. Next time I'll bring some Glide or a bandaid or two, just incase. The last mile we tried to just run the whole way instead of doing our intervals because it was just getting too hard to stop. Somehow, it was easier to just keep going. This was the most mentally challenging run I have ever done. I really had to keep focused and know that I was going to make it to the end.

With 16 days left until the race, I am feeling a mixture of relief and sadness at once. Like my friend, S, said, "I can't wait to get back to running for fun, and not running because I have to." I love the friendship and the feeling of being dedicated to an important goal, and yet, sometimes it gets to be too rigid...

I watched a couple videos online on the race and it looks really exciting. I'm looking foward to running on the beach. I sort of wish it was toward the end of the route only because the water is so calming and beautiful(I'm a BIG beach person).

Next stop: What to wear???
To Be Continued...

40 Min Run

Just logging in a 40 minute run I did with my buddy yesterday evening. Weather was great, too! I can't believe how warm it was for January! I actually wore my running shorts, which haven't been used since maybe, October? We just ran around my neighborhood and had our weekly girl time/venting session :) We are supposed to meet up tomorrow for another run, and then on Saturday for our longggg, 23 miles. Last long run before the race! Then on to tapering. If you aren't sure what tapering means, it's running lingo for lowering your mileage each week until race day. It's not a good idea to wear out your legs that close or come race day, your legs may not give you the race time you wanted.

In a while I'm going to go for a walk with my husband and daughter right before lunch and post up some new flyers I made up for my new bootcamp class I'm starting in my neighborhood! I'm really looking forward to it and getting to know more of my neighbors. I hope it's successful!

Running For Beginners

If you are thinking of taking up the sport of running-for fun or to become an athlete-here is a simple webpage for you to read. Nothing fancy but, just some great pointers to make sure you are prepared to get started.

http://http://www.floridatrackclub.org/members/newrunner.html

26 Days Until 26.2!!

Ok, So we are less than a month away from doing our first marathon! I'm getting really excited now. Our last long run was 20 miles. The last few miles were the hardest for us, which seems to be the common theme every long run. We are doing the run 4 min/ walk 1 min...which you may think makes it easier. In some ways yes. It allows our muscles to recover right from the beginning of the run. However, 20 miles is 20 miles! It still hurts.

So to reward ourselves and indulge after the run, we stopped at Panera Bread and ordered some soup, sandwich, & a lemonade. I brought along my camera of course, to have some memorabilia. Here's our lovely picture :)

(The woman I asked to take the picture thought

we were tourists) LOL!

Running Through the Holidays

Christmas weekend was a bit tough getting in our long run but we decided to get in 6 miles at least. S was having trouble with her knee anyway so she needed to rest it.

We did a short 30 minute run yesterday and I was feeling a little sluggish. I'm not sure why but it could be my allergies. Haven't been sleeping as well and feeling stuffed up so that could account for my lack of energy.

Today I am going to try to fit in some strength training here at home. Since the kids are home from school this week, I may get them to workout with me :)

Vegan Nutrition Like An Ironman

It is possible to be vegetarian/vegan AND an athlete! Here Brendan Brazier, a professional triathlete, gives a few tips and recipes that he recommends.


21-Day Vegan Kickstart / a Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) site / Brendan Brazier