14 Just makes Cents Marlboro Man

I woke up at 5:30am tired as my son was up at 2am with an odd tummy bug that left him vomiting in his bed and he walked into his Momma♥ but barfed at my bedside and then again on my living room carpet. So needless to say after an almost 1/2 hour clean up and getting him nestled back into bed I was back to sleep so tired wondering how in the world I was going to wake up in 3 hrs with just 5hrs of sleep to have the THRILL to run 14 miles to which I've been secretly dreading all week.

My runs have been epic fails lately in paces around 9:15 each leaving me tired and sluggish, the weather and the calorie cutting has left me feeling like shiz lately! Truth & Fact!

I downed 2 mega cups of coffee and an oatmeal with Chia (day 2!)
Feeling SUPER bloated and having gained 4lbs of water in just 3 days for no real reason at all...I was not thinking it was going to be a pleasant run.

I started off at 6:45am with blue skies and a pleasant coolness of around 70 degrees! I ran unplugged enjoying the quiet of the Sunday Morning ♥ Always my Fave! Always Brilliant to run on the weekends, early morning!

My first mile was a steady warm-up around a 9:50 pace. I knew I was feeling decent after the warm up and could pick up my pace. So I started hitting a comfy 9min mile. Then I started hitting an even more comfortable 8:30 mile!

I found 2 cents in the first mile of my run....always a great indication of an amazing run to come! It's a karma thing for me!

As there is always a theme to my run...today's 14 miler is dedicated to the Marlboro Man as I began to notice the theme come to me after about the 4th empty Marlboro cigarette pack lay in the road. By the time I hit empty pack number 9 in mile 8 I literally chuckled to myself!

Hey I smoked for 12 years and here I was 150lbs lighter and a runner girl ♥

Mile 12 there was this person trying to back up a moving van and there was a lady that yelled out to the driver "carefull there is a runner behind you" and that made me SMILE BIG! Yes at mile 12 I was a Runner and I looked like I was running not a jogger..not a walker...a RUNNER!

I finished this run in 2:04:13 for a pace of 8:52 per mile....WOW...I CRIED LIKE A BIG BABY! HAPPY & INCREDIBLY PROUD TEARS!

This run after weeks of mostly epic fails it has restored my faith in my running and my progress, my efforts, my ability to continue on with Marathon training again!


Today's Run Dedication song will be Pink's - Who Knew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJWIbIe0N90


Recovery: 2.5 whole organic eggs, 100 calorie high fiber english muffin.
Preweight: 162 (up 4lbs of water in 3 days. yikes!)
After run: 158 (4lbs water loss)
drank 10oz of water during end of run!

Rest Day Finally & Day 1 Chia

So my body is mad at me. I am intensely sore all over and my weight reflects both the lack of rest and lack of sleep. I'm living and playing so hard that I don't have much time to sleep! Boom! haha! Ok so listen I've gone virtually 2 weeks without some form of cardio or weight training. So today is Rest. We are venturing out as a family to meet with friends for a family to family play date in the sun and dining out together! Then perhaps I will be walking as we may take off to HarborFest for More Weekend Fun ♥ So I will behave when we dine out and keep my calorie count on track.
*Tip....if you know where you are going to dine out, plan ahead by looking up the menu and nutritional facts before getting there. Make your choice for what you'll eat before you are there and tempted by the menu. As a matter of fact you shouldn't even have to pick up the menu! Avoid the temptations!*

Day 1 Chia.
I have been pushing pace...I have been running inside sometimes to avoid the heat and humidity as the heat wave is finally gone but I'm still feeling sluggish. I know it's from calorie cutting and forcing my body to do 8 different things right now (gain muscle, lose fat, get faster etc)
Don has been eating a little seed called "Chia" for the past Year. He swears by it in the positive affects it has on his running. He has been asking me to start it up again (I tried last year for a week..it was ok!) He is convinced it will help me to avoid those sluggish feelings when I run. I'm finally biting! If I can be a better runner then I'm all for it.

So here is information about Chia. I thought this was a good general link for you because it offers some information about it and some recipes too. You can buy it online, in your local health food store, etc. We have a great little Mill that is close by and they package it up and it's like 12 bucks for 20oz of it. http://www.nutsonline.com/cookingbaking/chia-seeds/premium.html


Full of omegas it has this amazing ability to 'gel' up and hold water to help the runner avoid dehydration, aid in weight loss as you feel full longer and provides all these great health benefits like reducing inflammation!

Last Year I remember making some great yummy treat recipes with chia and I think I'll do that again and share with you all :-)

Day 1 was 1 tsp in my Flaxseed Oatmeal~!

Happy Birthday Run

So when I was told to switch up my Long Run I grew frustrated and ever since I've been debatable on when I would run. With the long day of today because I got 5hrs of sleep and celebrated with a huge breakfast and birthday presents this morning just I intended. there was never going to be a 14 mile run. I am a Mother Before I am a Runner! Bottom Line! My kids are first always in my life ♥ So spent the morning with them as I should! Then we took off and played and had dinner out as a family. Then I decided to run, with the desire to run whatever felt good to me. So I ran 4, quick 2 miles out and back toward home. I could have gone more...to which is the point? I will have hit my mileage for the week after my Long Run which I predict will take place on Sunday...just not sure if morning or night? I prefer mornings but we are suppose to go Camping...but then again....Marathon training dictates my life once a again! This time around, training is much more difficult. The heat, the humidity, the accommodations for my husbands running and his running partners work schedule...yeah hard stuff!

My run felt great, I felt some tightness in my right quad.....and a re-occurrence of the right knee ache. I begin to wonder now if it's an IT band tightness and when stretched out I'm good and when I'm not and sore then it nags the knee? Who knows!

Humid and warm but it easy peasy and as the first 3 done in a gentle 28min and the last mile got me under 35:35 so it was a FAST Last Mile! I worked on speed pace Baby, Boom

Today's Song dedicated to Nicki Minaj Super Bass!
Love this dam song!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JipHEz53sU&ob=av2e


Woke up in weight...a whopping 160.5 BUT I know I was feeling so SORE today...I am pushing myself and my body is reflecting the deep need for REST! when I gain and I'm hydrated and I'm eating healthy it's muscle soreness! So I am going to listen! Whats Great is after this I will be dropping fast...probably be hitting 156 this week cause that's' how my body works! Gets mad and swells up and then I get my 'swoosh' on the scale! Bring it!

B: 2 whole wheat pancakes, 2tablespoon pure maple syrup, 3 slices of low sodium bacon, organic sausage link, 1 egg scrambled....coffee!!! boom boom birthday breakfast! yum!
L: Chobani Greek yogurt
D: Grilled Chicken on whole wheat roll with lettuce/tomato/bacon/fat free honey mustard dressing, broccoli, corn on the cob
S: 1/4 of my kids birthday cupcake and about 6 bites of my kids hot brownie sundae at Dinner ♥ Had plans for that one all week..Yum! ♥


Summary:
Fitness: 4 mile run
Calories: 1600 (yesterday was 1600 in too)
Water: 65oz
Weight: 160.5 (+1)

Butter'FLY with Me!

A bit of frustration as I balance my training schedule (which I take one for the 'team york' as we both train for this Marathon) balancing 3 year old Twins and a 5 year old is hard work when he works and we both have to balance Long runs on separate days according to his rotating shifts. Then throw in the flexibility so he can train with his running partner and I'm like...Hot Dam!

So we had a plan one when/what we would run and I had to change that this morning. Threw me some frustration I was hydrating/resting/not resting and doing core work etc according to the original plan.

So with the new plan I ran 6 today with 14 tmrw on the same morning I wanted to surprise my twins with a Birthday Breakfast with a table all set up for Birthday Breakfast Fun as we take off for the day about an hour away to hike a Gorge as family and to enjoy dining out for dinner, etc.

Ok...so a bit dehydrated and my body fell hard fast after mile 3 but I pushed through my every desire to walk as my heart rate was off the roof and my body was heavy like I was carrying a 5gallon jug of water while I ran.

The best part of my run...doing the Highway for something different. Overcast and 80 high humidity a bit hard to breathe but a great wind so it sorta balanced it out.
The ButterFlys just swarmed sprung up and flew around me as I ran really close to the shoulder of the road, disturbing them. It was really a very BEAUTIFUL thing...one of those Cherished moments when I run where I appreciate being out there...where even if my body rebelled my mind said "yes" and my soul said "Thank You"

6 miles in 55min Pace: 9:15 per mile.

So my Gangsta "fight' song dedicates this song today's run
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaVtC5A5frA
I wish today it will rain all day
Maybe that will kinda make the pain go away
Trying to forgive you for abandoning me
Praying but I think I’m still an angel away
Angel away, yeah strange in a way
Maybe that is why I chase strangers away
They got their guns out aiming at me
But I become near when they aiming at me
Me, me, me against them
Me against enemies, me against friends
Somehow they both seem to become one
A sea full of sharks and they all see blood
They start coming and I start rising
Must be surprising, I’m just summising
Win, thrive, soar, higher, higher, higher
More fire
Everybody wanna try to box me in
Suffocating everytime it locks me in
Paint they own pictures than they crop me in
But I will remain where the top begins
Cause I am not a word, I am not a line
I am not a girl that can every be defined
I am not fly, I am levitation
I represent an entire generation
I hear the criticism loud and clear
That is how I know that the time is near
So we become alive in a time of fear
And I aint got no muthaf-cking time to spare
Cry my eyes out for days upon days
Such a heavy burden placed upon me
But when you go hard your nay’s become yay’s
Yankee Stadium with Jay’s and Kanye’s

My Soulful side dedicates this side to the cherished part of the run
Come fly with me- Michael Buble ♥
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYgqZYQYzwA
OMG....I love this song!!!

CrossTraining Maniac

I knew I was going to work-out today. I've not rested in well over a week. Each day promising some sort of activity (running) or weight training. Today was go to be no different. I'm a bit obsessed right now with feeling good and hitting my newest goal of 154!

So on Facebook another runner friend was unsure whether she was going to crossramp 3 miles or run. Well I challenged her to to crossramp, knowing she has an 8 miler coming up I was going to secretly encourage to crosstrain and save those running muscles for this weekend! (I wonder if you will read this..boom! haha!) Ok, so I challenged her! Do 3 fast miles on the crossramp at a 2% resistance and get your time! So that's what I did and I'll update later how she made out with our little fun challenge! *update she did really and did a kickbutt 4 miles and other work today today! Boom!*

So Today here is my crazy antics! Ready?

3 miles on the crossramp in 15:41
1 mile additional on crossramp for cool down in 6 min
20 arm curls on each side with 15lbs weights
1/2 mile run at 7:40 pace
5min rowing going about 1000meters
quads at 60lbs x 10 each leg
Lat pull downs at 80lbs x 15
30 ab crunches with 65lb weights
25 ab crunches with 50lb weights
20 arm curls on each side with 15lbs weights
obliques on each side with 80lb weights x10
back press with 80lbs x 20
1/2 mile run at 7:20 pace

Felt like an ANIMAL TODAY...ROAR!

Wore Don's Ipod for different music and we will dedicate this work-out to this Boom Song that just got me Poppin!

Lollipop by Lil Wayne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IH8tNQAzSs&ob=av2n

Yeah! Yeah! Boom!


B: RAVENOUS! 4 whole wheat waffles with pure maple syrup, coffee
L: Chobani & cashews
D: Reduced sodium bacon, spinach, tomato, lowfat mayo on toasted soft rye, 1.25 cups of fresh cut cantaloup and 1/4 cup of lowfat cottage cheese. YUM!


Summary:
Fitness: 1 mile run sprint, 4 miles on ArcTrainer, strength training
Cals: 1300
Water: 60...need to drink 20 more!
Weight: 158

First Day Puppy 5K Training!

Tonight I took my 11 month old Golden Retriever out for his first run. Benny is a pure bred and as much as he is acclimated to our family, with our spontaneous and comings and going he is UBER excited always to be around us. This leaves his excited happiness in a jumpy puppy state ALOT! We tend to let him run around the yard in mad circles for about ten minutes to get his puppy wiggles out. He loves playing fetch...ball being his favorite as the Frisbee frustrates him! But he sits well and will shake your hand.

I've been meaning to start train him for the last month. With alot of personal things going on in my life, this was certainly not on my priority list. Just on a whim I brought him from being outside and decided to take him for a walk...well I started to run and Dang...he did GOOD! OK so I had flip flops on and comfy cotton shorts and a tank and look like a total special person fleeing down the street but what do I care! ha! He dashed in front of me a few times and once stopped suddenly but I found the jot back toward the house was better as he ran loose on his choker collar and I was able to pull up on it when he would get a little ahead of me or in front of me!

Proud of you Benny Boy! First 1/4 mile run done! My plans are to get him trained to run just a simple 3 miles with me and I'd love to take him with me and start doing early morning/late night runs with him! I'd love that...me and him on dark city streets, run unplugged to enjoy the quiet! He would keep me safe...he has a mean bark...not sure about the bite as he is kind to us all but strangers he sounds FIERCE!

BOOM BENNY!

My next training run will be Thursday with him and I'll aim for about the same distance and start to find a training schedule for him!

7 outside turned into 4 inside

I am supposed to run 7 miles today. I ran 4 instead. It was all that I could muster when it was such a beautiful day out and I'm yet again the treadmill. I hate how much I have run on that machine the last two weeks. I understand it must be done but I'm sorta a bit wiped from it. I was actually so bored I left the treadmill upstairs after finishing up my first three miles and went downstairs and ran the last mile hoping that the change could help me at least push out 5...but I only made to mile four before my boredom was about to explode out of me! haha! Truth be told I was a machine last week with 35 miles and cross trains and strength training/planking, etc that I'm still on a roll with the hardcore efforts while keeping my calories at rock bottom numbers. How do I fuel such running on 1500 cals! or on most days just about 1200? I'm burning about 500 a day at LEAST on these runs...no wonder I'm melting here and my frustration mounds as I see more and more skin begin to sag. I was in the mirror today after my run as I cranked out some more arm curls and DAM I'm getting small. I look my 30inch waist and my 38" hips are popping a great figure. There was a chunky girl a few feet over doing some arm work and I just couldn't help but glance between our two body's and reflect on how far I've made it. How I used to be that plus way more! How I should put more value on being in the 150's when I was once over 309! Crazy! My legs are so slim, my waist so small....poor breasts are deflated little things that match my new smaller self and my face has virtually no fat left on it. I'm really leaning out. I wonder as I gain muscle just how much I can really lose. Although I see myself skinny in that mirror I woke up and felt bloated at 157 this morning and felt pudgy in my section. I just know after yesterdays measurements my loss are coming from the mid-section so I must be patient!

I did some mad ab crunching and my abs are SORE! I did just one set of pull downs, arm curls working different arm muscles as I curl in different ways. Interesting how I'm still learning!

Today my Song is dedicated to another Script Album Song- For the First time. This will be shout out to Don as my response to his Michael Buble song he dedicated to me- Hold on. This one is for you Don.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPEBN2dVNUY&ob=av2n

Food:
B: 2 egg whites, 1 slice of whole wheat toast, coffee
L: Chobani Greek yogurt, 5 natural chicken nuggets and 1 serving of baked tots
D:



Summary:
Fitness: 4 mile run in 36min for 9min pace, arm curls, abs
Calories:
Water:
Weight: 157.5

Not feeling up to it...Too bad...Go!

Woke up with battled emotions. Many have seen and realized that I am going through a bit of difficult time right now. Emotionally I have given myself to the one thing that is making me feel best. That is working out and taking care of myself. In the past the emotional side of my problems would have led me straight the fridge or pantry. I have trained my mind to steer clear of foods when I'm feeling anything but 'normal'. I often find that I eat less because of this...only eating when I feel good, well on some given days I feel like I don't want to eat at all. But let's be realistic we all know I believe in doing this for healthy reasons too. So we must fuel our body's and if I don't fuel myself I'll never be the runner/athlete that I am or for that matter I would have no energy to be the best Mommy I can be and I'd be one cranky Wife.

Working out leaves you feeling stronger mentally and emotionally or it's suppose to. I was hitting points a few weeks ago where I was dreading my runs...as my heart was so intertwined with my emotional side that just seemed to mess up my runs. Most times when a person is going through troubles a run is exactly the medicine needed to make things more clear and to allow a person to not think at all. I am completely opposite...my runs allow me to think and get lost. Sometimes I wished I had nothing to think about except the run and often those are the best kinds...often the thinking helps to pass the miles and there are certainly times in my long runs where I have LITERALLY lost miles and time....so lost in my mind and in my shuffle that I glance down and I've run a couple more miles than I had thought/felt.

Today I sat on the couch...a tear rolls down my cheek as I feel sad today. I allow myself to sulk for a little bit....feeling the feeling...understanding that life is not always easy and that we all can create excuses to not do the very thing that will probably help us out the most. We have to take care of ourselves. I can easily sit and sulk and let my kids be lonely and leave my home unattended...run to the fridge and stuff my emotions the best way I used to know how! Or I could feel the 'feeling' (we'll just call it that and not label it for the sake of you having to know why I feel sad today) and just move on.

So I get up and I 'move on'. I breathe in and out and I do the very thing I know I need to do. I leave for the gym.

1/4 mile warm up
3 Mile run in 25:45
10min on the Elliptical
quad/oblique strength training.

Tonight I am double running and will hit up some more arm/ab work.

I planned a group run with a bunch of ladies that want to learn to run. I want to inspire and motivate them. I am hoping for a great turn-out! Hopefully the rain stay away!
The weather outside is a cool 75-80 with an AMAZING breeze...I wished I was able to run outside earlier today. But with the schedule I planned for the indoor run, so Don can run outside tonight too and I can get a double work-out done!

I love Music. I love Running to Music. So each time I run I'm going to dedicate my run to a specific song that I find empowered me, moved, motivated me, etc!

I've fallen for a group called "The Script" I keep catching this song on the radio and it ...well....moves me.

The Script: Breakeven.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yZ1uI5yPbY&ob=av2n

I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing
Just praying to a God that I don't believe in
'Cause I got time while she got freedom
'Cause when a heart breaks no it don't break even

Her best days will be some of my worst
She finally met a man that's gonna put her first
While I'm wide awake she's no trouble sleeping
'Cause when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven... even... no

What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you,
And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're ok
I'm falling to pieces, yeah,
I'm falling to pieces

They say bad things happen for a reason
But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding
'Cause she's moved on while I'm still grieving
And when a heart breaks no it don't breakeven even... no

What am I gonna to do when the best part of me was always you,
And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're ok)

Oh you got his heart and my heart and none of the pain
You took your suitcase, I took the blame.
Now I'm try'na make sense of what little remains ooh
'Cause you left me with no love and no love to my name.

I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing
Just prayed to a God that I don't believe in
'Cause I got time while she got freedom
'Cause when a heart breaks no it don't break
No it don't break
No it don't break even no


So There was just one Friend that showed up today and we walked a bit as she was pushing her handsome little 5 month old prince! It was a gorgeous sunset at the lake and we walked about a 1/2 mile together! It was nice to have someone show up and hope for a better turn-out next week!

After I parted ways with the friend...I did some sprints and worked on some speed play. I wore my garmin and my best pace for a few of the sprints were 4:51 per mile...What was cool was I thought I was a faster sprinter than don but he even managed to sprint at a 4:17 pace! BoomTastic!

What I loved even more was just jogging next to my son...he'll be 3 years old on Friday and it was amazing to run with him about a 1/4 mile just myself at a 12:30 pace! Crazy! Don ran with him on the pier for about the same distance about the same pace! My Son is going to be an Amazing runner! He wants it, he is loving it and he just begs to run ♥

Worked on some assisted push ups too!


B: 1 organic egg, 1 slice of wheat toast
L: Chobani Greek yogurt, 1 slice of wheat bread with tsp of all natural pm & tsp jam
1 oz of cashews
D: 1.25 cups of steamed broccoli, 1 serving of 4 cheese tortellini and 1/2 slice of garlic cheese toast and 1.5 cups of watermelon
S: 3/4 cup of Life Cereal


Summary: 1/4 mile warm up, 3 mile run, 10min elliptical, walk with friend, Sprints and then a jog with the kids, push ups, quads/obliques strength training in gym
Calories in 1300
Water in: 60oz
Weight: 158 (-1.0)

Long Run Fun

Long Run Fun...ok maybe not so much FUN! Ha! Ok so lesson for you Runners that are Calorie Counting and reducing to lean out, you will have runs where you feel heavy and depleted. I expect nothing but feeling mentally strong but physically weak at moments when our body's go from using the fuel we eat to energize our runs or the body trys to find that fuel and there is simply not enough so it starts hitting up your stored fats to fuel your muscles. What a great way to lose weight, what a hard way to run! I kept the first 6 miles incredibly comfortable as I set out before the sun came out fully and there was a lovely overcast and great breeze and an incredible 70 degrees! Say What! Awesome! I paid no attention to my pace for the first 6 miles and settled that in just about 59 minutes, haha I guess I was comfy at a 9:58 pace! Then I sorta gave my mind a dizzy head spin as I attempted to hit every dam hill I could find and work on picking up my pace. To which my body rebelled and my calves got tight! Like real tight, so tight at one point I thought that I was going to tear a muscle in my left calve as I climbed the s.h.i.t. on my run! Boom! I remember that dam hill taking me out numerous times last summer (course I was 60lbs heavier and not as strong!) so I conquer in my mind those thoughts as I climb! AT the top of the s.h.i.t. I glance over at a mansion that had Lion Heads in stone and on the front door....ROAR I thought...lmao. I totally amuse myself when I run...I suppose I was a bit bored just about an hour in! It was an eary quiet Sunday morning run as I optionally ran the main state highway this morning....in a city of 30 thousand there were times when there was not a car to be seen or heard...yep...dam surreal awesomeness! The bun factory smells left me hungry as my hunger settled in about mile 3! saw two black and white Kitty's abandoned long the highway...meow...wtf!

So the end I was digging and I laugh again cause as I'm hurting from hitting every incline/hill I could find for the last 6...I knew that it was good that last minute I decided to back down off of 14 miles to run just 12. Simply because as I reflect it's been a month since I've gone 14 miles and it's been 2 weeks since a LR of ten miles. With the knee and a taper of just a simple 18 miles last week and having hit 34 this week...I think the increase was well enough that a deserved 2 mile break would be more beneficial then good~! Oh I pat myself on the back for this weeks LR taper...as I was feeling it! So far the knee is ok and only a few minor twinges/aches this past week nothing compared to last week and nothing of concern to me anymore :-)

Mile 11 I was feeling weak and tired...ready to be DONE with this run! I started thinking of my Running Sisters running with me in different parts of our beautiful country! Eleanor and Dorothy you ladies were with me on this run, when I thought of you I smiled and it helped me climb my last incline toward home ♥ So Thank You ♥ Just after this about 11.15 in at the top of that hill I saw a man without legs riding down the road in a wheel chair...Wow...Wake-up Call... My drowsy dead leg feeling and my aches disappeared as I literally thanked God for my legs and my ability to RUN! Mushy love song came on the ipod at this point. that just happens to haunt my every run lately ...must get this song OUT OF MY IPOD! I was like dam shiz I want to run to some Eminem now freaking Beyonce.....darn Ipod is starting to break and my ability to slide and change songs is a task if even possible on certain days. So I was stuck on it. sigh. I was able to lose myself enough to crank out the last of the mile at a fast 8:20 pace....so I had a BOOM Ending!

Woke up bloated at 159....post run weight after having drank 12oz coffee, 20 oz during run, 8 after run and oatmeal I was weighing in at 156.5 for weight...so despite the fluids during the run I still managed to lose 2.5lbs of water! CRazy!

B: flaxseed/cranberry oatmeal, coffee
Recovery: 2 freeze pops, electrolyte drink, 2 eggs scrambled with ketchup..oh yeah!
L: Chobani greek yogurt
D: Two lite rolls, 4oz of reduced deli ham, reduced mayo, spinach, tomato, fresh strawberrys
S: 2 more freezepops and serving of my fave Dark chocolate ♥

Fitness: 12 Mile run at 9:45 pace, climb 120 stairs and walk at the Glen with my family, spend the entire day on my feet....at the park...grocery shopping, photo shoot! 30 sit ups and attempts again of push ups!
Calories in: 1200
Water: 80oz


Oh I am putting in pics of my pull up session yesterday, haha! Enjoy!

You Don't need to Run

When I talk to people about getting fit I always talk about running, I can't help myself! However, I am sensible and understand that it may simply never interest a person, or they physically are unable to run. So let me just say you don't have to be a Marathoner or runner to become a fit person. I say find ways to get active by finding a cardio of choice that you can get excited about! I have friends who started spinning, walking and even started enjoying Zumba several times a week! You don't need gym memberships or pricey equipment. There simply must be a desire and an original idea with simple implementation to get it done.

So with today being a running rest day I was still able to incorporate fitness into my life. How? We took the kids swimming today. I park further from the door for the extra walk inside. Once in the pool I take off and start swimming for two laps in my best doggy paddle fashion, lmao! Ok, let me just say that was HARD and I was feeling the two laps! Once at home we created a pull-up bar that took just a few bucks to put together. I did a single pull-up! Boom! hahaha! hey there was a time when I could do NONE! So today I did one! I would like to get up to ten! That's my Goal! I came inside and I cranked out 30 sit-ups......5 more than what is needed for the police officer exam! I then worked some push-ups I have to do 11....yeah...so much work needed with that too! I'll get there! I then did Three 1 minute planks! I also stretched as my right leg muscles are feeling tight!
So there you have it...you learn to walk a bit more, work some muscles from home and it all only takes a bit of time out of your life. And what is time when it's something that is enjoyable or challenging!

Food: Played with Black beans again today. This time I took some of my favorite BBQ Sauce and mushed some black beans/onions/peppers together and heated in the pan and threw it in a wrap! Ok...Yum!

B: 1 organic egg over 1 slice of wheat toast, coffee
L: 1 slice of whole wheat bread, 3/4 tblsp of Natural Peanut Butter, 1tsp of jam, chobani greek yogurt
D: 1/4 of that black bean wrap! 2 ears of corn with a spat of real butter (the only time I use real butter...but I have to with corn on the cob!) pinch of sea salt and black pepper. 3oz of grilled chicken breast dipped in my BBQ Sauce. Pear slices!
S: 2 freeze pops, 2 cups of air popped popcorn and 4 dark chocolate Hershey kisses!

Fitness: swim,pull-ups,sit ups,planks,push-ups,stretch
Calories: 1500
Water: 80oz
Weight: 157.5 (-1.0)

BMI-Body Mass Index

The reality of a number can really slap a person back into reality. The first step to change is the acknowledge that you need one. Sometimes that comes from a scare in your personal life. For instance most often you hear of someone that has a loved one that has fallen ill or suddenly passed from heart disease or cancer. Even for us, as we watched my husband's mother pass from Cancer back in 2000 it was still not enough of a wake up call for change. Then as we watch family battle more cancer and more health problems from obesity like diabetes, it still was not enough of a wake up to quit smoking or get healthy. Each trip to the doctor came the lecture of why it was important to quit and what it could do the quality of our life. We turned a deaf ear. We liked eating. We like smoking cigarettes. It made us feel good. Let's face it in a crazy world we live in a very 'feel good' mentality. If it feels good we will do it. Even if it's wrong. (Philosophically speaking...we all can be this way with many things in life...morally speaking?!) What shakes a person to the core enough to be a wake up call? Can it really be your Body Mass Index. Can be labeled Obese or morbidly obese enough of a wake up call for you? What if you are just 'overweight' is that enough of a label to seek a plan for difference and change for health and life? We live in a very distorted society. We view healthy as being too thin these days (believe me as I didn't hit normal weight yet and I always had people saying...you're getting too thin or you that my husband looks sick cause of how thin he got....can you believe rumor was that he might of had cancer or hepatitis. How crazy people! It's called HEALTHY..HELLO!)
Ok so for me the number never told me anything that I didn't already know or even feel for that matter. I was obese. A Happy, active fat obese person. Why change? I liked smoking cigarettes, I liked eating big macs and Fry's. It was my worth, it made me happy and when I ate I always felt good. Afterwards typical eaters remorse...but that's just the emotional side of eating that I will surely spiel about in the future posts to come. Of course there was two things that caused me to change....feeling incredibly uncomfortable, tired and sick feeling and most importantly the deep desire to live a healthy life so I can live a long time so I can be here for my children and grandchildren and maybe even Great-Grandchildren!

But Your Body Mass Index is important. It's a great indication of just what you WILL be suffering from at some point in the future. If you knew you could change the course of dying suddenly from heart disease or spare yourself the increased risk of getting cancer...then why not try? Most often people have no self worth and this is because with obesity there is vicious cycle of self esteem issues. You don't feel worth it because you are fat...you are fat because you don't feel you are worth it. Believe me when I say....each and every person is worth a good life that is full of energy and that energy propels into health and the great wealth and happiness that life has to offer! Even if you find out what it is today and that magical wand does not shake the core of change within you, just know that understanding the number is important for you. Maybe you reflect on it, maybe it festers inside you and it just that spark that you need when something else flares up the desire for change that will just set off the explosion of change in a positive direction for you.
I learned my number when I started my BMI was 47! (anything over 30 is obese...I was WAY OVER!) Most importantly my number is now 23.9(anything under 24.9 is healthy/normal!)
What's your Number and will change anything for you?
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

3 Miles and Black Bean Wrap!

Running: Today I ran again. Despite the nagging knee that I had last week and the beginning of this week it has mysteriously dissapered. *insert Connie Smiles* :-) I'll take that! Today was the 5th day in a row of running and I did two miles a very comfy 9:30 pace...which is my aimed goal pace for October 16th! The 3rd Mile I laddered up with my speed averaged out to be around a 7:30 mile as I peaked a sub 7min pace toward the end of the run. I have been learning to dig harder as my main focus in my head concenrating on both turnover/stride and my concentrating on breathing properly to avoid side stitches and keep my energy up without a huffy puffy ending. I won't lie at those speeds I'm really digging deep and pushing myself to new levels all the time on my runs. I have no more fears as my confidence with my running has been on a high since Marathon. I know I am capable of being a great runner. I look foward to placing my in age groups in the future. My first prize whether a medal or a trophy is going to be simply AMAZING. I have those visions dancing in my Runners Head very often when I'm running and training this hard. My ability to ward off the injury has been keen on my mind this past 2 weeks. We are all capable of hurting ourselves. Listening to our body and our brain is a hard connection for most. Even me. I want to be able to listen to my body but I'm never sure if I'm overly nervous/anxious/paranoid or if it's legitamate. I reflect on Last Marathon training and my soft tissue bruise I had on my arch for a several weeks and how I ran through it, cross trained through it and it was not improving. I really gave myself just two full days rest and that seemed to have helped out a lot. That is such a huge deal in a runners head...the idea of having to take a break. I won't lie I've seen it take out alot of my runner friends. I have empathy for them and secretly fear the day I can't ever run for an extended period of time. I worry about that often. So much that taking 3 days off last week is what I felt I needed as a smarter and wiser runner. I also cut out my double run day this week and no hill work to baby the knee. I did do some speed work and that has been fine. I will attempt hills next week. It's a must for this training program as my next Marathon is full of rolling hills for over half the race, so I must be prepared!

Fitness otherwise: I climbed 56 flights of stairs in 10 minutes after my run. I also walked into the weight room barged a spot infront of the boys and stole my mirror spot so I can work on my arms. In the nautillus I cranked out a few minutes of ab crunching followed up with some quad/hamstring/obliques strength training. After my stair climb I went back for more arm pull downs!

Food:
Breakfast: 1 organic egg over 1 slice of wheat toast, 3 cups of coffee!
Lunch: Chobani Greek Yogurt- was hoping to eat some nuts today but I'm out of walnuts...bummer!
Dinner: Black Bean Wrap: (2/3 cup organic black beans that I soaked overnight and cooked) (1/3 cup organic whole kernal corn without salt) 4 organic cherry tomatos diced, 1 tblsp of organic zesty italian dressing. 1 whole wheat tortilla. Wrapped it up and ate it all. 3 cups of coffee!
Snacks: 2 freezepops in the hot summer sun! 96 out today!

* I will be eating later on when my Husband gets home from work. Light and healthy and reasonable. I'm not hungry now but I know I will be later and surely after working a 16 hour shift he'll be eating and it's wise for me to consider that and plan ahead. Most times I will save myself a chance to snack when he eats or often I will not eat at all. Tonight I will have likely some popcorn and dark chocolate :-)

My first time doing this and I thoroughly enjoyed this meal. I love that I incorporated alot of protein through the beans and plenty of fiber to boot! So many phytonutrients! Even after the wrap there was plenty left over so I just spooned the rest and got in all the yummy healthy calories!


Very light calorie day...I hydrated so much as I spent hours at the pool with my peeps and just full of liquids and not much of an appetite either. I feel full and happy so I'm good!

Summary:
Fitness:3 miles, 10min stair climb, strength training
Calories in: 700
Water: 80oz
Weigh in: 158.5 (+.5)