Day 1

What I carry ....pass through my hands and onto you ♥ I hope you all can pay it forward! The private group page so far on facebook.....SO AMAZING! If you are apart of the challege then join us!

http://www.facebook.com/groups/236680483059021/#!/groups/236680483059021/

Today is Day 1

Fresh start, new beginnings *maybe not for those that never stopped or those that already began! *

But Welcome!

I have received all the emails (yet if you want to join in then you must email me at runnergirlnewyork@yahoo.com and drop me a list of your goals and plans to reach them!! I've stock piled all the struggles of everyone. As much there is a lot of individualization in each post, but I have noticed there is common struggles.

I look forward in the days, weeks, months to come to hit up all of these issues and concentrate on them all one by one. Each are a reminder of where I was.

There are a few of us that have ended our 'loss' journey and need to find a manageable place with balancing our fitness and foods. And I look forward to using you as well to help me figure myself out too!

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Assignments:

•Everyday in our private group I will start a thread and ask what you ate and what you did for fitness that day. Have time go in and jot it all down and share with me and with everyone for accountability. If not write it down for yourself each day and then Compile the information and tell me how you did calorie wise each day for the whole week! Or if you are using Weight Watchers if you stayed on point! I want you to touch base with me minimally each MONDAY! To account for your food intake and your fitness goals.

•Keep the journal of what you ate, write down calories (points) /times you ate and most importantly what you were doing and how you were feeling at the times you were eating.*this is going to help you connect your food intake with your emotional/unconscious eating or munching you may be doing!

•you can hand journal, find apps to help you or even send them to me daily but this is your job! you must do this for yourself! I will ask that if you don't tell me everyday that you at least touch base with my every Monday! *yes I know I'm repeating myself, lol*

•I want you to record your start weight, take photos and if you can take measurements of your calves/thighs/hips/waist/just below your breast/arms. This is going to show you differences you are making even if the scale is not showing you the numbers you want to see...you could be burning fat and gaining muscle! These measurements can help you!

• Follow your fitness plan. If you need to purchase hand weights for at home use, I suggest 3 or 5lbs at first if you have no other experience with them. I will point you in the direction of free online videos and actually some of you ladies are already sharing YouTube videos of great work-outs for at home!! I love this! I am going to be sharing with you too even just simple online videos/pics of different arm routines for your weights so you can start working on your strength training at home. *so great for while you are winding down watching TV....exercise instead of eat!*

•Go Here and determine your BMR and what you will need to consume *round about* with how much fitness you are able to do in a week! go to this page, read it and then use the Harris Benedict Formula from the tab in that page to determine your calorie needs! I am just going to say now....No less than 1200 ever is ever suggested and you will likely fall between 1200 & 1600!

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/calorie-intake-to-lose-weight.php

•Start your own version of 30 days of Thanks! For November each day share what you are thankful for ♥

This is a Great Start for assignments for the week!!

My Next Blog Will be about Emotional Eating! What most everyone has been waiting to read!

Today you are going to be Great. You will walk through your fears and you will make great choices toward a better you! We won't worry about yesterday and we only think about today, the here and now! As with all things in life...that is all we have. I want you to stop thinking about all the ways you messed up or got it all wrong. It leads you to where you are meant to be today! So willing and ready to let it all go and move on! That is what is ideally going to bring about the Life Change you so desperately want. This does not happen overnight. You are going to struggle, you are going to get bored and you may get incredibly frustrated if you think you are putting in all the efforts yet the scale does not tell you want to see. But this is where I help you understand that it's never going to be about that number. It's always going to be about how you feel! You may not lose on some days or maybe some weeks but I'll be there whispering in your ears that you feel better, that even though though you did not lose fat that you may have gained muscle. I will remind you that eating well and staying fit is not about skinny! it's about your health. That each day your body rebuilds cells in your body. On a cellular level you are taking back and reversing all the damage you once did. You see my connection with food went from emotional eating to understanding that we need to eat to survive...physically yet most of you are using it to survive emotionally. Perhaps in your journey you will realize all the things that drive you toward food. I am hopefully going to help you learn how to cognitively change your thought pattern with food to go from a love relationship with it to one that is of necessity and so you can build a new friendship with it. I believe you are all capable of Greatness and once you really start trying new ways of looking at all of this and step out of your comfort zone then you will really start to succeed.

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I am so Glad you are with me! I too am stepping out of my comfort zone. I'm not running normal right now due to injury. I'm finding a new way to eat with my changed metabolism and body hunger....I'm learning to sleep more *I suffer from insomnia frequently* and eating is on track always has been...but I will be cutting back to lose. I'm focused on strength training to a high degree. I'm pushing myself in my arm curl routines, working my core, started 30 day shred, 7 weeks of TRX training, Boxing. This is all new to me and I'm excited to share with you. I promise you one thing...lack some motivation...Just come see me for a pep talk ;-)

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Day 1 for Connie

My fitness Today:

30 day Shred

2 sets of 20lb arm curl routines

110lb arm pull down

55lb ab crunching for 2mins

15 min Elliptical

1 hr TRX training

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My Foods:

Apple (on the go...Wow....no time to eat....hate that)

Coffee

8oz almond milk

1 scoop Jillian Michaels Whey Protein

1 slice of wheat

1 tblsp all natural pb *please if you use hydrogenated PB switch!* No HFCS!

1 tsp all natural jam

greek yogurt

1 tblsp wheat germ

Coffee

2 slices of wheat with crust cut off ;-p

1 veggie burger

1 cup of fresh spinach fried

4 cherry tomato's

1 apple

1tblsp of organic bbq sauce

2 kids nuggets with honey ;-) I love nuggets!

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900 calories...No worries...I'll go eat a healthy snack, it's cause I didn't get enough for breakfast besides the apple!

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Ok and Just because I asked you for pics and measurements here are my goals/pics/stats

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Fitness Goals:

1200 calories daily with 1 calorie up day of 1800

4 days a week of arm work-outs

Trx Weekly

Boxing Weekly

Cardio 1hr-1.5 hrs daily 5-6x weekly *which by the Grace and Blessing from Above he'll let me run soon*

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Weight: 163.....a far cry and uncomfortable 163 for me from 158 and my past 154! Oh but I loved Marathon training hard and eating well...no regrets ;-)

Measurements:

Waist: 31

Hips: 38.5

Arms: 12.75 *My guns are coming in so nice!!*

pic!

I love Rocking it out in the gym with my Marathon Shirt On! Boom !

Day 1 of what I'm thankful for: Watching my Kids trick or treating. My sons manners, my daughters Allyssa's happy smiles for the longest time ever! My daughter Whitney for running down the street with me and in between houses. I smiled so much on Halloween and as I walked down the sidewalk I actually stored that sweet memory into my Memory Bank ♥

Letting Go of Running

Here it is at Midnight. Trying to sleep and all I can do is think so much shiz that I can't sleep.

So here you go blogger world, take my shiz into cyber space and do something magical with it and then send it back to me in a cute little package, all pretty with a bow.

I have this dark passenger this year. I can't seem to shake the shit that has been happening to me this year. It's like one dang burden after another.

What has held me up during all of it, has been my running. Sure there was some epic failed runs.
I honest to God can lay her and recall each of those tough runs with such clarity. The most epic would be end of June, Early July. I was a on run. I felt like the wind was holding me place, except it wasn't wind it was a heavy heart and soul weighing me down. I ran as if I was not even moving at all. Then it began to rain, I'm talking torrential down pour.... I began bawling. It was the most free I had felt in a while. So connected and disconnected with everything all at the same time. The rain so poetically hid the tears and washed away the burden ....at least for a little while.

So what has saved me is not ironically causing me stress. The idea that I can't run. The emotional love affair I have with myself and the open road.

I lay there and I have to battle with myself the balance between rest and recovery from this unknown injury. The same injury that I discovered 8 days ago and have now ran on 3 x since. How stupid of me *lets just really call it excited and anxious at the times* and now tonight as I ice my quad/knee I realize that it's all been too much to risk.

I ran 2 miles today. I felt 'ok' but I fear a real injury that will never allow me to get back to where I was. That scares the crap out of me.

So then I get to thinking "Can I really let go of Running"

I'm just all emotional and start wheeping. Well I could. I've given up and let go alot in my life. I've let go and burdened the pain of which I've never felt before. Rocked me to my core. Shook a breath of life into me though......well not untill recently..... Made me realize more about myself. Wanting to do something and needing to something sometimes are the two hardest things to distinguish.

Just like over the summer. I had to let go of something I didn't want to. But I needed to. The choice is painful and never easy. But in the beginning and I hope at the end it just puts me in a better place.

So even if this is all just my philosophical journey spilling b.s. about how I really need to stop running for a while, well then that's my conclusion tonight.

For now, I won't run. and I know how incredibly impulsive I am, and I know that when I love something so much, I can't get it out of my mind or heart and that I'll want to go back to my run. I just hope I'm strong enough to stay away, long enough to get this recovery in motion and let myself heal. I'm not very good at that sorta thing. I'm incredibly stubborn. of course every runner I know is. I feel comfort in knowing I'm not the only idiot out there.

Rest assured this does not define me. The journey does. My fitness goes on. I am going to really embrace the new challenges I'm setting up for myself .

TRX starts on Monday, Boxing next week, spinning, more weights and get in some cardio with xtraining machines.

I'll be what I set out to be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5-yKhDd64s

I'm seriously moved.

When I started my Blog back in the middle of summer, It was purely to just write out what I do everyday. Really to anyone that ever wanted to read....they could. It allowed me to express and explore myself, my work-outs.

I live a very sheltered life. I have 3 amazing children but life is very focused and centered around family and my own doings. I have no real community ties and my friendships with those in the 'real' world tend to be lacking. Although I notice myself getting better about that. I'm not shy, lol.

I suppose you can say I'm sorta snobby and incredibly selfish. There I admit it. It's something I've been working on. I just have no time for drama and I'm 33 and I'm busy. I have values and morals and I want those in my life to have the same set *or pretty close to it* I'm not Betty Crocker and I'm far from perfect. I yell at my kids from time to time and swear like a sailor when I'm pissed and my weakness less still in self doubts in other areas of my life. But the one thing that seems to stand true is my ability to control my food and my fitness. And Perhaps my ability to really focus on myself and my family has allowed me to stay so committed to losing weight and running.

For me that control has meant everything. In a life that is so out of control. In a world where we can expect the most unexpected, then this is one thing that I feel I can rely on the most.

Perhaps that why it sorts rocks my boat a little to not be able to run like normal. I'm thankful right now I'm not in training or else I'd likely fall into a very big funk. I ran 2 miles today. I felt the pain in my leg on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst and what I was feeling on my first recovery run 8 days ago...today was a 3 and I hopped off the tready 4x to stretch the quads/knee.

I ran two 9:15 miles with a bounce around in pace from 8:30 to 9:30.

I stopped early, I was eager to go three...the sweat was AMAZING! I was feeling my lack of run cardio and was feeling a tad 'tired' in my run. But I loved that feeling and truthfully I sickly missed it! I just know that I have not run much since Marathon and I really want to play this injury and recovery out by ear. Not wanting to go beyond three miles and see how my recovery is from that. I then walked slowly for another 1.5 miles while talking to worker friend at the gym. We got lost in lots of talk about nutrition and I picked her brain for a while about childhood cancer and foods and well it was a long conversation, but she has a masters in Nutrition so I certainly like hearing her perspective about nutrition and health. Not only do I focus on this way of healthy eating for myself but mostly for my children too. I grew up with processed, easy fast foods. I grew up with snacks and well, whatever anyone wanted, we all ate it. I also grew up around smoking and alcoholism but that doesn't make it ok either.

The One thing I can do for my children is provide them with the healthiest start ever. Smoke Free, Healthy foods and encourage them to be active. Perhaps I can do my part to alleviate the environmental risks they will have in early life from getting such terrible diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol, cancer *yes, they are happening so much these days in our nations children* It starts with me and it trickles down to them.

So maybe you laugh when I say I took them to McDonalds! Where they play with friends and I get some Mother Time with other Moms. My kids do get McDonalds from time to time. I order Nuggets and apple dippers and they will get a small fry to split. Truth be told, my one daughter ate everything and refused her frys *heart swells* Many times we don't do frys at all~!

I ate Grilled chicken snack wrap, NO cheese, Extra Lettuce and honey mustard -easy. Then I had apple dipper and I had about 5 hott frys, I like the salt!

Dinner: Organic Beef 85/15, 2% cheese, low sodium bacon slice, avocado, bbq sauce on a whole wheat roll and broccoli/asparagus steamed veggie mix.

Dessert: Home-made cake.

2 cups flour

3 tblsp baking powder

4 egg whites

3/4 cups honey

1 cup applesauce

2 tblsp sunflower oil *light oil*

I won't lie...I'm not sold on this recipe. Clean yes, but super yum...NO!

Yummy enough to enjoy with a home-made buttercream frosting...I've yet to find a healthy frosting. Store bought versions are high fructose corn syrup/hydrogenated oils......so I make my own and had to buy butter to do it. but the kids/runnerboy loved the frosting, lol. Great Holiday Cupcakes tonight!

So I sit down and I start crying, I'm reading your emails, I have 24 of them now and I'm sad for so many of you. I hear the desperation's, they are so real to me. You trigger in me all these incredible emotions. Alot of reflecting. Alot of planning thoughts pour through my mind. I think selfishly how sad I am that I'm not running normal and how I'll be starting off this challenge with a vengeance but missing the best thing in my life *well besides my kids ;-) and that's my running. But you all ...... I want you to use me.......cause let me just say it now- I'm using you! Training for two marathons this year has ALWAYS kept me motivated. It has always kept me moving. Never had doubts, never second guessed a thing. Now that I'm recovering and dealing with an injury I'm eager to propel forward and not get stagnant in my fitness. I'm really trying to embrace cross training although my heart is the run. My thoughts go back to cold mornings where I would run half marathons for fun runs. Where my idea of boosting my confidence was pushing myself when I felt weak. I've said so many times for me, there is nothing in fitness that pushes me like Running does. So in a way we all together are going to be pushing ourselves in so many different ways in the months to come!

I'm honored you will join in and do this as a team. I get a little freaked out if I post too much on my own facebook page. I'm not one to blow up facebook with posts. I blog daily and less I really want to share something, then I just keep it here, knowing you all can come read and find it if you want to, lol. Things will be different after next week. My Page is about inspiration, motivation, good eating and running. I suppose if people can't handle that sort of Awesome then they should most certainly 'unlike' the page and move along! I have a tendency like most to be a people pleaser, but when it comes to my commitments that sorta shiz goes right out the window!

Monday I'll be blogging and sharing pics/measurements and weight with you all. Those that want to lose weight...I'll be asking you to try to take measurements and weighing in! Picture for your progress too!

Tired & Hungry

Focusing on sleep....at least 6hrs....and all in normal sleep times.
I am insomniac...Or I certainly cycle through with bouts of it. Sometimes I'm good and other times I struggle. I think this goal comes in hardship because I've been wanting to stay up till 3-4am each night this past week and I'm forcing myself to bed before Midnight which is EPIC for me.

Then I've cut back on caffeine and well I missed my goal today. I went from 4 down to 2 cups and this afternoon I missed the mark by having a 3rd. But I was in a state of afternoon funk....so it was a pick me up. But I behaved and didn't do any coffee the rest of the day.

Then off to the Gym for what supposed to be my first Boxing session only to find out the room was being used for Karate lessons.

BUMMER!

So here's what I did instead *too sore for cardio today, my legs/quads are SHOT*

20lbs arm curl routine x3 sets
80lb standing tricep curl-downs
110lb sitting pull downs
55lb ab crunching for 2 solid minutes *my abs were sore!*
90lb lower back
80 obliques x 10 each side

I added a new tricep set to my arm curl routine! Mynga I'm weak and backed down to 10lbs for this set....and that was a struggle! Hope this works under/outer arms!

I felt really hungry today, so I fueled myself.
I'm sure it's been the reduction that has caused me to feel extra hungry.
I went to bed with growling stomach.
I woke up ravenous!

2 eggs
2 slices of wheat toast
tsp of spread
1 waffle
2 cups coffee
2 slices of what bread
1tblsp peanut butter
1 tblsp jam
greek yogurt
apple straws
1/2 banana
Whole Wheat Roll
Grilled chicken
diced tomato
diced avocado
lettuce
broccoli
1/4 cheeseburger
1 small whole wheat waffle

Cals: 1900
Can't believe how hungry I was today! I'm glad I'm cutting back one week before the challenge begins because I think in maintenance and training mode I was eating about 2200-2500 cals a day to fuel my heavy runs and work-outs!

I think I'm going to drop weight fast after next week!

I'm down another lb this morning leaving meat -3lbs water weight this week! yes!

Do I have to Eat Organic?

Organic Food is very costly! However there is benefits to your health if you can afford to eat Organic foods then I fully encourage you to do so. But MOSTLY what I encourage more is Healthy!! Ok. It's sorta non-sensical to me if you hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup yet you purchase organic. Health is part of a whole package. Wholesome Natural foods coupled with fitness to create a healthy YOU!!

There IS scientific proof not only what pesticides and herbicides affect our soil and ground water but there is so much evidence how those same chemicals negatively affect our body. Most importantly it messes with receptors in our body, our nervous system, our thyroid.

http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/

*Important* Yes, I want you to rinse your fresh fruits and veggies and rid the 'exterior' surface of your foods from these chemicals (did you know alot of fruit and veggies are sprayed once in storage for preservation?) but most foods are sprayed with the chemical it grows 'apart' of every cell of the plant! So rinsing is not going to keep you entirely safe!

I could really freak myself out when I research about how the food industry just wrecks the nutritional value of our foods and how the kinds of chemicals they use to preserve 'their bottom dollar' remember they are a business....in it for making money!

Many local farmers use very little or no pesticides. Don't be afraid to ask your local farmer at a farmers market- we have Amish around here and they use very little, so I like to visit their veggie stands in the summer!

Shop Smart: I don't buy all Organic but I know which is the best to try to buy and when I can I do!

*Typically Low in Pesticides*

•Onions

•sweet corn

•pineapples

•avocado

•asparagus

•sweet peas

•mangoes

•eggplant

•domestic cantaloupe

•kiwi

•cabbage

•watermelon

•sweet potatos

•grapefruit

•mushrooms

(did you notice a theme here? Tough skins, skins you can peel off!!)

Recommend Buying Organic:

•Apples

•celery

•peaches

•spinach

•imported nectarines/ grapes

•sweet bell peppers (p.s. you don't buy organic at least cut a circle around the core where the pesticides would settle or pool)

•potatos

•domestic blueberries

•lettuce (maybe if you don't you just pull the first two layers of lettuce and throw them away)

•Kale

•collard greens.

•tomato's

From my experience there is about a 30% - 50% mark up for Organic. Where there are other times there is only a 20% mark-up and then it automatically becomes a no-brainer for me.

A bag of carrots sell for .99 or a bag of organic carrots will sell for 1.29 (I'm spending the 30 cents!)

Don't be surprised to find Organic at Wholesale Clubs. I've been finding Ketchup/apple Juice and many selections of meats etc at the local Bj's!

For a complete guide to

www.ewg.org.

Ultimately I don't want you to fear food. Just get educated about it. We all can't be perfect or live in a bubble. Gosh knows that I have done so much damage to body...but what about my kids? I can help save them now! That's why this is so important to me! I like to also know that I am hopefully reversing the damage I've done to myself my whole life!

Fartlek of some kind

Just because I'm a RunnerGirl, lets Call todays' Trradmill session a Fartlek :-) Interplay with speed and incline!!

Speed Walk, Jog, 6 minute run and some intervals of run on the treadmill for 30min today!!

A speed walk to warm up. 6minutes of run till I felt 'something' so I walked. then I jogged. then I ran, then walked, then jogged. My walks were 4.0 on the treadmill to a 4.3.
My jogs was a 5.7 and my run was a 6.7
I played with inclines in that half hour. 3-4-5 % and then toward the end of the 30minutes I spent 4minutes at 15% incline at 3.8 and I speed walked and small jogged shuffled my way through the 4minutes which at the end...that was tough....cause the last 2 days of 1 hr spin classes, squats and leg muscle work yesterday left me sore when I woke up. Actually truth be told, I was so sore all over. I swear I'm convinced I worked every muscle in my body yesterday! spin and the 40min weight routine left me aching! I love that! haha!

15min on the elliptical!

Foods:
1730 cals: 52% carbs, 22% protein, 25% healthy fats
51 fat
234 carbs
98 protein
31 fiber
1409 sodium
70 vitamin C

Food List:
Jillian Michaels Protein powder
8oz almond milk
1 whole wheat tortilla
2 oz lowfat deli meat
spinach leaves
1 tblsp lowfat mayo
4 oz lean pork
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup quinoa cooked not in water but low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup mixed veggies
Greek Yogurt & couple walnuts on top
air popped popcorn
3tblsp dark chocolate mini morsels.

XRAY & MRI

Did not try to run today. Still on the pinky promise with RunnerBoy to give myself Running Rest.

20min in weight room- 2 sets of arm curl routine

1 hr of spin- dripping sweaty spin class! My Spin will be my new best friend till I can run. I've always wanted to get into cycling. I'd always said I'd like to be a triathlete....maybe this is my push in that direction? I am incredibly optimistic everything happens for reasons. I'm reading between the lines and looking outside the box on this situation!

20min in weight room *again* for 2 more sets of arm curls

10min in Nautillus for

45lb quad curls

180 leg press *with focus on the right knee to see if I could trigger pain..NOPE! *

50lb back hamstring x10 both legs and x10 each leg at 20lbs

110lb arm pull downs x10

55lbs ab crunching for two solid minutes....feel the ab burn!

80lb Obliques each side x10

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Doctors appt & x-rays.

x-rays negative.

Doc thinks this is NOT a stress fracture

Focus is on the meniscus right now. Baffled at all my x-train without pain but classic knee pop sounds, location of pain is idea for meniscus tear. I am going to be set up with an MRI within the week to rule out anything structurally broken. That's what I wanted. It's never good if you can't run for more than 4minutes 9 days out....something is wrong. Although I'm highly optimistic it's not incredibly serious!

"My first trip to a SPORTS DOC....SAY WHAT SEXY BLUE SHORTS....CAN'T YOU HANDLE MY SEXY AZZ LEGS!! Who would thunk this ex-McFatty would end up in a SPORTS DOCTORS OFFICE BEGGING TO RUN! bwahahahahahahahaha!"

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Just because I'm a googling dork I found this test they give *which they did not give to me?* but it's called the McMurray's Test. Don did this test on me and I ached after for the lateral meniscus. I had popping and Don said he felt it in the knee *although I insisted he try it again to make sure the pop was not from my right hip...cause I have right hip pops all the time...but he hates that sorta thing...whateves!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwBW-X4n1fU

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My Eats Today:

1 organic egg over easy

slice of wheat toast

tsp of spread

1 scoop triple chocolate whey protein

8oz almond milk

2 slices of whole wheat

1/2 can of salmon

1tblsp of lowfat mayo

spinach leaves

1 cup grapes

1 whole wheat tortilla

spinach leaves

organic cherry tomato

1 oz mozz cheese

2tblsp guacamole

1tblsp lowfat sour cream

3oz grilled chicken breast

1 cup of grapes

1 greek yogurt

1 serving walnuts

2 cups of coffee

Todays Total:

1380 Cals: 45% carbs, 27% protein, 27% healthy fats

43 fat

160 carbs

95 protein

23 grams of fiber

2080 sodium

90 vitamin c

I'm going to be Personal Trainer!

Big News:
I was approached today at the Gym to become a Personal Trainer.....OMG! That sounds Awesome! Just to be approached is flattering enough for me! Then to think about how I can get paid to help people, Wow, Sprinkles!!!
Training starts next week, I'll be getting more details tmrw!

Spin Class Today!

I always get nervous when I cross train, nothing excites and moves me like Running. I enjoy Spin but not like Running. Surprise, right? lol

Once I get moving I wait to sweat and it's a good 15minutes before I feel myself start to perspire, it takes that long on the bike...heck it takes at least 10minutes when I'm running too before I start sweating. I used to sweat just starting out when I was obese and the longer I ran and the more miles I put in, the smarter my body became and soon it would take 7 minutes to sweat then 8, 9, 10 and shoot sometimes when I'm comfy on a run I won't feel sweat for at least a half hour. I really feel that cardiovascular in shape!

But once I start I'm eager to get my heart rate up. I really put in the effort to push and soon I'm sweating and panting as I feel some quad burn and I'm loving it!

1 hr later I'm happy!

I try to run but by about 4min in again the pain starts and aches my knee pretty badly. I thought the problem is shin, but now that I've paid close attention, realized that I can walk/xtrain without pain it's certainly an angry tendon/ligament that is connecting my knee to my shin bone. Outer, lower part of the knee *not itb related* actually Itb is great, I'm so stretched and my flexibility right now is on point!

I stop and bust out a crazy 15minute Elliptical burn and I love being the fastest person going crazy fast on the elliptical trying to simulate running! My focus on turn-over and I know that If I can focus on several things right now that will allow me to keep my cardio but get me to be a better run when I get back then I'll will have done the best thing. So turn over, turn over, faster and faster. Arms are not holding onto anything, I'm paying close attention to form on the elliptical to mimic my run. I'm sweating and I'm focused and I'm feeling great!

I get off and bust out 4minuets of 50lb ab crunches and then I have to pick up the kids....work-out over!

Foods:

1/2 apple
1 organic egg
1/4 cup egg white
triple health English muffin
1 slice 2% cheese
1 scoop whey protein
10oz almond milk

Dinner: I'll update later!

Rest Day*loads of pics!*

Took an official rest day. No nothings except clean all day and then get all doll'd up for some outdoor family photography!

So First I'll share some Marathon Pics that I have Not blogged yet!
Then I'll share some randoms from my outdoor family shots!

I Love Running here!!

MARATHON PICS! ENJOY MY SUFFERING PIC AS I COME IN...I WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN!

Preparing for Success!

You have declared your Goals!

Now I will say it's totally NOT like me to put off such a serious notion for another week, I'm a go -getter and I was ready for you all like 'yesterday' lol.

BUT!!! I want you to succeed so badly that I want you to be smart about this. I want you to be ready for this.

When you share your goals first be prepared that I'm going perhaps revise them in a manner I think is more attainable right now. I will make suggestions and guide in your right path.

I want to encourage you to take some steps to help you reach your Goals for both eating well and staying fit *Even losing weight*

Halloween:
1) Donate the left over Candy- send the extras to school for the teacher to give away at treat time
2)Limit the houses your kids visit so they don't have so much that it lasts more than just a couple of days
3) by golly....if you are going to eat some Candy best get your fill before the next Morning!

Be accountable to yourself. Willpower is a real thing. You will have to be willing to accept that you have had a lifetime *likely* of indulgences. That there will be times in the future will you will treat yourself again. But NOW is not going to be that time. Have enough control *hear that word...I talk alot about Control!!* ...Have enough control to tell yourself No! You are going to have to really work on this. It's NOT easy! We like to reward and give to ourselves. It's a habit you must break! What a better time than right now with this 'junk' food in your presence!


Ok:

Preparing the Pantry and Fridge:

1) Go through the Pantry and make a donation Box- I want you to get rid of all the temptations! If you have kids, I highly encourage you to make them follow your eating rituals. Make this not just about reshaping how you eat, but I want you to be a GREAT Parent and reshape how your kids eat! *trust me...I am going to help you how to treat your kids the healthy good way* but toss all the following: junk food, soda, refined simple sugar pastas, white rice, whole milk
I will just start you there.

2) Go to the Grocery Store and this is a very typical CalorieCountingRunnerGirl shopping list for a family of 5

*I always start in the produce and work the outer aisles of the grocery store and almost rarely visit the center aisles*

Broccoli
carrots
peppers
tomato's
squash
zucchini
baby red potato
spinach
lettuce
blueberry
banana
strawberry
grapes *Please Note...I tend to buy just 3 fruit at at time so nothing spoils*
red onions
Deli- Low sodium ham
Deli- FF Turkey Breast

Boneless Skinless chicken breast
90/10 burger
Turkey Ground
Lean Center cut pork cutlets
Poultry Sausage
Turkey Kielbasa
Veggie Burger

2% cheese slices
Greek Yogurt * LOVE, LOVE, LOVE CHOBANI!!*
Lowfat cottage cheese
lowfat string cheese

Whole wheat tortilla wraps

eggs & carton of egg whites
fat free milk/ soy milk/ almond milk
fat free creamer

*NO frozen dinners, no frozen pizza...I want you to AVOID THE FREEZER SECTION ON PREPARED FOODS...PLEASE!

FREEZER AISLE

frozen fruit *great for cereals, oatmeal, smoothies*
frozen veggies *load up*
yes....you can get your kids some Fry's if you want...lol...try to shop wisely find a product that is not loaded with preservatives!
Find a healthy nugget for you and the kids if you want* can you tell we do!*

I do NOT want you buying snacks right now. Even the HEALTHY PORTION CONTROLLED ones. I want your first two weeks to be super clean, I promise you that you can buy these temptations in a couple of weeks! Oh wait by then I might tell you NO cause it will be Thanksgiving, lol!

Ok, I'll suggest some snacks, please MODERATION!

popcorn- LOW FAT! I suggest air popped!
dark chocolate
pretzels
100 cal packs *shudder* they are expensive and one always leads to two, be careful, trust me!
kettle chips
veggie straws
Skikkidy snacks
yogurt is great for tasty treats!

*snack tip for affordability, coming from a penny pinching stay at home mom, purchase your healthy snacks in the bigger packages and then use your zip locks to portion control them yourself when you get home!*

Center aisle
Unsweetened applesauce
salmon *try it instead of tuna*
fat free/low fat salad dressings
low fat mayo

oatmeal
dry cereal *life, honey nut Cheerios, shredded wheat*

raisins, cranberry's, dates, plums, prunes

NUTS! any nuts you like...I want them in your house! I want the dried fruit/nuts to be made into treat bags. You can eat one portion of these daily *no more high calorie count!* but so healthy!

Olive oil....NO veggie oils, avoid the canola, shortening, Olive oil first then you can do sesame/peanut oils if you want for stir frys, etc.
SPICES! load up on spices...you'll be enticing and flavoring your meats/veggies!

NO MORE BUTTER.....I want you to Purchase a spread you will like that does NOT have hydrogenated oils, etc. I use Balance

Pasta Sauce * If you have high blood pressure buy low sodium*
lots of cans of sauce/crushed tomato's/diced tomato's all great for pastas/salsa etc
brown rice
beans-black/garbanzo/kidney


just avoid the high sugar drinks! Don't get caught up in the idea that you need juice! the only thing you need is water! You can drink some protein with special k- drink mix, you can purchase whey protein if you want for protein drinks, you can use plain sugar drinks.

No backlash but I myself aim for all natural. I aim for Organic, wholesome foods as often as I can. With this said, I wish for you to read labels and compare. TRY to purchase products without high fructose corn syrup and even if you are diabetic you can have real sugar and I hope you join me with getting rid of artificial sweeteners in your diet. There is so much research on how this affects the mind with making the brain thinks it's getting sweets. Plus beyond that I believe it's not as healthy as natural :-) That's my Goal....get you to live another 50 years!

Purchase, shoes, get your gym membership, buy home DVDs, try your new schedule the days before the challenge begins to work out any wrinkles!

Buy a food journal, set up an account if you want instead with sparkspeople.com
buy measuring cups/spoons, smaller meal plates, great water bottle, scale to weigh your foods

Plan Ahead, these were a few of my ideas!

1.5 miles & xtrain

Went for a run today. Wasn't going to run. But you know....I have to see how it feels.

First 1/2 mile I was all smiles. I was running fast and so excited....I was not wearing a watch. who knows likely a 8min pace for sure.

I feel good till the 1/2 mile mark which is 2 min more than yesterday and the pain starts.

Definately still off the push off and definately worsens as I continue and I run an extra mile through it for several reasons.
1) trigger inflammation...yes I know weird, but trust me I still don't know the real location of tis pain. When I stop running the pain is gone. When I run the pain is centered around the leg/outer right knee. but the pain radiates up the quad and down the leg. So I'm so confused....does not feel like the knee....it that appears secondary to the onset of the pain.
If I can trigger inflammation I might know where I'm sore later. I might be able to gain a response from my body to go to that area and repair itself.
Hey, I aint no doc, sorta makes sense to me, lol.
2) determine the stride that works best. Short and small steps...very painful. Open faster stride=less impact=less pain


I wasn't going to run today. But when RunnerBoy came home I was mopey. Truth be told I'm feeling lethargic. I'm feeling super tired and really drawn. My hormones are totally off whack right now too. My prolactin is off as 3 yrs out of nursing I'm producing breast milk, yikes! Dam Hormones. I need a good run and calorie burn to help my system move the bowels along. I need the run to rid the toxins from my body that have built up from the Marathon.
I need to sweat so bad.....today on the 1.5 mile run...I did sweat a little and yes it felt great!!!
I was tempted to go the gym as my husband was really trying to get me to go sweat this out. I sat in the car for ten mintues in a dazy haze and then came back inside. I don't want to elliptical. I want to rest my leg some more. I know the elliptical was hurting after yesterdays run so why bother going down.

To rid the funk

Five One Minute Planks
Arm Curl routine x3 sets
15 push ups
30 sit ups
series of ab crunches
pilates moves for 10min for range of motion

Then I foam rolled and felt a maybe more soreness from the right quad that I had realized.

Nutrition was off today too.

2 eggs, 1 slice of wheat toast
coffee
8 boom boom bars...yes 8! omg! They were my snack/lunch/snack today!!! My rationality...they are so healthy, lol. I made them this morning and this is what this recipe looked like

2 cups oatmeal
3/4 cup agave
1/4 cup honey
1 tblsp cinnamon
2 tblsp Anutra
2 scoops chocolate whey protein powder
3/4 cup all natural peanut butter

Recovery Day 5- You know you are injured when:

You know you are injured when:

•Waking up in your fancy black laceys and doing a 'trial' run through your house to see if 'it' hurts, who cares that the tata's are going for a free ride and the kids are looking at you half naked with an odd 'eye'

• when you are on the treadmill in the middle of the gym and you turn your head back and forth in dismay and frustration because you can't run.

• when you secretly curse 'fuck' to yourself as you want to hit up a cardio burn yet the only thing you can do is walk!

• When you begin to turn that negative self whining to go from pitty to uplifting mantras like reminding self that you can cross train, that you ran a MARATHON, remind self that you are NOT training for anything right now....so it's actually "ok" to have an injury 'now' .........reminding yourself now is a great opportunity to work on muscle building and maybe take up swimming like I wanted.

There you have it. Can't run. I was confident the first 2 minutes of the run...then the muscle along the upper shin radiates pain and I feel it in the outer knee cap and into the knee. Again feels like someone has thrown a knife into. There is NO way to run through it. Why? Just rest. I'm not icing. I see no inflammation. I'm sure it's angry....I'll rest. I'm not going to tweak. Although 5 days is the most I've ever gone without running since I took up Running in Jan 2010!

I rejoice in my progress. I focus on the fact I can walk, I have no swelling. I secretly fear stress fracture of the tibia but that's just my anal paranoid side coming out. I want to run for life....so I rest. I also want to rejoice that this happens NOW instead of happening during training. I also want to rejoice in the fact that I'm mentally and spiritually 'free' and I embrace the arms of my lover to comfort and soothe me through this hardship. I thank him for our happy place ♥

I was going to spin....but I'm just feeling a little blah anyways.

So instead I talked with my gym girls ♥ and then hit up 30min of Pilate's, great for range of motion and some leg burn!

This pic is how I feel. The dark clouds surround me but in my heart and soul...the light is shining through. I took this picture a while back and it's one of my faves. Don't you just love when you can catch the glory of a beautiful sky? I do!

Have a Great Day and always Remember even with Hardships there is always a Light!

Recovery Day 4 -try to run again

Spent the day with the boom tunes in my ear cleaning my castle for hours. Just randoms I have not done in a while like wash windows and mirrors, etc. I like a clean castle. With RunnerBoy off for a few weeks we cleaned like normal but it's not my kind of 'clean' cause I like it done well ;-)

Hit up the Gym with RunnerBoy.
I tried to run the track and couldn't. My right leg is hurting it's around my right shin, up toward the knee. When I push off it pings my shin and into my knee. Feels like something awful is holding me back from taking a normal stride. I can walk. I don't have inflammation. I don't' have pain unless I run. I was upset. I wanted to cry only because I was ready to sweat. I was ready to run. The quad still a little sore but doable for an easy 3 today to aide in recovery.

2 arm curl sets
110lb arm pull downs x10
85lb obliques each side
55lb ab crunches x 30


Food:
egg-70
2% 1/2 slice cheese-25
waffle -100
100 cal english muffin-100
whole wheat tortilla-140
3 fat free turkey slices-30
spinach leaves-5
tbslp lowfat mayo-35
fried fish fillet from local fish house-400
1/2 whole wheat bun - 70
tartar sauce- 50
cappellini with asiago cheese pasta salad (from Wegmans grocery) -200
Zesty Ranch Kettle Chips-280

Total: 1410

Hey Connie where is your fruit and veggies? Wow! NOT ENOUGH! I need to get back to balanced intake!

Recovery Day 3 -

Work-out:

Arm Curl routine for 2 sets
110lb arm pulldown for x10
55lb ab crunches for 4 min
3/4 mile walk- LOTS OF STRETCHES *an attempt to run, too much pain in the right leg*
35-40min spin class- opened up the leg muscles, get them contracting and the blood flowing through them again. I did some speed and only challenged my legs to tad bit of resistance. Lots of in and out of the saddle to really get the legs/hips opened up. I was walking better afterwards!

LOTS OF STRETCHING TODAY!



Foods:

Banana-75
Mixed Nuts & dried fruit-280
1/4 apple-25
4 breaded nuggets-200
Greek yogurt-130
walnuts-150
grilled mixed veggies w/ olive oil - 60
80/20 Organic Beef burger-200
100 calorie muffin-100
1 slice of low sodium bacon-30
1 slice of 2% cheese-50
1 cup of cantalope-75
1 1/2 cups dry cereal-180
popcorn-120
dark chocolate-190
coffee- 140

=2005

Wow, Way too Much Late Night Munching with the cereal/popcorn/chocolate....ooops!
Going to have to nip that in the bud!

I have been making my new plans for a while of what my fitness goals were going to be after Marathon. I knew all the ways I was going to work on being a smarter runner which includes more rest, better recovery practices like stretching/foam rolling etc but I've also been thinking of my plans to to get to 145 (if it's even possible with my height/frame and muscle building!!) but to see 149 is at least the goal. I know that if I can focus on reducing my calories again I can easily do it.
I let go of any thoughts of getting to 149 while training for the marathon. It was much too difficult to punish my mental well being for not hitting weight loss goals when my focus was on eating well for recovery and good running. Long distance running and my weight lifting caused me to propel up and down the scale ALOT and I stopped weighing myself everyday. I needed that freedom. but now that's it's all over. I'm uncomfortable. I hit 154 then went back to 158 within 2 weeks and then up to 162...which was my race weight. When I hit Marathon in May 2012 I want to be 140's something. there is NO reason to not get there. My cardio and strength training will get me fairly quickly. when I want something...I know how to get it. So I'm going for it.

If you are reading this and want to work on a holiday challenge with me then be prepared. November first I'll be creating and implementing the plan to get me through the holidays. So whether you want to maintain, lose, or get stronger then join me!

Recovery Day 2- HOTT DATE!

I rolled out of bed this morning....with same "OUCHIE" feeling as yesterday!

Hello DOMS...as I'm more sore and tight in new places. My tightly defined muscles I saw yesterday have been replaced with the looks of puffy thighs and calves. Delayed onset Muscle Soreness (Doms) known as a inflammatory reaction to muscles that have been used and abused! To keep it simple, the muscle was tore up on my run and now in it's natural way of protecting and healing the muscle holds fluids. The extra body weight reflects the start of the DOMS...I'm up 4lbs in one day...you saw what I ate yesterday, it's all fluids. I'll go up even more in the days to come. Likely an upward of 7-10lbs. But...That is ME! you may be different. My body LOVES to react this way. It was something I had to learn as I became an endurance runner with my attempts to lose weight and my scale watching. I would go so upset when I'd gain that much. But I learned it was water and it would take about 2-3days to put all the water on...and another 5-7 to get rid of it all.

My Hott Date was with my New Foam Roller! Oh Yes...OUCHIE! I rolled my calves, quads, itb and glutes. Nice painful roll. seriously I could barely put the pressure of my body onto the ITB on both sides, but it's done.

Tonight I notice I'm walking a little easier and going up and down stairs is still hard, lol.

stretching galore! GALORE! sticking too!

Foods:
1 egg white, 1 whole organic egg, wheat toast
1/2 pbj
1 cup of rice
1 cup orange chicken
coffee
6 breaded nuggets (oh I'm a nuggett lover)
1/4 cup of mac and cheese....yes , yes....I was LAZY tonight and ate my kids dinner!
dark chocolate for dessert
organic Apple
broccoli

Tmrw....My husband is back to work for the first time in 3 weeks. I'll miss him but I'm happy to be back to my routine. My gym....my cleaning...just me and my twins. Although I'll be honest. I may go to the gym for a work-out, then story time and then shopping....ssshhh...don't tell him!

;-) I am excited to buy some new sexy clothes for Winter.

Plus....I want to buy a new goal outfit. I'm aiming for 145! Getting Ready for Epic running season next year...to do that...leaner, lighter and tighter! Toss any extra lbs and keep getting more muscle! Boom! I really hope to challenge my readers to join me. To make an 8 week challenge to get us through the holidays! Either to lose, eat healthy, maintain or get more fitness! We can do it!

Marathon Recovery Day 1

Recovery: I woke up....the dreadful pull of the legs to get up and out of bed. Oh Hello....My wooden Stilts. You are nice and hard and tight this morning. Dam, I must say though...I'm only down 1lb in weight but my leg definition be popping today. I see all the muscle cuts just screaming at me with how tight the muscles are. I walk around and get guidance from the sink as I sit down on the potty. OUCHIE!

Loving the Burn! Feel So Alive from it. Great Reminder of Yesterdays Epic Run!

Recovery Foods:
Breakfast: egg over wheat toast, coffee, oats with blueberries.
Snack: Banana
Lunch: Grilled chicken with peppers with melted cheese on top and 1 cup of mixed veggies (squash, broccoli, zucchini, carrots)
Dinner: 1/2 whole wheat tortilla wrap with black beans/organic bbq sauce, 6oz of breaded chicken breast with bbq sauce, 1/2 cup corn
Snack: 2 donut holes...
Snack: Chobani Greek Yogurt sprinkled with walnuts

Recovery Work-out!

I did a half hour in the pool. I mainly stretched and water walked. Worked on range of motion and did all my stretching inside the pool. I felt better and opened up during it. I'd like to think it helped me....although I'm walking just a tad bit better tonight, lol.

I also did 2 sets of arm curls today. Nothing fancy, but it's been about 5 days since my last arm work-out and I well...I need a good burn to keep my tone!

I Have plans to blog my stretches! Going to be a big blog post and truth is...I'm feeling lazy and I don't wanna right now, lol.

26.2 Marathon #2!

Woke up at 4am. After a Fantastic 6hr sleep! Oh Yes! SCORE!

1.5 CUPS OF MOJO
1 packet of instant oatmeal

showered, dressed, scurried out the door!

Arrive Early...Hang out in Car, text friends and chill out for about 45-50min. It was windy and cold outside....not going to stand out there SHIVER AND LOSE ENERGY!! HAHA!

Start line just minutes before!

According to splits now that I looked at the Runtastic app (I wore my droid...I could hear cheers through the shuffle playing so I heard my friends applaud my runs through Runtastic. application.-Thanks Friends for stalking me, for cheering for me! when I heard it through my shuffle I SMILED! OH YES! I HAD YOU WITH ME! Fast forward....droid died 16 miles in. which I didn't notice till about 18. truth be told I didn't look at the phone, I didn't pay attention to pace. I asked just one time from a worker at mile 25 what time it was...lmao. I had to. You'll understand why in a minute! But I'm telling you....you want freedom you should run from the hip and not pay attention to pace, mentally forcing you to maybe run a pace and not just what the body feels. I don't know. Maybe today it works for me. I'm not trying to qualify for anything. I knew If I could run comfy I would do Great!

Gu and Gatorade at mile 6

First hill at mile 8.5- that was for El~!

Hill continued till about mile 10.5....roll up and down - decent elevation gains!

Calves started the - WTF?! haha!

13.1 Oh I was feeling good. I was feeling Comfy! I knew I had a good half time. Ran it strong.
2:01 and some change for my first half (Pr for me is 154 hauling ass...so this shows I was comfy!)

THEN ANOTHER HILL. Not steep but none the less....my calves really started to say "Oh Connie- WHY?" and I was like "shut up legs, do your thing"
On this hill I ate Gu #2 and more gatorade

Just after those hills where done my calves were screaming so I thought "stretch?" so I stopped at water station at mile 16, threw back water, quick stretch for about a meaningless *likely* 30seconds, lol and started again.

Mile 18....droid is dead? Ok. Oh and by the way I'm intermittently listening to music. I would say it was 80% without the tunes and 20% with. My shuffle is new and apparently in the beginning it was telling me "battery low" and I knew I'd reserve the "boom tunes" for when I really needed some pick me ups after mile 6.
Mile 18, quick water stop and 30 second walk to throw it back.

Mile 20- Gu #3 and last of my gatorade

Mile 22- UH OH....I GOTS TO PEE...UH OH...I GOTS TO GO #2....YIKES! Oh Thank God I see a porty. Let the PORTY NIGHTMARE BEGIN! Ok, the only porty open and I get in and there is shiz ALL OVER THE SEAT....REALLY NASTY RUNNERS...REALLY? oK. Listen hear me out. Your ass is dirty...your ass is sweaty....but still...sit your ass on the porty and go. It totally looks like the runner squatted and missed the hole *insert puke* so what do I do (after taking off the glasses, breaking them realizing the shiz* suck it up and realize despite the quad ache I'd have to squat this one out too! Sure some pee whizzed down my leg but my #2 hit the hole...not hard people...JUST LINE IT UP!! HAHA! OMG!
The broken glasses, the poo, the squatting. The realizing that I friggin pinned my bib to my shirt AND running skirt so when I pulled down I had to unpin. I'm squatting and I say screw it Connie, just take your time. so I did. had to take off the fuel belt, put it all back on....ok...there goes 3-4minutes in da'shitter. ohz wellz. what could I do? lol. I had to go and that I did!

So mile 24 - these crazy calves of steel...are shot but I'm running through them. I can NOT open my stride. It's a shuffle. anything more and it's like knives being thrown into the middle of them. OMG. But here's whats worse. BOTH QUADS down by my knees *only*..start SPASM yes....SPASM and bulge and so painful that I actually stopped to look at the freaks of nature...BOP IN AND OUT IN ....I FELT LIKE I WAS BEING AMPUTATED. And why both, why at the same time? perhaps part of both ITB that wraps around the inner part of your knee and they were throbbing....WHAT? GAR! So there you have it. My energy...AMAZING...MY SPIRIT...STRONG...MY SOUL...STILL RUNNING and yet the LEGS...challenging me.

But guess what. so what I ran walked the last 2 miles and my frustration threw me into one simple mindset and I stopped my bitching moaning about it quickly. For all the shiz I've gone through the last several months...the hurt, the pain in my life and heart....ALL SO MUCH WORSE THAN BEING AMPUTATED ON A 26.2 RUN! Believe me!

Believe me when I say that I would not get out of this run what I needed to unless I was challenged. That each race I do somehow physically challenges my mental strength. That time and time again I have kick ass training runs without incident yet my races...there is some sort of epic finale. To me the journey is what's so amazing. I love the challenge. I say "Bring it" and it was "Brought" for this run made me stronger.

I set it free. I let it go. My heart is lighter. My soul is content. I'm ready to move on. It was Epic Day for me. I'm relieved, I wanted that. I got it.

Just as the last two miles DRAGGED ON and even though I cried tears to myself at mile 25.5 when this lady said "You are almost there...keep going" I wondered "did she see the pain in my face, did she see the pain leave my body as I started running again?" Does she know that when she said that to me...I was "setting it free" that I was getting rid of the weakness that has held me back.

This song came on in mile 25. It's in my IPOD as one of my faves. If you follow me you have come to know I'm a highly emotional woman. A very spiritual creature. I tend to work toward greatness in all things in my life. Very often I fall short but I do try. What I want is to Live Free and this song reminds me of that. If you really want to listen then I want you to hear the beginning because it's beautiful extended version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOe25IfD0GE

You know what sucks at mile 26 to be forced to walk because your legs won't let you run....then MAGICALLY you tell yourself "No! I'm running" and then You RUN! It's epic. It's why I run.

I fell into my husband arms when I saw him. Wow, So proud of him. We had the same journey. He ran solid nonstop till 24 and then his calves gave out and he ran/walked the last two but still a great time. Not a 3;40 like he wanted but still great in my Book for sure! 3:54 for 8:58 pace.

Here are my Stats

4:23:57 10:05

I could NEVER be upset with that time! What a progression from my first Marathon in May which was a 4:50! I took over 26minutes off my time! Boom!

Next Marathon- Even better....even stronger ♥ It all happens in stages! I can't get where I'm going over night. This is not an express train ;-p

Shout-outs!

Don- I love you Babe. To do this with you! UH-MAZING ♥ When my arms wrapped around you tightly, I was home. Thank You for being my ROCK! I'm so proud of your 3:54! YOU INSPIRE ME ALWAYS! XOXOXOX

Lori- Oh Wow, See how Facebook can connect such perfect strangers. I've ran 3 races with you and I look forward to many more. Well after your half marathon was done and your friends had gone home...you stayed. You watched me finish. Your hug...that too was so amazing. Your screeching and excitement over my time, your beaming glow over my efforts, so moving to me. I'm so happy that you are my friend, that we have met. That we can inspire each other and share in running together. I know you love it like I do! Thanks!

Kelly- an old high school acquaintance touched based me with me several weeks back, mentioning she notices I run and was running Empire and so was she! Lots of back and forth messaging, meeting up at the expo to talk about race excitement. Lining up with you, cheering you on, watching your amazing FIRST EVER MARATHON FINISH IN 3:49! OMG! WOW! second race ever....girl I'm going to try to get you addicted to racing with me! boom! I can't wait to run with you! You are going to push me girl! Let's Run Boston!

El~! Run like El! thought of you on my hills. Thanks for being there for me as a close friend lately. Sharing with you all things running and more, has meant so much to me. I think you can appreciate the emotional baggage I let go of today. Love you woman!

Lynne- had me at mile 25, dedicating that mile to you!

Mojo Jen- felt you the whole race! honest to God I thought about that penny on my ass the whole run! Wouldn't you know I found 2 cents on my race today! boom!
Your support, amazing...can't wait to carry on the boom penny tradition and keep passing it forward to all the running girls...going to be epic ...that little penny. and you know I've collected a couple dollars in pennys this year and it all really means something to me. CHANGE. You know. Running change. It changes us. it reminds me!

Eric- bastard the last .2 were terrible...I honest to God said "eric wanted the last .2 dedicated to him. Fuck this shit sucks! I had to fucking run it in then because can't walk the last .2!

Erica- saw a zombi sign at mile 2o and it said "run like the zombies are chasing you" hahaha! loved the text exchanges this morning!

I'm so sure I'm forgetting people. I just know that when I was weak, I looked around and soaked in the vibes floating my way. from all the way around the world. I love you all for the support !

here are some random pics! Yes I look like ass! the conditions were WINDY...which whatever...so sometimes it blew me in the right direction and sometimes it smacked me in the face for a great wake up call.


More Stats
421 out of 706
36/62 age group
160 out of 307 females


Distance
Pace
Elevation gain

1 mi
8:43 min/mi
173 ft

2 mi
8:38 min/mi
85 ft

3 mi
8:55 min/mi
154 ft

4 mi
8:46 min/mi
121 ft

5 mi
8:53 min/mi
118 ft

6 mi- Gu & drink
9:12 min/mi
229 ft

7 mi
9:02 min/mi
82 ft


8 mi- start the hill
9:20 min/mi
98 ft

9 mi-more hill
9:10 min/mi
141 ft

10 mi- dam you hill
9:56 min/mi
144 ft

11 mi- what hill? lmao
9:22 min/mi
72 ft

12 mi
9:05 min/mi
95 ft

13 mi
9:57 min/mi
88 ft

14 mi- another hill
10:23 min/mi
157 ft

15 mi flat, thanks!
9:27 min/mi
75 ft

16mi- oh I see another hill coming...calves start hurting badly!
9:31 min/mi
68 ft

Ok, that's the only stats I have for ya. Little did I know either till I looked back! Too bad the droid didnt make it all the way through. I'm curious most of my pace when I struggled most.

But if the first half was just over 2:01 (9:14 pace) and the second split was 2:22 then an average pace for the last half was 10:50 pace. Ok, so not bad for a 3-4 min porty break and the leg pains and run walking the last 2miles! :)

So guess what...enjoy my skank! 26.2 mile skank!

YORK BOOM WALL - NOT BAD FOR THIS YEAR!

PART OF MY RUNNING INSPIRATION

How Many Marathons Have We Run there RunnerBoy♥ yes! TWO! WE RUN MARATHON'S (GOTTA LOVE THAT S!!)

1 SLEEP!!

1 SLEEP AND TYPICALLY I'D SAY ....I WON'T SLEEP CAUSE I'M SO EXCITED....HENCE MY CAPS....CAN'T KEEP OFF THE CAPS....I'M HYPER TONIGHT!!! HAHA!

I'm tired. I will sleep. 10-4 = 6 hrs of sleep! sounds so perfect! Oh Yes!


More ITB and hip stretches. BioFreeze on the knee where it connects to the shin at the bottom of the ITB band where it wraps around the front of the knee. tender, push on it and it's sore!

Still got a residual cold but it's really almost a non issue but something to be mindful of because it's not fully gone but again...clear is good when it comes to mucous! haha!

I'm ready emotionally. I have big plans for this run. I have alot of shedding to do on this run. After 3 days of no running, it's going to be GREAT for my Heart and Mind and Soul. I'm eager to let it all go. Leaving it all behind. Turning chapters and setting myself FREE!

Many times there are going to be people out there that say "distance runners are running away from something or have demons they battle" and I say "maybe". Maybe we all have a secret story never told. Maybe there are distance runners out there so addicted to the journey of trying to search for something.

I have NO problems broadcasting LIFE. I'm myself find that I don't live a cherry coated world. I don't live with rose colored glasses. There are times in life where it's been absolutely amazing and incredible smiles and memories and there have been times when it's SHIZZY NIZZY.

Whatever....that's life.

I'm moving on, letting go and I am so excited to feel FREE!

Watch my Liberation and transformation and be Inspired. I'm ready to keep becoming a Better person!

I'm ready!

Running Inflammation.

There was a local news story about a Marathoner on a training run that discovered he was having a heart attack. The broadcast said "Long distance running can harm your heart" and by Golly I was like "say What?"
Intrigued to hear more about what they were talking about, they made a valid point about body inflammation and it's impact on heart!
Bottom line there are 'potentially' risks to distance running. It's simple really. Although there are times when some runners jokingly run to eat whatever it is that they want, the fact is that even thin people can get heart disease. Even what is seemingly the healthiest and fit people die in Marathons and sometimes it's a combination of causes that caused the climatic fall of a runner. Sure you think of someone dying on the course it's because they were dehydrated or had some sort of undiagnosed medical problem that triggered the fatality. When in fact that sometimes it is the heart that gives way. This particular marathoner had 100% blockage in his heart. Wow! Curious, Are you one of those Runners where you give yourself permission to eat unhealthy because you run?

Not just atherosclerosis causes heart disease, sometimes inflammation does too.
And Inflammation is created in the body in response to extreme physical activity. NOT JUST RUNNING! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atherosclerosis



So I'm throwing some information out at you. Drive on the debate behind NSAID's (Ibuprofren) and when it's ok to take them and when it's dangerous (for all those on the fence and care about my 2 cents, I prefer to take this well after a race and NEVER before, simply put....all medications force your liver/kidneys to work extra to work the chemical through the body. There is plenty of work for these organs to undergo when we run. Every act of endurance running and endurance exercises causes the body to work hard to cycle through the by products of aerobic activities (carbon dioxide and lactic acid). The stomach shuts down during exercise so it does you no good to try to digest medications during distance runs. I'm going to be the advocate for ice, rest, anti-inflammatory foods and long after your run if you need the help then pop the lowest dose possible of NSAID's to aid in your recovery.



What is inflammation?
Inflammation is the first response of the immune system to infection or irritation. We are all familiar with the classic signs of inflammation (swelling, redness and pain) that occur when we hurt ourselves or have some kind of infection. However recent research has shown that eating the wrong foods can cause inflammation within our bodies. In fact being overweight can itself be the cause of inflammation.

Body fat causes inflammation:
The fatty tissues of the body secrete hormones that regulate the immune system and inflammation, but in the case of an overweight individual this can become out of control. Three of the hormones that play a role in metabolism are leptin, resistin and adiponectin.Leptin is involved in appetite control.Resistin is a hormone that increases insulin resistance.Adiponectin lowers the blood sugar by making your body more insulin sensitive.The fact that it is the fatty tissue that produces these hormones makes the fat self regulating, as the hormones should act to bring the increased fat under control. Bodies with more fat will produce more leptin bringing the appetite under control. However in cases where the body is inflamed there is often a problem with leptin resistance, and the self regulation of fat does not occur. Leptin resistance is where to body stops responding to the appetite controlling effects of the hormone.In addition to these metabolism regulating hormones your fatty tissue also produces chemicals that cause inflammation and this can make the problem of leptin resistance worse. This is why obesity can cause an increase of these inflammatory chemicals which in turn inhibit the correct balancing function of the weight controlling hormones. This results in a vicious circle of weight gain causing inflammation which inhibits hormone function thereby causing further weight gain.
Food and inflammation
Another major cause of inflammation in our bodies is the food we eat. Inflammation can be aggravated by diets high in refined or hydrogenated vegetable oils such as those found in margarines, potato chips and baked goods and by diets high in sugars. But food can also be part of the solution to the problem of inflammation.Anti-inflammatory foods, if eaten regularly, can reduce inflammation in the body and bring the problem under control. This page contains a list of anti-inflammatory foods that if incorporated into your regular diet will help bring a balance to inflammation in your body. Try and feature some kind of anti-inflammatory food into every meal that you eat, and eliminate pro-inflammatory foods from your diet all together. People who have done this often describe noticeable relief from previous discomforts and a greater ability to control their weight.Please also remember that exercise is one of the greatest ways to counter inflammation.

Vegetables
Bell PeppersBok ChoyBroccoliBroccoli SproutsBrussels SproutsCabbageCauliflower ChardCollardsFennel BulbGarlicGreen BeansGreen Onions/Spring OnionsKaleLeeksOlivesSpinachSweet potatoesTurnip Greens

Herbs & Spices
BasilCayenne Peppers/Chilli PeppersCinnamonClovesCocoa (at least 70% cocoa chocolate)LicoriceMintOreganoParsleyRosemaryThymeTurmeric OilsAvocado OilExtra Virgin Olive Oil

DrinksGreen Tea

FruitsAcerola (West Indian) CherriesApplesAvocadosBlack CurrantsBlueberriesFresh PineappleGuavasKiwifruitKumquatsLemonsLimesMulberriesOrangesPapayaRaspberriesRhubarbStrawberriesTomatoes

Nuts & Seeds AlmondsFlaxseed/LinseedHazelnutsSunflower SeedsWalnuts

FishCodHalibutHerringOystersRainbow TroutSalmonSardinesSnapper FishStriped BassTunaWhitefish

2 Sleeps- Expo Baby!

Went to bed way too late last night.

I'm coming closer to Sunday.

A lot weighs in my heart and mind.

A Journey that I've decided that comes to a Climatic Reach on Sunday.

Never could be a better time and place to leave it all out on the course.

Mile per Mile, I'm shredding every ounce of hurt and pain. I'm giving my whole self to me and what I'm truly capable of. I'm letting go. I'm moving on. I'm setting myself free.

I'm making new choices to keep being a better Woman. A better WIFE a Better MOTHER, a Better Friend, a Better Student. A better ME!

In order to do that I need to let go of the hurt, the resentments, the pain that has somehow found me and swallowed me whole this past 7months.

I have No regrets for the Pain that others have caused me in my life. The tears and Pain were never expected. The soul searching and sorrow led me to where I am right now. Never thought it could of happened. I cry at the thought of how climatic this Sunday is for me.

When I cross that finish line, I expect an explosion of emotion for I expect to feel not just PHYSICALLY SPENT but I want to feel SPIRITUALLY AND EMOTIONALLY FREE!

I explained to RunnerBoy that I'm Sorry for the last several months but in the end I'm happy that we are both so committed after 16 years to keep us together. That we keep us Strong. That we see that we are worth fighting for. That our children matter and our life has meaning and substance. That in life temptation and the devil can burro it's way into a heart and soul if it finds the crack. You must be willing to stay true to yourself, even when you never expect certain things to happen in life, doesn't mean that they don't.

Moving on.

It was my Song for Buffalo, as it simply represented my journey with what held me in obesity. what it stood for letting go of the emotional pains and reasons why I always ate myself to toward death and illness.

This time, I'm letting go of hurt and pain. I'm letting go of old love and embracing a new love with my husband. I'm letting go of everything that I do to myself to hold myself back. The fears, the anxiety's and I'm going to start really thriving in the challenges of life and what I fear most. It will be interesting for you all to watch. I tend to keep my life simple because it's so hectic and my fear and anxiety slow me down. I can only imagine how amazing I'll be when I've let go and allow myself to actually succeed.

Expo Today!

Real Quick Nutrition.

Yesterday:

Oatmeal

egg whites w/ broccoli

greek yogurt

1/2 pbj

beets

whole wheat tortilla

grilled chicken

avocado

tomato

plain greek yogurt

grapes

dark chocolate

today:

egg & egg white

1/2 slice of 2% cheese

100 cal english muffin

fish sandwich

apple slices

4 chicken nuggets *omg....I LOVE NUGGETS!!*

Grilled chicken

brussel sprouts mixed with broccoli

1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese

1/2 cup couscous

popcorn, dark chocolate

Ok.....expo!

Met with a really great girl, someone I went to high school with and she connected with through facebook and she is running Empire Marathon too! So we got to meet and share stories and talk about race day! So much Fun!

Expo was plain, simple and not that elaborate but it's an inaugural so it was ok considering.

Bought some Bondi-Bands for my hair "26.2" "Run like a Mother" and then a fun pink one.

Here are some Picks!

Oh and before that, my right leg is still acting achy, so freaking weird people. The itb is still a bit tight and my leg keeps trying to heal. I feel the same as yesterday about 80% mode. Very anxious to run though!

For my Girlfriend Jen- Put my MoJo Jen Penny in my back zipper pocket so it will run on my ass -pushing me along! haha! Jen's Boom Penny found her way to NY after Running Chicago. After Running Syracuse it's going to my Friend to Run MCM! Boom! The traveling Boom! This penny is going to run some major Miles!