Video Blog

Video blog for the week! :-)

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What do you think about when you're running?? Do you concentrate on your run? Do you do grocery or to do list in your head? or do you just zone out and enjoy the moment.
 If you're anything like me, I say there's a party going on in my head all the time. It dawned on me this morning that I have a lot going on in my head.. all.. the... time.. Running to me helps me to just get the thoughts and ideas sorted out. Sometimes it's to do lists more than a grocery list. 
  It actually feels really good to KNOW I am ready for the 5K in 2 weeks. I almost want to start doing speed work and adding miles.. but most of me wants to maintain for the 2 weeks.. I'm never done training. But, the ideas come after a nice run. Ya.. I had to get up at 5:30AM to beat the heat, but.. it was nice. 
 Ask me about the idea after a hard run.. I will probably look at ya like you're crazy! 

Baby it's hot outside!!!

Wheewheew....

My area is in excessive heat warning.  I enjoy cooler evening and mornings so I can run at 7AM and not feel like I wanna croak from heat by 8:30 AM..

But.. not this week, or all next week for what it looks like. I’m up a little earlier and it’s bearable.

Every day it seems like I am learning something about my running skills. Today was no different.

Today was another slow day at running. I was tired and felt like I had to push myself. But, it hit me “just relax and run”. Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it. But, in my eagerness, I sometimes try too hard. I feel like I’m fighting it and way tense. This is supposed to be a good thing. How is it good if you’re tense and enjoying it?? Easy.. it can’t. So, relax and let the run come to you. I still tried to keep my form and posture good. That made my run a lot easier to handle. I even remembered to sing and dance when I did that and made it fun!

Lovin' the rest days!

 Sleep.. or glorious sleep!!

I always tell myself I’m going to sleep in on my days off from running, but, seems like my body has other plans. 6:30AM I was up and at em’ as usual.

   I think I love my rest days just as much as I love running. On the rest days I really focus on my muscles. I stretch and ice more, and using my new found love the foam roller. I feel it’s important to keep your muscles loose and ready for the next pavement pounding! More importantly, hopefully, less or no injuries in the process.

   It’s going to be an interesting 2 days, back to back running days, followed by Sunday, which is always a rest day.

  Now for the cutest picture EVER!!  Socks and Sophia hangin' out.  

Pink and an awesome workout!!!!

I’ve turned a corner, I believe.. I’m tickled pink.. Literally!!

   Have I ever told you my favorite color??? PINK!! LOVE PINK!! I’m a pink girl all the way!!

 My favorite running outfit is pink.. just puts me in a happy mood..

Me with the pink all the way down to my ipod!! My shoes are pink,too.. just can't see them.. 

This mornings run was amazing.. at the end.. lol

With my garmin in toe, thanks to Mr. polar in the dog house,  I set out for my run. It was 6:30 AM and it was already hot.  I started running and felt great.  I really really wanted at LEAST 3 miles, so I dropped my heart rate down 5 bpm.  To be honest, my body kept wanting to go a bit faster. I was holding it back knowing how blown out I would be if I pushed too hard. So, it was an honest struggle. I felt like I was internally arguing with a spoiled 2 year old..  At mile 2, I finally said “ fine! Do you what you want dumb body.. do your own thing- but don’t complain to me later!” lol

 But.. on the other hand, it felt so awesome to have to do that.. My body begged me to go faster.. I bumped it 5 bpm and felt good..

    While I was doing it..

    Now I’m tired.. lol

I did 3 miles.. I’ve decided that I am NOT going to go 3.10.. I’m happy with 3 and save the awesome rush of accomplishment of 3.10 for the race..  and it is a rush!! 

  So.. whoohoo!! I'm done building miles!!!  At least for this race at least.. 

A little gardening and foam rolling?

Happy rest day!!

My dad lives in the same town as I do. He LOVES his garden, but really is easier to have someone go and help him out with it. So, I go over and check on it (and him- he’s a YOUNG 87) and take care of things. It’s a fun gig, makes you feel accomplished to see all the food growing..  My dad is a perfectionist.. ya.. the apple didn’t fall from the tree.. at all, did it..

Dad's shade house- only part of the garden.

I’m having issues mainly with my hamstrings tightening.. I have stretched.. iced.. stretched some more.. iced some more.. Even ibu and biofreeze. (it’s like icy hot x10)  Nothing seems to really do the trick. Oh, it’s helped, but really not done the job I was hoping it would.

I started to use a foam roller.. OH MY LANDS!! Wow! What a difference. I now feel like I can run and be okay to really push like I want to. It hurts on really sore muscles, but it makes it feel so much better in the long run. Pun intended.. lol

Here’s to a great run tomorrow. Can’t wait, as usual!

I am watching Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition. This guy that has one arm went thru a huge weight loss transformation. I think “if he can, what’s my excuse?!”

Polar woes...

I AM SO MAD!!!

My relationship with my polar has been ruined.. I am afraid I will have to switch to my garmin early. This morning it wouldn’t work at all! Oh, wait.. excuse me.. it worked for about a minute then back to its old tricks again. I ran 2.5 miles completely blind.. I had no clue where my heart rate was.. or if I was getting blown out prematurely.. nothing.. Was I going too slow and wasting my time?? I have no clue.. GGRRR..  

I really had my heart set on working up to 3.10 miles before I start using  my garmin. I didn’t want to get discouraged with the fact that I am not currently going exactly 3.10 miles.. I wanted to work up to that, then switch.. But, I am close enough, I guess.. I’ll have to get over myself and bite the bullet.

Yes.. I sound a bit anal.. But my running relationship is on shaky ground right now.. I’m finding it hard not to get discouraged..  not really quite convinced that THIS is the time to push myself again.. but, we’ll roll with it.. It may work out better to know I don’t have to be building miles for the 5K.. I’d be done with it.. 

  Full official 3.10 miles.. here we come!! Ready or not.. 

Weekly video blog

Here is the weekly video blog.

   I can't wait to see what this next week will bring! Whatever it is, I'm sure we all will be rockin' it as usual! :-)

Perfect day!

  It was a perfect day indeed.. perfect and crazy! Just how I like it! 

  As I was starting my run my friend that I took dinner over to last night was going into work. My dinner got rave reviews! Yipee!! I know how to cook half way decently! 

  Then I did an amazing workout.. I RAN 2.5 miles, did speed intervals at the end, and walked the half mile home. Mind you, it was also a hilly workout. I am so excited! I no longer feel like I am going to croak over at the 5K in 3 weeks! Whoohoo for me!!

   My amazing sister came to town with her daughter and kids today. We got treated to a dutch oven cooking courtesy of my brother.  Wow was it good!! And yes, I did great with the eating. No overboard!

  

   I then went to one of my favorite spots Kershaw Ryan. This place is so beautiful!! I LOVE to just walk around. It is so peaceful and quiet there.

FINALLY a day of rest tomorrow! Wow I am so excited!  I usually go to church then veg out on my couch and doing as little as possible for the rest of the day. I even sometimes get a N word in (Nap), which is a treat for me.

My polar has decided to be nice to me for now.. I am so excited. I think only one more week should do it then switching to my garmin. 

I am so proud.....

WOW! Now, this is impressive and wow took a lot of diligence..
 Actually, no.. I take that back. It didn't take diligence. It took the memory of that horrible run just a few days ago. I really want to do 3 miles tomorrow (run 2 and walk 1).
  So, with that horrid memory burned in me like I've been branded for life, I stuck to my healthy eating through crazy temptations today.
  I cooked dinner for a friend of mine that is sick. I tend to go all out (on most things I do in life) and I cooked pot roast with potatoes and carrots, jello salad and chocolate pudding pies for desert. I worked on it most of the day and got to smell the pot roast in the crock pot all day long. But, I was SO good and didn't have any of it! Okay.. I had a spoonful of pudding. that is it.
   I came home after dropping it off and made myself a whole wheat bbq chicken wrap.  I took a pic but it turned out pretty boring looking.
   My kitten Socks found some new friends. He will sit by the window and watch them and talk to them and try to claw at them.

Jumping from one to the other and crazy food temptations ahead

   Well.. from work directly into a 2 hour meeting found me eating this and water at the meeting.. in front of everyone.. ya..

Okay.. I was hungry, hadn't had dinner, and knew it would be to late when I got home to eat much.  But, I got home and did a protein drink and green beans..lol.. from the can.. cold..  pretty funny eating today but feel like it was amazing choices.. Better than the deep fried gas station food that I COULD of gotten.
  The next 2 days are going to be fun! I get to make dinner for a friend of mine that has been sick (my church does that kind of thing) and I get to make all this yummy food and not eat it! lol. wow, wish me luck!
  This weekend my sister is coming in town and our family is doing a dutch oven cookout. 2 temping days in a row.. I PROMISE to be good.. and have picture proof to boot.
   I better be spot on my running, that's for sure.
  Have a great Friday all! :-)

Confession time?

So, I finally crashed and burned on my eating and learned a lot from it.
I ate a hamburger and yummy ice cream yesterday.. NOT at all on my eating plan, to say the least!
This morning on my run I felt HORRIBLE! You see, I have acid reflux really bad. So bad I am on prescription drug for it. That was the worst thing I could of eaten.
 I really tried to undo the damage. I got up at 5:30 AM and took acid medicine, and went back to bed.
 6:30 came and I am up and at em. stomach hurting so bad I am questioning at 7AM while leaving the house if running is such a good idea..
 I could only do a mile run.. and I probably woke the whole neighborhood screaming at the end cuz I was just so mad.. frustrated. and blown out physically.. it was maddening.
  So.. lesson for today is: ask yourself.. "is it worth it?" is that bad thing you are about to eat worth the consequences you are about to inflict on yourself in the morning?
  As well as I had to experience that to feel the difference between an awesome rockin' workout run and a run that was just so painful I don't want to experience again. I feel I had to feel the experience to remember it for the future, if that makes sense.. I can talk about it until the cows come home, but to feel it is something I promise I won't soon forget. And, in the end, will make me stronger and train harder from that lesson.
   Here is a pic of me at last years race I am training for for this year. I LOVE this race.. it's way fun and a great family atmosphere. Best of all, they feed you and give you massages at the end! oh, wait.. the very best is I get to meet up with some amazing friends of mine..  Can't wait..

  I took 3rd in my age group!
  Have a good night all!

Food... Oh glorious FOOD...

  I never really thought about my relationship with food.. I am a foodie, for sure.. I see food.. I like food.. I eat food.. simple enough..
  But, until this morning I really was faced with a challenge and started to talk to food like we were an old married couple..
  You see, my dad just got back from a long road trip with my sister and to which she left THESE in the car..

  Okay... these are way good if you haven't ever tried them..
  So.. I took a few, then sealed them up and left them in my dad's office.. lol.. simple enough..
  Until I was climbing in my car to leave and my dad is chasing me with them!! AUGH.. I don't want to take them home!!! I'd eat the whole rest of the bag!! I set my limits darn it.. a couple was it and that's that..
   So.. thank goodness I got rid of them to a friend of mine.. she was happy to take them..
   So.. Limits is the way to go.. set them.. stick to them.. and no excuses..
 
  Happy rest day for me..  Have a good day all! :-)

Running pet peeve and rockin' the pink!!

    The Wikipedia defines pet peeve as "a minor annoyance"..
    Well... no disrespect to Wikipedia.. but my running pet peeve is a MAJOR annoyance.. irritant.. burns my butt...
     I heart rate train.. I run with a polar to keep my heart rate in check. I am going for distance.. not to get burned out. So, my theory is I keep my heart rate in the correct range I can go further for longer and not feel like I wanna pass out half way thru my run. Today I ran 1.5 miles of my 2 miles and only did intervals for a half a mile.. NICE.. My heart rate was a bit lower (5 bpm or so) than I have been running..
    BUT.... My polar decided that half the time was reading 64 BPM... Now, I don't even do that low on a deep rem sleep!!!! here I am busting my hiney and you say 64??!!!!! AUGH... I adjust my chest strap (very attractive in public, let me tell you) but most of the time that doesn't help.. I turn it off, turn it back on and hope for the best.. it works for a while, then back to 64! **sigh**
    Hopefully my probes are just dirty, and just needs to be cleaned.. and all will be well..
    Another strategy.. I just want to run.. go a litter further, and run a little more.. when I get closer to my 5K I will switch to my garmin to make sure my distance is exactly correct for my race..

    On the days I run, I treat myself and wear this:

          



   It's a pink bracelet I got at a running retreat I went on in February. it says "proud to run like a girl" I LOVE it and just an added bling for the day! :-)
    Have a great one!!!

  Another video... This explains it all.  :-)

   I should also say as part of the eating healthy is eating fruits and veggies.. with veggies, the greener the better. We are so lucky to have an amazing local veggie grower here! LOVE their stuff. I pay pretty close attention to fruit lower in glycemic index and try to eat those on a regular basis.

   My first entry is a video.
   Tomorrow I will write about my goals and where I am going with all of this running.
   Enjoy! :-)