I am a half-marathoner now :) I have the shirt and the medal to prove it!

                                             

The half-marathon is now in the books!
It was a crazy beautiful experience.
I am planning on doing it next year!
And, I may in two years "walk" a marathon!! Just thinking about that for now.

I walked/jogged the half-marathon in 3 hours and 42 seconds. I WAS SO CLOSE TO UNDER 3 HOURS!!! So, for sure next year, my goal will be under 3 hours!

My pace was 13:48 a mile, which given the longevity of the race for me, I will take it! I did get all hyped up on adrenaline at the beginning and my first mile was 10 minutes, my second mile was 11 minutes. And, I ran those two miles without stopping! Then I did stop at the first water break for quick drink, and off I went.

I learned a lot of things about myself and about running a half-marathon! I know that I am physically strong, and I have a good set of lungs on me, and I have created some super healthy habits that equal a cardio stamina that I am proud of!! I know that I can do hard things and push myself. I REALLY am proud of how well I did considering I had not trained running (just cardio), at least not a serious program. And, remembering back last summer, when I was 50 pounds heavier, and I struggled to jog one minute!! WOW--how far have I come???!!

I "ran" into lots of people I know, either from my days in Cashmere and Leavenworth or even some people from here! It was a lot of fun, and tons of positive energy.

I loved all the people, who cheer everyone on :) I had friends there and strangers, who made me want to just keep going!!

For next year:
I have the goal to weigh 50 pounds less than I do right now, which will put me to my goal weight! Jogging will be SOOOO much easier then :)

I want to run a 12 minute mile average next year! I know I can do that!

I will definitely wear sunscreen, and I will have something that will keep the sweat from getting into my eyes. It was so salty that it totally burned!!

I am going to work on my playlist for running long distances. There were a few times that a slow song came on, when I didn't expect it! Actually I am thinking about getting an i-phone for my birthday this year, and getting the NIKE run application AND having all of my music and playlists available. My friend let me listen to how it talked to her and told her what her exact pace was...COOL!

Also, I plan on eating a different breakfast that will include at least 2 bananas to keep the cramps away! At mile 11, I did get a cramp in my left calve, and I stretched, and then basically just ran with it. But, I know that if I wouldn't have had that darn cramp, I woulda easily made it under 3 hours.

I will wear mole skin on the one place that I got a blister on both feet (thankfully, just a small one on each side!).

Overall, it was a super positive experience and I learned a lot :) I originally thouhght before I got started that I wouldn't ever want to do it again, but for now, I know that I at least want to do that exact race one more time.

P.S. I plan on wearing my medal tomorrow to school!! I am sooooo proud of myself :)

Friday/Saturday

I won't blog tonight, but I will record and keep track of all my eating and whatnot!

I did go to my spinning class this morning, even though I didn't have to get up early today, since I finished my conferences yesterday! I seriouly contemplated working out later, but I LOVE MY SPINNING CLASS, so I lugged myself out of bed at 5:10 this morning! And, I am glad for it!

I also treat myself on Fridays to a low calorie, fat burning smoothie! My favorite flavor is PB & J!! Love it!

So, tomorrow is my big day-- I will be checking half-marathon off my bucket list! I don't know t hat I will everdo one again. I will let you know that tomorrow!!! So, my original goal was under 4 hours (still my goal) which is 18:32 a mile. I feel like I should be able to do at least an average of a 15-minute pace, which would be 3 hours and 16.5 minute pace on average. I.am.excited.nervous.dumbfounded.energetic.naive.unsure.confident. YUP, one ginormous paradox!!! Tee hee :) It's my first one, and I keep reminding myself this is my PR race!!

Well, we are headed to Wenatchee early to play and relax and have some quality girl time, me and our little one :) Then Ricky will be down and we will have some family time this evening, and then tomorrow...THINK OF ME and send me some EXTRA energy, ok?!

THURSDAY :)

Thursday was not THE best for health, but it was a SUPER good day for all sorts of other reasons :)It was just one of those days where I had all of these positive things happen, an unexpected things, on top of that!! Don't you love surprises?? I do :)

So for the health report!!

I didn't drink enough water. I don't know what's the deal with that. I NEED to refocus on this and make my effort to do this! I KNOW what and how to do it...
I didn't take my vitamins either. SHEESH--I fell asleep on the couch.
I did go to my Group Power class, which is weightlifting and cardio mixed together. AND, I love this class! I am going to do everything in my power to do this twice a week every week. It's such a great way to get my weightlifting in, and it's fun!! BOY, I am feeling it!!

Calories out - 425
Calories in - 1080
Net calories - 655
Food--
I skipped meals, and snacked on icky stuff :( NOT SURE what's up with that!

I didn't eat breakfast, mostly because I wasn't hungry. BUT, I know better.
coffee- 110

nothing for lunch--
vanilla ice cream- one scoop, 1 small cone - 200
pop tart - 200
cheese its - 150

turkey meatloaf- I tried a new recipe and it includes Idaho Spuds potato flakes instead of bread crumbs--YUMMY!!! 220
brown rice - 200

There ya have it, not so pretty.
But, I am super proud of my continued commitment to EXERCISE - thank goodness for that!! Just gotta find the balance, and return to my clean eating!!

Wonderful Wednesday :)

Today was awesome! And, you know what? I love the rain, and at my school we have skylights, so it sounds so AMAZING!!

I started my morning off with playing racquetball! I am so excited that I have a new partner to play with, and she can play early in the morning!! And, having all of that fun, I burn big time calories! It goes by so fast!!!! I also went for a walk when there was a break in the downpour and a break in conferences! It was so refreshing to be outside, and the air felt clean and fresh!! LOVELY, and some extra calories, GONESO!

I did have my vitamins :) I feel like I am on a roll!
I drank 75 ounces of water, and it was a struggle to do that.

Calories IN = 1398
Calories OUT = 610
Net Calories = 788

What went in...
2 poached eggs – 156
Green salsa- 10
Coffee- 110

Boca chicken patty - 160
LC Cheese (I melted this on the chicken patty)- 35

celery - 20
LC Cheese - 35
2 oranges - 130

butterfinger candybar - 280 --mid-afternoon CHOCOLATE craving!!

potato- 160
cheese - 110
blue cheese dressing - 40
bbq sauce - 40
orange juice - 112

Today was a better day!

I love my crockpot! I made a yummy sausage and bean soup :)) It was waiting for us when we got home from the softball game. It was such a WARM treat!!!

This is a crazy week--no normal schedules at all! Tomorrow is an early release day, and then conferences! Then Thursday more conferences, and then I am off!!!

I have my exercise planned out for the entire week! I am definitely feeling my muscles this evening from my Group Power class!

SO, workouts--
Mon- Jog and Group Power in the evening- WOWSER
Tues- Racquetball
Wed - Racquetball, JOG in the afternoon/evening
Thurs - Group Power in the morning
Fri- Spinning class - swimming at the hotel!!
Sat - HALF-MARATHON
Sun- FREE day! Maybe a mellow walk...

Today I drank my water!! 112 ounces :)
EXERCISE--I love playing racquetball! LOVE IT :)
45 minutes of racquetball - 504 calories (on HRM)
Vitamins, yes!
Calories in = 1216
Calories out = 504
NET = 712


2 poached eggs - 156
jalapeño Tabasco sauce - 5
coffee - 110

Boca chicken patty - 160
carrots - 20
celery - 20
LC Cheese - 35
orange - 65

cheese its- 150
homemade ground pork taco soup in the crockpot! - 250
croutons - 45
cheese - 100
milk - 100
TOTAL - 1216

Fresh start Monday.

First things first! WEIGH-IN...
I weigh 199.
I was up to 204 (on the vacay).
Then down to 201 in just three days home.
And, now down 2 more. SO, I am definitely back on track and out of the nasty 200s. BUT, in reality, I had a blast! I wasn't worried about what ate, when I ate it, or what kind of movement I had going on in my life, and I think that's EXACTLY the way vacation should be :) NOW BACK TO THE REAL WORLD!

I drank 75 ounces of water, but it felt like a struggle!
I did take my vitamins.
I went crazy on chocolate during my yearbook celebration.
And, then I had a snack attack this afternoon.
I didn't get up in the morning to exercise...but, I made up for it in the evening! I did my first Group Power class, which is a weight lifting and cardio class! And, it ROCKED! Plus I walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes before the class. EXERCISE this evening was DEFINITELY the highlight of my HEALTH for the day!

CALORIES IN= 1771 (UGH! My trainer did tell me I should be shooting for 1600, but it feels so much more than 1200! And, I did let my afternoon snack attack get the best of me, but I WROTE IT ALL DOWN!)
CALORIES OUT = 725(yeah, for my heart rate monitor!)
NET CALORIES = 1046

Whole wheat English muffin -130
Poached egg – 78
1 tsp of Miracle Whip, 1 tsp o f honey mustard – 30
1 ½ teaspoon of cherry preserve- 25
Coffee – sf/ff- 110

M&Ms-1/4cup of peanut M&Ms- 220
2 mini-packages of M&M – 140 (70 each)
Zucchini - 20
Celery-20
LC cheese- 35

½ egg salad sandwich – (70 for bread, 45 for egg salad) – 115
English muffin – 130
Cherry preserves- 50
Thin mint cookie x 4-160 (THANK goodness these are almost gone!)
Cheese-its- 150

Pork loin-178
Salad -60 (with dressing and veggies)
Stuffing-120

Definitely this writing it down again makes me think about it!!!

Heeeeeeeeeelllllooooooo

My goodness it has been FAR too long! I haven't blogged since March 19th! ZOIKS! What has happened? I missed you, dear readers!

Well, as I had previously blogged, March was MADNESS :) Good, though! HAPPY and busy and full of lots of fun!! April and May are looking much the same, of course, right?! But, then it will be SUMMER!!!!

OK, so a couple of observations:
1) I don't eat as healthy when I am not blogging. It's all in the accountability factor, I think. Really I did pretty good for the month of March minus GS cookies. Then I ENJOYED my vacay, and really this past week home feels like I am on a slippery slope of not eating healthy.
2) I did go on vacation to Vegas, which I gained 4 pounds on vacay, and lost it in the next week I was home!
3) I have fallen off the water wagon. I just have not been drinking even close to enough water.
4) I AM SUPER proud of how well I have been keeping up with my exercise. I have been doing my cardio religiously! I get up and go early in the morning! And, many weeks I have been double cardio-ing it, by also doing it in the afternoon.
5) I will log my weight in tomorrow. I know that I have gained some since Mid-March. BUT, I know it would have been lots more, if I had not been keeping up with the exercise!
6)It is so easy to slide back into bad habits :(

GOALS for this week:
1) BLOG each day! Gonna blog my calories and exercise and whatnot.
2) DRINK MY WATER! Goal of 75 ounces a day.
3) Continue my cardio every morning, but add in the Cardio Power class, which includes weights! I want to go to the class twice this week.
4) FINISH my half-marathon in less than 4 hours on Saturday!
5) Take my vitamins! I haven't taken them since the night before we headed out to Vegas!

So, I am backed, and now I have some REFOCUS, so here we go! See-ya tomorrow :)

I love MONDAYS :)))

Weigh-in
192.8 last week
190.8 this week
Loss of 2 pounds (which I had gained last week)


Goals for this week...
Drink 100 ounces of water! I have been slacking on this goal. I did this today!!! YEAH 125 ounces :)

Lose two pounds. I want to be concrete in this to find a more serious focus this week. I have bought some super cute clothes to wear in Vegas, and I am even thinking about buying a new swimsuit!!!

I am also going to eat VERY low carbs/high protein this week at least, and maybe next week, too. I planned out all of our meals this week! I have everything prepped and in snack packs. I am READY!! I might do ONE day of allowing for carbs, and for me that would be this Sunday because I am making lasagna for my son's girlfriend's birthday :) It's her favorite dinner!

OK, so my carbs for today were much higher than expected. I am shocked at how many carbs are in FRUIT!!

I also plan to exercise at least an hour a day, but it looks like my schedule is going to allow for twice a day!!! I hope so :) I DID EXERCISE TWICE TODAY :))

I am feeling way better. The 2000mg of antibiotics a day is truly helping in that. I want to run outside so badly, but the doctor said I need to wait until I am completely cleared up. No burning lungs, she said!

I feel like I have two weeks to work hard, because I am going to have fun on my vacation!! I do plan to exercise, but I also plan to eat and drink WHATEVER I want :)) I do believe I hear a fried Twinkie calling my name!!!! Then when I come back, it's all business for my half-marathon in April!!

So, here is the link to my tracker from My Fitness Pal. If you are interested in looking at what I eat (for ideas or whatever) just contact me, and I will give you my special code :)

Today was a good day! I did eat some GS cookies, but I also worked really hard today. I like how the MFP tracker tells me that if every day is like today, I will weigh 171.3 in 5 weeks! THAT is totally inspiring :))

Stuff rolling around in my head

Today, when I wasn't sleeping in a fever-induced coma, I thought about all sorts of things.

1) I read my most recent Women's Health magazine, and I LOVE IT!! Some great exercise ideas. I also thought the article on adult eating disorders was fascinating. This is the only magazine I subscribe to, and I'm really glad I do! I love everything from the layout to the info to the recipes to the products highlighted :))

2) I observed some people's daily food journals to look for some inspiration regarding new healthy foods to try or meals to plan, and I was surprised to see that there are people out there who LIE in their food journals. Who eat things that they don't journal. WHAT THE HECK is that? SAD, I say. Shoot--if you can't be honest with yourself, you will NEVER lose the weight, and if you can't be honest with yourself, then who are you honest with??

3) I decided since the weather is improving, that I wanted to think about exercise that I want to do outside! I am seriously considering purchasing some roller skates!!!! I love roller skating :) It's one of my favorite things to do. I think I could skate well at Eastside Park, or at least I think the surface is mostly smooth. So, that's a maybe. I also DEFINITELY want to hike more, lots more this summer!!! I love being in the mountains, and since hikes are usually longer, it means more calories overall. AND, since I love to take pictures, it gives an excellent opportunity to do two things I love!!!

4) Just a little over a month to my half-marathon! HOLY smokes! Exciting :))

5) Tomorrow I have to get my occlusal filling to finish my root canal. I am happy that the root canal (and, antibiotics) cured that nasty little infection. And, I look forward to finally finishing the process.

There ya have it...some ramblings :)

Not-so-terrific Tuesday, but I survived!

Today was a bizarre-o day. I woke up at 3 a.m. totally sick :(( SO, in the end, I stayed home (which just about NEVER happens!!)!!!

I slept a lot. BUT, I also ate more than I would have, if I would have been at school. Part of that was boredom, I think. And, not feeling well.



Vitamins- YES!
Water - NO :( I only drank 50 ounces of water today. NEEDED MORE FOR SURE!
Exercise- NOPE
Fruits/Veggies - YES!
Calories-- Over by 60 calories, which in the end considering...it definitely could have been worse!


CALORIES IN = 1560
CALORIES OUT = 0--though I did sweat a ton, with my lovely fever off and on all day.
NET CALORIES = 1560

4 mint oreos - 280- YES for breakfast at 10 a.m. this morning.
Coffee with creamer - 50
Milk - 75

2 pop tarts – 400 - I ate them before I looked at the calories. SHEESH.
Slice of cheese – 90
Bean soup – small bowl - 200
Orange juice – 120

Tatertot casserole- 250
Salad- 25
Dressing- 40
Strawberries – 30