To be quite literal! I finished my first Half Marathon on Sunday in 1:56:46! Woohooo, a new record! My pace was 8:54 per mile. If you have kept up with my blog you know, that's really fast for me. It's amazing what a fun atmosphere and adrenaline can do to your time!
Was it hard? YES! Did I want to give up at times? YES! Is there anything better than the feeling you get when you cross the finish line? NOPE!
This half was a very big deal for me. I've been so blessed in life and most of the things others have to work for have fallen into my hands pretty easily. For example, I've always been a great student, so getting through college was expected. I landed my first job about 10 minutes after my interview finished, and I scored my job at Cox during the interview. John and I married right out of college and were blessed to have Kelsey soon after. Don't get me wrong, I'm SO thankful for everything in my life, but this half was a huge accomplishment for me personally. I set this goal for myself years ago and failed multiple times in the past, but this time was different! I committed, I signed up, and I accomplished! (with a pretty sweet time too!) I couldn't be more proud.
Now, lets talk about the full marathon! HA! I'm a little intimidated...
I don't know if my legs can travel another 13.1 miles. It sounds crazy! I know I wouldn't be running at such a quick pace, but really..another 13 miles??? We'll see.
Thanks for all the support along the way! My friends and family have made such a difference in my life and I wouldn't have accomplished this goal without your help. I love you all!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Thanksgiving Break ...
So...since last week (oops!), I have officially completed my longest run --> 11 miles!! It was LONG and HARD, but I finished it with a 10 minute pace. It's difficult training alone, so it was nice to have my neighbor to run by for the run. Unfortunately, he is nursing a calf injury, so we had to run on an off-road path the majority of the time. I was feeling good for about the first 9 miles, but the last 2 were brutal!! Instead of coaching myself through to 'finish strong', I was reminding myself to 'just finish, one foot in front of the other'! It really was a big accomplishment for me, and I'm so happy that I am only 2.1 miles away from my goal!!
I pretty much took the rest of the weekend off after that run and didn't actually jog until my 8 mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving. I finished in 1 hour 15 minutes exactly! That came out to a 9:20 mile...wow! The run was tough...lots of uphills, wind and cold! Extremely cold!! I bet it was in the upper 30's/low 40's!! I was questioning how I had 5 more miles in me after that race, but I had to tell myself that I wouldn't have been running so fast so early in my half marathon. I can do it! I can do anything I put my mind too!
I went to the White Rock website and looked at the course. The half-marathoners don't even get to run around the lake!! What the heck!?!? And miles 6 - 9 are on an incline. That should be fun! At least 10 - 13 are a slight downhill...not the kind that will be hard to run against, but the kind that will be a nice change of pace, especially after 3 miles of uphill running! Can't wait and unfortunately my hubby can't make it up with me. He has a work dinner the Saturday night before :( I'll miss him and his support, so if you are in Dallas and want to be an AWESOME friend, call me and you can cheer me on. I will really need help around mile 8 and 11! My mom, dad and Kelsey will be there to motivate me, and nothing is better than seeing the smile from my litte girl! Oh, gotta love her!
Anyways - 6 more days. I'm going to do a few light runs this week to keep my legs in shape. Probably about 5 today, 4 on Wednesday, and 3 on Friday. I went for a 3 mile jog on the Friday after the Trot and it felt like the shortest run of my life. Before I knew it, I was back at my parent's casa! Crazy how that path used to be VERY difficult for me!
Well, until then...prayers for the race would be appreciated! :)
Liz
I pretty much took the rest of the weekend off after that run and didn't actually jog until my 8 mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving. I finished in 1 hour 15 minutes exactly! That came out to a 9:20 mile...wow! The run was tough...lots of uphills, wind and cold! Extremely cold!! I bet it was in the upper 30's/low 40's!! I was questioning how I had 5 more miles in me after that race, but I had to tell myself that I wouldn't have been running so fast so early in my half marathon. I can do it! I can do anything I put my mind too!
I went to the White Rock website and looked at the course. The half-marathoners don't even get to run around the lake!! What the heck!?!? And miles 6 - 9 are on an incline. That should be fun! At least 10 - 13 are a slight downhill...not the kind that will be hard to run against, but the kind that will be a nice change of pace, especially after 3 miles of uphill running! Can't wait and unfortunately my hubby can't make it up with me. He has a work dinner the Saturday night before :( I'll miss him and his support, so if you are in Dallas and want to be an AWESOME friend, call me and you can cheer me on. I will really need help around mile 8 and 11! My mom, dad and Kelsey will be there to motivate me, and nothing is better than seeing the smile from my litte girl! Oh, gotta love her!
Anyways - 6 more days. I'm going to do a few light runs this week to keep my legs in shape. Probably about 5 today, 4 on Wednesday, and 3 on Friday. I went for a 3 mile jog on the Friday after the Trot and it felt like the shortest run of my life. Before I knew it, I was back at my parent's casa! Crazy how that path used to be VERY difficult for me!
Well, until then...prayers for the race would be appreciated! :)
Liz
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Yoga and Abs..
Always a good combination!
I ended up running 6 miles yesterday in 57 minutes! That was a 9:30 pace, which is really good for me, especially on a long run. I think half of it was because the sun went down around 6:00 and I was a little freaked out...whatever the reason, I'm proud of that time!
Today, I decided to try P90X yoga, but it's such a LONG workout, so I switched over to Insanity's Cardio Recovery and now I can't feel my legs. Guess that's the pay back I get for eating McDonald's for dinner. That place really is the devil...I don't know why I can't say no. Anyways - after the burning sensation in my legs died down, I tried finished the ab ripper x, with the help of Kelsey. She decided to sit on my stomach and bounce up in down while I was doing the abs. Talk about a workout, my lower abs were hurting more than normal. She thought it was a fun game and was giggling the entire time. I guess I found a new way to do abs!
I'm taking the day off tomorrow because I have an 11-miler with Jason on Saturday. I'm nervous, this will be my longest run yet! I'll let you know how I do on Saturday.
Now it's on to paper writing...blah blah blah
Liz
I ended up running 6 miles yesterday in 57 minutes! That was a 9:30 pace, which is really good for me, especially on a long run. I think half of it was because the sun went down around 6:00 and I was a little freaked out...whatever the reason, I'm proud of that time!
Today, I decided to try P90X yoga, but it's such a LONG workout, so I switched over to Insanity's Cardio Recovery and now I can't feel my legs. Guess that's the pay back I get for eating McDonald's for dinner. That place really is the devil...I don't know why I can't say no. Anyways - after the burning sensation in my legs died down, I tried finished the ab ripper x, with the help of Kelsey. She decided to sit on my stomach and bounce up in down while I was doing the abs. Talk about a workout, my lower abs were hurting more than normal. She thought it was a fun game and was giggling the entire time. I guess I found a new way to do abs!
I'm taking the day off tomorrow because I have an 11-miler with Jason on Saturday. I'm nervous, this will be my longest run yet! I'll let you know how I do on Saturday.
Now it's on to paper writing...blah blah blah
Liz
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Another Week Has Passed....
....and still no post!
Life is settling down, I've just been lazy about writing! Let me think about last week's workouts...oh yes, I remember now.
Wednesday I changed it up. I thought John and I were going to come home and do Insanity, but he didn't want to get sore before softball night. I decided to stay in and do some P90X Yoga and Abs. The Yoga is tough, especially because they move so quickly through the planks and down dogs, but abs are tougher! 18 minutes of pure pain, but I love it! Seriously, if you don't have the P90X Abs, find a friend who does, try them out twice a week and I bet you get a six pack fast!!
Thursday I ran for 45 minutes around Benders Landing. Not sure how far that was, but it had to have been at least 4.5 miles. I love my runs. They are a great way to unwind, or chill out, or think...whatever you may need to do. I got home just in time to see John head out for softball, took a shower and spent some time with my baby! I just love that little girl.
Friday came and I substituted my workout for new highlights and a cut! Thanks Nicole :) Then we headed up to Tom Cox BINGO Night and helped out for a while. John went hunting, so the weekend was full of Kelsey and cleaning!
Saturday - my day for long runs didn't happen because of the rain that morning and no babysitter for Kelsey. But around 11, Kelsey and I decided to take the jogger out for a run. I figured out how to secure the front wheel so it doesn't wobble and I really wanted to try it out. Turn out after 5 minutes I was thinking, "How the HECK do these Mom's do it?" Seriously, it was the hardest 3 miles of my life. I was literally putting ALL my weight into the run and still we were probably doing a 12 minute pace! haha
Get back home, sweating, abs, arms, hamstrings, quads all burning to discover that not just one, ohhh no, that would be too easy, but BOTH of my back wheels are completely flat! haha...score one for the blonde Liz! No wonder the run was so painful! Have you ever tried to ride a bike with a flat tire?? I went next door and Jason pumped up both tires for me. The first push on full tires felt weightless! It was at that point I discovered how Mom's run with the jogger! We then decided to take Bailey on a 1.5 mile walk since she had been cooped up all day and I was supposed to have a long run.
Skipped a workout on Sunday and made up for it on Monday with a 6 mile jog. God is good, that's all I have to say. The skies were overcast all afternoon, but I decided to take off anyways. I ran around Bender's for an hour and prayed to God, "Please let me make it back to school before it starts to rain," and I'm not kidding, the minute my foot hit the pavement at Tom Cox the mist changed to rain. I just smiled and said "Thank You." :) He really is awesome!
Yesterday, John, Kelsey, Bailey, and I headed out for a jog around the neighborhood. It was a 4 mile loop and we all did pretty well. We ran/walked it, but I'm just thankful we did it as a family. John said he's lost about 7 pounds from just eating better! Dang boys...life is just soo easy for them :)
Today has been a crazy emotional day. We decided to start looking for a new daycare for Kelsey for the new year. We have been nothing but happy with our babysitter, but Kelsey needs to be around more kids. If you've met her you know, she is a social butterfly. She loves people and is obsessed with other babies! For this reason, we really want her to be around other kids to interact and learn from them, but breaking the news to our babysitter was so hard. I was almost in tears, my heart was pounding out of my chest. I don't like hurting people and she has been with Kelsey since she was 8 weeks. A lot has changed since then and she's been there every step of the way. Needless to say, I was super anxious about the conversation, but she made it very easy. We are going to start looking soon in order to find her the best place possible. I think this whirlwind of emotions will make for a good run tonight. Ugh....life decisions can be such a challenge. Well, this time, I promise to post before next week!
11 mile run this weekend with the neighbor, Turkey Trot 8-miler on Thanksgiving, and White Rock Half on Dec 5th!
The countdown in on...
Liz
Life is settling down, I've just been lazy about writing! Let me think about last week's workouts...oh yes, I remember now.
Wednesday I changed it up. I thought John and I were going to come home and do Insanity, but he didn't want to get sore before softball night. I decided to stay in and do some P90X Yoga and Abs. The Yoga is tough, especially because they move so quickly through the planks and down dogs, but abs are tougher! 18 minutes of pure pain, but I love it! Seriously, if you don't have the P90X Abs, find a friend who does, try them out twice a week and I bet you get a six pack fast!!
Thursday I ran for 45 minutes around Benders Landing. Not sure how far that was, but it had to have been at least 4.5 miles. I love my runs. They are a great way to unwind, or chill out, or think...whatever you may need to do. I got home just in time to see John head out for softball, took a shower and spent some time with my baby! I just love that little girl.
Friday came and I substituted my workout for new highlights and a cut! Thanks Nicole :) Then we headed up to Tom Cox BINGO Night and helped out for a while. John went hunting, so the weekend was full of Kelsey and cleaning!
Saturday - my day for long runs didn't happen because of the rain that morning and no babysitter for Kelsey. But around 11, Kelsey and I decided to take the jogger out for a run. I figured out how to secure the front wheel so it doesn't wobble and I really wanted to try it out. Turn out after 5 minutes I was thinking, "How the HECK do these Mom's do it?" Seriously, it was the hardest 3 miles of my life. I was literally putting ALL my weight into the run and still we were probably doing a 12 minute pace! haha
Get back home, sweating, abs, arms, hamstrings, quads all burning to discover that not just one, ohhh no, that would be too easy, but BOTH of my back wheels are completely flat! haha...score one for the blonde Liz! No wonder the run was so painful! Have you ever tried to ride a bike with a flat tire?? I went next door and Jason pumped up both tires for me. The first push on full tires felt weightless! It was at that point I discovered how Mom's run with the jogger! We then decided to take Bailey on a 1.5 mile walk since she had been cooped up all day and I was supposed to have a long run.
Skipped a workout on Sunday and made up for it on Monday with a 6 mile jog. God is good, that's all I have to say. The skies were overcast all afternoon, but I decided to take off anyways. I ran around Bender's for an hour and prayed to God, "Please let me make it back to school before it starts to rain," and I'm not kidding, the minute my foot hit the pavement at Tom Cox the mist changed to rain. I just smiled and said "Thank You." :) He really is awesome!
Yesterday, John, Kelsey, Bailey, and I headed out for a jog around the neighborhood. It was a 4 mile loop and we all did pretty well. We ran/walked it, but I'm just thankful we did it as a family. John said he's lost about 7 pounds from just eating better! Dang boys...life is just soo easy for them :)
Today has been a crazy emotional day. We decided to start looking for a new daycare for Kelsey for the new year. We have been nothing but happy with our babysitter, but Kelsey needs to be around more kids. If you've met her you know, she is a social butterfly. She loves people and is obsessed with other babies! For this reason, we really want her to be around other kids to interact and learn from them, but breaking the news to our babysitter was so hard. I was almost in tears, my heart was pounding out of my chest. I don't like hurting people and she has been with Kelsey since she was 8 weeks. A lot has changed since then and she's been there every step of the way. Needless to say, I was super anxious about the conversation, but she made it very easy. We are going to start looking soon in order to find her the best place possible. I think this whirlwind of emotions will make for a good run tonight. Ugh....life decisions can be such a challenge. Well, this time, I promise to post before next week!
11 mile run this weekend with the neighbor, Turkey Trot 8-miler on Thanksgiving, and White Rock Half on Dec 5th!
The countdown in on...
Liz
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Well...It's been too long!
Life's been a little crazy since my last post! Lots of guests, our After-Halloween Party, school....but, I'm proud to report that I have been sticking to my workout schedule. Last Wednesday, I completed Insanity with my work buddies. We did the 'sports training' video and it kicked my butt! It's non-stop for an hour. At one point you even do 2 minutes of suicide runs...ugh! I was overly sore the next day, body very fatigued, so I'm glad it was my yoga stretch day.
I really love the yoga classes, but I never feel like I get a good workout in. I know it's supposed to be a relaxation/stretching day, and I have to get that into my head. I feel guilty now if I miss a workout, especially if my diet didn't go well, so I have to constantly remind myself that my body does need rest. To me, rest = laziness... Definitely a belief I need to change. I would like my yoga classes to be a little tougher, like more challenging poses that really firm and tone. The class I attended with my mom was killer and I loved it!
Friday came around and I didn't do my jog like I was supposed too. There is just something about jogging on a Friday that is not appealing! I came home and helped John finish our back patio in order to be ready for our party on Saturday. We can officially say we are FINISHED with the back patio! Such a great feeling. Our pergula is up and painted, and all the rocks are laid cemented down! Yay! It looks so beautiful! We even stapled Christmas lights up around the top for some lighting. I made John pull the strings really tight so it wouldn't look cheap, and it turned out awesome, especially at night!
Laura drove in Friday night and woke up with me on Saturday for an 8.5 mile jog. It went great! Unfortunately (again) we do not know our official time. I think we ran for somewhere around 90 minutes, but I can't be certain. She hasn't run in over a month and was able to complete the entire thing....I'm jealous! haha. I felt good when we finished though. It was nice to have someone to run with. Once again, I am so thankful for the neighborhood I live in. Our center loop is 1.7 miles, so each time I get to the park I take a drink of water. I'm ready for my race and more excited than ever! This weeks long run = 10 miles! Whoa!
Our Halloween party was a huge success...super fun! John looked exactly like the lead singer from Green Day and I was his punk gf. I'll have to post some pictures soon. To make the party even better, A&M beat the hell outta ou! Whoop! That was quite the game!
Sunday morning I was exhausted!! Kelsey apparently didn't get the memo that it was daylight savings, and woke up early. My head was hurting a little bit (I can't imagine why?) and I was extremely tired! Why do I try to pretend I'm in college when I have a baby at home!? haha. Mom, Aunt Linda, and Aunt Melissa ate lunch at Tommy Bahamas on Market Street, so Lo, my neighbor Ashley, Kelsey and I ventured up to meet them. Kelsey got to play in the water fountains at Market Street and loved every minute of it. She's adorable. I'm seriously blessed with the BEST baby ever!! We grabbed a bite to eat and headed home to relax!
Monday came way to fast, but since I went to bed at 8:30 Sunday night, I felt nice and refreshed! Laura and I went on a 4.4 mile jog that night in 39 minutes. My fastest yet! Maybe b/c my sister and her dog were about 20 yard ahead of me the entire time....dang her long legs. I swear I have to do double the strides just to keep up with her! At least that's my excuse! It was a hard run though! Windy and fast. I love a good challenge and felt great when I finished!
And finally, John and I did 'pure cardio' yesterday at home. I am really proud of him for working out with me because he was exhausted. When we got finished, we ate dinner and he was in bed by 8:45! Even though pure cardio is a Level I video, its tough!! My legs were a little tired from the run the day before, but I completed the video. I always feel so good after a workout...maybe thats what keeps me going. Today I'm scheduled to do a 5 mile run. I'll let you know how that goes tomorrow.
Oh my gosh! How could I forget!? I got into the White Rock Half Marathon!! December 5th I will be running in Dallas and I'll need ALL the support I can get! Who wants to come out and support me?! :)
I really love the yoga classes, but I never feel like I get a good workout in. I know it's supposed to be a relaxation/stretching day, and I have to get that into my head. I feel guilty now if I miss a workout, especially if my diet didn't go well, so I have to constantly remind myself that my body does need rest. To me, rest = laziness... Definitely a belief I need to change. I would like my yoga classes to be a little tougher, like more challenging poses that really firm and tone. The class I attended with my mom was killer and I loved it!
Friday came around and I didn't do my jog like I was supposed too. There is just something about jogging on a Friday that is not appealing! I came home and helped John finish our back patio in order to be ready for our party on Saturday. We can officially say we are FINISHED with the back patio! Such a great feeling. Our pergula is up and painted, and all the rocks are laid cemented down! Yay! It looks so beautiful! We even stapled Christmas lights up around the top for some lighting. I made John pull the strings really tight so it wouldn't look cheap, and it turned out awesome, especially at night!
Laura drove in Friday night and woke up with me on Saturday for an 8.5 mile jog. It went great! Unfortunately (again) we do not know our official time. I think we ran for somewhere around 90 minutes, but I can't be certain. She hasn't run in over a month and was able to complete the entire thing....I'm jealous! haha. I felt good when we finished though. It was nice to have someone to run with. Once again, I am so thankful for the neighborhood I live in. Our center loop is 1.7 miles, so each time I get to the park I take a drink of water. I'm ready for my race and more excited than ever! This weeks long run = 10 miles! Whoa!
Our Halloween party was a huge success...super fun! John looked exactly like the lead singer from Green Day and I was his punk gf. I'll have to post some pictures soon. To make the party even better, A&M beat the hell outta ou! Whoop! That was quite the game!
Sunday morning I was exhausted!! Kelsey apparently didn't get the memo that it was daylight savings, and woke up early. My head was hurting a little bit (I can't imagine why?) and I was extremely tired! Why do I try to pretend I'm in college when I have a baby at home!? haha. Mom, Aunt Linda, and Aunt Melissa ate lunch at Tommy Bahamas on Market Street, so Lo, my neighbor Ashley, Kelsey and I ventured up to meet them. Kelsey got to play in the water fountains at Market Street and loved every minute of it. She's adorable. I'm seriously blessed with the BEST baby ever!! We grabbed a bite to eat and headed home to relax!
Monday came way to fast, but since I went to bed at 8:30 Sunday night, I felt nice and refreshed! Laura and I went on a 4.4 mile jog that night in 39 minutes. My fastest yet! Maybe b/c my sister and her dog were about 20 yard ahead of me the entire time....dang her long legs. I swear I have to do double the strides just to keep up with her! At least that's my excuse! It was a hard run though! Windy and fast. I love a good challenge and felt great when I finished!
And finally, John and I did 'pure cardio' yesterday at home. I am really proud of him for working out with me because he was exhausted. When we got finished, we ate dinner and he was in bed by 8:45! Even though pure cardio is a Level I video, its tough!! My legs were a little tired from the run the day before, but I completed the video. I always feel so good after a workout...maybe thats what keeps me going. Today I'm scheduled to do a 5 mile run. I'll let you know how that goes tomorrow.
Oh my gosh! How could I forget!? I got into the White Rock Half Marathon!! December 5th I will be running in Dallas and I'll need ALL the support I can get! Who wants to come out and support me?! :)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Insanity Gets Me Everytime!!
John and I decided to start Insanity together. I will only be able to do it twice a week, but he's going to do it everyday. It's always interesting to get another person's perspective on that workout, especially since I've been doing it for so long. He said it was tough, but enjoyed the workout altogether. We did the Cardio Circuit one, from the Level I DVD. Let me tell you, that exercise is killer! My shoulders were on fire, and I have yet to make it through the 2nd circuit all three times. One day, I will complete that! The combination of the Level 1 Drill, ski abs, and in-and-outs is impossible! 30 seconds has never felt so long...
Well, bad news is I will not be running the White Rock Half-Marathon. I went to sign up and it was 100% full :( I'm going to register to be on the wait list - but the half will now cost me $100. Not fun for a broke teacher! I am contemplating substituting it with the Decker Half in Austin (Dec 12th). Only bad thing about that is I would have to miss the faculty Christmas party the night before on the 11th. I really enjoy this party, so we'll have to see whether or not I will make the committment. The next half isn't until January 29th, and that's just a little too far away.... Oh what I would give to not be a procrastinator!
I've got a 4 miler tonight. Should be nice. It's been raining outside and the temperature is cooling down. I'll let you know how that goes later on today..
Oh, I almost forgot. Thanks to a good friend, I joined dailymile.com. It's an awesome website to track your runs. It also gives you an interactive map where you can trace your runs and find out how long they are. It even lets you go "off roads" and track your mileage. I was so excited when I found out about it last night and thought I'd pass on the information to my friends!
Have a good one!
Liz
Well, bad news is I will not be running the White Rock Half-Marathon. I went to sign up and it was 100% full :( I'm going to register to be on the wait list - but the half will now cost me $100. Not fun for a broke teacher! I am contemplating substituting it with the Decker Half in Austin (Dec 12th). Only bad thing about that is I would have to miss the faculty Christmas party the night before on the 11th. I really enjoy this party, so we'll have to see whether or not I will make the committment. The next half isn't until January 29th, and that's just a little too far away.... Oh what I would give to not be a procrastinator!
I've got a 4 miler tonight. Should be nice. It's been raining outside and the temperature is cooling down. I'll let you know how that goes later on today..
Oh, I almost forgot. Thanks to a good friend, I joined dailymile.com. It's an awesome website to track your runs. It also gives you an interactive map where you can trace your runs and find out how long they are. It even lets you go "off roads" and track your mileage. I was so excited when I found out about it last night and thought I'd pass on the information to my friends!
Have a good one!
Liz
Monday, November 1, 2010
7 Miles...Complete!
Well, due to the fact that my Dad was in town and wanted to go to happy hour at Tailgators on Friday, my 4 mile run didn't end up happening! Darn...haha, I blame it all on him! Instead of running, I enjoyed 2 Dos XX beers and good conversation with my Dad. I love when my family comes to visit, it's always fun to see them interact with Kelsey. Anyways, that night, Dad cooked us some amazing spaghetti and meatballs/sausage for dinner. We had our neighbors over and had a great time catching up. It had been quite a while since we got together with them as well. It's crazy how busy you can get during the week! I drank a few more beers and then decided I should probably switch to water if I was going to tackle 7 miles in the morning.
I got up to run at about 7:45, but didn't actually leave the house until 8:30. Dad left and John woke up so he could watch Miss Kelsey. I ran my first 3 miles in a long sleeve shirt and ear warmers because I am a complete wimp when it comes to the cold. After 3 miles, which completes the loop around our neighborhood, I stopped at the park for a sip of water and lost the ear warmers. Next loop, my Ipod goes out! Noooooo...I was seriously contemplating how the heck I was supposed to finish. I decided I would continue to sing my favorite songs in my head and pray for some of my kids at school. Headed back by the park for another swig of water and lost the shirt. I was burning up in so much gear! Finished the loop and headed home, feeling great! I don't know my time or pace because the Ipod went out :( Oh well, I think the important part was that I finished and I felt like I could have done more. It was the first time my knees didn't hurt while I was running.
I will tell you, I actually enjoyed running without music. It was the first time I really experienced the "runners high" and just enjoyed being outside on a beautiful day. I also like jogging the loop in my neighborhood because it gives me the opportunity to get a drink every 1.7 (almost 2) miles. I need to get used to this practice for the bigger races because staying hydrated is so important. I'm a little disappointed that I don't know my pace, but I will make sure to have the Ipod charged before this Saturday. I'm going to attempt 8, which should be fine. My only worry is whether or not I'll be able to walk that night for our Halloween Party!
I'm staying home with Kelsey today since her babysitter's son has strep! It's another blessing in disguise considering I have a paper due this afternoon. Hope everyone has a great Monday! I think I'm going to check out boot camp with some of my friends this afternoon. I have really enjoyed mixing up my routine...it keeps things interesting!
Liz
I got up to run at about 7:45, but didn't actually leave the house until 8:30. Dad left and John woke up so he could watch Miss Kelsey. I ran my first 3 miles in a long sleeve shirt and ear warmers because I am a complete wimp when it comes to the cold. After 3 miles, which completes the loop around our neighborhood, I stopped at the park for a sip of water and lost the ear warmers. Next loop, my Ipod goes out! Noooooo...I was seriously contemplating how the heck I was supposed to finish. I decided I would continue to sing my favorite songs in my head and pray for some of my kids at school. Headed back by the park for another swig of water and lost the shirt. I was burning up in so much gear! Finished the loop and headed home, feeling great! I don't know my time or pace because the Ipod went out :( Oh well, I think the important part was that I finished and I felt like I could have done more. It was the first time my knees didn't hurt while I was running.
I will tell you, I actually enjoyed running without music. It was the first time I really experienced the "runners high" and just enjoyed being outside on a beautiful day. I also like jogging the loop in my neighborhood because it gives me the opportunity to get a drink every 1.7 (almost 2) miles. I need to get used to this practice for the bigger races because staying hydrated is so important. I'm a little disappointed that I don't know my pace, but I will make sure to have the Ipod charged before this Saturday. I'm going to attempt 8, which should be fine. My only worry is whether or not I'll be able to walk that night for our Halloween Party!
I'm staying home with Kelsey today since her babysitter's son has strep! It's another blessing in disguise considering I have a paper due this afternoon. Hope everyone has a great Monday! I think I'm going to check out boot camp with some of my friends this afternoon. I have really enjoyed mixing up my routine...it keeps things interesting!
Liz
Friday, October 29, 2010
Namaste..
So after doing yoga for two weeks, I was interested in finding out what "namaste" actually means. Our instructor always says it at the end of class. I looked at Yoga Journal and found out it is a gesture to acknowledge the soul of another person, and translated roughly means "I bow to you". I may have to use this with my kids at school..haha
Anyways - a few of us went next door t York to participate in yoga. It's a fun experience and the instructor is such a fun lady. It's not as difficult as the yoga my mom participates in, but it's still a nice way to stretch out my body and tone my muscles. Hopefully, if I stick to it, I will lengthen and tone my entire body. At the end of the session we always lay still and take deep breathes in and out. This is such a relaxing exercise, but sometimes doing it around middle schoolers can be humorous. Yesterday, a kid walked out to go to the bus and said, "Yeah, I know, I thought they were all dead, or asleep, or something". I couldn't contain myself, I started laughing. Kids really do say the silliest things sometimes.
Today I'm going to complete my 4 mile run. I haven't run in about a week and the weather outside is so beautiful right now! I plan on going home and running in the neighborhood. I have a perfect 4.3 course laid out there, so I may just cut off the last few minutes and walk them home. I am an avid Ipod runner, so I hope they are allowed on my half and full marathon. To me, there is nothing like turning on my running mix and just running. I love music and don't get to listen to it often, so running gives me the perfect time to sing and enjoy music. I'll let you know my pace later tonight.
On a personal note, I signed up for my principal test!! I'll be taking it on November 22 at noon. Prayers needed and appreciated!!! I'm super nervous but know my school has prepared me well. We'll see how it goes in a few weeks!
Liz
Anyways - a few of us went next door t York to participate in yoga. It's a fun experience and the instructor is such a fun lady. It's not as difficult as the yoga my mom participates in, but it's still a nice way to stretch out my body and tone my muscles. Hopefully, if I stick to it, I will lengthen and tone my entire body. At the end of the session we always lay still and take deep breathes in and out. This is such a relaxing exercise, but sometimes doing it around middle schoolers can be humorous. Yesterday, a kid walked out to go to the bus and said, "Yeah, I know, I thought they were all dead, or asleep, or something". I couldn't contain myself, I started laughing. Kids really do say the silliest things sometimes.
Today I'm going to complete my 4 mile run. I haven't run in about a week and the weather outside is so beautiful right now! I plan on going home and running in the neighborhood. I have a perfect 4.3 course laid out there, so I may just cut off the last few minutes and walk them home. I am an avid Ipod runner, so I hope they are allowed on my half and full marathon. To me, there is nothing like turning on my running mix and just running. I love music and don't get to listen to it often, so running gives me the perfect time to sing and enjoy music. I'll let you know my pace later tonight.
On a personal note, I signed up for my principal test!! I'll be taking it on November 22 at noon. Prayers needed and appreciated!!! I'm super nervous but know my school has prepared me well. We'll see how it goes in a few weeks!
Liz
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Insanity!!
I decided to take part in Insanity today after school, and because I haven't done it in about 2 weeks, it was a butt kicker!! We did the Max Cardio Conditioning workout and I thought my legs were about to fall off! Today, some of the girls and I are heading next door to do Yoga at York. The weather has changed in the last day, so it should make for a beautiful workout, not to mention a nice stretch after yesterday's workout. I figure I will run 4 miles tomorrow instead of today, so I can participate in the yoga class. I don't think running 4 tomorrow will mess up my 7 on Saturday. Luckily, I pretty much have established 4 miles as my 'easy' run.
If none of you have ever tried Insanity and want to lose weight and inches, I highly recommend it! After having Kelsey, I definitely had to take control of my eating and workouts to shed the extra baby pounds. I remember I was 160 pounds when I became pregnant with her, and today I'm at 144 (I'm a compulsive weigher - not a good habit). I honestly haven't been at this weight or in these sizes since like my junior year of HS. Yeah, definitely a good feeling!! I want to keep working at it too so I don't have to go through the weight loss struggle again. Insanity is one way to get your booty in shape. Shawn T (with the help of his love Tanya, haha) designed workouts that get your heart rate going while toning all your core muscles. Seriously, my abs and quads are starting to look better than I ever thought they could. Who says you have to have a 'mom stomach' after having a kid! I always tell John my motivation comes because I want to be a MILF! haha...yes, I am that lame! But in all seriousness, the workouts tone your core muscles which in return helps you slim down. P90X was too much muscle building for me. I want to get smaller and firmer, not big and bulky. So once again, if you haven't tried it out yet, DO IT!! You have to make the decision to better your life, no one else can make that decision for you! Also - never underestimate the power of starting! In this book entitled, "The Secrets of Solomon" that statement was made, and it is one that has stuck with me since I read it. If you mess up one day, so what!! Don't make the "Oh, I'll start again at the beginning of the week since I messed up", instead, start the next day! Not only will you feel good about yourself, you will get your life back on track and fulfill those goals you have for yourself. My short term goal is to finish the half in December. My long term goal is the full marathon in March. Any Allen friends up for joining me in the first annual Collin County Marathon?? You run through Allen, Plano and Frisco. The thought of running through those 3 cities kinda freaks me out because I know it takes about 45 minutes in the car to get from Collin Creek Mall to the Frisco Mall. Crazy that I hope to one day run that distance! It's March 6, 2011. One week before John and I head to NYC for Spring Break!
Well, maybe I've motivated some of you to begin your workout journey and others, I may have just bored to death with my words, but whatever your thoughts are after reading this, just realize you are in control of your life!!
Liz
If none of you have ever tried Insanity and want to lose weight and inches, I highly recommend it! After having Kelsey, I definitely had to take control of my eating and workouts to shed the extra baby pounds. I remember I was 160 pounds when I became pregnant with her, and today I'm at 144 (I'm a compulsive weigher - not a good habit). I honestly haven't been at this weight or in these sizes since like my junior year of HS. Yeah, definitely a good feeling!! I want to keep working at it too so I don't have to go through the weight loss struggle again. Insanity is one way to get your booty in shape. Shawn T (with the help of his love Tanya, haha) designed workouts that get your heart rate going while toning all your core muscles. Seriously, my abs and quads are starting to look better than I ever thought they could. Who says you have to have a 'mom stomach' after having a kid! I always tell John my motivation comes because I want to be a MILF! haha...yes, I am that lame! But in all seriousness, the workouts tone your core muscles which in return helps you slim down. P90X was too much muscle building for me. I want to get smaller and firmer, not big and bulky. So once again, if you haven't tried it out yet, DO IT!! You have to make the decision to better your life, no one else can make that decision for you! Also - never underestimate the power of starting! In this book entitled, "The Secrets of Solomon" that statement was made, and it is one that has stuck with me since I read it. If you mess up one day, so what!! Don't make the "Oh, I'll start again at the beginning of the week since I messed up", instead, start the next day! Not only will you feel good about yourself, you will get your life back on track and fulfill those goals you have for yourself. My short term goal is to finish the half in December. My long term goal is the full marathon in March. Any Allen friends up for joining me in the first annual Collin County Marathon?? You run through Allen, Plano and Frisco. The thought of running through those 3 cities kinda freaks me out because I know it takes about 45 minutes in the car to get from Collin Creek Mall to the Frisco Mall. Crazy that I hope to one day run that distance! It's March 6, 2011. One week before John and I head to NYC for Spring Break!
Well, maybe I've motivated some of you to begin your workout journey and others, I may have just bored to death with my words, but whatever your thoughts are after reading this, just realize you are in control of your life!!
Liz
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Let the Journey Begin...
I've always enjoying blogging, and journaling for that matter, but have found myself overwhelmed by my job, family, and life! Don't get me wrong, I love everything I have going on right now, but sometimes 24 hours just isn't enough. If you know me, then you know I want to run a marathon sooo badly. I tell people it's on my 'bucket list' before I get pregnant again. John and I are hoping to get pregnant next summer (2011), so completing these 26.2 miles is a must in the next few months.
The longest run I've completed so far is 10 miles. I've read a lot about running and people say it is a milestone...the first double digit run. I felt good and enjoyed the race, and after party, quite a bit. I'm signing up for the White Rock Half-Marathon on December 5th and need to get my training schedule going again. After doing 10 miles, I definitely believe I can do 13.1 with no problem. In fact, I'm super excited about it!
I am starting this blog to write about my days and more importantly, hold myself accountable for my actions! :) You see, it is very easy for me to get home, lay on the couch with Kelsey, and waste the night away. Likewise, with the ever tempting McDonald's up the street (ugh..I don't understand my obsession), breakfast can easily be obtained for $2.13. Pathetic...I know. I have started my food journal up, which definitely helps me keep my diet on track. It's amazing how guilty you feel writing down "pack of M&M's" or "sausage mcmuffin". If you want to lose weight and don't have one of these, I HIGHLY recommend it. In addition to the food accountability, I have to stay dedicated to my training guide. I want to keep track of my mileage and pace, along with how I felt during the run. The weather is about to cool down so I can finally begin enjoying my afternoon runs! Tomorrow - I have to run 4 miles, which thankfully is no big deal. My long run this Saturday is 7 miles and honestly I haven't run more than 4.5 since the 10 for Texas. I think I can do it, I just need to take it slowly...
So here we go, Day 1 begins. I'm actually participating in Insanity after school to build up some muscle mass. I love my school, I love my co-workers, and I am so blessed to be in a place where personal health is talked about and encouraged. Wish me luck and enjoy the ride!
Liz
The longest run I've completed so far is 10 miles. I've read a lot about running and people say it is a milestone...the first double digit run. I felt good and enjoyed the race, and after party, quite a bit. I'm signing up for the White Rock Half-Marathon on December 5th and need to get my training schedule going again. After doing 10 miles, I definitely believe I can do 13.1 with no problem. In fact, I'm super excited about it!
I am starting this blog to write about my days and more importantly, hold myself accountable for my actions! :) You see, it is very easy for me to get home, lay on the couch with Kelsey, and waste the night away. Likewise, with the ever tempting McDonald's up the street (ugh..I don't understand my obsession), breakfast can easily be obtained for $2.13. Pathetic...I know. I have started my food journal up, which definitely helps me keep my diet on track. It's amazing how guilty you feel writing down "pack of M&M's" or "sausage mcmuffin". If you want to lose weight and don't have one of these, I HIGHLY recommend it. In addition to the food accountability, I have to stay dedicated to my training guide. I want to keep track of my mileage and pace, along with how I felt during the run. The weather is about to cool down so I can finally begin enjoying my afternoon runs! Tomorrow - I have to run 4 miles, which thankfully is no big deal. My long run this Saturday is 7 miles and honestly I haven't run more than 4.5 since the 10 for Texas. I think I can do it, I just need to take it slowly...
So here we go, Day 1 begins. I'm actually participating in Insanity after school to build up some muscle mass. I love my school, I love my co-workers, and I am so blessed to be in a place where personal health is talked about and encouraged. Wish me luck and enjoy the ride!
Liz
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