Found this really interesting... http://www.trickhouse.org/vol6/visualartist/markmenjivar.html.
This will be a quick post as it's almost 11pm and I'm exhausted (been up since 6am going non-stop).
Got up today and met with my group (instructor returned late last night from NZ so we told him not to come to class). Ran 2 miles - a 5-4-3-2-1 loop with 2 laps to start. I did pretty good - not as good as usual at the end but I made it and that's what matters.
Surprisingly got a lot of walking in today - over 17,000 steps! Joey and I walked about a mile after work to get some quick exercise so that and the run only makes about 3 miles or so - the rest was just running around today like a chicken with my head cut off.
Hopefully tomorrow will be less stressful (I doubt it though!). Busy time of year.
Still hoping to run the 5k on the 10th. I am going to register for the 5k on the 30th this week so I can def get my t-shirt and stuff before the race. Pretty excited! And I've noticed it's about that time to get new shoes so I'm hoping they'll hold out until July and then I'll get a new set.
I'm also going to treat myself to something new - a headband for when I run. We'll see. I've been reading a lot about them on the blogs I read and I know the local places sell them so I figure I'll try it out. :)
And finally (told you, it's a quicky!) I found the best organic bar ever!!!! I already loved Cliff bars but Cliff Mojo's... amazing! And they are big bars with not a lot of calories and they totally fill you up! And the Cliff mini's - perfect size to stick in my purse for those shopping days that last forever (like last weekend ha ha!).
Will try to update more tomorrow - hoping to get up at 7am and get a run in since my night is already booked. Pray there's no rain for us - we're hoping to have a pie event to raise money for Relay for Life.
I've been thinking I'd like to see your eyes open real wide the minute that you see me
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Today was absolutely gorgeous! The weather was beautiful - in the high 70's and a very light wind. I really wanted to run outside but I hate running alone outside so I went to the gym instead.
I've realized I'm getting back into my bad pattern of running vs. the gym. The past few days I've hit the gym I've only run or gone to Zumba class. I haven't really touched the machines. I need to really teach myself how to do both. Maybe some day.
Today I ran 5laps-3laps-2laps which was less than I wanted. I walked 2 laps and did 2 warm up laps as well so I got just over 1.5miles. I think I am going to start forcing myself to add a lap each week so it becomes 5-4-3-2-1 and then adding to that each time. I need to start working myself up and not giving up so easily.
And since Jessica punked on me so far, I guess I won't be having a running partner like I thought. She thinks she's going to "hold me back" but she won't. I just hate running alone. :/
I also downloaded some new music so I'm excited to test it with my pace and see if it helps. I think if the weather holds up this weekend I may try running 2.5 miles (the roads are 1 mile between one another from campus). We'll see how well I do and how many times I have to stop. But I need to get back to where I was before break since I have a race on the 10th!
And I'm thinking of joining Weight Watchers to help with the weight I'm not losing. My bestest joined a while back and has already lost like 30lbs so if it's working for her, I figure it's worth a shot. And I have a little extra cash this month so why not - an Easter present to myself!
I've realized I'm getting back into my bad pattern of running vs. the gym. The past few days I've hit the gym I've only run or gone to Zumba class. I haven't really touched the machines. I need to really teach myself how to do both. Maybe some day.
Today I ran 5laps-3laps-2laps which was less than I wanted. I walked 2 laps and did 2 warm up laps as well so I got just over 1.5miles. I think I am going to start forcing myself to add a lap each week so it becomes 5-4-3-2-1 and then adding to that each time. I need to start working myself up and not giving up so easily.
And since Jessica punked on me so far, I guess I won't be having a running partner like I thought. She thinks she's going to "hold me back" but she won't. I just hate running alone. :/
I also downloaded some new music so I'm excited to test it with my pace and see if it helps. I think if the weather holds up this weekend I may try running 2.5 miles (the roads are 1 mile between one another from campus). We'll see how well I do and how many times I have to stop. But I need to get back to where I was before break since I have a race on the 10th!
And I'm thinking of joining Weight Watchers to help with the weight I'm not losing. My bestest joined a while back and has already lost like 30lbs so if it's working for her, I figure it's worth a shot. And I have a little extra cash this month so why not - an Easter present to myself!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Broke 100 visits!!
So a big thank you to the mystery people who read my blog! I appreciate it. I checked tonight before I wrote this and I'm up to 105 visits. I'm sure Jessica is probably at least 60+ of those visits, but if anyone else is reading, please feel free to comment (I've figured out how to make them work finally!).
Sorry I haven't updated before now - it's been a busy weekend. I'm happily relaxing on my couch and watching "Destination Truth" on my dvr - I love this show (but not as much as Ghost Hunters!).
Anyway, this blog is about my workouts and eating, not about my crazy tv show obsessions. :) I felt much better on Friday when I woke up. I didn't really sleep well again Wed night or Thurs. night. But I jumped out of bed on Friday. Why? Because as Caitlin reminded me on my message board on my office door - it's ZUMBA FRIDAY!!
After not having Zumba for 3 weeks, I was very impressed with myself that I managed to remember most of the moves. :D Yay me! I was also very impressed when my pedometer told me that we'd "walked/taken" almost 4 miles of steps in class! And it really was nice to do ab work again. I really need to get better about doing ab work outside of Zumba class.
I was going to hit the gym this morning but... I was out very late last night and just couldn't crawl out of bed before 11.30am. Joey called me and we decided to get our gym workout... at the mall instead. Def. a good decision. I hit up a cute little store and got some presents for my bestest for her birthday in August. I also got myself an adorable jean skirt from Old Navy that looks really, really good on me (and if you know me, you know I'm not that conceited). I'm super excited to wear it to work. :)
I also bought myself a new bra and some cute shirts. Finally, after our over 2 miles of walking, we treated ourselves at the local nail place in the mall. I got my first pedi of the spring with a french mani and Joey got tips put on with really cute black tips and white lines (for her big date tonight).
My tax refund dropped yesterday (earlier than expected but very much appreciated) so I spent some of it on getting groceries early this month. I usually go to Target but tonight I went to Walmart. Surprisingly I spent more at Wal-mart tonight than I usually spend at Target (and got less than I usually get) so that was depressing. For the first time in a LONG time (which is sad) I really looked at what I needed and made a list so I wasn't doubling up on things I didn't need (again - sad but usually happens) and set to work. I have a good amount of meat in the freezer and am planning on making some chicken pot pie in my crock pot (didn't get to it last week) and maybe some turkey wraps as well. I need to sit down and figure out what nights I'm going to make dinner at home and what nights I am going to eat at the caf to save money. I also haven't had spaghetti in a while - might make that soon.
And for Easter - those staff who are staying behind (like me) are going to have a pot-luck dinner which I love. I don't know what I am going to make yet - depends on what people are hungry for.
But, so far the weekend has been very nice and relaxing. Looking forward to Zumba tomorrow (another big yay!) and depending on how the day is (if it rains or not or is super windy like today or not) I may go for a nice bike ride since I haven't done that in a long time. We'll see.
Enjoy your weekend!!
Sorry I haven't updated before now - it's been a busy weekend. I'm happily relaxing on my couch and watching "Destination Truth" on my dvr - I love this show (but not as much as Ghost Hunters!).
Anyway, this blog is about my workouts and eating, not about my crazy tv show obsessions. :) I felt much better on Friday when I woke up. I didn't really sleep well again Wed night or Thurs. night. But I jumped out of bed on Friday. Why? Because as Caitlin reminded me on my message board on my office door - it's ZUMBA FRIDAY!!
After not having Zumba for 3 weeks, I was very impressed with myself that I managed to remember most of the moves. :D Yay me! I was also very impressed when my pedometer told me that we'd "walked/taken" almost 4 miles of steps in class! And it really was nice to do ab work again. I really need to get better about doing ab work outside of Zumba class.
I was going to hit the gym this morning but... I was out very late last night and just couldn't crawl out of bed before 11.30am. Joey called me and we decided to get our gym workout... at the mall instead. Def. a good decision. I hit up a cute little store and got some presents for my bestest for her birthday in August. I also got myself an adorable jean skirt from Old Navy that looks really, really good on me (and if you know me, you know I'm not that conceited). I'm super excited to wear it to work. :)
I also bought myself a new bra and some cute shirts. Finally, after our over 2 miles of walking, we treated ourselves at the local nail place in the mall. I got my first pedi of the spring with a french mani and Joey got tips put on with really cute black tips and white lines (for her big date tonight).
My tax refund dropped yesterday (earlier than expected but very much appreciated) so I spent some of it on getting groceries early this month. I usually go to Target but tonight I went to Walmart. Surprisingly I spent more at Wal-mart tonight than I usually spend at Target (and got less than I usually get) so that was depressing. For the first time in a LONG time (which is sad) I really looked at what I needed and made a list so I wasn't doubling up on things I didn't need (again - sad but usually happens) and set to work. I have a good amount of meat in the freezer and am planning on making some chicken pot pie in my crock pot (didn't get to it last week) and maybe some turkey wraps as well. I need to sit down and figure out what nights I'm going to make dinner at home and what nights I am going to eat at the caf to save money. I also haven't had spaghetti in a while - might make that soon.
And for Easter - those staff who are staying behind (like me) are going to have a pot-luck dinner which I love. I don't know what I am going to make yet - depends on what people are hungry for.
But, so far the weekend has been very nice and relaxing. Looking forward to Zumba tomorrow (another big yay!) and depending on how the day is (if it rains or not or is super windy like today or not) I may go for a nice bike ride since I haven't done that in a long time. We'll see.
Enjoy your weekend!!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
I am in PAIN today. My calves are on fire. I hate this feeling.
I had a meeting at 8am today so I ran to it (in the rain no less) because I wanted to get it over with and I didn't want to walk in the rain that early in the morning (esp. after not sleeping all night).
I asked Jessica (my only reader who comments) to go for a 2 mile walk with me after work. We ran a tiny bit up a slight incline and it about kicked my butt. And it started the fire in my legs. I know it's a good fire because it means my calves are getting back to where they used to be. I just need the pain to stop soon because I want to get back into the gym and tomorrow I have my first Zumba class in probably close to 3 weeks so it's gonna be really hard. I've pretty much forgotten all the moves so it will be like the first class all over again.
But, that makes it worth it - it means it'll kick me back into shape again and get me back where I want to be.
Wish me luck! ha ha
I had a meeting at 8am today so I ran to it (in the rain no less) because I wanted to get it over with and I didn't want to walk in the rain that early in the morning (esp. after not sleeping all night).
I asked Jessica (my only reader who comments) to go for a 2 mile walk with me after work. We ran a tiny bit up a slight incline and it about kicked my butt. And it started the fire in my legs. I know it's a good fire because it means my calves are getting back to where they used to be. I just need the pain to stop soon because I want to get back into the gym and tomorrow I have my first Zumba class in probably close to 3 weeks so it's gonna be really hard. I've pretty much forgotten all the moves so it will be like the first class all over again.
But, that makes it worth it - it means it'll kick me back into shape again and get me back where I want to be.
Wish me luck! ha ha
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Back to the Grind. :)
This mornings workout nearly kicked my butt... in such a good way. Our instructor had warned us that his fiancee would work us hard but I figured she'd make us run like 4 or 5 miles rather than 3. Oh no - she made us do core and strength training in between runs!
But, in all honesty, it felt really good. I was really proud of myself - I managed to do everything (push-ups, crunches, mtn runner and bicycle) and then jump up and run to the next set. After we did all that we ended up running a little over a mile. I think all in all we went around the track over 2 miles but ran about 1 1/2 miles. I def. got my steps for the day in.
And it was such a good workout that for the first time ever, I went home, showered and then didn't crawl right into bed! I actually did my wii weight (Biggest Loser starts for everyone else today) and then started watching the new Food Revolution show.
I really think I'm going to enjoy this show. One of my staff was talking about it yesterday and I got excited but life happened last night and I didn't have a chance to watch any of it. I was able to get about 20min into it this morning and I'm excited. Watching what they are serving kids for breakfast - pizza? What the hell? I don't want my godchildren eating that crap, much less my children (when I finally have some!!). No wonder so much of America is overweight.
And the resistance to change... reminded me why I can't stand the North. I know living down South isn't perfect, but I can't imagine anyone would be half as rude as the radio dj in the first few minutes.
It's my hope that through watching the show I can also learn some healthier habits to add to my current eating style. We'll see.
Livestrong.com (the website I use to count my daily intake) wrote an interesting article on cereals. They were talking about the lies cereals post on their boxes to get people to buy them and how unhealthy they really are. I'm a cheerio's person. I used to eat a granola bar every morning until I looked at the amount of sugar each one had and I switched to Cheerio's. They didn't list Cheerio's on their list of what you should eat (but then again... Cheerio's may not be a supporter like Kashi is on their site).
Today I had a different breakfast which really filled me up - I ate one of those amazing Disney snack packs. They are expensive so I don't usually get them often, but for like $3 you get apple slices, cheese squares and mini pretzels (all of which I love) and it's 210 calories and around 21g sugar (mostly from the apples/cheese). They are so tasty and usually fill me up. I ate that at 7.45 am and am just now getting hungry for lunch. I love eating fruit to start off my morning - I think I need to go back to that. :)
Now off to lunch, teaching staff class and hoping that I don't get attacked by any Zombies (we're playing humans v. zombies on campus right now).
But, in all honesty, it felt really good. I was really proud of myself - I managed to do everything (push-ups, crunches, mtn runner and bicycle) and then jump up and run to the next set. After we did all that we ended up running a little over a mile. I think all in all we went around the track over 2 miles but ran about 1 1/2 miles. I def. got my steps for the day in.
And it was such a good workout that for the first time ever, I went home, showered and then didn't crawl right into bed! I actually did my wii weight (Biggest Loser starts for everyone else today) and then started watching the new Food Revolution show.
I really think I'm going to enjoy this show. One of my staff was talking about it yesterday and I got excited but life happened last night and I didn't have a chance to watch any of it. I was able to get about 20min into it this morning and I'm excited. Watching what they are serving kids for breakfast - pizza? What the hell? I don't want my godchildren eating that crap, much less my children (when I finally have some!!). No wonder so much of America is overweight.
And the resistance to change... reminded me why I can't stand the North. I know living down South isn't perfect, but I can't imagine anyone would be half as rude as the radio dj in the first few minutes.
It's my hope that through watching the show I can also learn some healthier habits to add to my current eating style. We'll see.
Livestrong.com (the website I use to count my daily intake) wrote an interesting article on cereals. They were talking about the lies cereals post on their boxes to get people to buy them and how unhealthy they really are. I'm a cheerio's person. I used to eat a granola bar every morning until I looked at the amount of sugar each one had and I switched to Cheerio's. They didn't list Cheerio's on their list of what you should eat (but then again... Cheerio's may not be a supporter like Kashi is on their site).
Today I had a different breakfast which really filled me up - I ate one of those amazing Disney snack packs. They are expensive so I don't usually get them often, but for like $3 you get apple slices, cheese squares and mini pretzels (all of which I love) and it's 210 calories and around 21g sugar (mostly from the apples/cheese). They are so tasty and usually fill me up. I ate that at 7.45 am and am just now getting hungry for lunch. I love eating fruit to start off my morning - I think I need to go back to that. :)
Now off to lunch, teaching staff class and hoping that I don't get attacked by any Zombies (we're playing humans v. zombies on campus right now).
Monday, March 22, 2010
So my back still hurts from that silly wii boxing on Sat night! WTF?
I walked with my boss after work which was nice because I got to talk to her about some stuff I'd been dealing with at work and get her perspective on it again (helps me sort things out). The plan was after we walked our 2 miles I was going to hit the gym. But we all know about plans...
My co-worker called me to meet for dinner (she just got back from a campus spring break trip so I think she wanted to treat herself - totally understandable!) so we met up at Target (she is redecorating her bedroom) and then went to McAlister's for dinner. I got a half-grilled chicken salad and a half-grilled chicken potato. Supposedly McAlister's is known for its grilled potatoes (they really take 2 and stick them together I've been told) but I have to admit - I was disappointed. It wasn't that good. The salad was good once you got past the chicken that literally looked like they pulled Purdue short-cuts out of the fridge, heated them up and popped them on my salad. Oh well...
Afterwards we went searching for a duvet for her new bedroom. We went to Wally World (none there) where I picked up some flowers for my office and some new head/hair bands. Now that I cut off a ton of my hair, I love these bands that wrap around your entire head. I used to see all my jocks wear them and tried myself but they never worked. Now, for some reason, they fit perfectly on my head and I hate working out without one on.
So after that trip we hit the mall and hit the major department stores. We walked (according to our pedometers) about 2plus miles so... we naturally treated ourselves! We stopped by Freckles and got "The Driller." Um... pretty much heaven.
The Biggest Loser starts again this week and I've decided I'm not doing it. I still plan to go to the gym and work out but I am not going to pay $20 when I know that I still won't get anywhere near where I need to be to win the jackpot. So, instead, I will weigh myself after my running class every Wed morning and log what my wii fit plus tells me I am and use that to gauge where I am in my weight loss. Right now I'm only 13lbs from my goal and I set my goal for June so I'm doing ok.
I'm hoping that once I start Zumba again this week, along with running class and hopefully this weekend Jessica (my one reader I am aware of ha ha) and I start running together so that will help me get back on track from spring break.
And I'm hoping to work with the freshman hall director and our gym director to start a fitness program for my hall and the freshmen hall that will get people into the gym and continue going to the gym. Big plans!!
I walked with my boss after work which was nice because I got to talk to her about some stuff I'd been dealing with at work and get her perspective on it again (helps me sort things out). The plan was after we walked our 2 miles I was going to hit the gym. But we all know about plans...
My co-worker called me to meet for dinner (she just got back from a campus spring break trip so I think she wanted to treat herself - totally understandable!) so we met up at Target (she is redecorating her bedroom) and then went to McAlister's for dinner. I got a half-grilled chicken salad and a half-grilled chicken potato. Supposedly McAlister's is known for its grilled potatoes (they really take 2 and stick them together I've been told) but I have to admit - I was disappointed. It wasn't that good. The salad was good once you got past the chicken that literally looked like they pulled Purdue short-cuts out of the fridge, heated them up and popped them on my salad. Oh well...
Afterwards we went searching for a duvet for her new bedroom. We went to Wally World (none there) where I picked up some flowers for my office and some new head/hair bands. Now that I cut off a ton of my hair, I love these bands that wrap around your entire head. I used to see all my jocks wear them and tried myself but they never worked. Now, for some reason, they fit perfectly on my head and I hate working out without one on.
So after that trip we hit the mall and hit the major department stores. We walked (according to our pedometers) about 2plus miles so... we naturally treated ourselves! We stopped by Freckles and got "The Driller." Um... pretty much heaven.
The Biggest Loser starts again this week and I've decided I'm not doing it. I still plan to go to the gym and work out but I am not going to pay $20 when I know that I still won't get anywhere near where I need to be to win the jackpot. So, instead, I will weigh myself after my running class every Wed morning and log what my wii fit plus tells me I am and use that to gauge where I am in my weight loss. Right now I'm only 13lbs from my goal and I set my goal for June so I'm doing ok.
I'm hoping that once I start Zumba again this week, along with running class and hopefully this weekend Jessica (my one reader I am aware of ha ha) and I start running together so that will help me get back on track from spring break.
And I'm hoping to work with the freshman hall director and our gym director to start a fitness program for my hall and the freshmen hall that will get people into the gym and continue going to the gym. Big plans!!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Celebrity Fit Club
So I have an admission... I am addicted to Celebrity Fit Club. I think I've only missed like 1 or 2 seasons. I don't know why I love it - especially since i hate Biggest Loser and other fat-based shows.
I think I like CFC because it makes me realize just how much of a focus we put (as evident in my blog) on numbers, weight and how we look.
The show always puts me in the mood to work out after I watch it (which is good) but it also makes me think.
For example, Shar is a contestant on this season. I am about 2 inches shorter than she is however our bodies are completely different. She weighs a good deal less than me but when I look at her on the show, she looks much heavier. I understand we are all differently shaped and all that but it still amazes me.
Just like when my co-workers tell me that I'm so thin - I haven't lost weight lately. I think my body is redistributing the weight with all my exercising and different workouts. I am fitting into almost all of my size 10's with little to no "mushroom" effect which makes me feel so much better.
However, like most women, I want to see the numbers go down. I am very number fixated, which I am aware is not always healthy. But, I am working hard on doing it the right away.
I do not expect it to happen overnight - last time I got down to 139lbs it took me almost 2 years but I am willing to make this life change because I am tired of bouncing up and down with my weight and having to buy new jeans/pants all the time.
I think I like CFC because it makes me realize just how much of a focus we put (as evident in my blog) on numbers, weight and how we look.
The show always puts me in the mood to work out after I watch it (which is good) but it also makes me think.
For example, Shar is a contestant on this season. I am about 2 inches shorter than she is however our bodies are completely different. She weighs a good deal less than me but when I look at her on the show, she looks much heavier. I understand we are all differently shaped and all that but it still amazes me.
Just like when my co-workers tell me that I'm so thin - I haven't lost weight lately. I think my body is redistributing the weight with all my exercising and different workouts. I am fitting into almost all of my size 10's with little to no "mushroom" effect which makes me feel so much better.
However, like most women, I want to see the numbers go down. I am very number fixated, which I am aware is not always healthy. But, I am working hard on doing it the right away.
I do not expect it to happen overnight - last time I got down to 139lbs it took me almost 2 years but I am willing to make this life change because I am tired of bouncing up and down with my weight and having to buy new jeans/pants all the time.
I am in sooo much pain today! It's unreal... and it's just from kicking Mark's butt on wii boxing and having him kick my butt on wii bowling.
My shoulders and my back are just throbbing - more so as the day goes on. But I didn't let it stop me today - still got the laundry done and did some grocery shopping.
Tonight I made sloppy joe's with turkey meat. It was ok - not as good as my old roommate used to make (I'll have to see what she used to add) but it was still yummy along with corn, green beans and a reese's dark chocolate after wards. I know I need to cut my sugar down but I am just so damn addicted to those new dark chocolate reese's cups! How can you just not enjoy them? And I keep telling myself that it's dark chocolate so it's gotta be healthy. Yes, I sometimes lie to myself to make it through. :)
My shoulders and my back are just throbbing - more so as the day goes on. But I didn't let it stop me today - still got the laundry done and did some grocery shopping.
Tonight I made sloppy joe's with turkey meat. It was ok - not as good as my old roommate used to make (I'll have to see what she used to add) but it was still yummy along with corn, green beans and a reese's dark chocolate after wards. I know I need to cut my sugar down but I am just so damn addicted to those new dark chocolate reese's cups! How can you just not enjoy them? And I keep telling myself that it's dark chocolate so it's gotta be healthy. Yes, I sometimes lie to myself to make it through. :)
Weekend madness
When it comes to exercise this weekend... it's been a bust.
We got snow... yes, 2 inches of snow. How that is possible, I don't know but I keep hearing "that's where we live!" I have snow with a passion - which is why I loved living in the mtns of NC so much - we'd get a light dusting and then it would be gone by the end of the day. They are still calling for 60's here next week so I hope it's gone quickly.
I'm looking forward to getting back on track this week. The gym will be open regular hours again, my classes will be up and running again and Jessica and I will start running! She's not very excited about it but I think with time, she'll see that she's a better runner than even she thinks she is. She's already up to a half a mile before she needs a break - that's a huge start! And I told her tonight I need her to run with me to keep me going because, as I've already discussed - I tend to give up too easily when I run alone so it'll be nice to have someone to motivate me to go farther as well (not faster).
I also learned that our 5k apparently is not as close as I thought! Mary told me it was actually on graduation day so that's gonna be interesting... I'll probably be running it myself as everyone else will be working graduation. We'll see...
and with the snow being so horrid I've been trapped in my apt. all weekend (except going to my boss's house tonight). I had my little pedometer on today and with cleaning the house and doing laundry, I apparently walked over 2 miles. Go me! ha ha
But, the bedroom is finally clean and tomorrow will be the kitchen and the bathroom thus completing my spring cleaning and purge! Pretty exciting! Ok... exciting for me! :)
We got snow... yes, 2 inches of snow. How that is possible, I don't know but I keep hearing "that's where we live!" I have snow with a passion - which is why I loved living in the mtns of NC so much - we'd get a light dusting and then it would be gone by the end of the day. They are still calling for 60's here next week so I hope it's gone quickly.
I'm looking forward to getting back on track this week. The gym will be open regular hours again, my classes will be up and running again and Jessica and I will start running! She's not very excited about it but I think with time, she'll see that she's a better runner than even she thinks she is. She's already up to a half a mile before she needs a break - that's a huge start! And I told her tonight I need her to run with me to keep me going because, as I've already discussed - I tend to give up too easily when I run alone so it'll be nice to have someone to motivate me to go farther as well (not faster).
I also learned that our 5k apparently is not as close as I thought! Mary told me it was actually on graduation day so that's gonna be interesting... I'll probably be running it myself as everyone else will be working graduation. We'll see...
and with the snow being so horrid I've been trapped in my apt. all weekend (except going to my boss's house tonight). I had my little pedometer on today and with cleaning the house and doing laundry, I apparently walked over 2 miles. Go me! ha ha
But, the bedroom is finally clean and tomorrow will be the kitchen and the bathroom thus completing my spring cleaning and purge! Pretty exciting! Ok... exciting for me! :)
Friday, March 19, 2010
So my friend MAS text messaged me today - she is down to under 140lbs! That has been our mutual goal since we met and started working out together in 2007! I am so proud of her for achieving her goal! Makes me want to work even harder now. :) It reminded me how great I felt about my body when I was down to 139lbs and how good my clothes fit. I have to admit I do miss my size 8's!!
Today was a good exercise day - made it to the gym for a 20 minute run. Did a little over a mile and walked a little bit as well then met up with my co-workers for lunch (another nice, long walk to get there). Lunch was ok - had a hot dog (not too bad actually), steak fries and green beans. I was hoping they'd have corn again today but no such luck. So... I got a small bowl of honey dew and cantaloupe mix - very yummy!
My boss and I walked again after work which was nice because I missed our one-on-one yesterday so I had a chance to ask her some questions about work and we chatted about some upcoming things going on in the office. Did our 2 miles in about 25 minutes (actually 30 but we ran into a friend of her's so I'm ignoring those lost 5 minutes! ha ha). I enjoy the walk because it's a chance to get outdoors for a short while (and today was gorgeous!!) and get some much-needed exercise.
The pedometer is interesting. I guess I never knew I walked so much in a day. I'm already over 15000 steps today which means about 7 1/2 miles. One of those miles was my run over lunch and 2 were from our afternoon walk so the rest is just regular walking I do. :) The 320,000 goal by May 5 should be NO problem! ha ha. It's already Friday and I have over 50,000 clocked!!
I have realized over my lunch break runs that I suck at running by myself. I give up way to easily. :/ I have learned to better pace myself but without someone to push me to run farther, I tend to do a little over a mile and then stop. I know I can go further but eh. I don't want to be like that - I want to run 3 miles and then stop. I am hoping that running with Jessica (hi Jessica! She's the only one I know who reads this!!) helps me. She says she's nervous to run with me but she'll be helping me as much as I help her go farther.
We'll see how this goes! :)
Today was a good exercise day - made it to the gym for a 20 minute run. Did a little over a mile and walked a little bit as well then met up with my co-workers for lunch (another nice, long walk to get there). Lunch was ok - had a hot dog (not too bad actually), steak fries and green beans. I was hoping they'd have corn again today but no such luck. So... I got a small bowl of honey dew and cantaloupe mix - very yummy!
My boss and I walked again after work which was nice because I missed our one-on-one yesterday so I had a chance to ask her some questions about work and we chatted about some upcoming things going on in the office. Did our 2 miles in about 25 minutes (actually 30 but we ran into a friend of her's so I'm ignoring those lost 5 minutes! ha ha). I enjoy the walk because it's a chance to get outdoors for a short while (and today was gorgeous!!) and get some much-needed exercise.
The pedometer is interesting. I guess I never knew I walked so much in a day. I'm already over 15000 steps today which means about 7 1/2 miles. One of those miles was my run over lunch and 2 were from our afternoon walk so the rest is just regular walking I do. :) The 320,000 goal by May 5 should be NO problem! ha ha. It's already Friday and I have over 50,000 clocked!!
I have realized over my lunch break runs that I suck at running by myself. I give up way to easily. :/ I have learned to better pace myself but without someone to push me to run farther, I tend to do a little over a mile and then stop. I know I can go further but eh. I don't want to be like that - I want to run 3 miles and then stop. I am hoping that running with Jessica (hi Jessica! She's the only one I know who reads this!!) helps me. She says she's nervous to run with me but she'll be helping me as much as I help her go farther.
We'll see how this goes! :)
Thursday, March 18, 2010
I was so proud of myself - I ran over lunch. I walked over to the gym and managed to get a little over a mile in. I ran into the director of the fitness center and she congratulated me on my score. We walked a few laps and talked about the race and how well everyone did. I told her about my goal to do the 5k to 10k class. She let me know that our instructor will probably continue teaching the running class this summer as well so I'll be good with my running. :)
I also got my pedometer today. :) Said I walked over 4.5 miles (not including what I ran). That's pretty good - more than I thought I did. I have to get at least 10 miles a week to get the total goal I set for myself. Def. possible! :D
I also got my pedometer today. :) Said I walked over 4.5 miles (not including what I ran). That's pretty good - more than I thought I did. I have to get at least 10 miles a week to get the total goal I set for myself. Def. possible! :D
So after a night of nightmares and not getting to sleep until 1am, I didn't get up to run this morning. Even after the bestest texted me (which woke me up) to wish me luck on my run.
However I am going to still hit the gym during lunch. :)
And I am super excited to announce that I am planning to join a running group this summer! I want to continue my training and my running class will be ending soon so I don't want to lose how far I've come. It's a class that is supposed to get me from a 5k to a 10k in 12 weeks. Kinda nervous but then again... I have been in my class since the end of Jan and just ran my best 5k time so it just might work (we trained for 7 weeks). :) How exciting would that be?
The class, as far as I understand it, is free and they'll have different levels of runners so I'll be in the slower group but that's fine with me. I'm still pretty excited to at least try. :)
http://www.fleetfeettulsa.com/training
However I am going to still hit the gym during lunch. :)
And I am super excited to announce that I am planning to join a running group this summer! I want to continue my training and my running class will be ending soon so I don't want to lose how far I've come. It's a class that is supposed to get me from a 5k to a 10k in 12 weeks. Kinda nervous but then again... I have been in my class since the end of Jan and just ran my best 5k time so it just might work (we trained for 7 weeks). :) How exciting would that be?
The class, as far as I understand it, is free and they'll have different levels of runners so I'll be in the slower group but that's fine with me. I'm still pretty excited to at least try. :)
http://www.fleetfeettulsa.com/training
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Waste of a Day!
So today was a waste pertaining to exercise. :(
The weather was so crappy and cold I had no desire to go outside and walk and when my boss canceled this afternoon I was totally ok with it. I had planned to go to the gym after work but after freezing in my office all day I wanted to warm up a little bit before heading out again.
Bad idea... I fell asleep. It was only a 30min nap but it left me all groggy and out of sorts. Oh well.
The goal (ha ha as of right now) is I have the alarm set for 7am. Get up, throw on the running gear and go for a morning run and then hit the gym over lunch break (it's open 6am-2pm tomorrow). If the weather holds up, I want to run every day the rest of the week up until Monday. I already have most of my miles in for walking but figure overkill on the first week can only help me in the end. I'm going to head over to the office running it tomorrow and see if they got the pedometers in yet. I also want to research their top prize and see if it's worth it (it's a pedometer I believe). If it's not what I want (bc I am that picky) I'll prob give it to someone else and buy myself one that has all the features I want. We'll see...
The weather was so crappy and cold I had no desire to go outside and walk and when my boss canceled this afternoon I was totally ok with it. I had planned to go to the gym after work but after freezing in my office all day I wanted to warm up a little bit before heading out again.
Bad idea... I fell asleep. It was only a 30min nap but it left me all groggy and out of sorts. Oh well.
The goal (ha ha as of right now) is I have the alarm set for 7am. Get up, throw on the running gear and go for a morning run and then hit the gym over lunch break (it's open 6am-2pm tomorrow). If the weather holds up, I want to run every day the rest of the week up until Monday. I already have most of my miles in for walking but figure overkill on the first week can only help me in the end. I'm going to head over to the office running it tomorrow and see if they got the pedometers in yet. I also want to research their top prize and see if it's worth it (it's a pedometer I believe). If it's not what I want (bc I am that picky) I'll prob give it to someone else and buy myself one that has all the features I want. We'll see...
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Whole Foods
So the check out guy at Whole Foods sassed me today.
My boss and I went on another walk today after work so that was 2 miles of walking on top of the additional 1 mile I put in walking to the student center and back for lunch and other places on campus. :) Yay for getting that ultra prize in this contest!!
I was really craving a turkey burger tonight but decided against it as I had a regular hamburger (and green beans and corn!! yum!) for lunch. So, I decided to go to my favorite store - Whole Foods - and pick up some lunch and dinner for the rest of the week.
Whole Foods is slightly more expensive but I do most of my shopping for the month at Target so I figure when you balance out my savings at Target with my spending at Whole Foods, it pretty much equals out to what I'd spend at the regular grocery store (which I'm not a fan of - I hate the layout).
Anyway, so I go inside with the intent of grabbing something quick for dinner and some of the yummy chocolate milk for after my runs (actually good for you!). As I walk past the deli-ish counter I notice some seared chicken that looks really yummy so I get one for later this week (thinking I could heat it up and eat with some rice - yum!). Also grabbed some chicken salad for later - on a bed of lettuce - can't go wrong! And then I passed the sushi counter... and had to grab a cucumber roll for tomorrow's lunch. :)
Kept walking and also grabbed a chuck roast for the crock pot this weekend (on a very good sale). I also went to the veggie (as in vegetarian) section. My bestest has been a veggie for a few years now and has been encouraging me to open myself up to non-meat things like veggie burgers, etc. I noticed these boxes and they had non-meat type items that are supposed to taste (and kinda look) like meat. They are "land-based protein). This always makes me laugh because if you are veggie you aren't supposed to want/desire meat so why would you eat fake meat? But whatever.
Since she is planning on visiting me sometime this summer, I've been slowly stocking up on veggie items to have for her and some to try myself along the way. I grabbed the box and continued shopping without any thought.
I get to the register and ask the guy if I can buy one of their 99cent bags as I've forgotten mine since I was exercising. He grabs me one and then starts checking my items out. He picks up the veggie box and says "you know this isn't meat, right?" I say "yes, I know. My best friend is veggie and I wanted to try it to see if I could eat it when she visits". He says "I just wanted to make sure since you had that honkin' (yes, he said honkin') slap of meat in with your stuff (with a look of grossed outness).
I just shook my head. Way to think I'm stupid. I am sure he was being nice but his face was SOOO the face of a judger (I should know... I'm a judger ha ha!). But whatever.
I was super excited about running class tomorrow morning until a co-worker messaged me on facebook to let me know that the gym didn't open until 11am tomorrow which means... no class. :( That really sucks since I'm getting a root canal at 10am so I doubt I'll be wanting to run that night. I'll def walk though because I'll need the exercise and to get my miles in since I won't have the gym really. If I'm feeling well I may hit the gym for 30min and do some weights. We'll see. It's supposed to be open until 7pm.
I can't wait for the students to return if only for the gym to be open regular hours!!! :)
My boss and I went on another walk today after work so that was 2 miles of walking on top of the additional 1 mile I put in walking to the student center and back for lunch and other places on campus. :) Yay for getting that ultra prize in this contest!!
I was really craving a turkey burger tonight but decided against it as I had a regular hamburger (and green beans and corn!! yum!) for lunch. So, I decided to go to my favorite store - Whole Foods - and pick up some lunch and dinner for the rest of the week.
Whole Foods is slightly more expensive but I do most of my shopping for the month at Target so I figure when you balance out my savings at Target with my spending at Whole Foods, it pretty much equals out to what I'd spend at the regular grocery store (which I'm not a fan of - I hate the layout).
Anyway, so I go inside with the intent of grabbing something quick for dinner and some of the yummy chocolate milk for after my runs (actually good for you!). As I walk past the deli-ish counter I notice some seared chicken that looks really yummy so I get one for later this week (thinking I could heat it up and eat with some rice - yum!). Also grabbed some chicken salad for later - on a bed of lettuce - can't go wrong! And then I passed the sushi counter... and had to grab a cucumber roll for tomorrow's lunch. :)
Kept walking and also grabbed a chuck roast for the crock pot this weekend (on a very good sale). I also went to the veggie (as in vegetarian) section. My bestest has been a veggie for a few years now and has been encouraging me to open myself up to non-meat things like veggie burgers, etc. I noticed these boxes and they had non-meat type items that are supposed to taste (and kinda look) like meat. They are "land-based protein). This always makes me laugh because if you are veggie you aren't supposed to want/desire meat so why would you eat fake meat? But whatever.
Since she is planning on visiting me sometime this summer, I've been slowly stocking up on veggie items to have for her and some to try myself along the way. I grabbed the box and continued shopping without any thought.
I get to the register and ask the guy if I can buy one of their 99cent bags as I've forgotten mine since I was exercising. He grabs me one and then starts checking my items out. He picks up the veggie box and says "you know this isn't meat, right?" I say "yes, I know. My best friend is veggie and I wanted to try it to see if I could eat it when she visits". He says "I just wanted to make sure since you had that honkin' (yes, he said honkin') slap of meat in with your stuff (with a look of grossed outness).
I just shook my head. Way to think I'm stupid. I am sure he was being nice but his face was SOOO the face of a judger (I should know... I'm a judger ha ha!). But whatever.
I was super excited about running class tomorrow morning until a co-worker messaged me on facebook to let me know that the gym didn't open until 11am tomorrow which means... no class. :( That really sucks since I'm getting a root canal at 10am so I doubt I'll be wanting to run that night. I'll def walk though because I'll need the exercise and to get my miles in since I won't have the gym really. If I'm feeling well I may hit the gym for 30min and do some weights. We'll see. It's supposed to be open until 7pm.
I can't wait for the students to return if only for the gym to be open regular hours!!! :)
Monday, March 15, 2010
New Route
The gym is only open this week on weird hours due to Spring Break. Always makes me sad. I joined the campus fit program and today was supposed to be the big "opening" at the basketball court concourse. I walked all the way out there over my lunch break to spend my lunch break walking but no one was there and the 2 people I spoke to had no clue what I was talking about. But, I learned from my boss today that 187 people signed up which explains why they ran out of pedometers (I should get mine on Friday). But either way, I walked about a mile to get there and back so that helped a little bit.
My boss asked me to run with her after work. I'm always nervous about running with others since some people go slower (which I prefer) and others go fast (which can be good but I feel bad slowing others down). Anyway, I was just happy to have someone to exercise with for the day since my morning plans were shot.
When we met up she realized she'd forgotten her sports bra so we walked instead. I was actually really glad we walked since I learned a new 2mile route around campus - it goes just beyond the 1 1/2 mile route I've been currently running. I told her I'd be down for walking/running all week so we'll see if she's up for it.
I'm also thinking of hitting the gym during my lunch breaks this week since the gym will be open. If I can at least get 30min in I'd feel good. I'm still waiting to hear if I have class on Wed. I think either way I'm going to get up and if I don't have class I'll just run by myself anyway.
I was telling my boss on our walk today that I think I am going to join the local running store's running club. It's like $25 for a year and you get little discounts on the 5k's they have. I think once I get going I'm going to shoot for a 5k every 2-3 months. That way I have something to look towards each time and continue to build myself up. Who knows... maybe after a year or so I'll even attempt a 10k. :)
The fit program goal I set for myself is walking about 4-5 miles a day so I figure between running 1-2miles each night and working out and walking campus I shouldn't have any problems. If I can make my goal, I am going to reward myself by buying the Garmin I want that tracks your mileage, calories burned, calories taken in and heart rate. It looks really awesome.
My boss asked me to run with her after work. I'm always nervous about running with others since some people go slower (which I prefer) and others go fast (which can be good but I feel bad slowing others down). Anyway, I was just happy to have someone to exercise with for the day since my morning plans were shot.
When we met up she realized she'd forgotten her sports bra so we walked instead. I was actually really glad we walked since I learned a new 2mile route around campus - it goes just beyond the 1 1/2 mile route I've been currently running. I told her I'd be down for walking/running all week so we'll see if she's up for it.
I'm also thinking of hitting the gym during my lunch breaks this week since the gym will be open. If I can at least get 30min in I'd feel good. I'm still waiting to hear if I have class on Wed. I think either way I'm going to get up and if I don't have class I'll just run by myself anyway.
I was telling my boss on our walk today that I think I am going to join the local running store's running club. It's like $25 for a year and you get little discounts on the 5k's they have. I think once I get going I'm going to shoot for a 5k every 2-3 months. That way I have something to look towards each time and continue to build myself up. Who knows... maybe after a year or so I'll even attempt a 10k. :)
The fit program goal I set for myself is walking about 4-5 miles a day so I figure between running 1-2miles each night and working out and walking campus I shouldn't have any problems. If I can make my goal, I am going to reward myself by buying the Garmin I want that tracks your mileage, calories burned, calories taken in and heart rate. It looks really awesome.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
My Running Mix
Someone asked me a while ago what I listen to when I run to get me through so I figured I'd post my 5k list that I used today. This one worked really well as I'm still running and then taking small breaks between 1/2 miles. So, here goes...
Shake It - Metro Station - 3min
Carry Out - Timberland - 3.52min
Fuego - Pitbull - 3.49min
Dangerous - Akon - 4.14min
With You - Chris Brown - 4.14min
Tik Tok - Ke$ha - 3.20min
Ring the Alarm - Beyonce - 3.23min (power song)
Beautiful - Akon - 5.14min
3 - Britney Spears - 3.33min
Survivor - Destiny's Child - 4.03min
Poker Face - Lady Gaga - 3.57min
Total time on this list is just over 42 minutes. My instructor prefers we break after every 2 minutes but I try to go about 3 min just to keep pushing myself.
Thought this might help those who are looking for new songs to run to. :)
Shake It - Metro Station - 3min
Carry Out - Timberland - 3.52min
Fuego - Pitbull - 3.49min
Dangerous - Akon - 4.14min
With You - Chris Brown - 4.14min
Tik Tok - Ke$ha - 3.20min
Ring the Alarm - Beyonce - 3.23min (power song)
Beautiful - Akon - 5.14min
3 - Britney Spears - 3.33min
Survivor - Destiny's Child - 4.03min
Poker Face - Lady Gaga - 3.57min
Total time on this list is just over 42 minutes. My instructor prefers we break after every 2 minutes but I try to go about 3 min just to keep pushing myself.
Thought this might help those who are looking for new songs to run to. :)
St. Patty's 5k for Special Olympics
So as many of my friends know, every time I run a 5k I try to skim around 5min off my time previously. My first 5k time is on the internet as a constant reminder of how far I've come. I was 24 and my time was 41:14. I'd been running a little bit with the woman I was a nanny for at nights - we jogged more than ran but it was the start of my love of running. Asheville was a hard course - lots of hills (it was, after all, in the mtns of NC). But for my first run, I think it was pretty good.
My second run was on my campus during my grad year (2008) - again, in the mtns of NC so hilly and I believe I hit around the late 30's on that one - but I can't remember anymore. The last one I ran was once again in NC on the campus of UNCA which had a HUGE hill that we had to run up and down - that time was right around 35min (I'd have to look it up on facebook) and that was a little over a year ago - I believe around Dec of 2008.
Todays did have a hill but nothing like I'm used to - it was a very gradual hill and a lot of flat land which was interesting for me - when it comes to running outside I've spent so many years running the hills and mtns of NC for do many years that my body is still struggling to get used to running flat land.
Anyway, as you've read all week - I didn't really get any good workouts in because work took over my life and Zumba was cancelled yesterday due to Spring Break so I really didn't build up to today at all. I went to bed a little after 10pm and was asleep by 11pm and only woke up 2 times last night (it's rare if I wake up less than 3-4 times a night - even more rare if I actually sleep through the entire night). Woke up a little before my alarm (set for 7.30am). Got up, showered and dressed in my shorter running pants (bought because MAS made me a few years ago), my Champion duo-dry long sleeve shirt to keep me warm, sports bra and a t-shirt.
I thought that would be warm - ha! Silly me. Although the temp was in the higher 40's it was freezing - no sun, it started with a misting and then a wonderful wind started hitting. I kept my sweat shirt in the car because I hate running in hoodies - they bother me. I spent my time (after registration) going between the cold outside and the warm inside Runner's World.
Since I registered late, I was only able to get a kids shirt (which I'll send to my godbabies - either Caity or Colton - or both - should fit it and can support their aunt!).
I kept an eye out for Jeff and ended up finding him about 15 min before the race. Mary decided to run by herself so I never saw her. Jeff let me know that our instructor would meet up with us a little after the race started to run with us. We wandered around a little bit and then it was time to race!
We were a few seconds behind the start - maybe 5 seconds (if that) so we had a good start. We ran into our instructor about 2 min into the race and he joined us. I could tell Jeff appreciated it as much as I did. We ran all together for just under the first half of the race. I skipped ahead as we went up the hill (I hate stopping on hills) and then I just kept going. Our instructor fell behind to keep up with Jeff since I was going a little faster and I just kept going and going. I stopped a little more on the way down than on the way up which brought down my time but I was ok with that.
Once I saw the street sign near the end and then the finish line I was done - I sped up a little bit and hit the end. Final time.... 31:15!!!
This is me after the race - home, tired but happy and proud. My awesome shirt says "I am Tulsa"
I was beyond proud of myself! That is my best time yet and it's really due to my instructor and Jeff's constant support in class - they really push me to go farther than I think I can (I tend to give up early). I think my final goal will be 30min and then after that my new goals will be cutting out the walking and just switch to running.
The best part was the reward of a beer at the end. :) Found out Michelob ultra is really not that bad. Not as good as my Yuengling but it was close. Also got a really cute chocolate milk bag to use for grocery shopping.
So all in all, my race went very well. I'm very proud of myself and looking forward to seeing what they have my time at once they post them. And I loved my number - 2250. I like having 5's in my number since it's my favorite number. :)
And finally, thank you to those of you who read this and are my friends in my real life - I appreciate all of your constant support. It really helped me prepare for today. Next 5k is in early April so I'm super psyched for it!!
My second run was on my campus during my grad year (2008) - again, in the mtns of NC so hilly and I believe I hit around the late 30's on that one - but I can't remember anymore. The last one I ran was once again in NC on the campus of UNCA which had a HUGE hill that we had to run up and down - that time was right around 35min (I'd have to look it up on facebook) and that was a little over a year ago - I believe around Dec of 2008.
Todays did have a hill but nothing like I'm used to - it was a very gradual hill and a lot of flat land which was interesting for me - when it comes to running outside I've spent so many years running the hills and mtns of NC for do many years that my body is still struggling to get used to running flat land.
Anyway, as you've read all week - I didn't really get any good workouts in because work took over my life and Zumba was cancelled yesterday due to Spring Break so I really didn't build up to today at all. I went to bed a little after 10pm and was asleep by 11pm and only woke up 2 times last night (it's rare if I wake up less than 3-4 times a night - even more rare if I actually sleep through the entire night). Woke up a little before my alarm (set for 7.30am). Got up, showered and dressed in my shorter running pants (bought because MAS made me a few years ago), my Champion duo-dry long sleeve shirt to keep me warm, sports bra and a t-shirt.
I thought that would be warm - ha! Silly me. Although the temp was in the higher 40's it was freezing - no sun, it started with a misting and then a wonderful wind started hitting. I kept my sweat shirt in the car because I hate running in hoodies - they bother me. I spent my time (after registration) going between the cold outside and the warm inside Runner's World.
Since I registered late, I was only able to get a kids shirt (which I'll send to my godbabies - either Caity or Colton - or both - should fit it and can support their aunt!).
I kept an eye out for Jeff and ended up finding him about 15 min before the race. Mary decided to run by herself so I never saw her. Jeff let me know that our instructor would meet up with us a little after the race started to run with us. We wandered around a little bit and then it was time to race!
We were a few seconds behind the start - maybe 5 seconds (if that) so we had a good start. We ran into our instructor about 2 min into the race and he joined us. I could tell Jeff appreciated it as much as I did. We ran all together for just under the first half of the race. I skipped ahead as we went up the hill (I hate stopping on hills) and then I just kept going. Our instructor fell behind to keep up with Jeff since I was going a little faster and I just kept going and going. I stopped a little more on the way down than on the way up which brought down my time but I was ok with that.
Once I saw the street sign near the end and then the finish line I was done - I sped up a little bit and hit the end. Final time.... 31:15!!!
This is me after the race - home, tired but happy and proud. My awesome shirt says "I am Tulsa"
I was beyond proud of myself! That is my best time yet and it's really due to my instructor and Jeff's constant support in class - they really push me to go farther than I think I can (I tend to give up early). I think my final goal will be 30min and then after that my new goals will be cutting out the walking and just switch to running.
The best part was the reward of a beer at the end. :) Found out Michelob ultra is really not that bad. Not as good as my Yuengling but it was close. Also got a really cute chocolate milk bag to use for grocery shopping.
So all in all, my race went very well. I'm very proud of myself and looking forward to seeing what they have my time at once they post them. And I loved my number - 2250. I like having 5's in my number since it's my favorite number. :)
And finally, thank you to those of you who read this and are my friends in my real life - I appreciate all of your constant support. It really helped me prepare for today. Next 5k is in early April so I'm super psyched for it!!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Ready for the Weekend!!
So I am excited because I either have a stalker who reads this silly thing numerous times a day or more people actually look at it than I thought. Either way, I'll continue writing as long as the counter keeps going up. And please feel free to comment - about whatever - or "follow" me so I'm not a loser and just following myself. :)
Anyway, today was the longest day this week. All I really wanted to do was go home and crash on my couch. Instead, I went home and put on my running pants... and got sidetracked by my missing W-2 forms which just arrived today. Finishing my taxes took almost an hour and a half.
Then, just as I was going to get up to go for a evening run... one of my staff promised me cookies... so I had to follow her to the kitchen where I ended up talking to her for 30min... then went to her event, then went to another event (dodgeball in the dark) where I actually got about 30min of exercise running in the grass as 2 residents and 3 staff members pelted me with balls. :) Then we went back inside and I had some yummy banana bread.
Yeah, no dinner for me tonight but I had the best lunch ever. The past 2 days our awesome office has had lunch catered for us - and it's been amazing. Today we had pecan-crusted chicken and scalloped potatoes and squash/carrots. Sooo yummy. Yesterday was squash/carrots and 2 types of lasagna. I have been so happy and so fully from lunch that I haven't really been hungry for dinner.
Tomorrow I am pretty sure my Zumba class will be cancelled (sadly - due to Spring break) so I'll prob do my running homework - 5min on the track (so about 4-5laps) and then some elliptical and weights. The 5k is on Sat morning so I've got to find time tomorrow to register. Getting more excited each day and a little more nervous as well. I'm going to have to set up a good running mix for it and my instructor wants me to go buy a cheap digital watch at Walmart for it so I can time myself as I run. Going to have to do that tomorrow. But at least I can nap after the run and sleep all day on Sunday. :)
Anyway, today was the longest day this week. All I really wanted to do was go home and crash on my couch. Instead, I went home and put on my running pants... and got sidetracked by my missing W-2 forms which just arrived today. Finishing my taxes took almost an hour and a half.
Then, just as I was going to get up to go for a evening run... one of my staff promised me cookies... so I had to follow her to the kitchen where I ended up talking to her for 30min... then went to her event, then went to another event (dodgeball in the dark) where I actually got about 30min of exercise running in the grass as 2 residents and 3 staff members pelted me with balls. :) Then we went back inside and I had some yummy banana bread.
Yeah, no dinner for me tonight but I had the best lunch ever. The past 2 days our awesome office has had lunch catered for us - and it's been amazing. Today we had pecan-crusted chicken and scalloped potatoes and squash/carrots. Sooo yummy. Yesterday was squash/carrots and 2 types of lasagna. I have been so happy and so fully from lunch that I haven't really been hungry for dinner.
Tomorrow I am pretty sure my Zumba class will be cancelled (sadly - due to Spring break) so I'll prob do my running homework - 5min on the track (so about 4-5laps) and then some elliptical and weights. The 5k is on Sat morning so I've got to find time tomorrow to register. Getting more excited each day and a little more nervous as well. I'm going to have to set up a good running mix for it and my instructor wants me to go buy a cheap digital watch at Walmart for it so I can time myself as I run. Going to have to do that tomorrow. But at least I can nap after the run and sleep all day on Sunday. :)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Running Fun and an unexpected 5k
So this week is Housing Selection which means that I have to be at work every day no later than 8am and stay until 5pm. I'm exhausted but still making it through - mostly because I've skipped the gym for the last 2 days and I think that's allowed my body to rest a little easier at night.
Today was a different story - today I had my running class at 6.30am. I went to bed at 9pm last night in hopes of falling asleep early - kinda worked but not really. I have this horrible fear that I am going to sleep through class every Tuesday night so I wake up at least 2-3 times before 6am. It's not a huge deal if I did, but I am working so hard I don't want to miss a session.
So as I said, I tried to fall asleep around 9pm. I went in and out of a light sleep between 10-11pm and eventually passed out around 11.30pm. Woke up at 2am and again at 5am. When the alarm went off at 6am, I was kinda surprised that I was able to get up and function. I don't know why I'm surprised - for some reason when I have something to go to - like this class (or in the past, other people waiting on me) - I can usually get up and function like I have to.
So, I got dressed, had a few minutes so I checked email in my office and went off to my class. Once again, I was the only one there. Today I appreciated it. It was actually supposed to be the class his gf taught and it was also supposed to be an easier run - no and no on both accounts.
We ended up running 3 miles - 2 - 2 - 2 - 3 - 3- 3- 3 - 2 - 1 - 1 and the 2 starter laps. I was beyond exhausted when we finished. My instructor encouraged me to take a drink of water about 1/2 way through - and I quickly learned that was a HUGE mistake on my part - I felt sick the entire rest of the run and almost threw up on the track during the last 3 laps. No water in the tummy while running for me - can't handle it.
But I did appreciate his help - running with someone is always better for me - because they encourage me to push through the wall (usually around 1.5-2miles for me) and their faith in me makes me able to keep going.
I felt so good after we finished - he said I shaved 2 mins off last weeks time and I finished 3 miles in 29.53 min which means I am THISCLOSE to my goal of running a 5k in just over 30min!!
Speaking of 5k's... I'm apparently running a 5k this weekend. My fellow classmates already registered for it and I was highly encouraged to go. My instructor said he'd run it with me to help me make it through so I said I'd do it. It'll be my first 5k in just over a year - last one was in NC over Christmas Break. Kinda nervous - thought I'd have more time to practice but I guess this one will be my practice and the regularly scheduled one will be the "real deal." My goal is to try to run one once every 3-4 months so I can keep training and getting better.
One thing I find interesting is how far I've come. I kept apologizing at the end because I felt like I was running so slow and he kept telling me I was still at my same pace and I felt slower because my body was getting tired but my legs were working just as hard. One thing I am supposed to work on is starting off slower and gaining on my pace - I tend to run at the same pace the entire time and that's why I get tired during my runs.
And the way we are going to run it will be interesting - he wants me to run the entire thing going 2min running and 20-30 sec walking over and over again. I know that I will get frustrated in the beginning but in the end, if it works, that's what I'm going to do until I can cut out my walks and just run straight.
I still can't believe I ran 3 miles today - I remember my first class - we barely made a 1/2 mile without dying. I will let you know how it goes. :)
And I am hoping to get back to the gym tomorrow since Friday will be the last day of HS so I can spend the weekend sleeping (after the 5k!).
And I did a quick body test on the wii (since it's closer weight wise than the BL scale) and I've lost more weight. I am now down to 153.4 so I am pretty excited. Only 13lbs to my final goal and 7lbs to my first goal. Pretty happy with myself!
Wish me luck!
Today was a different story - today I had my running class at 6.30am. I went to bed at 9pm last night in hopes of falling asleep early - kinda worked but not really. I have this horrible fear that I am going to sleep through class every Tuesday night so I wake up at least 2-3 times before 6am. It's not a huge deal if I did, but I am working so hard I don't want to miss a session.
So as I said, I tried to fall asleep around 9pm. I went in and out of a light sleep between 10-11pm and eventually passed out around 11.30pm. Woke up at 2am and again at 5am. When the alarm went off at 6am, I was kinda surprised that I was able to get up and function. I don't know why I'm surprised - for some reason when I have something to go to - like this class (or in the past, other people waiting on me) - I can usually get up and function like I have to.
So, I got dressed, had a few minutes so I checked email in my office and went off to my class. Once again, I was the only one there. Today I appreciated it. It was actually supposed to be the class his gf taught and it was also supposed to be an easier run - no and no on both accounts.
We ended up running 3 miles - 2 - 2 - 2 - 3 - 3- 3- 3 - 2 - 1 - 1 and the 2 starter laps. I was beyond exhausted when we finished. My instructor encouraged me to take a drink of water about 1/2 way through - and I quickly learned that was a HUGE mistake on my part - I felt sick the entire rest of the run and almost threw up on the track during the last 3 laps. No water in the tummy while running for me - can't handle it.
But I did appreciate his help - running with someone is always better for me - because they encourage me to push through the wall (usually around 1.5-2miles for me) and their faith in me makes me able to keep going.
I felt so good after we finished - he said I shaved 2 mins off last weeks time and I finished 3 miles in 29.53 min which means I am THISCLOSE to my goal of running a 5k in just over 30min!!
Speaking of 5k's... I'm apparently running a 5k this weekend. My fellow classmates already registered for it and I was highly encouraged to go. My instructor said he'd run it with me to help me make it through so I said I'd do it. It'll be my first 5k in just over a year - last one was in NC over Christmas Break. Kinda nervous - thought I'd have more time to practice but I guess this one will be my practice and the regularly scheduled one will be the "real deal." My goal is to try to run one once every 3-4 months so I can keep training and getting better.
One thing I find interesting is how far I've come. I kept apologizing at the end because I felt like I was running so slow and he kept telling me I was still at my same pace and I felt slower because my body was getting tired but my legs were working just as hard. One thing I am supposed to work on is starting off slower and gaining on my pace - I tend to run at the same pace the entire time and that's why I get tired during my runs.
And the way we are going to run it will be interesting - he wants me to run the entire thing going 2min running and 20-30 sec walking over and over again. I know that I will get frustrated in the beginning but in the end, if it works, that's what I'm going to do until I can cut out my walks and just run straight.
I still can't believe I ran 3 miles today - I remember my first class - we barely made a 1/2 mile without dying. I will let you know how it goes. :)
And I am hoping to get back to the gym tomorrow since Friday will be the last day of HS so I can spend the weekend sleeping (after the 5k!).
And I did a quick body test on the wii (since it's closer weight wise than the BL scale) and I've lost more weight. I am now down to 153.4 so I am pretty excited. Only 13lbs to my final goal and 7lbs to my first goal. Pretty happy with myself!
Wish me luck!
Monday, March 8, 2010
So it seems I have more followers than I thought - so my apologies for not posting all weekend. I generally post before I go to bed however this weekend, by the time I was ready for bed, I was so exhausted from my daily grind I couldn't even post.
Friday was a great workout - I hit my 15minutes of running for homework and even made 4 laps in just over 4min which means I'm getting better and better. I was so proud of myself. After my run I did some mat/weights work for about 15 minutes - I've bumped up to 7lb weights and I'm pretty sure I can even bump up to 8lbs this week. I feel it the next day and can already see how much my arm muscles are changing. I finished with 30 minutes on the elliptical and then went home to relax a little bit. :)
Saturday I planned to get up early but ended up sleeping in a little (I'd stayed up until 1am the night before). I started my day with some wii yoga and a wii weigh-in of 153.4lbs and wii fit age of 31. :)
Then my co-worker texted me about going to the gym around 3pm. I went to meet her over there but she never showed (she went hiking instead) so I did a quick 30min workout on the elliptical so I didn't push myself too much.
Sunday I had planned to do my running homework (20min/1.5miles) but I ended up hiking 5miles instead. I was pretty excited - we did it in just under 1hr 30min. We talked about hiking over the weekends to keep in shape and eventually start running the 5miles. I'm also planning to start running downtown so I can get more miles and exercise in.
I'm pretty excited about this spring and summer. The weather is already getting nicer and I love running outside - my biggest struggle will be working on increasing my daily runs and also hitting the gym - I seem to have trouble doing both - I usually tend to focus on one or another - not both at the same time.
I took tonight off - long day (and will be a long week) at work so I decided to let my body relax a little bit.
But I am excited - I decided to participate in the campus fitness program here - I'll be walking 2miles (or more) per day and going to at least 4 different programs over the course of the next few months along with my workouts. Pretty excited to see how this works out. :)
Friday was a great workout - I hit my 15minutes of running for homework and even made 4 laps in just over 4min which means I'm getting better and better. I was so proud of myself. After my run I did some mat/weights work for about 15 minutes - I've bumped up to 7lb weights and I'm pretty sure I can even bump up to 8lbs this week. I feel it the next day and can already see how much my arm muscles are changing. I finished with 30 minutes on the elliptical and then went home to relax a little bit. :)
Saturday I planned to get up early but ended up sleeping in a little (I'd stayed up until 1am the night before). I started my day with some wii yoga and a wii weigh-in of 153.4lbs and wii fit age of 31. :)
Then my co-worker texted me about going to the gym around 3pm. I went to meet her over there but she never showed (she went hiking instead) so I did a quick 30min workout on the elliptical so I didn't push myself too much.
Sunday I had planned to do my running homework (20min/1.5miles) but I ended up hiking 5miles instead. I was pretty excited - we did it in just under 1hr 30min. We talked about hiking over the weekends to keep in shape and eventually start running the 5miles. I'm also planning to start running downtown so I can get more miles and exercise in.
I'm pretty excited about this spring and summer. The weather is already getting nicer and I love running outside - my biggest struggle will be working on increasing my daily runs and also hitting the gym - I seem to have trouble doing both - I usually tend to focus on one or another - not both at the same time.
I took tonight off - long day (and will be a long week) at work so I decided to let my body relax a little bit.
But I am excited - I decided to participate in the campus fitness program here - I'll be walking 2miles (or more) per day and going to at least 4 different programs over the course of the next few months along with my workouts. Pretty excited to see how this works out. :)
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Running Class
So I went to bed early last night and felt much better when I woke up at 6am. So much so that I literally jumped out of bed and was ready to go to class by 6.10am... which is too early so I went and checked my email in my office before finally heading over at 6.20am.
As it turns out, I was the only one who made it to class this week. This week was supposed to be an "easier" week but I can't even tell anymore. That's honestly why I enjoy running with others - because when I run in class, I can do 2-3miles and not even think about it. If I am doing it myself, I tend to give up more easily and that's not good. I need to work on my determination and self-discipline.
Anyway, the instructor and I did our warm-up 2 laps and then stretched and he told me the plan for the day. We were going to go back to the 4-3-2-1 laps, 1 lap, 3-2-1 laps with 30-second breaks in between the total laps. This would get me up to 2.5miles when all was said and done. I busted through the first round with no problems. The second 3-2-1 was a little harder but he kept reminding me I was just going downhill because it was my last part. We talked a lot during the first set which helped - reminded me of when Cat and I used to run together and talk about our days at work and debrief and de-stress over them. I miss those days.
Anyway, I finished my last lap in 51 seconds - a personal best. I told him I was channeling our missing runner today and that's how I got so fast. :D I'm usually 58 seconds on the last round. I had a strong lead but every time I hit the damn corners (we are a curved rectangle) I slow down and lose my time. But he said that was good and if I keep working at my time, I can easily complete the 5k in my goal of 35min. That would be awesome. And that means I really need to step it up since the 5k is only 5 weeks away!!
We also discussed class over spring break since we're all pro staff and he said he'd be willing to come in. We may even have class outside which would be awesome. Since the weather is clearing up so nicely here I'm excited about that. Today it's been beautiful and in the 50's and they are calling for 60's all weekend so I may have to take advantage of that. :)
He also gave me some tips of where to run around here in the day to get a 2 mile run in (my current lap around campus is 1.41miles). I think I am going to try his suggestion this weekend to get a new run in. Esp. if it is going to be as nice as "they" say.
I've also started reading a lot of blogs lately - oddly enough, most of them are written by vegans. I find them interesting and they have really given me some interesting suggestions about healthier eating options. No, I have no intention of turning Veggie or Vegan (I love chicken too much!!) but I do like the different baking/cooking suggestions and may try incorporating them into my own diet soon.
I've also switched back to Skim Milk again. I don't drink it by the glass too much (maybe once a week with dinner) but I use it every morning in my cheerios. I've also started eating more interesting options for lunch. We tend to eat lunch as a staff together but on the days I am able to sneak away (like today since I was working out of the office) I'll have something like apples, laughing cow cheese, ritz crackers (whole wheat yum!!) and an english muffin with Almond butter (instead of pb). Very tasty and just the perfect size to keep me full until my afternoon snack (usually fruit). If I eat with the group, I go for a veggie sandwich (sometimes adding chicken) - usually on wheat. When I say veggie, I mean veggie - extra lettuce, green peppers, onions, spinach, american cheese, cucumbers and anything else green that they may have available (with a little ranch dressing) Then I'll grab some baby carrots, broccoli and goldfish crackers from the salad bar for my side items. :)
One thing my friend MC has been eating/drinking? for a while is Green Monsters. The blogs I read are all fans and one has even said she's noticed a higher endurance rate when she has them so I may make my first one this weekend and try it. Little apprehensive since they are VERY green but the ingredients sound good and tasty. If I do it I will def. post my thoughts/reactions. :)
Sadly, our Zumba instructor will be out of town this weekend so I won't be able to Zumba on Friday or Sunday. I'm actually kinda secretly happy about this as I have to work all day on Friday for our office and would have to miss class anyway so we're going to tack it on at the end of the semester and run a week longer than planned. :) Works for me!!
And finally, we had our last weigh-in for the biggest loser this morning. I still think her scale is messed up (she's actually replacing it before the next one starts) but it said I lost weight so I won't complain too much! :) It said I was down to 155.2 which is good. It means that even though I didn't work out too hard this week I still lost .9lbs. That much closer to my goal.
And I've decided that instead of doing it next time (after Spring Break) I am going to use my buy-in money to just get the same scale and hold myself accountable that way. I'll only weigh in on Weds and at the same time each Wed as the others do it and keep score that way. But I'm proud of myself for losing the 3.4lbs that I did lose these past few weeks. It's a start and with all these changes, I am much happier with how my body is looking both in and out of my clothes. That's all that I care about - how I look and feel. :D
As it turns out, I was the only one who made it to class this week. This week was supposed to be an "easier" week but I can't even tell anymore. That's honestly why I enjoy running with others - because when I run in class, I can do 2-3miles and not even think about it. If I am doing it myself, I tend to give up more easily and that's not good. I need to work on my determination and self-discipline.
Anyway, the instructor and I did our warm-up 2 laps and then stretched and he told me the plan for the day. We were going to go back to the 4-3-2-1 laps, 1 lap, 3-2-1 laps with 30-second breaks in between the total laps. This would get me up to 2.5miles when all was said and done. I busted through the first round with no problems. The second 3-2-1 was a little harder but he kept reminding me I was just going downhill because it was my last part. We talked a lot during the first set which helped - reminded me of when Cat and I used to run together and talk about our days at work and debrief and de-stress over them. I miss those days.
Anyway, I finished my last lap in 51 seconds - a personal best. I told him I was channeling our missing runner today and that's how I got so fast. :D I'm usually 58 seconds on the last round. I had a strong lead but every time I hit the damn corners (we are a curved rectangle) I slow down and lose my time. But he said that was good and if I keep working at my time, I can easily complete the 5k in my goal of 35min. That would be awesome. And that means I really need to step it up since the 5k is only 5 weeks away!!
We also discussed class over spring break since we're all pro staff and he said he'd be willing to come in. We may even have class outside which would be awesome. Since the weather is clearing up so nicely here I'm excited about that. Today it's been beautiful and in the 50's and they are calling for 60's all weekend so I may have to take advantage of that. :)
He also gave me some tips of where to run around here in the day to get a 2 mile run in (my current lap around campus is 1.41miles). I think I am going to try his suggestion this weekend to get a new run in. Esp. if it is going to be as nice as "they" say.
I've also started reading a lot of blogs lately - oddly enough, most of them are written by vegans. I find them interesting and they have really given me some interesting suggestions about healthier eating options. No, I have no intention of turning Veggie or Vegan (I love chicken too much!!) but I do like the different baking/cooking suggestions and may try incorporating them into my own diet soon.
I've also switched back to Skim Milk again. I don't drink it by the glass too much (maybe once a week with dinner) but I use it every morning in my cheerios. I've also started eating more interesting options for lunch. We tend to eat lunch as a staff together but on the days I am able to sneak away (like today since I was working out of the office) I'll have something like apples, laughing cow cheese, ritz crackers (whole wheat yum!!) and an english muffin with Almond butter (instead of pb). Very tasty and just the perfect size to keep me full until my afternoon snack (usually fruit). If I eat with the group, I go for a veggie sandwich (sometimes adding chicken) - usually on wheat. When I say veggie, I mean veggie - extra lettuce, green peppers, onions, spinach, american cheese, cucumbers and anything else green that they may have available (with a little ranch dressing) Then I'll grab some baby carrots, broccoli and goldfish crackers from the salad bar for my side items. :)
One thing my friend MC has been eating/drinking? for a while is Green Monsters. The blogs I read are all fans and one has even said she's noticed a higher endurance rate when she has them so I may make my first one this weekend and try it. Little apprehensive since they are VERY green but the ingredients sound good and tasty. If I do it I will def. post my thoughts/reactions. :)
Sadly, our Zumba instructor will be out of town this weekend so I won't be able to Zumba on Friday or Sunday. I'm actually kinda secretly happy about this as I have to work all day on Friday for our office and would have to miss class anyway so we're going to tack it on at the end of the semester and run a week longer than planned. :) Works for me!!
And finally, we had our last weigh-in for the biggest loser this morning. I still think her scale is messed up (she's actually replacing it before the next one starts) but it said I lost weight so I won't complain too much! :) It said I was down to 155.2 which is good. It means that even though I didn't work out too hard this week I still lost .9lbs. That much closer to my goal.
And I've decided that instead of doing it next time (after Spring Break) I am going to use my buy-in money to just get the same scale and hold myself accountable that way. I'll only weigh in on Weds and at the same time each Wed as the others do it and keep score that way. But I'm proud of myself for losing the 3.4lbs that I did lose these past few weeks. It's a start and with all these changes, I am much happier with how my body is looking both in and out of my clothes. That's all that I care about - how I look and feel. :D
Monday, March 1, 2010
Today was not my best workout. I only managed 30 minutes. My intention was to do the wii fit for an additional 30min but we all know about good intentions...
Instead I came back home, got caught up in work stuff, ran to the airport to pick up a staff member, got caught up in more work and then had hall gov.
But, I did accomplish my running homework tonight - we had to do .5miles and I got that in along with my stretching and my 2 opening laps. We were supposed to run 1/2 mile (4 laps) in 5 minutes and I did it which means my time is getting much, much better.
After my run I went back into the little room and did some stretching and weights on the mat. Then I finished with regular arm weights in front of the mirror. I can see small changes starting to happen. This week I moved up from the 5lb to the 6lb weights and my arms could feel the difference but I kept pushing through. I also did one ab exercise before calling it a day.
I didn't get a very good nights sleep last night - I slept for 8 hours (which is odd for me on a Sunday night) but it wasn't very restful and today I paid for it when I hit the gym. I also noticed that during my run outside and my run today that I'm starting to get shin splints again so I'm going to talk to my instructor about that. I haven't had then in over 2 years and I'm not sure why they are coming back. And they don't hurt until I finish my run and start walking - I used to get them mid-run when I first started 3+ years ago.
And I realized yesterday when I was running outside that I miss my old roomie/running partner. I really enjoyed running with her because we'd talk while we ran which made the run go so much faster and really helped me pace and work on my breathing. Although I am getting better with pacing myself when I run alone, it's still hard.
5 weeks until our 5k. Nervous but excited to see what my time ends up being.
Instead I came back home, got caught up in work stuff, ran to the airport to pick up a staff member, got caught up in more work and then had hall gov.
But, I did accomplish my running homework tonight - we had to do .5miles and I got that in along with my stretching and my 2 opening laps. We were supposed to run 1/2 mile (4 laps) in 5 minutes and I did it which means my time is getting much, much better.
After my run I went back into the little room and did some stretching and weights on the mat. Then I finished with regular arm weights in front of the mirror. I can see small changes starting to happen. This week I moved up from the 5lb to the 6lb weights and my arms could feel the difference but I kept pushing through. I also did one ab exercise before calling it a day.
I didn't get a very good nights sleep last night - I slept for 8 hours (which is odd for me on a Sunday night) but it wasn't very restful and today I paid for it when I hit the gym. I also noticed that during my run outside and my run today that I'm starting to get shin splints again so I'm going to talk to my instructor about that. I haven't had then in over 2 years and I'm not sure why they are coming back. And they don't hurt until I finish my run and start walking - I used to get them mid-run when I first started 3+ years ago.
And I realized yesterday when I was running outside that I miss my old roomie/running partner. I really enjoyed running with her because we'd talk while we ran which made the run go so much faster and really helped me pace and work on my breathing. Although I am getting better with pacing myself when I run alone, it's still hard.
5 weeks until our 5k. Nervous but excited to see what my time ends up being.
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