It's all starting to come together!

I know I've had the RunGirl 13.1 half mary on my sidebar for quite some time now, but I officially registered for it this morning.

I remember being super excited last year when I found out about this race.  It would have been my 3rd half and it was especially exciting because it was a female-only run AND in December.  This practicially guaranteed decent (read:  coolish) weather.

I was so bummed when my pelvic stress fracture kept me from racing.  I vowed to register for the race again this year...AND...to actually participate in it.

I let life conquer me for a bit...hence the weight gain and the lack of training as evident in my Hottest Half race, BUT it's not going to conquer me any longer.

As discussed in my GOALS - SHORT TERM/LONG TERM post, I'm back on the wagon and feeling fierce!

I can already see the fruits of my labor.  I have decided to ease back into running by incorporating small (increasing) runs at the end of my walks.  I tested this out on Monday night...walked 2 miles and then ran 0.23.  My average pace was 16:27.  This was not great, BUT I was out there doing it and that is what matters.  Tuesday was a cross-training day, so I hit up my stationary bike for 50 minutes.  Wednesday was another walk/run.  I managed 3 miles in total and I ran the last 0.4 mile.  I lowered my average pace to 15:43.  What does that tell me?  With dedication and determination...I'm gonna hit my goals!

I would love to run my last three half marathons for the year, but realistically I'm just not going to be able to accomplish that.  What I can do, however, is establish goals for each one based on my current (at the time of the race) fitness level.

For now, I will focus on See Jane Run (another all female half).  This half is in Austin on October 9th.  I have no way of knowing what to expect temperature wise (please God let it be cooler outside).  The elevation chart hasn't been posted yet either, so I don't know what to expect regarding hills.  We all know Austin has them.  =/  So, I'm just going to focus on hitting all my training walks/runs and lowering my average pace to allow me to finish my race with a 15:45 pace.  This means 3:26:19 will be my goal. 

On a side note...I just booked my hotel for See Jane Run using Hotwire.com.  My dad swears by this website as he uses it for all of his business travel (and even some personal trips).  I went "pot luck" instead of choosing the specific hotel and I got the La Quinta Inn hotel downtown for $78.00 per night (which includes breakfast each morning).  I looked up the published price per night and it's $99.00.  Yay for saving $42.00 in total!  =)

Ahhhh....it's all starting to come together and that makes me happy!

Weekend Recap

I had a lovely weekend.   I didn't want it to end, actually.  I've been thinking lately that it would be a really great plan to make the work week 4 days and the weekend 3.  Who's with me?! 

I started out Saturday morning by making myself a peanut butter, banana, and honey wrap.  I didn't want the bulk of bread weighing me down when I headed out for my long WALK, so I used a whole wheat "homemade" tortilla from H.E.B.  It was perfect.

I opted not to carry water with me for my WALK because I wasn't planning on doing a whole lot of miles and because I truly do hate carrying anything more than I need with me.  I did pop a Powerade Zero in the mailbox so that I could stop on by the house without actually going in the house to hydrate. 

I decided to count the change I came across as I've noticed a lot of coinage lately on the ground.  I found a penny, but no...I didn't pick it up.  Then I happened across a dollar bill.  Eureka!  I surely did pick that puppy up (but only after looking around me to make sure nobody was watching as if I was doing something wrong).  Later I happened across another penny.  So, the dollar made my long WALK profitable, I'd say!

this is a dramatic reenactment since I didn't have my camera with me at the time of discovery


Around mile 3, I returned to the ol' mailbox for a drink.  I then continued on my merry way.  My left knee started giving me a bit of trouble - complaining, I guess you could say.  It was kinda popping a little bit here and there as I rounded corners.  I made it back to the house around 5.5 miles and decided I should ice it.  Good thing I did, too, as there was definitely a bit of fluid in there.  =/


We didn't have family lunch this weekend because my dad was flying in from San Fran later in the afternoon and we didn't want him to feel left out.  I did, however, go with my mom to IHOP for a second breakfast of sorts.  Hey...when you burn 800 calories so early in the day, you get HUNGRY!
 

After IHOP, I hung out with my mom for a while, then we ran errands, then picked up my dad from the airport and went to BJs for a late lunch. 

I dropped them off at home and then headed to my own place to chill with my doggies until it was dinner time.

I had purchased a Groupon a few weeks ago for The Brownstone Cafe and my friend Kim and I decided we needed one of our infamous KNOs (Kim Nights Out - it originated when we were in college together).  We had a most wonderful time enjoying our respective meals, catching up on our respective lives, and sharing a Nutella crepe for dessert.  Since we all know I'm terrible about remembering to take pics, this is one I found on Google that closely resembles the deliciousness that melted in my mouth!

source here

 


Sunday, I decided to not set my alarm.  The dogs woke me up at 6:56am because they were STARVING.  I swear you would think I never feed them.  Shortly after they ate, Penelope decided to put herself back to bed (she never leaves my side, so this was weird).  Delilah and I decided to join her and we slept for another 3 hours.  Bliss.

My parents and I then went to see The Help.  I loved it, though I wish there were a few things they had included in the movie that I thought were pivotal parts of the storyline.  I then went back to their house to enjoy the new puppies as older sister Cathy and brother-in-law Jay brought them by for the afternoon.  Later younger sister Linda and brother-in-law Craig joined us and we had a wonderful family feast!

I tracked my food all weekend long, I started reading a new book (The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers) that is quite good, I hung out with some of my fave peeps, and I rested up.

 

Now let's just get to another weekend, shall we?! 

cRaZed Hitchhiker on the Loose...or just me hitting the streets at 5am

I went through all the motions of yesterday in anticipation of heading out to do 6 miles once I got home.  Yeah, that didn't happen.  I just could not make myself get out the door...probably because I didn't leave work until 7 and my car was still registering 104 degrees.  =/

I vowed to go to bed early so that I could wake up early to get my 6 miles in. 

Yeah...bed didn't come early.  I got this wild and crazy idea to download an audio book onto my iTunes account.  No, sillies...I didn't pay for it.  It was a "book" from the library, so I suppose I was really "ripping" it (my brother-in-law told me that was the right word).  I chose James Dashner's The Maze Runner.  I then replaced my iPod Shuffle music with the book.  Quite proud of myself, I headed to bed at 11pm.  I still dutifully set my alarm for 4am and hoped for the best.

My alarm went off at 4am and I did what I usually do...I reset it for 6am, BUT...then...I felt soooo guilty.  I just knew there was an imbalance in the world and that only I could solve it by hitting the pavement.  Apparently at 4am I have a whole lot of self-importance going on.

I don't know what it is with me and crack-of-dawn wake-ups, but it takes me FOREVER to get out the door.  So, this translates to I started my WALK (yes, still walking it out vs. running) at 5am.  No 6 miles for me with that late start.  =/

So, I geared up like a superstar - you know with my tunes, my Camelbak (overkill, yes, BUT I'm trying to get used to it for my upcoming The Hottest Half), my Road I.D., my Garmin, etc.  I'm pretty sure I looked like a crazed hitchhiker (who recently escaped from the circus or an assylum - whatever) to anyone who had the pleasure of seeing me.  I pressed PLAY and Chapter 1 started as I struggled through my first mile.

Something weird happened...apparently I didn't turn the shuffle function off, so the book started jumping from this to that.  I pulled over to try to fix the problem, but I couldn't, SO...I turned the whole thing off.  It made me a sad girl to have no entertainment.  =(

My first mile was wretched.  I keep having issues with tight calves no matter how much stretching I do.  I powered through it and eventually gained my momentum.  It's peaceful out there in the dark with very few peeps and very few cars.  I even saw a deer (or a cheetah, it was dark out) in the distance, so that kind of made my day.

When I made it back to my house, I was .10 mile shy of 4.75 miles, so I bypassed home to the end of the street and then came back.  4.75 miles / burned 696 calories / 15:48 pace.  I want to...need to go faster, so I'm hoping practice will make perfect before race day (8/14).

I do not recommend procrastination, by the way.  It is not paying off.

Oh and one last thing.  I HATE when the "terrain" I'm running or walking on changes.  It really messes with my head.  I'm talking dead grass in the street, pine needles, dirt, or just a change in materials - black top to cement.  Am I alone in this?  Please tell me I'm not!  I would be terrible at trail running!

After 4.75 miles (note:  same wardrobe as Sunday, but I promise it was clean when I started and that this is a new pic):

After a shower and some much needed makeup:

Happy Thursday to you all!

Sweaty Sunday and the rest of the weekend

My road is always paved with good intentions.  I was so drained on Friday after work, y'all.  I mean like the life was sucked out of me.  I didn't even get home until 8:15pm.  That's a long a$$ day.  I had planned on doing a 4-mile walk or heck...I would have even been satisfied with hitting my new exercise bike, but alas...I was burned out, so I went to bed at 9pm with no exercise.

I had thought to surprise myself by getting up at 5am to go ahead and get my long WALK in.  When I woke up and put the dogs out, it had already started drizzling.  By the time I let them back in - it was a storm.  Ugh.

I went back to bed.

When I finally did get back up, it was HOT, HUMID, STEAMY, and every other adjective you can think of to describe miserable conditions for outdoor training.  I decided to do my missed 4 miles.  I only ended up doing 3 and the last mile was just awful.  I felt defeated.  I then hit my exercise bike for 30 minutes before showering and dressing for family lunch at BJ's Brewhouse.

After our lunch, I went to get a facial at Visage Salon and Day Spa.  I had purchased a Groupon for a 50% discount a couple of months ago and was excited to use it.  I really loved the relaxing music playing in the room and the fact that my esthetician didn't try to sell me the products that I knew I wouldn't buy.  Once my massage was over, I did something I've never done.  I cheated on my hair stylist.  I've been going to Leena for 13 years now, but I just couldn't deal with my overgrown bushy mop-top any longer.  Visage also had a hair salon, so I asked if they could squeeze me in and I only had to wait 15 minutes to become publically acceptable once again.  I don't have a picture, so sorry, but really I didn't do anything extreme - just cut a couple of awful inches off and then had my layers "tuned up".

I wanted to get up at 5am again on Sunday for my long WALK, but I stayed up too late on Saturday night (bad Kim) and managed to head out for my WALK around 7:15am.  It was already ridiculously hot and humid, but so what?  I mean it's going to be this kind of weather for The Hottest Half on 8/14, so I might as well get used to it.  This was the first time I used my new camelbak.   The night before I filled the bladder with water and added 3 Nuun tablets and then put it in the freezer.  Maybe I should have put it in the pack first because it was a real struggle on Sunday morning to get the frozen bladder in the pack.  =/ 

I looked ridiculous....overkill for a walker, but whatever, I mean the camelbak prevented me from having to hit home for additional hydration before my 8 miles were through AND this is imperative for me because I have a bad habit of hitting home and not resuming my mileage. 

The first mile was ROUGH.  I was having some major issues with my calves being super tight.  I had even foam rolled and stretched before going out.  1/3 of the way through my first mile, I pulled over to stretch my calves against the curb.  They still hurt, but I kept on going.  They loosened up during my second mile and I could finally speed up.  I did really well until I hit the 6th mile and then I struggled for the last two, but not because I was hurting...it was because of a lack of fuel.  I just wasn't hungry in the morning before I headed out, so I choked down half a Clif's bar.  I didn't bring anything with me, so I ended up burning 1157 calories only having had 120 in my system before I left out.  I know for this coming Sunday's 10-miler that I will need to plan out my fueling better - in other words, make arrangements to eat something halfway through my WALK.  Oh...and in case you were wondering, I did drink the entire 72 oz out of my camelbak by the time I hit my front door.  I was kinda bummed about this because I had hoped the 72 oz would be enough for the entire half marathon, but...apparently that won't work.

I immediately took off my shoes and socks once I got inside...RELIEF!  I then noticed chafing!  CHAFING!  I didn't think about my arm hitting the strap from my camelbak.  Doh!  I will know where to Vaseline it up next time!  I took this picture of myself with my phone cuz the battery was dead in my camera.  There was one small area on my shirt dry.  Weird.  The rest of me was soaking wet.  I couldn't wait to hit the shower and use my minty wash to cool me down.

After I was all clean, I got dressed for my MUCH needed massage.  It could not have come at a better time.  I went ahead and made an appointment for another one after this coming Sunday's 10-miler!

I grabbed lunch at Lenny's Subs.  I was ravenous at this point.  Then I took my lunch to my parent's house and hung out with them until later when my mom and I met older sister Cathy and brother-in-law Jay at the movie theater to see Friends with Benefits.  Probably not the most appropriate movie to watch with one's mother, but it was hilarious!

All in all, it was a lovely weekend - once again rejuvenating me for the week ahead.

Hope y'all had a lovely weekend, as well!  =)

Weekend Goals

I have some goals this weekend!

#1 - there will be house cleaning
...well, to be fair, I'm not gonna clean the whole house.  It could all use a good scrubbing, mind you, but there are only so many hours I'm willing to commit to this undertaking in one weekend.  I've gotten really lazy on my household chores since I started working so many hours unfortunately.  =/  BUT...no sense dwelling.  The rooms that will be cleaned/scrubbed are:  the kitchen, the dining room, the family room, the guest bathroom, my bedroom, and my bathroom.  My grand plan is to get this all done before family lunch on Saturday.  Fingers crossed, y'all!

#2 - there will be half marathon training (hopefully in my new shoes).
...I will do 4 miles on Friday night and 8 miles on Sunday morning.  Goal pace = 15:30 (walking)

#3 - there will be biking
...no, no...still not ready or able to mentally get out on a road bike (scared), but I will ride my new recumbent bike which is strategically placed in my family room for 1 hour Saturday morning and 1 hour Saturday evening.

#4 - there will be calorie counting
...love the myfitnesspal application on my phone and will be using it to track my food, water, and exercise beginning tomorrow.  My goal net calories is 1400 per day.  We will see how I do!  On a side note, did you know that the application has a UPC code scanner you can use which will upload the nutritional info to your profile?!  how awesome is that?!?!

#5 - there will be "pamper me" time
...European facial scheduled for 2:30pm on Saturday (thank you, Groupon).  Deep Tissue massage scheduled for 11:00am on Sunday (thank you, Tamu - my new massage therapist).  I may even try to work in a MUCH needed pedi.

#6 - there will be sleep!
...7-8 hours per night - NO EXCUSES!  yep...been a bit bad about going to bed at a decent hour this whole week.  Bad Kim!

#7 - there will be TV watching.
...I have Sesson 4 of Dexter and Season 3 of Big Love just waiting to be watched.  They were Christmas presents, y'all, and I still haven't watched them yet!  What gives?! 

So...there you have my goals.  What are yours?

random stuff

I got my new recumbent bike on Tuesday afternoon at work.  My dad convinced me I should let one of the guys at work put it together instead of trying to do it myself.  Turns out this was a smart idea as my dad had to help the dude put it together...it was a bit complex.  My dad was then soooo soooo nice and brought it over to my house for me.  He kept trying to help me out further by placing it, but I couldn't have him do that since I wasn't entirely sure how I wanted to make the room work.

As a kid, I LOVED moving furniture around in my bedroom.  I thought it such an adventure to have a different room design.  Unfortunately for me, I have a small home and a fondness for furniture.  This means there is very little room for my creativity.  =/

I had a vision, however, and carried it through.  I was afraid, you see, of having to get rid of my coffee table ottoman that I absolutely adore.  I managed to make it work without going to such extremes.  I just moved things around a bit to give my bike a great view of the TV.  I do, however, feel a bit guilty.  In case you haven't caught on, my one true love Penelope went blind over a year ago.  She is 10 years old and was raised in my house, so she knows it forward and backward.  It's kind of mean to move things around at this stage in the game, but I think she will figure it out.

Another issue I've been having lately is with my WiFi.  I apparently forgot my passkey.  So, I've been all old school connected through what seemed like an endless supply of wires.  I had no clue how to create a new password or reset my router, so I did some Google-searching, learned how, and managed to do it ALL BY MYSELF.  Mind you...I'm not very computer savvy, so this was a BIG deal to me!

In other news...found out today that my Galveston Seawall Half scheduled for November 19th has been canceled.  This makes me sad as it seemed like a really cool race.  Ah well...maybe they will do it again next year!

and then there is...training.

Training is going...okay.  Since I made the decision to walk The Hottest Half (not a decision I'm proud of, but one that is necessary for survival), I've determined that the new shoes I bought aren't going to make the grade.  They are a really great motion control shoe for "the heavier runner".

New Balance 1012

I like them as far as comfort and feel go, BUT it's a heavy shoe.  The weight is 12 oz.  Yikes!  I did some shopping on Amazon last night and found a lighter (7 oz) shoe (a cross-trainer) that I think will be better for the walk.  With training wearing the heavier shoe, though, I should be super speedy once I get to lighten the load!  ha!

New Balance Women's WX20 NB Minimus Training Shoe

Last, but not least...I got the biggest craving EVER for green bean casserole.  I decided to feed the beast and make me some.  I forgot to take a picture (bad blogger), but trust me when I tell you it turned out delish and it was oh so simple to make.  I just took one can of 98% fat free cream of mushroom and whisked in 3/4 of a cup of skim milk.  I added salt and pepper to taste and then a 19 oz bag of frozen green beans that had been thawed out.  Next, I took a small can of French's fried onion and put all but the last 1/4 in the mixture.  I poured the mix into a casserole dish, topped it with the remaining onions, and baked it on 350 for 45 minutes.  I've determined that 1 cup is about 200 calories.  That's a lot of green bean casserole happiness!

So, that's about it in a nutshell.  I guess I've been kind of boring the last few months with my posts.  Welcome to my world - haha!

Hope y'all are having a lovely week!

I heart my weekends!

I started off my weekend the right way.  I met up with my friend Amy for dinner at Alicia's Mexican Grille.  Do you know how I met Amy?  I always say she is the only good thing that ever came to me from Craig's List.  I did the dating thing for a while (no, that isn't how I met her) via Craig's List and although I met a couple of nice guys, I didn't meet the right guy.  I also met some weirdos, wife cheaters, etc.  I have since vowed to not go that route again, by the way.  Anyway, I posted a CL ad about 3 years ago seeking out a gym buddy and Amy was the only one to answer the ad.  We became fast friends...eventually foregoing the gym for dinner/tv nights at my house once a week.  Amy moved to the other side of town a while back, so our dinners have become less frequent, BUT the good news is that she is moving closer to me (ironically in the same apartment complex I lived in before buying my house) come mid-August, so that makes me happy!

After our delicious fajita dinners, we decided to go to the bar Amy works at once or twice a week for a drink.  I saw this sign in the bathroom and it made me laugh:

I went home relatively early because I had to work for a couple of hours on Saturday.  Boo! 

On Saturday, after work, I decided to hit up Target and Walmart to look at their recumbent bikes.  A wise woman I know encouraged me to purchase either an elliptical or a bike to ride while I'm doing my zoning out (reading, watching tv/movies, etc) thing after work.  This way I'm at least getting some kind of movement in and I can do so in the comfort of my own home.  Target, it turns out, only sells recumbent bikes on-line.  Walmart, on the other hand, didn't let me down.  I found the one I wanted (having done a bit of research on-line) and discovered that I could buy it $15 cheaper on Amazon.com, so I instantly ordered it.  Yay for the Amazon.com application on my phone!  It will be here on Tuesday - can't wait!  =)

I then went home and showered in preparation for my family lunch - this time at ol' faithful BJ's Brewhouse.  I ate the jumbalaya - delish (but my mouth was on fire - haha)!

After lunch, I went home and took a much needed nap.  I was exhausted for the week's work stress.  After a 2+ hour nap, I went to my parent's house for a puppy-welcoming party!  Older sister Cathy and brother-in-law Jay brought home their cutie patootie little puppies.  They are Shih-Poos (formerly called Shitzapoos) - a Shihtzu/Poodle mixed breed - named Willie and Waylon.  We had the best time watching the puppies play with their new toys and with Oliver!

On Sunday, I went out to do 6 sweaty miles.  I walked them and met my goal pace which was to keep it under 16 min/miles.  I am capable of better...or I will be once I get back into my routine and get into better shape.  Just hoping that 3 weeks is long enough to get me where I want to be!  Lesson here - procrastination does NOT pay off when it comes to race training!

I chilled at the house for a few hours and then I went out to my Meliska's house to hang out with Meliska and Liam!  We had a blast!  I can't get enough of Liam's smiles and laughs!!!

Last night I decided to make the infamous overnight oats (Fit Chick Britt is always posting about them, afterall).  I Googled how to do it (cuz I was too lazy to search through Britt's posts, although I should have) and then I got down to business.  The tip I read was to do 1 part oats to two parts liquid.  I had a peanut butter jar with a little bit of peanut butter remnants hanging out.  I added 1/2 cup of oats, 1 cup skim milk, cinnamon, a Splenda packet, and half a banana (sliced).  I then shook it all up and put it in the fridge.

I couldn't wait to try it this morning (after stirring it up, of course), BUT then...when I did...I was kinda disappointed.  My oats were runny.  I'm a fan of thick oats.  My usual routine is to mix 1/2 cup of oats, 1 cup of water, 1 TBSP Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, and cinnamon and then cook in the microwave for 2 minutes.  It's heaven in my mouth.  These overnight oats have potential, but I think I have to work on the right mix and measurement of ingredients.  Good thing I've been stocking up my "empty" jars of peanut butter!

So, all in all a nice relaxing weekend...just what I needed to get me through another hell week at work!

Hope y'all had a lovely weekend, as well!

blah

I'm in a funk.  A bad funk.  I do nothing but work, think about work, play my Zuma Blitz on Facebook to zone out, read from my current book (Wither by Lauren DeStefano) to zone out, and/or watch my latest obsession on Netflix (Eureka) to...yeah, you guessed it...zone out.  The zoning out is my version of survival mode to get me through this awful summer at work.

I've put on quite a bit of weight over the past few months.  I'm terribly embarrassed over this.  It's not just from a lack of movement.  My diet plan has just been non-existent.  Well, to be fair...every day I wake up with a plan, but my follow-thru sucks.

I've been getting sleep, finally.  That's a plus.  I'm just not happy, though, and my lack of happiness combined with my stress is causing some emotional eating.

I don't have a plan on how to get on the right track.  I know that I have to get this excess weight off of me STAT.  It is making me uncomfortable in mind, body, and spirit.  I used to be so proud of myself and now...I just feel...discouraged, disappointed, disgusted...

My training for my upcoming half marathon is a joke.  You would think I have 4 months before the race by the way I've so nonchalantly done absolutely nothing in preparation. Tonight I managed a pathetic two miles - mostly walking.  My body hated it.  My mind rebelled.  My heart is just...not right.

I have thought about dropping from my race, but well...isn't that just too easy?  What about the next one on Oct. 9th?  Or Oct. 29th?  Am I just going to continue to fall deeper and deeper into a hole I can't get out of?

No...I'm going to face the music and do The Hottest Half.  I just know it isn't going to be pretty and that I deserve the wretched results.

So...until 8/12 when I leave for Dallas...I vow to move every day in someway.  Let's see what I can do in 3 1/2 weeks.  I may still be struggling emotionally, but it's time to put the big girl pants on and do something about it.

Happy July!

I hated June.  I think I hate June every year come to think of it.  Oh well...it's neither here nor there cuz a new month is upon us.

One little cool thing about June though is that mi casa turned 11.  Ye gads, can you believe it?!  11!!!  How am I old enough to have bought and lived in my very own home for 11 years???  I can tell it's 11, though.  Ruben is needing some work.  My second garbage disposal blew out and needs replacement.  The whole interior of the house could use a fresh coat of paint.  The master bathtub/shower is needing some retiling.  Pretty sure two new toilets would be lovely!  Once I open up the can of worms called home-improvement, there will be no turning back.  The cool thing is that in less than 7 years, Ruben is 100% mine...all mine thanks to some refinancing I did several years back.  Now that is a good feeling!  =)

Let's look at July...

The parentals are abandoning ship AGAIN.  My father is heading out to Scotland on a golf trip with two of his brothers and my mother is going out to Los Angeles to visit with my brother and sister-in-law and then continuing her jaunt out to Vegas for some R&R.  This means I head to their house for Oliver-sitting.  I thought to ask Linda and Craig (and Coco) to join me and my monsters for a long-weekend staycation. We plan to eat, watch movies, and soak up the sun poolside.

I also plan to get some mad mileage in.  We need not mention how The Hottest Half is *gulp* six weeks away and how this chickadee isn't nearly where she should be training-wise.  I blame work for zapping the life out of me, by the way....well and a stupid blister on the back of my heel, but whatever....

Since I'm gonna be at the parental's house for about a week, I figure it reaps a couple of advantages.  It saves on my electric bill at home (thank God) and they have a home gym.  I can cross train my heart out on the bike when I'm not walking, running, skipping, crawling out my mileage on the pavement in this AWFUL heat. 

So happy July to you all!  May you have a wonderful much needed holiday weekend filled with fun, family, and friends!

what a wonderful weekend!

What a fun Saturday!  I started off my morning knocking out some mileage.  One word:  HOT.  

To cool off, I used my happy Metha body wash from Bath and Body Works.  Get some now.  Trust me.

source here

I then went to pick up my cute mom so we could do breakfast.  No family lunch this Saturday since we are doing a Father's Day / Brother-in-law Jay's bday celebration on Sunday.  My cute mom and I went to IHOP.  I ordered the SIMPLE & FIT Blueberry Harvest Grain 'N Nut Combo.  Yum.  I'll just say it right now - my egg substitutes never come out tasting quite like that!  Next we went to see Mr. Popper's Penguins.  I don't know why the rest of my party pooper family members didn't want to see it - it was such a fun movie and we adored it!  I was able to get a diet vanilla root beer at the movie theater - mmmmm.

After the movie, my mom and I ran some errands.  We then ended up at Panera for lunch.  I heart Panera.  I hung out at my parent's house for a while before deciding to rent a couple movies from Red Box on my way home.  I chose I Am Number 4 and Just Go With It.  I enjoyed both movies.

Sunday meant family day. I met up with younger preggo sister Linda, brother-in-law Craig, and their dog Coco at my parent's pool around 12 noon. Of course I brought over my beasts as they desperately needed a play date. Older sister Cathy and brother-in-law Jay joined use a bit later when my mom served us up a yummy lunch. We then hung out, laughing bunches, and later headed to our dinner at Del Friscos in the Galleria area. They were running a pretty awesome special for 2 where each person got to pick a salad and then it came with an 8 oz filet, a crab cake, your choice of side, and your choice of dessert. I coupled of with my mom. We had such a great meal. I just love spending time with my family.

After dinner, we headed back to my parent's house for my dad and Jay to open up presents.  My mom is like Snow White in that animals seem to flock to her.  She is not so welcoming of them.  There are frogs that end up in the grotto under the waterfall in the pool.  There is a bird that keeps nesting in the backyard (my mom is not a bird lover).  Now there is a turtle that has traveled to the front door.  Here she is.  She's shy, clearly.  haha.

It was a wonderful weekend filled with fabulous food, family fun, and movies - what more could a girl ask for?

How was your weekend?

sleep, hydrate, eat, and MOVE: the plan

So you promised you wouldn't judge me and that's the only reason I'm showing this to you guys...

This year hasn't quite turned out how I had hoped so far with regards to my weight loss and fitness goals. Desperate times call for desperate measures.  No worries...I feel like I'm getting back on the right path, but let's just say some damage has been done and I've had a few set-backs, so I'm working my way back to where I once was so that progress can be made.  In the mean time...survival mode has been put into place.

Step 1 is to get sleep.  I'm getting that.  The goal is 7 to 8 hours a night.

Step 2 is to hydrate.  I'm doing that.  The goal is to drink 1 gallon of fluids a day (combo of water and Crystal Lite iced tea).

Step 3 is to eat right.  Remember the same game I discussed in an earlier post?  I like that concept and that's how I'm working my week days.  Following the South Beach diet, monitoring my calorie intake, taking cravings into consideration (I have a mad need for oatmeal and chicken salad lately) and sticking to my plan.

Step 4 is to MOVE.  I am not in the same shape I once was.  Sad, true story.  My body and my lungs are just not cooperating.  Three bouts of bronchitis in the past 3 months do not a happy, healthy Kim make.  I created a mileage plan and the goal is just to accomplish the mileage whether it be through walking, crawling running, or skipping (haha) my way to completion.
and here it is:

So, there you have it.  For the first time in a long time, I feel motivated and encouraged.  This is a good sign.  I will keep you posted on my progress!  =)

making lemonade

My cute mom has always said if you don't have something nice to say, then you shouldn't say anything at all. Well...I suppose all of our cute moms have told us that a time or two.  I've been kinda quiet lately.  It's so unlike me.  It even makes me uncomfortable when I'm on mute.

Bottom-line is I've just been...blah.

Work has been kicking my booty.  I've been putting in a lot of hours and it doesn't end when I leave the premises.  I feel as though there has been a war waged against me within the organization and there is no waving of a white flag in sight.  I have two choices here.  I can cry over the spilled milk or I can make lemonade.  Me thinks that since milk will surely spoil in this heat, the better bet is lemonade.

Shall we talk about my half marathon training?  It's non existent.  I'm so very proud of this.  not.

We could always discuss my healthy eating...oh, but let's not make a liar of me as healthy eating hasn't been happening here.

Let us not forget about my sleeping habits.  I'm lucky to get 5 hours a night and even if I do, it's interrupted.

Yep, this is why I haven't been blogging cuz I'm a Debbie Downer full of disappointments.

How do I get back on the right track?  Why oh why am I so easily derailed?  How can I be proud of me again?

Several years back I was shopping in Old Town Spring and found this little figurine in a shop.

I had to buy it because I thought it too precious and it came with such a good message - worth reading and remembering.

Today I choose to count my blessings - they are plentiful.  Today I choose to spotlight my accomplishments and not my shortcomings.  Today I choose to celebrate the fact it is a new day filled with new opportunities for change.  Today I choose to walk away from the pity party.  It's time to make lemonade, y'all (but...with Splenda perhaps)  ;)

Cheers to a HAPPY day!

preparation + prayer = 9 miles

I have been drinking water all week long like I'm being paid a sponsorship to do so.  The KIMpossible from 2 years ago would not recognize herself today, that is for sure!  As I have mentioned before, I was so THAT girl who could go the entire day without drinking a single beverage.  so true.  so bad.

I wanted to set myself up mentally and physically for a killah 9-miler, so here's what I did on Friday in preparation for Saturday's run:

1)  Carbo loaded - though typically I limit my bread carbs to 2 of my 3 meals, I allowed one with each of my meals.  For breakfast, I had a PB&J sammy on whole wheat bread.  For lunch, I had a hamburger patty (no bun) with a side of homemade BAKED sweet potato fries (the fries are considered a bread carb on South Beach).  For dinner, I bought myself a grilled chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A.  Of course there were healthy sidekicks (fruits and/or veggies) with all of these meals.

2) I drank plain water all day long with the exception of the last two 16-oz cups which both had the added bonus of Nuun in them.  I figure a little extra electrolytes could only benefit me in the long run.

3)  I foam rolled some areas of contention.  My calves seem to get tight lately on my runs, so those got foamed out first.  My upper back and shoulders are always an issue, so they were foamed out next.  For good measure, I finalized the process with my knees only because my left knee has been suffering from some minor runner's knee as of late and I didn't want my right knee to feel left out.

4)  I took an Epsom salt bath.  That Pink Girl does this before her really long runs.  Though 9 may not be considered "really long" by some, for THIS girl at THIS point in the game, it is.

5)  I lotioned up my legs and shoulders with this product I remembered I had bought soooo many years ago from Origins for tired legs.  Why I could have possibly thought I needed such a product years ago when I lead a relatively inactive lifestyle is beyond me, but I'm thankful I still had the product in my possession and that it still appeared to have its original potency.  It had that subtle spa-menthol smell and a definite cooling effect.  I figured it was a preventive measure.

6)  I had a nice long talk with my monsters (read:  my dogs) about how I desperately needed 7 to 8 hours of sleep.  I told them how proud I was of them for allowing me the courtesy of 7 straight hours without interruption the night before (Thursday night) and how grateful I would be if they allowed me this privilege once again.   I then made sure I did my part by getting my booty to bed at a decent time.

Of course, the best laid plans seem to always be ruined...the dogs woke me up at a ridiculous hour to go potty.  So much for our heart-to-heart.  I noticed when I put them out that it was drizzling and humid out.  great, just great.  I wondered if I should postpone my run until Sunday.  I decided just to go back to bed.  We slept for another hour and then they were STARVING.  Poor things...you should really feel sorry for them since we all know how mistreated they are.  So, they ate and I decided to go ahead and take my thyroid pill.  Then we resumed sleeping.  When we woke up again au natural, I made myself a nice breakfast of oatmeal - 1/2 cup of oats, 1 cup of water, 1 TBSP Splenda brown sugar, and an unmeasured amount of cinnamon.  Delish!  I added a banana and it was the perfect breakfast!  I don't like to eat and run, so I hopped onto FB for a while, before gearing up, sayin' my prayers, and heading out.

It was much much cooler than I realized (apparently a cool front came through in between my interrupted sleep), so I felt a bit chilled in my tank and capris, but I knew I would warm up turbo fast.  I swung by the ol' mailbox at 2.5 miles for a drink and then resumed my run.  I swung by the ol' mailbox at 5 miles for a drink and some Clif's Shot Bloks and then resumed my run.  I swung by the ol' mailbox at 6.5 miles for a final drink before heading out to complete my run.  I did need to stop and stretch at 7.5 miles because the wind was killing me at this point.  It was so gusty that it was making it so hard to run.  I then continued on my jaunt to complete my 9 miles.  Did you notice I never once mentioned intervals?  That's because I didn't do them.  My body hates them, I'm sure of it.  I decided to forgo them and to just run the mileage and my body responded so much better to this technique.

I expected to be sore and uncomfortable like I was last week when I ran my miserable 8, but I wasn't.  I actually feel great.  I chalk this up to preparation and prayer, honestly.  I'm also proud to announce that 4 out of my 9 miles were completed at a sub-13 pace.  This is such an improvement for me.  I also managed to take over a minute off of my average pace from last week's 8 miles.  How crazy is that?!  There is definite improvement in the air, my friends, and that makes this girl VERY happy.

After my run, I showered QUICKLY to get to family lunch.  I once again used that tired legs lotion - you know, just in case my legs decided to give me trouble later.

Yay for BJ's Brewhouse and their delicious turkey burger (subbed veggies for the fries, of course)!  I also added a side of their chili because I was starving having burnt 1228 calories during my run.

In other HAPPY news, I had to go to an INCONVENIENT Academy to pick-up my race packet for the Bayou City Classic 10K which is on 3/12.  Traffic was horrific trying to get there for some reason and I was in a truly foul mood by the time I arrived.  I decided to peruse the Clearance Section whilst there and low and behold I found ONE Nike Dri-Fit Tank in my size for $9.88 (normal retail price $36.99).  Um..SCORE!  That practically made my day.

So...a good weekend and counting!  I'm wishing the same for all of you!  =)

best Run EVER

after 4.5 - looking a bit winded...

Saturday I knew that no matter what, come rain or shine, however I tried to spin it, I HAD TO hit 8 miles.  Hal Higdon said so, after all,  Who am I to argue?!  =D  Seriously, though, with my half marathon one month away, if I didn't hit 8, I knew I was in BAD shape.

I planned out a route in my head and got down to business doing 5/1 intervals.  The first 2 miles seemed effortless.  The third mile breezed by.  At this point, I started getting cocky.  I seriously considered tacking on an extra mile for a grand total of 9.  I was, after all, feeling ON TOP OF THE WORLDISH.  Mile 4 and still going strong and then eventually I hit the 5.25 mile point and I took a nose dive.  This wasn't really all that surprising considering I hadn't run all week AT ALL and that the most I had hit prior to this run in any one jaunt was 6 miles.  It took everything in me to finish all 8 and I have to say that the last mile was particularly pathetic.  I actually walked most of it as I got a blister on my left heel since my sock had slid down AND I had pain the ball of my left foot (courtesy of wearing heels the night before, I'm thinking) AND then, of course, I had an attack of the charlie horses (my b.f.f.s).

I took off Sunday.

Monday, I got a MUCH needed massage.  I have a monthly membership at Massage Envy, but for some reason I forgot to go in January and February...that is, until I couldn't bear it any longer.  My friend, and massage therapist, Sarah, worked her best torture techniques on me, but some of those knots are going to require another session, so I booked another appointment for next week.  I did feel better, though, leaving than I did going in, so that is progress!

I woke up this morning SO SORE from the release of all the knots in my neck, shoulders, left leg, and upper back.  I had hoped to run this morning, but it just wasn't going to happen.  I took an Epsom Salt bath instead and then I hydrated with the ol' H2O all day long like it was my job.  I'm talking a bajillion gallons, at least.

After a way overdue dinner with my friend Amy, I headed home for that run.  In my head I wanted to do 4.5, but I never tweeted or blogged a specific number because had I done that...well...we all know I would have been required to follow through on it. ;)  I knew that I wanted to run the mileage outright - no walking and no stopping and I knew that I wanted to feel good about the run.

I mapped out the course in my head and I got down to business.

Here are my stats:
Mile 1: 13:34
Mile 2:  13:10
Mile 3:  12:47
Mile 4:  13:15
Mile 4.5:  13:15/avg

Did you check out Mile 3???  Wowsers (uh...for me...it's all relative, after all)!

Bottom line, my little lamp chops - I felt AMAZING and STRONG - for all 4.5 miles.  Well, okay...a bit tired the last mile, but this indicates to me that I should run the Bayou City Classic 10K on March 12th without intervals! This makes me happy. 

Oh...I almost forgot to mention that I did run past a house that must have been a "coffee shop" if you catch my drift in the way that Amsterdam has "coffee shops".  Oh wow - the wretched pungent smell of "coffee" temporarily filled my lungs as I ran past said house.  So, my disclaimer is that I personally did not use any kind of enhancement ... um ... "coffee" for my run (though I'm pretty sure that kind of "coffee" would not be considered a stimulant anyway).  Ugh.

I have never had a week day run feel this good, not to mention this is the most I have ever run in a weekday (4.25 miles was my previous best).  A run like this restores confidence.  A run like this rocks my world!

What do I think lead to this accomplishment?  I freed my mind of all things cluttering it.  I released my body of all tension.  I was properly hydrated (for once).  I told myself, "you've got this!"

So, let's hope Thursday's run is just as dandy and that these two runs shall lead me to a FANTASTIC 9 miler on Saturday!

May you, too, have your best Run EVER or the equivalent in whatever area of life you've been struggling with!

little victories

Yo, what's up buttercups?

I've just been struggling with my long runs across the board.  for reals.

My week day runs go down like a smooth piece of Milka chocolate (flashback to my college month-long European trip and a slight obsession I may or may not have had with that particular brand).  Well, that is if you consider listening to me plodding along huffing and puffing as smooth.  I guess my point is that I git 'm done.

My long runs...er....that's a whole different story.  I seem to ALWAYS get a ridiculously late start and I seem to lack direction - not in the sense of which way to go, but rather how do I go about handling this business.  Let me explain.  First and foremost, understand that I'm an over-thinker.  I prefer (apparently) to burn my calories by way of worrying and fretting and stressing as opposed to actually just doing CLEARLY.  Why else would I get myself into such a tizzy over that which will work itself out?!

I hate intervals.  I feel like it takes a lot of effort to start and stop and then start and stop and....oh you get the idea.  I feel like once you get the momentum going, it's best to just go with it.  That being said, some days I just don't have it in me...every 1/4 of a mile seems like an eternity of trudging through thigh-high mud.  I seem to be faster with the intervals because that little walk break rejuvenates me for the running intervals, but that being said, running without intervals builds my endurance.

I have my first race this weekend - the Chick-fil-A 5K - and I know I have zero shot of getting a PR if I run the mileage without intervals / walk breaks.  I also know that if I run the mileage without intervals, it will be my first 5K to do this and that, in itself, is an accomplishment.

Tonight, I set out to do 3 miles (sans intervals).  I could tell it was going to be a slow mileage day.  For some reason, I was just not moving at my usual speed (which is also quite slow, but this was SLOW, if you catch my drift).  I actually felt okay, though.  I attribute this to the fact that I made a decision to NOT run the cul-de-sacs anymore.  All this time, I've been running every cul-de-sac I encounter to "add" to the neighborhood mileage so that I don't have to create new routes or run loops.  I decided cul-de-sacs are hard on my body and so they were removed from my routing.  For the first time in a long time, I felt like I actually got my breathing somewhat under control (maybe because I was going so slow?).  I ended up doing 4.25 miles.  This is my longest week day run EVER (even before injury).  It is also my longest run without intervals post-injury.

For now, I choose to celebrate the little victories, so yay to 4.25 miles without intervals ON A WEEKNIGHT, no less!

And while we are at it...what shall we celebrate for you?

Happy February!

Happy February to you.

I'm trying to be in better spirits about February than I was about January, so bear with me here while I work my way through it.  One of my many issues right now is loneliness, so February bringing ol' V-day isn't going to help that, but whatever. 

So, on Sunday I went out to watch the Houston Chevron Marathon.  My friend Melissa was running her very first.  I was supposed to be running this race, but the ol' pelvic stress fracture took that opportunity away from me.  I wasn't really so sad about that when I took note of the weather that day.  The temperature was between 68 to 72 degrees and it was quite humid and drizzling most of the day.  I felt sorry for the runners and was quite thankful that it wasn't my first marathon.  Now, watch it be identical conditions next year when I embark upon my "adventure".  Oye.  Our first stop was Mile 6.  It was pretty cool because we got there so early that we were able to watch all the gazelles elites run by.  They are truly amazing!  I kept my eye out in the crowd for some familiar faces I knew were running the races - most specifically That Pink Girl, but alas...I sadly never did see her.  =(  I did cheer my heart out for all the runners.  As a runner myself, I know it means the world to me to hear people cheer.  It doesn't matter if you know them or not.  One dude told me he loved me.  I figured that meant we were dating and if I saw him again at a later mile marker perhaps we would become engaged, but no such luck.  I became hoarse from shouting my encouragements throughout the day.  We made it to miles 11, 15, 19, 23, and then to the George R. Brown Convention Center to congratulate Melissa.  She did great!  We were sooo proud of her!  I would also like to mention that we did see one guy running the race who wore a blue t-shirt that read "from 426 lbs to 26.2 miles".  Though I don't know who this guy is - he brought tears to my eyes.  Not only had he conquered one remarkable feat, but he had conquered two!  So very inspiring!

The marathon got me thinking about my plans for improving my running and achieving my goals.  I told myself that it's time to stop the pity party and time to start conquering my demons!  Tuesday morning, I got up at 4:30am and went out for a run.  It was 68 degrees and ridiculously humid.  A few hours later, it was 38 degrees.  What is going on Houston?!  Sheesh!  Last night I went out to run my coldest run EVER - it was 29 degrees (20 with the wind chill).  I managed 2.75 miles.  Post run, my house felt like an inferno compared to the chilly outdoors. 

In other news, I booked my vacation yesterday.  Uber excited about this.  Since I'm going out to Los Angeles to run the Orange County Half Marathon on May 1st, I thought I should incorporate that into my vacation.  It's really cool that I don't have to run this race alone.  A friend / co-worker of mine from NJ is coming out to Cali with her husband (also a co-worker of  mine) to visit their son and daughter-in-law who live in the same area where my brother and sister-in-law live.  This will be her first half marathon, though she is quite the runner! I'm heading out on Saturday, April 30th, and I will stay out there until Wednesday, May 4th.  On the 4th, I will head out to Greenville, SC to visit one of my best friends and her husband.  I haven't seen them since October '09.  I will stay with them until the 8th when I will arrive back in Houston JUST in time to celebrate Mother's Day with my family!  This means the mini triathlon I was going to do on May 8th is out.  I'm okay with that, though.  I think I really would rather focus on running this year and then I can consider a tri next year.

I also did more race shopping - one of my favorite things to do.  I discovered the Hippity Rock Half Marathon in Cypress, TX (VERY local) on April 23rd.  Do the math, my friends - this is 8 days before my Orange County Half Marathon.  Call me cRaZy, but I decided to take the plunge and register for it...I really want to be comfortable with the half marathon distance so that the marathon won't be quite so daunting for me.  I also found the See Jane Run Half Marathon in Austin on October 9th.  This is an all women's half.  I'm about 90% sure I'll be doing this one, as well.  Their slogan is "i run for champagne and chocolate."  How much do I love that?!

Well there you have it - you can tell, I'm sure, that now I'm all kinds of excited about what is in store for me running-wise, so my body better be in agreement!  =D

5 miles - we meet again.

I have been in such a bad place this month.  I have a tendency to get the January blues.  Combine that with some other stuff and...well...it just hasn't been pretty.  Just about everything has been suffering...well except for my food.  I have that under control, thankfully. 

Running has been harder than I had hoped.  I know I had my grand idea of going all fast forward through the C25K, but when I really started diving into it...well...it sounded like a better idea than the actuality of it.  I just can't do a 60-sec run followed by a 90-sec walk.  I mean I can do it, but it's too basic for me at this point in the game.  What the whole grand idea taught me, however, is that I need to go back to my intervals.  I had to swallow my pride for this.  It sounds stupid, but it truly was...no...is a struggle for me.  Endurance versus speed.  Is it better to be able to go longer without stopping/walking or is it better to be faster?  Post injury, however, it's been kind of a moot point.  I no longer have my endurance.  I did 3 runs at 2 miles a run and after each run I felt like I had hit my capacity.  Then I stopped running (for 2 1/2 weeks) out of frustration and depression.  That will teach me. 

I told myself that I had to do 5 miles on Saturday.  If I did not, I would be so far behind my half marathon training with no hopes of catching up.  I sucked it up and set my Garmin to 5/1 intervals.  I decided to run in my subdivision and I headed out with my tunes, my gum, and a Powerade Zero in the mailbox.  My first 2 miles were sub-13.  That was amazing for me.  It's been A REALLY LONG time since I've seen that.  I swung by my mailbox at 2.2 miles for a drink.  I continued along, trying really hard to maintain that sub-13, but my pace started slowing.  I swung back around to my mailbox at 3.7 miles for another drink.  I thought about only doing 4 miles and then I got mad at myself.  I headed out to do 5 and I was going to do 5!  I set off to finish out the remaining 1.3 miles knowing just the right path to finish it off.  I completed my run feeling accomplished.  I haven't felt like that in A REALLY LONG time.  In fact, the last time I ran at least 5 miles was back on October 30th when I ran an injured 7 miles before I found out about my stress fracture.  That was 3 months ago!!! 

On my last 2 mile run - 2 1/2 weeks ago (boo on me) - I averaged 13.28 min/mile pace.

On this 5 mile run, I averaged a 13.30 min/mile pace.

Looks like my 5/1 intervals allowed me to do the distance while maintaining my speed.  I honestly can say had I tried running the 5 miles without the intervals, I either never would have made it the entire distance and/or my average pace would have been around a 14 min/mile.

Since this post is mostly about running, I thought I would add that my friends Meliska, Lauren, Rachel, and I are all doing the Chick-fil-A 5K on February 19th.  This will be my first 5K for the year.  My PR is a 39.40.  That's a 12:47 pace.  I don't have any high hopes of PRing this race, but...well it would be really great to have a race I can be proud of.  The only way to make that happen is to run.  Practice makes perfect.  I have a recommitment to my "craft", if you will. 

My mileage for January is pathetic.  It's not even a drop in the bucket to get me to my goal of 600 miles for the year.  February, here I come!

whack-a-doodle doo

I had a whackadoo idea when I woke up this morning.  shocker.  I know so many people who are venturing into the C25K land with this new year and/or who started it last year.  Somehow/someway when I started my so called running thing last January, I had never heard of such a thing.  By the time my Meliska bamboozled  me into running my first 5K later that month, well I guess it just seemed silly to "backtrack" by doing a program designed to get me prepared for my first 5K that I had already run.

I also started thinking about how I went from doing my 3/1 interval method (February to April) to my 4/1 intervals (April to August) and then to straight-out running (September to current).  I'm kind of all or nothing like that, I suppose.  There was no other gradual progression put into place.  It was like BAM! take that body!  Now I seem to just be struggling to get back into the groove post injury.  I think it's because I want to be able to resume where I left off - not in distance, per say, but in my ability to rock the mileage outright (sans intervals).  I'm not so certain I'm being fair to my body.  In a lot of ways I'm starting over from scratch here.

My Rock 'n' Roll Dallas Half Marathon is in a little over 9 weeks.  My Orange County Half Marathon is in a little over 14 weeks.  I'm not concerned with finishing either of these races in their time limits (4 hours and 3 1/2 hours, respectively), but what I am concerned with is finishing them with my head held high knowing I put forth my best effort.  I don't feel like I've been giving running my best effort in the past week.  I feel like I've been discouraged and so I've just not run.

Well, my friends...there's a new attitude in town - she just arrived today (oh dear - I hope it's a new attitude and not another personality indicative of some kind of personality disorder).  So this leads me to my whackadoo idea.  I'm going to do the C25K, but in fast forward.  This means instead of doing 3 workouts a week for 9 weeks to complete the program, I'm going to do 5 to 6 workouts a week to complete the program in 5 to 6 weeks.  This will be in addition to my long Saturday or Sunday run. 

Now don't be getting any crazy ideas that I will be overworking my pelvis.  I will still be cross-training one day a week with a 24-Hour Fitness class and keep in mind this C25K program incorporates a lot of walking intermixed with the running.  If I feel any pain at any given moment - everything comes to a SCREECHING HALT! 

Oh...I'm also wondering if this C25K program will help increase my speed.  I know I've mentioned it before (perhaps on SEVERAL occasions) that I was faster when I incorporated intervals into the mix than when I nixed them.  Perhaps by taking it back a bit and working through the transitions of intervals to straight running, I will learn how to maintain my speed.  By the way, I do use the term speed very lightly since we all know I'm a special kind of turtle!  =D

So, what do you think?  Whackadoo?  I'm starting tomorrow morning!

In case you are wondering - here is the program in a written out format.  I know I can get an application for my phone, but I don't want to carry my phone with me, so I'm going to set my Garmin for each workout to keep me on program.

the power of gum (apparently)

Saturday's schedule showed a 3 mile run.  Saturday's 3 miler didn't happen.  =/  Where to start?

I have been bad about getting proper sleep.  I averaged 6 hours per night all week long.  BAD KIM!  I went to bed around midnight on Friday night.  I had the crock pot working away and I'm pretty sure it woke my dogs up around 3am because they insisted on waking me up to "explore" where the scent was coming from.  I couldn't go back to sleep until 4:30.  =/  I didn't set an alarm.  I didn't wake up again until 9:45.  I am currently taking a couple of medications that require me to wait 30 minutes in between taking and then another 30 minutes before eating.  I took the first medication.  I waited until 10:15 and I took the next one.  My plan was to eat something at 10:45, but then I figured since my thighs were still so very pathetically sore from Thursday's 2-miler, that perhaps I should soak them in an Epsom salt-bath for a little bit (uh...maybe I should have done that the night before).  Next thing I know, it's 11:15.  OH CRAP!  Family lunch is at 12:30.  I'm a super slow turtle runner - especially since I have extra calcification on my pelvis slowing me down, so I need to book it - STAT!  I never had breakfast.

I leave the house.  I had already stretched, so that was good.  I did not remember my gum, so that was bad.  I know many of you think I'm a silly girl for insisting that my gum "keeps me hydrated" and helps "regulate my breathing", BUT I really stand by those statements.  One of my meds leaves me quite thirsty, so while 3 miles should not require a drink - especially in these weather conditions - I was dying for one after the first half mile.  I was breathing like I was dying, too, for that matter.  I finally got it somewhat under control for my second mile, but I was so concerned about time and my thighs really were sore, so I decided coming from the bench with only one other 2-miler under my belt, 2 miles was going to have to do.

I was able to plug my Garmin in and compare Thursday's 2 mile stats to Saturday's.  I took 37 seconds off my average pace.  That's pretty impressive!  It could have been that I felt more confident, that it was morning versus evening (after work), but still...  The disconcerting thing was my heart rate.  I forgot to lap out Thursday's run, but I know that my average heart rate for the entire run was 156 bpm.  I did remember to lap out my Saturday run.  My average heart rate for the first mile was a 197 bpm while my average heart rate for the second mile was a 157 bpm.  This made my average a 177 bpm for the run.  The even scarier number was the max heart rate for the first mile - 244!  Yikes!  My max on Thursday was a 177.  What happened yesterday?!  Was this all because of the gum?!  Lesson learned - never ever leave home without it!  Rest assured, I will be keeping an eye on this, however, as I know that 244 is not a good number.

In the end, I'm okay with only doing 2.  I don't want to push myself.  I don't want to re-injure myself.  I want to be able to have a successful journey this year!  I would rather have a good 2 miler, than a crappy 3 if that makes sense.

Since I got my doctor's full release, I am now ready to move onto that other part of THE PLAN regarding picking out at least one 24-Hour Fitness class to attend per week.  I've picked out this week's class.  I'm a bit nervous about it, but I told myself that if I hate it, I don't have to go back to this one.  It's Tuesday @ 6pm and it's called the 24S.E.T.  Here's the description from their website:  This cardio/strength combination class alternates strength exercises to sculpt every major muscle group with easy to follow step moves.  Hmmm...easy to follow?  We'll see about that!  I was never very good at Simon Says or Follow the Leader!

The week's exercise plan:
Sunday - rest
Monday - 2 mile run
Tuesday - 24S.E.T
Wednesday - 2 mile run
Thursday - kettle bell workout (DVD)
Friday - cross-trainer elliptical (with arms) for 45 minutes
Saturday - 3 mile run

There you have it - one 24-hour class, two cross-training arm work-outs, 3 runs - perfect!  We'll check back in Saturday or Sunday to see how I did!  =)

some things never change

Guess what, guys?  I still hate the first mile!  Do you hear me???  I HATE the first mile!  Do you know what that means?  I ran my first mile...and then...I ran a second mile!  Yep.  2 miles were on the schedule and I was bound and determined to do exactly what the schedule mandated (well as long as I could do so without pain).

I have had a problem lately with feeling chilled ALL THE TIME.  It's not even cold here.  People in the Midwest and on the East Coast would laugh at my ridiculousness.  I was not sure how to handle running in this weather.  Also, I have started having major anxiety about getting hit by a car while running.  I know how to properly gear up to best prepare for avoidance of such things, but still...  Furthermore, I was just plain sCaReD to actually get my booty out there and run after all this time wondering if I was truly healed.

I went to Target during lunch and bought a couple of light weight long sleeved shirts that had some reflective stitching on them.  I came home from work and charged my iPod and my Garmin.  I geared up, stretched, walked outside, said a little prayer, and hit the streets.  It was very important to me to be able to run the full 2 miles without stopping.  I did it.  It was slow...proof that I'm still a special kind of turtle...but I did it!  Too bad my calcified pelvis didn't bring me some magic super speediness, huh?

I'm a little coughy...apparently my lungs weren't used to working.  Time should fix that, right?!

Hopefully I wake up tomorrow with all my body parts feeling as they should!

Tomorrow is cross-training.