It's raining, its snowing, the old man is snoring....

Woke up this morning to let the dog out and got blasted in the face with wind, snow and rain. Not the best way to wake up. Hubby is still curdled up in bed sleeping. He can't work with all the snow we're getting.... so he is enjoying his mini vacation! LOL

Now What???

Yesterday my legs went on strike. My hip and knee joints refused to move and just trying to get around the house was painful. I sat down and did a good stretch last night and today I am feeling a lot better. Still a little stiff... but better!

So... now that its over, what do I do now??

Well, for one, I will be resting for at least another two days. I don't plan on running again until next week sometime.... but a walk here and there will be good for me!

I am going to focus on my food now. I need to drop 30 lbs and I would really like to do it before summer... so that will be my focus from here on out.

I do have another run scheduled already... but its not until November 2010... so I will focus on dropping weight for the next 6 months and then start training for 4 months for the Iron Girl 10 mile run!! Sounds perfect!!

I am off to soak in a bathtub!! <3

PF Chang Rock N' Roll 1/2 marathon recap!

3 AM: woke up and hopped in the shower. I was shivering, more from nerves then the cold, and had terrible butterflies. I remember looking in the mirror more then once and saying "What where you thinking???"

4 AM: Roni and I check out of our hotel. We had to find our way to the finish line where you park your car and get on a shuttle (aka school bus) that takes you to the starting line. Talk about de ja vu... riding a school bus, in the dark. Felt like high school all over again!

5 AM: We finally arrive at the starting line after our bus driver got a little lost, went down some one way roads the wrong way, backed up a block on a busy road (thankfully no traffic), and finally found our drop off area!! It was cold and Roni and I were the first to christen the port-o-potties!! (the only time it was actually pleasant to be in one)

6 AM: We watched as the Ultra marathon runners headed to the starting line. Crazy people! Roni and I also ran into a lady who is a running coach back in Portland, Oregon. (Hi Vicki!) She was an angel in disguise, giving us tips on what to do and what not to do. She gave us ideas on how to get through the last couple of miles.... like thinking of a family member for each mile of the race. She also said "your mind will want to give up long before you body will"... and those words kept repeating in my head the last couple of miles....

7 AM: We stood around trying to get warm. Marathon runners were lining up to their starting line.... and we went looking for another port-a-potty! I'm guessing when your that nervous it makes you have to pee a lot..... and often!!!

8 AM: We are asked to start heading to our corrals. Roni and I were in 19... Vicki was in 9.... so we went our own ways thankful for all the help she offered! 20,000 runners started gathering on the street. It was an amazing sight! Roni and I did some warming up and stretching. I was more excited then nervous at this point. I had come across some ladies wearing shirts that said "remember, the turtle won!" that were planning on walking the whole thing. They were fun and lively.... I figured if I ended up walking I would find them!

8:30 AM: The gun goes off and the first corral is let across the starting line. Governor Gordon and John McCain where at the starting line waiving them on! Every 2 minutes they let another corral go.

9:20 AM: I finally cross the starting line. Roni and I stayed at an easy jog for the first mile. It was a little crowded, but the pace was good and people were spreading out. It felt good to finally get going.... and get warm! I threw my jacket over to the sidelines where kids were picking them up and putting them in bags. Hopefully a lot of those clothes went to the homeless that were standing on the sidelines for the first block of the race!~

9:33 AM: Hit mile marker 1 and felt good. I was at a good pace that wasn't going to tire me out too fast.

9:46 AM: Hit mile marker 2 and stopped for water. From here on out I had planned on doing a walk/jog. Roni felt strong and kept going, which was fine with me. We had agreed to do our own pace from the start!

10 AM: I saw my friend Cindy!! She was awesome holding up her sign!! It was a great feeling to have my very own cheerleader on the sidelines. She took some great pics of the other runners too!

(The tortoise and the hare!!)

11 AM: I hit the half way point. 6.5 miles!! I was feeling good. I was grabbing water at every stop and sucking down GU to keep up the energy. Stopped for a potty break.... 5 minutes of standing in line!!!

Noon: I hit a wall. I was at 10 miles and both legs were in pain. My muscles were cramping up hard and every step shot pain up to my hips. Of course, this was also the leg of the race with the most hills. I slowed down and just focused on walking the hills. Thank God for the bands playing music along the way... they gave me a boost every time I heard their beat.

Mile 11: I tried jogging, which actually took the pain away from my legs, but caused the blisters on the bottom of my foot to pop. Y-OUCH!!!! Back to walking. People where falling back. They were stopped on the sidewalk trying to stretch their legs, or throwing up. I wanted to stop so badly and stretch but I knew if I stopped I may never get back up again.... so, I just kept going. I had Vicki's words in my head... "Your mind will want to give up long before your body will".... I wanted to give up, waive down a cop and hitch a ride to the finish line... but I could never have lived with myself. To get this far and give up? No way!! I thought of my Dad, who would have been cheering me on from the sidelines... and who I know was watching over me that very moment telling me to kick my ass into gear!!

This was the longest and most emotional mile of the race for me. A true test of will.

Mile 12: One more mile, One more mile, One more mile. I could do this. I could!!! I picked up my pace and started to jog. I didn't care about the pain anymore. I just knew that the faster I ran, the faster I could stop and say 'I Did It!' ..... People were lined up along the street, waving and cheering. Every little turn of the road I looked for the finish line.... every step getting closer and closer to pure torture.

....... there it was. The finish line. I cried. I got my medal. They took my picture...... I went to the medical tent! LOL

It may have been the scariest, most painful thing I have ever done.... but I did it!

Finishing time 3:38:12.... a perfect time for a turtle like me!

I'm off to the races.....

Can I tell you a secret? I've thought about cancelling my trip every day this week. I've thought about calling in sick and just hiding in bed all weekend. The thought of not crossing the finish line has crossed my mind more then once... and its not a pretty sight.

I'm not scared of the hard work it will take to cross that finish line. Nope, I know in my heart that I will keep on going until my legs fall off.... No, no I'm terrified that I wont do as well as I had hoped to. I'm scared of being the last one on the road with the patrolmen following me (like they did on my first 10K)

I'm scared of being the heaviest person out there. I'm scared that my body will give out on me.

But if I do cancel, what will hiding in my room do for me? Somewhere I read a quote this week that inspired me to go...

"The miracle is not that I finished, but that I had the courage to start"-John Bingham

Man, talk about hitting it right on the dot for me. Finishing may be a challenge for me, but starting... that is the real test.

I have a headache from gritting my teeth all week. I've been depressed all week. If I don't run this race I am going to only fall deeper into my slump. If I stay home, I'm gonna eat, sleep and not accomplish anything for myself. But if I go, I will be pushing myself up out of this hole and finding that inner self that wants to accomplish something... that wants to make myself into a better person. I want to be proud of myself...

I leave first thing in the morning to pick up Roni and head to the city. Once I'm on the road, there is not turning back. Finish or not, I'm gonna start.

Bye Bye Treadmill.... don't come back.

My treadmill has been officially banned from my house.

I know, its three days before the Half Marathon and I'm kicking my treadmill to the curb. Crazy? Nope. Squished. My house is small, but cozy. Having a treadmill right next to my bed was very annoying. Especially since Hubby used it as a closet half the time and I would have to clean it up before stepping on it to run. Anyway, I figured my mental state of mind was much more important then the damn treadmill... (I HATE running on that thing anyway)

My plan? Take the next 3 days off from running. :)

Then, kick some butt at the half marathon....

Then, come home and focus on eating clean and staying healthy until the weather warms up. I love running outside and think that if I can focus on dropping some more weight in the next couple of months, then running this summer will be VERY enjoyable.

In all honesty. I need a freakin' break.

I <3 you guys!!!

This is why everyone needs a blog. I put out there that I am thinking about Atkins... and you guys come running. Some were supportive and some where totally against it.... but everyone did it the nicest way possible!

I think I will NOT do Atkins... but instead do my own version of it. I will knock out sugar, white bread, white rice and all processed foods. I will eat lots of fruit, veggies and proteins.... and now and then I will add a brown rice or wheat bread.

For now, I am indulging in carbs. I am getting psyched up for this weekend. Today was supposed to be a 6 mile run but its snowing outside. So I either do it on the treadmill or just take it as a break and relax until Sunday. I leaning towards the relaxing idea!! LOL

I'm thinking about Atkins...

Not right now! Going on a low carb diet right before a half marathon would be dangerous! But I'm thinking about trying it next week when I'm done. I know, I've heard all the warning about low carb diets too, but I think it may be the kind of thing I need right now.

The induction phase is the hardest one. Only 20 net carbs a day (net carbs are your total carbohydrates minus the fiber....ie: carbs 24, fiber 4 = net carbs of 20) ... and 15 of those net carbs have to come from veggies. Really, when you look at the Atkins diet, it is really about clean eating. No bread, no sugar, no additives. Lots of veggies and protein.... at least the first 2 weeks. Then you can graduate to the next level, where you slowly add more carbs into your daily food.

I'm thinking this may be my kind of diet. Yes, I said diet. Living without bread and pasta... that would kill me... and we all know that depriving yourself of foods you crave is a big no-no. It just makes for a harder fall when you do finally fall. But if I can follow the Atkins way of slowly adding them back in... I might finally rid my body of these last 30 lbs!

I have to do something. I'm losing my groove, my mojo, my motivation and my stamina. I need something new to get me excited again.

SCHOOL

In other news! My husband has his first EVER college class tonight! I am so proud of him for taking that extra step to better himself. I think he is a little terrified... but I think he is also opening his eyes to a new future with MUCH better options... and that is exciting for him. <3

Half Marathon

I leave in 4 days. I have come to the conclusion that no matter how I run it.. fast or slow.. I will finish the race. I'm not 'racing' anyone but myself. I need to remember that. Its time to be proud in who I am NOW... not in what I could have been or who I will be.... I'm proud me now, at this weight, at this time in life.

*6 Days*

Its Monday. Six days till the big event. I am trying to stay positive and just work with what I got! I will finish the half marathon....

I will

I will

I will.

Right now I'm just making sure I'm hydrated.... eating clean.... and healthy for the big day!

T-8 days

A week from tomorrow Roni and I will be getting in the car and heading down to the city for our PF Chang 1/2 marathon run. I am terrified.

This week has not been as good as it could have been. I am nowhere near where I wanted to be with my weight. Its too damn cold to run outside, so I have done zero long runs, and food is terrible.

All in all, I feel completely unprepared for this race. I feel let down by myself for not taking it more seriously... for procrastinating and waiting until the last minute to start training. I actually told this to my husband while I cried on his shoulder. I am in panic mode...

How do you stay on track?

Not being able to weigh myself every morning has created a little bit of a problem for me. Used to I would step on the scale and if the numbers where high I would be super motivated to have a perfect day... if the numbers where low I was feeling good and motivated to have a perfect day.

Obviously this wasn't a fool proof way of getting motivated.... but it was motivation none the less. Now that I have banned the scale I was looking for a way of waking up to motivation. Here is what I came up with!

Everyone loves a check list... at least I do!... So I have decided that every morning I will write down a list of goals I want to achieve that day, along with a long term and short term goal as well. (this will just remind you of what your reaching for everyday!)

Todays Goal:

Drink 96 oz of water

1 hour of cardio: CHECK!!

clean house

Short Term:
FINISH half marathon in 2 weeks

Long Term:
Reach goal weight of 145 lbs
Run Full marathon in 2011

Having this little list posted next to my computer keeps me motivated for the day. OH, and notice that it doesn't have to be diet or workout related!! Getting my house clean is good for me too... it makes me feel so much better, and that is important for living a healthy life too!

T-13 Days to Half Marathon... and counting.

Its coming up fast... and I'm not sure I'm ready. I am doing everything in my power for the next two weeks to be in the best health I can be. I am drinking tons of water... eating clean... taking vitamins...oh, and did I mention working out A LOT!

I have been using a Jillian Michaels workout and she ROCKS. I hate her with a passion while I'm doing the workout... so I guess its a love/hate relationship. Anyway, I am sore everyday!

But don't be fooled, I am also running on top of that!! A runner I met at a race once told me the most important thing to do while training is calisthenics. The stronger your core is, the stronger your legs can be to run long distance. It made sense to me... lets hope it works!!

Another New Year Gym Day...

I went to my gym this morning to do my Sprint Triathlon...(its helping with my endurance training)... and I noticed the addition of new people. Now, don't get me wrong, I am 100% for people getting out and trying to get in shape... we all had to start somewhere, right? But for goodness sake... make an EFFORT!

I was 6 miles in on my bike ride when I noticed a lady walking up the stairs to the cardio room. She was obviously new, walking around peering into rooms and reading signs. She walked over to the bike next to me and started peddling. I smiled and so did she. Then I realized... she was wearing make-up... and oh-my-gosh... is that perfume???

She rode the bike for 5 minutes and then decided to go try out the elliptical machine, which obviously wasn't to her liking because she quickly got off and decided just to get on the treadmill.

When I was done with my 12 miles on the bike I hopped off (ok, so I slowly and painfully fell off) and went to the treadmill to do my 3 mile run. I got on the one next to her where we, once again, shared a smile. She got off and went to stretch. Whenever I looked around I noticed her looking at me.

Now, I am usually very friendly... but today I had my headphones on and was really focusing on finishing. Looking back I should have struck up a conversation... obviously the trainers there don't give a damn that people walk around lost with no idea how to get started... and maybe given her an idea of how to get a good work out in. She ended up going back downstairs to the weight room before I was done.

I got done with my miles and then went to sit and stretch a little. While I was sitting there I noticed something very interesting. The new people in the gym were working out... but not sweating. While the regulars were working out and completely drenched. I guess it takes a while for people to get in the groove.... looking back I KNOW it took a while for me to. I just wish I could push them a little and get them moving. I felt the need to become Jillian!

I went downstairs to use their chin up machine and saw the lady from upstairs using the dumbbells and she seemed to have a little routine down. I smiled, again, and went to work. Maybe she will be their next weekend... and maybe then we could talk a little!

Hello 2010... My name is Tigerlilly!

Its the first day of the new year. I'm excited to see what this year brings. I already have a couple of challenges set up... a half marathon in 2 weeks... and a 10 mile run in November! I'm sure I will do a lot more in between.. but for now those are my two big reasons to keep on track.

Today is the first of the month and, like I said, I will be weighing in on the first of every month to see how I'm doing. Todays weight (gain) is not a surprise. I'm holding at 180. Keep in mind last night was new years eve and I can promise you I ate more sodium rich foods then I should have! But, putting the excuses aside, I have a lot of work to do in the next two weeks to get ready for my half marathon run.

To get started, I will be doing my 3 miles this morning and then a cardio workout with Jillian Michaels! I already have my food planned out ( and counted at 1193 calories) and my water bottle is full. Its time to start this year off with a bang!!