NYE Coming Around Full Circle

Today I met up with my BRB Jill at the Cape Cod Canal for a 12 miler.  For me it was a perfect example of things coming around full circle!  Literally on Jan. 1st of 2011 I was in the same place running the Resolution Run with Jill:

Today was a mild day just like it was that day!  Mild and full of great conversation with a friend I am so thankful to have in my life!  We nudge each other out of our comfort zones and she makes me a better runner and person!  This year Jill and I set the goal of running 1500 miles and we both crushed it!!  This run brought me to 1537 miles....1537 miles past where I thought I could run!  We finished this year with an exclamation point wearing our tutus the whole way!

I'm so excited to see what 2012 has in store....as the sign says...

Bring it on 2012!!

Fitness Friday....Bring it 2012!

Yesterday I posted about what goals I had for 2012 for the rest of my life....today it is about the other half....fitness!  Each year I look back and think, "Thank you God for carrying me through another amazing year of fitness!"  I mean I would be really blinded if I didn't take the time to give praise where it was most importantly due!  2 1/2 years have gone by since my horrible back injury I had just 6 months after Em was born.  Each year I set goals for my fitness and pray that I make it through injury free!  I am grateful for 365 injury free days!  This year I pray for nothing less!!  I also would have never been able to reach my goals this past year without the support of my hubby who has sacrificed for me so that I can get in my runs.  Thank you babe!!

With this year's goals, I am trying to build in more balance to my fitness.  BC (before children) the hubs and I would spend 2+ hours at the gym and I took every class known to man!  I loved it all!  Even after Em I loved going to Spin classes and TRX cardio blast classes.  The summer of 2010 I was the strongest I have ever felt due to this and an amazing trainer named Di from Dihard Fitness in Salem, MA.  Though we live too far away now for me to go there, I want to get back to a stronger me for 2012!  Here are my goals for 2012:

• Run (at least) 12 half marathons (this may be virtually as well as in person)
• Bring back the brawn!  I want to strength train at least 3 days a week.  To start this off I am doing the Insanity program starting Monday!
• Focus on Fuel.....This year I want to get beyond the scale and eat foods that fuel my body so that I have the energy to be an energetic wife and mom!  When I am a slave to the scale I tend to pick "diet" foods instead of the best foods to fuel my body!
• Try Crossfit (any suggestions out there?)
• Run 1000+ miles (yeah keeping the streak alive!)

What are your fitness goals for 2012?  How are you going to make this your fittest year for YOU?

Three Things Thursday-Resolution Style

I can hardly believe that 2011 is coming to a close....I mean I just started writing the year correctly and now I need to learn it all over again!  I'm saving my fitness goals for tomorrow's Fitness Friday Blog,  so my 3 things are resolutions/goals for the rest of me.....family, soul, house/work

Family:

• Just be....and love: Life is flying by at breakneck speeds and Em is getting older by the day.  I fear I will miss this blessing by letting everything else around me cloud my time with her and my hubby.  Each night I want to have the time to unplug and just be as a family.  Slowing down to love each other with our full attention.
• Date night: I will plan a date night each month for my hubby....if I want him to do it, I need to too!
• Em journal: I have started a journal to Em and this year I will write in it once a week.  I forget things so quickly!
• I love you: I will not let time go by without telling my family how much they mean to me (and this goes farther than our four walls to my friends as well).  2011 has taught me that life is too short to let people question how much they mean to you.  I did a fair job in 2011 but 2012 will be better!

House/Work:

• BE ON TIME: Yeah that is a biggie for work....ooops sorry!
• Don't put it off: I have housework and work work I love to put off.  It only adds stress so no more!....unless of course it interferes with my family time ;-)

Soul:  2010 and 2011 I fed my soul through pounding pavement/treadmill rubber running 2600+ miles, this year I will continue this but also find other ways to feed my soul

• Scrapbooking:  I love making scrapbooks but have fallen out of the habit.  I have a Project Life book just waiting to be filled....my goal this year is to catch up!!!
• Church: Since moving down here we haven't found a home church...this is our year!
• Reading: I have a mountain of books on my nightstand just waiting to be read and this is their year!
• Friends: Yeah I know I mentioned this already but this year is also about reconnecting with friends! 

Do you make resolutions?  If so, what are they?  What is your own challenge this year?

I apologize for not responding to all of you this week....I appreciate your awesome comments and promise to catch up soon!!

Wordless Wednesday...year in review

2011 has been an amazing year....I plan to give it its due in words but here is a rundown of 2011 in Fancy Nancy land in pictures!

What did your 2011 look like? 

12 in 2012

Back in November, Jill Conyers started looking for runners who were crazy enough to join her to run 12 half marathons in 2012.  Well if you know anything about me it's that I die for a challenge and this was one that I was excited about!  I knew it would be a struggle since the hubs is doing his body building show in April and I wanted to give him the time he needed and the spotlight he deserved.  So here is my tentative schedule, barring any changes as life so often does!  I have already had to deviate from my original...

Feb. 18th-Martha's Vineyard 20 miler - Martha's Vineyard, MA
March 18th- New Bedford Half Marathon - New Bedford, MA
April 7th- Jamestown Bridge 10k - Jamestown, RI
May 29th - Great Hyannis Road Race Half - Hyannis, MA
June 5th - Old Sandwich Road Race Half - Plymouth, MA
July 7th - Firecracker 5k - Cotuit, MA
August 12th - New Balance Falmouth Road Race - Falmouth, MA
September 10th - Run to the Rock Half - Plymouth, MA
                 22nd-Zooma Women's Half-Falmouth, MA
October 12th - Harwich Cranberry Half Marathon - Harwich, MA
November 6th - Chilly Half Marathon - Newton, MA
December 11th - Christmas Run 10k - Newport, RI

There are a few months (August, July, and December) in there where I could not find a half anywhere close to MA but if you know of one I would love to know!  Plus April is reserved for the hubby and his show so I figured a shorter race near my hometown would work.  Are you planning on being at any of these?  Let me know...I would love to meet up!!  What does your 2012 look like?

Monday Motivation

This morning I woke up.....and proceeded to throw it all out!  All the cookies, candy, chips, goodies all in the trash!  Green monster protein shake is in the works and the Sauconys are getting laced up!  We had a great Christmas and enjoyed all our time with our families.  I ate what I wanted in moderation and now it's back at it!  If there are some resolutions you have in your mind today....write them down and get started.  This could be your day #1!!  Once I hit the publish button here, I am heading out to do the 10k Home for the Holidays Virtual race since the excitement of Santa came early yesterday! 

What about you.....what are you going to start today (or restart)?

Fitness Friday-Reaching Goals

Welcome to another Fitness Friday post!  Today I am reflecting on something I tweeted (that still sounds dirty to me) this morning.....

"Cheers to finishing what I started"

In January when I set the goal of running 1500 miles, I knew it would be a challenge but one that I was ready for.  I started the year off strong but the Spring brought some bumps in the road.  This challenge kept me focused on pounding away the miles day by day, week by week, month by month....little by little inching my way to 1500 miles!  Today I jumped on the mill at the gym....sleepy from a night of baking and getting ready for my last day before break....4 miles were all I needed to get to this finish line.  4 miles....probably one of the shortest runs I've done in many months but packed with so many thoughts and emotions.  I kept repeating to myself....finish what you've started....you owe it to you to finish what you've started....finish strong.  As the numbers ticked over to 4.0 miles, with tears in my eyes I knew I had made it.  I endured....I kept the course set before me...with His strength I crossed 1500 miles.  With God, I finished what I started 12 months ago.  The Tall Mom 1000+ Challenge has inspired me to push myself past what I thought was possible and this year was no exception!  Next week this will be a part of my year in review week but I would be missing out if I didn't thank Mel for starting this challenge last year.  It has changed me as a person and as a runner! 

Happy holidays to all of you!  I hope your weekend is filled with health, love, happiness, and peace! 

Three Things Thursday

Every year I say to myself..."Never again!  I am going to get my shopping done early so I can just enjoy Christmas" and well every single year in true Fancy Nancy form I am ready to tear my hair out trying to get last minute things! Left on my list are....let's see EVERY stocking stuffer just about that I need!  I can do it but I need to learn from my mistakes....next year I'm all over it!  In an effort to stay positive, here are 3 things I have actually done well this holiday season....

1.  The weight game....While trying to rack up as many HBBC points as humanly (well for this working mom) possible I have actually lost 2lbs during this holiday craziness!  I am attributing this to HBBC, Holiday Shred, my competitive spirit, and my #2.
2.  Tall Mom Challenge....I have stayed on track with my running and am only 3.8 miles away from hitting my 2011 goal of running 1500 miles!!!  With all that happened in the Spring I was uncertain if I would get there but I am so close I can taste it!!
3.  Budget Victory....well even though I have stocking stuffers to get and I forgot to click buy on an Amazon order, I have managed to stay within a budget this year.  I have caught some great sales that allowed me to get great gifts at a good price!

How about you....What victories have you had this holiday season???