Weekend Wrap-Up

Good morning all! Thank you so much for all of your input on my broken scale situation! It is funny, many of you said to ramp up the weights and then I read in about three different magazines this weekend about how weight training can help with running. Message received....I am adding at least 3 days of weights! I am going to try my hardest to stick to this. I was thinking back to this summer when my weight was almost at my goal and at what I was doing. I was running a lot but I was also doing a lot with weights, TRX, and bootcamp type classes. Although I haven't found any classes like that here, I can still do weights and try to mimic those workouts. Hopefully it will result in smaller numbers on the scale but it will definitely get me back to my toned self. I like weights...I'm not sure why I have strayed so far!

This weekend was crazy and I spent a large chunk of it doing one of my other jobs. I teach at a college...actually one that I used to go to. I do a weekend course there now since I moved far away. I got up there Friday night, taught, and did the same on Saturday. I felt like a good doobie though since I utilized the hotel gym on Saturday am to get in some miles! It makes the weekend go by way too fast and I really hate leaving my family like that. On the flip side, I enjoy teaching adults and it is always cool to be teaching in rooms where I was once a student!

Now it's back to the grind! Little Em was running a temp all week so this could be a short work day for me if she wakes up with it again. I feel bad that she is feeling cruddy but loving the snuggle time with her! Have a great Monday!!!

My Scale is Broken.....

or at least I feel like it is!!! I have taken this month to really crack down on my eating. Granted the first week was around my birthday and there was copious amounts of frosting but I feel like I have more than made up for it the last three. Well I feel like either my scale is broken or much like the above cartoon! Maybe you all could help me out or shed light on what is making my weight loss pause...or reverse!

HELP!

For exercise, I am getting in 5-6 days a week of cardio and 2 days of weights (not every week....need to do better with this). This month so far I have logged 115 miles of running. In that I have done distance, tempo, speed drills, etc.

Eating: I am trying to follow a lower carb higher protein diet. This has always worked for me in the past but this time around....well you know! Here is a typical day for me:
Breakfast: protein shake 250 calories
coffee with unsweetened almond milk
Snack: 1/4 cup almonds
Lunch: either soup (beans, veggies, and chicken) or roasted veggies with
quinoa
apple or banana
Snack: apple with peanut butter, fiber one bar, cottage cheese with
cashews...this meal always varies
Dinner: usually something involving a veggie and lean meat. I try to
portion it out so it isn't more than 300-400 calories and low in
sugar
Sometimes snack: sugar free pudding

I am usually getting between 1500 and 1700 calories which is in my range according to Spark People. I am drinking around 8-10 servings of water.

Anyone have any suggestions???

I want to be down 10lbs and it is getting frustrating!!!!

Three Things Thursday

Well here we go again here in Massachusetts....another snow storm! This has been a very snowy January! As I was driving....rather sledding home from work yesterday, I had the funniest thought: driving in the snow is like running a race!!! It made me giggle and thought I would share three....or more parallels I thought of!

How Driving in the Snow is like Running a Race

1. When driving in the snow there are always those people who are driving faster than you up ahead. I have to fight the urge to try to go as fast as them and catch up! Imagine that person you have picked out on the road during the race and you have to fight the urge to risk bonking by trying to sprint to pass them. Ok who am I kidding? I'm easily drawn in and try to pass!!

2. Driving in the snow is unpredictable! You follow the "rules" you think will get you to your destination safely and then boom black ice or a dope going too fast. Sometimes races don't go the way we think! You do the training...follow your pre-race ritual...Garmin tells you all is ok but BOOM you bonk!

3. Awww the feeling of getting to your house after driving in the snowstorm...you are safe and sound and you can pry your white-knuckled hands off the steering wheel. You have arrived and made it safely!! I cried as I rounded the corner and saw the finish line of the Boston Marathon. I had done it! Is there any better feeling than crossing the finish line of a race knowing you had done it!?

I could go on (it was a long drive) but I am passing the torch to you all!
How is driving in a snowstorm like running in a race?

Wordless Wednesday....almost

We were at the self check-out when I turned around to see this walking around in circles!! I was laughing so hard I was crying!!! I love her!!

Germ Breeding Grounds

I have always said that schools are like giant petri dishes...especially elementary schools! I went most of my life never getting sick....ever. Well my first year teaching I got pink eye twice, strep throat, and bronchitis! It has slowed down since then. I guess I have built up an immunity over 10 years. This year is no different...the kids are dropping like flies and I am very tempted to come to school like this:
Don't they know I have important miles to run and can't get sick? Don't they know I have a 2 year-old that would break my heart if she got sick? I will probably just stick to using my Purell every five minutes and forgo the mask but thank your child's teacher tomorrow. He or she willing puts themselves in the middle of a germ breeding ground each day. And they like it!

On a side note, I am working tonight on the not perfect thing. I skipped my run tonight. I ate a very small amount for dinner but still managed to get a stomach ache (a reoccurring issue) and by the time Em had sang her last song, I decided not to go. I wouldn't have gotten there until about 8 and it would have thrown off my week plus my stomach...I am trying to fight against my usual beating up...feelings that I failed....or will be so out of shape because I missed today...that I'm weak.

Weekend Wrap-Up

Well with the mercury dipping further and further down the thermometer, I was so thankful to have gotten in a long run on Saturday and not be frozen to death! I met my very favorite running buddy Jill and her boyfriend Brian at the canal. Seriously this should be in the Rave Run section of Runner's World. It is a trail that runs along the Cape Cod Canal under several bridges. The sun was shining off the water which made the 26 degrees seem much warmer. Aside from the water and animals and overall calmness there, you get to see wicked cool ships go by! Saturday an oil tanker went by being pushed by a tugboat...it was so cool!!! We were on eye level with it!!! So cool! I felt like a little kid...waving at the tugboat to beep and then cheering when he did! 10 miles flew by and I am so glad to have done it Saturday and not Sunday! I can't wait until the weather warms up and I can bring Em on this with me! There will be so much for her to see!

Sunday was a rest day....as much as one can rest with housework to do, laundry to finish, and a 2 year-old that loves to run and race! I love when she races...she'll get half-way to her finish line and yell "Ready...Go!" My little competitor!

Today I had 5 miles on tap and not a lot of energy to tap into at 5am! I have been hearing a lot about ladder workouts lately so I decided to try it myself. All I have to say is that I am so hooked!!! I didn't push the speed too much since it isn't a speed day but I definitely challenged myself. It made the 5 miles fly by!! I loved it and will definitely be adding it to my weekly workouts! I just love getting the workout done early...now I have the rest of the day!!

Hope you have a marvelous Monday!!

Three Things Thursday

Sometimes I think it is harder to get back into the groove the more days off I have! Last week was a short week at school due to an inservice day and snow day...this week it was good ole Martin Luther King Jr....well today I am finding myself doing the snow dance again for tomorrow!! I know it will stink when it is 90 degrees in June and I'm sweating my toosh off but right now I am just not very inspired by the thought of going to work!

For today here are three other things that are getting in the way of me getting my groove back with running and such!

1. My back- Not sure if I have talked about it before but I hurt my back when Em was just 6 months old. We're talking hospital and lots of drugs hurt. I was thankfully working out with my trainer when it happened and she was able to call the ambulance to take me out. I literally couldn't move for a few days. Well after my tempo run this week (which kicked butt I might add) the ole back is feeling like it is very angry at me. Wanting to avoid another blow out and trying to stay injury free, I have been being a little nicer to it. I have had to go a little easier on the running, am stretching a lot and icing and heating like crazy! Anyone who has thrown their back out before knows the panic that can set in at the smallest twinge!

2. Jersey Shore baby!- Ok so I wouldn't say this was getting in my way of getting my groove back but I had to just add this in. Last night I went for a run at the gym and it was like a scene from the Jersey Shore! Two girls in particular kept me giggling for a while as they took pictures of each other on their phones as they performed different exercises, talked with several of the guys, and were wearing clothes that if they actually did anything strenuous body parts may be exposed! I went earlier than I normally do, although I have been trying to go more mornings, and it was a different scene! The music was pumping and there was quite a crowd. Lots to keep me occupied over 6 miles!

3. Gotta love New England- The weather has been tricky lately. Last week we had a snow storm which didn't do much and therefore I had a good week with mileage. I was able to get to the gym each morning and get in a great long run outside on Saturday. This week I have been dragging butt and have been going at night but still getting in the miles. Well forecast for the next few days...snow and frigid cold. Tomorrow I will probably have to skip my morning run so that I have plenty of time to get to work and I am on the fence about my long run on Saturday. I really don't want to do it on the treadmill since it is 10 miles but the thought of running in 5 degrees doesn't sound like a party either. Any suggestions for wicked cold temps???

Well I hope your Thursday treats you well!

What's Your Birthday Wish?

So Saturday was my birthday....I was at a get together the night before with many woman I had just met (trying to meet people here in our new home...) and we got on the topic of birthdays. Of course the usual came about that they wanted to have the day to lay around and get pampered (believe me I like those things too!) and then they asked me what I had planned for my day. I very excitedly said, "Well if all goes well I hope to get up early, bundle up (it was 15 degrees), and get in at least 10 miles!" Cue the crickets and confused looks! These ladies are fit but they aren't runners which accounted for the crickets. Well my birthday came and thanks to my hubby I got in those 10 miles, time with my family, and a great dinner!



A total aside I am cracking down now on my resolution to lose weight. With a birthday so close to the new year it is hard to get rolling sometimes. I mean...I love cake! This week it is down and dirty time. Last week I got in 32 miles but truth be told my eating was not good! I mean I caught myself thinking yesterday, "Maybe there is something wrong with my thyroid since I can't seem to lose weight"...umm no you just aren't eating what you should!!! I want to hit 134 by the half marathon in March so I better get cracking! No excuses!!! Step away from the frosting!!!

Three Things Thursday

Ok so this morning I was going to write about three things that are making me feel old today...you know with my 32nd birthday looming on Saturday I had a long list forming. Could be the wrinkles I have been finding...or the fact that I work with kids who were born after I started teaching but I have decided to look on the positive side. I mean my 30 year-old self is kicking my 20 year-old self's ass at running speeds...pretty cool considering I am about 20lbs heavier now and I had Em just weeks before my 30th birthday. I thought I would never get to where I am so I am going to celebrate my old self!! Instead today's three things are three nicknames that I have!!!

1. Fancy Nancy-got the nickname when I was about 3 in gymnastic class with my underwear hanging out of my leotard. It stuck and low and behold I'm in children's books now! Ha! Just kidding but Emma does have all of them and I was her for our school's book character day!

dressed as Fancy Nancy....5 months preggers!

2. Pippi-I got this name playing softball. I had really long curly hair and as a catcher I needed a way to pull it back, fit all my hair under the helmet, and keep it from getting snarly. Solution...pigtails! They stuck with me until I graduated from college! Haven't worn them since. It may be time to break them back out!

3. Cheeks-This was another one I got way back and actually haven't been called it in a long time. Let's just say I had a school dance to go to and didn't want VPL so I was a little forward thinking at a time when thongs weren't as mainstream as they are now. Well it stuck...for a while at least!

Well that was fun! Much better than whining about how old I'm getting!

You Like Me....You Really Like Me!

Cue the Jim Carey clip here! Boy am I feeling the love from bloggy land being nominated twice for :Yesterday I was nominated by B.O.B here. I love reading her blog and often times find myself laughing out loud. She's hilarious and a kick butt runner! Today I sat down to find another nomination by busy wife mom runner here. She's on injured reserve right now but is biting at the bit to get back to running! Thank you both so much!!!

Here's how it works:
There are 4 duties to perform to accept this award
1. Make a post + link it back to person who awarded you this award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award 7 recently discovered great bloggers (I'm going to include some old favs)
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them they've won!

Seven things about me:

1. I sang with Kenny Rogers in a concert when I was young. My hubby doesn't believe me but I'm sure my parents have the video somewhere!

2. I played softball for most of my life (13 years). I was a catcher and that is where I learned my scrappiness! I played all the way through college and when it was done didn't know how I would live without it....now I run!
3. I cry whenever I see people crying....commercials, documentaries, happy tears, and sad...it's embarrassing sometimes, like when I'm on a treadmill!!!
4. I eat chocolate in the morning with the rationale that I have the whole day to burn it off!
5. I teach English to children who are new immigrants to the country. Most of them now are Haitians who came to the US after the earthquake. Before my current job I taught Somali and Burmese refugees along with many Hispanic immigrants. The first step was to teach them how to hold a pencil and not try to hunt the class fish...many of them are now in mainstream classrooms and on the honor roll....I expect to see some of them speaking on TV some day!
6. I love reality TV...seriously the more drama the better!
7. I love Jesus!! His faithfulness has remained through valleys and mountain tops!

Nominating was hard since there are so many awesome blogs around. Here are a few!
LilRunner
Enjoying Now
Impossible is Nothing
My Life and Running
I Heart Naptime
Life, From My Perspective

TAG!!! You're it!

Pay It Forward

First let me say thank you to all of you for your encouraging words. I know it is a daily choice and it will take time but it is so nice to feel the love!!!

Today I was trying to think of something significant to do for 1-11-11...run 11 miles? (no time today)...no clue so I decided to share two of my favorite stories this morning that have touched me this week.

The first is from a blog that I stalk...I mean read daily. She is a Mom of 2 little girls and an amazing photographer. I mean I wish I could have half her talent! Well her youngest daughter was born unexpectedly with Down Syndrome. The way that she has worked this into a positive in her life is inspiring! Her beautiful daughter is turning 1 soon and she is raising money for Down Syndrome. Stop by her blog here and click on the icon on the top. She is encouraging others to pay it forward and celebrate life!

The second story was from an article I read in my Runner's World last week. It was titled "Moving Comfort" and if you don't get the magazine click here. The article told the story of a mom whose husband died in Afghanistan while serving in the Army. Her two children are small and at the time her youngest was only 3-weeks old. This story was so humbling. She shared how she uses running to reflect and connect again with her husband. She went on to show how she and many other Army wives gather each week and run to remember and/or honor those who fight for our freedom. The story was just so moving and humbling to see these women's strength.

I hope you have a great 1-11-11!!!

Grace

I've started and stopped this post many times because I was nervous to even put it out there but then I thought that if it could help just one person who is struggling with the same thing then there is a purpose. Additionally it will help me.

All of my life I have wanted to be ahead of the curve...always striving to do it first and be the best. I taught myself how to write in cursive well before my peers because I wanted to. This ambition has led me to where I am today but wanting to be the best has also been a major hindrance to me as a person. It is not only that I want to be the best at things it is that I think less of myself and beat myself up about not being perfect. And the thought of someone actually knowing that I am not perfect scares the daylights out of me. Now I'm sure you are saying, "Come on no one is perfect" but for me it was always to give the appearance that I always had it together.

Throughout my life I have wanted to keep that "together" appearance and it still drives me now. The problem is that the worse life gets, the harder I would work at the appearance of super woman. Through all life's trials, even devastating ones, I strove to look like nothing was wrong. The result has been very isolating because I never asked for help or gave the impression that I needed it. I have pushed friends away because if they got close enough they would see what a disaster I was! One time in college I went to a counselor for anxiety and by the end of the session she was asking me why I even came because it didn't appear that anything was wrong.

I am not perfect....I forget to do things....I eat things I'm not supposed to....I let my daughter watch Elmo when I'm feeling tired....She isn't bilingual even though I am....I forget birthdays and to send cards when I should....I leave the laundry in the dryer for days...I snap at my hubby when he doesn't deserve it...I spend many days of my life thinking I am a colossal failure...I am not perfect.

This year one of my resolutions is to learn to love me....This is my first step to doing that. I am going to strive to give myself the grace that has been given to me....I am going to realize that the Lord doesn't not send me through trials so that I can hide them from the world. I need to reach out and ask for support. More importantly I need to give myself the grace to not be perfect....because WHO IS???

So looking at my resolutions if I don't make 1000 miles, or on Dec. 31st the scale isn't where I want it to be I will not have failed. However if I haven't taught myself to embrace imperfection I will have failed myself and my family. Thanks for reading and I apologize for the randomness but I just really felt called to sharing this and my struggle. I pray that 2011 will be the year of grace!

Three Things Thursday

So looking at my goals for 2011 I know that the most challenging for me will be to lose at least 13lbs. I have started the book "Racing Weight" since I have heard so much about it on bloggy land and am beginning to form a plan. Since I fell face first into the sweets and anything bad during the holidays, I have since cut out sugar (like candy, etc. not fruit) and white flour, and have increased my water intake. My Three Things today are things that I need to make sure that I do in order to stay on track...

1. Stay OUT of the teacher's room!!! This is a dumping ground for all the treats and snacks that no one wants in there house anymore. Like I had extra cupcakes from Em's party and I brought them in knowing someone would eat them.

2. Be prepared!!! Right around 2:30pm I am tired and starving...I need to make sure I pack healthy snacks so that I can have something and not turn to crap or worse wait until I get home and eat my face off!!! This will take planning...any suggestions for good snacks?

3. Food log and weigh-ins! I am horrible at keeping any kind of log...diary, running log, food log you name it! I know it will keep me on track and show me what I am eating. Also our school is extending their Biggest Loser Contest to the Spring so I am going to be weighing in weekly which will keep me focused since I have to pay for each lb I gain.

I can't wait to see how fast I can be with the right nutrition and weight!!!

Feeling Convicted

Every year I find myself grumbling about the new people at the gym and how I can't go as fast as I want. Well last night and this morning I am feeling very convicted. I should be applauding and welcoming these people. They are making a choice to get healthy and instead of getting grouchy I need to say hi and make them feel like they belong. I don't know what my problem is. I get so excited when someone I love chooses to start running or go to the gym. Why should I treat strangers any differently? So to all those who I got snippy with last night, I'm sorry. Kudos to you for making a decision to get healthy this year!!!


I put up a few races for the year so far. This is like a second job!!! I am trying to find ones that are fairly close to where I live and don't have a hefty price tag attached. For example, In Feb there is a 10 in Hyannis the next town over but it is $45. No thanks! Some fun ones that I found are in April. One runs over a bridge near where I grew up. The other is a 5k at my old nursery school. I thought it would be so fun to run with Em at my alma matter! I'll add more soon. If anyone knows of some good races in New England...send them my way!!!

Resolutions I Should Have Made....

...not wait until the last second to leave the house for work.....
...not to eat dinner before going to the gym...
...not to whine, make fun of, get irritated with all the new people at the gym now that it is January

Today's gym visit was weight time...I thought I would share with the class what my workout looks like. This came from my very favorite trainer in the whole world, Di. She is a lovable trainer who could give Jillian a run for her money. I would be a flabby mess if it wasn't for her and I miss her like crazy. I digress....

So here was today's workout. I hope it helps you! The supersets are exercises done one after another 3 times. For example: 12 lunges, 12 shoulder raises, 12 bicep curls then repeat 3 times.

10 min run @ 8 min mile pace
Superset #1
walking lunges (out and back), lateral raises, hammer curls
Superset #2
chest press, reverse fly, tricep kickbacks one armed
abs
10 min elliptical
Superset#3
one-legged squat, front raises, bicep curls
Superset#4
flies, tricep extensions, upright row
abs
10 min bike
stretch

Normally I would go and do another 2 supersets and 10 more minutes but it was getting close to 9pm and I wanted to go home. The basic premise is to keep your heart rate elevated the whole time. Ok now I'm friggin wiped and going to bed!!!

Resolution Monday

Ok so I mentally began my resolutions on Jan. 1st but I have to admit that many of them were put off until today. I mean why waste a perfectly good weekend?! So here are my resolutions...cause I know you're dying to know!!!

Personal....Quick and easy...
Laugh MORE, worry LESS....2010 was my year of being a stress case. I mean I was having panic attacks complete with chest pains and shortness of breathe, twitching eyes, headaches, and an overall stressed disposition. I am making a conscientious effort this year to worry less and know that God is in control.

Love ME....I have spent way too many years of my life not liking what I saw in the mirror. When it comes to critics I am my worst one. I give grace out like it is going out of style until it comes to me. This year I want to begin the journey of loving me not only for myself but so that I can give this example to my daughter. I want her to be a strong confident woman some day and the best way to help her do that is to be an example of one! I always go back to something I read once that talked about when we look at ourselves and say awful things it is like telling God that He did an awful job.

Physical....

Get to racing weight....Especially after this week of fun I am putting it out there that I would like to lose 13lbs. Now really I just need to eat healthier and have less junk around. I have lost 60lbs since having Emma and I would like to just lose those last few which I know will be a challenge. I know my running will be better plus I know I will be healthier!

Stretch more....This is the first thing to go when I'm pressed for time. If I want to be a runner for the long haul I need to stretch more.

Weights...Yeah nuf said! I need to stick to 3 days of weights. I love the feeling of being strong and this will get me there!

Running....
There is so much I want to do in this category but starters would be to hit my 1000 mile mark again....and maybe extend it to 1500!!!!

Injury-free....yeah this would be another blessing

12 races for the bling...I have a ticker of races that I would like to do this year and over the next few days I'll put them on here. This month I'm going to focus on training for a 10 miler and 20 miler...oh boy! Who knows what the future holds!

PR baby....I would love to beat my PRs this year!!! Yet another reason to chip away at the extra lbs....less to carry around=faster momma!

Have fun....Overall this year I want to just have a blast running! I have a great running partner and we have a lot of laughs!

So there you have it in a nutshell! I pray that 2011 brings me many happy, healthy miles as well as a shrinking waistline! Either way it will be a journey and I hope you will join!

Virtual 5 Miler

Yesterday I headed to the canal to meet Jill, her boyfriend Brian, and her brother Stu for a virtual 5 miler with Run to the Finish. Other than the scenery being gorgeous since the path runs along the canal, the weather was amazing at 45 degrees. That is a minor miracle on Jan 1st in New England!

The race bibs were such an awesome idea and instead of a number you put your resolution. I have many this year (which is another post all together) but my most important one and the one on my bib was to laugh more and worry less. This past year I realized how much time and energy I spent being stressed. In 2011 I want to work on laughing more...at life...at myself...at adversity...just laugh!

We had a great time together enjoying a great day and a great run!! What a way to kick off 2011!!! Now to tackle the other resolution on my bib...to lose those Christmas pounds!