TTT

Here we are again....one day away from Friday!  My head lately is swimming with dates and numbers and names and meetings so random is really my jam!  Here you are!!

Runch...I've been pretty obsessed lately with my runch time.  Even if I have worked out in the morning, I find myself itching to get outside and run even if it's only a short one.  Could be I'm crazy...could be that I need a release after molding young minds nonstop...could be that I have no windows in my classroom and I need I'm missing outside.  Whatever it is I'm loving it!!  Yesterday was a new one for me though.  I was in meetings right about up to my lunch time and I had about 30 minutes until my next meeting at another school.  What's a runner to do?  Oh yeah I grabbed my pen and I ran there!!

My coworkers already think I'm nuts so why not confirm it!!

Fiesta Time...It makes me stop and catch my breath that this fiery girl is going to be four!!

We are in full party planing mode over here...you know how much I LOVE planning my girls' birthday parties!!  Our usual cake person is not available so I am making the cake....cue hives and flour explosion!!  Can't wait!!

This is us...I'm just going to put it out there that this is currently my obsession!! 

This show is awesome!!  The stinky part is that it is on at 10 which let's be honest...I'm never awake!  Thank goodness for DVR!  I mean honestly....it's awesome!  Anyone else obsessed with it?

Monday Motivation

The theme of this weekend's long run was being amazed at how one week you can go out and the run just plain sucks start to finish, while the next week you can feel like a gazelle!  We were laughing at how one bad run has us turning in our bibs and calling it a day!  If you find yourself having this kind of day....week...season...breathe!  There are amazing times ahead of you.  You CAN move through this time and reach your goals!  Stay with it!!!

Monday Motivation

It's been no big secret that this summer I struggled with running.  There were few times where I thought, "Oh I can't wait to go for a run"!  The combination of the humidity and the climbing back after injury really had me questioning if this running thing needed to go away for a bit.  I stuck it out though and I am so glad I did!!  Lately I have been LOVING running again and find myself needing it to clear my head again!  What changed?  Well the weather (with the exception of today) has been getting that crisp, cool feel, and I've started to join people.  I look forward now to my Saturday runs and my runches with Christy!  Feeling in a funk?  Change things up and don't outrun that joy!!!

Weigh-In Wednesday....The Power of Words

As an elementary school teacher and mom of two young chickies, we teach to be kind with our words.  I explain to my students and children that words are very powerful and to choose them wisely.  I also teach them to be kind with their words.  However, I feel like as we grow older this is a lesson we tend to forget.  That there are times when we get caught up with our day or our job and we forget the power that words can have over someone.  I experienced that this past week.

I had an awesome week fitness-wise.  School started and I was rocking the workouts as well as keeping my choices healthy.  I was able to get in 36 miles this week between runch with my partner in crime...

and a long run around the village with run group!

On Friday I went in for my yearly physical.  I let a lot of things go overdue after having kids (hello roots!) but one thing I always try to stay on top of is my yearly physical.  I eat healthy and exercise but I would hate for something to happen and know that I could have prevented it.  So no big deal I go in with my list of things I wanted to ask her about (I always keep a list so that I don't forget anything...no one has time for that!).  We coast through the first few symptoms and she reminds me that I am getting older and these things will happen (YIKES I'm only 37!).  Then I tell her that I get dizzy off and on, usually when I change positions...but I've dealt with it for about 6 months now so as long as nothing serious, I'm good.  Well she gives me the diagnosis of vertigo and has me try taking allergy medication (Fun fact I HATE taking medication of any kind...I'm just not a fan)...so apparently now I have allergies.  We talk about a few other things that have been happening to which she orders a few tests and then the exam begins.  I'm rocking the pulse at 50 beats per minute and my blood pressure is awesome as is my other stats and blood work.  Basically I'm a healthy girl.

And then she said it.....words that were medical to her and but so completely personal to me...."Well I see that your BMI is in the obese range so you may want to do something about that."   There was very little I heard after that sentence.  Partly because that was the last she said about my weight and partly because that was all I could hear...I'm obese.  I eat healthy...workout every day...gained about 10lbs in 4 months inexplicably...and now I'm obese.

I left the office after and returned back to work.  I told my runch buddy about the visit and that I basically felt like an old, fat mule, and she reminded me of how ridiculous that was...as did my husband and family. 

Saturday came and we had a whirl-wind of activity throughout the day

and I really didn't think twice about the day before....but then those moments came when it started to sink in...when I started to let someone's passing sentence be a life sentence and chip away at me.  To be honest I did something that I never usually do....I ate.  I didn't put any restrictions on what I ate for about 2 days.  I figured if I'm obese and I am working so hard to eat right then I might as well eat whatever I want.  Today I stepped on the scale and was actually surprised that it hadn't moved....by the grace of God I hadn't gained!  But it is still there....and it makes me sad....it makes me feel like I have failed...

But you know me!  I'm dusting myself off and I'm going to stay focused because it is what makes me feel good.  I'm getting back on the horse and I'm not going to let the words of one person make me stop (even though it still hurts). 

Monday Motivation

It's that time of year for runners...where you open your social media site and see countless posts from weekend races...and this weekend there were so many prs!!!  I saw this quote on Shalane Flanagan's Instagram and thought it was perfect after seeing so many people reach their goals!  You can dream it all year long but until you put in the hustle, it will keep being just that...a dream.  Get out...push your body...and get your hustle on!!!

TTT

Somehow this week is both flying by and crawling along!  The days are flying since we are back into the full swing of things but the week seems to be crawling by!!  Either way there is a mountain of paperwork and things to do so here are my randoms from this week!

Toddler Tantrum...One thing that I had forgotten about, or maybe I selectively forgot about, was the tidal wave of emotions that hit you after their school day is over...until it hit Em and I on our way home from picking up mini chickie!  Wow!!!  She didn't know if she was happy or sad, wanted to yell or have no one talk, hungry or full.  You name it!  I understand really...I mean holding your shit together for 7 hours is really hard...I guess the silver lining is that she feels comfortable with her family to let it all out...now if we could just find a way to let it out not so explosively!!

Return of the Runch...One of my many tasks this week and into next is creating my schedule (I service over 35 students with specific hour requirements making scheduling my LEAST favorite thing ever!) and I'm working to coordinate so I can keep having runch dates!!  I began running during my lunch a few years ago when I was doing a winter challenge and realized that the warmest time of the day was when I was at work.  Enter runch!  Now I love it!  I can get out during the day and not be staring at all the things I have to get done....a quick time outside to unplug!  Yes it takes some extra time the night before to make sure I have all my clothes and whatnot packed but it is so worth it!!

Dinner Boredom...Yes I recognize that it is only the first week back but I'm already bored with dinners!  I need my grilling...waiting until the kids are done to eat days back!!!  I'm also quickly running out of fast meals that don't involve 4 hours of prep....any ideas???

Weigh-In Wednesday

Day 1 back-to-school is in the books and I am back teaching for my 16th year!  It's amazing how quickly those years have passed!  I remember when I was a new teacher and filling out retirement paperwork.  That date seemed so incredibly far away...and now I'm almost 20 years in!  I can honestly say that the saying of  "Find what you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life" is true.  Teaching has been a passion of mine since I was a little girl...and working with the population that I do is so rewarding!  Not every day is filled with doves and roses but there are certainly far more amazing days than bad! 

Back to school also means that I don't have the wiggle room as much as I do in the summer to get my workouts in.  In the summer, I can wake up a little later and still make it out for a run without throwing the whole family off...or I could squeeze in a workout while the girls were having rest time after the beach.  Now I need to be home and in the shower by 6:15ish or else I am staring down a late night workout!  The key really is to put it all on my calendar! 

Yes I color code my planner...doesn't everyone?!  My workout is scheduled just like date night and the girls' soccer games.

Yesterday I didn't go to the gym because it was chickie's first day of 2nd grade and I wanted to be home to do all our first day traditions...pictures, cinnamon rolls for breakfast, and lots of hugs and kisses!  I gladly trade my workouts to show my family that they are important to me!!  The girls were both wiped after a long first day, so this meant that I didn't start as late as I usually have to!  The plan was for 3 circuits of weights hitting my whole body with 10 minutes of sprints in between each circuit.  The result....

Total sweating mess and loving it!!  I showered and promptly crashed on the couch (It was my first day too!).

This morning I was back to the early morning routine of 5am gym time...5 miles with 1 mile warm-up, 3 miles of 30-60-90 pick-ups, 1 mile cool down.  After doing faster speeds I am the least patient with the cool down.  I have to really resist the urge to push. 

I'm feeling good getting back into a regular running schedule after being away from it for a while.  I am excited to see in the next few weeks if I can get back some of that long mile speed.  Like I said yesterday, I am loving my early morning long runs with our group!!

Ok so the final verdict.....I am down another pound for -2lbs total.  Nothing life changing but at least it is going in the right direction!!

Motivation...A Day Late!

Well Monday night came and as I settled onto the couch with all the first day of school things prepped, I realized that it was in fact Monday and I never posted!!  Sorry about that!!  Here's your daily dose of motivation!!

The last two weekends I have joined our run group for my long runs.  Something amazing has happened...I have LOVED running!!  I am feeling all those things that I had been feeling before funky town came to stay...sore legs...tired body...full heart!  I am guessing that I just needed a change in the routine to light that spark again!  Whatever it was I love it and I look forward to my long runs each week!  When your daily routine/workout is becoming more of a job than a joy...change it up and reignite that spark that got your started!!

TTT

When you say you are going to write more often...life laughs at you and makes you even busier!  We are beginning new routines this week with Mini-Chickie starting preschool and I have been in meetings for two days.  However, I thought I would stop by...check in...and give my first week's update.

Weight loss update...Well like I said last week, my goal is to lose 15lbs.  This past week I have to admit I wasn't as tight as I should have been nutrition wise.  There were days where I forgot to pack food...or this excuse or the other and I certainly did not hit my macros each day.  However I had a strong week running and logged 31 miles which I haven't done in a while!  Overall it was an ok week and I am continuing to be excited to be changing up my routine a bit!  Plus I am -1lb!  I know it's not the jump I was hoping for but you get out what you put in!  I will be using Wednesdays as my weigh-in day so my next update will be then!

Summer fight...Yes I love summer....yes I love the fall...however the fall transitions into winter which is NOT my friend!!  The past week or so we have been fighting to hang on to summer!  This weekend is the last official weekend of summer but I know September will find us out on the beach still!  We have had an amazing summer filled with laughs and fun adventures!  We've spent countless hours at the beach and making memories with our family and friends!  Priceless!!

Run Groups...Today at the gym the first 4 stories I heard on the news were about women being attached or stalked by men while out walking/running.  Not what this morning runner wants to hear!!  While the school year has me logging most of my miles on the treadmill where my only stalkers are under 4 feet and carrying a blankie, I do still do my long runs outside and the earlier the better.  This past weekend I met up with the run group here.  We do 5 mile loops and there are people starting at all times!  It really is an awesome system since most people are training for fall marathons, there is always someone to hop in with!  I started with a group at 5:30am and did 10 miles with them before they went on to rock 17!  I LOVED it!  I have been logging so many of my long runs solo and having others around me energized me and had me hopeful!!  Plus it didn't hurt that I didn't have to worry about random vans or people!!