Bucket List

I've had this list in my head for quite some time, but I seem to keep adding to it and, without writing this stuff down, it's hopeless.

So, here is my fitness bucket list:

1. Run a 5k in under 24 minutes.

2. Complete a half marathon. Woohoo!! Route 66 Half Marathon, 2 hrs 16 minutes

3. Complete a half marathon in under 2 hours.

4. Complete a full marathon.

5. Run the Spartan Race. (more specifically: the Spartan Beast) Did it and lived! December 14th, 2013. 

6. Complete a fitness program. (Will P90X finally be the one???) I think I can cross this off since I've been going to the gym regularly for 6 months and have no intentions of quitting. Woohoo!

7. Rock a swimsuit without worrying about my body! My husband has already told me a hundred times, "You already look hot, what are you wanting to change??" But, just like any other girl out there, I have my own insecurities. Regardless of what anyone else thinks about me, I want to finally feel confident about my body!!!

8. Run a mile in under 6:56. To some that may not be very fast (to me it's flying, FYI), but it's my PR (from way back in HS!!) and I. Want. To. BEAT IT.

9. Stop counting (and stressing over) calories. I only count calories now when my pants start getting tight! lol But mostly I just try to eat better and I don't worry about the calories. Best feeling ever. 

10. Run a race with all my sisters.

11. Run a 10k in under an hour.

Whew, I think that's enough for now...

The Moves that Hurt the Most[est]

It's been over a week since I started my P90X goal! I've stuck to it almost perfectly and I feel truly accomplished every time I check a little box saying I've completed that day's workout. It hasn't gotten boring yet--but it sure does HURT a lot.

No no, not that kind of pull-up... 

Some moves hurt more than others:

1. Pull-ups. Wide front pull-ups, closed grip overhand pull-ups... They hurt, they're hard, and I can't do very many. I use a chair for some assistance, I'm such a cheater! I can do about 2 or 3 without help, but then I'm done. I mean like for the day, done. So the chair will stay.

The dreaded dive-bombers... ouch. 

2. Dive-bomber push-ups. I'm a girl and so I cheat and do all push-ups from my knees, but this particular kind you have to just suck it up. Oh boy, are these ever hard. The first day I did them I could only do half of one by the time I was finished!!

3. Groucho walk. I can handle squats and lunges and even wall squats, but I HATE the groucho walk. It BURNS, friends.

4. Abs. Pretty much everything Tony Horton tells you to do as far as your abdominals go is going to hurt... for days. It's been a week and I'm still sore. And those exercises don't just hurt your stomach but your legs too! Didn't see that one coming, did you? Seated and Reverse bicycles are probably my least favorite (or most loathed?) because by the time I'm finished with them my legs are on fire. Yeah, my legs. The target is to do 25 repetitions of each exercise and I'm still just trying to get to 20!

You know what doesn't hurt? Running... unless it's the day after you've done "legs and back" and then it hurts pretty fierce. However, with all this STUPID Oklahoma weather we're having, it makes going for a run quite a pain.

A P90X Goal (Minus Tony Horton)

This goal will last 12 weeks and should leave me with a rockin' summer body.

I mentioned in a previous post (or did I?) that I needed to start doing P90X again but I hadn't started because I lost my DVDs. Sad day! I can do them on my own but that means no Tony Horton in my ear saying, "This is the mother of all workouts," which secretly makes me giggle because it seems like he says it during every single workout! So I've made my schedule and have my worksheets all printed out and pretty in their own folder and everything. I've already started doing a few workouts this week just to get my body used to it, but my "goal" doesn't actually start until Saturday (which will leave me with Fridays off, woohoo!).

Here's a snapshot of what my schedule looks like:

If you're familiar with the regular P90X program you'll notice that this is quite altered. There are no days for core synergistics, plyometrics, Kenpo, or Yoga. Why? Because I hate them! But, since those are mostly set aside for cardio workouts, I'd rather just leave those days open for whatever kind of cardio I want to do that day (which, as we all know, will mostly be running!). I've attempted the program several times already in the past. After about the 3rd week, it becomes so. very. monotonous. I'm hoping that by giving myself some choice in what kind of cardio I'm doing each week I won't get as bored with the program. And as far as doing Yoga goes, I'll be 100% honest, I HATE it. I know, I know, I should do it anyway. It's good for me and helps with muscles and flexibility and blah blah blah I HATE IT. So on days the program originally called for Yoga... I replaced it with "light cardio, stretching." That sounds way more appealing to me! (Or should I say way less painful?)

My biggest worry (which is always a concern) is whether or not I can actually stick to it. My half marathon training lasted 9 weeks and there were days when I just couldn't do what was on the schedule, and that was only doing it 4 days a week. This, on the other hand, is 6 days a week. Much of what I'll be doing, however  can be done inside so it won't matter if it's raining or snowing or is hot or cold, I won't be able to use those excuses. And besides... I really love lifting and doing squats, lunges, etc!

One thing that might hinder me: my son. He likes me to hold him. A LOT. The other day I was doing side-to-side lunges. I'd lunge to the right, he would follow to that side and cry, "Mammmmma...." and then I'd lunge to the left and he would follow and cry, "Hoooooooollldd meeeeee..." Right, left, right left... I tried to get him to do it too. He did for a second and thought it was funny, but then he went right back to crying for me to hold him!

He likes to sit on me anytime I do anything on the floor. Crunches, sit-ups, stretches... he's right there on top of me. See what I mean?

So there you have it, my next BIG GOAL. I will try to update weekly (if I can actually stick with it, that is!) on how things are going. I will take before, during, and after pictures and will post them at the end if they're worthy enough!

Maybe my husband will get in on this challenge too... ;-)

The Dentist

What does the dentist have to do with running? Well I figure running keeps my body healthy and going to the dentist keeps my teeth healthy, right?

Since I was a little girl I've always hated anyone touching my teeth. My dad used to pull my sisters' teeth out when they got loose enough but when it came to me... all it took was one TERRIBLE incident and they took me to the dentist from then on.

I don't like dentists, either. Not that they're mean malicious people or anything, but the things they do to my mouth are unforgivable. My dentist is actually a very nice man who smiles a lot and says things like, "You're doing great!" And I know it's not his fault that I have 17 layers of coffee stains and a billion cavities, but I still can't bring myself to pretend like I'm glad to see him. Maybe if I bumped into him at Walmart I'd be friendly and make conversation, but when I'm sitting in that chair leaned all the way back listening to the "bzzzzzzzzz" of the drill he's using on my sensitive teeth, I just can't bring myself to enjoy his company.

So it really may be no surprise to anyone that I've avoided going to the dentist for three years. I blamed it on "insurance" but, let's be honest, I just really hate going. There has never been a time in my life when I went to the dentist and didn't have any cavities. Then last year I had no choice but to go--my tooth was causing me some excruciating pain and I ended up having a root canal. It was a sad day!

Well I finally took out some dental insurance because I knew if I didn't go soon they were going to have to give me dentures before I'm 30. So I went at 8:00 this morning. It took them an hour and a half to clean my teeth. She kept saying, "I know it hurts but your teeth are just so stained... Do you drink coffee?" Like I was going to be able to answer with her hand in my mouth, but she understood what my opened mouth "Uhhhhuuuhhh" meant: Yes, I do drink coffee and I have no intentions of ever stopping, thank you very much.

The entire time she was in my mouth digging and banging and scrubbing and scraping into my teeth, I kept wondering if it was really worth it. So what if my teeth do fall out? I love mashed potatoes and chicken noodle soup. But when she was all done she smiled really big and said, "You're going to see a major difference in the color of your teeth!" and then handed me a mirror. Holy mackerel  my teeth were actually almost white! It was a miracle! I mean yes, it's a couple of hours since I left and my teeth and gums still hurt (from a simple cleaning, remember), but I guess maybe it is worth it after all.

So what's next? Well, I have eleven cavities (I'm embarrassed to admit, but it is the truth after all) and I need 4 crowns on teeth that are just about to fall apart. She said it may take a few years to get all the work done that I need BUT (and this is the thing I was actually excited about) I don't have to have a deep cleaning done! Woohoo! As badly as a surface- no-shots-or-laughing-gas-required cleaning hurt, I can't imagine how painful a deep cleaning would be! Sadly for my husband, he had to have one. Today. They've done half his mouth and said they'll do the other half another time. Poor guy. But, he doesn't have nearly as many cavities as me so I guess we're even, right?

All I have to say is: Our poor children don't stand a chance.

Please Don't Take My Legs

Last night I worked late and didn't get home until after 6:00. I didn't want to run or workout or do anything, but since my weekend consisted of zero workouts and about 8,000 calories, I decided I needed to buck up.

I couldn't believe how muggy and warm and humid it was outside! For the first time since last fall I started to sweat, and that was before I even started! Nonetheless, my run still felt great. It was such an awesome feeling to get out there and do something good for me. After I finished running I sat on my front porch and started to cry, not because I was in pain or because I had sweat in my eyes, but because I experienced a rush of gratitude for my healthy body. And then I prayed, "Please don't take my legs..."

Where did that come from? I haven't watched any sad movies lately about losing limbs or anything, but I do know someone (who I met just recently) younger than me who has a plethora of health issues. She has such a vibrant personality and is such a hard worker; you'd never know she's sick just by looking at her and yet, she is. I was talking to her the other day about how she used to do gymnastics and was extremely active, but when she started getting sick there was little she could do anymore. That just breaks my heart! And there I was, totally capable of working out and doing the things I love, taking it all for granted.

I have legs that allow me to run, arms that allow me to swing my kids in the air, lungs that fill with clean air, and a body free of disease! These are just a few of the reasons I should be getting out there to run, leaving me void of excuses like, "I don't wanna."

Have you been taking your health and your healthy body for granted like I have? Just remember: Some day we'll be old and won't be able to do the things we love and we'll look back and wish we'd taken better care of our bodies!

Picture credit here.

Weight Training?

I need a new goal to work on! I'm still running off and on. It's nice just being able to go whenever I want, however long I want, and not worrying about sticking to a schedule.

I've started implementing some weight training in with my cardio. My husband really wants me to play co-ed softball again this summer. Last year I hated it because I was so weak I could barely hit the ball! So if I'm going to be coerced into playing again I need to be able to hit the ball further than the pitcher's mound.

What kind of weight training am I doing? Very minimal stuff that doesn't require much weights. So would it be weightless-weight training? Hmmm... Lunges, jump squats, tricep dips, Russian twists (my favorite), superman... that kind of stuff.

I used to do P90X. Yeah, I spent like $200 for the set and now I can't even find it. One time I committed to the program for and entire 8 weeks! This was before I got pregnant with J and WAY BEFORE I started running and paying attention to the foods I was consuming. I took before pics and then some progress pics at the 8 week mark. I looked exactly the same. No muscle tone, no change in the muffin top, no nothing. Was it all Tony Horton's fault? Well of course that was my first conclusion. But, to be fair, he did say something about eating healthier, too. Well that's stupid!

So I quit working out and decided I'd just be chubby. Then I got pregnant and BAM, "chubby" took on a whole new meaning. That's when I started using MyFitnessPal. I could not believe how many calories I had been consuming on a daily basis. OUCH.

So now here I am, still eating a lot of crap but being much smarter about it. And I think, "I bet if I gave Tony Horton another chance, he could whip me into shape," but I can't find the stinkin' DVDs. Which means I need to print out the worksheets and just do this stuff on my own. By the way, you can find those here.

So basically over the next few weeks I'm going to wing it and just do whatever workouts I want with a little bit of running here and there. No big races to train for until the Warrior Dash which comes to Oklahoma again in May!

Where Have I Been?

Well folks I'll be completely honest: I have NOT been running since my half! I've drank a lot of Dr Pepper, eaten a lot of holiday cookies, and, let's be honest here, I've loved every minute of it. Don't get me wrong, I love to run, I really do. But after several months of doing it out of obligation it has been nice to sit back and only run whenever I felt like it (which has been twice in the last month, FYI).

I really do need to get back into it though. It's always that first initial run after a long dry streak that is the hardest. Partly because I dread how much it's going to suck, and partly because I forget how much I actually enjoy it. I'll admit, it's really hard to get into the groove this time of year! It's cold outside and ridiculously dark by the time I get home every day. And with the recent events here in my hometown I don't really feel comfortable (or safe) going by myself to the park for a run anymore. :(

BUT... Christmas break starts in TWO DAYS! The upside to that is I'll have two full weeks without any work! The downside is that I still won't get much time for running because I'll have the kids all day. Again though, with the recent shooting in Connecticut I'd rather spend every second with my kids anyway.

I guess over the next few weeks I'll just be wingin' it, running-wise.

Gains and Losses

I thought it might be fun to reflect on all the things I've gained, and lost, throughout the past 9 weeks.

I gained:

-a greater confidence in my abilities as a runner.
-more respect for those committed to improving their health. It's not easy. And sometimes it tastes gross.
-7 lbs (last I checked, anyway!). I read somewhere that this is pretty common when you start training for longer distances but I thought it was a myth. It's not. So to all of you out there who keep telling me, "Stop running so much, you're getting too thin..." I've gained 7 lbs.
-knowledge of how my body functions. It needs at least 8 hours of sleep the night before a long run. It needs less sugar and a LOT more water. It needs more fruits and veggies and fewer cheeseburgers.
-a thirst for further distances! My next goal is a full marathon! I'm not sure how long it will be before I'm ready to start training for that, but I am convinced I can do it.
-a better relationship with Christ. I've tried to make running about Him and for Him. Running is a way to clear my mind and is a great time for prayer.
-a love for athletic gear. When I go shopping now I always want to buy new running shorts, shirts, tights... You can never have too many!!
-a fear of wild animals! Skunks don't look so scary when you're in your car and you drive by them fast and the smell doesn't last forever... but when you're on foot and you see a live skunk up ahead, you turn around and take a different route. No other options.
-an appreciation for wide roads and friendly drivers. I can't tell you how many times I had to jump in the ditch because the road was too narrow for a car to get over much or the driver was rude and/or not paying attention.
-the ability to breathe correctly. Who knew I'd been doing it wrong all these years!? I used to get side stitches ALL the time, even in short distances. But, after I learned the correct breathing technique, I could get rid of a side stitch in the middle of a run. YES!


I lost:

-3 toenails, two of which came from the same toe =(
-my good pair of gloves. Technically they weren't even mine to begin with. I borrowed them from my sister and had to buy her a new pair because of the first time I lost them. Hopefully they'll turn up again!!
-my fear of hills. I still dread them but I don't intentionally avoid them anymore.
-the belief that I can't do something due to lack of time. I have a full time job. I go to school full time. I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister... and I can still be all of those things and be a runner too.
-money. Okay, so maybe I didn't lose it... but I can't be certain where it went. Maybe it was used for registration fees? Maybe some new running shoes? Maybe someone spent it on a new Nike running shirt? The world may never know.

So, as you can see, I gained quite a bit more than I lost!

Route 66 Half Marathon

I DID IT, Y'ALL! I REALLY DID IT!

I had several panic attacks the week before but I managed to push through. My husband and I left our house Saturday afternoon and headed to Tulsa. We are not city folk. We do not like traffic. We do not like one way streets or road blocks. We drove around the Expo center for about half an hour before we found a place to park and decided not to pay the meter since we couldn't find it... I told you we're not city folk!!!

After picking up my registration packet we drove around for about an hour looking for a movie theater that was playing Flight. It was a very intense movie! I ate too much popcorn.

Through Him alone!

Dinner was at Olive Garden where I loaded up on spaghetti. And I ate too many bread sticks.

On our way! SO SCARED!

We then headed to my cousin's house where we would be staying for the night. I threw back a couple of Benadryl before bed just to help me sleep. I was SO nervous, it's a miracle I was able to doze off at all. And then I realized I FORGOT MY EAR BUDS AT HOME. I can't run without them!! Luckily my super awesome cousin had a pair and let me borrow them. SHE SAVED MY LIFE! We went to bed and I hastily dozed off...

Shakin' in my  boots. 

My alarm went off at 6:00 and I shot out of bed with a racing heart as nervous as I could possibly be! I brushed my teeth. I put on my clothes. I woke up my husband. I ate a muffin, drank some water, and the we headed off to the race. EEEEK!!!!

Say my prayers!!!!!! 

We parked and paid the metal box that told us we owed it $5. My awesome husband told me he was so proud of me (and that I looked good in my tights..) and we walked to the starting line. People people everywhere!! And everywhere I looked I saw runners who looked 100% more legit than myself. They had these neat belts with water bottles and power bars and gel packs and I was like whaaaaaaat is all this? I don't have a neat waist pack, what am I gonna do?! I can't call myself a runner without a fancy running belt!!

SO COLD. 

And we're off!!! 

Intimidated by all the professional runners and wishing I had brought a pair of gloves, I joined the herd and headed to the start. My husband stayed with me until the very last minute so I could toss him my jacket. I love that man!! Had it not been for him I probably would've had a meltdown.

By the time the race started my fingers were already numb. I wish I would have taken a picture of them--they were solid white.Why didn't I wear gloves!?

The first 3 miles went by pretty fast. I spent most of that time with my hands up my shirt trying to warm them up! There were so many gloves lying on the ground from people tossing them after they got warmed up and I really considered picking a pair up and putting them on... but I didn't. Around mile 3 the feeling had returned in my hands and I finally stopped picturing my fingers falling off from frostbite.

I hit a wall around mile 6. That's a bad feeling considering I wasn't even halfway done! But the spectators cheering everyone on was an ENORMOUS encouragement! I LOVED IT! People were holding signs all over the place. Some were hilarious, like, "Worst. Parade. Ever." and "Kick some asphalt!" I was amazed at how many runners there were, too. The crowd never thinned out at all. There were several water/Gatorade stations throughout the course, and someone was handing out some gel energy packs around mile 8 which was much needed! I hit another wall around mile 10. I knew at that point though that I couldn't stop, not even to walk. My legs were getting stiff already.

When I started this journey I committed myself to giving God all the glory. I promised to trust Him to give me the strength to endure. I even bought a shirt with Philippians 4:13 on it to run in. With a little less than one mile to go I had forgotten all of that. But then, right when I thought I couldn't go any further, a spectator made eye contact with me and shouted, "You can do this! Way to run for the Lord!" I almost started crying right then. He was SO right! I was doing it for Christ and through Him I can do anything! I finished that last mile strong and full of energy. I even sprinted to the finish line :) My time was 2 hours, 16 minutes, 16 seconds. Not bad for a newby who doesn't own a running belt!

I received my medal beaming with pride.

Several hours later, we left Tulsa (after driving around lost for a LONG time... whole other story!) and the only thing I could think about was COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE! My husband took me to IHOP where I ate ALL of my food and drank almost the entire pot of coffee!

By the time we got home every part of my body ached. My poor feet took a beating--I ended up with 6 blisters and a bloody toe. :( My husband informed me, upon seeing my ugly feet, that I was in desperate need of a pedicure! HA! When we got home the heating pad became my best friend.

So there you have it. My half-marathon experience, from start to finish! And to think that when I first started running after my son was born, less than two years ago, I couldn't even go half a mile without stopping.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

142.5 Miles Later...

I started training for my half marathon on September 17, 2012. Since then, I have ran 142.5 miles and burned approximately 13,520 calories! That's equal to 45 slices of pepperoni pizza! Also: 61.5 blueberry muffins.270 cups of sliced strawberries. 451 servings of baby carrots. Or, my favorite, 78 cups of Honey Bunches of Oats with almonds!

I have not stuck to the schedule 100%, but I've come really close. I ran 10 miles this past Tuesday, the first time I have ever gone double digits in my whole life. It did not feel amazing during the 9th mile, but it did feel amazing after the 10th and I was staring into the sinking sun thinking, "Wow, I can not believe I just did that." Run while you can folks. Someday, when you're old and can't hardly get out of bed, you're going to wish you'd taken better care of your body!

During my 10 mile run I took a little detour from the route I usually run, just to add those last few miles onto my run. I tried to take some pictures... 

I took this one on accident, hehe

As much as I've enjoyed this journey, I am glad to be at the end of training. Next week I'll taper, only going a couple of miles each day and then the big 13.1! Over the past few weeks I feel like I've barely seen my family at all. I go to work, run, go to bed, repeat. My husband has been absolutely amazing through all of this and I'm sure he's ready for training to end, too!

Even my son knows what it means when Mommy puts on her running shoes. He starts crying as soon as I get them on because he knows I'm about to leave. Two hours later I get home and it's time to put him to bed. It has been tough on everyone! 

What am I going to do after my half? I have no intentions of giving up running, that's for sure. But I think I'm going to take it easy for a while--no more than 6 miles for a few months. My husband gets his cast taken off his arm today and I know he's going to want to have some basketball dates with his friends over the next few weeks. Perfect timing! 

One more thing before I go: I could not have done any of this without Christ. During some of my most difficult runs all I had to do was pray for strength and endurance, and it was always there. I really can do all things through Him who gives me strength!!