A new year, a new start. I am going to work towards being more consistent with blogging. As is typical for this time of year I will restart the blog with some of my goals for 2014.
Goal #1
Blog at least twice per month. More would be better but I want to start small and build from there. To meet this goal I will set a calendar reminder to blog every other week. I can also write posts from my computer, tablet or smartphone so I have no reason not to do it.
Goal #2
Lose the weight I gained this year. I gained 10 lbs over the year and my plan is to lose it by the end of March. I will do this by focusing on eating more veggies and fruits and paying more attention to portion size. I will fill half my ate with veggies and fruits then 1/4 with whole grains and 1/4 lean protein.
Goal #3
Increase my speed and stamina for running. This year I want to focus on running and strength training. That means I am not currently planning on doing any triathlons this year. I enjoyed the one I did, but not the training so much. And since I drove running that is what I want to focus on this year. I also know that strength training will help with my running and weight loss. Since I struggle with being consistent with strength training I want to be able to focus on it.
So that it for now. These three are my focus for now, and I will code throughout the year as needed.
I got off to a good start this morning g. I ran a virtual 5k and my pace was 13:00 which is pretty fast for me at this point.
Here's to a great 2014!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Happy Runniversary to Me!
This post is actually a week late, my runniversary is Memorial Day weekend, but last weekend came and went without me remembering LOL!
Full disclosure...this is going to be a long post as I reflect on the past year :-)
Last year at this time I had been going to a great, small, family owned gym. But since it was family owned they closed on holiday weekends. Needing to do some kind of workout while the gym was closed I decided to try running again because I had really been missing it.
It had been almost a year since the last time I ran. That was with a running group, where I pushed myself too hard and ended up with a migraine (I get exercise-induced migraines when I push myself too hard with any type of exercise/activity).
But I went out and ran, I don't remember how far or how long, but I know it felt GOOD. I decided it was time to try running again and see if I could manage it without getting a migraine.
I started with the Couch 2 5K program which I had used successfully in the past. As I progressed through the program I really started to struggle with it. I guess because I was older, and also no longer running on the beach with cool breezes (that's where I first started running years ago), I had a hard time with the longer run segments.
That's when I discovered Jeff Galloway's Run/Walk program. I am not being overly dramatic when I say this program was LIFE CHANGING! I loved having set walking segments to rest and keep my energy up.
What I did not do was fully follow the program though. According to my pace I should have been doing 30 seconds running followed by 30 seconds walking. I could run 5 minutes at a time though so I decided to do 4 minutes running with 1 minute walking breaks.
Initially this seemed to work well for me.
Since I had already done 5Ks in my running life I decided to challenge myself with a 10K. I picked out one for that September. It was the Hooter's to Hooter's 10K in Clearwater, FL. I thought that would be a great race to do since it was in a town I loved and it was my and Tim's anniversary weekend so we could get away for our anniversary too.
It was a TOUGH race. I made 2 big mistakes.
#1 - I started out way too fast
#2 - I discovered 4:1 was the wrong run/walk time for me
I was so happy to be done, but I was wiped out!
The plus side was that I was determined to run more and just days after this race I signed up for my first half marathon - the Disney Princess Half the following February.
I went back and read some more of Jeff Galloway's books and decided to change my run/walk times to 2:1.
That worked great for me!
I also signed up for a couple of 5Ks so that I could practice running in a race atmosphere and NOT start out too fast.
My next 5K was my local Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. I was recovering from a pulled hamstring muscle for that race so I knew going in that I would not be setting any PRs. So I really went into this race just doing it for fun. And it was a GREAT race! My time was slow (about 42 minutes), but I had so much fun just enjoying the event that I can't wait to do it again this year.
Then just a few weeks later was the BIG race, the Disney Princess Half.
I was nervous and excited. Overall it was a great experience. I was so happy to have done this race as my first half. It was a tough race because I had been training in cold weather (as had everyone else since this was in February), but that weekend it decided to be really warm. The pre-race temp was in the 60s and close to 100% humidity - welcome to crazy Central Florida weather!
It was really, really crowded, to the point that I found it hard to run during my run segments. But the good news is that it kept me from going too fast. I finished in 3:25, which was actually 5 minutes faster than my anticipated finish time - yay!
Now that I have had this experience I probably won't be doing another Disney race. They are just too crowded and too expensive. I'm starting to learn I like smaller races better.
About a week after this race was my 46th birthday, and that's when the Run 50 By 50 concept was born.
I am now 3 races into it, and my 4th race is a virtual 10K that will be completed sometime this month.
It's been a fun, challenging, life-changing year and I wouldn't change a single minute of it. I can't wait to see what this next year brings me.
And of course, I couldn't have done any of this without Tim's support. He is my biggest cheerleader and the best photographer, and I am very fortunate to have him as my partner in life.
Full disclosure...this is going to be a long post as I reflect on the past year :-)
Last year at this time I had been going to a great, small, family owned gym. But since it was family owned they closed on holiday weekends. Needing to do some kind of workout while the gym was closed I decided to try running again because I had really been missing it.
It had been almost a year since the last time I ran. That was with a running group, where I pushed myself too hard and ended up with a migraine (I get exercise-induced migraines when I push myself too hard with any type of exercise/activity).
But I went out and ran, I don't remember how far or how long, but I know it felt GOOD. I decided it was time to try running again and see if I could manage it without getting a migraine.
I started with the Couch 2 5K program which I had used successfully in the past. As I progressed through the program I really started to struggle with it. I guess because I was older, and also no longer running on the beach with cool breezes (that's where I first started running years ago), I had a hard time with the longer run segments.
That's when I discovered Jeff Galloway's Run/Walk program. I am not being overly dramatic when I say this program was LIFE CHANGING! I loved having set walking segments to rest and keep my energy up.
What I did not do was fully follow the program though. According to my pace I should have been doing 30 seconds running followed by 30 seconds walking. I could run 5 minutes at a time though so I decided to do 4 minutes running with 1 minute walking breaks.
Initially this seemed to work well for me.
Since I had already done 5Ks in my running life I decided to challenge myself with a 10K. I picked out one for that September. It was the Hooter's to Hooter's 10K in Clearwater, FL. I thought that would be a great race to do since it was in a town I loved and it was my and Tim's anniversary weekend so we could get away for our anniversary too.
It was a TOUGH race. I made 2 big mistakes.
#1 - I started out way too fast
#2 - I discovered 4:1 was the wrong run/walk time for me
I was so happy to be done, but I was wiped out!
The plus side was that I was determined to run more and just days after this race I signed up for my first half marathon - the Disney Princess Half the following February.
I went back and read some more of Jeff Galloway's books and decided to change my run/walk times to 2:1.
That worked great for me!
I also signed up for a couple of 5Ks so that I could practice running in a race atmosphere and NOT start out too fast.
My next 5K was my local Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. I was recovering from a pulled hamstring muscle for that race so I knew going in that I would not be setting any PRs. So I really went into this race just doing it for fun. And it was a GREAT race! My time was slow (about 42 minutes), but I had so much fun just enjoying the event that I can't wait to do it again this year.
Training continued, even through some COLD weather. Even though I live in FL, I live in the center of the state so we don't get the benefit of ocean/gulf weather keeping it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. We do get several nights of below freezing temps each year. So I bundled up in the mornings and continued with my runs. And still no migraines :-)
January came and it was time for another 5K. Having no injuries I planned this race carefully. I was going to start slower until the turn around (it was an out and back course) and then pick up the pace for the second half. This was also a local race, the Ocala Marathon/Half Marathon/5K. I already knew that in 2013 I'd be doing the 5K but in 2014 I would do the Half.
This was another great race, despite having LOTS of hills. I think I was truly learning to enjoy the experience. I took about 3 minutes off my last 5K time - woohoo!
I was nervous and excited. Overall it was a great experience. I was so happy to have done this race as my first half. It was a tough race because I had been training in cold weather (as had everyone else since this was in February), but that weekend it decided to be really warm. The pre-race temp was in the 60s and close to 100% humidity - welcome to crazy Central Florida weather!
It was really, really crowded, to the point that I found it hard to run during my run segments. But the good news is that it kept me from going too fast. I finished in 3:25, which was actually 5 minutes faster than my anticipated finish time - yay!
Now that I have had this experience I probably won't be doing another Disney race. They are just too crowded and too expensive. I'm starting to learn I like smaller races better.
About a week after this race was my 46th birthday, and that's when the Run 50 By 50 concept was born.
I am now 3 races into it, and my 4th race is a virtual 10K that will be completed sometime this month.
It's been a fun, challenging, life-changing year and I wouldn't change a single minute of it. I can't wait to see what this next year brings me.
And of course, I couldn't have done any of this without Tim's support. He is my biggest cheerleader and the best photographer, and I am very fortunate to have him as my partner in life.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Disney Vacation
One of the benefits of living in Florida is that Disney offers FL resident specials. This year they offered one of the best specials I've ever seen - 4 days for $129 (that's almost like buying 1 and getting 3 free!), so Tim and I took advantage of it.
We went to Epcot in April, and since I was on vacation from work this week we decided to do the other 3 parks this week. We had a great time, with LOTS of walking. My FitBit is quite proud of me, 3 days over 10,000 steps, and I actually got my first 20,000 step badge this week LOL!
While I didn't actually do any working out (except continuing with my 30 day squat challenge), I think I walked enough to make up for it. I also let my eating slip quite a bit, but I learned a long time ago to not stress over that. I ate what I wanted (hello TWO cheeseburger and fries meals this week) and enjoyed myself, but now I'm back home and eating is back to normal.
When I first started Weight Watchers I tried to stick to my usual eating while on vacation, but it just stressed me out, trying to figure out what to eat and how to track it. So I learned to just enjoy myself and not stress over it. That doesn't mean I always make unhealthy choices, I find that if I don't eat enough veggies for a day or two I do crave them, so I do what feels right for the moment.
And today it's also back to exercising...we'll either hit the gym this afternoon or I'll go for a bike ride.
How do you handle vacations? Do you stick to your regular exercise/eating?
We went to Epcot in April, and since I was on vacation from work this week we decided to do the other 3 parks this week. We had a great time, with LOTS of walking. My FitBit is quite proud of me, 3 days over 10,000 steps, and I actually got my first 20,000 step badge this week LOL!
While I didn't actually do any working out (except continuing with my 30 day squat challenge), I think I walked enough to make up for it. I also let my eating slip quite a bit, but I learned a long time ago to not stress over that. I ate what I wanted (hello TWO cheeseburger and fries meals this week) and enjoyed myself, but now I'm back home and eating is back to normal.
When I first started Weight Watchers I tried to stick to my usual eating while on vacation, but it just stressed me out, trying to figure out what to eat and how to track it. So I learned to just enjoy myself and not stress over it. That doesn't mean I always make unhealthy choices, I find that if I don't eat enough veggies for a day or two I do crave them, so I do what feels right for the moment.
And today it's also back to exercising...we'll either hit the gym this afternoon or I'll go for a bike ride.
How do you handle vacations? Do you stick to your regular exercise/eating?
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Running with the bulls
Yup, it's true, I'm doing it.
February 1, 2014 in Tampa, FL, Tim and I will be running with the bulls in The Great Bull Run.
It's a 0.25 mile run with live bulls running after you and then they pass you...cause the bulls definitely run faster - LOL!
I'm a little nervous, but more excited. Of course I'd love to go to Spain some day and SEE this event, but after reading the safety precautions (although it's still not 100% safe) I feel pretty good about it.
The Spain trip will happen some day, but running with the bulls will be one of the 50 by 50 races and I can't wait.
Now we just have to get Tim to be able to run 0.25 miles, which he's working on...although cardio is not his favorite to do :-)
What do you all think? Would you ever run with bulls?
February 1, 2014 in Tampa, FL, Tim and I will be running with the bulls in The Great Bull Run.
It's a 0.25 mile run with live bulls running after you and then they pass you...cause the bulls definitely run faster - LOL!
I'm a little nervous, but more excited. Of course I'd love to go to Spain some day and SEE this event, but after reading the safety precautions (although it's still not 100% safe) I feel pretty good about it.
The Spain trip will happen some day, but running with the bulls will be one of the 50 by 50 races and I can't wait.
Now we just have to get Tim to be able to run 0.25 miles, which he's working on...although cardio is not his favorite to do :-)
What do you all think? Would you ever run with bulls?
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Injury = Break from running :-(
As runners it's likely that we will experience injuries periodically.
And it sucks when that happens - to put it bluntly.
Right now I've got an injured hip, and of course running makes it worse, the pounding is what causes the pain. I can walk, do squats, swim, etc, just no running.
Since I was seeing the chiropractor for my neck, which is all better, he is now treating my hip. He said it's either a problem with the joint or even some bursitis. Of course my initial reaction upon hearing bursitis is that "I'm not old!" LOL
But looking it up, runners are listed as people prone to bursitis. Now it's a matter of the usual treatment, rest, stretching, ice, advil.
And in the meantime I'll be doing other forms of cardio that don't involve pounding on my hip.
Time to get out the bikes. Yesterday I picked up some cheap swim goggles so I can give swimming a try. I typically don't like swimming laps, but it's been a few years since I've tried it, and doing it with Tim might make it more fun.
The good news is that I did finish run #3...it was painful and it was my slowest 5K time ever, but I'm happy it's done, and I LOVE the medal.
Next run is another virtual that can be done anytime in June, although it is a 10K so I do need time to train. I'm not happy about having to take a break from running, but I'm happy that I can give myself time to heal and train properly.
How do you handle injuries? What are your backup exercise plans? Any suggestions for me to try something new and fun?
And it sucks when that happens - to put it bluntly.
Right now I've got an injured hip, and of course running makes it worse, the pounding is what causes the pain. I can walk, do squats, swim, etc, just no running.
Since I was seeing the chiropractor for my neck, which is all better, he is now treating my hip. He said it's either a problem with the joint or even some bursitis. Of course my initial reaction upon hearing bursitis is that "I'm not old!" LOL
But looking it up, runners are listed as people prone to bursitis. Now it's a matter of the usual treatment, rest, stretching, ice, advil.
And in the meantime I'll be doing other forms of cardio that don't involve pounding on my hip.
Time to get out the bikes. Yesterday I picked up some cheap swim goggles so I can give swimming a try. I typically don't like swimming laps, but it's been a few years since I've tried it, and doing it with Tim might make it more fun.
The good news is that I did finish run #3...it was painful and it was my slowest 5K time ever, but I'm happy it's done, and I LOVE the medal.
Next run is another virtual that can be done anytime in June, although it is a 10K so I do need time to train. I'm not happy about having to take a break from running, but I'm happy that I can give myself time to heal and train properly.
How do you handle injuries? What are your backup exercise plans? Any suggestions for me to try something new and fun?
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Lazy Sunday
Do you ever have do absolutely nothing days?
Today is one of those days for me. The last few months have been good, but incredibly busy and I am tired!
Yesterday we spent the day at Epcot (side note: we aren't doing an actual go somewhere vacation this year, but Disney offered a GREAT deal for Florida residents so we'll be spending a few days there the next couple of months :-) ) and had a great day. Of course it was very active, and according to my FitBit we walked just under 20,000 steps.
So with everything that's gone on today I decided would be a complete lazy day. Wearing my PJs all day, playing on the computer, catching up on DVR shows and catching up on some reading
Today is one of those days for me. The last few months have been good, but incredibly busy and I am tired!
Yesterday we spent the day at Epcot (side note: we aren't doing an actual go somewhere vacation this year, but Disney offered a GREAT deal for Florida residents so we'll be spending a few days there the next couple of months :-) ) and had a great day. Of course it was very active, and according to my FitBit we walked just under 20,000 steps.
So with everything that's gone on today I decided would be a complete lazy day. Wearing my PJs all day, playing on the computer, catching up on DVR shows and catching up on some reading
Yes, I am waaaaayyyyy behind on my magzine reading :-)
What are your thoughts on having totally lazy days?
Do they make you feel guilty? For me there is no guilt. I do it so rarely and I know at times I need to just relax and do nothing for my mental and physical health.
Are you like me, do you think lazy days are a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle?
And with that, I am off to chill...happy Sunday, and enjoy whatever you have planned for today :-)
Monday, April 15, 2013
Run #2 - Iron Girl 5K
Yesteray was my 2nd Run 50 By 50 race, the Iron Girl 5K in Clearwater, FL.
I was really excited to do this race because it was the first race I ran back in 2006 when I first started running.
The day started out very early, getting up at 3:30am. With all the traveling I've done recently for work I did not want to spend another night away from home and in a hotel, so I decided to make it a day trip. I told Tim he didn't have to come with me, but being the great guy he is, he did come with me because he didn't want me driving alone that early in the morning.
We left at 4:30 and arrived about 6:15. Which was pretty good since I find driving around Tampa and Clearwater to be very confusing and we made a couple of wrong turns, even with using GPS.
Once we arrived I went to find where I could go get my number and chip. It was crowded but not a total madhouse.
Hit mile 1 at the top of the bridge, and then I really got to speed up going down the bridge. Got to the water stop, grabbed a cup and then arrived at the turn around. Unfortunately going back the other way we only had one lane to run in, the other lane was open to traffic. And a LOT of people were not following good race etquiette (another blog on that one coming soon!).
Going back up was tougher, I think it was longer going up the second time and I was going really slow. But eventually I reached the top and then it literally was all down hill from there :-)
Crossing the finish line, as always was awesome. Then the usual line for water, medal, and chip removal. One of the things they did that I LOVED was to give everyone a sponge soaked in cold water. That felt AMAZING!
Final time was 40:06, slightly slower than the last time I ran it, but this time I knew I wasn't going to PR and I just enjoyed it, even stopping to take pictures.
After looking around at the vendors for a couple of minutes we went for our traditional post-race breakfast at Perkins. Then off to the Gun Show in Tampa so Tim could have some fun too.
Overall a great day. I love that race, even with the bridge and am excited to do it again next year.
I was really excited to do this race because it was the first race I ran back in 2006 when I first started running.
The day started out very early, getting up at 3:30am. With all the traveling I've done recently for work I did not want to spend another night away from home and in a hotel, so I decided to make it a day trip. I told Tim he didn't have to come with me, but being the great guy he is, he did come with me because he didn't want me driving alone that early in the morning.
We left at 4:30 and arrived about 6:15. Which was pretty good since I find driving around Tampa and Clearwater to be very confusing and we made a couple of wrong turns, even with using GPS.
Once we arrived I went to find where I could go get my number and chip. It was crowded but not a total madhouse.
We hung out, mostly in the port-o-potty line, it was long and moved slow, but chatted with some nice people. Then we went on the hunt for water since I hadn't drank any yet that morning. To my surprise they were not giving out food to athletes pre-race, although we did find a water station with small cups and water.
While we were hanging out the half marathon kicked started. It was fun cheering them on and really looking at the bridge we all had to cross.
Since I had run this race before I knew what to expect for the bridge but it surprised Tim.
Then it was time to line up. The excitement was kicking in. I am happy I have virtual run options to complete my 50 By 50, but there is nothing like an in person race to get the adrenaline pumping.
And then we were off. First street was uphill already. Then it flattened out until we hit the bridge. Going up the bridge the first time wasn't bad, and of course the scenery was beautiful.
Hit mile 1 at the top of the bridge, and then I really got to speed up going down the bridge. Got to the water stop, grabbed a cup and then arrived at the turn around. Unfortunately going back the other way we only had one lane to run in, the other lane was open to traffic. And a LOT of people were not following good race etquiette (another blog on that one coming soon!).
Going back up was tougher, I think it was longer going up the second time and I was going really slow. But eventually I reached the top and then it literally was all down hill from there :-)
Crossing the finish line, as always was awesome. Then the usual line for water, medal, and chip removal. One of the things they did that I LOVED was to give everyone a sponge soaked in cold water. That felt AMAZING!
Final time was 40:06, slightly slower than the last time I ran it, but this time I knew I wasn't going to PR and I just enjoyed it, even stopping to take pictures.
After looking around at the vendors for a couple of minutes we went for our traditional post-race breakfast at Perkins. Then off to the Gun Show in Tampa so Tim could have some fun too.
Overall a great day. I love that race, even with the bridge and am excited to do it again next year.
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