Measurements Update

Original measurements taken October 15th:

Chest: 41

Waist: 37.5

Hips: 45.5

L thigh: 26.5

L arm: 13

L calf: 14.5

Current measurements taken November 30th:

Chest: 39.5 (-1.5)

Waist: 34.5 (-3)

Hips: 44 (-1.5)

L thigh: 25.25 (-1.25)

L arm: 12.5 (-.5)

L calf: 15.5 (+1)

I am really excited to see that I am still losing inches. I have not been tracking very well, however I am getting back to it starting today. I am allowing the stress from work to affect my eating again (fourth year in a row). I have the best intentions to do well through the holidays and somehow the stress takes over and I just eat. Even when I'm not hungry and even food that I really don't necessarily like or want.

Last year I found myself eating the chocolate covered coffee beans that were sent to us from one of our agencies and even though I didn't like them I would eat the chocolate and throw away the coffee bean. So weird, so random, so out of control.

This year the plan was to start early, before the stress started at work (around October). I thought that I would be in the habit of tracking and making better choices by the time Thanksgiving came around. That way I would continue to keep my self control through the holidays.

Like I mentioned, my tracking has not been great. I find myself falling back to old habits of tracking in the morning and then either eating bad and not wanting to see the damage or forgetting to track. Either way, it's a bad habit to get into, whether I'm losing inches or not and whether my clothes are fitting better or not. 

I still do not know my weight. And I don't plan on knowing my weight until I have to do my biometric screening again next year. I'm not even interested in knowing it. I am interested in my measurements and I am interested in how I feel. 

You've seen my measurements, so that leaves how I feel...

I am making huge improvements in my self confidence and in the way that I speak to and about myself. I find myself passing a mirror or a window and seeing my reflection and thinking that I can see changes instead of only seeing the negatives. I've realized (and try to stop myself) from pointing out my negatives. 

I'm consciously changing my point of view. Instead of focusing on the loose part of my arms, I focus on the muscle you can see when I flex. Instead of focusing on my lower abdomen and the loose skin/poochy belly (courtesy of Isabel and a c-section) I focus on the smaller waist. Instead of focusing of my rear end I focus on my stronger more muscular thighs. 

It takes a lot of work to get out of that mindset. I've gone a very long time with saying negative things about myself that it feels weird giving myself compliments. I feel like I'm doing something wrong or self centered, but then I realize that it's not like that at all. I deserve to see the positives and I deserve to be proud of the body I have and the body that I'm working on improving. 

With that being said, I forgot to take my progress photos this morning, which means I will either take them tonight or tomorrow. I'm excited to see the changes from the first photo to now because I know there are noticeable changes. Still not quite ready to share them though..

Thanksgiving Day Dash / Isabel's First Race / Emma's PR

Today marks a very special day in my running world. A day that I've been looking forward to for awhile. A day that I may be more excited about than any other running day to date.

Isabel is running her first race today, and I am one proud running mom! I love the fact that she came to me to ask to run the 1K on thanksgiving. I love the fact that she constantly asked to run with me to train. I love that when I would ask her how far she wanted to run on the training runs she would tell me "100 miles". I love that she asks when she can run a marathon with me. I love the excitement on her face when she got her first pair of running shoes. I love how excited she was when I gave her the running bib.

We set our clothes out last night and she laid them perfectly on the floor. She was ready to go and couldn't wait to run. 

 

I picked my niece up at 6:50am and we drove to the race. We got there early, but the time went by quickly and we distracted ourselves by playing I Spy. 

 

My parents and Patrick came to watch the race and pretty close to 8am we began the 1K kids fun run. The run was four laps around the field and I encouraged Isabel to run the entire time without walking. She did great and I think she really enjoyed herself. 

Not long after that it was time to line up for the 5K. 



We had our interval timers ready to run 30:1 intervals and we were off! The first mile is usually the worst because it feels more crowded. You're not really sure what the people around you are planning on doing (running, walking, intervals, etc) and it can get frustrating leap frogging back and forth. But it usually opens up around mile one.

I was really impressed with Emma today. She was running strong and fast. I knew pretty early on that if she continued with that pace then she would get a PR (personal record). It was then that I told her I think it's time to up the distance. She's completed three 5Ks and has improved her speed. Maybe a 10K is in the near future..

She finished strong with a time of 39:05. I couldn't be more proud!

But I Don't Wanna!

I had a very difficult time finding the motivation to do my scheduled workout DVD on Monday. I got home and immediately decided that I just was not in the mood to workout and that if I attempted to do the DVD I would just half ass it and then I would feel bad about half assing it. Inner turmoil.

I decided to push the DVD to Tuesday with the intention of getting to work early after going to the gym and doing the DVD in our "wellness room" / back file room. Unfortunately that didn't happen because it is still our busiest time of year and once I sat down at my computer I didn't get back up (except to get a cup of coffee).

That pushed my DVD back a few hours to my lunch break. Except that I decided to go to the packet pick-up for the Turkey Day Dash to pick up the t-shirts and racing bibs for Isabel, Emma and myself. I knew that if I waited to pick up our packets then we might not get a shirt since it was not included in the registration fee.

The rest of the work day was filled with stress and frustration, so on my way home I was really debating as to whether or not I was going to do the workout at all. I still needed to get in a one mile run and I just was feeling so unmotivated to do much of anything. My stepson had asked if he could join me for my run (even though his current mile time is 5:25 and my fastest is 10:12, and that was a fluke). He agreed to go at my pace and it was a really nice 1.09 mile run fulfilling my requirement to make it through day 37 of my running streak and having some bonding time.

I got home and decided that it was now or never. If I was actually going to stick to my goal of completing my entire scheduled workout for the day then I needed to put the DVD in and not think about it but just do it. So I did. And I enjoyed almost every moment of it. It was tough and I got in a great workout. Most importantly, I finished the workout feeling proud of myself for doing it.

I think you'll be hard pressed to find a person who feels disappointed after doing a workout (except maybe if they got injured). I know that I usually feel disappointed when I skip a workout without rescheduling it. I had already rescheduled this workout once. I may not always want to do the workout going into it, but if I can give it my all then I know that it will be worth it.

That being said, I am really not looking forward the Killer Buns & Thighs tonight, but what's 40 minutes out of my life when the results are a stronger, leaner and healthier me!

Workout Schedule

Scheduled workout: (crossed out workouts were not completed on the scheduled day)

Monday: 2 mile run, Jackie Warner arm DVD, Jillian Michaels 6 Week 6 Pack DVD

Tuesday: 45 minutes gym, 2 mile run, Jillian Michaels Buns & Thighs DVD

Wednesday: 2 mile run, Jackie Warner arm DVD, Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 1

Thursday: 45 minutes gym, 2 mile run, Jillian Michaels Buns & Thighs DVD

Friday: 2 mile run, Jackie Warner arm DVD

Saturday: 14 mile long distance training run

Sunday: minimum 1 mile run

Actual workout:

Monday: 1.31 mile walk, 2.04 mile interval run, Jackie Warner arm DVD, Jillian Michaels 6 Week 6 Pack DVD

Tuesday: 45 minutes gym: 12 minutes elliptical (1.08 miles), 5 minutes stairs (0.28 miles), stationary bike (7.82 miles), 1.33 mile walk, 2.09 mile interval run

Wednesday: 1.40 mile walk, 2.04 mile interval run, Jackie Warner arm DVD, Jillian Michaels Buns & Thighs DVD

Thursday: 45 minutes gym: 12 minutes elliptical (1.06 miles), 5:30 minutes stairs (0.30 miles), stationary bike (7.91 miles), 1.34 mile walk, 2.08 mile interval run

Friday: 1.32 mile walk, 1.34 mile interval run

Saturday: 8.03 mile interval run

Sunday: 6.31 mile interval run

 

There's really not much to say about this past week. I realized on Tuesday that I needed to make some adjustments to my scheduled workout. It actually turned into quite the internal debate with myself to the point where I had to call Patrick to talk it out with someone else. I basically told him to just let me talk it out and then if he was able to follow the conversation he could give me his opinion.

 

We both decided that the changes would be beneficial to my mental and physical health. I was worried that I was just making excuses to not do the workout DVD that night, but overall it ended up working in my favor and I really liked having the nights off from strength training on the days that I did cross training.

 

I did end up skipping the workout DVD on Friday (that was moved from Wednesday/Thursday) due to just being exhausted from getting up early to workout and working a lot of overtime this past week. I left the decision up to Patrick, telling him that 1. I was exhausted and 2. I wouldn't regret doing the DVD but that I might feel guilty for not doing it. If the DVD was on when I got home I would have done it, if not then I would take the evening off. I was oddly happy (and surprised) that the DVD was not on when I got home. 

 

This weekend's long run was spread out between the two days due to weather conditions. Saturday's 8 mile run felt wonderful and although Sunday's 6 mile run didn't feel as good, it was still a good run. Any run is a good run. I am so grateful to Patrick for letting me go out both weekend days for long distance runs. I do not know what I would do without my support system, but I am forever grateful for them. I would not be able to make these goals and move forward with achieving them if it wasn't for these people.

 

Sunday's run brought me to day 35 of my running streak. With each day that I complete my minimum 1 mile run I am achieving a new longest distance to date. It is really exciting to me to reach new milestones on a daily basis and I am only 15 short days away from reaching my first mini goal of a 50 day running streak. It's gone by so fast this time around and is still so exciting for me that I know this time is a lot different from the last. I have a really strong feeling that I could actually make it to my big goal of 500 days. I know that seems crazy to some (okay, most), but it's keeping me active and I am really enjoying this. I know my limits and I will know when to stop, but until then I am giving this my best shot to make it the full length of this streak.

 

Next week's workout:

 

Monday: 2 mile run, Jackie Warner arm DVD, Jillian Michaels 6 Week 6 Pack DVD

Tuesday: 45 minutes gym, 2 mile run

Wednesday: 2 mile run, Jackie Warner arm DVD, Jillian Michaels Buns & Thighs DVD

Thursday: Turkey Day Dash 5K, Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred

Friday: 45 minutes gym, 2 mile run

Saturday: 4 mile long distance training run

Sunday: minimum 1 mile run

Random photo's from this past week:

 



 

 

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

I will admit that I enjoyed myself a little too much in the food department and although I tracked (most of it), it was not pretty. Back at it today! I feel as though it's okay to splurge every once in a while, and there's really no better time to do so than on the weekend, however knowing myself, I need to get back to tracking 100% otherwise I will not get back to it and will slowly lose all motivation that I may have had these past few weeks. I am so not ready to fall back to old habits, so I am ready to get back to the healthy choices an d smaller portions. At least until Thursday...

Canceling a Long Distance Run

I have become really attached to my training schedule. My long distance training runs have been important to me to complete and I've been enjoying getting back into the higher mileage. It was like starting over and I like reaching those milestones again.

Yesterday morning was supposed to be the last long distance run before Santa to the Sea in December.

14 miles.

I was a little nervous on Wednesday when it started raining and showed rain in the forecast through Saturday. I won't cancel a run for rain, but it does make it slightly uncomfortable. I really do prefer to run in a variety of weather conditions because you never know what race day will look like and I would rather be over prepared.

My least favorite weather to run in, and the one I'm most likely to cancel a run for, is wind. Not any wind, but if the weather channel shows that the wind is over 20 miles per hour then I usually have an internal debate about whether or not I should go.

The debate goes back and forth for awhile. I know that when I run in the wind I have issues later in the day with my lungs. They end up feeling dirty and it's just not something I like dealing with (but who would?)

I also have some concerns about falling tree branches and other issues that arise from high winds. Like the headaches I tend to get.

Don't get me wrong, I know that many people go out and run in worse conditions than this on a daily basis. That is part of what sparks my debate. I mentally know it's better that I don't go, but I start thinking about if I'm not going for my safety or because I just don't want to go and I'm making an excuse.

Since I am the queen of excuses and can easily make a reason to not workout or go for a run, it's a bit of a crazy few minutes in my head.

Rachel and I emailed each other Friday since the winds were pretty high. We decided to play it by ear, but I think we both knew that we wouldn't be running the 14 miles together this weekend.

Friday night we talked and decided it would be better to be safe than sorry and since our race is in two weeks we would just increase our mileage for next weekend slightly. Neither of us are trying to PR at this race, so all we need to focus on is making it the full distance. 

That night I looked at the weather again and decided that if the wind had calmed down then I would go for the run. I woke up at 5am and realized that it just wouldn't be a good decision to go and that I would need to split the mileage between Saturday and Sunday if I was going to get it in.

So that's what I did. I went out to run 7 miles on Saturday and was feeling so good at mile 3.5 that I just kept going to the end of that portion of the wash, which ended up being an even four miles. 

I text Patrick, asking him if he knew what I love (besides him and Isabel). He responded "running?" 

I sent him the following: "Yes, but more specifically- a runners high. When you reach the point in a run where it becomes effortless and you just glide along. It also makes you feel like you can keep running forever."

He said he can't really relate but that he's happy I'm happy. How can you not be with a view like this?!

 

Sunday started early with a trip to the swap meet with my mom. It was at a larger venue and we found some great deals. 

It did make it difficult to want to go run when I got home because I was tired, however I knew I needed to get out and just do it. 

It may not have felt as good as yesterday's run but it was a run and 6.31 miles later I completed the full 14 miles.  

Even a bad run is good because I'm out doing it.

 

I know that it doesn't really count because the mileage should be all in a row, and I had to split up the mileage for the 12 mile run as well, but I think it should count for something. 

Starting While She's Young

I have never pushed running on Isabel. I didn't necessarily want my hobbies to be her hobbies unless she showed an interest.

I've been running consistently for three years. She's been at home waiting for me when I get home from a training run. She's been at the finish line for countless races of all distances. Recently she's been asking to run with me, so when I get finished with the distance I come back around and pick her up for a short run (usually no longer than 1 mile).

About a month ago, the signs started going up for our neighborhood's Turkey Day Dash. I participated in the race two years ago when it was at a different location and it was a pretty decent race.

I hadn't planned on running it this year until my mom called me one day at work and told me that Isabel had told her that she wants to do the 1K kids fun run. I would be lying if I told you that I wasn't excited. I've really been looking forward to this and hoping that it would happen at some point.

I've really enjoyed that running started (and continues) with my sister and I. My niece has been participating in 5Ks and will be doing the Turkey Day Dash 5K with me this year (her third race). And now Isabel will be running in her first race with me on Thanksgiving.

I decided I wanted to do something special. I don't know if she will enjoy it or not, but I can only hope that running is something that she and I can share, so I decided to get a gift for her.



 

Her first pair of running shoes.

 

They were a surprise and she absolutely loved them. We don't have long to break them in, since the race is next week, but they will hopefully last a little while and I hope that she continues to have the desire to do this together. 

Running Accessories

I have an extremely difficult time purchasing things for myself. Especially expensive things. Go figure I would pick a sport that requires spending.

Races are one thing, because I am paying for the experience. I can justify that (even though I've had to explain many times the point of "paying to run").

Anything else beyond that I felt as though it wasn't worth the money/I didn't need it/I could just do this without all the expensive gadgets. Plus, I wasn't really planning on doing this longer than the first marathon. 

Then I got into it. I bought my first gadget, an interval timer that you can set up with your specific intervals and it will beep when it's time to walk and when it's time to run. Perfection! I no longer had to clock watch, which tends to make the time go by slower. 

Not long after that, my sister bought herself a GPS watch. It wasn't the first time I had seen one, but it was the first time I had seen one up close. I wanted one.. Badly. But I waited because I couldn't justify such an expensive item for myself. I finally decided to buy it for myself as a Christmas present knowing that I would wear it all the time and that I would get my money's worth of use out of it. 

Perhaps the stupidest thing to wait to buy was properly fitted shoes. I had lucked out for the most part by buying my shoes at Kohl's. I would try them on, walk around a little and I could usually tell right away if they would work or not. I saved money and it worked out pretty well, up until it didn't.

I almost quit the LA Marathon (and running in general) this past March when I was experiencing extreme pain in my feet and shins. I was urged to go to a running store to be properly fitted and was offered a new pair of shoes from my parents. Best decision ever! 

My GPS watch stopped working at the end of August. I was devastated. It felt as though I had lost a close friend. I was upset that I no longer had that particular GPS watch (which had been discontinued), but that I would need to spend money on a new one. Thankfully I didn't spend the same length of time debating as to whether or not I was going to buy a new one. I only needed to pick one and purchase it. I am actually using (and loving) the online features. I plug the watch into the computer every so often and am able to look at a lot of data, including a map with the course, elevation, weather and of course speed/distance, etc.

My first GPS watch.

My current GPS watch.

A couple of nights ago, as I was walking to the apartment from my car, my interval timer fell from my purse to the ground. It's been dropped many times and I have often thought of replacing it as it will often times stop showing the display. It still worked though, so spending $20 didn't seem worth it. Unfortunately, this last drop did it in and it no longer works.

I was devastated. It seems so silly to get attached to these things, but when they've been with you for over 1500 miles you get used to them. They become your running buddy and they help push you through difficult times. (Yes, I know I sound crazy).

It was time to order a new interval timer. I'm excited for the colors of this new timer and am expecting it to come in the mail early next week. Until then I am relying on other people and their timers when I run with them. Otherwise, I am just counting steps and although it gets repetitive it is what needs to be done in order to continue my streak.

The last thing I needed to replace were my running shoes. I calculated my mileage from my running log and realized that the pain in my foot (that I self diagnosed as bone spurs, tendinitis and a stress fracture) ended up being that I'm using shoes that have gone well over 500 miles. Although I had replaced the insoles and was trying to make them last just a little longer, I knew that the time was coming.

I am so grateful that I have a friend who 1. enjoys running and 2. knows how much I love running. She was kind enough to tell me of the Amazon deal of the day on Monday. It was 45% off on New Balance athletic shoes. The exact brand that I use. I called Patrick to ask if I could buy a pair. He kindly said yes, of course and I purchased a pair. I then realized that I had mentioned to my mom about needing new running shoes. She had offered to buy them for either Christmas or my birthday. I called her and told her about the deal and she bought me a pair too for when the ones I bought need to be retired.

They arrived yesterday and I guess I didn't quite realize how badly I needed new shoes until I saw the bottoms of both the old pair and the new pair side by side.

Now I just need to break them in. I plan on running today and tomorrow my normal 2 miles and then Saturday is a 14 mile training run. I might try to run again either tonight or tomorrow so that they can be a little more broken in before such a long training run, but I'm not sure if that will be able to happen or not. I'm not too concerned, since I had to break in my first pair pretty quickly before the LA Marathon, but I want to be as prepared as I possibly can be.

I know feel accessorized and ready to begin my Santa to Santa goal next month. I have everything I need: shoes, GPS watch, interval timer and most importantly the desire to do it.

10 Things You Never Wanted to Know

I've seen this going around facebook and recently with some of the blogs I follow. I present to you the top ten things you never wanted to know about me:

1. I taught myself basic sign language ("Hi, my name is.., How are you?, etc) in middle school so that I could communicate with a deaf student.

2. I earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

3. I rode a bike across the Golden Gate Bridge.

4. I ran my first marathon on a whim and in support of my sister and her goal. Spoiler alert.. I fell in love with running!

5. If I could go back and do anything differently, I would have had more faith in myself and pursued marine biology. 

6. I love taking pictures and my favorite subjects to shoot are animals and kids because they are the most difficult to "control" and a good shot is part luck.

7. I taught myself to type without looking at the keyboard when I was a Senior in high school and can now type over 75 words per minute. 

8. I am obsessed with Jillian Michael's (you either love her or hate her). I own 5 of her DVD's and am getting her Body Revolution 90 day workout for Christmas. I am also reading one of her books and listen to her podcast at the gym. However, I cannot stand The Biggest Loser.

9. I would love to be able to make running medal and bib holders and sell them at local craft fairs. I have a couple made, but just can't get going due to time and money constraints.

10. I have extreme anxiety when it comes to cooking, but I absolutely love to bake and experiment with different cupcake recipes.

Now it's your turn. Share something interesting about yourself! 

6 Week 6 Pack Abs

In an attempt to mix things up this week, I plan on working my arms three days a week, my buns & thighs two days a week, my abs one day a week and a combination dvd one day a week. 

It seems like a lot, and in all reality it might be, however I have to push myself and my limits in order to see how far I can go and to see what I am capable of. 

Tonight's workout left me sweaty, out of breath and frustrated. I pushed myself and I pushed myself hard. I did my best to follow the advanced version and only modified one or two exercises. I did my best to keep up and felt as though I was getting in a great workout.

But then the DVD ended and I felt as though, minus being out of breath and sweaty, that I didn't really do much of anything. My stomach wasn't sore, my legs weren't sore, even my arms felt relatively normal even though I had worked them earlier in the day.

I am focusing on the wrong things. For some reason the muscles aren't as sore as I anticipated them to be, but I am working them and I am making positive progress. I feel as though there is this in shape woman underneath just waiting to come out. I just have to keep going and the results will speak for themselves. I'm just impatient getting there. 

Who knows.. Maybe I'll have a really sore (and strong) core tomorrow morning and I'll be cursing Jillian Michael's and her DVDs. Maybe I'll have worried about nothing. Maybe I'm stronger than I give myself credit for. No matter what the reason, I'm not giving up.

Confessions of a Running Mom

I get into a pretty negative cycle with myself when it comes to pretty much everything I do. I have yet to pinpoint the cause but nothing I do is ever good enough.

Not to anyones standards, just my own.

Which is weird.

In regards to my work, my family, my parenting, my marriage, even going back to high school and college. Not good enough.

So it would naturally make sense for me to think that my running is also not good enough.

I'm not fast enough, I haven't done enough races, I haven't gone far enough, I didn't try hard enough during training. It's never enough.

And now the word enough looks weird when I type it out..

I think it's because I'm always comparing myself to other people. Always. In regards to every aspect of my life. The funny thing is, if I just look at my life, my family, my job, my bank account, my hobbies, my fitness, etc. then it is enough. It's when I look at what other people have, what other people do and what other people think that I start feeling like I'm not where I should be.

When it comes to running (and all areas of my life really) the important thing I have to remember is to stop comparing myself to others. Not every runner is built the same and every person has a pace and a distance that works for them.

In fact, I can't even compare myself to a year ago because I was running with a group instead of alone or with my sister, I was pushing for a PR instead of working at a slower pace to build my endurance back up and I was a year younger (and about 30 pounds lighter).

I am improving and I am enjoying myself in the process. I normally would never have gone for a run in 90 degree weather, but I do that now. Rain? You bet! I try to talk myself out of these conditions, and the old me would have fallen for the old excuse trick, but not this Tracy. No, I go for my run. I tell myself to go slow and steady. My slow and steady pace ends up being close to my normal pace and I feel great doing it.

So what if my miles are 12 and a half minute miles. Who really cares? I'm not out there at the front of the line trying to win these races and I'm okay with never doing so. I don't run races for that reason. I really don't think anyone will think less of me when I tell them that my fastest marathon time is 5 hours and 53 minutes. And if they do, then that's on them. It doesn't take away my pride of completing the marathon and the joy of the PR I got that day.

I have got to stop comparing myself to others because when I start to compare that's when I lose my drive. And this motivation has got to stick around for a long while considering how many races I have scheduled and how many races I plan to sign up for in the future. I am fast enough, I am good enough, I am enough.

Ripped in 30- Day 20

Today was my last workout for the Ripped in 30 DVD.

There's not much I can say about it that I haven't already said. I really think that this DVD is a good one and I intend to have it be a part of my DVD rotation. I'm just happy that I can mix it up a little more now.

I am pretty happy with the results that I saw overall. I wasn't expecting the same results that I saw with 30 Day Shred because they are two different workouts. At the beginning I was thinking that I was doing it wrong because I didn't see much of a change at all and I did start to compare the two, however I realized pretty quickly that there are too many differences.

30 Day Shred I did for 30 days in a row. I just couldn't commit to that this time. I could commit to the recommended 5 days a week and since it is a four week program I knew that I would be doing it for a total of 20 days while allowing two days a week to be "rest" days.

I experienced a similarity with both DVDs however, and that was knee pain towards the end of each program. It forced me to follow the modified versions, yet it's Jillian Michael's and her modified versions are still an amazing workout.

Next week is going to be interesting because I am going to be doing four different videos throughout the week. I am going to be spreading it out more throughout the week, focusing solely on abs one day a week, buns and thighs two days a week, arms three days a week, mixture in a combo DVD one day a week and cross training two days a week. And of course I will be running seven days a week.

As I mentioned in my schedule post, I am going to see how this week goes and if it's too much then I will cut back, but I have to see what I can do.

Long Run Recap, Workout Recap and Schedule

Scheduled workout: (crossed out workouts were not completed on the scheduled day)

 

Monday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4?

Tuesday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4

Wednesday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4

Thursday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4

Friday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4

Saturday: Long distance training run- 4 miles, Ripped in 30 week 4? (if not done on Monday)

Sunday: minimum 1 mile run

 

Actual workout:

 

Monday: 1.35 mile walk, 1.22 mile run

Tuesday: 1.37 mile walk, 2.02 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4

Wednesday: 1 mile run, Jackie Warner arm workout, Ripped in 30 week 4

Thursday: 1.35 mile walk, 2.09 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4

Friday: 1.09 mile run

Saturday: 2.20 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4, Jackie Warner arm workout

Sunday: 4.68 mile long distance training run, Ripped in 30 week 4

Today's long run was uneventful. I decided to run 45:1 intervals in order to give my foot a bit of a break. I felt a little tight and could feel just a slight pain in my foot around mile 2, but nothing too bad. I feel like I really hit my stride around mile 2.5 and was maintaining a relatively decent pace. I was trying to stay on the slower side, and probably would have been fine going just a little slower, but I have a tendency to get going and also get into going faster each mile. 

 

Scheduled workout:

 

Monday: 2 mile run, Jackie Warner arm DVD, Jillian Michaels 6 Week 6 Pack DVD

Tuesday: 45 minutes gym, 2 mile run, Jillian Michaels Buns & Thighs DVD

Wednesday: 2 mile run, Jackie Warner arm DVD, Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 1

Thursday: 45 minutes gym, 2 mile run, Jillian Michaels Buns & Thighs DVD

Friday: 2 mile run, Jackie Warner arm DVD

Saturday: 14 mile long distance training run

Sunday: minimum 1 mile run

I highly doubt that I will complete the whole week to perfection. I'm not setting myself up for failure. At least I don't see it that way. Instead I look at it as an intense challenge to keep myself going with this habit of working out almost every day. 

This week is going to be busy and is sort of a base to see what I can do. If I find that I can't maintain this then I will cut back. I want to mix things up, which is why I have multiple DVDs going. The arm DVD is only about 10 minutes and I do that after my afternoon run at work. The abs, 30 Day Shred and buns/thighs are replacing Ripped in 30. 

I'm also adding two days at the gym. I'm paying for it so I should be going, right? I've been going in early to work because it's necessary in order to get my job done. I'm used to getting up early, so if I get up just an hour earlier two days a week I can get in 30 minutes on the bike, 10 minutes on the elliptical and 5 minutes on the stair stepper. 

I am so ready for the "after" body that I am willing and focused on putting in the work for that.

With that being said, this weeks eating has taken a turn for the worse. I've ended more days in the red than I would like, but I tracked. I tracked it all. That's such a huge accomplishment for me that I don't even care about this past week. Not just because I'm tracking it, but more importantly because there is nothing I can do about it now. I made choices, I am ready for this coming week where I can make better choices. New week = new chances to prove to myself that I can do it. 

Ripped in 30- Day Nineteen

I pushed off both my run and the workout DVD longer than I should have today. By the time I got around to it the sun had started to set and I was in a foul mood. 

A combination of Christmas gift shopping and a child that doesn't listen I was torn between exhaustion and not wanting to do my workout and wanting to escape and go for my run. I pushed back the DVD already this week and it was necessary to complete it tonight in order to finish it tomorrow. The run was a different story though.

I've been fairly lucky in regards to not getting injured. I've had aches and pains, and almost quit the LA Marathon this past year due to shin pain (and some mental weakness/self doubt). New shoes, a knee brace and some runners tape fixed those annoyances. 

I've missed three races that I have signed up for in the past three and a half years. One last year due to being sick (bronchitis and a sinus infection), one this past April due to having surgery on my wrist (I had signed up for the race a long time before the surgery was scheduled), and most recently last month I missed the Color Run because Patrick had surgery on his neck the day before.

I say this because I don't give up. I don't quit. I push. But my foot has started to feel off and it's causing me to worry. For now the plan is to slow down my pace and adjust my intervals to run less. Ice often and when I'm not running I will be resting. And lastly, staying off of the Internet to self diagnose myself with a stress fracture or bone spur or some other upsetting diagnoses. 

I will continue to listen to my body. I will see a doctor if needed, but until then I am sticking to my training while modifying slightly. 

I didn't want to go all out today so I waited to go for my run. When I went I decided to stick to just 1-2 miles to test out my foot. I knew if I could make it 2 miles then I would be able to run my long distance training run of 4 miles tomorrow.

I made it with only some irritation in my shins, normal for me for any run under 3 miles.

I came home and immediately did Ripped in 30, again listening to my body. If my foot started to hurt then I modified the exercise or did a different exercise so I could continue to workout the full 30 minutes. 

I knew that since it was modified that I should do a little more. I decided to do the arm workout from Jackie Warner that I've started doing with my coworker and best friend at work. We're going to try for 3 days a week. It's a great workout, so I did it at the end of Ripped in 30 to get in just a little extra push.

I'm one workout away from finishing a pretty intense four weeks. I am pretty happy with the results and pretty happy to take a week or two to figure out a good balance to run daily, get in cross training and continue to strength train. 

My new goal is technically in progress since training for Santa to the Sea started weeks ago and the race is 22 days away. It's going to be an interesting next 13+ months. 

Measurements Update

Even though I still have two more workouts left with Ripped in 30 it is that time again to take measurements. Until I see little to no changes I will continue to take measurements and progress pictures every two weeks. Once I start maintaining I will move it to once a month.

It's been just over a week since I had to step on the scale for my health benefits at work. As much as I let that number upset me, I didn't let it define me. I continued to track my calories on my fitness pal, I continued to workout and I continued to run. It's a number and I am more than capable of changing that number by being healthy and conscious of what I eat.

What's important to me right now is not necessarily weight loss, but a healthy lifestyle and I really think that I'm on the right path. I've been tracking on My Fitness Pal for almost two weeks straight. Not just breakfast and lunch, but the whole damn day. The good, the bad and the ugly. This may not seem like a lot for most, but this is huge for me.

I have been trying to lose weight on and off for a little over ten years now. It started my senior year of high school and I've just been yo-yoing since then. I've seen success and I've seen numbers on the scale that I hope to never see again.

It's been a struggle lately for me to lose weight. A mixture of not tracking, training and getting older have all contributed among other factors.

I know that when I am focused on training for my running goals then I am not focused on tracking calories. I am the type of person who gets easily confused by the whole calories in/calories out thing and I never know how many I should be eating. When I'm training my body needs more calories for fuel and when I see that number it throws me off.

I have been starting over almost daily since getting married last year. I lacked self control and since there was no success to see I lost motivation. But I continued trying, hoping that one day it would stick. And it finally has.

This time I decided to set me calorie goal a little higher, making my weekly weight loss goal lower. This way I don't have to worry about tracking the calories I burn. I have yet to decide if this is beneficial or not, but so far it seems to be working for my mental state.

I just feel as though I've found a good balance of eating better, tracking, not worrying if/when I go over occasionally, running and strength training. I had a tendency to try too much at once and I would burn out. Right now I feel as though I'm able to maintain this lifestyle and I am seeing success.

Original measurements taken October 15th:

Chest: 41

Waist: 37.5

Hips: 45.5

L thigh: 26.5

L arm: 13

L calf: 14.5

Current measurements taken November 16th:

Chest: 40 (-1)

Waist: 35 (-2.5)

Hips: 44.5 (-1)

L thigh: 25.5 (-1)

L arm: 12.75 (-0.25)

L calf: 15.75 (+1.25)

I really was not anticipating to see losses all around, but am very happy with these numbers and very happy that they are going in the right direction. It means I'm doing something right...

Ripped in 30- Day Seventeen and Eighteen

Yesterday and today both seemed more difficult for this last week. The first day of week 4 seemed easy. Too easy.. I guess the first day of each week did seem the easiest if only because I was trying to do the exercises correctly and not necessarily keep up with Jillian.

I felt tired afterwards. And sweaty. And good. Because all the endorphins!

I really can't believe that I am only two workouts away from being done. I really have enjoyed this DVD and will definitely keep it in the rotation. I can't pinpoint why I didn't see the results I was expecting other than maybe my expectations were too high.

I am not really expecting too much this weekend when I take my measurements and my progress photo. I think that I'll see a loss in my waist, but other than that I am not going to expect anything because I really don't want to be let down if I don't lose or if I maintain. If I just go into it not expecting anything then I can't be let down and if I do end up losing then it will feel great.

I have noticed slight differences when I look in the mirror, which has been nice. Instead of just thinking negative thoughts when I look in the mirror I am able to see more positives, and that's always nice.

I feel stronger too. I may not be able to do every single exercise Jillian asks me to do, and I may have to modify some but I just feel like I've accomplished something.

Bucket List

I made a bucket list a few years ago and since then it has just taken off.

Creating a bucket list was more difficult than I thought it was going to be. That being said, I'm having a blast adding to it. I really had to let go of all of my fears about money and distance and just realize that this list is about a lot more than completing it.

I know for a fact that I will never complete everything on my list, and I'm 100% okay with that. My silly dream of writing this bucket list is to inspire my daughter to accomplish her dreams. In fact, I think it'd be a great story if she were to one day take my bucket list and complete the things that I wasn't able to and add on some of her own.

The following is my list as of today. I would like to continue to add to it, despite Patrick's teasing about how long it is already. I've highlighted what I've already accomplished and italicized those that I'm working on.

1. Complete a 5K
2. Complete a 10K
3. Complete a half marathon
4. Complete a marathon
5. Complete a tri-athalon
6. Complete the Dopey Challenge
7. Donate hair to Lock's of Love
8. Write a book
9. Learn to drive a stick shift
10. Go wine tasting
11. Ride a zip line
12. Ride in a hot air balloon
13. Learn to water ski
14. Horseback ride on the beach
15. Ride a mechanical bull
16. Learn to ski
17. Jump off a cliff into deep water
18. Swim with sharks
19. Swim with dolphins
20. Swim with sea turtles
21. Milk a cow
22. Ride a camel
23. Ride an elephant
24. Watch an animal being born
25. See killer whales in the wild
26. Visit the Grand Canyon
27. Visit the Galapagos Islands
28. See the Northern Lights
29. Visit the Amazon Rain forest
30. Visit Yosemite
31. Visit Yellowstone
32. Witness a meteor shower
33. Visit Mount Rushmore
34. Watch a sumo wrestling match
35. Go to Disney world
36. Take a pottery class
37. Fly a kite
38. Make a quilt
39. Complete a cross stitch
40. Get out of credit card debt
41. Earn a black belt in martial arts
42. Be on the kiss cam at an Angel's game
43. Fly in a helicopter
44. Watch it snow
45. See the Rose Parade floats
46. Get a tattoo
47. Learn how to make sushi
48. Travel solo
49. Learn a new language
50. Write in a journal every day for a year
51. Read for 20 minutes every day for a year
52. Adopt a pet from a shelter
53. Go on a safari
54. Have my photography showcased
55. Climb up the Statue of Liberty
56. Go to the National Cherry Blossom Festival
57. Bike across the Golden Gate Bridge
58. Hit a bucket of balls
59. Volunteer at an animal shelter
60. Start a blog
61. Take one picture a day for a year
62. Go to a World Series game
63. Try escargot
64. Go to Time's Square for New Year's
65. See a psychic
66. Mud Wrestle
67. Jump into a pool fully clothed
68. Go to Ireland
69. Go to Australia
70. Go to Japan
71. Go to Africa
72. Go to Italy
73. Bowl a perfect game
74. Win big in Vegas
75. Take a cake decorating class
76. Organize photos into albums
77. Make one recipe a week for a year
78. Go apple picking
79. Buy a piece of Tiffany's jewelry
80. Go to a movie by myself
81. Go to dinner by myself
82. Complete a coloring book
83. Climb Mount Everest
84. Host Thanksgiving dinner
85. Visit Ground Zero
86. Go dirt bike riding
87. Learn to play an instrument
88. Join a softball league
89. Go kayaking
90. Learn to surf
91. Sing karaoke
92. Take a pole dancing class
93. Go scuba diving
94. Break a Guinness World Record
95. See the Leaning Tower of Pisa
96. See the Eiffel Tower
97. Play in a poker tournament
98. Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity
99. Build a birdhouse
100. Watch a chrysalis turn into a butterfly
101. Learn how to change a flat tire
102. Hike down the Grand Canyon
103. Go white water rafting
104. Learn how to meditate
105. Take a yoga class
106. Read every book by Jodi Picoult: Songs of the Humpback Whale, Harvesting the Heart, Picture Perfect, Mercy, The Pact, Keeping Faith, Plain Truth, Salem Falls, Perfect Match, Second Glance,  My Sister's Keeper, Vanishing Acts, The Tenth Circle, Nineteen Minutes, Wonder Woman, Change of Heart, Handle With Care, House Rules, Over the Moon, Sing You Home, Lone Wolf, Between the Lines, The Storyteller
107. See "The Star" by Edgar Degas at Musee d'Orsay, Paris
108. Open a martini bar
109. Drive a boat
110. Visit the Pearl Harbor museum
111. Go para sailing
112. Go snorkeling
113. Go rock climbing
114. Pay off someones layaway
115. Run and/or walk 1250 miles in a year
116. Complete 30 Day Shred
117. Ride a mountain bike down Mammoth Mountain
118. Marry my best friend
119. Have over 50 followers on my blog
120. Complete a marathon in under 6 hours
121. Ride Lex Luthor's Drop of Doom
122. See the Grunion Run
123. Crochet scarfs and sell them
124. Ask for a raise and prove that I deserve it
125. Cross stitch my photography using PC Stitch
126. Buy a house
127. Own a corgi
128. See Ingrid Michaelson in concert
129. See Snow Patrol in concert
130. Visit all 50 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
131. Run a mile straight
132. Complete Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30 (Four weeks- 5 days each week)
133. Complete Jillian Michael's Body Revolution
134. Be a spectator at a marathon (with a sign and preferably at mile 16, where I hit my wall)
135. Eat a bug
136. Finish 12 or more half or full marathons in a year
137. Complete the Coast to Coast Challenge (Dopey and Dumbo)
138. Volunteer at nearby races
139. Run consistent sub 9 minute miles (minimum 2 miles in a row)
140. Run a 5K distance straight through (does not need to be a race)
141. Run a marathon in another state
142. Run at least 1 mile (intervals) every day for 50 days
143. Run at least 1 mile (intervals) every day for 100 days
144. Run at least 1 mile (intervals) every day for 250 days
145. Run at least 1 mile (intervals) every day for a year
145. Run at least 1 mile (intervals) every day for 500 days
147. Complete a 50K
148. Bike 1800 miles in a year
149. Elliptical 600 miles in a year
150. Complete the New York Marathon
151. Complete the Boston Marathon
152. Complete the Rock N Roll Las Vegas Half marathon
153. Run a half or full marathon in all 50 states (and DC)
154. Run a race on my birthday
155. Run a race on the 4th of July
156. Run a Turkey Trot
157. Track calories using MFP for 365 days
158. Run a race in a costume
159. Read 24 books in a year
160. Sleep under the stars
161. Get a Rock N Roll Heavy Medal
162. Run in an inaugural race
163. Have legacy status in a race for 5 years
164. Have legacy status in a race for 10 years
165. Reach a net worth of $500K

Ripped in 30- Day Sixteen

I had scheduled Ripped in 30 yesterday with a question mark next to it because I wasn't sure if I would feel up to strength training the day after the two races. I was right. My hips were taking the brunt of the pain and I can only assume it was the hills at the race.

I almost pushed it off today as well, but I knew that I would have no wiggle room the rest of the week and I don't like that. I want to complete this. I'm so close and I know that even though I can't see a difference yet that I am making changes.

I hate that I can't see a difference, if I'm being completely honest. I felt as though I was able to see my body change along the way when I was doing 30 Day Shred. I don't know if it's because I'm doing a different DVD or if it's because I'm only doing strength training 5 days a week for four weeks instead of every day for 30 days. It's frustrating though because I know I'm doing enough and yet it doesn't really feel like I am since I'm not getting results.

Then again, I do feel like I'm getting stronger. I do feel like my stamina is improving. My measurements from a week ago show that I am doing the right thing and no matter what the measurements say this weekend I know that I've done something right.

Week 4 started tonight and I was surprised with how much I was able to do. I did modify the modified version on a few exercises to save my knee and hip from unnecessary pain. But there were also quite a few exercises I was able to do the advanced version. And I'm hoping to be able to workout a little earlier the rest of the week so I don't have to worry about our neighbors downstairs. I know there's no need to worry since I was done before 7pm and the DVD is only a half hour, but I just feel weird.

Only four more workouts and I'm able to cross this off of my bucket list! 

Confessions of a Running Mom

I love my daughter more than anything in this world.

But sometimes I need to get away.

It's not because I don't love her, it's not because being a mom is stressful. It's because sometimes I just need some "me" time. It took me way too long to realize that it's okay to fit in that time for myself as well as be a good mom. It also took me too long to realize that I am good mom.



From my experience, a child does not do this to their dad the way that they do it to their mom. It's the best and most demanding job in the world. I would never trade it for anything, however there are days that I get stressed out and hearing the word mom said 109,765,434,567,898,765,432 times in a 10 minute period of time is exhausting.

I sometimes need to decompress and get away for a small amount of time in order to not allow the stress I feel build up. I'm not perfect and I have more than once taken my daily stress out on Isabel and Patrick by losing my patience and raising my voice. What I try to do in these moments (try being the operative word) is hold it in and when I go for my run or my workout at the gym I let it out there.

Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much. But more often than not when I get home I am gratefully greeted by Isabel with a hug and a kiss. It almost seems like seeing me is extra special. I love being greeted that way and I am going to miss the day when she is too cool to be seen around me. Thankfully that's years away. At least I hope I am able to have that time.

I love my daughter. That is a given and something that will never change. But in recent years I have discovered that I love me, too. And I'm allowed to treat myself to the things I like.

I like working out and I love running. These are things that I do in my "me" time. Yes, occasionally I will go get a pedicure or craft or do something else with that free time, but usually I use it to workout and I'm happy with that decision.

In order to get the most out of my day I find that if I am able to (depending on Patrick's schedule and how I slept the night before) wake up early and go to the gym before work then I feel less guilty about going every day. I know that I am not going while they are awake and it just makes me feel less guilty about wanting to go. But, even on the days that I do go after work I know that I am doing something positive for myself and in turn providing positive examples for Isabel.

My gym time is my time with myself. I feel better when I'm able to get a workout in and I'm usually in a better mood, so when I hear the word "mom" a bazillion times in one day I'm usually happy about it. It's nice to know that I can go and do these things (like run and go to the gym) without needing to feel guilty. I'm not choosing myself over my family, I'm just choosing to include my needs and wants with theirs.

And it feels so much better to be in this frame of mind.

Workout Recap & Schedule

Scheduled workout: (crossed out workouts were not completed on the scheduled day)

Monday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 3

Tuesday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 3

Wednesday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 3

Thursday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 3

Friday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 3

Saturday: minimum 1 mile run

Sunday: Calabasas Classic 5K and 10 K, 3 mile run

Actual workout:

Monday: 1.37 mile walk, 2.06 mile interval run, Ripped in 30 week 3

Tuesday: 1.33 mile walk, 2.04 mile interval run, Ripped in 30 week 3

Wednesday: 1.43 mile interval run

Thursday: 1.07 mile interval run, Ripped in 30 week 3

Friday: 1.35 mile walk,  1.74 mile interval run, Ripped in 30 week 3

Saturday: 3.67 mile interval run, Ripped in 30 week 3

Sunday: Calabasas Classic 5K and 10K, 3.09 mile interval run

This was a busy week filled with a lot of mileage. It felt great to get out and do so much, and of course to finish the third week of the workout DVD. I know that once December starts I'm going to be focusing more on running and less on strength, so I think that the workout DVD ending this week is perfect timing. It will help me get into more of a routine with cross training and strength training on top of running all the miles. Plus, I keep paying monthly for my gym membership that I am not using and I need to get back into that routine.

I am starting to get ideas together for my running scrap book for my Santa to Santa goal. It's exciting to think about how I want it to be and I'm going to have so much fun at the craft store getting the supplies. I think it's going to be an amazing thing to have when I finish the last month. I only wish I had started this earlier, but I guess in reality it's never to late...

This week's schedule:

Monday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4?

Tuesday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4

Wednesday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4

Thursday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4

Friday: 2 mile run, Ripped in 30 week 4

Saturday: Long distance training run- 4 miles, Ripped in 30 week 4? (if not done on Monday)

Sunday: minimum 1 mile run

Race Recap- Calabasas Classic 5K and 10K

Today was the Calabasas Classic race that I have been looking forward to for awhile. I ran the 5K two years ago with my sister, so I knew how the course would be.

Basically, it's hills. 

I love hills!!! 

Well, not really, but that's what I have to tell myself to get through them. 

I ran the 5K at a decent pace for me. My current PR for a 5K is 33:30, but that was when I was in better shape and on a much flatter course. Today I finished in 36:16.

After finishing I walked around for a few minutes waiting for the 10K to start. I had my fuel and felt good, ready to go. I felt confident and took off strong.

Too strong. 

Again. 

The first two miles were pretty good. I knew that if I maintained that pace then I would PR. But mile 3 was tough and it got very mental at that point. I wanted to give up at the turn around point. I did not want to have to run the course again for a third time. I just wanted to stop. 

Instead I adjusted my intervals from 1:45 to 45:1 and ended up leap frogging with an older gentleman who was speed walking. He kept me laughing, telling me I couldn't let the old tortoise win. 

At mile 5.5, right at heart break hill I gave up on my intervals. I was mentally exhausted and my legs were not listening to me. I walked up the hill so that I could finish strong. And it was here where the tortoise passed me for the last time. I guess today's story ended the same as the fable.

I did get back to my intervals at the top of the hill and saw my family as I crossed the finish. 

My current PR for a 10K is 1:15:00. I finished today's 10K in 1:17:46. Considering I had just run a 5K I really cannot complain about the time. Before the race started I told myself 1:20:00. Around mile 2 the thought of a PR was enticing. Around mile 4 I just wanted to finish. Around mile 5.5 I just wanted to finish alive.

I may not be as fast as most, but I run. Not just with my feet, but with my heart. I've found my passion. Some days are better than others, but when all is said and done I'm doing what I love to do.

And with that said, I'm off to finish my 12 mile training day with another 3 slow (very slow) miles. Just need to do the distance at this point..