First ever 10K- I DID IT!!!

I DID IT!!! I set this goal for myself and was so worried about being able to accomplish it. On Saturday May 12th I DID IT!!!! I completed my first ever 10K!! I was a nervous wreck before the race started. I ran it with my friend Becky who i have not seen in 2 years and it was so nice to be able to run the race with her. We turned out to be great partner's for each other pushing each other along the whole way. We ran the whole first 2 miles without stopping. I then had a stitch in my side and we walked a little bit after the first water station and then ran to the 3 mile marker and walked a few mins and then ran to the 4 mile marker.  Between mile 4-5 were the toughest for me. As we were walking up the one hill..my legs were so tight..but once i stopped and stretched them we ran from the top of the hill to the 5 mile marker. once we got to the 5 mile marker something took over in me. We walked for a little ways because Becky wanted to and then we ran....and i kicked into a gear i didn't know I had and ran the last .5 miles or so faster much faster than my pace for the first 5!!! When i rounded the corner and saw the finish line i seriously almost cried..i got so emotional! It felt so good to cross the finish line. My official time was 1:16:37. I wanted to be under 1:20 and i totally was.  It was a super fun race, beer tent at the end with dueling pianos...can't beat that! 


Some of the crowd getting ready to line up. The 5K race was first.  There were 4400 runners in teh 10K and a whole lot of runners in the 25K. I have never witness the finish of a race that long...very inspiring!!!

                                                                                     Here i am getting ready to run.

We Did it!!!                                                                                    Cheers!



I now know i can build on this milestone as I reach towards my crazy 13.1 miles in October.  I know i can do it with proper training. My biggest lesson is that I don't have to run the whole thing to be a runner...i can run walk with i need to and it is okay! That being said I have a 5k this Saturday and my goal is to run the whole thing without walking. I will keep you posted. I know i can do it. I have done it once before.

Running Woes

Running---
I need an attitude adjustment on my running. I am so frustrated i could scream. I know i have made some progress since i started a couple years ago casually running but compared to the average runner i still suck! i have created these crazy goals for myself and I am so indimated by them. My first 10K is coming up in May 12th and I still have yet to go more than 3.4 and the last time i ran it was only 2.4 and I was dying! When is it going to get better? When will i ever be able to run without having to walk! I have a lot of runner friends and seeing them reach some amazing goals is so inspiring and defeating at the same. I just don't get how they do it!!! I know I need to just stick with it, and try to stay positive but it is real struggle for me!!

I made it a priority to run minimum of 3 days a week in prep for this 10K (and don't even get me started on the insane goal of a half freaking marathon i am registered for in October!!! That totally scares the shit out of me!). I guess on a positve note I have done this for the last 3 straight weeks. ...i have run 3 times a week with an average of 8.5 miles total for the week. ...my times and my stamina are just not getting better. I know so much of it is in my head. How do I get out of my head???

In my job we teach all about Attitudes , Behavors and Technique ...and I know from work that Attitude is the most important...so why can't i fix it???? I think i need to start changing my mental image...need to focus on positive and maybe even start journaling...we teach things like this to clients everyday. Journal positive thoughts not negeative thoughts....yet look at me! Urgh.

Okay here I go:
I am a runner, I am a runner I am a runner. I can do this I just need to stick with it and stay focused.

My clothes are packed and I will run outside today for 3 miles....I can do it. I am traveling this weekend to Boston for a conference for work. I am committed to running once during the trip. The girl i am rooming with is a great runner and said she wants to run with me , be my cheerleader and help push me along. I need to let her do this instead of saying....i can't keep up with her, she won't want to run with me...she just said she did.

I also need to lose 5-8 pounds but more to this later. Lets focus on one thing at a time.

I am a runner, i run more than 90% of hte population of people....or something like that. I can do it. Just stick with it. I am a runner.

2012 Health and Fitness goals update

I have fallen a bit off my healthy life wagon..I haven't fallen off completely but thought I would give an update.

Running-
This is still my nemisis...i want so badly to be decent at it but my consistency just isn't there so I stlil pretty much suck at it! I have run 2 5K's this year..the first one was superbowl sunday...and i finished with my second best time...35 mins and I don't remember the seconds..and felt pretty decent....well I ran another one last sunday...and i didn't go well. I finished in 37:35 and had to fight for every second of it...walked way more than I wanted to.

I know that I am not going to ever get to the point where I can consistently run 3+ miles without walking unless i run a min of 3x a week...i just can't seem to make it happen.....

So I am recommitting today...with the weather getting nicer and it staying light out later i have no excuse...if i have a prayer of making that half marathon in October..i have a lot of work to do.

Healthy Eating
Have been so so on this one. Not great...but better than where i was the last few months. I still need to cut back on the drinking during the week..some weeks are better than others...and i need to eat more veggies and less carbs. I am hoping that the motivation of being in a bathing suit in a few months will be enough for me to stick with it.

Physical
I did get my physcial done finally that I had been putting off for a very long time...I think the last time i had a physical (beyond my yearly OBGYN) was almost 6 years ago ...when we were going through the adoption process! All my test results came out great. My cholesterol and tri glycerides were both great (even the dr who is my age said he wishes his was as low as mine) so that is a positive

Weight
I still haven't taken really any of my 10 pounds off...i flucuate a few pounds of each other but essentially am the same. Based on my jeans...i do need to get the 10 off. Hopefully with teh running more it will start to move.

That is my update. Hope to have better results with the next update.

2012 Here I come

Seeing that we are now in 2012 I have a few personal fitness goals i want to capture somewhere. I am still working on my longer list of professional goals...

Here they are...2012 Health and Fitness goals......pretty agressive

Lose the almost 10 pounds I have managed to put on the last 6-8 months. I am still no where near my lifetime high, but i have officially reached my number threshold where i told myself i would not go again..and I can tell by the way I feel and how my clothes fit (or don't fit :) )

Get back to regular excerise...minimum of 3 days a week. I no longer have a membership to my favorite kettle bell gym and my sister n law trainer so it is back to my local YMCA of which i am not a huge fan of. So that being said..I am commiting to doing the Jilian Michaels Shred DVD a couple of times a week at home combined with walking/jogging on the treadmill ...and at minimum my Monday morning cardio/strenght class at the Y.

I am also committing to getting back to jogging...i did a 5K in August and was able to run the whole thing without stopping for the first time ever...pretty much stopped after that. So here are my race goals

one or 2 5K's by late spring

10K-July 4th or August or both

half marathon in Detroit in October. ....this is a HUGE stretch goal for me.....not sure i will make it but that is my plan.

DH has put on a lot of weight this last year and really needs to get back to better health...he has some agressive fitness triatholon and running goals as well and we are using the October Detroit Half Marathon as a shared goal. I hope by having my running goals and his goals we will push each other.

Oh and as far as healthy eating goes...pretty obvious..eat out less, eat better at home....NO evening snacking after dinner and the biggest/hardest adjustment for me......NO alcohol during the week...going to try to stick to Friday and Saturday only....with book club on Wednesday once a month and greys girls nights as exceptions. DH and I have been really really bad the last month or two and have been drinking a drink or two just about every night ...NOT good.

We will see..I will keep my blog up to date on my progress.

For ultra honesty....Today's weigh in 140lbs...ultimate goal....130. Lifetime low...132.

Here is to a healthier 2012!

Happy Halloween!!!!

My girl is Mulan this year. Grandma made her amazing costume. Originally Izzy wanted to wear a long black wig but after she wore it to her preschool party and it was always in her face we decided (i did) that she looks much cuter without it. Her hair right now matches Mulan's perfectly after she cuts it. Here she is enjoying some halloween festivites on Saturday night.

Izzy is pretty phobic to trick or treat tonight so we will see if she does it or not.

Happy Halloween everyone!!!

4 going on 14

I swear we are in big trouble with this girl! She is growing up way too fast and i want to make it stop!!! Izzy has done great at school, she loves it! yesterday i dropped her off and she didn't hesitate...said "bye mommy" and went and sat on the circle carpet. She already made friend at school that sent a note home to me that she wanted to have a play date. I love it! what a change from last year!! I really hope it continues!

Izzy's favorite thing lately is music...my girl is obsessed! She has my old ipod..(and orignial ipod that is super thick and black and white) I put all of her favorite music on it and she will put on her headphones in the car and jam to her tunes while singing at the top of her lungs. I wish i could say she loves only kid music but i have created a bit of a pop star...she loves Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and pretty much any popular pop song that is up beat....Her newest obsession (thanks to the 10 year old next store) Justin Beiber! The girl is obessed...says she wants to marry justin and she even suckered me into a singing justin toothbrush!!! (hey whatever gets her to brush her teeth!)

She has an incredible memory for music...she can her i swear 2 bars of a song and know what it is...it is crazy! I guess she isn't all pop music...my mom has her listening to John Denver, Il Divo and some tenor group...she came home the other day singing halliluigh...

This morning i was on my own to get izzy up and both of us out of the house because dh had to go to work early. On tuesday's i drop her at my moms for the day while i am at work...so i was getting ready, putting on make up so of course izzy had to do the same....she loves eye shadow. then we get in teh car, she puts on her ipod and entertains herself all the way there...i had to take a picture...here is my diva!

I love you big girl. Please slow down a little!!!!

Izzy's first day of 4yr old preschool

(noticably nervous waiting to go in for her first day)

Izzy started 4 year old preschool on Monday at a new school with different teachers than last year. She was at the Y last year and this year she is at a school that is part of the public school system.

She was very nervous but luckily the first day the mom's attend as well for the whole time and it is a shortened day of only 2 hours. The goal of the day was to meet the teachers and other kids and to get an idea of how their days will go. I was suprised to find there are only 9 kids in her class....4 girls, 5 boys. It is much smaller than I expected but I think it will be great for her. She has two teachers, Mrs Walker and Mrs Robyn who have been teaching preschool together for 20 years. I am very impressed so far. You can tell the teachers have everything down to a well oiled machine! They are very organized and very good with the kids.

(coming back to circle time after snack)

I was happy to see Izzy interacting with the other girls right away...last year it took her several months before she really attached with any of the other kids. I think it helps that none of the girls knew each other previously where last year at teh Y a couple of the girls were already good friends going into class having grown up at the Y together....which i think made Izzy feel a bit left out with some of the girls.

Today was her first real day...and the drop off went better than i expected. There were no real tears just a whiney "I am going to miss you"...Grandma is picking her up so I will be anxious to hear how izzy said her first day went. The teachers gave all of the adults a white paper bag labeled "survival kit" and inside was a pack of Kleenex and some hershey's hugs and kisses! Too cute.

Izzy was "child of the day" today since it was her turn to bring in snack so she gets to hold the flag during pledge of allegience (suprised they still do this :) ) and gets to put the date up on the calendar.

She will go Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9:15 to 1:15 and eat lunch at school every day. I really think it is going to be a good year for her and should do an excellent job of preparing her for kindergarden in the fall. (i still can't believe next year she will be a full day kindergardner!)

I hope you have a great year my special girl!!!!