2010 in pictures part 1....

in january, my niece stella was baptized.

and we had the "storm of 2010" and our pups LOVED romping in the snow...even if it was difficult at times!

in february, the family got together to celebrate birthdays and just spend some time together!  kayla made the cake.  those cake decorating classes at joann are really paying off.

 little kate was as cute as ever!

and great gramma got to meet little alex!

in march, we celebrated my nephew, elijah's, 5th birthday.  his mom made the really cool dragon cake.  he was pretty happy about it!

april was a busy month.  first the easter egg hunt at church...

even the big kids got into it!  love this pic!

at easter, we got a family pic with everyone...well almost everyone.

i got the opportunity to to go to san diego for a national council of teachers of mathematics convention.  it was fantastic!  i have never been to california!  beautiful state!!

breathtaking...

both girls got involved in sports.  kayla tried out softball for a second time...

 tea tried soccer for the first time.

in may, we surprised kayla for her 13th birthday, by taking her to melting pot with 2 of her closest friends...unfortunately, one of them couldn't make it, but she was there with us in spirit!

 and a few days later, she was confirmed.  we are very proud!

and my nephew alex was baptized in indiana!

june brought the girls' birthday party

aunt steph brought our newest "niece" harper to play with our canine girls.

and lucy was looking too cute!

part 2 to come...

Candlelight services. | Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff

Candlelight services. | Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff

very funny post! the comments are hilarious!

60 years ago...

today, i found myself being very nostalgic. as i was wandering the rooms at my gramma's house, i found myself remembering how my cousins and i used to "hide" and play in different rooms of the house.  i have so many fond memories of growing up and celebrating christmas with my family.  they seemed to come rushing back to me today as i was able to celebrate with my family.  we are all grown, and having children of our own, but we still come together each year, because that is what families do.  i love watching my own kids make memories.  my husband and i talked about how my cousins would use him as a jungle gym when we first started dating.  and how now, those same cousins take time out to make sure they say hi to him and talk about the browns...or other important guy things.  my gramma revealed today how it was 60 years ago on christmas day that my grandpa gave her an engagement ring.  boy, am i glad she accepted!  he's been gone for almost 20 years, but i still miss him!  and even more,  i miss seeing them together. they were (and still are) the best example of  what a marriage should be.  i miss him calling her "boss lady" and her singing "you are my sunshine" to him.  


today was an amazing day. i love watching christmas through my girls' eyes.  tea has not put her american girl doll down yet!  and kayla was upset that she didn't have a light she could use to read from her kindle on the way home.  God has blessed me with such an amazing family.  i give praise and thanks to Him today for giving it all for me!


i will post pix later this week...another family celebration tomorrow!!  more memories to be made!  


merry christmas to all....and to all a good night!

a christmas eve to remember

so...usually on christmas, we will make cookies, go to church, wrap gifts, and drift off into a lovely sleep while the girls have "visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads".  


this morning, i got up and got everything ready for the cookies, made the dough, made the icing and chilled the dough.  while the dough was chilling, i made 3 pumpkin pies, did a crazy incline workout on my faithful treadmill. then we went to pick up my car from the repair shop after her accident. (i missed her so much...),  stopped at chipotle (yummy...) on the way home and ate lunch.  got home and began to roll out the dough and cut out the cookies.  i pre-heated the oven while we were doing this.  after about 10 minutes of rolling and cutting, we were ready to put the first batch of cookies in.  now, let me tell you how good these cookies are.  my grandma's recipe, and it is truly the BEST cut out cookie i have EVER eaten.  so, we have all been craving these cookies since last week!  i open the oven, and i feel....nothing.  no heat..at all.  after tearing apart the oven, my husband concludes that the starter is, well not starting.  so...no cookies for us. 


we all took a few moments to mourn the loss, and then cleaned up the cookie mess, and began to wrap presents for the nieces and nephews and such. my daughter then had to be at church at 4:00 for her puppets and bells performance for the 5:00 and 7:00 services.  between services, we went to one of the only places open at 6:00 on christmas eve...wendy's.  yea, i know, a wonderful christmas eve dinner.  went back to church and watched kayla perform with her bell choir, and then home.  the girls set out (store-bought) cookies for santa, and wrote their letters and off to bed.  then began the marathon wrapping of their gifts.  it is now 11:00 pm and i am just now sitting down to relax for the first time today, but i am feeling very blessed.  


as i was wrapping gifts tonight, i began to think about how much i will miss playing "santa" when the girls are older and no longer living with us.  it changed my attitude from one of "can i hurry up and get this done so i can go to bed" to, "i want to enjoy this while i am still able".  


i am so thankful for all that my Savior has given to me, and i am looking forward to 2 days of celebrating His birth with my loved ones. i pray that all of you also have a wonderful day and are able to really enjoy the small things!  


i want to leave you all with my FAVORITE christmas song of all time.  god bless and good night!

Gear Review and Giveaway: Zensah Arm Sleeves

Gear Review and Giveaway: Zensah Arm Sleeves

running outside and other things....

i have been dying to get outside and run and the last couple of days have been relatively warm...so... i got up this morning and ran on the path around reynoldsburg beginning at blacklick woods.  to begin, the path was pretty clear.

however, if you look closely at the pic, you can see the thin layer of ice covering spots of the path...and as i got further into my run, i found lots of ice and snow.  pretty to look at, not so nice to run on.  i finished my run...4 miles in a little over 34 minutes.  despite the slick conditions in parts, i think that is pretty good.  


after my run, i came home and hubby and i went out to columbus running company to get some new shoes.  i have almost 400 miles on my current shoes, and it is definitely time for some new ones!  i was this close to getting the nike gortex shoes for running outside this winter, but i am way too loyal to my brooks....so i got a new pair of adrenalines, and a set of yaktrax.  hoping this will be enough to allow me to get outside a little more often!  


i began to think about my goals for the coming year...here is what i have come up with: 
1. run a half marathon in less than 2 hours.
2. run and finish a marathon.
3. run a 5k in under 24 minutes. 
4. run more often with my girls. 
5. keep my depression away for the winter months 
6. lose 10 more pounds to get to my goal of 50 pound weight loss. 
7. take the time to smell the roses and enjoy life!
8. remember to thank God every day for the gift of life He has given me!
9. post to my blog at least once per week!


What are your goals for the coming year? 

december!

it's been a good month. i have been running on the treadmill because of the cold, but i did run in the jingle bell run at the beginning of the month and ran a 5k in 24:36...a full minute faster than i thought i would be able to! it was a great run. i can't wait for some nice weather so i can get out and run in the great out of doors! it's 4 days before christmas, and i still have a ton of shopping to do. i will be going out tomorrow and thursday.

wishing everyone a very merry christmas and a happy new year!

long time...no write

this is me (on the left), and my two friends after finishing the columbus half marathon on october 17, 2010


it has been a while since i have updated this blog. i have been tracking my runs on dailymile.com and have not had a lot of time to get on here as well. running has been such a blessing in my life. in the last 4 months, i have lost more than 30 lbs, have gained confidence in my own abilities, and have become a happier, healthier person. even on the days that are hard, i find that i am not as affected as i would have been in the past.

the half marathon was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! i felt fantastic throughout the entire run...didn't really even get tired until mile 12. the feeling when i crossed the finish line is indescribable! i cannot wait to run another one...looking forward to may. i ran my first half marathon in 2:06:54....my goal for may is to break 2 hours. i know i can do it!!

i am training to run the jingle bell run in december...even though it will be cold, i am excited about it. i have been working on some speed work, and i feel confident that i will reach my goal of 25:30 or better....

i am in the middle of one of the best years in my life...and i am so thankful for this gift of running and the positive effect it has had on me!!

week 5 and week 6

i have gotten a bit behind on my posting, but wanted to catch up a bit. i have been doing really well. i have been running more often and walking less. and what's great is that my knees are feeling wonderful!! i have also begun using the P90X lean program as my cross-training. i will say....those workouts are intense! but i have really enjoyed them so far. the last two saturdays have been 6 miles and the last one i ran all but 6 minutes of it! it is wonderful to get into a nice rhythm and then the run just flows. every now and then it is tough. this past monday was one of those days. but i fought through it. i started back to school this week so my "sunrise" runs will have to be replaced with "sunset" ones. i love running in the morning, but i am hoping that running in the evening will be just as pleasant. as long as the temp and humidity keep slowly dropping, all should be good!

thanks for everyone's continued support. if you would like to cheer me on when i run the race, mark your calendars for october 17th! you can visit this website for more information: www.columbusmarathon.com

week 5 day 1

upper 60s and humidity around 85%. tried to run more today than i did on saturday. my original plan was to walk the first mile and run at least 2. ended up walking 1 running 2.7. felt ok this morning. had a bit of a twinge in my knee that made it hard to really get into a comfortable rhythm. overall, i am pretty pleased, this was the longest consecutive distance i have run. and i feel good! no knee pain right now.

splits:

mile 1: walking 13:00

mile 2: running 10:43

mile 3: running 10:43

did total of 3.7 miles in 42 minutes, overall pace was 11:21 and felt good. i get an extra rest day this week!

week 4 days 5 and 6

Sometimes, training is not a priority. yesterday i got to spend time with my family, some from out of state. a house full of 40+ people made for a long but wonderful day. towards the end we all were witness to my cousin's boyfriend (these were the ones from out of state) propose to her! it was unexpected and wonderful and emotional and a moment none of us will soon forget. so...needless to say, i did not do any cross-training yesterday, but it is all good.

this morning, i woke up early and went for my walk/run around my parent's house. this was my favorite run/walk ever...as well as my longest. It felt great, and my time was good! i walked the first 2 miles, ran the middle 2 and finished out by walking the last 2! knees felt really good, even during the run. did my fastest walking mile to date, and it was my last mile! awesome!!

splits:
mile 1: 12:44
mile 2: 12:58
mile 3: 10:16
mile 4: 10:20
mile 5: 13:00
mile 6: 12:10

next week is a bit of a break for the "long" run of the week, i only have to do 4!! i could have gone longer today, so i am very pleased. overall my pace was 11:55.

week 4 day 4

holy humidity batman!! it was 71 degrees with 96% (yep you read that correctly) at 6:15am! went 3.32 miles in 42 minutes. about 12:38 pace. tried to have negative splits and achieved my fastest walking mile time! but, it was so humid, almost couldn't breathe! got it done early tho!

splits:

mile 1: 12:50

mile 2: 12:49

mile 3: 12:16.

getting closer to that sub 12:00 minute walking mile...it will come soon!! off to enjoy some fun in the water with out of town cousin and her family! can't wait.

week 4 days 2 and 3

this was a tough morning. it was 78 degrees and 85% humidity when i went out at 7:45 am!! made it really hard to push too hard....so i didn't. i tried to go at a comfortable pace. ended up being pretty slow. i walked a mile, ran the second mile, and walked the remainder. i was able to run for a whole mile without stopping. first time i have done this in a while. the neighborhood i went in this morning had some very uneven sidewalks, and as a result, i tripped 4 times and fell once. thankfully, i fell on my hands while i was walking so the only thing that hurts is my right pinky. i was able to get right back up and finish...but it threw me off for the rest of the route!

splits:
mile 1: 12:50 (walking)
mile 2: 10:58 (run...LOL)
mile 3: 13:58

overall did 3.2 miles in 40 minutes for a pace of around 12:30. i really took it easy on the last mile. i just wanted to finish! may try the cardio p90x tonight...we'll have to see how i am feeling.

week 3 day 7 and week 4 day 1

yesterday was supposed to be a rest day...but i have to do my challenges on sundays. did 85 squats, 51 situps, and 36 pushups. after doing some back to school shopping, i took the kids and all three dogs for a walk. we just did a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood. ended up being 1.13 miles in 21:51. like i said, just a stroll...but it was so nice last night, we couldn't resist!

this morning, i woke up when kyle's alarm went off, and couldn't fall back to sleep. i guess this is not such a bad thing, since i will soon be having to wake up at that time anyway, but it was not a happy moment for me. i finally got out of bed a little after 7 and went out for my walk. i am trying to do my 3 workouts this week while walking and then incorporate some running on the long run this saturday. this morning was a little disappointing. i was hoping to better my pace from saturday....and the first two miles were not too bad. however, mile 3 was really slow...and i can't figure out why. my overall pace was not at all where i wanted it. hoping wednesday is better. i really want to get closer to 12:00 for a walking pace.

splits:

mile 1: 12:38

mile 2: 12:31

mile 3: 12:51

overall 3.32 miles in 42:00. pace around 12:38. i am glad i went out when did, because it has gotten pretty warm already. it was in the high 60s with humidity around 85% when i went out. got warm really quickly!

week 3 day 6

woke up before my alarm and decided it was a good time to get up. today, i was going to try something new. i wanted to test my theory that my running/walking pace is not a whole lot faster than my walking pace. so...i decided to walk this morning. i had a 5 mile workout on the schedule this morning and i didn't want to go around my neighborhood, so i went out to old gahanna and went round creekside, friendship park and parts of old gahanna. it was a beautiful morning. at the end of my workout, it was 69 degrees with humidity in the 70s. GORGEOUS!!! i wanted to do 5 miles in around an hour. i ended up at 1hour 3 minutes. my overall pace was right around 12:30. this workout felt really good, and my knees did not hurt at all! my goal for the next few workouts is to get my pace under 12:00. if i can lose a few more pounds, it may take some of the pressure off of my knees and running may not be so painful... we'll see. i will walk this week and then try to run again a little next week.

splits:

mile 1 - 12:36

mile 2 - 12:21

mile 3 - 12:42

mile 4 - 12:49

mile 5 - 12:41

i am happy with this for now. i will get better!! looking forward to taking a nap today and a rest day tomorrow!! happy weekend!

week 3 days 4 and 5

yesterday morning, i went for my run/walk. it was about 73 degrees with humidity in the 70s. even though it was a bit cooler than my run the day before, it was still uncomfortably humid. started with a walk 4/run 3 pace for the first 2 miles, then walked the remaining distance. total of 3.4 miles in 42 minutes for an overall pace of 12:25.

splits:

mile 1: 11:44

mile 2: 12:04

mile 3: 13:18

i may just stick to walking. i can get my walking pace under 13:00 which is not far off my run/walk pace. not to mention, it is much less stress on my knees, and i am really tired of my knees hurting. after my run, got the kiddos (and my nephew) packed up in the car and took a trip to see my brother and sister-in-law and family in indianapolis. we had a lot of fun! got home around 9:30 and watched a little shark week, then off to bed!

today is a cross training day. got up early and got it done!

worked on my three challenges (hundredpushups.com, twohundredsitups.com, twohundredsquats.com) and some yoga.

total pushups (5 sets) 28

total squats (5 sets) 72

total situps (5 sets) 40

did namaste yoga, the warrior sequence. this was tough after doing the above, but still felt great! off to enjoy the rest of today...will be a busy one, glad i got my workout in early!

week 3 day 3

so, yesterday i decided to try a new treatment for my knees. i had a muscle massage gel that i bought this weekend. i read the directions and followed them...however, i didn't know that i would have such a reaction to the main active ingredient...capsaicin. i put some on at 5pm, and initially i thought i would be similar to icy hot. started out with a cooling sensation...then it begain to burn...really uncomfortably. and it continued... i was not able to sleep until about 3am because it was so uncomfortable. when i finally did fall asleep, we had a line of pretty strong storms move through...and that kept me awake for a while. when it was all said and done, i woke up around 9 having gotten around 4.5 hours of sleep. looked at the temp, and saw it was already almost 80 degrees with humidity in the 80% range. i really tried to talk myself out of going out for my run/walk . but i did not succeed.

on the training plan for today was a 40 minute workout. i tried something different today with it. for the first 2 miles i walked 1/2 mile and ran 1/2 mile. by the time i finished the 2nd mile, i wasn't sure i was going to be able to finish. it was like running in a sauna. so, i walked the last mile. overall, i did 3.2 miles in 40 minutes, so my overall pace was still around 12:40.

splits:

mile 1: 11:27 (this may be my best mile split time!)

mile 2: 12:09

mile 3: 14:22

i finished the workout...but it was one of the hardest ones i have done so far! lack of sleep and really uncomfortable running conditions did not help either. oh yea, and around 2.5 miles in, the burning sensation began to come back! NEVER AGAIN WILL I USE THAT MEDICATION! has anyone else experienced anything like that?

another running workout tomorrow, 42 minutes. and then a road trip to see family!

til tomorrow!

Week 3 day 1

yesterday was my day of rest...and i took it very seriously. other than the necessary things, i did nothing extra...it was GREAT!

today, back to business! went for my run/walk around 8:30am....it was so uncomfortable!! wish i had gone earlier. low 70s and humidity in the 70% range. made it a very challenging workout. today, i did walk 3/run 2 and repeated 8 times. my splits got faster the further into my run i got.

splits

mile 1: 11:46

mile 2: 11:45

mile 3: 11:32

total of 3.4 miles in 40 minutes. my overall pace was 11:43. I am happy with that pace as it is lower than i have been doing. knees felt good during the workout and i am hoping they will continue to feel better as i lose weight too! have lost somewhere between 3-5 lbs in the last 3 weeks, so that is good!

sometime later today, i will do some yoga... just because i really enjoy it! i am looking into trying some yoga classes in the area, but still doing the research on that. for now, my dvr'd yoga will do just fine!

week 2 days 5 and 6

my lower back was really sore yesterday, so my cross training was a pretty quick yoga. stretched out my legs and back, but i was still really having issues with pain, so i took it easy the rest of the day.

got up for a early morning walk/run with elaine. was planning on doing 4 miles...i took a wrong turn, and ended up doing 4.75. my goal was to get to 4 miles in under 48 minutes, and i did.

splits

mile 1: 12:07

mile 2: 11:40

mile 3: 11:44

mile 4: 12:09 (4 miles at 47:41)

last mile was tough. i then walked most of the remaining distance for a total of 4.75 miles in 57:40. overall, the run/walk went well. it felt good during the run and i know i will be sore tomorrow, but even my back is not as bad as it was yesterday. i do believe this is the longest distance i have EVER run/walked. it will only get longer as i continue to train! i am pleased with today. the fact that i could run part of it and walk part of it was good...hoping to up the amount of running during each outing.... but it all depends on how my knees are feeling! will do some yoga later on today, and probably a bit tomorrow!

tomorrow is a rest day! out again on monday!

Week 2 day 4

got to go out tonight. i actually was able to run a bit tonight, which was nice. i think the new shoes really helped, but i also took some ibuprofen before i ran...not because i was running, but because of the recovery from the surgery yesterday. it was a beautiful night for a run. around 78 degrees and 50% humidity. perfect!

my workout was supposed to be 40 minutes....so i started the first 25 minutes and did walk 4/run 1 just to feel out the running to see if i could handle it. the last 15 minutes i upped it to walk 3/run 2. splits were: mile 1-13:24, mile 2-12:32, mile 3: 12:17. was glad that i got faster as the workout progressed, and it felt pretty comfortable. all in all, i did 3.2 miles in 40 minutes. right around a 12:30 pace.

was not able to get yoga done afterwards, but hope to get some in tomorrow! hope i can continue to run!

Week 2 day 3

the surgery/procedure went really well. they put the anesthesia mask on me and i was talking about the beatles cirque du soliel in vegas, and then the next thing i knew i was waking up in recovery. as i was recovering, i asked the recovery nurse if i could go for my training walk tonight. he told me that would not be a good idea, i could possibly trip and screw up my training altogether. he told me to wait until tomorrow...so....i guess it will have to wait. my knees feel good today, but i am still feeling pretty icky from the actual procedure and the anesthesia. not sure if my knees feel better because i am taking ibuprofen around the clock, or if they are just starting to heal a bit. we'll see tomorrow. i was told i can return to normal activity starting tomorrow!

Week 2 day 2

today was a cross training day. it was a nice night...low 80s and 50ish% humidity, so i decided to go for a bike ride. went just under 6 miles (5.9) at an average speed of 12 mph for 29 minutes. my max speed was 20 mph :) there were a couple of stretches of road that were quite challenging, but i did it!! came home and did power yoga afterwards for 25 minutes. i am finding that yoga is quickly becoming my favorite part of the day!

i went to columbus running company today and had them help me pick out a new pair of shoes. my right foot tends to roll inwards a bit, so he suggested some stability shoes. i tried on 4 or 5 pairs, and ended up getting brooks...the same shoes i bought last time...but i was in desperate need of a new pair. all the support was gone out of my last pair. it's amazing how good they felt as soon as i put on the new pair!

i have an outpatient procedure scheduled for tomorrow morning...so i hope to be able to go for a walk tomorrow afternoon/evening!

week 2 day 1

my training schedule had me going for 35 minutes at a walk 3/run 2 pace. still couldn't run, so i made my goal to do 2.5 miles. so i walked at a somewhat relaxed, but still pushing myself pace. i did 2.5 miles in 37.11 minutes. knees still really bugging me, but hoping a break from running will help with recovery.

came home and did namaste yoga, sun-wind. this was focused on shoulders and legs. it felt good, but knees are still giving me grief. i can't deny that i am getting frustrated. i want to run, and my body will not let me...it is so frustrating to be held back by pain. i really want to be able to run the half-marathon in october, but it is starting to look more and more like i am going to have to walk it...and this does not make me happy.

i will continue to train, and hope that my body starts to grow more accustomed to the pace i would like to go!

Week 1 days 1-6

Well, we spent the first four days of this week in Vegas. I didn't do any running, but we walked, constantly. pretty sure all the walking we did makes up for the lack of running. i should have had it keep track of how much we walked each day...it was insane. If you are interested in seeing any of the pix I took, you can visit this link:

Pictures of Vegas

we left early monday morning, and got home late thursday. spent the day on friday just recovering, and then picked up kayla from camp.

i got up this morning and tried to go for a run. it was 82 degrees with 75% humidity at 9:30 am. i started off with a plan of doing 3 miles at a pace of walk 3/run 2...however, when i started the first run, my knees hurt so much i almost cried. i tried to keep running, to see if they would loosen up, but it just go worse. so my plan became, do 3 miles at a fast walk. i wanted to get to 3 miles in under 42 minutes. first mile split was 14:07, second mile was 13:59, and i pushed myself hard to get the last mile to 13:47. total time was 41:55. so, i met my secondary goal. i am not sure what i am going to have to do to get some relief. for now, i will continue to go about my training with walking. i hope that will change as time progresses... i may try to get another cortisone shot...it seemed to help last time.

after my run, i did 25 minutes of yoga. my favorite part of my work out...really stretches out my legs and keeps me from getting too sore (aside from my knees of course).

hope to be back on track for my training this week. i will be able to post more often now that i am back in ohio! :)

week 0 day 7

today is my rest day for the week....well kind of. both girls are leaving today. tea is going to spend some time with the grandmas and papas up in the canton area and kayla is off to adventure camp! so today is spent doing last minute laundry and packing and driving down to camp! will have to run tomorrow...not sure when though. will be on a plane at 6am headed for las vegas!! woohoo!!! i haven't started packing my own stuff yet....so that will take place later tonight once both kids are gone. very excited about this week. should be a good one for the whole family!

update to come from vegas tomorrow!!!

week 0 day 6

as i have a lot to get done today, i am posting earlier than normal.

went out for 3 miles. kept my pace right around 12 minutes. total of 3 miles in 36.5 minutes. walked for 3 minutes then ran for 2 minutes and repeated for the entire 3 miles. the weather was crazy. it was about 73 degrees.....but the humidity was 90ish%...and not a cloud in the sky. really had to push through, but it felt good to finish in less time than my previous time this week. once i get warmed up, my knee doesn't bother me at all...but it will cause me pain as the day progresses.

came home and did some yoga that was designed for long distance runners. it really stretched out the lower body. felt good and i am ready to go for the day. still have to take my osteo-bi flex and ibuprofen... hopefully it won't be too bad today.

now i am off to get the house cleaned, laundry done, and everyone packed for our various trips. excited about my first trip to vegas next week!!

Week 0 day 5

got up this morning and went for a 21 minute 4 mile bike ride. then i came home and did 25 minutes of yoga. the bike ride was more challenging than i thought it would be. i am used to taking rides with my girls, and the pace is considerably slower. however, it was nice to do something different. i really needed to stretch my lower body, so when i finished the bike ride, i came home and did some yoga. i hope that i will get better with the yoga poses the more i do it, but i felt a lot better after i finished. my right knee is bothering me a little, but i hope that the osteo-bi flex and yoga and new shoes will help that.

thanks for all the encouragement! it really motivates me to keep going.

week 0 day 4

got up this morning and went for my run first thing. it was a humid morning, but i met my goal. i wanted to do 5 repetitions of walk 3/run 2. i also wanted to get my pace under 13 minute mile. i was able to do both. i did the 25 minutes and did just over 2 miles. my pace was 11.57 minutes/mile. the beginning was tough, but once i got through the first cycle, i was a bit looser and it was good. the air being so humid made it a bit harder, but i finished!

today was the first time i tried running before i had eaten breakfast....not sure if it made it harder, but i am thinking i will be sure to eat before i run..at least have a fruit smoothie. i definitely need some new shoes...but that may have to wait a few weeks... i would love some suggestions from anyone on good running shoes for when i do go buy them.

tomorrow will be a cross-train day. i am probably going to do some cycling and maybe some yoga again.

Week 0 Day 3

so, today i tried to do some yoga.  it really helped the pain i was feeling in my joints.  i just did something that was on the fit channel this morning...i think it is called namaste yoga.  it was really nice and i will probably try to do that at least a couple times per week.  i may even try to look into a class if there are any in the area.

after i finished yoga, we ate breakfast, packed our lunch and headed off to zoombezi bay.  it was a beautiful day for it and between walking and swimming for 4 hours, it was good to be moving around.  tomorrow, i will go for another run...not sure how long it will be, but i am aiming for between 2 and 3 miles.  i am also going to try to increase my running/walking ratio to 2/3 (instead of 1/4).

thanks for all of the encouraging words, and keep them coming.  i will definitely need them!

until tomorrow....

Week 0. Days 1 and 2

one of my life goals has been to run a half marathon... it has been a really long time since I have done any running....well, to be honest, since i have done much of anything.  So this week, begins my training for running/walking a half marathon.  i will most likely do a combination of running and walking, but i will play it by ear.  later in my training, if i am feeling good, i may try to run all of it...we'll see.  

This week is week 0...since my official training starts next week.  I will be using Jenny Hadfield's half marathon training program for running/walking. She splits the week up into 3 training runs, 2 days of cross training, and one long run.  most weeks train 6 days, but occassionally she throws a 2nd day of rest in there.  it is a 13 week program, so, i guess that means the race is 13.5 weeks away.  it is sunday, october 17th.  i am really excited to do this, and hope that i can achieve this life goal.  

i am using a program for my droid phone called cardiotrainer.  it tracks my route, tells me my average speed, how far i have gone, how many calories i have burned, and gives me updates as often as i want.  it is a pretty cool program.  

my first run was yesterday.  i started this week by doing a walk 4/run 1 pace.  yesterday i went just under 3 miles in about 37 minutes.  i felt pretty good afterwards.  i have arthritis in my knee, and the only thing i am afraid of is having painful joints. 

today i went for another run....same intervals.  walk 4/run 1.  today i kept up a 13 minute mile pace...that was my goal, and ended up going 3.25 miles in 43 minutes.  the last 4 minutes/0.25 miles was my cool down, so i did 3 miles in about 39 minutes!  better than i thought i would be able to do at the beginning.  I came home and took some ibuprofen to fight off the soreness in my joints...other than that, it is not too bad.  

tomorrow will be a day of "rest".  will spend the day with the girls at a water park...so we will be active the entire day, but no running tomorrow.