Good Morning, Sunday

I am thrilled to say that my feel are minimally sore this morning from my run yesterday morning. My body, however, is another story. It’s crazy how sore you can get from running when you haven’t been able to do it in a while. So a bit of stretching and moving around was at the top of my list this morning. After talking my dog outside, I realized it is a BEAUTIFUL crisp morning here in Alabama. So my husband and I decided to walk and map a new route from our house this morning. We live in a small town so this was very easy to do. Out the door and go! Not too many dogs. Most were on chains/fenced in. The only loose ones were three in a yard at around mile one. They were very loud, but on our return trip, their bark proved worse then their bite. Or lack of bit should I say. Just a lot of barking and sniffing and licking. Good thing we are dog people!

It was so nice to get out somewhere that was different than my usual tracks.
 
Plus, our 3 mile walk gave us some alone time.
No phones, no tv, no distractions.
Just us, the fresh air, and the road!

Pressing the Restart Button

Oh running! How I have missed you!

Plantar Fasciitis sucks, just in case you didn't know. I was having extreme trouble walking in the morning, throughout the day, and after periods of sitting. It was starting to affect my running. I would run one day and then be out for 3-4 days in pain. I finally broke down and went to see my podiatrist. Plantar Fasciitis. Translation: PAIN IN THE FOOT!!!

So after a few weeks of light walking only, a night splint, daytime air brace, ice, stretches, and an anti-inflammatory, I got the clear from my doctor to run again. He still wants me to stick with the mentioned above treatments, but can start running and using items less as the pain has started to lessen, and sometimes it is virtually gone.

 

This morning I took my longest "run" yet. It wasn't far. I only went two miles, walking and jogging. However, I was able to run nearly a total of half the distance. During my run, I felt amazing! It was a bit cool and breezy, but I pushed on. It was very refreshing and I think I feel better, not battling the “funk” I felt in my chest this morning like I was. We will see how that feels in the morning. May need to bundle up a bit more. I feel just a little tightness now in my feet, several hours later, but I’m just trying to not sit for too long at a time, keeping that tissue stretched out.

If I have minimal pain in the morning, my intentions are to repeat my run Sunday morning. I’m excited to begin this journey again and see how I can progress. Also, I’m looking to lose a minimum of 50 pounds. Running is one way I see getting a jumpstart on that.

Keep those happy soles moving!

Summer Challenge: Weeks 1 & 2

Happy Tuesday! Got a few updates for you today. Last week ended week 1 of our summer challenge at work. Here are my results:

I lost 5.6 pounds and earned 105 Fit Points!! This put me in first place for percentage lost!

Week 2 results were turned in yesterday. It was not a fabulous week for me. Although I did see some minor progress, it was not as much as I was hoping for. I lost 1.4 pounds and earned 119 Fit Points. However, I am super excited for my friend Kayla who rocked this week's challenge.

Week 3 Goals:
Lose 3 pounds
Break 125 Fit Points

Update on Miles in May coming soon!

Personal Best and Playing Catch-Up

Wow! I did not realize until just now that it has been well over a month since my last post! Hello summer life! We have been preparing for PreK graduation at work and I guess time must have gotten away from me. Well, all the prep was worth it; graduation was precious and our sweet babies did so great! Now that it is behind us, we are in daycare mode, which means FUN MODE! We love summer!

A couple of week after our Kilby 5K (talked about in my last post), Trish, Kayla, and I ran in the local Swampers 5K. This race was a little bit bigger with over 500 entrants. We had a BLAST! We were so afraid the rain was going to catch us, but it held off. Most races we try to stick closely together (after all, we run for fun!). But this race was different. We started together, but we were all separated early on to get our own times and pace. I just did my thing. Ran like it was just me. I was expecting to beat my Kilby time by maybe a minute or so, but I was WRONG!

I ran my first personal best!

Kilby 5K: 42:45
SWAMPERS 5K: 37:56!
I look over 4 minutes off my time!
I was ecstatic!

(Left to Right: Kayla, Trish, Me)

We each were able to take some time off of our best and we had a great time!

Following the Swampers 5K, we signed up to run the Wise We Can 5K benefiting Relay for Life. I was super excited, but the day before race day, I started getting sick. Battled sinuses and strep all weekend, so no running for this girl. But I have some great friends who were able to run and these lovely ladies picked up my race-day packet for me! :)

Currently, I’m just trying to get back in the habit of running on a regular basis since I have been slacking the past couple of weeks, so I’ll be looking to signup for another local 5K sometime soon I hope. I have some major motivation though. The ladies I have been running with and I have started a work challenge that involves us and a few other ladies from work. Each contestant put in $20, and we have set up our own Biggest Loser type contest called our Summer Slim Down and Shape Up Challenge. By completing different things each day, we can earn points, and we also keep up with our weight/loss on a weekly basis. The money will be split between the person with the most Fit Points and the person with the highest percentage of weight loss. However, if one person earns both, that person get the whole pot! :) I have a cruise to work for in September, and I’m aiming for the whole pot!!! I’ll keep you posted. Tomorrow marks the end of the first week and I’ll post my results to keep everyone up to date! Can’t wait to see how everyone did!!

First Timed Race – Kilby 5K

Yesterday, Trish and I ran our first ever timed 5K race.

I have done the Color Run twice (last September, and this March). If you have ever ran the Color Run, you know that it is not a timed race, and a family friendly event.

We decided that it was time to try our hand (or feet, if you will) at a timed race. The college I attended has a laboratory school across campus for grades K-6. Each year they hold the annual 5K. It is a local race I have always wanted to do,  but have never ventured into. So we signed up. Keep in mind that we are NOT full runners, mixing in some intervals of walking when necessary, and this course was definitely NOT flat. However, for our first one, I did not think that we did too bad. We even were captured on the cameras (roll eyes here haha!).

 

    

 

Trish’s 4th grade daughter also ran in the 5K! She did great!

Our final time: 42:45

I don’t think we did too bad for our first OFFICIAL 5K!

Next week, we are tackling another local 5K. Hopefully I will be over all this bronchitis mess by then.

Happy Running!

Pancakes, Bacon, and Turning 25!

Alarm. Snooze. Alarm. Rise and Shine.

This is how my birthday started out. The last thing I expected as I stumbled my way through the house was to walk through the dining room and be hit by the smell of bacon! Talk about a birthday surprise!!

My wonderful husband woke up extra early to cook me breakfast.. and let me just say, it was yummy!!!

My wish for my birthday was to get my sweet kiddos for the weekend. (They aren’t my birth children, but we spent everyday for majority of 2012 together. They are mine at heart!) So their mom and dad brought them up for the weekend. We stayed up late having a pajama party, ate breakfast together, went to a softball game, napped, went to a baby shower, ate at a few new places for them, and played outside most of both Saturday and Sunday, either at our house or at the parks. These precious kiddos have my heart! It was the best present. Here are a few pictures from our weekend.

       

We feel beyond blessed to have their children in our lives!

All in all, turning 25 has been a great thing. I feel it is going to be a great year and good things are in store.
Speaking of which, Josh and I will be married for 5 years in August, and we are planning our first cruise alone!! Eek! Talk about some motivation to hit the gym and watch my food!!!

 

I am one blessed lady!

Pre-Birthday Run

Happy Wednesday, bloggers!

Today was going to be my great C25K Week 4 Day 2 run. Monday evening I killed it, ran it all (slowly, but all of it). Today, I get on the treadmill, and was EXHAUSTED a minute and a half into the first 3 minute run. Talk about let down. My shins were even hurting I have been running for over a month now and haven't had the first problem with my shins until today. After having to stop twice to walk, I finally let go of the C25K set and just pushed myself to walk/run a mile and a half. Not my greatest, but I did push myself further than I thought I could a few times.
Hopefully by the time my next run comes around, the shins will hold up a little better. It has just been one of those days I guess. Motivation lacking. Yeah, sounds about right.

On a side note, my diet has stunk this week until tonight. I have opted for fast food for lunch and endless snacking it seems most days this week, leading to tummy troubles obviously. Tonight I opted for a salad post-lazy run. Now if I can just keep myself out of the kitchen for the rest of the night.

Okay, let me end this on a positive note, tomorrow is my birthday! Turning the big 2-5. I will officially be in my mid-twenties. I know, still young, but not really sure how I feel about that. I thought 10 years ago that I would for sure have children by now if I were married (which I will be for 5 years in August). I'm just getting started on this weight loss journey and making more progress than I have ever made before. Am I ready to venture toward motherhood in the next year or so?? There are so many things I have planned out, but not planned at the same time. I think it is time to embark on 25 as a fresh start. To decide where I want to do and make laid out plans for those goals, physical and otherwise. Maybe I need to do the whole 25 in 25 list. What are some things on your life-goals list??

For now, I'm just looking forward to spending my 25th birthday with 18 sweet Pre-K babies, followed by celebration dinner with my love and my family! Can't wait!

Happy Early Birthday to Me!