Going the Extra Mile

I did it! I did it! I did it! I ran into the double digits! That's right 10 miles baby!!!! and I did it at a 9:18 minutes per mile average!!! I am so excited this is the farthest I have EVER ran or even walked probably in my entire life and it feels AAAAMMMMAAAAZZZZINNNGGGG!!!!! I did it all on my own no partner today :( not even the dog! My first 5 miles were slower than the last go figure! I was only scheduled to run 9 miles today and that was what I set out to do but I did the reservoir path again and by the time I hit 9 miles I was still 1 mile from my car so I figured why not go the extra mile! and that ended up being my fastest mile! I just felt so empowered to push my body like that! Because my body was YELLING at me to stop by mile 6 or 7 but I will tell my body when to stop, and by mile 8 my legs were pretty much numb and all pain went away ha! I felt like I was a tape with the play button pushed down and there was no stopping me until I pushed stop! I had to take my hoodie off don't ask why I wore that I have no idea but I got all twisted up and almost tripped on a rock but I didn't let it stop me, even when my music got messed up from unplugging my headphones to untangle my mess I created! I'm sure some people were looking at me funny!

There we sooooo many people out on the path today! I'm guessing that is how it always is on the weekends. I had to do the 5 mile path twice which really was not that fun doing it got so boring!!! but it was the only place I knew I could run without any stoplights or worries about getting hit by a car ha! I will test out the boardwalk soon!

It was really motivating and inspiring to see all the different types of people and fitness levels out there! I just want to let y'all know if you need a little motivation or inspiration try to get to a place like this! It will motivate you and it will push you! I am happy to report that I was only passed my 2 people on my entire 10 mile run which made me feel extremely good! and of course I passed a lot of runners which also felt good! I'm still giving props to everyone out there but if you ask me yes I'm still racing y'all hahaha! Well not much to report since it was pretty much Thursday's blog times 2! Happy Weekend y'all XOXO

First of many San Diego Run's

SOOOOOO I'm back from my run today! 5 miles was on my training schedule. After searching many safe running path's near me I choose the reservoir. This lake has a 5 mile path that runs along the shore line of the lake and let me tell you it was AWESOME!!!!! They have mile markers every quarter mile and my kids played at the park (with the husband of course) that overlooked the whole lake while I ran! There is also a section that over looks the area we moved to and it's just a really nice 5 mile path!

I really enjoyed running with so many active people! There were SO many people out today riding their bikes, walking with their families, running, and walking their dogs! I loved seeing so many different ages, shapes, and sizes out on on the path! It's also fun to people watch while out running. I love people watching! I saw a couple that I'm sure was in their first stages of dating, they stopped at one of the lookout points to hug and kiss, and look into each others eyes! Please! I know after being with my husband for 9 years if we are alone without the kids we are definitely not walking and stopping at lookout points to make out! We have to use our childless hours with more quality than that!

I saw a mother who looked like she was ready to go into labor any day now (she was so cute in her workout clothes)! I gave a air fist pump to her because I only wish I was that smart to be that active while I was pregnant! I found out I was pregnant with my second one and put on maternity pants at 7 weeks and sat on the couch for 9 months! DON'T DO THAT LADIES!

I saw a very old man who had to be in his 80's out there jogging and I give mad props to him! (I didn't give him a fist pump because he probably would have thought I was a weirdo! I'm new the whole active community thing) I sure hope I'm out there on the jogging path in my 80's! That is literally my long term goal!!!

I saw two "hot" girls starting out their run about 20 minutes before I made it onto the trail. By the time I caught up to them in their skin tight booty shorts they were walking of course, but man did the fat girl in me feel so good to run past them, leaving them in the dust!!!!

I saw two girls walking together that looked like me 2 years ago and I gave two big air fist pumps to them as I smiled and ran past them. They may look like that today but in a few months from now they will be melting away and 2 years from now they will be running past the girls in the booty shorts!

 

As I was finishing my last mile I saw a couple starting out their run. Well the girl was running the boyfriend took off on his bike, and it just made me feel good because that is what my lifestyle has become! I am one of those active people that live an active lifestyle that I always looked at and envied! and whoa what an amazing life it is, the inner fat girl in me is never comin' back out! physically anyways! Because she's still coming out for chocolate and cupcakes!!!!

Building Cities

So I guess my Christmas cheat days are over and it's back to the pavement! I did manage to get 5 miles in on Christmas Day! The hubby let me splurge and get new running shoes that my feet desperately needed! I did 5 miles in them and wow what a huge difference shoes make. I talked with Dr. Google and I have Sesamoiditis which basically means YOU RUN A CRAP LOAD and your feet are yelling at you! So I went to the running store told them exactly what my problem was and these girls are awesome that work at these stores they know what shoe to put you in for your specific problems. They have you run on a treadmill and video tape your feet, then play it back in slow motion to see how your foot lands. Anyways, my foot isn't healed but the shoes help with the pain. The pain won't go away until I give them a break!

Other than my 5 mile Christmas day run I have been loading up on pounds of sugar and fudge and spending quality time with the family. My boys are obsessed with Lego's so I have been super gluing Lego cities together and playing with the kiddos. Last night my 3 year crawled up onto my lap and laid his head on my chest and let me rock him to sleep! This was a Christmas gift all on it's own because my 3 year old is so stubborn and independent, I think I can count on one hand how many times that has happened in his life! So these past few days have just been quality time with the family and soaking it all in!

Do you also notice the AWESOME 13.1 sweaty band that my mom got me for Christmas?! She seriously is THE best mom on this planet and I LOVE her SO much!!!!

Now that we are relocated to San Diego I lost my best friend and my running partner. So I searched for new running paths last night and found some amazing ones along the ocean and lakes! I will be testing one out today with my ferocious dog to protect me since I lost my partner : ( I will keep y'all updated on my first miles put in, in San Diego.........

I Survived the End of the World

and my 5 mile run today! Thank God because it was almost the end for me! Crazy drivers I tell ya! I wore my very bright neon orange running jacket today and I was at a 4 way intersection, I looked at all the cars who were all stopped except for the one car slowly coming up to the stop sign. He waved me to go, so I thought but I guess he was just really into his conversation and hand movements with the other person in the car, and didn't even see me right in front of him as he took off! I jerked away from the car and I'm sure it scared the crap out of him but I continued on with my run!

I had exactly 50 minutes to run this morning after I dropped off the kids at school before I had to be back at my sons school at 9:50 to see him receive his Character Counts Citizenship award at the awards ceremony. I am one PROUD momma! 

SO my tip of the day is to squeeze a run in when you have just the perfect amount of time to do it in and it will push you even more! I finished my 5 miles in a little less than 45 minutes which gave me 5 minutes to pick up my 3 year old from my sister and head to the school! I got there just in time to see my baby receive his award. I ran fast and didn't slow down at all which I probably would have if I wasn't on a time crunch. Running is such a mental game. Well for me anyways, my mind always wants to stop before my body does. Mind over matter! it comes with the lifestyle!

Getting my runs and workouts in early in the day is my favorite and what I prefer. It sets the tone for my day and when you can fit it into a very busy day it feels extra awesome and you really feel like a bad ass!!! Even though you might show up to your childs school looking like a hot mess in your running gear! While all the other moms spent time curling their hair and putting their makeup on I was out killing those miles! But hey I'm not there to impress the other ladies I'm there for my boy! and looking like a HOT sweaty mess is way hotter anyways!

 Happy end of the world day, hope it was a great one ladies!!!

Sugar Rush

Week 9 of Half Marathon training says its an easy 3 mile run scheduled for today! But in my book 3 miles in 20 mph winds and snow blowing in your face is not easy! So it's a forced day off! Hoping to get my 3 miles in tomorrow which is really supposed to be my day off. I have to drive 4 hours to San Diego to my husbands work Christmas party! The party is at a Country Club and it's cocktail attire! I will try my very best to look presentable after getting the kids all off to school, running 3 miles, picking my kindergartner up, drop kids off at the Aunt's house and drive 4 hours to San Diego. I hope I at least have time to curl my hair! I'll post pics for y'all tomorrow night! Normally I would pass on the cocktail party, but girls I worked hard for my new body and I WILL get my tiny black dress on and work it on my husbands arm! 

Sooooo what else would a mom do on a day off from fitness?! Well have a cookies and coco playdate of course! I ate my weight in sugar today just to let y'all know! We all have our cheat days and what better days then to spend them with the loves of your lives! our babies of course!!!

What else do we do on cheat days?! Absolutely nothing! Other than sit our sexy little booties on the comfy sofa and watch reality television. Lots of Real Housewives, Lifetime movies, and lets not forget that hot tea.......

I leave you with my favorite lunch of all times. I made it today for lunch! it's low carb and only 417 calories

1/2 Medium Avocado - 140 calories

Chicken breast meat only cooked 1 cup chopped - 231 calories

Fresh Homemade Salsa 1 cup - 20 calories

Baby Spinach 2 cups - 26 calories

(My Salsa recipe is award wining in Texas and ladies if y'all are lucky I will give you this top secret recipe soon!!!) 

That is all for tonight girls! Back to my sofa and television........ XOXO

Let Us Strip Off Every Weight that Slows Us Down

Friday December 14th, I woke up got my kids ready for school, dropped them off, and headed to my sisters house. We left the toddlers with her husband and set out in the freezing cold for our weekly long run. I started off my run with a prayer like I usually do but this time it was for a little more help from God to finish strong since it was going to be my longest run yet.

I normally would have came right home to blog about all my thoughts during that 1 hour and 16 minutes of running. But as soon as my sister and I walked in the door we found out the devastating news in Connecticut. It hit me like a brick wall and I went numb. Still a little numb which is why I am writing 2 days later. 

As I put my kids to bed tonight we said our prayers, and my 2 little ones fell asleep in my arms.  I couldn't help but to burst into tears. My heart is hurting tremendously for the parents who had their babies ripped from them, and can't hold them in their arms ever again. My heart is hurting for all the families who lost a piece of their heart that day, and my heart aches for the first responders who had to walk into an unimaginable scene. There are no words to say that will ever heal what they saw. The only thing I could think to do is open my bible, with my kids still in my arms the first thing I read was this and God gave me comfort in His words......

For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7)

God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, weather good or bad. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

This was His way of telling me that those sweet innocent souls are with Him, and justice will be served by His judgement. I don't want to get too much into my thoughts on this because it is so tragic, and emotions and opinions are still so strong. But I just wanted to let you know that this is why I haven't blogged about my run because after I heard that news I felt like my run doesn't and shouldn't mean anything anymore!..........But now I know that is not true, although I couldn't do anything to save those innocent souls lost that tragic day. I can still save the innocent souls of the children who I am currently running for. So I will continue to RUN for Team World Vision and I can still help save the lives of these innocent children. This just keeps me running even stronger. I will run with the memory of the lives lost in Connecticut and I will finish this race set before me.....

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us RUN with endurance the race GOD has set before us. (Hebrews 12:1)

Supporting Team World Vision. Running Marathons Saving Lives

my sister, my inspiration

So yesterday I went for my 4.5 mile run alone. Which I hate to run alone! Usually my sister is right by my side every step of the way, but she had the stomach bug yesterday and I really wanted to get my run in before the big snow storm came. (which turned out to be a bust)! Anyways I just wanted to let y'all know if you have a running partner you know it is amazing! If you don't get one! We run the same pace and when I need a push she is right in front of me to keep me going! My sister is my best friend in the entire world! She and I have a special bond that nobody will ever understand unless they have the same with their own sister! She is my biggest inspiration!!! She may not know it because I am the big sister, I am the one that she is supposed to look up to. So I let her think that, but really she is my little sister and I look up to her so much! She is a strong woman, with a huge heart, and enormous amount of faith! Well now that the tears are running down my face,  I just wanted to let y'all in on who inspires me, and who I missed on my run yesterday!

I leave you with my tip of the day from my run yesterday. Well it is really a tip for drivers! If you see a person running and they are about to cross the street or a intersection! LET THE RUNNER CROSS! It is way easier for you to wait one second than it is for a runner to stop and start up again! Hello you are in a warm car don't make the runner stop!

She's gorgeous I know :)

My 3 Mile Thoughts

I did a quick short run today it was 3 miles! For some reason it was a harder run for me?! 3 miles is supposed to be easy peasy?! But what turned it around was running by my son's school, he was out in the playground for break, right when I thought he wasn't going to see me and I was about to pass the wall where he couldn't see me anymore, he looked up and waved! So amazing to see your child's smile it completely brightened my run and made me finish strong! The low of my run was as you all know from my first post I'm running for water and as I pass this drive way I see water flowing down, I look up and the hose is on full blast just running down the drive way into the curb draining system. The water goes on for as far as I can see, which means it was and had been running for a while! It upsets me that there are people in this world that die over lack of clean running water and we are over here carelessly wasting it! So ironic that I am running for clean running water and I run right over it wastefully draining into the street! I finished my run and drove back by on my way to pick Vince up from school and someone had finally turned it off! Anyways that was my little bit for today! My run was only 27 minutes long so not much to say other than DON'T WASTE WATER!

My story on my fitness journey is still coming. When I get some time in between kids school drop offs, and pick ups, basketball practices, and half marathon training. I promise I will write it........ good day my fellow fitness followers! Don't stop running the race!

How It All Started

Ok so here we go! I have been wanting to start a blog for a couple of months now, because a couple of months ago was when I started running! After a few miles of your feet hitting the pavement your brain starts to think of all kinds of crazy things! So here I am 130 miles later trying to get out some of those thoughts. Let me just say that I have never in my life been a thin person and when I used to see runners on the jogging path when I drive by, running so graceful I wanted to punch them in the face for thinking that it was a great idea to just go out for a run. When they could have chose option A which would be to sit on their nice comfy couch, in their warm house, drinking hot coco, and watching reality television. Well well well, here is what I get for thinking that! Now I am that crazy person that people drive by in 27 degree freezing temperatures running with my tank top and capris on! I will get into my fitness journey soon but for now I want to tell people what turned me into a "runner".

So a group of people from our small town started a "Running for Water" team with Team World Vision. Team World Vision is an organization that saves lives in villages and communities mainly in Africa and Haiti. People in the U.S. can run marathons and raise money for the organization while challenging their own fitness goals. They are running to raising money to provide clean water for those who are miles from it. Let me say at first I just told my sister yeah sure I'll do it with you, honestly it was because I wanted to complete a personal challenge of running a half marathon, but now after seeing what we are actually running for my mind has changed and it has changed in so many different ways. We are running for clean water for villages that have children who have to walk/hike miles and miles a day to get buckets of water from lakes and ponds where animals drink from, and bathe in, and do their dirty business in. While I was running one day I got to thinking as I was ready to give up and start walking, I can't stop these kids don't have a choice to stop they are hiking these miles for survival. I can at least go wash this sweat off in a hot clean running shower! I can stop and take a drink at the park from a clean running water fountain! Even the poorest of the poor in the U.S. have that option. I have to run for these kids! So I kept running and I finished my 7 miles that day, and I will continue to keep training and keep running to raise money for these children who are putting miles on their tiny feet for survival not for a medal, not for a fitness, goal, but to survive and if I can help and make a small difference then I will do my best and I will run this race for them!
If you would like to make a donation to Team World Vision you can help me reach my goal of 50.00 per mile every dollar goes to these kids and saves lives!
Donate to my team here


Here is a photo from our last long run in our training...... 7 miles and my mom and sis still have this energy! 8 miles is our next long run on Saturday! Stay tuned because I am sure I will have lots to talk about that that run!

and soon I will get into my fitness journey from Fat to Flat because pretty much my boobs disappeared, along with a few pounds of fluff.....