Friday, May 31, 2013

May Foodie Pen Pals/Recap & Preview

TGIF folks!!

I'm still struggling/muddling my way through Insanity. It is ROUGH!  I'm not nearly as tough as I thought I was, but I'm going to be!!  Right now, I can only do some of the exercises about 75% but I think that will get better with repetition. At least that's what I'm telling myself :-)

I wasn't going to run this Saturday morning, then I got an email about The Stronger 5k. The race proceeds were to be distributed to The Convoy of Hope, an agency equipped to provide help and hope to people in need, especially through disaster relief. They are currently on the ground here in Oklahoma helping those who were affected by the recent tornadoes here. The race directors have decided to donate 100% of the registration monies to the  "Disaster Relief for the Oklahoma Tornado Victims".  I couldn't pass up a chance to do what I love--RUN--while supporting the great state of Oklahoma!! So, I'll be running that in the morning, doing Insanity, then I've planned a date with the mister for Saturday afternoon/evening. It's going to be a busy weekend for us!!

This month, I participated in something called Foodie Pen Pals, organized by Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean  This was my first time to participate and it was really fun!!  I received my items from Traci in Ohio. Here's what was in my box:



A white chocolate, cranberry, walnut granola (my new favorite), chocolate-toffee covered pretzels, Esther Price chocolates, Mikesells puff corn and potato chips, coffee from Boston Stoker and a fruity sangria tea plus Justin's maple almond butter and chocolate hazelnut butter. What was unique about my box is most of the items were local to Ohio.

I really enjoyed the Foodie Pen Pals. It was a fun way to meet new people and try some new things. If you're interested in participating, check out Lindsay's blog for details!

Consequently, both Traci and my recipient contacted me to check my well being during the recent tornado outbreak. That was really unexpected and so sweet of them!!

I hope that you all have a fabulous weekend!!


Thursday, May 30, 2013

Summer Bucket List link-up



Good morning folks!  Happy Thursday!!

Holy legs and glutes, Batman!!

Yesterday, I did Insanity before work and then did 4.5 miles, including speed work @ the track, with Pathways after work. My butt and calves are SO sore!! I think I'll be wearing my CEP compression sleeves to work today. :-)

Today, I'm linking up with Holly @ Where We Can Live Like Jack and Sally and Trista @ Stewart Street for their Summer Bucket List link-up.





My 2013 Summer Bucket List:

Visit family in Iowa
Enjoy relaxing weekends at the lake floating on my boat
Finish Insanity so that I can actually feel comfortable wearing my bikini at the lake
Spend time with my amazing friends
Read more books
Take more naps
Enjoy more porch sitting or hammock relaxing with my sweet hubs
Bedlam Run 10k with my Pathways group

I really hadn't thought about summer plans until I started making this list. So far, that's all I've got. I'm not sure that I will accomplish all of my goals, but I know that I'm going to enjoy it to the fullest!!

What's on your bucket list??

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Workout Wednesday #3

Hey y'all, hey!!

Woohoo, we're halfway through this work week already!!  I love short weeks even though yesterday seemed like a Monday all day.

Last week, I mentioned that I was going to focus more on fat burning, muscle building workouts. There's something that I've been wanting to do for a long time, and last night, I finally did it.....

I pushed play!!


So, this will be my workout for the next 60 days!  I've done the fit test and the first day so far.  Let me tell you, this is rough!!  It's the hardest thing I've ever done. I can't complete all the reps yet, but that's ok. Just give me a couple of weeks and I'll be knocking it out!!  If this doesn't get some flab off of me, I don't know what will!!  A couple of doctors that I work recently finished their 60 days. They both were encouraging me to do it. They told me that it would change my body and quickly, so we shall see.

I love the stretching with this workout and need to incorporate some of them in my post-run stretches for my Pathwayers.

I'm also trying to clean up my diet, yet again. I think that's always going to be an ongoing process for me.




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I'll keep ya posted!! 

Have a fabulous day!!

What workouts are you currently doing??



Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Back to Reality

Good morning y'all!!

I hope you all had a fabulous holiday weekend.

I know we sure did!!

Several years ago, we invested in a 28 ft bumper pull camping trailer. I was considering a travel nursing assignment and wanted to have my own housing.

The travel assignment never came to fruition, but we've made good use of the RV nonetheless.
Initially, we would take the trailer to different lakes/campgrounds for the weekend. But, 2 years ago, we found a place where we could leave it set up all summer. We found that it was more convenient that way. We could leave food and supplies, etc. and it was always ready to use if we needed a little weekend get away.

Last summer, we found a good deal on a small pontoon boat which only enhances our weekend fun. There is just something so relaxing about floating and soaking up some vitamin D! 

We arrived at our camper Friday night and our friends arrived a short time later. Saturday morning we got up early, ate breakfast and hit the water. We had such a good time! We saw many old friends and made some new ones. We cooked dinner and turned in relatively early that night.

My paradise!!


Sunday morning, we got up and got ready to go eat breakfast. After a few minutes, we noticed that all of our coolers with some food, water, and other beverages were missing. Sometime during the night, we had been robbed!!  I was shocked!!  We've never had that happen! It's just something that doesn't happen during camping! There's an unwritten "code" among campers that you don't steal or tamper with a fellow campers belongings!

We spoke to the park rangers and they had recovered 4 of the coolers. We eventually found the 5th one on the shore line. The contents were not recovered however. Fortunately, we had other food and drinks, so we were able to recover and get back out on the water for more "therapy".  It was a good day, all things considered.

All in all, it was a great weekend. Although my eating and drinking wasn't as healthy as it should have been, the trip was therapeutic for other reasons. I feel relaxed and rested. It was just the break that I needed. Sometimes, we focus on so much on our physical well being that we neglect our mental health. Now, back to reality.......


Have a fabulous day, folks!!

Friday, May 24, 2013

Finally Friday

TGIF y'all!!



I'm so glad it's finally Friday!  It's been such a gloomy week with so much sadness around here.  It has made me really irritable!! I'm really looking forward to the weekend.



We're going to the lake with friends this weekend. We've already got our camper over there and we'll be heading over with the boat when I get off work today. I'm really looking forward to 3 days with no alarm clock, cell phones, etc. I enjoy lake/boat time because it is so relaxing.

The challenge for me at the lake/camping is trying to eat healthy. Typical camping food includes hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, etc and I'm sure there will be some adult beverages too. I planned the menu for the weekend, so I was able to include some healthier options, like grilled chicken. And I packed my running shoes so that I can get in a few miles.

So, that's all I got for now. I hope that you all have a fabulous weekend!!



Thursday, May 23, 2013

I'm breaking up

Good morning folks!! 

I've been in a fight with my scale for a couple of weeks now and I've finally decided that I've had enough!!  I'm breaking up with my scale!!

Initially, when I lost weight, I focused on the scale. I was thrilled to see the numbers decreasing!! Weighing in every day became a habit. I've watched those numbers fluctuate daily for 6 years!! I told myself that frequent weigh ins helped keep me accountable. I have become dependent on that scale, it is my drug!

Recently, I noticed my weight trending up. Time to make a change!!  So, I cleaned up my diet and stepped up the training and I saw some progress. The numbers were going down again. But, a couple of weeks ago, something odd happened. It was a Friday and I was pretty pleased with the number I saw on the scale. But, on Monday, when I stepped on that sucker, it showed a 5 pound gain! Now, I know you can fluctuate a little bit, but 5 pounds in 2 days didn't seem accurate. So, I paid close attention to my diet, drank plenty of water, and sweated like a fiend that week but alas, the numbers didn't budge!!  That's when I decided to break up with my scale.

Frequent weighing can be misleading and ultimately lead to frustration and discouragement. can be misleading and ultimately lead to frustration and discouragement. Fluctuations that occur naturally can lead to drastic, unhealthy eating behaviors, such as skipping several meals to get immediate results on the scale. When daily weigh-ins don't meet expectations, dieters may avoid the scale completely or totally give up and go on a food binge.

Daily weight changes from one day to the next are mostly a reflection of changes in body water. Fluid shifts happen every day. A small percentage of daily weight changes could be fat. Unfortunately, a scale can't differentiate the weight of bone, fluid, muscle and fat. We've all heard the myth that "muscle weighs more than fat" Well, that isn't really accurate. 5 pounds = 5 pounds. The fact of the matter is that lean muscle is more compact and takes up less space than fat.





So, I've decided to take drastic measures to change my thinking. I'm putting the scale in the closet effective immediately. I'm going to focus more on fat burning, muscle building workouts. I'm going to try to rely more on my tape measure and what I see in the mirror rather than the scale. I'm going to have to learn to celebrate the NSV (non scale victories) such as less flab and changes in my body fat index. Its going to be a hard habit to break, but its necessary. Currently, my plan is to challenge myself to this for a month. I'm hoping that this paradigm shift will yield positive results.

Do you weigh everyday??






Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Be Kinder Than Necessary

Good morning y'all.

This morning, I'm grateful for all of my friends and blessings. I can't stop reflecting on all those affected by the storms of the past weekend. Life can change so quickly in just a matter of seconds. We all need to aware of that and mindful of the fact that it could happen to any of us.

I've been so touched by all the out pouring of support for those victims. It reallys renews my faith in humanity.

We're all so busy in our daily lives that it often takes a tragedy like this to make us stop what we're doing and focus on others. I firmly believe that we are meant to be more mindful of the needs of others, rather than our own. I see people on a daily basis stuggling with health issues who need help with resources. Many of them are grateful for the help that is available to them. But, there are many who don't seem to be appreciative. It saddens me to see such selfishness.  But, the fact of the matter is that is what has become of our society.

I think that the world would be a better place if we were all more sensitive to the needs of others. The only way I know to do that is to lead by example. Recently, a friend of mine challenged herself to practice a random act of kindness every day for 7 days. I think that is an excellent idea and I think that I will challenge myself to do the same.



It appears that today is going to be a beautiful day. We need that here in Oklahoma. There is just something about a sunrise that instills a sense of hope in us. It gives us faith that no matter how dark the night was, there is always light. As my good friend Marty said "a sunset in one place is always a sunrise somewhere else"


Get up, get out and make it a beautiful day!!  :-)


Have you ever performed a random act of kindness??

Has you ever been the recipient of a random act??


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Oklahoma Strong

I had another post planned for today, but after the events of the past 2 days, I think I'll save it for another time.

I've lived in Oklahoma all my life and I am no stranger to severe, extreme weather. I remember spending many stormy nights and afternoons in my parent's basement or grandmother's cellar. My grandmother was terrified of storms and tornadoes. We had tornado drills in school when I was a child. I remember going into the hall and kneeling, facing the wall with a text book over my head and neck, or taking shelter under a desk. I've been inconvenienced by a storm before but never really adversely affected.

Yesterday, at approximately 2pm, storms spun up south and west of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I pulled up the radar on my phone app and the live news feed from KFOR in Oklahoma City. I watched in horror as the storm grew. I watched the mile wide tornado as it plowed through Newcastle and bore down on Moore, Oklahoma, taking almost the same track as the F5 tornado of May 3, 1999.  They were warning people to take shelter, to get underground. They kept saying it was horrible. My work computer kept buffering, so it was difficult for me to really take it all in. I knew it was bad, just didn't know how bad.



At 4 pm, all non-essential personnel was sent home from work. I checked the radar to see that it was all clear in my immediate area, so I jumped in the car and raced home. When I arrived and turned on the television, that is when I really grasped the magnitude of what had happened. Homes, businesses, schools, entire neighborhoods where completely gone. At that time, there were no reported fatalities, but that would quickly change.

2 elementary schools were destroyed. There were no fatalities reported from the Briarwood Elementary School but it was a different story at the Plaza Towers Elementary School. I'm not sure if there are exact numbers of how many were in the school at the time the storm hit, but it's believed that there were about 24 children in the school at that time. At least 7 bodies of children have been recoverd so far. The reporters were doing the best they could to report the news and remain objective when bodies were pulled from the rubble right before their eyes. I finally had to turn it off.



This morning, the news is grim, 91 fatalities confirmed thus far. 20 of those are children. My heart is very heavy and I'm feeling the pain of the parents who were not able to hug and kiss their babies and say goodbye.


Thank you to those who have texted or emailed me to check on my well-being, I appreciate it.

Oklahomans are traditionally resilient people. We've recovered from tragedies before and we will recover from this one. We'll come back, stronger and better than we were before.

Please keep those affected in your thoughts and prayers. If you wish to help, a donation to the American Red Cross is the best way to do so at this time.

Please remember that life is short and uncertain. This could have been any of us. Be kind and gracious to one another. Be attentive to the needs of others and take time to make someone feel loved everday.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, Proverbs 3:5



Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted, Matthew 5:4

Monday, May 20, 2013

Weekend in review/Full Moon Race Recap

Good morning y'all!!  Happy Monday!

Whew! That weekend was very productive, but just flew by!!

Saturday, I was up before the crack of dawn to go coach my Pathways group. We had a huge group! It would have been a great morning for a run if it hadn't been for the humidity. It was swampy!!  Thank goodness for the cloudy cover and cool breeze. The group did a great job of staying tight and together. I'm really proud of them all!!

We had post run brunch with a friend then headed home to rest and hydrate for the Full Moon Run later that night.

We arrived at Veteran's Park in Tulsa early, around 5pm, as we were assisting with the registration. It was hot Saturday afternoon, the high was 91with about 70% humidity. Severe thunderstorms were in the forecast. I wasn't feeling well and my left hip was really bothering me. As I tell my runners all the time, control what you can control. I knew there wasn't anything I could do about the wind, heat or humidty so I focused on the pain in my hip. I had been stretching and rolling during the day and taped it up really well before we left home. We lined up in the starting corral and waited for the gun to go off. As I stood there, adrenaline started to kick in, I wasn't noticing the pain in my hip as much. They fired the gun and we were off!! I was pretty sure tonight wasn't going to be the night that I broke 30 minutes, but I was sure going to try!!  I needed to average a 9:39 pace. I had to weave through a crush of people and before I knew it, I was at an 8 minute/mile pace. We got to Riverside drive and I backed off to a 9:30 but I knew I wasn't going to be able to maintain it. It was just too hot. I slowed down to about a 9:50 and walked through the water stop. I maintained that pace until the last mile and I had to walk. I slowed down to a 10:10. I pushed as hard as I could on the last stretch. I was sucking so much wind and was so hot that I seriously thought I was going to throw up for the first time ever. Fortunately, that didn't happen. My official finish time was 31:48, not my goal time but is now my current 5k PR!!  After I got cooled down and stretched, we enjoyed some of the amazing food and the Van Halen cover band for a little while.


I couldn't find any photos of me, which is probably a good thing, but here is hubs finishing the Full Moon run.

Sunday, we got up early, packed our RV and got it all set up at the lake for Memorial weekend. We are going camping and boating with friends at Lake Tenkiller, about 2 hours east of where we live. I'm really looking forward to the long, relaxing weekend!

It was a wild day weather-wise here in Oklahoma. After we got the camper set up, we went to town to shop for groceries so we won't have to worry about that we get there this weekend. Around 3-4 pm, friends and family started texting me and calling me to tell me that there were storms/tornadoes about 60 miles southwest of our home and that we were in the direct path of these storms. I wasn't really worried but I kept a close eye on my weather app. The storms ended up going east of our house, thankfully.

This is going to be a busy week for me. Tonight, Pathways has their first track/speed workout but we are expecting more severe weather tonight, so we'll see how that goes. We run in rain, but not severe storms/lightening. Tuesday night, I've got Urban Fit boot camp. Wednesday and Thursday night, I'll be coaching Pathways and Friday night, after work, I'll be lake bound!!

Have a marvelous Monday!!

Friday, May 17, 2013

Week in review/Weekend preview

TGIF


I'm doing the Friday happy dance!!
It's been a great but very busy week!!

Monday and Wednesday were my running days with Pathways, a 10k running program that I help coach. The new session just began and so far, this group is doing a great job! They are eager, enthusiastic, and a lot of fun!!

Tuesday and Thursday were cross training days. For some bizarre reason, I was in a slump/funk last week and used that as an excuse to skip my cross training. My goal this week was to get back on track. I felt tired and sluggish on Tuesday night, so it was just "meh".



Thursday was a different story though. I was busy at work yesterday and really tired, so I easily could have talked myself into skipping again. But, I ran a warm up mile with Kasey then we attended Urban Fit at Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa. It was a great workout! In the end, I was really happy that I got my sweat on!



This is going to be a busy weekend!  Tomorrow morning, I'll be coaching my Pathways group for the "long slow distance" run. Tomorrow afternoon, I'll be volunteering with the registration for the Full Moon 5k run in Tulsa. I'm also running the race. I'm hoping that I can finally break the 30 minute mark! My goal is to run a sub 30 5k. So far, the closest I've come is 31 minutes. This is a very flat course so I'm going to push myself and hopefully, it will be a PR. This is such a fun race!!  The course is great and they always have a rock cover band. This year, it is a Van Halen cover band. That should be fun!!

I hope that you all have a safe and fabulous weekend!!

What are your plans this weekend??

Thursday, May 16, 2013

2 Things Thursday

Good morning folks!!  Happy Friday-eve!!

I don't have much time this morning because I've got an early meeting at work, but I have a couple of random things to share with you.

We had a great run with Pathways PW3 last night!!  It was our first hill night and they handled those hills LIKE A BOSS!! It was a little humid and muggy due to a pre-run rain shower but everyone stayed tight and together very well. We even had a little entertainment outside of Arnie's Bar!!  I was intrigued by the "pretzel/cheeseball guy"! That's the beauty of running in downtown Tulsa, you never know what you're going to see or encounter. :-)  I'm very impressed with my group. They are so motivated and eager. We're going to have a great session!! 

After a relaxing, rainy evening hanging out with hubs, we had a little excitement here at the hacienda. I was trying to go to sleep after the news and weather, but the dogs were barking incessantly!!  I got up and went outside to see what the commotion was all about. It was dark and I'm typically afraid of the dark, but I'm also a force to be reckoned with when my sleep is jeopardized!  Well, lo and behold.....there was the culprit!!  An ARMADILLO! And there we were armed only with flashlights and flip flops. Dear sweet hubs, in an effort to be my hero and protect grabbed shovel to try to scoop the 'dillo up and relocate him. I don't know if you've ever had an encounter with one of these living, breathing tanks on legs but it is interesting to say the least. You see, when an armadillo feels threatened, it will roll up in a ball and jump straight up in the air. Hubs must have forgotten about that because he squealed like a little girl when this one jumped up about 2 feet in the air and ran back to the safety of the porch for me to protect him. It was seriously the funniest thing I have seen in a while and I'm sad that I didn't capture the experience on my camera!!  I laughed so damn hard, I thought I was going to pee my pants!  Oh, the joys of living in the boondocks!

Ok, that's all I've got for now. I gotta bail, so.....
                Get up, get out, get moving and be GREAT today!!



What is the oddest thing you've seen while out running??

What makes you great today??

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Workout Wednesday #2

Thank you to all my new followers via Holly and Running Bloggers. I appreciate you stopping by my little corner of the interwebs. :-)

Today is Wednesday and that means it's "Workout Wednesday"!



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As a runner, I'm slowly but surely learning the importance of cross training to avoid injury. My IT band issues stemmed from weak glute muscles. But if you're like me, you probably don't have hours to spend working out at the gym. Recently, I've been talking with some physicians at work about the benefits of HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training. So, needless to say, I was thrilled when I ran across this Scientific 7-Minute Workout. It incorporates body weighted exercises combined with high intensity effort. The only equipment needed is a chair, a wall and your body. You perform each exercise at high intensity for 30 seconds with a brief rest period between each move.

I haven't tried this yet, but I'm eager to give it a try after my Pathways run tonight. I came to the horrible realization that bikini season starts in 1 week and I am a far cry from ready!!  Therefore, I think that I am going to challenge myself to incorporate this workout on a daily basis. I think I'll do 1 set on running days and as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) or at least 30 minutes on non-running days. I would be thrilled if you joined me on my challenge!! C'mon, you know you want to!!  It will be fun!

Now, get up, get moving and make it a Wonderful Wednesday!!






What's your favorite cross training activity??

Have you tried HIIT??



Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Easy tips to improve your running

I'm so excited about the summer session of Pathways. We've got a fairly large group this session and I think they're going to bond well and be a very cohesive group. I've been trying to think of nuggets of wisdom that I can share with them to help them be successful with their training. Here's what I've come up with, so far:

1: HYDRATE! Go grab a water bottle right now. Carry it around with you wherever you go this week and hydrate hydrate hydrate, especially now that the weather is getting warmer. Be sure to encorporate electrolyte replacement supplements.

2: PLAN! Follow your training plan. I know that life happens sometimes, but do your very best to make it to the 3 scheduled group runs and try to get in your honor run at the correct pace and intervals. Maintain a brisk pace during the walk breaks, don't let your heart rate drop too much! The reason we have a training plan is to build up your base miles to increase your endurance and ultimately make you a stronger, better runner. A training plan also helps to prevent injuries caused by over-use and "too much, too soon" that many of us are guilty of.

3: REST! Make sure that you're getting plenty of sleep. Fatigue can increase the risk of injury and nobody got time fo dat!!

4: PREHAB! Many runners make the mistake of neglecting crosstraining. We all have muscle imbalances that can set us up for injury. If we are proactive and work on strengthening, especially the core, glutes and hips, we can help prevent many common running injuries. Incorporate stretching or yoga in your workout routine! Check out these stretches for runners.

5: EAT!  Fueling your body with clean, healthy food/ingredients will produce better results!!  Read more about the Best Foods for Runners here.

In general, relax and have fun! Think positive! Our expectations shape our world and can either make us successful or set us up for failure. You can acheive anything that you believe if you are determined. Set small goals. Don't be afraid of baby steps, because even slow progress is progress. Don't beat yourself up if your run isn't "perfect" We all have runs that we aren't happy with. We need those less than stellar runs to make us appreciate the really good ones! Remember that heat is going to affect your performance by at least 10%

Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself! ~ William Faulkner

On a personal note, yesterday was a much better day nutrition-wise for me. I still feel "puffy" and bloated but I stuck to my "diet" much better than I have been. I logged all my grub into My Fitness Pal and was under my calories for the day. 1 of my runners asked me to "coach" her to achieve her weightloss and nutrition goals! That was awesome and humbling!! I ran 2.5 miles with Pathways and ran an additional mile with the 9:30 pace coach afterward. It was nice to get in some extra mileage and to push myself a little bit!!



What suggestions do you have to help novice runners??

Monday, May 13, 2013

Moving on

Good morning folks!!  Happy Monday!

I hope that everyone had a great weekend!! 

We opted to for go the Running with the Cows half marathon in Kansas for another one that I have set my sights on. More on that later ;-)  Saturday morning, we got up early and went to Tulsa to run with our groups. Pathways started  at 7:00, so I ran 3 miles with them. My running buddy, Rozdi and I went back out for a few more miles. We met our half marathon training group on the trail and ran back in with them. It was a perfect morning for a run!!  We got in a total of 6.5 miles

Then, hubs and I went to breakfast and to the new Guthrie Green venue to check out the health fair they were having. It was a very nice event. We wrapped up our day with our weekly grocery shopping and some chilling/grilling on the patio.

Mother's Day was a nice day too. I had wanted to ride my bike but I had chores to do instead. So, we stayed home and I meal prepped like a boss!!  Meals for the week include: eggs for hubs' breakfast, baked spaghetti squash, spaghetti sauce w/ turkey sausage, mushrooms and squash, roasted asparagus w/ mushrooms, baked rosemary citrus chicken breast, Parmesan roasted zucchini (my new favorite way to eat zucchini) and fresh strawberries/pineapple.

After dinner, we watched "Jack Reacher" which was a very good movie!!

I'm glad I decided to do meal prep yesterday. The past couple of weeks, my eating has been out of control!  And I think that is mainly because I haven't been doing a good job of meal planning. I've just been eating randomly and grabbing whatever is available in my work cafeteria. Needless to say, I've been binging and it isn't pretty!!  I haven't been going to my boot camp or doing any cross training either. I'm been in a slump!  But, starting today, I'm moving away from those unhealthy habits and moving back to clean, healthy eating and exercising regularly. I just feel so much better when I do!!

Its easy to slip back into those old habits of poor eating, etc and it happens to the best of us from time to time. We can't let those setbacks define us!!  Remember how good it feels to see progress on the scale or when you slip on a pair of pants that were previously snug and now they fit!!  Let those moments motivate you to get back on track and keep going!! 

Make it a great Monday!!

Friday, May 10, 2013

Happy Friday!

Woohoo! We finally made it!! TGIF



My week has been less than stellar. I've been eating like crap and I skipped my bootcamp workouts Tuesday and Thursday evenings. I'm hoping that I can get back on track next week, at least that's my plan ;-)

The summer session of Pathways started this past Monday, so I've run a couple of days this week and I'm considering running the "Running with the Cows" half marathon in Kansas this weekend. I'm still not sure about it though. I haven't asked my boss if I can leave early today. I haven't registered for it and I don't have a hotel reservation. EEK!! I guess I need to make up my mind, huh??

If I don't do the Kansas run, I'll coach the Pathways 2.5 mile run. Then maybe I could get 2-3 more miles with my half marathon group afterwards. I'm hoping for a nice, long bike ride for Mother's Day on Sunday. The weather looks like it will be perfect!

Have a fabulous Friday, folks!

Have you had a good week??

What are your weekend plans??


Thursday, May 9, 2013

Finish the Sentence Link Up

Good morning folks!!  We're almost there!!

I'm glad that Pathways has started again. We had a good run last night. I had forgotten some of the challenges of running in downtown Tulsa in the evenings, but we had a fun run nonetheless. We've got a large group and I'm really looking forward to working with them to achieve their goal of running a 10k.

Today, I'm linking up with Jake and Holly for another installation of "Finish The Sentence"



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This is a fun thing to do and it gets me off the hook when I've been lazy and haven't prepared a post in advance   I don't have any other wisdom to impart on my dear readers. :-)   If you haven't checked them out, you should. They both post some very funny stuff!!  

Unlike my sibling(s) (that I love very much) I have NEVER cut the dog's hair!!

My best friend says that I'm still going to see her often even though she is changing jobs and leaving me :-(

People call me I'm not really sure what they call me behind my back, but I don't lose too much sleep over such things.

I most often dream of winning the lottery and retiring by postcard!

The best part of my day is putting on my pajamas and crawling into bed!

I really don't understand mean people. If you can't say anything nice, why can't you just keep your mouth shut?!

I get really annoyed at drivers who turn corners without using their blinkers and about having to park in the parking garage at work!!

There's nothing like a enjoying a cold beverage while floating on my floaty mat in the lake/pool on a hot summer day!

Lately, I can't get enough fresh raspberries!!  I could eat a bushel of them right now!

One thing I am NOT is FAKE!  I'm genuine to a fault. What you see is what you get!

I spent too much money on a pyramid scheme my cousin got me involved one time. I knew better, but did it anyway!

I want to learn to be a personal trainer. That would be amazing!

If I ever met Adam Levine, I would be so starstruck!!  I would probably be rendered speechless or cry like a baby!!

I can't stop thinking of calling in sick today. I need a mental health day!!

Never have I ever skydived or had any desire to!!

Reese Witherspoon shouldn't have outted that nice boy on Sweet Home Alabama.

Have a fantastic day folks!  Be awesome today!!




Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Work it out Wednesday

Good morning folks!!

We're halfway through another one, already!! Woohoo!!

Monday was a rough day for me and I've been riding the self pity train. I used it as an excuse to skip my Tuesday bootcamp and eat like crap! Well, fortunately today is a new day!!  Time to quit wallowing and get it together!!  Lake season starts in 3 weeks!! 

Last week, a friend of mine asked me to post a workout. Well, I'm no trainer yet but I do have an unhealthy obsession with Jillian Michaels workout dvd's so I'm sure that makes me some kind of expert
And without further ado, here is what I came up with for a workout:


This one's for you, Colleen!!  So there ya go!!

I'm going to jump on the Skinny Meg Workout Wednesday bandwagon, so check out some of the other workouts, too!



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I hope that you all have a wonderful Wednesday!! Get up, get out, work it out and be awesome today!!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

I Am A Nurse!

I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was going to school to become a music teacher. Then, I had a life changing event......I became a mother. I was 22 years old with a baby to support. I completed my junior year in college, grudgingly. I knew it wasn't really what I wanted to do and I was concerned that it wouldn't be lucrative enough to raise a child. In the fall, when all my friends were going back to school, I was busy working, raising my son, and trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life.

Then, 1 morning I woke up thinking "You're going to be a nurse. You'll always have a job no matter where you go" I went to work that day and informed my boss it would be my last day. He was skeptical but supportive. I went to the local nursing home, applied for a job as a nurse's aide and was hired on the spot. I told my case worker at the DHS that I was going to be a nurse. He was less than encouraging and supportive, which was more motivation for me.

I applied to nursing school and was accepted. I completed the program in 2 years with a 3.35 GPA. It was natural that I chose nursing as a career path. My grandmother and her twin sister were both RN's. My 2 aunts were RN's and 3 of my cousin's were RN's.

In the past 20 years, I've worked in many different specialties including ER and hospice. Currently, I am an RN case manager, which is challenging in so many different ways. And I've had the privilege of working with so many amazing, compassionate men and women over the past 20 years. You make the world a better place and proud to call myself a NURSE! 


KEEP CALM AND NURSE ON!


And, in other news, last night was the first night of the new session of Pathways. I'm excited that we've got a large group and I'm extremely excited to work with them to achieve their goal of running a 10k! We're going to have fun this session!!

Monday, May 6, 2013

Wrap up and Nurses week goals

Good morning folks! And, here we go again!

Friday night, we ran the Cinco do Mayo 5k in Tulsa. It was unseasonably cool with a brisk North wind that evening. Because the first half of this course is all uphill, right into the wind, I wasn't expecting much. But, the cooler weather must agree with me. I finished at 31:51, which is my new 5k PR!!


Saturday was the first day in 4 months that I haven't had to get up early for a long run. I slept in until 8am! It was glorious!! We didn't do much Saturday as it was cold and rainy. We were planning to go thrift shopping but we ended up staying home and catching up on dvr'd TV shows that we've missed the past couple of weeks.

We slept late Sunday morning too!!  After we did our weekly grocery shopping, we celebrated Cinco de Mayo with this delicious Corn and Black Bean Salsa and watched "Silver Linings Play Book" It was a different role for Bradley Cooper and totally not what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it. I enjoyed my relaxing weekend too!

HAPPY NURSES WEEK to my fellow nurses!!



The new session of Pathways starts tonight. I'm excited about training a new group of runners to run a 10k!

My workout plans this week include:

Monday: run w/ Pathways
Tuesday: Urban Fit boot camp
Wednesday: run w/ Pathways
Thursday: Urban Fit boot camp
Friday: REST
Saturday: Running with the Cows half marathon, Bucyrus, KS

I hope that you have a great week!!

What are your fitness plans this week??

Did you do anything fun this past weekend?


Friday, May 3, 2013

TGIF April recap and May goals

TGIF folks!

Happy pre-Cinco de Mayo!  I sense some margaritas and guacamole in my future!

And Happy "Iron Man 3 Day"!

OK, so maybe that last one isn't official, but I think Robert Downey Jr is a reason to celebrate :-)




April was a pretty good month fitness-wise. Nutritionally, it was "meh"

I started a sugar detox on April 1. My goals were to get my diet back on track, cut out processed foods and decrease my sugar intake. The first couple of weeks went pretty well, actually. Then somewhere around the middle of the month, I fell off the wagon, yet again. Only this time, I didn't fall, I swan dived right off the sucker!! There were a couple of times when I ate processed flours/bread products and my stomach quickly reminded me that wasn't a good idea! I have pretty much steered clear of breads, pastas, etc for the most part and feel 100% better.

I was actually better with my fitness goals than I thought I would be. My goal was to incorporate cross training on my non running days, so I started the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred on April 1. And I was quickly reminded why I'm not successful with a fitness regimen on my own. I get bored with it easily. I definitely consistent if I workout with a group. So, I tried to keep it fresh by mixing it up with other Jillian Michaels workouts such as Ripped in 30 and Hard Body. Then, my favorite running store, Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa, came to the rescue when they started offering Urban Fit classes. Its a boot camp style group workout designed to increase core strength and endurance. It is a perfect fit for me, so I didn't remain faithful to Jillian, but I did meet my fitness goals of cross training on non-running days. I also successfully ran the Aquarium 10k, the Camp Barnabas Half Marathon, and a leg of the OKC Memorial Marathon relay, so I met my running goals as well.

My nutrition goals for May will be a continuation of my April goals, to limit my processed and added sugar intake. My Pathways training program starts back up on Monday, May 6 so I will be running Monday, Wednesday and Saturday with Urban Fit classes on Tuesday and Thursday. The only race I have on my schedule currently is the Cinco de Mayo 5k in Tulsa tonight. I'm thinking about running the Joplin Memorial Half Marathon in 2 weeks but the Full Moon 5k in Tulsa is that night. Its always a fun run!!  Its an evening run and the weather is typically cool; the course is flat and fast! Plus they always have great post race activities. This year, they have a Van Halen cover band!! Decisions, decisions!

Y'all have a great Friday/weekend!!


Do you have anything fun planned this weekend??

Will you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

Will you go see Iron Man 3??

What are your May fitness/nutrition goals?

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Thursday thoughts

Good morning folks!!

I had to look twice at the calendar this morning. Yep, sure enough it is May, but it feels like February: 40 degrees and a cold north wind with snow in the forecast. WTH, Mother Nature?! Stop being such a tease!!

LIFE IS A THEATER, CHOOSE YOUR AUDIENCE CAREFULLY

Not everyone is healthy enough to have a front row seat in our lives.
There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a DISTANCE.

It's amazing what you can accomplish when you let go of, or at least

minimize your time with, draining, negative, incompatible, not-going-anywhere relationships/friendships.

Observe the relationships around you. Pay attention.

Which ones lift and which ones lean?

Which ones encourage and which ones discourage?

Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill?

When you leave certain people do you feel better or feel worse?

Which ones always have drama or don't really understand, know or appreciate you?

The more you seek quality, respect, growth, peace of mind, love and truth around you...the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the front row and who should be moved to the balcony of Your Life.

For several years, now, I've tried to maintain this as my "mission statement". I've truly been a happier person. Unfortunately, I've had to limit some interaction with family and every once in a while, that negative drama rears it's ugly head. What frustrates me so much with this situation is that I always try to be so positive that I can't believe that I let someone suck me into their negativity. I even stooped to their level! So, I am reaffirming to myself, not to let anyone try to steal my sunshine, including family, even if that means that they can't sit in my front row. Today, I am choosing happiness!









Wednesday, May 1, 2013

OKC Memorial Marathon race recap, part 2

After the race and reunion activities, we made our way back to the transit station to catch the shuttle to the hotel. In order to get there, we had to pass through the national memorial.

The memorial was built in honor of the 168 men, women, and children who were killed in the Alfred P Murrah building bombing on April 19, 1995. You enter the memorial through the 9:01 gate.

On one side are 168 chairs. 1 chair for each individual who lost their life that day. The smaller chairs represent the children. There were race bibs and medals tied to and left on some of the chairs.



On the other side of the memorial is the Survivor Tree. The tree was thought to be killed by the bomb. It had all the leaves blown off of it, debris and shrapnel from the bomb/truck were embedded in it, it was even on fire at one point. The FBI was planning to cut it down to retrieve evidence. But, 2 weeks after the bombing, someone noticed that it was beginning to bud and leaf out again. It has become a beautiful symbol of regrowth.


At the far end of the memorial, is the 9:03 gate. 9:02, the time the bomb went off and live was forever changed for many people that day, is represented by the reflecting pool.



This was my first visit to the national memorial. It is truly beautiful and thought provoking. It was difficult to pass through it without feeling a swell of emotion.

On the outside of the 9:03 gate are pieces of the chain link fence that was used to fence off the disaster site back in 1995. It became a makeshift memorial with people leaving stuffed animals, flowers, etc in memory of the victims. If you look closely, you can see current race bibs that people left as recently as Sunday.


As an Oklahoman, since that fateful day 18 years ago, I have become very familiar with the resiliency of the human spirit. I was reminded of that again recently with the Boston Marathon bombing. I think this race is a shining example of good triumphing over evil.
If you've ever thought about running this race, I highly recommend it!   The pros: The volunteers and supporters. There are 22+ water stops on this 26 mile course. I've never seen so much course support! So many people were out that morning thanking the runners for remembering and running. It was very humbling!!  And it just goes to show how much the community supports this run. The course is beautiful!

There were a few minor things that I think could be tweaked a little bit, however. This race has gotten so big that I think it is time to implement a wave start. It took over 20 minutes for the marathoners and half-marathoners to cross the start line. I noticed that the slower runners and the walkers who line up in the back had to weave around 5 k runners who were beginning to make their way to the corral for the start of their 7am run. This could be managed a little bit better, in my opinion. And there was a little congestion/confusion at my relay exchange. The shuttle buses had to drive through the staging area which seemed a little dangerous to me.

The finish line was crowded and chaotic but the post race refreshments and support was abundant.
Frankly, it was refreshing to see the crowds at the finish line. :-)

It was truly a RUN TO REMEMBER!