Move Nourish Believe Challenge

Happy Friday!!

Wahoo! We made it to my favorite day of the week!!  I hope that you had a good week!

Wednesday after work, I went to spin class. It was a great class!!  I got a good sweat on! Afterward, I came home and completed day 3 of the Core Power Challenge #corecommit  I took yesterday off because it was a sick day for me :( I'm still not feeling 100% but I'm looking forward to getting back at it after work tonight.

Tomorrow, I'm leading my Pathways AP2b on the Saturday "slow run" I think we're doing 4 miles. I need to get in 8-10 miles, so I guess I'll do the course twice.

They are forecasting snow for our area for Super Bowl Sunday, so I plan to do my weekly grocery shopping tomorrow after the run and will do food prep on Sunday, before the Super Bowl.

I have some exciting news to share with you today!!

I recently became a Sweat Pink Ambassador!! What does that mean? Well, basically this means that I believe in sweating hard, playing hard, and inspiring others to be the best that they can be.

As a part of that, I've joined the Move Nourish Believe Challenge by Fit Approach and Lorna Jane
I would like to invite you to join the challenge as well.

The challenge begins on February 3 and is 3 weeks long.  If you want to join, RSVP to the Facebook Page.  You can also be entered to win a $1000 Lorna Jane gift certificate (fitness gear) if you complete the challenge and post daily pictures on Instagram or Twitter of yourself completing the challenges. Make sure you tag @LornaJaneActive @FitApproach along with #MNBChallenge, #SweatPink

So, what will the challenge be like? 

I hope you'll join me in this challenge!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

What are your weekend plans? Anything fun?
Will you be participating in the MNB challenge?

Workout Wednesday #4

Good morning folks! We're halfway there!!

Thank you for the support on my Re-evaluating Goals post. I really appreciate it!!

I just have time for a quick post today because I've got to be at work early.

Last night, I did day 2 of the #corecommit challenge and then did some planks. I'm determined to strengthen my core!! After work tonight, I'm going to spin class then I'll do day 3 and probably throw in a little extra for good measure. :-)

 I have a quick workout for you today. You can do this in addition to your regular workout or it could stand alone if you're pressed for time. You could substitute burpees for the push-ups if you wanted to.

 

I did this little set on Sunday in addition to my regular workout. My legs and arms/shoulders were SO sore Monday!!

 

 As you can see, I like to change up my workouts every so often so that I don't get bored with them. I've discovered a couple of workout websites recently that I want to check out and I want to share them with you. I learned about Fitness Blender yesterday when Ericka posted the 10 minute abs video on her page. I did it last night and it's a good little workout. There are lots of other fitness programs, workouts, and meal plans on the website and it's completely FREE!! 

 

I'm also eager to check out the Stronglifts 5x5 program. I'm interested in strength training but as a new weight lifter, I'm not really sure how or where to start. This looks like it might be a good starting point for a newbie.

 

Ok, that's all I've got for now. Make it a wonderful day! Get up, get out and get moving!!

 

What's on your workout schedule for the day?

Re-evaluating Goals

Good morning folks!!  Happy Tuesday!

Last weekend, I ran the Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa Go Short, Go Long, Go Very Long 25k. This was my longest distance to date. I was counting it as a training run for my marathon. It was about 40 degrees when we started. I opted not to wear my hydration vest because I didn't want to get too warm. I wore a long sleeved tech shirt and a New Balance vest over it. I had plenty of nutrition and I had hubs stationed at the mile 6 water stop in case I needed a bail out plan or something. It was a beautiful morning. I ran with my friend Kelly. We chatted and listened to music. The first water stop was at the 5k mark. It seemed to take an eternity to get there and I was wishing that I had brought my own water. We continued down the west bank of the Tulsa Riverpark trails. We passed the 10k water stop. I got Nuun and water and an "I love you" from hubs. The Achilles was a bothering me a little bit but nothing I couldn't handle so we kept going. We were getting close to Turkey mountain and we discussed our strategy for the hills. We decided that we would do a run/walk up the hills and pick it up going back down 71st. We got to the parking lot at Turkey Mountain. I had to stop for the bathroom then we headed out. As we were running down 71st street, we both noticed a large bird and then we realized it was a eagle making lazy circles in the sky above us. It was so cool!!  We headed back north toward the finish and were in the home stretch. We passed the 13.1 mile mark. I became aware of every ache and pain in my body. My back was tight and hurting. The last 2 miles were not fun at all for me. We were nearing the 3 hour mark and all I could think was: if I'm running a marathon, I would have about 2 more hours to go" I just couldn't wrap my mind around that. And it was in that moment that I realized I was not having fun or enjoying myself at all. I didn't have any sense of excitement or accomplishment when I crossed that finish line, I was just relieved that it was over. It became clear to me that I had no desire to run a full 26.2 miles. I'm glad I realized it now and not in the middle of a marathon.


Still smiling....

Faking it till I make it!! 

I've given this decision a lot of thought. My goal for 2014 was to live outside of my comfort zone and to challenge myself to new things and one of those things was to run a marathon. But I think that some people are not meant to run long distances and I am one of those people. I'm running for fun and personal growth. I have decided to focus on half marathons instead. That is a distance that I enjoy. It's more comfortable for me but long enough that it's challenging for me. I've changed my registration for Little Rock, Arkansas to the half distance and I'm looking into the Dust Bowl series later in March. I've done half marathons in 6 states, Arkansas would be #7. I could do New Mexico and Colorado for #8 and #9.

I had a good but cold run with my Pathways group last night. It was about 18 degrees but felt like 9 with the wind chill. We still averaged an 11:20 pace on our 2.5 miles. I was surprised to see that 8 of my runners showed up to run in the cold. I'm really proud of them and I think that it's going to be a good session after all. Tonight is the TU track but I don't trust this Achilles completely just yet. I had a pain free run last night but I want to give it just a little more time before I tackle the track with them. Maybe next week.

My recent trips to the chiropractor have made it painfully obvious that I've gotten weak in my core. I was making good progress last summer and fall but then I slacked off and have back slid. Ah, thank goodness for muscle memory!!  I'm going to participate in a 30 day #corecommit challenge hosted by Ericka and hopefully I can regain what I lost. Today is day 2. The W.O.D. is this 10 minute abs from Fitness Blender. I watched the video and wrote everything down. I'm hoping to get this done at the work gym on my lunch break.

For goals to be successful, they have to be realistic and running a marathon is just not realistic for me. I've been having second thoughts about it since I had to pull back on my training due to this Achilles injury. I guess that all things happen for a reason. I'm not unhappy about my decision. I'm relieved actually. I'm happy with my training recently. I've built up miles and endurance. But I'm looking forward to having more time to cross train and hopefully improve my half marathon performance. I'm also looking forward to concentrating on running a half in all 50 states. Goals are good tools on the roadmap of life to help you get where you are going. There are going to be obstacles and you're going to have to figure out how to overcome them to get from point A to point B. That's what makes a goal successful....to figure out a way to keep going when the going gets tough!

Have a terrific day, y'all!

Tuesday out.......

Motivation Monday

Good morning folks!!  Happy Monday!!

I hope that you all had a fabulous weekend!!  I did and I'll recap later.

Today is Motivation Monday and today we'll be talking about healthy Super Bowl snacks.

Wendy

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Alisha

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Betty

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Brandi

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Gwen

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Jen

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Jennifer

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Morgan

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Theresa

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Tiffany

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We really aren't big NFL football watchers here at our house. We are primarily interested in college football more than anything else. We probably will watch at least part of the Super Bowl because I like the commercials! :-)

When I think of "football food" I think of chips and queso, pizza, wings, etc. Quite honestly, none of that sounds very appealing to me. So we'll be doing a Mexican fiesta. I'm planning to fix turkey taco salads with homemade guacamole and Black Bean & Corn Salsa

If I splurge on anything, it will probably be a margarita!!  If I do, I will make it myself with fresh lime and orange juice to avoid all the sugar and calories in those pre made drink mixers. Those are usually full of sugar and I don't really like the taste of them.

Be sure to check out what my co-hosts will be serving for their Super Bowl watch parties.

Have a marvelous Monday!!

Will you be watching the Super Bowl?

What snacks will you be serving??



Embracing My Crazy

Howdy Folks!!  TGIF!!

Whew!!  This has been the longest. week. ever!  I thought Friday would never get here!! It has been a busy, hectic week!

I had a good spin workout Wednesday night followed by 3 rounds of the workout that I posted for Workout Wednesday. I got a pretty good sweat on!

Thursday, I was supposed lead Pathways on a 3 mile run. Well, my boss had scheduled a staff meeting for 4pm. She told us that she would try to keep it at 1 hour, but that almost never happens. Consequently, I didn't get out of there in time to make the group run. I'm not entirely that upset about missing it either because it was about 18 degrees/felt like 6 with the wind chill at run time. I thought about getting some miles in on the treadmill but I'm scheduled to run the Go Short, Go Long, Go Very Long 25k tomorrow morning. My Achilles is feeling pretty good right now and I didn't want to risk irritating it again. I'm not sure that the treadmill isn't a contributing factor to the injury in the first place. I increased my pace and mileage but I also had never run on the treadmill until recently. I think in this instance, rest and erring on the side of caution was the right call to make.

So, this is going to be a pretty personal, revealing post. If you're not into that, then stop reading now. Otherwise, you've been forewarned.

I've been trying to wrap my mind around my meltdown the other day. I've been trying to figure out what happened. I remember from a very early age trying to be a "pleaser", trying to make everyone happy so that I would feel accepted. I struggled to fit in. I didn't make many friends. I didn't participate in sports or extracurricular activities other than band and choir. I was only mediocre at those. I didn't push myself or challenge myself because I was afraid of failure. I was not encouraged to either. I'll never forget my first grade teacher yanking me out of my chair and shaking me so hard that I wet my pants because I colored outside of the lines on the first freaking day of school even! Or the 5th grade teacher who ridiculed my art projects and belittled me/put me down every chance she got. I hope karma wears stilettos!! Apparently I never successfully mastered Erikson's developmental stage of industry vs inferiority. I've always had a low self esteem and confidence issues. I have had problems starting things and not finishing them. I've always sought approval and validation from others. I never learned to love myself and I often set unrealistic expectations for myself.

But all of that has changed recently and running has played an integral part in that. People joke about running being cheaper than therapy. Well, for me it is therapy. Running has empowered me. It is something that I can do for myself that no one can take away from me or diminish. It's not easy but I'm out there doing it and they aren't! I'm not a fast runner but my running friends and community accept me just that way I am. And the sense of accomplishment that I get when I cross the finish line is better than any drug could ever be!! I'm proud of what I've accomplished so far and have been so looking forward to completing my first marathon. Then this stupid Achilles acted up. I started to have doubt and fear. Additionally, there was negativity directed at me by one of my runners and I've really taken that personally. I had such a positive, inspiring group of runners last session and I guess that I expected that same thing with this group especially since they're in the advanced group. But I don't think that is going to be the case and I'm feeling discouraged and disappointed already. So, the other day when the doctor was trying to get me to engage my core and I couldn't do what he wanted me to do was the icing on the cake. All those old feelings of inadequacy came rushing back and the pent up frustrations that I've been dealing with came spilling out.

We all have our own issues and our own "crazy" to some degree. I really thought that I had made good progress in burying those old feelings but I guess they are still there and closer to the surface than I thought. I really don't know how to defeat all my demons, but 1 thing is certain, I've got to got to keep moving forward! I've got to accept myself and be happy with who I am, including that little bit of crazy that will apparently always be with me. The best thing that I can do right now is lace up my shoes and kick some serious asphalt! I'm not really worried about running with fear and doubt, I'll just outrun them!!

Have a fabulous Friday and a great weekend!

What are your plans this weekend?? Any races?

Workout Wednesday #3

Hello, hello folks!!

Woohoo, it's Wednesday, my second favorite day of the week!!  It means that we're halfway through the work week and I'm just working for the weekend!!

Yesterday was a difficult day for me. I had an early appointment with my chiropractor. He is still convinced that my heel problem stems from some muscle imbalances. He was doing some muscle strength testing with me. I was getting frustrated because I was having difficulty activating my core muscles. He then moved up to my jaw, where I apparently carry a lot of my stress. I must clench my jaw and not realize it because it was very tender. And I just lost it! I started crying and could not seem to stop. In that moment, every feeling of inferiority and self doubt that I have ever had came flooding out of me. It was very unexpected! I've never had an emotional response to pain like that before and I thought that I usually do a pretty good job of being strong and positive. Well, I guess not!  I'm still trying to process all that but I learned that:

1. You can't hide crazy with mascara

 

2. Sometimes, you can't out run your demons

 

3. Crying doesn't mean you're weak. It just means

that you've been strong for too long

 

I'm glad that they make bubble bath, wine and chocolate for days like yesterday! And I'm extremely glad that I get a chance to try again today!!  :-)

 

 

Today after work, I'm going to spin class to try to tame some of those demons. Then, after spin class, I've got a little strength workout that I'm eager to try:

 

 

That should work up quite a little sweat!!

 

 

What workouts are you doing today??



Monday Motivation--New Things

Good morning friends!! 

I hope that you all had a fabulous weekend.

Saturday was long run day. I was hoping to get 10-12 miles. I did 3 miles with Pathways AP2b at 35:40; 11:53/mile. Then Kelly and I waited for Rozdi to get back to the store to finish our miles. This was probably a mistake. My legs were sore and got really tight while we were waiting plus the negative comments were working on my head. Self doubt was creeping in and I was rethinking my decision to coach Pathways this session. I managed to get in 6 more miles but they weren't easy or pretty. I really beat myself up about not getting all my miles. But the more I think about it, I'm glad I didn't force it. Being tired and not really focused increases the risk of injury. It's better to stop and start again when feeling rested. I'm hoping that the next run will be better. :-)

Today is Motivation Monday and the theme is "New Things"

 

Yesterday was food prep day and I made my husband's favorite goulash. Today is his first day back to work after 6 weeks off for knee surgery so he needed a little comfort food. And I made a large pot of Minestrone Soup. It's a new recipe for me so I thought that I would share it with you for the Motivation Monday New Things link up.

MINESTRONE SOUP:

3 Carrots chopped
3 Celery stalks chopped
1 Onion chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic minced
2 28 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 can cannellini beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 Cup quinoa pasta
2 Cups veggie broth
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
2 Cups Spinach leaves
2 cups Zucchini

Saute' veggies in olive oil until tender. Add to large stock pot with tomatoes, beans and spices. Bring to a boil then add the zucchini, spinach and pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cook for 10 minutes or until pasta and zucchini is tender.

I love Olive Garden minestrone soup. I'm not sure how close this is, but I can't wait to try it today at lunch!!  You could add meat if desired but I'm going to try it without for Meatless Monday. 

Be sure to check out what new things my co-hosts have for you today!!

Have a marvelous Monday!!

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

TGIF Folks!!  We made it to Friday!!

Whew! The past couple of days have been extremely busy for me!

After work Wednesday night, I went to spin class. I love a good spin class and haven't been to one in quite a while because I couldn't find one that coordinated with my running schedule. I was excited when I learned that Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa was going to offer evening spin classes. My running schedule had recently changed a little bit and I would be able to attend the Wednesday class.  I worked up quite a sweat! After spin, Kasey and I did a core/abs workout. Man! I am out of shape! My abs are so sore today and I LOVE IT! I think that was what I needed to reignite my fire and help me get back to a regular cross training schedule.

Last night, I led my Advanced Pathways group on their 2nd run of the spring session. This is the first session for Advanced Pathways. Many of the participants have been in the program several times already. Rather than starting back at the beginning, we chose to pick up where they left off. I've got the AP2b group. Our pace starts at 11:00 min/mile and gradually increases throughout the session. Plus, we have no intervals. These are big changes for some of them and I heard quite a bit of grumbling about the pace initially. I had to remind them at the water stop that they were there because they wanted to improve their time and endurance. Then I challenged them to step out of their comfort zone for the next 12 weeks. I slowed the pace down to 11:15 on the way back to the store. I don't know if that was what did it or my speech, but I didn't hear any more grumbling. :-) We did 2.6 miles in 28:46 for an average of 11:05. I used to be afraid of getting lost or not maintaining a consistent pace, but last night I was spot on!! My Achilles is still tender but I've got a date with the chiropractor in just a little while, so hopefully this problem will be short lived.

While catching up on some blog reading this morning, I discovered that Sarah nominated me for a "Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award". I've recently discovered several new blogs that I enjoy reading and I love networking with new people. This questionnaire will allow me get to know these other bloggers better, so I'm very excited.

There are some rules that go along with this award, the rules are:

1. Post the logo on your blog.
2. Thank the person who nominated you.
3. Answer the questions.
4. Choose 10 or so other ladies who blog as your nominees.
5. Post the links to the nominees’ blogs and notify them on their blog.

Questions:
1. What is your favorite color?

Red is probably my favorite color followed closely by blue.


2. Favorite Animal?
I have a 4 pound Chihuahua and she is my baby, but I've always been more partial to cats. That's right! I'm the crazy cat lady!!!!

3. Favorite non-alcoholic drink?
That's easy! The sweet tea from QuickTrip, a convenience store in Tulsa, is the best! It's my kryptonite! I love it!

4. Facebook or Twitter?
I have them both and use them both. I would have to say Facebook is my favorite. I love Instagram too!

5. Favorite pattern?
Leopard print I love it, I think it's fun and whimsical!

6. What is your passion?
My passion  is health, wellness, fitness and running. I  just want to be the best me that I can be. I want to be healthy and fit and strong. And I love coaching my pathways group. I love helping others to achieve their goals!

And, I nominate:

Wendy @ A Daily Dose of Delsignore

Alisha@ Coily Locks

Betty @ Losing My Gut

Brandi @ Mama's Losing It

Gwen @ Against the Grain

Jen @ Morning Coffee Confessions

Jennifer @ Jens Journey

Morgan @ Fat to Fit Confessions

Tiffany @ The Fit Train


Ok folks, that's all I got for today! Go out and make it a fabulous Friday!!  And have a wonderful weekend!

Workout Wednesday #2

Good morning folks!! 

Happy Hump Day!!  Thanks for all the love I've felt from my fellow bloggers the past few days!!  It's really nice to be able to connect with others. I appreciate all the comments and feedback!!

I had a sports massage after work last night and it was AMAZING! I had heard really good things about this girl, so I just had to check it out. I thought that I did a pretty good job of stretching and rolling the kinks out but it was abundantly clear that I don't. I was pretty beat up! She kept finding spots that needed worked on and at one point she said "there's no way I'm going to finish you in an hour" I think that I need to schedule a massage every 4-6 weeks routinely. I feel SO much better today! Even the Achilles isn't as tender as it was before!

I'm really excited because I'm going to spin class tonight! I love spin, I just haven't found a class that coordinates with my schedule. When I saw an email from Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa 52 Fitness last week regarding evening spin classes, I almost squealed like a little girl!!  I'm just hoping that I can keep up!!

Today is Workout Wednesday!!  When I was at the chiropractor the other day, he mentioned that he didn't think my transverse abdominus was firing, meaning my core is weak. Imagine that! I sit a lot at work so it's no wonder that my glutes, back and abs are weak! So, in addition to the spin class, I'm going to try to throw in a little ab routine as well. Here's what I'm planning to do tonight:

 

I'm planning to do that circuit at least 3 times, or I might vary it a little plus I'm going to add a plank until failure between each set and at the end.


And, that's a wrap for today! Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

What workout/workouts are you doing today?

Inspiration

Good morning friends!!

Happy Tuesday!!  Personally, I'm glad that Monday is over!! I'm usually very busy at work playing catch up from the weekend and yesterday was no exception! I left early to go to my doctor's appointment.

My chiropractor treats many runners and is very familiar with running injuries. I really like him because he doesn't just treat the symptoms, he wants to correct whatever caused the symptoms in the first place. Being a nurse, I already knew my issue was my Achilles. He did a thorough assessment and feels that it is the result of muscle imbalances. He did a laser treatment on the heel and recommended that I come back 3 more times. Friday when I go in, he will do dry needling and then tape my heel to get me through my run this weekend. He will also give me "home work" or exercises to help strengthen the weak muscles. I'm hoping for the best here!!

After I left his office, I went to Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa for the kickoff of the spring session of Pathways. I had left my running shoes at home yesterday morning, but happened to have the new pair of Asics GT-2000 in my car. I was talking with one of the staff members about the Achilles pain I'm having and he started asking me about the shoes I was wearing, where did I get them, how I came to choose that pair of shoes, etc. He felt like it wasn't really a good fit for me and managed to finagle a trade for a new pair of Asics Cummulus.

 The Cummulus is a neutral shoe and because I tend to pronate and for arch support, he recommended that I wear a Superfeet insole. This combination felt very good when I put it on. I decided to go for a little test run. I wasn't very far from the store when I knew that this wasn't going to work. I managed to get 1 mile before I had to stop and walk. I was devastated and frustrated. I had to do the time trial with the Pathwayers then we were going to run 1.5 miles and I wasn't going to be able to do it. I took the Superfeet insoles out and put the original sock liner back in. We had our Pathways meeting then did the time trial. I ran about 0.5 miles back to the store with the group and realized that my heel wasn't hurting as bad without the Superfeet. I decided to try to run with my group. We did 1 mile in 11.20 and my heel actually felt pretty good. I went back into the store to tell Seth what had happened. He recommended that I purchase a CEP Compression Achilles brace, so I did. I tried it on when I got home and I think this along with the new shoes and the chiropractor will help me overcome the Achilles problem and keep me running!!  I'm super excited!!

I've scheduled a sports massage tonight after work. I'm really looking forward to that!! I need someone to work out some soreness, tightness and kinks that I just can't get to with a foam roller.

Last week, I had a chance to speak to my local, hometown YMCA running group about my story. When they first asked me to do it, I said yes but hoped that they would forget. I don't really consider myself an inspiration. But, recently when my children were here visiting, I had a little eye opener. My grand daughter, who is 7, looked at all my medals and asked "Grandma, did you get all those medals from winning marathons?" Without even thinking about it, I said "yes" The way I see it, is we're all winners for getting out there in the first place and I really didn't want to explain the concept of a finisher's medal to a 7 y/o, who wasn't going to understand in the first place. Her response to my reply was a wide eyed "WOW" I could hear the awe in her voice and it made me realize that she thinks her grandma is a winner. GREAT! Let her!!  And in that moment, I realized that we never know who is watching and who we might be inspiring!! 

Be an inspiration today!!!

Weekend Wrap Up/Monday Motivation

Hello, hello y'all!!

How is everyone doing??  Are ya ready to link up for a little Monday Motivation?

I am!  But first, here's a quickie recap of the weekend:

I wanted to blog about speaking at my hometown YMCA but I was running a little bit late and Friday was a crazy busy day at work. I never got a chance to post on Friday.

Saturday morning, I got up early and met my friends at Fleet Feet Sports in Tulsa. Saturday is typically my long run day. I was scheduled to do 14 miles. I broke my run up into 2 parts. I did 6 miles with my friends Karen, Sandra, and Patty. Then I went back to Fleet Feet to meet my friend Kelly for the last 8 miles. To date, this is my distance PR! I took my time with it because my Achilles is bothering me still. I'm concerned about this injury because everything I've read about it is discouraging. I'm going to the chiropractor today. I know from past experience that he's very good at what he does and will be able to get me on the right track again, hopefully soon!!

Yesterday was meal prep day. This week I prepared:

Turkey meatloaf muffins, roasted sweet potatoes, green beans

Chicken stir fry with quinoa

Southwest chicken and black bean tacos

We start our spring session of Pathways tonight. They will run a time trial to determine which group they will run with then we're running a short 1 mile run. My plan is to get there early and get in a few miles before the time trial but that's going to depend on what my chiropractor says. If he tells me not to run, then I guess I won't be running.

Today is Motivation Monday. I've read that the second Monday of January is often referred to as "Blue Monday" so feel free to grab a button a link up with us for a little motivation.

Today's theme is:  things I will do differently this year.

Two things that I really want to work on this year include:

1. Getting to work earlier in the morning. When I started my job, I was told that we were expected to be there between 8:30 - 9 am. And this is the habit that I've gotten into. However, my current supervisor would like us to be there closer to 8:30. So I'm going to try to get there between 8 - 8:30 more consistently.

2.  Try more things! This year, I want to step out of my comfort zone and do more things that I've been "afraid" to do previously. First up, I'm planning to run a full marathon (if my Achilles cooperates) Life is short! I want to wake up with memories, not regrets over the things that I didn't do/try!

3.  It would be fabulous if I could be more organized. I would really like to adopt a more minimalist type lifestyle. The older I get, the more I realize that "less is more" I would love to have less clutter and less "things" and have more time to focus on the things and people that I love/enjoy.

Well, that's all I've got for now. If I'm going to achieve #1, I've got to start getting ready for work!!
Have a marvelous Monday!

 

 

 



Here's the blog hop schedule. Feel free to join us!!

 



 

Wendy

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Alisha

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Betty

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Brandi

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Gwen

 Twitter / Pinterest / Bloglovin' 

Jen

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Jennifer

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Morgan

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Theresa

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Tiffany

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2 Things Thursday

Good morning friends!!

Happy Thursday!!

I was supposed to go to a Pathways coaches meeting after work last night. I arrived at the Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa downtown location at 5pm. My plan was to hit the treadmill at 52 Fitness for a 4 mile run before the meeting. I finished my run and went next door for the meeting only to discover that I was at the wrong store.  ACK!! I felt like an irresponsible idiot until I figured out that there was some glitch with my phone. I didn't get yesterday's emails until this morning. If I had, I would have known that I was at the wrong place.  I missed the details on the new Advance Pathways program. I guess the program coordinator can fill me in today. But, on the upside, I managed to get my miles in and didn't have to run in the cold, drizzle like they did at the other store :-)

After work tonight, I'm driving to my hometown to speak to the community and members of the YMCA running group. I'm excited but nervous at the same time! I don't think that I've ever given a presentation in public. I really have no idea what to say. I've been asked to talk about my journey to a healthier lifestyle. When I was first approached about this opportunity, I said yes and hoped that they would forget. I'm not accustomed to talking about myself. And why on earth would anyone want to hear what I have to say?! I'm not a celebrity; I'm just me, just a girl who thought she could so she did. I'm not perfect, I fail and often but I get back up and keep going. The more that I process those last 2 sentences, I think that is exactly why I need to go do this. I haven't written a speech since college and those were mediocre at best. I've got a rough idea of what I want to say. I think in this situation, a loose outline and speaking from the heart will serve me well. I'm excited that they think I'm an inspiration!!  I don't think so, but we never really see ourselves the way that others do. So, I think that this will be a learning experience for all involved.

Ok, that's all that I've got for now. Have a terrific Thursday folks!

Workout Wednesday #1

Good morning!

Happy Hump Day!!  We're already halfway through the first full week of the new year! How are you all doing on those New Year's resolutions??

Truth be told, I'm not doing so good on my cross training "resolution" As I've said several times, I don't really make resolutions. I like to think of myself as a constant work in progress, meaning that I set goals and am constantly evaluating and re-evaluating them, making adjustments if necessary. And that's exactly what I'm going to have to do regarding cross training.

I was on the wagon pretty well last summer and fall and then I fell off. For whatever reason, I just can't seem to get myself back up there!!  I keep telling myself that I'll workout tonight but it doesn't happen. I know it's important!! It's really difficult for me to find motivation to work out with the cold, bad weather that we've had lately. When I get home from work, all I want to do is put on my pajamas and sit in my chair. I think, in order to get back on the wagon, I'm going to have to change my workout routine to going to the gym on my lunch break instead of after work. I'm also going to treat myself to a new workout program to help inspire me. The new P90X3 was released by Beachbody recently. I've been wanting to try it. It might just be the boost I need to get back on track!

I'm scheduled to run 4 miles tonight. We're having a Pathways coaches meeting at 6pm and we're supposed to run after that. I'm not sure that will happen because we're supposed to have sleet and freezing rain. Maybe I'll arrive early and hit the treadmill before the meeting. In the event that I'm not able to run, I think I'll try this cardio workout instead:

 

Speaking of Pathways, I'm really eager for the new session. I've been promoted to the Advanced Pathways group. I'm not sure about all the details yet, but I know that we won't be running intervals and that we'll be at a faster pace. I had such a motivated group last session and I know that many of them are returning. I can't wait to see what 2014 AP3 will bring!

I tell my Pathwayers this all the time. I need to convince myself regarding my cross training!!

Ok folks, have a wonderful Wednesday! Stay warm and stay safe!!


What helps you stay motivated??

Tuesday Thoughts

Wow! What a great response to Motivation Monday! I'm really looking forward to working with this team of amazing ladies this year! Be sure to check them all out and add them to your list of favorite bloggers.

Another change this year is that I was recently asked to be a Girls Gone Sporty ambassador! I'm super excited about this opportunity! It means that all my hard work is beginning to pay off. I try to lead by example, living a health lifestyle and motivate/encourage others to be the best that they can be! I'm so excited to see where 2014 will lead!

We're having some "polar vortex" right now and experiencing some of the coldest temperatures that we've had in 20 years. As I've said before, I'm not a fan of winter! But when you decide to train for a marathon in the winter, you find a way to get the miles done. I went to the gym last night and did 4 miles on the treadmill. I'm not a fan of the treadmill. I don't like it at all! But I was happy to get some miles done. One advantage of running indoors is wearing shorts! I just need to remember to shave my legs and keep some lotion in my gym bag. Who knew that Tri-Slide could be used in a pinch if you're caught at the gym with ashy legs?! ;) I wore my new Asics last night. I'm not sure about them yet. I've been dealing with some pain in my Achilles and it was noticeable last night. I need to roll and stretch my calves a little better and I think I'll wear my Pearl Izumi M3 until the Achilles pain is resolved.

I was approached by Asics last month about participating in their blogger challenge. If I was selected, I would "win" an entry into the Asics LA Marathon. Of course I said yes! I was pumped! A couple of weeks later, I was notified that I wasn't selected for the blogger challenge, but as a consolation they were sending me a free pair of shoes. I selected the GT-2000 which seemed close to what I've been wearing. Well, I got home from work last Thursday and my new shoes had been delivered! I'm super excited about trying them! I think they will work out well once I get this tight calf/tender Achilles problem resolved.

I don't plan to run tonight. Instead I'll be doing some strength training/cross training at home.

Tuesday out.......

Monday Motivation

Good morning!

I hope that you had a good weekend.

Saturday morning, I went to Tulsa to run with my friends. I wasn't really feeling very well, my stomach was very upset. I wanted to do 10 miles but only got 6.5. After the run, I did a little shopping, then came home and took it easy the rest of the day. Sunday, hubs and I went to see the Hobbit, Desolation of Smaug movie. It was very good and I surprised myself at how much I remember from reading the book many years ago. Last night, we started watching Breaking Bad. We're half way through the first season already and I'm eager to get home tonight to watch more!

I mentioned some new things on the blog this year and one of those things is linking up with Wendy and the rest of the team for Monday Motivation. I'm excited to link up with these ladies. I love meeting new people and learning new things! Check out the schedule and feel free to join us. I'm sure you'll get plenty of healthy living tips and advice.

 

Wendy

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Alisha

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Betty

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Brandi

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Gwen

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Jen

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Jennifer

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Morgan

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Theresa

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Tiffany

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Today we're talking about resolutions. As a rule, I don't make resolutions. The way I see it, I'm a work in progress every day! I do, however, set goals. This year, I plan to continue to work on my ongoing goal of clean eating/meal planning and routine cross training. But, I also plan to run my first marathon.

 

 

What are your 2014 goals?