Catching Up

Howdy, howdy y’all! I haven’t forgotten about you. I’ve been meaning to pop in here more often but I’ve been so busy that this is the first opportunity I’ve had to update in quite a while.

 

March was a busy running month for me. I logged 85+ miles, the highest 1 month mileage for me since I started running and I ran 3 half marathons. You would think that would have been a big enough challenge for me, but nope. I wasn’t satisfied. I was fairly certain that I had more in me, so I set out to prove to myself that I did.

 

I’m a member of a group called the Half Fanatics. Toward the end of March, I started looking at the membership criteria to see what it would take to move me up to another level. I tried every way that I could to make the half marathons I had already done count but I couldn’t get it to add up. They were just too far apart. One thing became apparent to me, I would have to run more! So, I made a plan and signed up for not just 1 more, but 3 more half marathons!!  If I did 3 in 3 states in 10 (or less days) I would move up to Mars level. So, that is precisely what I did!!  I ran the Garmin Half Marathon in Olathe, KS on Saturday, April 18. It was rainy and I was hurting badly from a trip/near fall over a parking block so I was surprised by my finish time of 2:24. I got a post race massage, took an ice bath (as advised by the pacer I ran w/ for a while) then a hot shower.

 

After food and Advil, we loaded up and headed for Springfield, MO where I ran the Go Girl Half Marathon on Sunday, April 19. Yep, that’s right….I did 2 halfs back to back!!  I was slower on the second race, finish time was 2:27 but that’s ok. I wasn’t really running for time. I was running in honor of my friend, Crystal who was still recovering from a brain aneurysm (that’s another story).

 

 

 

I didn’t do too much running during the next week as I had one more to go. I focused more on recovery: stretching, yoga, rolling, etc. that week and just ran a couple short maintenance runs. On Saturday, April 25, I ran the Tulsa Golden Driller Half Marathon. This was an inaugural run. It was rather warm and humid that day plus I was tired. It was not my best race ever but this was definitely not about finish time, it was just about finishing upright. And I did in 2:30. I had done it!!  3 half marathons in 3 states in 8 days!!  I moved up to the Mars level as a Half Fanatic.

 

 

 

I am very proud of this accomplishment because exactly one year ago, I was struggling to find my running mojo again. I learned some valuable lessons along the way. This was about endurance. This was about setting a goal and doing whatever needed to be done to achieve it. It was about finishing what I started. And I did it!!  I proved to myself that I’m capable of accomplishing anything I set my mind to. I tell my runners this all the time, but now I’ve got the personal experience to back it up. I’ve already got my sights set on my next goal, but that’s also another story…..

 

Since then, I’ve taken a break from runner to rest and heal up a little bit. I was pretty beat up after all those miles. My IT band was starting to be a little bit irritated because I’ve slacked off of strength training pretty badly. For the past 3 weeks, I’ve been focusing on cleaning up my diet and strength training.

 

My diet was way out of control again! I was eating treats and candy like there was no tomorrow plus drinking too much sweet tea. On Monday, April 27, I did the Team Beachbody 3 Day Refresh. I did it once before and swore that I would never do it again, but I was desperate and had to take drastic measures. I was surprised that it wasn’t nearly as bad as the first time I did it. I didn’t lose lots of weight or inches, but I did succeed in controlling my sugar intake. I am feeling much better, less bloating and stomach upset without all the processed sugars. My clothes seem to be fitting better and I think I look better so that’s a win as far as I’m concerned! I’ve still got some work to do to cut out all of the mindless binging in the evenings after work but that’s drastically improved as well.

And I’ve picked up the weights again. I don’t really get as much of a rush from strength training as I do from running but I know it is a necessary evil and I do like the changes I see in my body. I feel stronger, have more energy in general and am less prone to running injury. Plus I know it increases my running endurance. Pathways summer session starts next week. I’m moving up to coach a faster pace group but I intend to keep the strength training up on my non-running days. I’ve even got a couple new workouts to share with you on Workout Wednesdays.

 

Another change that has taken place is a change in my work assignment. YAY!!  I can NOT express how happy this makes me!!  I won’t bore you with all the gory details, but suffice to say that I’m in a less toxic environment and have a much better work/life balance now!! WOOHOO!!

 

So, that’s a brief update for now. I’ll try to do a much better job of keeping you posted on the goings-on in my daily life once again. I’ve missed blogging on a regular basis and hope to get back to it at least 1-2 times weekly. So, until next time—get up, get out, and get moving.

Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa

Workout Wednesday/Quick Update

Hey, hey, hey y'all!!  I'm still here and still alive!

The old ticker is still ticking, without any abnormalities!! I'm still wearing the heart monitor x 1 more week, but the arrhythmia episodes have decreased, so I'm expecting a bill of clean health from the cardiologist. In retrospect, it was all probably unnecessary, but better to be safe than sorry.

Since the first week of December, I've been filling in for a co-worker who injured her foot. She is unable to bear weight and has been off work. This role is very tedious and time consuming. I often have to stay late at work to complete my daily tasks, which is against everything I believe in. I also don't have great internet in my office. The browser on the work computer is outdated, so I can't access blogger. And the reception on my phone is poor to say the least. Therefore, my social media time and specifically my blogging has taken a HUGE hit!!  I'm sorry. I keep thinking that there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel and my life will be able to return to some resemblance of normalcy soon!!  It better because I'm exhausted and starting to feel burned out!!

In other news, I'm still running with the Pathways group. We're on week 9 of our training, just about 1 week away from our goal race: the Sweetheart Run 10k. They are a very fun group to work with. I've enjoyed this inaugural winter session of Pathways!!  And we've been blessed with some really great weather thus far this winter, so we aren't complaining too much!!

I'm also still trying to stick to eating as clean as I possibly can. And I'm still accomplishing that about 80% of the time.

I have kind of fallen off of cross training the past couple of weeks. Hubs and I have been doing the Body Beast workout. We enjoy it and we will get back to it but we're taking a little break from it at the moment. Right now, we're doing a program I found at www.simplyshredded.com 

 

This is a 12 week program. This is week 1-4. On week 5, the reps decrease to 6-8. And on week 9-12, they decrease to 4-6. You should be getting stronger each week, so the amount of weight that one lifts should ideally increase. So, we'll see. We worked up quite a sweat doing legs last night!!  We have to make some modifications here and there as we don't have machines at home but I think this will be a good program to follow while we're taking a break from the Beast. As you can see, there isn't a workout scheduled for Wednesday, so I'll probably throw in the 21 Day Fix Dirty 30 dvd or find some HIIT workout for us to do.

And, speaking of the 21 Day Fix. I'm so excited that the 21 Day Fix Extreme was just released by Beachbody. I ordered it as soon as it became available and we'll incorporate that when it arrives!!

Ok, gotta run! That's all for now!

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever makes you happy, do more of that today!!

Your friend,

Theresa

What workouts are you currently doing??

And the Beat Goes On

Howdy folks!! 

I hope that you're having a great week so far!

I'm having an interesting one, to say the least!! 

I'm still experimenting with the pressure cooker that I got for Christmas. So far, the verdict is that it's AWESOME!!  Last Saturday, after running 6 miles then shopping/running errands all day, I came home tired and worn out. I had to work on Sunday so I just wanted to sit down and relax, but something had to be fixed for supper. So, I threw some stew meat in the cooker on the brown setting. While it browned, I prepared onions, carrots, potatoes and celery. After the meat was brown, I added beef broth, onion, garlic, and spices. I cooked it for 15 minutes, then I added the veggies and some frozen peas and cooked for 15 more minutes. It was so easy and delicious!!  We had a hot, hearty meal in an hour and I still had time to rest before work on Sunday! I found the recipe for the stew here. To keep it GF, I used cornstarch instead of flour. And I like tomatoes in my stew so next time, I will use tomato juice or canned tomatoes.

So, in other news......for about 2 weeks now, I've been having heart palpitations off and on. I'm having what are called PVC's. A premature ventricular contraction (PVC) is a too-early heartbeat that originates in the ventricles and disrupts the heart’s normal rhythm. The pattern is a normal beat, an extra beat (the PVC), a slight pause, then a stronger-than-normal beat. The heart fills with more blood during the pause following the PVC, giving  the next beat extra force. This pattern may occur randomly or at definite intervals. Almost everyone has PVCs at some time, from childhood through adulthood. Healthy people of any age can experience PVCs. In most cases of occasional PVCs the underlying cause cannot be identified. PVCs that occur frequently or for longer periods of time are more likely to be related to heart disease, an injury to the heart or other, non-cardiac conditions such as a chemical imbalance in the body.  Certain medications, alcohol, illegal drugs and high levels of adrenaline due to stress, exercise or caffeine also can cause PVCs. They were occurring randomly and didn't seem to correlate with my exercise or caffeine intake. They've been occurring mostly in the morning while I'm getting ready for work. It's been a daily occurrence but they usually don't last very long. Well this week on both Sunday and Tuesday mornings, the episodes were sustained for 1-2 hours. On Tuesday, when I arrived at work, my co-workers insisted that I go to the ER to get it checked out. That was an ordeal!!

I got in and was seen quickly. An EKG was done, an IV was placed, and labs were drawn, then I waited! I got the results of my labs/EKG about 2 hours later. All was normal but they wanted to keep me for observation. There was no way I was staying in the hospital overnight, so I arranged an outpatient follow up with a cardiologist and insisted that they discharge me. I followed up with the cardiologist yesterday. He drew some additional lab and put me on a heart monitor that I will wear for the next 30 days. I'm also having an exercise stress test in 2 weeks. So, hopefully this will be an issue that can easily be fixed with a little medication and hopefully not life altering . I did my back and biceps workout last night without difficulty except the monitor started squealing like mad during the warm up "light jog" Tonight, I'm coaching the Pathways group. It should be interesting with this thing in place. I suspect that it will mistake the increased pulse rate for an arrhythmia and squeal the whole time. We shall see!

The ER was an interesting experience. The doctors saw fit to keep reminding me that "you're not getting any younger" and one portly physician actually told me "unless you're Whole Foods #1 customer and I highly doubt it, then you should be taking supplements" I wanted to say "Well listen here mister! How rude!!  You obviously don't know who you're talking to and don't have the right to make such judgements or statements. And it looks like you could benefit from shopping at Whole Foods a little bit, then maybe you wouldn't need those supplements!!" And its funny how all my co-workers/friends have suddenly become doctors. They've all diagnosed me with anxiety, panic attacks, stress and told me I exercise too much! UGH!!  We'll see what the professional that I entrusted my heart to has to say in a few weeks!!  I suspect they'll all be wrong and this is just some anomaly. At least that's what I'm hoping for! I'll keep you all posted!

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Make today ridiculously amazing!!

Your friend,

Theresa

2015 Goals~~Secrets to Success.

Good morning folks!!

It was a mad dash to the finish,  but we made it through the holidays! I hope yours were fabulous, that you got everything you wished for and more,  and that you escaped the usually holiday weight gain.  I tried to stick to my clean eating as much as possible and was pleasantly surprised when I got on the scale the other day.   

Here we are at the beginning of the new year. For many of us,  that means New Year Resolutions. It is estimated that 40% of Americans make resolutions but only 8% will keep them.  So,  why not call them goals and make them something you can achieve?  

Now the trick is how to successfully achieve those goals and deal with inevitable set backs. I believe that it was Zig Ziglar who said " be firm about your principle but flexible about your methods"

 

 The first step to successful goal setting is to write it down.

The key is to set "SMART" goals:

Specific--A goal needs to be as specific as possible so you can work toward it and achieve it. If your goal is too vague, it will be nearly impossible to achieve. For example, "drink more water" is too vague. Drink 60 ounces of water is much more specific and easier to track/measure (see #2)

Measurable--keep track of your goal. If your goal is to lose weight, keep a weekly log of your weight and a daily log of your calories. If your goal is to run a 5k, etc then keep track of your miles. Seeing the progress will help keep you motivated!

Accountable--sharing your goal with a friend or family member will help keep you on track. There are many online tools and apps that help with accountability, My Fitness Pal and Dailymile for example help you keep track of calories/miles and connect with others for accountability.

Realistic--Make sure your goal is realistic for you. You don't want to make it too difficult because and get discouraged. You need to be able to see yourself reaching the goal. It needs to be challenging without being overwhelming. This is where you might need to be flexible. For instance, last year I set a goal of running a marathon but for various reasons this was not a realistic goal for me. I had to re-evaluate and reframe my goals. You might experience what seems like a setback. The important thing is to keep going. There is often more than one way around it!

Timeframe--If your goal doesn't have a time limit, you will have trouble starting and staying motivated until the end. When you start seeing results, it will ultimately keep you motivated. Hang in there, if it takes you a little longer, keep going. Don't stop otherwise you'll never get there!!It's gonna be a busy but great year!! This is the year that we're going to achieve those goals, I just know it!!

Until next time--get up, get out and get moving! Make today ridiculously amazing!!

Your friend,

Theresa

What are your goals for 2015?

 

Year in Review

Howdy, howdy y'all!!

I hope that you all had a good Christmas!!  We did!

The past 3 weeks have been whirlwind, crazy hectic around here hence the lack of posts!!

The last time I checked in, we were getting ready to go to St Louis for the Hot Chocolate Run. I had fully intended to recap that race, then life happened and kept on coming at me like a freight train!!

Here's a brief recap of the race. We got there late Friday night. Hubs woke up early Saturday morning sick with what I thought was a cold. We picked up our packets and got him some cold medicine. We stayed in at the hotel that night. We got up Sunday morning and hubs was still not feeling well, but he went ahead and did the 5k. The weather was so much better than last year and I was appreciating it until about mile 7 when I decided that I was overdressed. I was way too hot!! My goal time was 1:45 but I didn't make it. I finished at 1:48. I'm ok with that. I had fun and that's what matters! Not every race has to be a PR!!  Hubs still wasn't feeling well. He was coughing and sneezing all over the place. I drove most of the way home.

He finally went to the doctor and discovered that he had pneumonia!!  That significantly changed things for me!!  I've been filling in in an area of my department that I'm not 100% oriented to. My co-worker that usually does this job suffered a grade 3 sprain to her mid foot earlier this month. She isn't able to bear any weight and employee health won't let her return to work until she can. So, I've been filling in for her. Needless to say, I got a "trial by fire" type orientation to the job. It is quite hectic and stressful. I go in early most days and don't get off until late. That made Christmas shopping quite interesting!!  I'm glad most stores were open late during the holidays!!  I finally got it all done about 2 days before Christmas. I didn't have any gifts wrapped until Christmas Eve! But we made it and everyone had a jolly time!!  We're going to Iowa later this week for 2nd Christmas with the northern relatives!!

2014 was quite a year. It didn't turn out quite the way I had planned. Last year at this time, I was preparing for my first full marathon. But I was struggling with a physical injury, which later sidelined me and also with the fact that mentally, I wasn't ready for a full marathon. I don't think I ever will be!

Here's my 2014 race bling:

not nearly as much as past years, but it was still a good year.

I had some setbacks both personally and professionally that forced me to adapt and overcome. I sustained an injury to my Achilles tendon, probably due to overtraining. I struggled with that for about 3 months until I finally had to stop running. I completed the Little Rock half marathon in brutal conditions in early March and didn't run another step until April. I was just making a come back when my mother in law fell and broke her hip in May. She was hospitalized until June when she subsequently passed away. This was very difficult for my husband as she did everything for my father in law. Now, we have to do that.

In August, I was reassigned at my job. I was devastated by this change initially, but it has ultimately been a huge blessing!

I was running sporadically over the summer but not really consistently until August when I began to coach Pathways again. And that's when all became right with my world again. I love working with the runners to achieve their goals. That is very rewarding for me!!  I worked with them from August until November. Together we trained for and completed the Fleet Feet Quarter Marathon, the Tulsa Run 15k, and the Williams Route 66 half marathon. Now, we're in our first ever winter session of Pathways and we're training for the Fleet Feet Sweetheart run 10k. I've got another fun group and am enjoying this session so far!

During my time off from running, I discovered that I actually enjoy weight training. And I plan to continue that into 2015. I was doing the Team Beachbody Body Beast program but the past few weeks, I've gotten off track with that. He wasn't able to train due to his illness and I wasn't home until 9pm some nights. I took a little time off but we're back at it this week. Monday we did a Jamie Eason upper body workout and last night we did the 21 Day Fix Dirty 30.

I've avoided gaining any weight this holiday season, so far by being consistent with my clean eating. I've had a few small treats but I've kept it about 90% clean. The scale reflects it too!!  For Christmas, my mom gave me a pressure cooker. I haven't tried it yet but I'm eager to see how this will help with my weekly meal prep.

So, my 2015 goals are:

1. Continue to eat clean, NO JUNK!!
2. Restart the Body Beast program Monday, January 5
3. Continue running with Pathways, training for the Little Rock half marathon and the Go Girl half marathon, both in March.
4. Try to get back to blogging more consistently
5. Declutter my house and downsize!!  Less is more!!

So, that's all I've got for now. I hope that your 2014 was fabulous and your 2015 is even better!!

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!!  Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Do you have any New Year's resolutions/goals??

Tuesday Thoughts

Good morning folks!

Just checking in quickly to say happy Tuesday. Am I the only one who thinks that Tuesday is the worst day of the week? You've got Monday in all it's manicness and Wednesday with it's humpiness, Thursday is like Friday-eve, and then of course it's TGIF. But Tuesday really has no identity of it's own. Maybe I just have too much time on my hands to think about obscure things!

I'm excited because the inaugural winter season of Pathways starts tonight. In the past, we have taken the winter off. We still run together, but it's loosely structured and not organized. I find myself struggling with motivation or lack there of because it's dark and/or cold. Well this year, Fleet Feet listened to it's participants and initiated a winter season. I'm glad. It will be good to run with an organized group during what I think is the toughest running time of the year. I'm moving up a pace group this session. I'll be coaching the 11:30 group with my friend, Dave. I'm looking forward to this session. I plan to make it as fun as possible to help keep them motivated. I've got a fun idea, team building idea that I can't wait to implement!

I believe that my job as a coach is to help keep them motivated and find their confidence. I often say that I'm not a perfect pacer, but I'm their biggest cheerleader. One way to help them be successful is to have a fun, cohesive group. Let's face it, running alone is ok sometimes; but running with a group is the best! You're sharing a common interest with like minded people and often times, you make life long friends. I'm really looking forward to this adventure!!

In other news, I'm still eating clean and sticking to the 21 Day Fix meal plan. So far, so good!!  I haven't had any candy in over a week, with the exception of peppermints. I have allowed myself  to have coffee with 1 tsp of sugar and 1.5 TBSP of coffee creamer. This doesn't seem to be too much as MFP allows for 40g of sugar a day. This is way under that!!  My stomach is much less bloated, so that's the goal that I was hoping to achieve!!  I'll keep plugging along with it. I know there will be tempations and struggles but hopefully, I've broken the sugar addiction!!

This weekend, we're travelling to St. Louis, Missouri for the Hot Chocolate run. My friends and I ran it last year. It was so cold, but so much fun that we're going back!!  Hubs had just had knee surgery so he couldn't participate but this year he is walking the 5k. I hope this gives him the motivation that he needs to run/walk again. He has some pain in that knee post meniscus repair, probably arthritis. But he is afraid that he will reinjure himself. I keep telling him to stick to shorter distances and walking but I haven't been able to convince him. I just don't think that he is that committed. But, fear can do strange things!

I'm still slacking on my weight training. I was doing so well with consistency and not missing workouts until last week when I did the 3 Day Refresh. I had no energy whatsoever and physically felt ill, so I didn't workout. I have been so busy with day to day stuff and holiday preparation that I haven't got back to it. I'm hoping to change that tonight. When I get home from running, I'll immediately workout, then I can put on my pajamas!!  Here's what I'm hoping the rest of my week will look like, workout-wise:

Tuesday: Pathways run, Body Beast Build chest and triceps
Wednesday: Body Beast Back and biceps
Thursday: Pathways run (2.5 or 3) Body Beast Lucky 7
Friday: Body Beast Shoulders
Saturday: rest
Sunday: Hot Chocolate 15k

So, now that you're updated, you can carry on with your regularly scheduled programming!!

Until next time: get up, get out and get moving!!  Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

How do you stay motivated to run in the winter??
Do you run with a group or prefer to run alone??

I Survived!

Hello, hello folks!!

We're almost through this week and that makes me a happy, happy girl!! It's been a rough one!!
We've been very busy at work and I haven't been 100% this week. I'm looking forward to my days off!

I survived the 3 Day Refresh!!  And I hated every miserable moment of it!!  I had heard good things about it and I was really hoping to like it, but not so much. Let me back up and explain why I decided to try it in the first place. Lately, I've been eating sweets and treats like they are going out of style. My husband and I can sit down and devour a medium sized bag of peanut M&M's in 2 nights. That's absurd! I have a weakness for candy, any and all kinds of candy. I try to justify it by eating the mini sizes or snack sizes, but I can't just stop at 1 or 2. Plus, I do a lot of mindless snacking in the evenings after work. I'll come home almost every night and "graze" on whatever I can find. Most often, it's tortilla chips. I knew if I wanted to make real progress with my weight lifting program that I would need to quit eating all the junk. Now, in the past, I've been able to go cold turkey on sweets, treats, and sugars but I've always gone back to them. And this time, I was having a little trouble with will power. So I decided to try the 3 Day Refresh to get me back on track.

Let me preface my review by saying that I am a fan of Team Beachbody. I've used several of their products in the past, Insanity, 21 Day Fix, and Body Beast, and have been pleased with those. I had heard good things about the Refresh, so I thought that I would give it a go. Now, I'm also a Beachbody coach but I don't make that readily known. Coaches make a commission off the products that people by from their websites, so I understand supporting the product that they are selling. But, I'm in it for the discount on products more than anything else. I feel that I need to be honest about my experience with the product, even if it is less than ideal.

I don't really believe that these weight loss gimmicks work. I actually think that they can set one up for failure. I didn't really expect miracles but I drank the Kool-aid and thought I would see what all the hype was about. I ordered it and planned to start it the Sunday after Thanksgiving. It was only 3 days and I can do anything for 3 days, right?  It arrived and I meal planned/grocery shopped. It includes a fiber drink (like Metamucil) and high protein shakes. You can get it with Shakeology but I chose not to as I prefer another vegan protein shake. You eat an abundance of vegetables with some fruit and healthy fats to "keep you full and satisfied". The protein sources are vegetable proteins. The theory behind it is that vegetables are easier for your body to process. I followed the plan 99% There were a couple of variables that I was not willing to budge on. I drink and Advocare Spark daily. If I had to give up coffee, I knew I would need that Spark and its allowed on the Advocare cleanse, so I didn't cut that out. And, I mix my protein shake w/ unsweetened almond milk. I didn't change that either. So here's how it went:

Day 1:

I started with 8oz of Advocare Spark when I woke up. Breakfast was my protein shake w/ almond milk and 1/2 apple. Mid morning, I had hot tea then a little while later, the fiber sweep. It was kindy clumpy but I chugged it down. Lunch was the other 1/2 apple, 1.5 tsps. almond butter, and the vanilla refresh shake from the Refresh mixed with water. Mid afternoon, I had 1 red bell pepper with 2 tbsp. of hummus. Dinner was a spinach salad with peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, sunflower seeds and homemade vinegar/oil dressing and another vanilla refresh shake. Day 1 was actually not too bad. I did go to bed early but that's another story.

Day 2: Identical to Day 1 except I was starting to feel weak and tired, fuzzy headed and HANGRY!! The cravings, OMG, the cravings!!  Please make them stop!!!

Day 3: Same as Day 1 but HANGRY!!!  I was so weak and tired. I had such a bad headache that I was very unproductive at work. I was so glad that it was almost over!!

The PROS: I increased my water and vegetable intake. I try to get enough veggies but I usually only get 2-3 servings a day. I did not eat any candy!! My stomach is much less bloated! So, in that regard, it was successful.

The CONS: Not enough to eat. You only consume about 900-1000 calories. This is simply not enough. I was so hungry. I had zero energy. I didn't work out for 3 days while on this plan. I basically felt horrible days 2 & 3. I didn't cheat but I really wanted to. The vanilla refresh shakes were simply terrible!!

The end result: I didn't really lose any weight (maybe 3 or 4 pounds) or inches off my waist like I had seen others claim. But, my goal wasn't to lose weight and I really don't have that much to lose, so I wasn't expecting much. As I said, I did succeed at not eating candy or junk, so that was a success. And I was successful at increasing my water and veggie intake, so that's a plus. Did I accomplish what I hoped to? My goal was to clean up my diet, so yes I did. But I wouldn't go this route again. Its too drastic and too much deprivation. I wanted to binge so badly!!  Would I ever do it again? Absolutely not!! If I need to "reset" my nutrition in the future, I will do it myself in what I believe is a healthy manner.

 

Now, I plan to follow a less restrictive, clean eating plan. I'm going to follow the 21 Day Fix plan without treats or sweets. That's going to be hard with Christmas coming but I think that I can do it now that I've gotten a jumpstart.

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Make today ridiculously amazing!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Route 66 Half Marathon Race Recap

Hello, hello!!

 

Happy Turkey-Eve!! Woohoo!!  I'm looking forward to seeing my family later this week and spending some quality time (shopping) with my husband!! 

 

But first, let me recap the Tulsa Route 66 half marathon for you. My race weekend started Friday with volunteering at the expo. I only had a 2 hour shift at the Fanzone, where individuals could make signs for their favorite runners. The expo wasn't really very busy at this time, so not many signs were made during my time there. After I finished my shift, I picked up my packet and wandered around to see if there was any new gear that I needed. I really didn't find too many goodies, but I got some really cute shirts for my nieces from my friend, Jessica with Cheerbaby She has some really cute stuff!!  I also ran into the lovely race directors from the Little Rock Marathon. They are so much fun!!  I told them that the 2014 Little Rock half marathon was a horrible disaster for me. They promised me some "happy" in my email and talked me into running it again in 2015. I couldn't really say no because it is pirate themed!!

 

Sunday morning, I woke up 2.5 hours early and couldn't really go back to sleep. I was really very excited about this race. It is one of my favorites and it was the first half I had done in 8 months. I suppose I was a little anxious too. I had my race dummy already laid out. One last check of the weather to make sure my clothes were going to be appropriate and I started getting ready. We got to Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa in time for the group photo and then made our way down to the starting line for the Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics photo. After that, we found my corral. I made one last pit stop and got in the corral. I wasn't freaking out like I was last year. 2013 it was below freezing and I couldn't feel my fingers! This year, it was in the high 50's, 95% humidity, with light winds. Now, in Oklahoma, the wind also comes sweeping down the plain and this was the case Sunday morning. I opted to keep my lightweight jacket with me but that lasted for about 2 minutes. I took it off and stuffed it in my hydration pack.

 

 

Now, I'm no stranger to Tulsa streets and the lay of the land in Tulsa. I've trained here long enough to know that there are hills!!  I was expecting that and we had run a mock up of the course a couple weeks prior to the race, so I was feeling good at this point. I met a couple of Marathon Maniacs from Arkansas at about mile 1.5 and ran off/on most of the race with them. I loved the course this year because it took us through more neighborhoods rather than on Riverside Drive. The weather was perfect in my opinion and the course support in the neighborhoods was amazing!! 

 

My previous finish time for this race is 2:23, set last year in the freezing cold.  I was hoping to finish a little better then that this year,  so I had my sights set on the 2:20 pace group. I finally caught up with them somewhere near  Peoria Avenue. I ran with them for a couple of miles,  but around mile 8, I got a sharp pain in my side that almost stopped me dead in my tracks.  I slowed down a little bit until the pain passed. I could have tried to catch up to them, but I knew I would need some gas for the hills at the end, so I continued at this pace. We were now on Cincinnati Ave, where I knew my friend, Lisa had an "unofficial" water stop. They were calling it #cheersoncincinnati They had beer and jello shots as well as photo ops, cow bells, horns, and other various revelry. I was happy to see familiar faces and stopped briefly for a jello shot.

 

We finally made it to Riverside Drive at about mile 10. This flat portion of the course was a welcomed reprieve from the hills that we had done and the hills that were yet to come. We went south on Southwest Boulevard briefly before we headed up "Hospital Hill" I've run this numerous times on training runs and it is a pretty daunting hill. I walked about halfway up it then ran the rest of the way. I took a short walk break at the top, then took advantage of the downhill in front of the convention center. This was about mile 12 and I was feeling pretty tired at this point. Even though we train on these hills routinely, they were kicking my butt!!  I started walking up the hills and running the downhills at this point. We went under the train bridge on Denver and turned east through the Brady district. At this point, the male winner of the half marathon passed us. I was so happy when we turned east on the final stretch and I could finally see the finish line. I was tired but I used what little bit of gas I had left to finish strong!

 

I quickly collected my medal and made my way through the throng of other finishers. I collected some fruit and KIND bars and tried to find my husband. After I connected with him, we went to the Marathon Maniacs/Half Fanatics tent briefly but I wanted real food. We headed to McNellies for grub. After getting my belly full, we cheered for the 5-6 hour marathoners for a little while. The sun had come out and it was now in the mid 60's. It was evident that the heat was affecting some of them. I wanted to stay and watch for my Arkansas friends, but I had no idea where they were and assumed that they had finished. I was tired, ready for hot tea, a hot bath and a nap, so we headed home. I found out later, that my Arkansas friends were still on the course and I could have watched them finish, but I was wiped out! I took a 2 hour nap when we got home!!

 

 

The Route 66 was my first half marathon in 2011. This was the 4th time I've run it and it was probably my favorite Route 66 run thus far. I finished at 2:24, so no PR for me this time. But it was still a decent finish time and I had a lot of fun, so that's what really matters.

 

My race calendar for 2015 is filling up quickly!! Pathways starts again in December. This will be the first time for a winter Pathways session and I'm moving up a pace group, so that is exciting!

 

I ran a few recovery miles last night with friends. My legs are still tired!!  Then I came home and did Body Beast Bulk Shoulders. It was all I could do to finish that!!  Tonight is Bulk Chest, tomorrow I'll run 3-3.5 miles before turkey-geddon! Friday will be Bulk Back. Saturday I'm planning a 6 mile run then Bulk Arms and Bulk Shoulders again on Sunday. Monday, we rest! Sheesh.....that's a busy week!!  Additionally, I'll try to squeeze in some Black Friday shopping and holiday decorating!

 

I've got something exciting up my sleeve for next week. We'll talk about that later!

 

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!!  Whatever you do tonight, make it ridiculously amazing!!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa

 

Do you have a favorite race/run??

What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

Will you Back Friday shop??

 

Fitness Friday

Howdy y'all!!  Happy Friday!!

Whew, it's been a busy week!!  I worked in the office with the boss all week, so I had to be on my best behavior which meant limited time on my phone.....no FB, IG, or blog posting from work. I started out the week way far behind and felt relatively caught up when I left yesterday. I hope the co-worker that I was covering for appreciates my efforts!! I haven't been able to start my 3 12 hour day work schedule yet due to some unexpected personnel changes at work, but I am thankful that I have a boss who is flexible and has allowed me PTO time on Sunday so that I can run my half marathon!!

After work last night, I met my Pathways group for our last run before the Route 66 half marathon. It was an easy, flat 3 mile run. It was a little bit chilly but everyone was in a really good mood, relaxed and laid back! I think we're all ready to #rocktheroute despite a 40% chance of rain! At least it should be warmer than it was last year. That was just miserable!!

Today is technically a rest day for me, but I just couldn't sit still. I started my day with P90 Ab RipperX and TurboFire Stretch 10. It was a great way to start the day! I'm seeing great changes with the Body Beast program but my core is still pretty weak, so I think I need to do a little more concentrated core work from time to time. And stretching is always good to help relieve some of the DOMS that I have from lifting. I'm really excited about the changes I'm seeing so far and I can't wait to see what I can accomplish.

Typically, after the fall season of  Pathways, we take a break until the spring session, which starts in January. But, they've changed things up this year and we are having a winter session which starts in December. I was looking forward to some time off to concentrate on weight training but I'm excited about this new direction Pathways is going as I've got a pretty full race schedule too!! So far, I'm planning to do the Hot Chocolate 15k in St. Louis 12/2014, Fleet Feet Sports Go Short, Go Long, Go Very Long 25k 01/2015, Rock and Roll New Orleans Half Marathon 01/2015, Fleet Feet Sports Sweetheart Run 15k 02/2015, Go Girl Run Half Marathon 03/2015 and that is just the beginning!!

I found this bad boy on clearance sale at Target the other day!

I've wanted a kettle bell for some time now. I used it for upright rows the other day and it was awesome! I can't wait to use it for goblet squats, etc. I'll be perusing Pinterest and the interwebs now looking for kettlebell exercises!!

I followed up my workout with a protein shake this morning and this delicious treat from KIND snacks

 I was intrigued when they introduced these savory bars. I've been wanting to try them and I'm absolutely IN LOVE!!  They all have 10 grams of protein. I think the jalapeno is my favorite but I haven't tried the Thai chili or the smokey BBQ yet. KIND snacks is supposed to be at the Route 66 Marathon Expo this year, so maybe they'll have samples.And, speaking of the expo, I'm working it this morning, so I guess I better go get ready. Have a fabulous Friday #fitfam and a wonderful weekend!!

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!  Whatever you decide to do today, make it count!!

Your friend,

Theresa

What are you planning to do this weekend??
Have you ever worked out with kettlebells??

Thursday Thoughts

Howdy, Howdy y'all!!

I've missed you!!

Its been a crazy busy hectic week, but it's almost over. This is my Friday!!  WOOHOO!!

This weekend is going to be a crazy, busy exciting weekend! And I CAN NOT WAIT!!  It's Route 66 Marathon and Half Marathon weekend. I'm running the half again this year. It was my first half and this will be the 4th time for me to run it. It will be my #13 half marathon.....lucky 13!!  I'm really excited about it this time. I don't really have a goal time in mind (a 2:20 PR would be nice though) It might be a little bit wet, but at least it should be warmer than it was last year!!  I've perfected my running nutrition. I've recently switched to Humagels. These things are amazing!!  They don't have the disgusting texture that most other gels have. And, I've also started carrying a mix of gummy bears/Skittles for a quick burst of energy. I've tweaked my playlist and I've got a pretty good idea of what I'm going to wear. Even if I set my race dummy out the night before, it is always subject to change based on the weather or if my mood changes, etc,

I think that I might have hubs interested in running/walking again. He hasn't really done much since his knee surgery last year. I think he misses it. Last weekend, I took him with me for our last training run. He was going to walk the park while we did our 8 miles, but we talked him into joining us for 1-2 miles, then he turned around and went back to the store to wait for us to finish. He was really pleased with himself. I've got to encourage him to keep moving, so I'm signing him up for a 5k next month. My friends want to go back to St Louis to run the Hot Chocolate 15k. I told hubs that he might as well do the 5k while he is waiting for us to finish. The cool thing is the 15k and the 5k follow the same course for the first couple of miles, so he'll get to be with me.....well, for a little while anyways!

We're still on the Body Beast bulk phase right now. I've noticed changes in my ability to lift heavier and I'm seeing that I'm building some muscle. I'm still not seeing as much change in my stomach as I would like to see and I'm trying not to eat so much crap but clearly, something isn't working. So, after next week, I'm going to try the Team Beachbody 3 Day Refresh. I'm not really a fan of cleanses, but I need to do something to help reset my diet and nutrition. I'm hoping with the holidays coming up, that it will help me to clean up my diet even more and resist all the damn holiday treats!! 

Ok, so that's all I've got for now! Here are a couple of  #TBT pics from the 2012 and 2013 #rt66run. And, Happy National Hug a Runner Day!!

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!!  Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Updates

Howdy, howdy y'all!

 

It's been a while! I really miss being able to connect with everyone on a daily basis. 

 

Let me bring you up to speed on what I've been up to lately. Immediately after I agreed to the schedule changes I mentioned previously,  one of my co-workers went on medical leave and has subsequently resigned. With me working only  Sunday -  Tuesday,  that left our department short staffed on weekdays.  So,  my boss asked if I would stay on I hour shifts through the holidays.  She plans to have an additional staff member hired and trained by then. Since I have the luxury of being a little flexible,  I  agreed.  It makes it difficult for me to keep up with daily posts,  but I'll try to do my best to post more frequently.

 

Since my last posting,  my Pathways group has compete their goal race,  the  Tulsa Run 15k. Race day was an unusually warm day for October.  The forecasted big temperature was in the  high 80's -  90 degrees!  I knew that was going to be a challenge.  I chose to use my Nathan minimist hydration vest as there were water so issues last year.  We met so a group at  Fleet Feet  Sports Tulsa for photos then made our way to the start line.  I planned to try to beat my previous 15 PR time of  1:45.  I helped my runners find the appropriate place groups for them,  then  I went in search of the 1:40 pacer.  I found  her and decided to start behind her but in front of the  1:45 pacer.  As the gun sounded,  I immediately regretted not stopping for a Porta potty one last time.  We weren't even a mile into the race and is already drenched in sweat.  I passed up the  McDonald's and a Panera Bread store hoping the urge to use the rest room would pass.  It did not.  By mile 4, I caught up to the  1:40 pacer.  I was keeping pace with them just fine,  but I couldn't wait for the rest room any longer.  I had to stop at mile  4.5 for the porta let. After about a 3 minute  delay,  I wood and running again.  I lost the 1:40 pacer but was still ahead of the 1:45 pace group.  I managed this page until about mile 7 when we were in direct sun.  There was no shade or breeze.  The heat was wearing me down.  I walked most of mile 8. Somewhere around this time,  I spotted the  1:45 pacer.  I kept thinking that if I could stay just ahead of him,  I would still PR.  We leap frogged from mile 8 to  mile  9. Finally,  at mile 9, I decided this just wasn't my day and changed my focus to just finishing.  I felt tired  and didn't really have anything left in the tank.  I finished with an official time of 1:46 but   by my  Garmin my finish time  was 1:43. I was OK with this.  There was no water at the finish,  which was  a big problem as over heating and dehydration were real concerns that day.  I probably will not run the  Tulsa Run again,  but I'm glad that I had this experience.

 

Now that they've completed their goal race, some have decided to continue training for the Route 66 half marathon, which is now 2 weeks away. We extended the training/coaching for those who wanted to go on. This is the second year that I've coached the "Path to Half" training. Our last long run before the half marathon was this past Saturday. I was nervous as it was the longest run for me in 8 months. The weather was a little bit cool to start with a strong breeze but it turned out to be a beautiful day. And, it was the best run I've had in quite some time!!  We did 12.5 miles in about 2:40. They were worried about finishing under 3 hours, but I don't think that will be a problem for them. I think that 2:45 is more realistic and completely doable. We tried to run most of the race route so that they would know what to expect. It's going to be a very hilly course!!  I'm excited that we won't be on the flat of Riverside Drive as long as we usually are. I don't know why exactly, but that's always the hardest part for me. I still haven't committed to the race yet. I'm reluctant to sign up and pay $90 because the weather was so bad last year and its looking like a repeat of that again this year. I think that I'll give it 1 more day before I fully commit. ;-)

 

Hubs and I are still doing the Body Beast program. We're in the bulk phase now. I'm still enjoying it. I think that I'm going to have to start increasing my weights if I want to see more growth.

 

And, as always, I'm still struggling to clean my diet up. My issue is sweet treats. I wish I could just say no, but I love them too much!!  I'm going to try to really back off on the sugar intake this week and if that doesn't work, then I'm going to do a cleanse/sugar detox the week after Thanksgiving. I'll keep you updated.

 

So, that's what's up lately. I'll try to check in at least 1-2 more times this week. Hopefully, I can get back to regular posts soon.

 

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you do today, make it ridiculously amazing!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa

Friday Follow Up

TGIF folks! Woohoo for finally Friday!! Even though I'm off work today, I'm still glad it's Friday!

I'm enjoying the new work schedule so far. I was especially thankful for the break from work this week. I got sucked into a workplace drama vortex of astronomical proportions and it has been quite the ordeal!!  I guess I must be kind of a Pollyanna, because I just expect that people will always do the right thing for the right reason and be kind to one another. Every now and then though, the hateful side of people rears its ugly head and it is almost more than I can bear! I typically try to avoid those situations but I got brought into this one by default as I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I so badly wanted to just tell them all "it's not my circus, not my monkeys"! I think the worst of it has blown over now and hopefully when I return next week, it will be forgotten!!

 

This is the final week of Pathways, with the Tulsa Run 15k being tomorrow. I'm so proud of my group! They started strong and finished strong! They endured heat, humidity, rain, wrong turns, etc and still stuck it out!!  Their longest run (9 miles) was in the rain. Our maps quickly turned to mush that day, so we had to wing it on the route a little bit. They were probably annoyed but they took it in stride with grace!!  Last Saturday, they did Golf Ball Hill which has become a rite of passage for Pathwayers. It is a long, fairly steep hill with an elevation of 800-ish ft. At the top of the hill sits a water tower that resembles a golf ball on a tee, hence the name. There may have been a couple of wrong turns that day as well, but I plied them with mimosas at the end of the run to keep them reasonably happy! And tomorrow, they will run with perseverance the race that is laid before them like the champs that they are!!  Last night was our last run as a group. We tried to keep it fun and light hearted but I couldn't help feeling a little bit somber and somewhat melancholy. They've been such a fun group to work with. 3 of my girls gave me a really sweet card and QT gift card that will help fuel my sweet tea addiction for a while!  I can't wait to line up at the start line with them!! I've got the 12:00 min/mile group but we have anywhere from 11:45 - 13:00 minute/mile runners. And, until this week, they have been running intervals. My plan is to start at about an 11:45 with them but my goal finish time is 1:40 so I will need to maintain an 11:15-11:20. I don't plan to run intervals either. I run until my body feels like it needs a break, then I walk for a few seconds and run again. The weather is going to be quite warm for October and this is a new route, so I'm just hoping for the best really, but a shiny new PR would be nice!!

 

 

Hubs and I have been consistently strength training. I was a little pressed for time when I got home from work on Monday night. I wanted to workout but didn't want to spend an hour doing it, so we tried the BodyBeast Bulk Chest. Holy sore pecs Batman!!  The bulk workouts are no joke!!  They are about 30-35 minutes in length. They incorporate the same super sets and drop sets as the build phase but there is less rest between sets. There is more stress/tension on the muscles therefore we should see some serious growth soon!! 

I'm still trying to clean my diet up but I just like sweet treats too much!!  I'm going to try a couple of different things for the next couple of weeks to see if I notice any difference. Cross your fingers for me!!

Ok, that's all I've got for today! Until next time--get up, get out and get moving!!  Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Its Been A While

Good morning folks!!

It's been a little while since I last posted, so I thought I would pop in and catch up.

I hope that you've all been doing well.

My life has been a little busy, hectic and unpredictable lately, hence the lack of posting. I've trying to get to work earlier therefore I've had less time for posting. It really started a couple of months ago at work when my work assignment was changed. There was a mistake and a misunderstanding. Consequently, I was reassigned. I was removed from the unit that I had worked on for 2.5 years. I felt like I had built good relationships there and I was devastated when the change was made. I was hurt and I was angry! I was now the "float" case manager, meaning I didn't have a "home". I would just go fill in where there was a need. I often don't know my work assignment until the morning of sometimes. It felt like I was being rejected, like I was just an after-thought. I got up and kept going to work because I didn't know what else to do.  I tried to be as positive as possible while I pursued other options. I applied for a transfer to another department and got it. But, along the way, something else happened. I began to realize that I enjoyed working with and getting to know other co-workers. I realized that working my 8 hours and going home, not having to own any of the drama wasn't so bad after all.

Well, my boss must have picked up on this. She called me into her office and said "you seem a lot happier since you've been reassigned. What can I do to keep you in the department?" I didn't really have an idea, but I told her that I would like a permanent assignment as soon as she had one available. She then told me about some changes that are in the works for our department. I told her I would consider staying. Several days later, after much consideration, I told her I would stay. My co-workers have been so supportive during all of this and that's the primary reason I chose to stay. Then, last Friday at our staff meeting, we were discussing the future changes to our department and the subject of weekend coverage came up. We were brain storming about how we could cover the weekends with the staff that we have currently when someone suggested that she could work 4 10 hour shifts from Wednesday - Saturday. The boss said "we just need someone to cover Sunday - Tuesday and that could work" I used to work 3 12 hour shifts Sun, Mon, and Tues and loved it! I immediately piped up and said that I would do it. So, effective next Sunday, I will work 3 12 hour shifts, Sunday - Tuesday. I will have 4 days off every week. I'm so excited that I almost can't stand it!!  Now, I will be able to pursue the personal trainer certification that I've been wanting to pursue but haven't had the time!!

What I've learned from all of this is that sometimes you have to give up the good to go for the great!

And in other news, hubs and I are negotiating on a house at our favorite lake!! I'll post more on this later when it's a done deal but it would be amazing to be able to live full time at our happy place!

I've been keeping up with my Pathways running group. Saturday, we did 9 miles in the rain. It was our last long run before the Tulsa Run 15k. This week, we begin to taper.

I'm also trying to keep up with my cross training on a routine basis. And I'm still eating about 80% clean. Last night, I meal prepped ground turkey, turkey burgers, quinoa, sautéed veggies: tomatoes, onion, peppers, mushrooms, baked sweet potatoes, and hard boiled eggs. I do fairly well with my nutrition most days, I just wish I didn't like treats so much!!  I need someone to follow me around and slap me really hard when I pick up something crappy to eat!!  Any volunteers??

Ok, that's all for now.

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving. Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Workout Wednesday--October Goals

Hello y'all!

 

Happy first day of October!

 

 

I've been super busy since our last visit!

 

My Pathways group is ramping up their mileage in anticipation of their goal race,  the Tulsa Run 15k.  We've increased our intervals to 10:1 and our pace to 12:00 minutes/mile. We've  had some pretty good hill training recently.  They  really dislike hills, I think! I have heard quite a bit of grumbling from some of them.  ;)  But,  overall, they are doing a great job! This has been one of the most enjoyable groups I've had the opportunity to work with.  I hope some of them are planning to run the Route 66 half marathon.  I have run it for the past 3 years. I wasn't really going to run it this year  but they have  changed the route again so I think that I'll go ahead and do it. I just hope the weather is better than last year. It was  so cold that it wasn't an enjoyable run at all!

 

Last night, before our run, I stepped on the scale at  Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa. I really can't recall the last time I weighed myself. I'm not really sure what I was expecting.  I haven't lost any weight. Actually, I might have gained 2 or 3 pounds. I was surprised when I saw  127.8 on the scale. Usually a 2 or 3 pound gain makes me feel fluffy.  But, not this time.  My clothes don't feel any tighter. As a matter of fact,  they may be a little more loose. I've been trying to watch my macros and keep my diet "clean" for the most part.  I plan and prepare, but I have a difficult time curbing my late day snacking. Somedays, I want sweets and other days I want crunchy and salty.  I know if I cleaned up my diet even more,  I'd see the results that I'm wanting to see. But in the meanwhile,  until I learn to kick the snacking for good,  I'll keep doing what I'm doing and just trust the process! Obviously, its working!

 

A new month means new goals!

 

This month, I'm planning to clean up my diet even more. I'm hoping to reduce my "treats" from a daily occurrence to 1or 2 times/week.

 

I've been better about doing my cross training / strength training.  And I'm planning to continue this trend for October.  My goal is to workout at least 5 times  / week.  I'm still doing the Body Beast and plan to continue it.

 

Sometimes,  time is a factor when it comes to working out. The  BB workouts are about  40 minutes each.  I'm always  looking for things to do if I'm pressed for time.  And that brings us the W.O.D for this Workout Wednesday.  I got this from one of my friends at work.  He said it's pretty intense. I'm eager to try it!  Check it out and let me know what you think!

 

 

Until next time - - get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you decide to do today, be awesome at it!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa

 

What are your fitness/nutrition goals for this month?

Workout Wednesday & Active Nation Day

Good morning folks!!

I hope that you're having a wonderful week so far. We're halfway there!!

We're having some fabulous early fall weather here and I'm loving it!!  The lower humidity makes for some wonderful running weather!!  Last night, Pathways did a 3.5 mile recovery run. They are such a great group to work with!!  After the run, I came home and did the 21 Day Fix Lower Fix workout. I felt really out of shape! Those squats kicked my butt, literally!!  I was sweating profusely! It was just more reinforcement for me that I need to continue to cross train consistently to build up my endurance and stamina.

Tonight, hubs and I are scheduled to do BB Build Back and Biceps. 

Its no secret that upper body, especially shoulders, is my favorite body part to work out. And my poor, sad little triceps need a lot of work!!  So, today, I've got an upper body workout for you. You can do this routine anywhere, home or gym. All you need is a set of heavy weights and a set of light weights. And you will need either a chair or bench for tricep  dips. Choose weights that are challenging but not uncomfortable so that you don't get injured. This is a good, quick routine in case you're pressed for time because it only takes about 25 minutes. It's easy to add to your current routine or can stand alone.

This Sunday, September 28 is Active Nation Day. Since I'm going out of town for personal business this weekend, I'll get me #Active on by running 7 miles with my group on Saturday morning. What is Active Nation Day?? Active Nation Day is a movement created in 2012 by Lorna Jane to help women live an authentic and active life. On 28 September 2014, we’ll be hosting events all over the world, where sporty sisters can learn and take part in a specially choreographed fitness routine. In just three years, the Active Nation Day sisterhood has collectively moved over eight million kilometres together. – that’s 21 times to the moon! And with this year marking Active Nation Day’s global debut, that number is set to soar.

Here's how you can participate:

Download the new LornaJane app to help keep you motivated and inspired!You can download the LornaJane app here:  iTunes app store or at Google Play. This awesome app is designed to help keep you inspired to follow Lorna Jane’s mantras of Move, Nourish, and Believe. To Move, you can choose from a long list of fitness choices, and the app will help you track your activity.  Nourishing yourself is easy, find information, encouragement and delicious recipes on the Nourish tab, and if you need more inspiration, updating the Believe page will offer up a variety of motivational quotes.

Move!! LornaJane has their own dance move for Active Nation Day. You can learn the LJ Move, share it on social media for a chance to win a $1,000 Lorna Jane Gift Card. To enter to win a $1,000 gift card to Lorna Jane Active remember to take a photo or video of you (and your friends if you want), doing the LJ Move. Post it to Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and be sure to use the hashtags #ActiveNationDay and #LJMove. Then tag your friends and invite them to try out the LJ Move themselves!  Here are the #LJMove Contest Terms and Conditions.



Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

How will you get active on Active Nation Day, September 28 2014??