lifestyle

No longer a "dread-mill"...

Alright.. so I didn't quite do my entire workout on that "tread-mill" but started off with almost 3 miles on the track and then the rest on the treadmill... but I have to say, it's my first time on that thing since it rained back in July?  I was also inspired by another avid runner, Ms. Rebecca, who posted on her facebook status, that today was her first time back on the treadmill after running on tracks and outdoors all this time... so that pushed me to at least try.  And I have to say.. it was quite.. pleasant. Now, I'm not sure, if it's because I was watching my son scrimmage that made it all that more interesting.. but it did take away from the time passing on that "thing".  And when I got off, I was quite pleased.. so I may have to do another split run.. some on the track and then switch it up a notch on the that "dread-mill"  err, I mean, treadmill.

Enjoyed our time at the gym.. I say OUR because the whole fam-bam went.. and my Izzy rocked the track, that girl went 3 times around! I love how she just wants to play sports.. she was quite bummed that we didn't have room downstairs to shoot hoops or play soccer.. 

Another great rhytym, but I forgot to turn on my Nike Plus while on the treadmill.. ugh.  

7'34"

A little over 2 miles in 16 minutes!

I was just pretty stoked that I was able to keep an average of 7'34" per mile speed... which is the quickest I've ran since I started. (My little device, congratulated me for a new record set).  I'm not sure what it was about this session, but I was in my element. 

Lately I've been exercising when I can and half the time I forget my little Nike device or my ipod's battery is dead.. I've been debating whether to create a log of entries of what I've done for the day or back to a routine schedule. But with the boys schedule, I find myself out of this house more than in it.. So I'll wait till one of my son's basketball season is over and begin a more regular schedule. For now I'm just enjoying my workouts and a couple of new pair of jeans as incentive to keep doing what I'm doing!

Lately...

I've been exercising more with hubby rather than solo. I've joined his PT schedules and exercising with him and his co-workers at the end of their work day. The time works for me right now, with me already being at the gym in the evening hours for my son's basketball practices.  

Turkey Day is over and I'm not disappointed that I did not stuff my face :)  But I did eat too much "Sweet Potato Casserole".  Keep me away from the sweets, for sure! 

 

Studs.

On my shoes that is.

Finally made it down to my favorite shoe store, Skinny Raven today... dying to know more about running out there in the cold, snow, and ice... and as usual I got tons of help and options. Being the novice runner (but an obsessed one, I may add) that I am... I needed to learn more.  Because I'll be damned if I have to resort to the gym, till April or even May!  I don't expect anyone to understand that urgency I have to get out there and run amongst the open road, breathing that fresh air, seeing the snow covered mountains, and feeling that wind across my face... It's crazy, I realize that.. but then I see men/women braving it out there on the trails this weekend, I know, I am not the only one.  (On our last shoot this past weekend, I saw two women, running side by side, and braving it in the snow). That made me do a 180, camera in hand, and I found myself, practically drooling over them, turned green with envy all over.  My sweet client asked me if I was okay... and I went into a 5 minute rant on how I am dying to get out and run again. She was so sweet to just nod her head in agreement.

First option was to purchase these (insert drool) shoes that are made for exactly what I'm going to do, and that is run in the ice/snow, a pair of Icebugs.... for $150
 

 

I was this close to just diving in and dropping all that cash.. But with the holidays coming up, I just couldn't.. But it's on that Santa List of mine, for sure.

Second Option, is to purchase those removable spikes/traction devices (the kind I use on my shoes on an icy day) for about $30.. not bad. But I do not like the idea that they may "slip-off" or shift while running. But it's an option.

Third option is having Skinny Raven place "screws" on your favorite running shoes. They insert carbide tip studs into your shoes for about $20. 

And that third option is exactly what my hubby did.. that day.  How convienent for him to have his spare running shoes in the truck... I did not.  And even if I did, I debated all day on which shoe I would use to put those studs in. And I came to a conclusion... it's going on my new shoes.  I just love them to death and would rather run outdoors with them than my older ones.  It's better on my knees as well. And when spring/summer comes, I will purchase another pair of Brooks, for srue!  I will keep my older ones (well my Nikes were not that old) for the gym. So that's it.. studs will be placed tomorrow and I will get to test them, first hand this weekend.  As the temps are slowly heating up (a whopping 25-30 degrees) if that's what you call heating up... and more runners are getting out and about, I'm ready and anxiously awaiting. I will definelty let you know, how that first experience goes. For now, the excitiment is slowly brewing inside of me...

Hitting the gym.

I've found it rather convenient that my son has practices twice a week at the gym. So while he practices for an hour or so, I'm up on the track (running in circles) and hitting the weights.

Right now, it's all about maintaining for me and inspiring hubby to do the same. I realize that we are a team, and when I'm on it, so is he. When I slip, so will he. 

On Monday hubby and I decided to get the kids all settled in before we hit the gym. It was late at night, 9:30 when we got there and I joined him on some sprint runs. (I really didn't know how to calculate this run on my Nike Plus, so that threw me off :)  Hubby is now training with someone who is giving him an exercise regime which he shares with me... and we do it together.  It's nice getting back into the swing of things, somewhat.  I'm still dying to head out for a run. I haven't had time to make it to Skinny Ravens to install those studs in my shoes.  But it's definitely on my To Do List. 

Until then, you can find us at the gym late at night ;)

Crazy 28

... degrees that is.

It's crazy that after a long photo shoot and being completely exhausted, I still made it out for my Sunday run.  Mind you, we set our clocks one hour back, so as the clock read 4pm, it really was 5pm.. and it did feel like early evening out there. We set out for our run, the sun was starting to set on one side and that gorgeous moon shined on the other. It still is crazy how you literally see sun on one side and turn the other cheek and there you have the moon.

Needless to say, I threw on my gear, even though that little voice in the back of my mind, said "Are you crazy, it is in the 20's out there!" And with that I put on my beanie and North Face Gloves on!  The craziest part was hubby decided to join me on a whim!  I even said, "Are you sure you are up for this, it is frigid cold out there?" 

We did.. venture out in that bitter 28 degree.

I bet you're dying to know, what running in nail-biting weather feels like? 
Well, to sum it up in one word: "Torture"  (but for me.. it was worth it)
The first few minutes, I always have that inner voice talking back to me "Girl, are you crazy?" Then I hit play on my iPod, and that little voice gets left behind!
My fingers are the first to start freezing, I constantly have to move them around, to get the blood flowing.  Then there's the war between my lungs and that cold air.  That alone is a challenge in itself. But I'm glad I've been running out in the cooler temps for a while, cause I don't feel it as much as it does to hubby.  I usually get into my rhythm after mile 1.  It really is all downhill after that. And I get in my zone, drifting off into my music. My music list is a big part of my runs, I get lost in them, and it helps keep my "booty going boom, boom, boom".  

 
I told my son to take a few pics of me and hubby getting ready for a run to record on my Week In My Life, but does a teenager listen? No.. so he recorded us getting ready instead... not much going on but us walking out the door and listening to our neighbors.

Oh no, Snow!

I dragged hubby with me on yesterday's run (thanks babe!)  I'm sure there were 10 million other things he wanted to do besides run out there in freezing temps while the sun was setting... but he's a trooper, he came anyway!  It meant a lot..

It's coming.. that white stuff has already fallen (not sticking just yet) but soon it will...

And the only thing on my mind is ...

Which shoe do I install those studs in so I can run in the snow?  The new ones? Or old ones? Ugh, choices, choices.. 

I say snow... Bring it on! 

I'm quite excited actually.. I have to say, I've never ran in snow before!  What can I say.. I like the challenge..

modeRation.

Recently someone asked what my eating habits were like, as I sat there and ate yogurt for lunch. I chuckled thinking, I hope she doesn't think I eat like this all the time :)  Truth is, I eat crap too and I enjoy it.  I think the keyword is MODERATION. 

In the beginning of my journey, I was very strict about what went in my mouth, almost to the point where I clearly was not eating enough. And all of a sudden my desire to eat healthier became an obsession. This obsession led me to challenge myself physically and mentally to the point where with each pound I lost, I needed to double it the next time. Then came a point where nothing I did was enough. I looked in the mirror and constantly felt "fat".  Even though I was the slimmest I'd ever been since I was a teenager and finally rockin' size 2's..  It wasn't enough.  Clearly the strict diet was bringing more harm than good. 

It took a few bites here and there to allow me to believe that it was okay to introduce chips or even a piece of candy back into my life. Then as the summer came, parents visited, we ate out all the time... and I slacked big time. I ate as I pleased and as with any guilty pleasure, I really enjoyed it all. Then I stepped on that scale and I noticed it didn't budge at all and I was convinced that I was okay. As long as I exercised a few times a week, I realized, I was gonna be fine.

That little slacking I went through brought me down, but at the same time, it's exactly what I needed. It was reminder that I did not have to completely deprive myself of the foods I once loved, or be a workout monger to stay fit.  As long as I ate them in moderation and workout a few times a week is all I needed.

And that's where I'm at right now. I enjoy cooking big dinners for the family and pumpkin pies. I think counting calories in the beginning of my journey helped my body to realize "enough is enough" or that an apple over french fries would suffice. Starting strict has helped me stray from fast food.  I have not touched McDonald's since then and it doesn't faze me at all.

So, one day you may see me eating a yogurt with granolas for lunch one day or a big ol' Philly Cheesesteak and Garlic Teriyaki Wings from Straight Outta Philly the next... All in moderation and with a decent amount of workout in between.

24,615th place

When I logged my run in the other day.. I was surprised to see I placed on this Human Race 10K :)
 

 

Out of 86,799 challengers apparently I finished at 24,615...

Now I'm thinking.. if I only paid a little more attention to this site, I would've known and worked a little harder :)  Of course, now I'm looking up all sorts of challenges.  

8 miles in 38 degrees

This will be me.. probably in a few days.. I thought about this on my long run today.  What will I do when that snow comes falling?  Sure I will take my run indoors and work out at the gym.  And my girlfriend told me about the Sports Dome, that would be great to run on.  But... But... I really LOVE the outdoors. Something about being outside (constantly working indoors can become tiresome) that I just need that fresh air, despite the colder temps!

So I'm stocking up and spending way too much money at Sports Authority (they must love us there, I swear we drop several hundred bucks with each visit) for Cold Gear.  I really LOVE the ones from Under Armour (I found some of the Nike ones to be too thin for me). But these are awesome.  There are different types of Cold Gear stemming from 1.0-3.0 (3 being the thickest, warmest gear).. so they are completely versatile!

 

Today's run was a reminder that "technology" isn't so dependable all the time. I just about freaked out when I hit my center button of my iPod to find out my pace, because I felt like I was keeping up with that 7'50" pace that I set out 10 minutes earlier. To not hear my "lady" voice telling me how far I've gone.  I kept running and hit again.. and I got nothing!!  "Damn it!"  I stopped in the "forest" (I call it forest, it really is just a trail surrounded by dead trees!)  And I looked at my iPod and my Nike Plus was not tracking anything!  What?  There was no solid proof of my 2 miles that I already did at such an awesome pace?  What!!  Well, I originally set out for a quick run, (to the bridge and back), but now that I have to restart my Nike Plus, I just had to go even farther! 

So this run landed me to the Post Road Gate.  It was a nice LONG run.  I enjoyed it.. cold and all :) So this 6 mile run is really like an 8 mile run :)

 

I felt really confident after this run.. there are some workouts where you go cause you "need" to go, and some you just come out of it, exhilarated!  My cadence was awesome throughout the entire run, stuck to it, sang my heart out while running, and may have even thrown in a few dance moves ;)

 

Been feeling really good on the workout front.. learning the art of balance is always a struggle but a learning experience.  That excuse of "not having enough time" is simply saying "I'd rather not make time".. I've also learned that in order to move forward, I have to let go of "negative-vibes" that only pulled me down.  I've learned that when you surround yourself with the "positives" it makes a huge impact on your outlook in life and inspire you to continue to grow as a person.