Hey gang! Just a quick post tonight to talk about two recent runs that made me VERY happy. :D

1) On Thursday I’d been on day 3 of a GRUMPY streak and I was NOT feeling a workout at all… but then, the SUN came out…

 

oh…

And we needed bread.

 

Luckily, the grocery store is a super speedy 1 mile (almost exactly to the hundredth of a mile!) from our front door, and I figured a 2 mile jaunt would do me some good.

It was cold, but I bundled up ready to run.

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About .25 into my run, I began to wonder how I was going to get that bread home… cradle the bag like a baby? Stuff it into my jacket? Swing the grocery sack at my side like a crazy person??

I was in and out of the store in about 2 minutes, and knew what I had to do, BREAD PAPOOSE!!

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My bundle of joy and I were home lickity split, and I also set a new mile PR with my speediest mile yet, 9:55!

2) This afternoon (Sunday), I set out for a 4 mile run… I was a little anxious, cause it is the longest distance I’d attempted in a while, but I know that out and backs are my preferred method, so I planned a great 2 mile jaunt along a fairly busy street.

I felt like I was just in a zone… a true runner’s high. While I was driving past the cars on the road, I was actively and honestly GRINNING from ear to ear… I mean a huge KELSEY smile (and if you know me, you know that is a pretty huge smile) and I ended up running a great pace, and very strong and steady 4 miles. I finished in 44:12 for an 11:02 pace, and walked for half a mile afterwards to cool down.

Now I’m happily chilling in my recovery socks. :D

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Another thing that I learned on this evening’s run is that while out and backs are my favorite method, I always go past my half way point… like, if my nike+ or garmin says, “half way point” I always go past that, at least a quarter mile or so, so that when I get back, There is no doubt that I’ll be DONE when I get back to my starting point/home… Few things annoy me more than wanting to do a 3 mile run, and getting to my front door at 2.98 miles and having to lap the cul-de-sac!! ARGH.

Does anyone else do that?? Leave me a comment if that rings a bell! :D

You’ve also got a few hours left to enter my Dr. Kracker giveaway! Good luck! :)

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Hey gang,

I took a short vlog after my very first training run for the Dallas Rock n Roll half marathon!

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I mentioned that some of you would be stoked for another vlog, and some would think I’m a dope, but its okay… I think it is fun…

And it can be easier than typing all the time!!

Here ya go!

 

Training run stats:

1.76 mi / 00:19 10:46 pace

Total training miles to date:

1.76 mi

 

Talk to you guys later! :D

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Hey gang…

I hope you all had an amazing thanksgiving (if you’re in America!) ;) And I hope you’re making the most of this holiday season. :)

I was supposed to be “off” for thanksgiving break, but as could be expected, vacation was spent being super busy, and bustling about in a holiday stupor. My MIL came in town on Wednesday and I’ve been go, go, go, ever since!

turkey

On Thursday, we went to my Grams house for thanksgiving dinner, which was absolutely delish. I had been looking forward to having a holiday meal in moderation, which I managed to do pretty well… (I enjoyed some turkey, potatoes, yams, green beans, cranberry sauce-which I lovingly prepared, and fruit salad) but I have to confess… that is when things went a little wrong.

Somehow, with company staying at our house, I went a little food crazy… and for pretty much every meal except thanksgiving dinner, I overate, and threw all caution to the wind. I haven’t eaten this badly in a LONG, LONG time. I might even say that I was binging for the past few days, and it has been a LONG time since my emotional eating was this out of control.

In the interest of full disclosure, lemme tell you about my crazy eats this week. :-/

  • Wed. Dinner- Fuddruckers turkey burger with fries
  • Thurs. Lunch- Thanksgiving food… and pie.
  • Fri. Lunch- Urban Crust pizza with my mom (a fire baked pizza with chicken, mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, caramelized onions, and truffle oil)
  • Fri. Dinner-Thai food including a thai tea, spring roll, lettuce wrap, and a coconut milk/chicken/yellow curry dish FOLLOWED by a spot of frozen yogurt @ yogurt story.
  • Sat. Lunch- Chicken enchiladas (no cheese) and tomatillo sauce from Blue Goose Cantina
  • Sat. Dinner- Chicken Express Chicken strips bonanza and a barrel of authentic southern sweet tea
  • Sun. Lunch- A piece of fried fish and mac and cheese from a crappy fast food sea food place…

To top it all off, I didn’t lift ONE finger or foot, as I’d planned in an effort to counter those calories…

THIS was when I finally went, WOA. STOP.

as american as...

I have to say, friends, that I definitely buckled under some of the stresses and emotions that crop up during the holiday season.

I felt overwhelmed, tired, stressed, and alone… even while surrounded by my wonderful family and friends

Have you ever had a tumble off the proverbial wagon, that made you think you couldn’t get back on?

I’m so glad that I’ve learned a few things over the past year. Things that make me encouraged, and not defeated.

1. I am not the product of one bad decision.

2. It is NEVER too late, or too hard, or not worth it to make one tiny little choice that puts you back on track. (I’m reminded every time I look at my wrist)

3. I have to be kind to myself. So, I made some poor choices, and I gave into some negative thoughts and feelings… but I can DO ANYTHING… I have to love myself, and support my self through the tough times too.

It is easy to love yourself and feel good when you’re doing everything right. It’s a lot tougher to love yourself, when you feel like you’re your own greatest obstacle.

I’m feeling a lot better, and have made a couple of committments to help me stay on track for the last month of the Holiday Challenge!

To start things off, I registered tonight for something special…

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What better way to reclaim the promises I’ve made to myself than by starting training this week!! I’ve been looking forward to training for a couple of weeks, and I’m so excited that it starts this week! This should be awesome (and hard) but really rewarding.

Also, I’m going to count calories via Lose It! again for a while… (this is the iphone app which has recently launched a website too!)

(If you’re on loseit! add me as a friend! The email address that I use there is kelseytoney @ gmail.com)

Anyway, I think this blog post was long enough. :) I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow. :D

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Vlog = Video + Blog

I actually do have TONS to blog about, but work has been crazy, and I won’t have time to catch up on all the goodies until this weekend.

Instead, I’ll leave you with this brief vlog that I made during a 3 mile run on Wednesday night before my tennis lesson.

Please leave me a comment so I don’t feel like such a doofus.

I <3 you Danica, girlie!! :D
Go visit my inspiration, www.chicrunner.com

Well, Remember that time I used to run? haha.

Well, at the beginning of the year I went from barely being able to run for 30 seconds, to running 3 miles using the Couch to 5k program. It is an AMAZING program, and one that I recommend to all new runners, or people new to fitness, or to girls who just want to be able to finish a 5k without thinking that they’re going to have to be carted off the course after the .5 mile marker.

Anyway, I continued to work, building my way up eventually to one, gloriously difficult 5 mile run.

Then, things got in the way, it was the end of the school year, it was my last semester of grad school, it was time for summer internship, it was time to pack for my trip to Spain, and basically… running began to take a back burner.

That isn’t to say I didn’t stay active, I still did yoga, elliptical, and other random ventures like tennis… But I managed to convince myself to stick to that easy, comfy 3 miles and stop pushing.

I spoke to the ladies on the message board to corroborate my story. “I like running 3 miles. Three miles is fun and easy. Three miles makes me feel good. Three miles is meditative, and relaxing. So, basically, there isn’t any reason for me to try to run more.”

Now, to be fair, training for greater distances DID freak me out, but, duh, yea… that’s cause its HARD.

Doi.

Anyway, I’ve watched some of my peers, and fellow couch to 5k grads, like the lovely Jess of Let’s Get Fit, and Katie of Life in the Fulmer Lane (in a few weeks)  take on the 13.1… and I’m ready.

I am officially in training for the Dallas Rock ‘n’ Roll Half. :D

The old, lazy, frightened Kelsey is the one who would quit training because the easy way is more fun. The new me is going to take it head on. So… Wish me luck, but more than luck, wish me determination, focus, and resolve… because I’ll need that much more.

Have you run a half marathon? What training plan did you use?

 

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