Back to work (sorta)…

June 14, 2009
Back to work (sorta)…

Well, tomorrow, I go back to “work” tomorrow. I’m not mad about it, actually, I’m pretty excited. I know that I’ll have the opportunity to learn a lot, and I know that it won’t be that bad.

See, tomorrow, I start my summer internship. In order for me to graduate in August, I have to log a bunch of hours of field experience. While it is a little bit backwards (because I already have 3 years of teaching experience under my belt), it is still part of the process. So, tomorrow, I’ll go in and assist a teacher, as she prepares for summer school which starts on Tuesday.

It will be kinda cool to be an assistant, because I’ve never been in that role in the classroom before. I just hope that I can be helpful.

In other news, time is REALLY flying towards Spain… I’m working to get my to do list fully fleshed out, but there are so many different facets of that to do list, I keep getting distracted. :)

There are a bunch of lists, but they fall into specific categories…

  • Packing stuff
  • Conference stuff
  • Itinerary stuff
  • Traumatic Brain Injury Class stuff
  • Internship stuff
  • Before-I-leave stuff
  • Money stuff
  • Fitness stuff (10k RACE IS ON JULY 4!!)

Basically, I just want to get it all done in time. I’m sure I will, but I definitely will be summoning my very best organizational skills to manage it all!

One more thing, I was going through the “tennis day” pictures from my 20 lbs progress picture post, and I found one I meant to share with you. I should explain and disclaim that I am not a tennis player… my sweet husband is, but I merely go to try my best. :) With that in mind, d always tries to teach me tennis skills, and while I’ve improved a lot, there are still areas that I am painfully bad at… Case in point, this sweet shot was captured when I attempted a serve… badly.

Please note where I’m looking, where my racquet is and where the ball is. No bueno. hehe.

Anyway, we had fun… Have a great Monday, everybody. :)

1 Month to Spain CHALLENGE!

June 10, 2009

I wanted to quickly add that my google readers did miss out on the pictures posted at the end of my Bloomin’ 4 Mile race report, so if you wanna see them all, you’ll need to actually come to the site. :)

So, I have 1 month until I take my amazing summer trip. This trip is going to be about 1/8 amazing work for my professional career, 1/8 harry potter fan girl ness, 1/4 trip to paris, and 1/2 immersion into Spanish culture and joy at seeing my lola.

I’ve decided that since the first part of the trip will be in Alicante, on the mediterranean coast, and I’ll have to wear a swimsuit, I’ll go a bit extra with my training for the next month.

I hereby PLEDGE to continue running 3 days per week, and to also do 5 days per week of the 30 day shred video. I can split them up however I want, and all of that, but I WILL do it. This is a good accountability test! I need you guys to help keep me on track! :D

The count down has finally begun! I’m sooooooooooooooo excited I can hardly stand it! :D

Spain, here we come!

Bloomin’ 4 Mile Race Report

Bloomin’ 4 Mile Race Report

Hey guys, sorry that this race report is a little behind schedule… :)

So, The Bloomin’ 4 Mile is a club race put on by the Dallas Running Club. It is at a pretty and woody lake in Dallas, and was well attended. :) There were something like 500 runners at this race.

When I woke up in the morning, I wasn’t entirely sure it Daron would be coming. After all, it was just a “little race” and not terribly exciting, and not really a big goal race, so I had no expectations. In the end he decided to come, which meant so much to me. It really makes a difference when you have someone waiting for you at the finish line.

For breakfast I had a peanut butter and bananawich, but I kept gagging and didn’t really want it… that was weird. I also decided to see what effect caffeine would have on my race, so I went to the tea shelf. The only tea that we had that had any reasonable amount of caffeine was a box of lipton chai bags (which you would later add to milk to make a latte), which I drank black. It didn’t really BOTHER me, but I need to remember to get a tea that is a little less… spicy… :)

At the race, I got my bib and started stretching a little bit. I really didn’t feel very excited, and I didn’t feel like myself… so the mind games started early.

Stretching those calves

I lined up, kissed my man, and set off.

I KNOW I started at the wrong pace. I could just feel it. I’m not sure if I was feeling a need to keep up with others, or if I just misjudged, but I rectified it as soon as I could. I felt pretty much fine all the way to the turn around point at 2 miles. Right at about 2.5 miles, the trek that was downhill on the way there, was now uphill (obviously) and I decided that because I felt a little dehydrated, and a little too hot (HRM said my bpm was 194) I should walk up the hill. That took about 1.5-2 minutes.

After that, and after dealing with my “disappointment” at taking a walk break (and yes, I know I shouldn’t be upset about walking) my little heart just felt heavier. I really needed water, and knew that I wasn’t going to be getting any until about .5 miles from the finish line, so I kept going. At some point, my HR got too high again, and I decided that I would walk until I got to the 3.5 marker. This walk lasted about a minute, so I wasn’t too far from it anyway.

When I saw that sign that said .5 miles to go, I just wanted to be back to the finish so I could GET it over with! My legs felt like they weighed about 200 lbs each, and I was just all blah. Rounding the last corner, with the finish in sight, I couldn’t really even sprint to the finish!!! Daron commented later that it was the first time he saw me after the finish line that I didn’t look completely spent.

Anyway, Despite all of that, I am not disappointed in my performance… I know that some days just aren’t good running days… even RACE DAYS! :)

Even more disappointing than any of that, is that when I uploaded my garmin data, somehow, my race data, and data from one other training run just vanished!!! I really wanted to see my split times… oh well.

_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+_*_+
Results and Pictures

BIB 1232
AGE 25
RANK 376/430
TIME 48:06.4
PACE 12:01/M

milestones and progress…

June 5, 2009
milestones and progress…

Well, on Wednesday, I ran a 5k distance in the morning for National Running day! I had a pretty fair time too, but nothing earth shattering. That morning I weighed myself, and I finally reached it.

20 lbs!

20 lbs!

This is a pretty big milestone, and I have to say that it is a pretty cool number.

I’ve never posted any before/after pictures before… probably because they are obviously embarassing, but… what the hell. I suppose I might as well. It might inspire someone else to get out there and change their life too.

I still have a long way to go, and I know that… but it is a start that I’m proud of…

Before: Pant size: 14-16 /171 lbs
n17115416_35539228_7152IMG_2423edit
IMG_2422edit
IMG_1656edit

Today: Pant size: 8-10/151 lbs
IMG_2685edit
IMG_2686edit

Okay, then…. not sure what to say now, so I’ll leave it at that.

I’ve got a 4 mile race in the morning! Wish me luck. :)

10k training progress, and the end of weigh-ins!

April 9, 2009
10k training progress, and the end of weigh-ins!

Hey everyone!

I hope you’re having a great week!

I’m feeling pretty darn good, most days! It seems that health and fitness really is 90% mental, because I’m still on the wagon and going strong!

Training for my 10k is going well, my training schedule looks something like this:

Monday: short run for time (30 minutes or more)
Tuesday: stride run on the track of varying times and distances
Wednesday: Full body strength
Thursday: short run for distance (usually aiming for 3 miles)
Friday: short circuit of abs, back, arms… maybe a little legs, depending on how I feel
Saturday: long run (working up to 8 miles before the 10k)
Sunday: rest

Along with that, I also try to do yoga once or twice a week, and I’m stretching EVERY day.

So far, I’ve lost 16.4 lbs in 4 months.

Tonight, I set out for a 3 miler, but for some reason, my legs were sooooo tight!! Front to back, top to bottom, both of my legs in their entirety were so sore. I’m going to stretch well tonight, rest up tomorrow, and prepare for my long run on Saturday.

Well, I mentioned my love of yogurtoats, and this morning, I tried a new concoction. Oat bran with raspberry preserves.

Bfast 4/9/09

I used 1/3 cup of Bob’s Red Mill Oat Bran, and a tbs of raspberry preserves… plus a little milk to loosen it up. YUM!

For lunch, I had a wrap, with homemade red pepper hummus, kale, sprouts, and some button mushrooms. Double yum!

Lunch 4/9/09

Can we talk a minute about how freaking GREAT the White Chocolate Macadamia LUNA BARS are!?!? Seriously good. I’m so glad my Kroger stocks these… *drooool*

_________________________________
In other news, tomorrow is the end of the biggest loser competition at my work.

YES.

I’m so glad, because I need to stop stressing about the ups and downs of every week. I’ve ranted about much I wish I hadn’t signed up. Mostly because I’m not trying to do a quick big loss! AND, I’ve mentioned how weight loss isn’t even my focus, and that I know healthy living is way more important to me (and that weight loss will most likely follow ;) ) Anyway, I’m really glad to have that weighing pressure off my back.

:)

Have awesome Fridays, guys, and I’ll talk to you later. :D

Holy YUM!!!!

Related Posts with Thumbnails
« Older Entries