That was .....interesting?!

Today's run was a little strange.  I started off with a 4 mile goal in mind.... I took my inhaler BEFORE I ran today, instead of after I started wheezing like normal....PS this was a good idea!  I ran my 1st mile in 9:24....HOLY FAST (for me at least....) The second mile didn't feel quite as good but it was ok.  Just a little bit into mile 2 I started dry heeving....NO CLUE why....and continued to dry heeve for a good 5 minutes.  Then I felt good for a while, pace was good, breathing was good, until I FACE PLANTED on the access road to the highway outside our neighborhood....in 5 O'clock traffic.  AWESOME!  No one driving by stopped or even slowed down, but I got right back up and kept running like it didn't happen....FAIL!!

Then I felt good again....until the dry heeving started AGAIN....then I felt good again, until a cat jumped out from behind a trashcan and scared the bajeezus out of me..... and then I finished my 4.19 miles strong.

 My average pace was 10:05.  Never seen those numbers before!  And my 5K time was 31:08...never seen that before either!!!

Then I got a phone call as I was walking back into the neighborhood....the chilli I started for dinner before I left, with my husband sitting in the kitchen "watching" while it simmered....or so I thought....BURNT TO A CRISP!  FAIL #2!!

So dinner #2 is in the oven..... and my knees look like this.....

But I got in a good strong (for the most part) 4 miles!

Merry Christmas BABIES!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!!!

No babies for me....but there's lots of baby news in our family these days!!  My BIL and his girlfriend welcomed this precious little chubby face into the world in October!



My OTHER BIL just found out they are giving us ANOTHER NIECE in May!!!

AND I got a great Christmas surprise today!!  My Bestie is having Baby Bestie #2 in August!!!!!

LOVIN some babies around here!!!

Hope everyone has a GREAT day today!!!!!  Don't feel TOO guilty for all those treats....it is Christmas after all!!

Today was better.....

So I got to sleep late Friday morning....after all some last minute Christmas shopping was necessary when I got off work.  Then I decided it would be a good idea to wake up an hour earlier than usual to get a decent run in and get some presents wrapped.....Guess what?  I actually got a GOOD run in!!  Yay for me!

The Hubs took Knox to the dog park so I could run around the park....SOOOO much better than running in the neighborhood.  Getting up a little earlier made it easier to run there....  It was pretty chilly when I started (45* - hey now I live in Texas, this is cold to me!!) So I wore my New Balance running tights and my purple Nike thermo running top that I LOVE!!  I warmed up pretty quickly but never got hot!

I got in 3.09 miles in like 32:50. That's fast for me....remember I'm SLOW!!  AND on top of it all I have been fighting off a cold or some gnarly allergies or something for the last week.  My lungs were on FIRE, of course my inhaler was at home (as usual) and I had SNOT all over my face....sorry I didn't take a picture for your viewing pleasure!!  This makes me think I could have finished faster if I didn't feel like crap!

Oh and The Hubs left my Christmas present on the kitchen table this morning....it's in a pretty big Brighton bag....hmmmm wonder what it is?!

I disappeared again

Gah I suck I'm sorry!!

Life has been a little hectic busy lately!!  The Hubs birthday was a few weeks ago....followed by The Hubs attempting to run in cowboy  boots and breaking his ankle....Yup he's a smartie!

Last weekend we made the trip up to Oklahoma.  My baby sister graduated from OSU!!!!!  Another hectic weekend.   I worked Thursday night, only slept until 11am Friday morning, then packed and started our trip.  I attempted to nap in the car but The Hubs wasn't letting that happen.  We finally made it to Stillwater, headed to dinner with my sister and her boyfriend, then out for the night.  GOD I'M OLD.  At least that's how being tired by 10pm in a college town bar made me feel!!  Saturday consisted of a 2 mile run (I'm proud of myself for that one.....) then graduation!!!

We drove to Tulsa Saturday afternoon to hang out with the fam and get ready for my sister's party on Sunday.  There was a little more hectic-ness (YES that is a word....) when my Grandma decided to pass out at the kitchen table, I had to play nurse for a bit, then we ended up in the back of an ambulance on our way to the ER!  Don't worry, she's ok!!! 

My poor baby sister was a wreck after all that....but we convinced her to go on to her party with her friends, and I met her out later.  Saturday night was good.....Good night with my sis and best friends!!!  So good some how we managed to stay out until 5am....followed by pizza #2 for the day....then I got up at 7:30 on Sunday.  THAT WAS FUN....NOT!!!!

Sunday afternoon we had my sister's family graduation party....where I showcased these babies!!!

My running has been slacking since Saturday...I was doing SO GOOD on my Hal Higdon plan, then fell off the wagon again with being out of town and crazy busy.  Now I'm working 4 in a row, and all of Christmas....BOOOO!!!  I woke up yesterday feeling less than stellar, ran 0.8 miles, then decided to just go to the gym with The Hubs.  My biceps are KILLING me....so that counts right?  I know biceps are not conducive to running but I want to keep a balance of running and strength training.  Oh well at least I got off the couch before work today.

All our Christmas presents are wrapped and shipped....except for The Hubs.  I have to buy his presents last minute or he ends up getting them early!!  I plan on getting his on my way home from work tomorrow!

Are ya'll done with your shopping yet? 

Hope everyone has a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I promise to show my face more!!!!

The start of a new relationship....I hope I like him!

This new relationship is between me and Hal Higdon….
I started his ½ plan on Monday….well I counted Sunday as my “long run” for the week. (Good thing it was 3x longer than the plan calls for….)
Monday consisted of my stretch and strengthen day….aka stretch out on the couch and strengthen 1 6oz glass of wine at a time : ) Hey I did get up to go to the grocery store with The Hubs, that counts right? I lifted all the groceries onto the counter to put them away…..
Tuesday I made another attempt at a treadmill run because it was FREEZING outside, and windy, which makes cold 100x worse! I only made it a mile before I was a sweaty hot mess and bored out of my mind. So I finished up outside…running 0.6mile circles around the gym…WHOO FUN! ……. NOT!! I had a few super quick walk breaks because my legs were still tired from Sunday.
Yesterday was supposed to be 3 miles, but I bought The Hubs an XBOX for his birthday, gave it to him 3 days early today, and he was setting it up as I was supposed to be running. I chose to shop and sleep earlier in the day so I put my run off until the last minute before work. Needless to say I was NOT feeling it. So my 3 miles turned into “Oh I’ll just do my 2 mile day today and my 3 tomorrow” which turned into 1.6 miles because I ran by my house and it looked more fun. Oops….Oh well! Scratch that crappy day off my list!
My goal for my next ½ is to run the whole thing….no walk breaks. A friend at work told me the way she achieved this was just making the decision to tell herself no walk breaks on her training runs. She ran her first ½ on Sunday, and ran the whole thing. I think I like this idea….No walk breaks here I come. Sorry that you will be “forced” to read my bitching about the next few runs….I’ll get over it….if I don’t die first….

PS- if you don't want to see your husband for 3+ months, buy a 2 story house with a "Man-Cave" UPSTAIRS, then buy him an XBOX and 3 games for his birthday.  Guaranteed to have him out of your hair...whether you want him to be or not.  Oops again.....

Dallas White Rock 1/2 - a PR!!

So I survived the ROCK….with a PR!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ok so I know I only have one previous ½ time, BUT I got this PR with less training and smarter running. Well it’s not as great as that sounds….definitely not RLRF style. More like run less because I registered for the race last minute-ish because I promised some friends I would run even though I was NO WHERE CLOSE to ready….then run in intervals. Yup that’s how I got a 12 minute PR.

When I trained for my first ½ in OKC last May, I didn’t follow a training plan but my weekly mileage and longest run were higher. My longest run before OKC was 8-9miles, this one was 5. Oops. The difference was in OKC I ran until I felt like I needed a walk break (6 miles, stopped to pee, ran 2 more then walked a little) and my legs were DONE before I ever hit 10 miles. This go-round Betsy and I agreed to run intervals the ENTIRE run, no matter what. We ran 2 miles, walked 0.5 miles repeat repeat repeat a few more times! Apparently this worked for me! My legs were definitely spent by the end, but much better than OKC. The weather was THE EXACT SAME….cold and freakin rainy. It appears as though this is my new ½ trend. Only this time I was more prepared with my ridiculous layers of clothing, scarf, gloves, and my handy dandy TRASH BAG! I kept that baby on until mile 10, and only took it off because I wanted finish line pictures!!

                                       Please be jealous of our outfits......PS this was Betsy's first half!!

We kept between a 10-11 min/mile pace most of our run parts. Our walk pace was 16min/mile. We did a really good job of keeping our snails pace the entire race. I took 4 GUs throughout the race. I know that kind of sounds like a lot, but my body isn’t used to the distance so I needed the extra fuel.

The course was GORGEOUS!! We ran through some of my favorite parts of Dallas….Downtown, Uptown, Highland Park! It was nice and flat too! I will run this again for sure!! I just wish it wasn’t so freakin wet! My shoes were SOAKED by mile 3….stupid rain! It didn’t rain all summer and we were in a damn drought (sp?) then I decide to run a ½ and it pours down rain for 3 straight days! BOO Mother Nature!
We crossed the finish line in 2:42!! I know it’s not great, but I ran smarter and beat my previous time….

Afterwards we got our medals, snacks, pictures, and BEER (the most important part…) then waited for my friend’s husband to finish the Full. I got a TON of stretching in since we were sitting around, freezing our butts off! Oh I also noticed this when we got inside……

Hello BLOODY heels....Aparently I need better socks or some new shoes.....

Glad I didn’t notice until AFTER I finished! Yup, still hurts!!

I was a little sore for a day or two afterwards, but I’m feeling pretty good now! My hip flexors are still bothering me some….but nothing some serious stretching can’t fix!

I Suck...AND I'm old!

Well my birthday is over now....and it was a good one!!  But man I felt OLD after going out last night...and let's just say : BIRTHDAY SHOTS : 1   JESSICA : 0
I got this fancy new watch and a tripod for my new camera from The Hubs!!

He's so good to me!!

I also got this AMAZING wine glass from my bestest Lavonne....

                                 The shadow made my face look weird....and FYI, it holds 3 bottle of wine!!
So I suck big time...I have not ran at all this week.  And somehow I think I'm going to finish a Half on Sunday?! Ha this should be interesting! Not to mention it's going to be in the 30s and drizzly raining the whole time.  BOOOO!!!!  Oh well my only real goal with this race is to cross the finish line.  The CowTown half in February is my new goal race, where I will be setting some BIG goals. 

I also have been sucking at my "diet" Thanksgiving started a downhill slope for me and this eating right thing.  I had stuffing and pie on Thanksgiving...then proceeded to eat pie for 3 days after, I had pasta from PF Changs for lunch on my birthday, sushi for dinner, a hot dog with a bun, marshmallows, and graham crackers while camping Tuesday night.  OOPS!....and a whole bunch of ginger ale to nurse my hangover today : ) OOPS again. 

I am officially declaring today, December 3rd, to be "start over" day for my diet.  I can tell a huge difference when I'm eating this way and when I'm not.  I'm not motivated now, I'm more tired, The Hubs has had bloog sugar issues again because he's been cheating with me.  Interesting isn't it?  I will probably have some "good" carbs for dinner tonight and a bagel or something in the morning since I'm doing this Half...and I told myself from the get go that high mileage days I would allow myself a little more carbs since I'd be using them immediately for fuel.  GOTTA GET BACK ON TRACK!!!  Tall Mom HERE is having the same problem, but has the same plan to get back on track!  Go check out her post!

I am starting Hal Higdon's Half training plan on Monday.  12 weeks from Sunday is the Cowtown... serious training here I come!  Wish Me Luck!

BIC Band review

Skinny Runner HERE convinced me to buy a few BIC (Because I Can) Bands HERE because she posts about them frequently.  So I ordered a skinnie minnie in sparkly purple and sparkly orange, and a thin or skinnie (I can't remember which) in sparkly silver.  My original plan was to give the orange and silver ones to girlfriends as Christmas gifts....BUT I might just keep them for myself!  (I guess I could order another round....hehe)

So today is Bedlam, which is Oklahoma State University *OSU* (my "alma mater") vs. University of Oklahoma *OU*

OSUs colors are orange and black....so to be in the spirit of football i wore my orange scrub pants with a black undershit and white t-shirt to work last night.  I also decided to try out my orange sparkly BIC band.... I have pretty short hair (as in chin length when it's "long") and I have serious issues, especially at work, keeping my hair out of my face.  So last night I teased  the top of my hair, pulled it back in a pony tail  (or little nub really) and slid the BIC band on. I did not have to adjust or take it off and put it back on a SINGLE time!  This is really impressive to me because these types of headbands NEVER stay on my head! It didn't give me a headache, and it is SUPER cute! 

               Please don't judge how awesome I look right now...I took this at 3am in the bathroom at work!                                                          HOLY bags under my eyes!
Another bonus of BIC bands is some of the profit from the bands goes to charity!!  They choose a different charity every month, and if you "Like" them on facebook they keep you updated on how much money and who they donated it to!  They also post promotion codes!  I can't wait to wear my purple one in my Half on Sunday!!...guess I need to go shopping to coordinate my running clothes with my headbands!!

Birthdays, Camping, and Picture Taking

So in an 30 minutes ITS MY BIRTHDAY!!! I love my birthday, and everyone else's for that matter!!  Birthdays are the only day a year that people think about you specifically and that gets to be all about you!  I'm obviously as excited as a 6 year old....and I'm going to be 26!  Oh well!!

So I've been taking LOADS of pictures with my new DSLR....now I just have to figure out how to put them on my computer so I can show them to you!!  Maybe I will accomplish that in the next couple of days.... I quit taking Iphone photos in hopes of actually posting my good pictures!  Being a pretend photographer is SUPER fun!

We went camping yesterday in Oklahoma!  My husband's friend's grandparents have some land and a cabin just north of the state line so we went up yesterday afternoon.  I spent most of the afternoon taking pictures of the cows, the pups, the trees, and the pond....it actually looks like fall up there and it's GORGEOUS!!  We made a huge fire in their fire pit, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, drank lots of Holiday inspired beer, and SHOT GUNS!! I actually hit a bottle with The Hubs pistol!  I was sooo excited!!  (Did I forget to mention we are FROM Oklahoma....live in Texas....in Oklahoma camping....shooting guns was not only appropriate but TOTALLY necessary!!)  I will make a post advising you all to check back to these posts for pictures soon! 

Needless to say I have not gotten in the mileage I wanted to this week....camping and beer followed by a nap today was obviously more important.  Will someone meet me at the finish line on Sunday with some oxygen please and thank you?

Oh did I mention....today is my birthday?!????

Do you get as obsessed with birthdays as I do?

One More Week

‘til the big Half Marathon I am totally not prepared for!
I did not get the 6 miles in that I wanted to the other night….ya know that thing called Thanksgiving and the fact that my house was full of people for 3 days?! Yah didn’t work out so well.
I got 2 miles in on Friday night before dinner and shopping with my parents. Quick easy miles about a 9:45ish pace (I'm slow remember?), started with Knox, about a mile in traded for Max, my mom’s miniature schnauzer, then another .5 miles and traded in for Marley, my mom’s other mini schnauzer! It was 3 very different portions of my run…but it was entertaining to say the least!! My parents call Marley ADDDP ADD-Doggy-Princess. And that she is! She is a complete SPAZ, but she’s super sweet and totally adorable!!



I traded a run for hanging out with my parents yesterday since they’re leaving town this morning and I had to work last night….however the NACHOS I ate for lunch yesterday are making me think this was not the smartest idea!! Oops!!..But they were SO good! PS I sucked at sticking to my diet on Thanksgiving….Oops again! Homemade Pecan and Pumpkin pie are HARD to resist!
The goal is for at least 3 miles before work tonight…..then getting in an 8 miler Monday or Tuesday night, just to get some distance in before next Sunday.
12 weeks from next Sunday, exactly, is the CowTown Half Marathon in Ft. Worth, which means I have a date with Hal Higdon for the next 12 weeks!! Hopefully I can stick to a training plan and finish a full Half without walking!!

It's almost Christmas!

Ok so maybe it's almost Thanksgiving....but THEN it's my birthday (one week after Thanksgiving) THEN its finally Christmas!!  Unfortunately I have to work Christmas this year....BUT my house is officially being transformed into my husband's worst nightmare!!!  The light people came and put our lights up today! (We tried to do it ourselves but our ladder is to short and the guy is doing it for less than a ladder would have cost....)

Tomorrow morning I will be the proud owner of this beauty.....

Thanks to my awesome work for the Christmas bonus!!

I was going to wait until Black Friday when it goes on sale, but it's not worth the $20 I would save to get attacked by crazy soccer moms!

Yesterday I did an easy 2 miles with The Hubs and Knox.  My legs still aren't quite used to a decent amount of mileage, I did an ice bath after Friday's run and that helped a lot.  I'm trying to be smart about increasing my mileage quickly.  Well on our run we saw this.....

I LOVE peacocks!! I used feathers in my wedding and have them in my living room! I ran down the street like a teenage girl who just saw Justin Bieber when I saw this!  Sorry for the sucky I-Phone picture again (those will all end tomorrow!) And yes I am creepily close to these people's house, hope they weren't home!!  This is wild animal sighting #2!!

6 miles is on the schedule for tomorrow....wish me luck!! 
I'll put up a picture of our lights tomorrow!!

What are your Thanksgiving plans?
Are ya'll crazy enough to endure the Black Friday madness?

Sad, Sad day at Oklahoma State

My "alma mater" is Oklahoma State University.  I use the "" because I didn't graduate, but spent 2 fabulous years there (they don't have a nursing program) but the nursing school I went to was at a branch campus of OSU.  I am a 3rd generation Cowboy and my baby sister is about to graduate from OSU.  Let's just say this university has been a huge part of my entire life, a school SO rich in tradition, traditions I learned at an early age.

Anyways..... 10 years ago 10 players, coaches, and team members of the mens basketball team were killed in a plane crash.  Friday morning my OSU family woke up to news of another plane crash tragedy.  The women's basketball coach and his assistant coach were killed in a plane crash late Thursday night.  The thing about OSU is that we are all a family even when tragedy is not a current thought, but tragedy brings us even closer.  Talk about a school that is familiar with tragedy.

I thought this deserved a post since this blog is about my thoughts and life.  Like I said OSU is a huge part of my life, and always has been.  Ever you'll find us, LOYAL and TRUE, to our alma mater,      O-S-U!  Cowboys fan for life!!

My thoughts and prayers are with my OSU family tonight. 

Here is just a taste of our tradition I stole from someone's facebook....

Orange is that day that you moved into the dorms with a bunch of people you'd never met. It’s meeting those friends that would stick with you for life. It's "don't look at the arc", house decks and walk-arounds. It’s wearing orange the Friday before the first game & every Friday after that. It’s KURT BUDKE, MIRANDA SERNA, Barry ...Sanders, John Smith, Garth Brooks, Mike Gundy, Eddie Sutton...it’s ......you and me. Orange is putting your arm around the shoulder of the stranger next to you to sing the Alma Mater. It’s making the switch to saying “Power” instead of “Orange.” It’s remembering Lewis Field & admiring Boone Pickens Stadium. It’s knowing that it’s left hand up to make an “S.” Orange is when it’s good for a Cowboy First Down and Ten. Orange is Pistols Firing – Touchdown Oklahoma State. It’s “...O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A Oklahoma STATE” no matter where you are when the state song is played. It’s the big smile on your face when you walk past the orange fountain. It’s going back to the place you worked in college & remembering it as the best job you ever had even though it paid the least. It’s a cabinet full of Joe’s cups. Orange is knowing that it’s time to go home when you hear “New York, New York” or “Shoulda Been a Cowboy.” Orange is the one you tried to let down easy & the one you’ll never forget. Orange is wanting to get out of Stillwater for four years & spending the rest of your life wanting to go back.

Proud and Immortal,
Bright shines your name.
Oklahoma State,
We herald your fame.
Ever you’ll find us,
Loyal and true.
To our Alma Mater
O – S – U!!!

Hello Runners High....where have you been?

First of all can I just say this OSU football game is going to give me a BIG ol' HEART ATTACK! 

I just finished a 5 mile run.  Yup that's right, the GOOD kind of run where you feel AMAZING afterwards!!!  I ran 2.75 miles, walked 0.25, then ran to 3.7, stopped for a drink and to pick up Knox, then finished a total of 5.25!!!!!!!!!!  I felt GREAT the whole time, and probably could have finished another mile or so but decided not to push my luck just yet.  I finally got out of my ;head and just ran.  When my legs started to feel heavy and I felt myself shortening my stride I just told myself "push, push, push" and pushed off with my calves....and IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello bathroom pic, post sweaty nasty run, in my NEW Under Armour all seasons NEON YELLOW so I wont get hit by a car when I run in the dark running top!!  Pleae don't judge my awesome hair!

 I ran by myself (minus the part with Knox) and listened to the Justin Bieber Pandora station.....yes I know, The Biebs helped me rock my run!  Let's just admit my dorkyness and say I have "Bieber Fever"  I am not ashamed.

I needed this run BIG TIME!

Just took an ice bath....ahhhh LOVE them!

Do ya'll ice?

PS it sucks when you get home from a great run and your husband just woke up from a nap and is trying to read something important and you and your endorphin filled self are saying the most random 'that run rocked" comments and he seems totally uninterested...Boooo!!! 

Motivation and Perfect Timing

I registered for the Dallas White Rock ½ tonight….it’s 2 weeks from Sunday. Am I retarded? Absolutely. Am I going to take it easy and run/walk it for fun with a friend? Absolutely. Did I find some motivation from some coworkers tonight? I SURE DID.




Then guess what? EXACTLY 12 weeks from the White Rock ½ is the Cowtown ½. Cowtown was my first 5K last year and it’s a great race! Guess what else is EXACTLY 12 weeks? Hal Higdon’s Half Marathon Training Program……Perfect timing? I THINK SO!

GO VISIT CHRISTINA @TheAthletarian and check out her GelBot giveaway!!

My brain vs. My Garmin

The last week has consisted of totally SUCK-TASTIC runs. I feel like that statement could produce 15 blog posts all on its own.



I also feel like this is all I EVER BLOG ABOUT…..So apologizing in advance for that….



The Hubs has stated from the day I bought my Garmin that I don’t need it. He says I don’t need to worry about my pace, or my distance, or any of that BS, he thinks I should just go out and run.



I think I’m way to OCD to not have the numbers so easily accessible. My goals with running are different than his, I run to “race” (if you can call my slow-ass a racer…) he runs to run, for cardio, to stay fit, with no desire to “race” much more than a 5k. Yes I get obsessive over the numbers. When I feel like I’ve ran 4 miles and I look down and its been .5 sometimes I feel defeated, sometimes I feel like I suck…well this is most of the time. So maybe my Garmin sometimes causes me to get all wrapped up in the “I suck, why do I keep doing this to myself?” I am SO my biggest enemy. I have GOT to get out of my own head. I have the physical ability to be so much better at this than I am, but suck big time in the mental department. Last week I ran 4 miles straight, at a good pace, and felt good. Since then I haven’t gotten in a single good run. WHY!?!!!



I need some SERIOUS help. Can any of my blogger friends help me with this? Any advice on how to get out of your own head? HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What I learned on Saturday's run

I learned a VERY important lesson Saturday when I met my girlfriend Olivia for a 5-6 miler.  FUELING BEFORE A RUN IS IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Duh right?!

I have never had a problem with this before, because I don't usually run shortly after waking up.  I normally run in the evening, about 45 minutes-1 hour after dinner or a heavy snack.  I don't know that I generally do this on purpose, it just kind of happens.

Well Saturday Olivia had to work for a few hours and we agreed to meet when she was done.  She called around 11 and said to meet at 12:30.  I know everyone else in the world would have been awake and had 2 meals by this time....but I work night shift and my sleep schedule is all janky!! So I got up, made myself a smoothie with a little proten in it, but we were low on juice so it was thick and I couldn't suck it through my straw!  Then I got distracted by Sports Authority on the way (I wanted some new running leggings and they were on sale....don't judge!) and forgot to get a snack on the way because I ended up being late! (Who me? Late? NEVER!)

So we started running, and I got about a half mile in before I started to feel the fact that I hadn't eaten.  It sucked to because I started off really strong at a good pace, but burned through the little calories I had taken in to fast.  So we completed the first mile then walked for a minute or two.  I happened to grab a GU gel on my way out, and Olivia suggested I wait until mile 2 was done to take it.  We were getting 4 miles in one way or another.  So we ran mile 2, which sucked, I was waiting to pass out....I stopped for some water and took my GU.  Mile 3 was SO much better.  I never realized how much of a difference GUs can make! 

                                                              HELLO LIFESAVER......
We walked for a minute or two in between every mile, just to give my body a chance to recover for a minute.  So we got our 4 miles in, I suggested doing another 0.5ish and Olivia said she was done.

                                                            4 Miles Done & Done!
                              *Please don't judge my greasy hair....just taking a page from Janae's book


I went to Cafe Express for my FAVORITE salad after...took one home to The Hubs too...working on those Wife of the year points!

Saturday night was ZAC BROWN BAND!!!!  = BLAST with some awesome girls!!

                                           We keep it classy with our BIG ASS Bud Light cans!

                                                    BOOTS  :  Footwear of choice in TEXAS!!

Goals Update

Towards the beginning of October I made a list of goals for myself....I actually forgot about the post HERE until just now when I was reading Christina's goals!  I decided to re-read my October goals, and SUPRISE SUPRISE...I'm right on track!!!

-No more Dr. Pepper : I'm doing WAY better than I thought I would with this one!!!  I tried a Dr. Pepper 10 the other day (their new "diet" with lots of flavor...and I actually didn't even drink half of it.) I can't remember the last time I had a "real" Dr. Pepper!!!....This REALLY makes me want a Dr. Pepper.....

-Start running more : Doing good with this one too!!  I have finally started to increase my mileage, run a lot more frequently, and the quality of my runs is improving.  The Hubs has been running with me, and he's such an awesome motivation!

-Life/Crosstrain more : I'm doing good in the lifting department....me and The Hubs life together a lot, probably 4-5 days a week!  I was doing awesome in the crosstrain department, that is until The Hubs bike got a flat tire and we havn't gotten it fixed yet!  So I need to work on that part....

-Eat Healthier : I am rocking this goal!  Since we started eating Primal (read all about it HERE) I feel healthier, and LOOK BETTER!  We are eating "cleaner" and much healthier....TONS of fruits and veggies!!  Hopefully we can keep this part up!

I'm really proud of myself for actually sticking to almost all of my goals....Now if I could just transfer that into my 'big girl" life and keep my house clean and the laundry caught up.....

Improvement and pumpkin muffins

Last night I FINALLY completed a run worth talking about/worth counting as an improvement.  The Hubs and I took Knox back out to the park we saw the Bobcat (I know dumb right?) and it was dark already...my LEAST favorite part of fall!  We did 4 miles, non-stop, no walk breaks!  I know this is so minor to some of you, but this was a big accomplishment for me.  I havn't been able to increase past 2-3 miles since I started running again, so this gave me a little encouragement to bust my rear to be ready for a Half by December 4th! 

So we have found a restaurant that has a gluten/grain free pizza crust!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Super exciting in our life because we LOVE pizza, and this whole "no grain' thing makes pizza eating a distant dream!  BJs Brewhouse has AWESOME grain/gluten free pizza!  Last night we made grain free pumpkin muffins..

.We had them for dinner and AGAIN for breakfast today!  SO good!! Here's the Recipe if you want to try them!!  We got the recipe from the Primal Cookbook Here  We really like this cookbook!  It has a lot of really awesome recipes in it!

1/2 cup cocunut flour
2tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cooked pureed pumpkin
6 eggs, beaten, (one at a time as you add it to the pumpkin)
4 tbsp coconut oil OR butter, melted
1/3 cup pure maple syrup OR honey (I used maple syrup, its cheaper!)
1tsp vanilla

Beat the eggs one at a time into the pumpkin add coconut oil or butter, syrup, and vanilla, mix well. Sift dry ingredients together into a seperate bowl.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk together until most of the floury clumps are gone, but stir JUST enough to blend.
Grease a muffin pan well (I used Pam for baking...worked perfectly) and fill the muffin tins 2/3 full.
Bake @ 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes (18 was perfect for me) until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean!

We ate them warm with a little butter on top and a side of blackberries!  You can add nuts or chocolate chips as well!!

My birthday is 3 WEEKS from today!!  My wish list includes this LOVELY watch, (picture from Nordstrom's website)  If anyone wants to buy me this for my birthday email me and I will gladly send you my address!!  (SO just kidding....kind of)

 and a DSLR camera...so then my blog pictures will be better than what I take on my Iphone!  & there's also the fact that I LOVE taking pictures...I'm not very good at it, but i want to learn!!  Any suggestions on a DSLR that isn't crazy expensive?

Here is another picture of my view on my new favorite running trail....well cement path that I consider a trail....

I am finally feeling like my body is adjusting to this new way of eating.  I am feeling properly fueled while working out and running.  Yesterday before my 4 miles I had a bowl of fat free yogurt with a banana and some raw almonds.  My body is learning to use the sugar from all the fruit and protein from all the nuts and meat to fuel me instead of the simple carbs I was eating before.  I really do feel SO much better! 

Well off to RUN to the gym (if I can convince The Hubs its a good idea....) then to do some full body lifting!

A Bobcat and Some Advice

Yesterday The Hubs and I took Knox (our pitbull mix) for a run around the park.  It was one of those, run, walk, jog, sprint, walk and run some more kind of runs. We really just played for an hour!  It was kind of awesome!!  It's finally starting to look a little like fall in Texas, and was GORGEOUS outside!!  This is our version of fall.....

                                                      Yup, that's ONE yellow-ish colored tree....
                                         At least they're not all brown like they were all summer!

Anyways on our way back to the car we saw a BOBCAT!!  At first I thought it was a dog and couldn't fingure out why I didn't see it's owner, then it registered that it was a giant freaking CAT!  Luckily The Hubs had ahold of Knox's leash because I'm pretty sure it could have eaten him!  I was a little too much in shock to think to take a picture!  It was gorgeous, but I won't be running in that park alone again that's for sure!!

 Knox doesn't pose for pictures very well....he chased a few too many squirrels and was a little on the tired side!
So I know I talk about needing motivation on here all the time.....but I've got to find some for real, and SOON.  I'm supposed to be running the Dallas White Rock 1/2 Marathon on Dec. 4th.  Problem is...and it's a BIG problem...I havn't ran more than 3 miles in a long time.  So I need some advice....should I push myself over the next few weeks and see if  I can get my mileage up?  Or just say forget it, and run the next one?  2 of my friends are already registered to run this one..... And the highest mileage run I completed before my first half was a little over 8 miles.  What do you think?

Also...anyone have a link to a pushup challenge? I still suck at those!

Spandex, Compression sleeves, and a Push Up Challenge

First of all....I LOVE my Spandex....I don't know why, and it's probably not a good thing! My spandex shorts and my capris. I'm currently shopping around for a pair of COLD gear long tights. They make me feel skinny for some reason....and the shorts make me feel like my legs look good..... This picture is how I feel in my Spandex shorts.....

I saw this picture on Pinterest, and then on Tall Mom's blog! 



So a few weeks ago I bought a pair of CEP compression sleeves, and proceeded to run 3 miles in them.  My legs were sore the last half of my run, and I'm pretty sure it was because of the sleeves.  I know a ton of people run in them, so is it just something that your legs have to get used to?  I was not a fan of running in them, however I am a fan of lounging around the house in my SPANDEX with the on!  Made my calves feel amazing!

So a few posts ago I made fun of myself for how aweful I am at pushups....and Jess @ The Blonde Ponytail suggested I do a pushup challenge.  Anyone have a link to one or want to send me the info?  This is RIDICULOUS!  After lifting chest on Wednesday night I tried to do some pushups and failed MISERABLY!  Someone HELP ME not be such a weenie!!

Primal Diet Update

So far so good with this primal diet thing!  The Hubs has lost 10 pounds already!!!!  I've lost 5!!!! I am continueing to workout hard, but I feel like this change in eating habits has made a HUGE difference!  I can't tell you the last time the scale has gone down more than a pound, let alone stayed that way!!

The part I thought would be the hardest is finding stuff to eat....and keeping myself interested in it.  We bought "The Primal Blue Print Cookbook" and are actually really enjoying some of the things out of the book!  We have made chilli (which was AWESOME!) and we even found a recipe for crackers that have no grain in them....it uses almond meal instead, and they are actually really good, and satisy that salty snacking craving!! 

My running is going less than great.  I'm running consistantly, but my mileage isn't increasing.  I am running 3 miles over and over and over, and just don't feel like it's getting any easier, and for some reason I'm having trouble pushing myself to go any farther.  I want to run the Dallas White Rock 1/2 on December 4th, but I just don't think it's looking good.....Any advice?

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!!!  We had a party with our friends and had a BLAST!!  And since it's officially Novemeber.....that means.....COUNTDOWN TO MY BIRTHDAY IS ON!!!!!!  I love birthdays!!

Ok off to eat some breakfast (yes I know its 1pm, that = morning time for me since I have to work tonight!) then go to Vitamin Shoppe and the gym!

Proving how BLONDE I am

Sunday night I completed my first round of SPEED work...aka 2 x 0.25 mile pretend sprints because I'm slow in general and RLRF considers a 0.25mile @ a 09:00 pace speed work for me....

Anyways that made Tuesday day 2 of RLRF, which was completed in the park by the dog park...someone was anxiously waiting in the car while I got all my "running crap" together....PS- sprints are his FAVORITE!

For some reason my blonde brain thought this "tempo run" was 1 mile warm up, 1 mile tempo @ 7:36 pace then a 1 mile cool down...(WTF? Like I can run a mile at 7:36....yah NOT SO MUCH, I can run 0.25mile at that pace, then fight down the vomit, breath like a fat kid for 5 minutes while walking, then do another 0.25 miles.... at that pace.)

Here's where the blonde part comes in.....

I got home, after thinking I was going to die for a good 45 minutes, and decided to check my training plan.  I meant to take it with me to the dog park (where The Hubs and Knox played before/while I ran...) but realized almost half way there I had forgot it....no biggie, I looked at my plan earlier, I GOT THIS....I sooooo didn't "get" anything!  I am the reason people tell blonde jokes....my second mile of my "tempo" run from HELL was supposed to be at a 9:56 pace, not a 7:36 pace!   WHERE THE HELL DID I GET 7:36?!? Oh on the page BEFORE the one I was supposed to be looking at....the page where someone who runs a 20 or so minute 5k is supposed to look....NOT someone who can barely run a 5k in 30 minutes (that's giving myself more credit than I deserve ps...)

 I.AM.BLONDE....  

I LOVE the foam Roller and the Texas Rangers!

Ahh sweet sweet TEXAS RANGERS!!...Oh Nelson Cruz how I love you!  If any of you are watching the MLB playoffs you know EXACTLY what I mean....tied in the bottom of some extra inning (I lost count) with a Walk-Off GRAND SLAM to win it?!!!  The ONLY one in MLB playoffs history?  Yup that was Nelson Cruz!!

                                                  Me & The Hubs sporting our Rangers gear!

After the game Monday night I made encouraged The Hubs go to the gym with me....WHAT?! I had only had 1.5 beers, and he had only had ooooh maybe 4?...Haha oops, wife of the year?  Probably not! 

I had cheese fries for dinner and was feeling like a rest day was not appropriate....sooo we went to the gym, lifted some biceps, stretched (a lot) and did pushups.  Most random workout ever....but I SUCK at pushups....that's my goal for next month!

But I do NOT suck at Foam Rolling....

                                       Sorry for the pic of half of my face...The Hubs was slightly intoxicated...
                                           GEEZ I have big thighs....but damn I love my spandex shorts....

Here's a photo-op of JUST how happy the hubs was to be at the gym.....

Strange....but I love him!!

Woooo Hoooo go me....3 whole pictures in a SINGLE post!  I'm getting better at this...

Going PRIMAL

SO me and The Hubs have been playing around with the idea of "going Primal."  I feel like this might have a few of my readers (Haha yah right!) a smidge confused and maybe their minds in the gutter?  Oh wait, that was just me?

Got the pic from his website....HERE

"Primal" refers to a "diet" called the Primal Diet (I'm so smart I know...) You can check out the website HERE and learn everything you ever wanted to know about the Primal "Diet."  I use the "" around diet because I don't really feel like this is a diet persay (I think I just made up the spelling of this word, if it's even a word), but more of a "Life Style Change"  You know that one I keep talking about? Me and The Hubs are working on this whole "be healthier, workout more, eat better" binge right now. I feel SO much better when I'm being healthy!  I'm much less grouchy, probably because I'm much less fat?!

ANYWAYS....the Primal "diet" is based on caveman science...kind of.  It suggests eating all you want of lean protein, veggies, and fruit, some healthy fats (avocado, EVOO etc) but very minimal grains.  I don't want to say minimal CARBS, because what kind of runner would I be if I ate minimal carbs?  According to his plan you should consume 50-100gm of carbs/day for optimal weight loss, or 100-150gm carbs to maintain your weight easily.  Based on the research grains (bread, pasta, etc) cause insulin surges in your blood, which = bad (I'm a nurse and should be able to explain this better...but I'm tired, and its all in the link above!) Now my thing with the whole being a "runner" is consuming my 50-100gm of carbs per day at the APPROPRIATE times!  A-la before runs when I burn through all the carbs I ate right before. He actually mentions this on his website.  He only suggests "carb loading" right before you lace up your shoes. 

Now the above mentioned information is my "take" on this eating plan....I like that, let's call it an "eating plan" instead of a diet!  Diet has such a negative connotation in my world...that means I CANT eat something, not that I should limit my intake of it.....

Man I'm getting distracted by my wordage tonight....

So here's a picture of a hearty lunch I had, with this "eating plan" in mind. Janae would be proud!!


That is mixed greens, carrots, onions, half an avocado, half a can of tuna (Hubs got the other halves) and some LIGHT italian vinagarette!  And it was YUMM-O!  And kept me full....for a little while.  I'm kicking back into that "running/working out all the time...NEED MORE FOOD" mode!

Anyways we bought the cookbook that Mark Sisson (the author of this "eating plan") published today....and made Coconut flour pancakes.  Interesting...not bad, but weird.  It will definitely take some getting used to, and some serious $$ to get this whole thing started.  The good news? He says I can eat Maple Syrup in moderation....I wonder what his definition of "moderation" is?

Any thoughts on this "eating plan"....anyone ever heard of it?  Anyone read my blog?!? Nope, just me? Oh well, I'll just consider this my workout/food journal with questions to OUTERSPACE at the end!

Stay tuned for a post with pics at the gym....super awesome pics my drunk husband took!  Yup I drug him to the gym AFTER we watched the RANGERs win game 2 of the ALCS....in a bar....I'm such a good wife!

Speed Work...we MIGHT be friends.

I got bored last night and made a few changes to the blog...a little more colorful now!

My workout today consisted of the 1st speed workout on the "Intermediate" 5K plan in Run Less Run Faster.  I'm going to work on the 5k plan for a couple of weeks to get my 5k time faster then move onto the Half plan.

1st speed workout EVER = successful!  It was a 10 minute warmup (jogged at a 10-11min/mile pace for 10 minutes.) then 2 x 400m @ 2:15, followed by a 10 minute cool down (another 10 minutes of 10-11 minute pace.)  Me, The Hubs, and Puppy Love did it together.  It was not a crazy interval, crazy pace, or anything like that, but got a little speed work in there, and felt good the whole time!  My legs are still recovering from my killer leg workout the other day, so it felt good to stretch em out a little!

Oh Oh and I figured out new FUN tricks on my Garmin!  Ok so I figured out that you can program it to beep at you to slow down or speed up and set intervals. Hey before today all I knew how to do was turn it on and off, change it to bike mode, and keep track of my distance/pace.  It's the little things in life!

Go check out Janae @ HungryRunnerGirl she's giving away a fancy pair of WOMENS only running shoes!!!

Hello October....a new list of goals

Yes I know it's 9 days into the month....but I just got back into blogging and am trying to catch up on my week! 

So I mentioned before that I decided to give up Dr. Pepper and make some lifestyle changes on October 1st. So far, so good!  Christina @ TheAthletarian HERE had a post with her goals for the month on it, and hers were very similar to the chat I had with myself (In my head, not out loud!) on Friday night.  So she inspired me to make a post about my new goals!  So here they are!

*No More Dr. Pepper! (I had stopped drinking most pop, and in the words of SkinnyRunner HERE pop=soda, deal with it!....but recently went on a Dr. Pepper binge! 

*Start Running more, well just start running again in general.  I was doing so good until it got HOT, and now I suck.  I am reading Run Less Run Faster, and my goal in the next few weeks is to get my 5K time to under 30 minutes, yes I am SLOW, so I can start the RLRF half training program!  There is a 5K training program in the book, so I'm starting there just for the speed work to get my time down, then once I'm under 30 minutes Ill move onto the Half plan....Thanks to Amanda @ 5MilesPastEmpty HERE for that advice!! I have yet to start this "plan"...thanks to my killer leg workout my running got pushed back a few days!

*Lift/Crosstrain more - I have done both a LOT more this week, I outlined my workouts from the week HERE I have ridden my bike, gone to spin, swam, and lifted 4 times!

*EAT HEALTHIER!!!  I have done a DECENT job on this one...minus my 2 pieces of pizza while drinking, a few pieces of Halloween candy, and a piece of pizza at work tonight (it's been a rough few nights at work) in general this week we've been eating at home more, and eating healthier!
*Blog more and POST MORE PiCTURES!  Doing better on the blogging, need work on the pictures!  Blogging at work (which I do a lot...) is a little harder on the picture part...working on it soon, I promise!

Ps I just figured out how to tag other blogs....Im such a ra-tard!! 

So there ya have it....my goals for the month...

What are you goals?

  PSS I love how I ask questions at the end of my posts A-La HungryRunnerGirl like anyone reads my blog or responds to my questions.....SOMEDAY!

I get my workouts from watching Real World

Ahhhhhh....sweet relief!  My legs are MUCH better today!  I drank my Amino Acid Energy drink around 4ish this morning (don't forget I work night shift!! ) and had a protein smoothie on my way home from work, took 2 Aleve during the night, and the Creatine I took before work...I woke up this afternoon and feel a thousand times better....still sore, but the good kind now, not the "I can barely sit down to pee" kind of sore!!

Let me enlighten you on my KILLER leg workout from Thursday....

I started with these things I don't have a name for yet, and I saw on Real World San Diego (Yes I'm a loser, Yes I record every season of the Real World, and yes I stole a workout from one of the chicks on the show)  They were at the gym and goofing off while working out, but I saw one of the girls doing this and decided to give it a try...hey she has an awesome body so why not? You take one of those aerobics class step things...you know the gnarly green plastic things?  Get down in plan position with your elbows on the ground, and put your feet on the narrow end of the step.  "Jump" your feet out to the sides, then "Jump" them back onto the step, keeping your legs straight and your abs pulled in....OUCH! I did 3 sets of 10....which contributed to my inner thighs, upper Hammys, and lower butt soreness!

Next I laid on one of those ab workout balls, on my stomach, the ball about at my chest, then with your legs straight and together, lift them off the ball as high as you can....pull in your abs while doing this one too...more OUCH!

I did 2 quad machines, a Hammy machine, then holding a 10lb weight I did squats (3 sets of 10) and calf raises (3 sets of 20)....OUCH some more!  My calves are actually what is still the most sore! It seriously amazes me how much squats, calf raises, and lunges can do for you....no fancy equipment needed! 

This workout will definitely be a frequent flyer on my lift days!....AMAZING legs here I come!

No pain No gain right?

OUCH!  is all I have to say....when I left work Friday morning my legs had started to get a little sore from my workout the night before.  I did a few new leg workouts so they were sore in some new places and it actually felt kind of good....then I woke up this afternoon, and realized I could barely walk my legs hurt so bad!  There went my plan for a run before work tonight!!  I took a couple of Ibuprofen and The Hubs suggested I take a couple of his creatine to help with the muscle recovery.....NOT WORKING!  It's been 12 hours since I woke up and they STILL hurt!

Any suggestions on ways to help muscle soreness go away faster?!?!!  I have that new Amino Acid drink and havn't drank any today....maybe that will help a little?

The Biggest Loser...Obsessed!

So The Hubs and I discovered that The Biggest Loser is on NetFlix.  I've never watched it, nor had any desire to watch it, but for some reason we decided to watch an episode the other night....and 5 episodes in 2 days later....we're HOOKED!!

We started with Season 1...and we are both so into it!  It's funny to hear The Hubs opinion on who should go home and why.  It's alwasy funny to see him get a SMIDGE emotional at times!

I think this might be part of my whole "serious amount of motivation" lately.  Watching these people give up their lives and their families for an unspecified amount of time to be healthy is truly inspiring (OMG how corny did that sound?!) After watching an episode I seriously have this craving to go to the gym then eat something healthy!  I am also learning a lot!  It's interesting to see the workouts they do and the meal plans they are following! Plus I <3 Jillian Michaels!  I am going to be sad when I catch up to the seasons when she's gone!

Do you watch it?  And do you get the same motivation it gives me?

I'm baaaaaack!!!....hopefully for good this time!

I suck at this whole "blogging" thing....but I'm going to do better, I promise.

We went to Galveston for our 1 year anniversary trip last week!  Holy crap we've already been married for a whole YEAR!  On the way home I had an epiphany, after looking at a picture my husband took up close of my ass....then wanting to throw up!  I decided it was time to SERIOUSLY make some changes to my life.  Time to start eating right, for real, to get serious about working out, and to focus on my running. 

So I had Wendys and a Dr. Pepper for dinner in the car....one last Dr. Pepper, then at midnight my lifestyle "transformation" started!

Sunday we went to the gym.  Me and The Hubs lifted, and focused on back and shoulders.  KILLER workout, as in I'm still sore and it's Friday morning!  I weighed myself after my workout, and wanted to cry.  I know it's not about the number, but it's SO hard for me not to focus on that.  I weighed 137lbs.  The most I've EVER weighed in my life.  I'm 5'4", and I know this isn't a crazy out of control weight, but it's not where I want to be.  Enough about my obsession with the numbers....

Monday I woke up and went to my very first spin class!!  LOVED.IT. Totally.Addicted! 

Tuesday The Hubs and I went to the gym and lifted biceps this time....again still sore!  I ran when we got home from the gym....no clue how far because I confused my Garmin and it never found me!  It was kind of nice to just run, probably only 2 miles or so, but just me, the dark, a cool breeze, and a run.  It.Felt.GOOD!

Wednesday we went for a 15 mile bike ride on our anniversary presents to each other....Hybrid bikes!  I got a TREK, it's their fitness Hybrid, and I LOVE it!  After dinner we swam 250m in the pool at the gym.  This was my first swim for fitness purposes....it kicked my butt way more than I expected!  The Hubs and I have hopes of slowly training for a Sprint Tri!!  We are doing awesome at increasing our bike mileage, we just need to keep focusing on the swim and run! 

I worked for a few hours on Wednesday night, so I slept most of the day Thursday.  I did get up and go to the gym before coming back to work.  I did legs and abs.  We'll see if I can walk by the time I wake up today!! 

That's 5...YUP 5 days in a row I worked out.  Pretty sure I've never done that....Ever.  I'm trying really hard to be healthier all around.  I havn't had a Dr. Pepper since Friday, I'm drinking tons and tons of water and NUUN, I bought this Optimum Nutrition Amino Acid drink from Vitamin Shoppe that the guy recommended to aid with muscle recovery, endurance, and energy.  It's got green tea in it, and most of the ingredients were all natural. I am loving how much of a difference it makes when I drink it.  The Hubs even said tonight he felt like he could have stayed at the gym all night!  I started taking Glucosamine as well,  I'm trying to do all I can to stay healthy.

 I had pizza on Monday night (Ooops, that's what a few to many beers will do to ya!) but other than that, we've been eating much healthier. 

So my goals are to continue my workout binge, eating healthier, and blogging!!

Slowly but surely...

My running is going so much better...FINALLY!  I have actually done pretty good this week!  I worked on Sunday which = I laid on the couch and slept all day.  Monday morning when I got home The Hubs and I took Puppy Love for a run!  Knox hasn't ran with me in a while because it's been SO STINKIN HOT here!  I'm talking 110-114 degrees outside.  And at 10pm, its still 105.  Ridiculous I know! 

Anyways, we decided to take him with us and just leave it up to him how far we went.  We did 1.5 miles.  I know this is such a short run, but I'm increasing slowly because the heat is killing me.  It was a really good, STRONG, FAST 1.5 miles.  At least it was fast for me.  We let Knox pick the pace.... I did 1.5 in 16 minutes, after working a 12 hour shift, over night.  Yes that is Fast for me because yes I'm slow!  But I'm totally ok with being slow right now....I don't want to push it in this stupid HEAT.

Okay I say stupid heat....but I really LOVE Summer time...I'll take 114 over 30 any day!!

We finished our run in the park that is connected to my neighborhood.  It has a big pond in the middle of the 1/4 mile "track".  My super adorable puppy went straight to the pond and laid down in the water!!  We used to have to throw him in the water if he was going to get in, and now he just jumps right in to cool off!!  Needless to say I was very JEALOUS that I am afraid to get in the dirty pond! Yah he got a bath when we got home!!

Then assumed this position.....

Please don't make fun of my green rug...it's not that bad in person...and The Hubs picked it out....

Tuesday I met a friend for a run date along Katy Trail again!  She's having boy issues so for the first mile we talked AND ran at the same time!  This is a HUGE deal for me!  And I ran at her pace, which is a bit faster than my normal pace!  We talked the whole time!  We stopped to walk after a mile so we could chat a little more, without heavy panting!  We ended up doing a little over 2 miles then recovering with a cold beer!  It was seriously 105 at 10pm last night.  CRAZINESS!!

How are you dealing with the heat if it's as hot where you live?

My form sucks!

So Amanda @ 5MilesPastEmpty made a post about some running mechanics info she read in a book.  She posted a few things to think about while running, so last night,  I decided to think about them while I ran!  It's things like not pushing off with your foot but using your hamstrings to pull your feet up instead, landing on the ball of your feet, and letting gravity help you.  Well let's just say I SUCK when it comes to all of that!!  I only ran 1.8 miles (no walking) with The Hubs, and it was at a pretty slow pace, because I was concentrating on running the CORRECT way!! It's absolutely amazing how much lighter I felt!!  My muscles definitely felt weird afterwards.  My achilles tendon actualy was a little sore from attempting to land on the balls of my feet instead of my heel.  It worked a whole different group of muscles!

I'm going to keep trying to work on this...and hopefully it will help me improve my running!!

Sorry for the short post....Heading to Hurricane Harbor with The Hubs!  Might not get a run in tonight, but I'm definitely going to try!!  Oh and I need to start posting pictures!....Soon!!

Defeated by my esophagus...

Sooo...I had a run planned for Sunday morning when I got home from work....I was tired in the car the whole ride home, but had it set in my mind I was going to run...that is until the WORST case of HEART BURN ever hit!  So bad I couldn't stop coughing!  UGH!  So I didn't get a run in...I took a mouthful of Tums, had a convo with my friend about how old we are because we have heartburn and keep a stash of Tums in arms reach at all times, then went to bed!

I planned on at least going to the gym when I woke up, since I got to bed earlier than planned and had to go back to work tonight....but that didn't happen either.  For some reason I am not a fan of going to the gym alone when The Hubs is home, and he didn't wake up when my alarm went off....sooo I made dinner and watched Cake Boss instead!  Oops...Yup I sucked today!

Work has been NO BUENO tonight!  Almost over...then margaritas for breakfast!!! (Hey 7am is equivalent to happy hour in my world!!)  HUG YOUR BABIES TIGHT when they wake up!!

I THINK I'm back!!

So I'm slowly but surely getting back into the swing of this running thing.  I ran Thursday morning when I got home from work.  It was only 1.6 miles, but it was after a 12 hour shift....and at least half of it was uphill.  I never really realized this uphill part until that morning, because I rarely run this same street more than once, but I made loops around the elementary school and the back side is up hill! Man did my legs BURN!!

Friday night I talked The Hubs into running with me instead of going to the gym : )...He loved it, don't let him fool you!  There is a small lake in his division at work that we keep talking about running, so we decided to give it a try.  The plan was only 2 miles, but we were curious how far it was around the whole lake and decided to just go for it.  Well it was a great trail, minus the fact that half of it is under construction so you have to run around the "cement trail" in the grass...HOLEY, WOBBLEY GRASS.  I hate running on unflat surfaces....especially when it's dark...I'm accident prone!! Oh well it was actually a pretty decent run. 

I definitely feel like I'm improving with each run, and improving a lot quicker than I expected to.  I guess this time I'm not starting from scratch.  I have a strong running base....it's just been a while!  I ran the first mile at a really good pace, and talked the whole way.  The only reason we stopped was we ran out of trail and into a fence....so we had to figure out if there was a way to keep going!  I honestly don't know how much I ran straight the rest of the time, I was trying not to look at my Garmin....and just keep with the flow of things.  I'm trying really hard to listen to my body and not push myself to far to fast.  I feel like I'm doing a pretty good job of that!

Now I just have to figure out how to fit running, weights, sleeping, eating, and social time all in with my work schedule.  I guess I should probably make some room for that HEAPING pile of laundry I keep putting off?! 
Any suggestions on squeezing it all in?  On the days I work I go to work at 6pm, get home around 7:30am.  I have been working on running when I get home in the morning.  If I go straight to sleep I can get up around 3ish (used to be when I ran, but now it's to hot at 3pm to run!...and when I wasn't running I went to the gym at this time) I try to be home by 4:30 so I can shower/get ready and eat dinner before work.  If I run when I get home I'm not in bed until 8:30-9ish.  I eat a snack after my run and shower, then go to bed.  If that's the case I get up a little later..... I don't have kids yet but already feel like there's not enough time in the day!