CRAZY Busy!!!

Wow!  It has been a CRAZY busy couple of weeks, but, surprisingly, my training has stayed on track.  I was able to get in an icy, windy 9 mile run last Saturday and plan to get up to double digits this weekend!  I was supposed to have a 5 mile run tonight but we are getting pounded by a snow storm.  We even got sent home from work this afternoon to work from our homes.  We'll just reschedule it for tomorrow.

I have been trying to decide on a 2013 fitness goal.  I have seen a lot of the the "1000 mile challenges."  I ran about 600 miles this year and while I plan to do more in 2013, I'm not sure if 1000 is do-able for me yet.

I used a link called Athlinks to track my races and noticed that I ran 8 races this year.  Since I'm already signed up for 3 in 2013 (the first one on New Year's Day) and a virtual race (to benefit Sandy Hook Elementary) I have decided that my fitness goal will be to run 13 races in 2013.

Of course, I have the never ending battle of the bulge to work on as well but I am trying really hard not to obsess about the weight so I am not making a resolution based on the scale!

What fitness goals have you set for 2013?

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Well, maybe for some.  I am just on the brink of starting to become overwhelmed.  I am trying to take it one step at a time but in addition to the normal holiday craziness, add in my daughter's bridal shower - on December 23rd!  What were we THINKING?!?!?

Ok.  Back to the training - which, by the way, is actually helping me with the potential stress!  The training is going well. I bounced back pretty good this week after having such a horrible cold the week before.  Monday's two mile run was painful but I got in some good core work on Tuesday, another 2 mile run on Wednesday, core Thursday morning and a 5 mile run Thursday night.  Core on Friday and a really good 8 mile run yesterday.  The weather was incredible this week for being almost the middle of December.  Yesterday morning it was 50 degrees during our run and we got to see a small "herd" of 5 deer near the towpath.  They were really beautiful.

So, I hope that this week goes well and that I can continue on a good training routine even with all the parties and other activities approaching.  I'll need it now, more than ever, to work out the stress and work off the extra pounds from all of the food!!!

How do you schedule your training runs during the holidays?

I'm so glad this week is OVER!

Well, it happened.  I had been battling a cold for about 2 weeks and successfully warding it off with vitamin C and ColdEze lozenges but this week, everyone at work got sick - including me.

The week started off ok.  I got my normal 2 mile run in on Monday, core workout on Tuesday, 2 miles on Wednesday but Wednesday night - it hit.  In a matter of minutes, after dinner Wednesday night, my head started filling up with snot.  I knew it was too late for more ColdEze or vitamin C.  When I woke up Thursday morning - I was sick.

I tried to muscle through.  I did a really half a$$ed core workout.  Amanda and I had a 5 miler planned for after work.  I started it but only made it two miles before the pressure behind my right eye made it impossible to go any further.  I still tried a half a$$ed core workout on Friday but it was pathetic.

Amanda and I were supposed to go 8 miles on Saturday.  Knowing how clogged my head still felt, we skipped the run and went Outlet Mall Christmas shopping instead.  I'm sure I got in a couple of miles worth of walking but it's just not the same.

My husband and I did our community's Candlelight  Walk tonight.  It is a couple of miles of walking to all the churches and some historic homes in the community where they sing carols at each location and have cookies and beverages.  At least I stayed a little active over the weekend.

I'm starting to feel a little better so I am planning for my regular two mile run in the morning and I HOPE that I can get back on my training track this week and I hope I didn't lose too much progress.

How do you stay active and continue training when you're sick?

Thanksgiving Weekend

It's all coming to a close.  We had a wonderful weekend with friends and family.  Both kids and their significant others were here at various times throughout.  We started with the arrival of my daughter and her fiance early Thursday morning.  Just in time to run a 5K Turkey Trot.  My daughter is a fantastic pacer and paced me to a 5K PR of 28:51! 

We arrived home to start with the obnoxious amount of eating and drinking.  We had breakfast pizza with mimosas and Bloody Marys. 

After breakfast, we began preparing our Thanksgiving feast.  It was an intimate crowd - just my husband and I.  My daughter and her fiance and my parents.  We made up by eating enough for an army!

Friday was spent with an early 8 mile run and some errands.  My son and his girlfriend arrived late Friday night and while I went to bed early, everyone stayed up partying most of the night! 

The reason for my early bedtime Friday night was so that I could get up bright and early on Saturday morning and venture out, along with my mom, to our favorite local sport's bar where we claimed seats for everyone for the Ohio State - Michigan game.  We all celebrated their win!

Today was spent cooking lunch for my son and his girlfriend - they requested meatloaf - and cooking a turkey stock with the leftover turkey carcass.  I made about 100 gallons so we will be eating turkey noodle soup for many months to come!

Tomorrow, reality begins again.  A short two mile run in the morning and then a FIRM resolve to get back on the "decent eating" bandwagon.  Of course, that will only last for a couple of weeks before the next holiday arrives and the eating reaches obnoxious levels again.

What do you do to keep your appetite in check during the holiday season?

Conference Week - I Survived!

I mostly survived Conference Week.  I got in two short 2 mile treadmill workouts so that was good since I wasn't sure I would get in any workouts!  My diet was what suffered the most.  I didn't have my green smoothies and instead, had a plethora of some of the fattiest foods known to man at my beck and call.  Bacon for breakfast every morning was heavenly on the taste buds but devilish on my abs. 

I didn't even improve when I got home.  I had pizza for dinner Friday night, bar food and beer Saturday and today was our annual Turkey Bowl with some Fantasy Football friends:  chili, buffalo chicken dip, turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy.  I made an attempt at healthy by eating the roasted asparagus but then washed it all down with some Bud Light.

I'm going to make an attempt to get back on track the first half of this week but I know it will all be blown again starting Thursday.  I'm going to try not to stress about it.  I'm just going to keep working out and hope for the best.  I can start the diet all over again in January!

I did have a good 7.5 mile run yesterday.  It was 30 degrees starting out but the sun was shining brightly (after it actually rose above the horizon - we went out at 7:30am) and the air was invigorating.  I was grumpy and complaining about it but when we were done at 9am and most people weren't even out of bed yet - it felt so good!

How do you keep your diet in check when you are away from home?  Or over the Holidays?  I need some good advice!!!

Conference Week

It's been a while since I've posted.  I'm sure my legions of fans are missing me - NOT!!!

Training is going along as scheduled.  I've had two 7 mile runs so far.  The second one was a 20 second faster pace than the first one!  I hope to see THAT keep improving!!!

My diet is going about the same as usual.  I have been diligent about my green smoothies every day but I do slip a bit - perhaps with a salted caramel mocha frappachino last week and maybe with a peanut butter cookie or two this week...

Tomorrow starts 4 days of our semi-annual conference that we conduct for my job.  It means crappy eating, standing on my feet all day and no place to run it off other than a treadmill.  The conference is in a bad part of Cleveland.  Even though the facilities are amazing, there is no place to run outside and no time to get in a good "medium" run during the week.  I got a good two miler in this morning and will do abs tomorrow morning.  The best I can hope for is two days on the treadmill and anther ab workout in the hotel room.  I'll have to do the best I can to watch my diet and then stay back at 7 miles for my "long" run on Saturday. 

I know we have worked plenty of time into our training schedule so I'm not going to stress about it too much - there's just simply, nothing I can do about it!  I am really looking forward to the kids being home over Thanksgiving.  The conference and the holiday are going to make these next couple of weeks crazy busy!

How do you run/workout during weeks when circumstances make it next to impossible?

Will the Sun Ever Come Out?

I should know better.  Probably not until April.  Northeast Ohio averages 66 days of sun per year.  We were really spoiled this summer by so many sunny days.  I guess we're making up for it now!  It's been 10 days since we've seen the sun and it even snowed a bit this morning!

I got a really good 7 mile run in on Saturday.  Then I ruined my run by eating football food and drinking beer.  But I am still drinking my green smoothies every day.  Recently, I have even started adding a scoop of protein powder!

Last week, we all got the base for our costumes.  Target had their costumes half off so we were able to get these cute tank/tutu one piece outfits for $10!  I'm hoping my mom can add the white peplum things that are on Cinderella's skirt and add some puffy white sleeves.   I think I will like this better than just a tutu because I won't have to worry about it fitting in the waist.  Just slip it on!  I think I might have trouble with my Spibelt but I will try to figure something out for fuel and my phone. 

I got a quick 2 mile run in this morning.  Tomorrow is cross training, Wednesday is a 5 miler with Amanda (if her shins are feeling better) Thursday is cross train.  Friday should be a 2 miler and another 7 miler on Saturday!  Training is ticking by!