Two Days!!!

The countdown is on, only two days til my first HALF MARATHON!!!!!  I may or may not be TOTALLY FREAKING OUT!!

 

 

I know I have trained for this, but did I train enough?? The furthest I have run is 10 miles at once and that was a few weeks ago.... being sick near the end really messed me up. I log my mileage and workouts on Daily Mile and they have an app that links with them called electric miles. It helped me track my mileage when training for the 150 mile bike ride I did in April and the two tri's I have done (this past July and last September). If you don't have a tracking tool I recommend it!

 

 

My running over the past year, by month. The past two months my mileage has been high due to training for the half and I expect it to keep growing due to the fact that my crazy self signed up for a marathon the same day I signed up for my half. I will be running the Rock N Roll New Orleans with my cousin and two friends as of right now.



Once I complete the full - and raise money for the American Heart Association in memory of my dad- I will be back to just 5ks and 10ks as my long distances. I am not a distance runner. My long runs are TOUGH and I just enjoy running 3 - 4 miles, but my long runs on the weekend are a chore and not fun at all. I am not a runner's build, I have a lot of weight I am putting on my joints when I run and its tough. AND I want to get back to my happy weight and long distance running has made me GAIN weight - I am hungry ALL the time!

Workout Wednesday- Full Body Circuit with a Step

If you haven't noticed by now, my favorite workout is the full body circuit - it torches calories and works every muscle,  when you are training for running events, its nice to be able to get all the muscles at one workout so you can maximize your running time!


For warmup, we jogged for about 3 minutes, then side shuffled on each side for a minute each (5 minute warm up).

Do each item for 45 seconds unless reps are given- go through each circuit 3 times before moving to the next circuit:


Circuit 1:

• push-ups with your toes on a step (you can modify by not putting your toes on the step- I had to do this after a couple on the step- its no joke doing pushups on a decline)
• sumo squats with one armed cleans using 8-10lbs (12 with each arm)
• bicycles for ab work
• 90 seconds of cardio: 45 seconds of high knees and 45 seconds of jumping jacks

Circuit 2:

• plank rows 8-10lbs with toes on a step - get in plank position with weights under hands and row with each arm, one at a time
• lunges with 8-10lbs in each arm and your back leg on the step (12 each side)
• sit ups touching the floor behind you and then your toes which are perched on the step with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle with the floor
• 90 seconds of cardio: 45 seconds of butt kickers and 45 seconds of jumping over the bench back and forth

Circuit 3:

• plank on elbows to plank on hands up and down with toes on the step
• squat down to sit on step and stand up again without using your hands - DEEP squats, it will burn!
• Russian twists
• 90 seconds of cardio: 45 seconds of running in place and 45 seconds of jumping on and off the step

You will torch calories and you will get in great cardio, but you will also be building great muscles!

Two Years Ago Today

Two years ago, the most amazing man I have ever met asked me to marry him... and it seems like it was just yesterday!

We were at the LSU Florida game and I had NO CLUE. That day tailgating I was telling my friends that we were never getting married and we were just going to date forever. He threw me off really well because a lot of my friends were getting married/engaged and all talking about it and asking him when he was going to propose the week before and I told him that it wasn't coming from me and that I was happy with us where we were and I didn't want him to think I was trying to pressure him. The night before this game we were staying at my friend Tara's and she was looking at engagement rings and I told him the same thing I had the week before... and he said "Well, just don't drink the Kool-Aid" which made me mad because anytime we had talked about marriage he had been the one to bring it up- and he had been talking about it for about a year at that point. So he did a great job throwing me off.

A guy 3 people down from me on our row proposed to his girlfriend at half time, no lie. I chose that as my time to clarify how NOT to propose to a girl. You do NOT propose at half time, there are many reasons why this is a bad idea, but mainly what if we end up losing the game? Then the proposal and start of a future together is tainted by a loss!! Secondly, she will be distracted from the game looking at her ring- not what you want during an LSU game. (I said all this with NO IDEA what was about to happen that night.)

After the game was over I asked my sister to take our picture because we hadn't gotten one that night. He took that as his opening to propose..

 

 

As soon as the picture was over he started talking and turned me to face him, at first I thought he was joking because of all the comments I made about proposing and we did end up winning the game, so I thought he was picking on me- hence the slightly pissed off face in the first picture.

 

Then when he started fumbling for his pocked and I realized he was serious, I was surprised, totally caught off guard...

 

 

 

I was so happy

 

 

 

 I don't even think I said yes before I kissed him!!!

 

 

then I said yes... and put the ring on myself, haha, I liked it ALOT and couldn't wait to get it on my finger!!

 

 

He then let me know that all my friends and family knew and that's why they were giving him a hard time about it. He planned a celebratory engagement lunch for the next day and invited my whole family!

 

 

I love that he knows how important family is to me and included them in the event! It made it that much more special!

 

My favorite- she really loves him a lot, after this picture was taken she started crying and saying how happy she was for us. I am so glad she was there to share this with us!

 

 

 

Half Marathon Training FINAL Update

Friday was my last long run before the half THIS Saturday... I am freaking out. I was feeling great Friday until 6.25 miles in and my right calf cramped up. Normally, if I run more than 4/5 miles I start eating my GU Chomps around 3/4 miles in, but I was feeling good Friday morning so I didn't and I am HOPING that is why my calf cramped up on me (lack of electrolytes). I didn't do any exercising this weekend and I babied my calf. I am going to try to get in 3 miles today and we will see how it feels. Other than that cramp near the end of my 7 mile run it was a great run. I met two ladies who are going to join me in the training and raising money for the American Heart Association for my marathon February 2nd and we are going to meet up every two weeks on our Friday off and run at a park or common location.

 

 

 

Friday after the run I went home and did some housework including mowing the lawn- I am NOT going to complain about rain, because we need it here, but the grass is growing VERY quickly. Then Friday afternoon the hubs left work a bit early and we headed to the property... the boys like it when we tow the trailer because they get the backseat to themselves. We also decided to keep the girls in their houses in the bed of the truck, they like the wind and it keeps things less hectic inside.

 

 

Maddie and me trying to nap Saturday morning after being up a lot that night with her moving around and making too much noise... the hubs went and sat for bow season.

 

 

I didn't get a nap, but it made for a cute picture... the hubs lucked out that morning, but that afternoon, he got his first deer with the bow! YAY for ground venison!!! I am ALL out, so I told him that's what we are making out of this deer... I don't want more sausage yet, I love the venison and its super healthy!

I finished Chris Powell's book this weekend and was thinking about starting the carb cycling this week, but decided to wait and just try to eat clean this week, don't need to be cutting too many carbs right before my first half- I can do that next week! I will write up a cliff notes of the book this week!

Workout plan this week:

Monday- 3 mile run
Tuesday- weights
Wednesday- 3 mile run
Thursday- REST
Friday- 1 mile run to loosen up
Saturday- HALF MARATHON
Sunday - REST

Reality Check

This morning, for the first time in a couple weeks, I stepped on the scale. I need to go back to at least weekly weigh ins because it helps keep me in check. I will also be using my body fat monitor to track my success that the scale can not see, but there is no hiding it, I am up. I can tell in how my clothes fit and everything. I did finally cave and go to the store and get some bigger work pants. I am hoping not to be in them for too long.

I downloaded Chris Powell's new book to my Kindle last week and I plan on reading it this weekend.


I am just not getting it right with my food. I know that is the problem and I also know how sensitive my body is to carbs, its how I lost the last few stubborn pounds while getting ready for the wedding. I haven't cut them out again because I am training for the half in a little over a week and then a full marathon in February and I know carbs are energy - BUT he has a carb cycling plan for active people who still need more carbs, so I am going to try it. I hope I can finish the book this weekend and start it next week.

It rotates high carb and low carb days and gives you a cheat day each week also.

I think this will work for me right now because I know cutting carbs helps me drop weight, but I also need energy for my long runs. I am hoping this also helps me curb my crazy appetite that has come with running longer distances.

I know my diet is the one area that is killing me right now and I am going to do something about it. Its not even about weighing less or a certain size (although I would love to be back two sizes smaller), its mostly about being healthy and feeling good about myself and right now I am not there, I am not even close. I love his show "Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition" and that shows you the results you can get with his program, so I am hoping I can have great results and get back in check by my 30th next March!

Workout Wednesday: Another Full Body Circuit

I love full body circuit workouts. You burn a ton of calories and you get results EVERYWHERE!


Last Friday I did this workout with a  friend and TORCHED calories... and could hardly move all weekend, which was ok because I was sick and didn't want to anyway....

sore = effective = results

10 minute warm up: We started off on the treadmill - I got in a mile running

Then you have 3 sets of each circuit:

10 reps bent over row (heavy weights) 40lbs
10 reps dead lifts (heavy weights) - 40lbs

10 burpees with the pushup
20 lunges holding 6lb weight ball over head and swinging it down to the side you are lunging back on

10 pullups (we used the weight assist machine)
10 sit ups while throwing and catching 6lb weight ball


Try to keep moving with minimal resting between each set, its a fat burner and muscle builder FULL BODY workout! Total calories burned 700 in one hour!

October Goals and September Goal Update

My goal for September was the plank challenge, I got sick last week and I am behind, BUT I WILL finish the challenge!! I have not been able to hold a plank for more than a minute and a half at a time, but I try to keep in between rests to a minimum and plank as close to the full time as necessary.

 

 

I am on day 21 today, so I have one more 2 1/2 minute day and then its on to 3 plus minutes... after taking a week off it wont be easy, but I can do it! I am determined to finish this challenge! I decided I will keep planking, but just a minute a day for the month of October- my abs need it!

 

 

 

For October the goal is just one: FINISH my half marathon October 12th! I cant believe its already the month of my half!?!?!?!

 

I can breathe today when my mucinex d kicks in so I am planning on getting in 3 miles at lunch AND my planks for today.

 

Goals for this week:

 

Monday- rest (sick)

Tuesday- run 3 miles

Wednesday- sports conditioning class

Thursday- run 4 miles

Friday- weights

Saturday- run 7 miles (splitting the difference between what I am supposed to run and what I was supposed to run this past Saturday)

Sunday- rest

 

Total Weekly Miles- 14