Incredibly Quiet Here

Happy 4th of July! There is a very strict ban on all things fireworks in Colorado, so it’s been eerily quiet all day.

Why I love running in Colorado: You get to see some beautiful wildlife, if you’re lucky. I saw these guys a few days ago. Today one ran across the path, just 10 or 15 feet in front of me! I was in awe, so I was quick enough to get a picture today.

I did have a great run this morning. I ran for a total of 45 minutes. Not very noteworthy, other than I hit a PR!

I think I was able to run so well this morning for a few reasons:

1. No kids. I usually take my 9 year old son with me, and sometimes my 7 year old daughter. The 9 year old does really good, but my daughter is even less of an athlete than I am.
2. No dogs. If the kids don’t come with me, many times I will take one of my dogs. Both are crazy spaz cases when it comes to other people or animals. Not to mention, when I run, their energy level is like times a billion, so they’re just hyper and weird. I spend a lot of time trying to get them to quit pulling (something they don’t do while on a regular walk) or to not be so scared when a biker rides by.
3. It was gorgeous! Not too hot. I think it was only in the 70’s when I got out this morning. It’s been incredibly hot and very rare for me to be able to run when it’s less than 80, even early in the am. Our days have been over 100 for quite a while now, without much relief at night.
4. I found an awesome interval timer for FREE on iTunes!! It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for. I was able to run without having to stare at the timer on RunKeeper to make sure I was running my intervals correctly. The app is by Gymboss. It was incredibly freeing to be able to just run and listen for the beeps. I actually had a fall a week ago from watching the timer on my phone. Ouch!

I’m actually incredibly proud of this scrape on my knee. It’s my 1st running injury. Sort of. My Aunt was quick to point out that I had a similar accident about 15 years ago, when I was learning how to run so I could join the US Army. Only I gouged a hole in my chin, rather than a scrape on my palms or knees.

Yes, I am incredibly talented.

Race Recap: Welcome To Summer Virtual 5K

Okay, okay, this was more of a slowwww run rather than a race. I admit it. Sigh.

I had great expectations for this race, which was part of the Welcome To Summer Virtual Run. I was going to give it my all and get a PR!! I was!! Really!

But then my 7 year old daughter, Maddy said she wanted to run with me. I’ve signed her up for a 5K on July 7th, so I figured I better see if she even COULD run an entire 5K. She is much like me and is not very athletically inclined.

The good news is that she can. Just barely.

My 9 year old, Michael, ran with us too.

Our time was 48:01 (See….very slowwww. Even for me)

Mile 1 - 14:42 For about half of the 1st mile I had high hopes that she would be able to keep up and finish with a 15 second run/45 second walk pace. Not so. She could only do about 4 or 5 of those before she was too tired. We dropped down to a 10 second run/50 walk interval and she was able to handle that much better.

Mile 2 – 15:42 Maddy insisted on getting a drink every time we finished a lap. I kept going, but a little slower, while she finished her drink and caught up.

Mile 3 – 16:06 Maddy was still trying to get a drink of water after every lap, but after the 1st lap she sat down. I had to yell at her and threaten her life to get off her ass and catch up to me. She tried to cut across the track to catch up, until I yelled “cheater!!” (I am such a mean mom!) The last 10 minutes or so I had to hold her hand and encourage her to run for those 10 seconds.

Although it was a little slower than I would have liked, I am very proud of Maddy for running it with me. She had a hard time, but in the end she was able to finish it. And even with a bit of a smile on her face. I’m not sure if she will volunteer herself to run with me again (except for the run I’ve already entered her in), but I really hope she will!

I had a huge fibromyalgia flare-up and couldn’t run the 10K part of the race today. I’m really hoping I feel better tomorrow and can get it in before the end of the contest.

Here’s a picture of my brats and I, right after the run. Terrible picture, I know, but we had to wait until dusk for it to cool down enough to run. My iPhone doesn’t take the greatest pictures when there isn’t enough light.

Summer Virtual Run 5k/10K

Yes! I found another one to enter! And this one is FREE! Do you realize how much some of these runs are to enter?

Running, Loving, Living is hosting a virtual run. It’s extra awesome because you can participate regardless of where you live.

This event has already started, but you have until June 25th to complete your runs. You can find all of the information here.

I’m going to run both the 5K and the 10K. Call me crazy! Luckily, I can get both runs in and it will still work with my training calendar.

Go! Join now! Someone asked if they could walk the 5K because they weren’t a runner, and she gave permission.

Give it a try! What do you have to lose?

P.S.  I’ve also added the Run, Stroll, & Roll 5K to my schedule. It’s in Colorado Springs on July 7th at America the Beautiful Park. It’s FREE, as well. If you live here, come join me. My kids will be running with me too!

Lose A Marathon

Jess over at Run with Jess has this super awesome weight loss challenge going on right now.

I decided to give it a try. I have much more than just a marathon to lose, but 26.2 pounds seems like a great place to start. Losing anything will help me to run easier. The challenge runs for 13 weeks, so my weekly weight loss goal will be 2 pounds.

This weeks mini challenge is to write out my weight loss plan.

• Eat less than 1600 calories a day.
• Keep carbs to the bar minimum to help with my blood sugar.
• Zumba for 1 hour on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• Run for 45 minutes Tuesday and Thursday.
• Long run on Saturday (Anywhere between 3 and 13 miles)
• Try to walk 6 miles Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• Try to walk extra on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for a total of up to 6 miles (to get the maximum points for charity on Earndit.com)
• Sunday is my rest day if I feel I need it. If not, then walking up to 6 miles it is.

This is actually the plan I’ve been following for the last couple of weeks. I do see some very small results on the scale. Nothing major, but every bit helps.

I will be measuring myself tomorrow. I think it will help if I’m able to see some good results there, just in case that damn scale doesn’t want to budge. I’ll post those, hopefully tomorrow. I might just wait until next week and add them in on my update post.

We also had to take some “before” pictures. I bit the bullet and did it, even though I really did not want to.

We can only hope there will be a very marked improvement in the next set I have to take. Don’t mind the shiny face. Zumba kicked my ass just shortly before the photo was taken. And the goofy grin? My husband is not much of an iPhone photographer. It took many, many shots before he could get one with my entire body in it, somewhat centered and not too blurry. It was hilarious!

You can join the challenge for the next week. Did I mention there are PRIZES involved?!?! Get on over to Run with Jess and sign up! Oh yeah, if 26.2 miles is too daunting or you don’t need to lose quite that much, you can sign up for the halfer, or just 13.1 pounds. Give it a try!

If you’re on RunKeeper look me up. There’s always room for one more on my Street Team (that sounds so dirty).

This Is What A 5K (plus some Zumba)

looks like for me.

Please forgive the squinty eyes. It was very sunny. And the gray hair. One of these days I will get around to dying it or something. Fucking gray hair. And the caterpillars that are hanging out above my eyes.

I was the only one who ran. There were 4 or 5 people who walked about half of it.

I was slow. However, I’ve come a long way in the last month and a half. I’ve knocked about 4 minutes off each mile. My goal is to knock about 5 more off, but we’ll see how that goes.

Words Cannot Describe

how I feel right now.

Just a short while ago I purchased my entry ticket to the 2012 Wine & Dine Half Marathon at Disney World in November.

I bought the plane ticket too, sooooo….there’s not getting out of it.

There are so many emotions running through me right now.

I’m excited, mostly. But in under that current of excitement is a bit of nervousness and maybe some self-doubt.

I never – in a hundred bazillion years – thought I would ever be signing up for a 5K (I’m registered for 2 of those already), let alone a half marathon. Just ask my friend, Carly. Just a few short months ago I was giving her props for running a half marathon, while telling her that I would never be able to run one.

I know I can do this. That’s what I keep telling myself. I’ve been training, and still have many more months left to train. I’ll be fine. But then there’s that little voice underneath all that. I’m too old. I’m too fat. I’m not strong enough.

It’s not fair that I allow myself to talk like that. The only way to get past all that is to just DO IT!! And that’s what I’m going to do.

Carly, in a roundabout way, made me do this. And I love her and thank her for that. I started running a little over a month ago. For the first time in years I am having more good days than bad. There are still many rough days, but the fact is, I just feel a whole lot better. She provided that encouragement and inspiration.

Wow. So anyway, I had no idea that this post was going to go there….I didn’t even realize there were so many crazy emotions swirling around inside of me until I was typing it all down.

Here are my plans for the months ahead:

• Summer Bash 5K Run – June 16, 2012 – Pueblo, CO (My 1st 5K!!)
• The Color Run 5K – August 11, 2012 – Colorado Springs, CO
• Step Out Walk to STOP Diabetes 5K Walk – October 20, 2012 – Denver, CO (Please consider donating to this cause)
• Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon – November 10, 2012 – Disney World, FL (This will be the 1st time I miss my husband birthday – Sorry Baby!!)
• Disney Tinker Bell Half Marathon – January 20, 2013 – Disneyland, CA

I’m still working on more things to add, but I think this is a pretty good start.

Near & Dear To My Heart

I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes around 5 or 6 years ago. I can’t remember the exact amount of years, but what I can tell you is that it was absolutely devastating.

Yes. Devastating.

Even though I was pretty much expecting it.

I had a family history. I had gestational diabetes with all three of my pregnancies (one that even required insulin to manage), and I was overweight.

When I got that call from the doctor, it was like a punch in the gut.

How? Me? But I’m too young. I’m not THAT fat. Do over?? Please?

I have battled it since. My blood sugar numbers have never been perfect, no matter how “good” I eat. No matter how much exercise I do. No matter how compliant I am with my meds. (Yes, “MEDS,” I have to take 2 different ones).

Currently, I can eat 1 serving of carbs a day. Not that bad, you say? A diabetics serving of carbs is only 15 grams. Just 15 grams!! Tiny! That’s about half a banana, 1/2 of a cup of potatoes, or 1/3 of a cup of pasta. And that’s a day. Not per meal.

I’d love to help find a cure for this disease.

On October 20, 2012 I am going to do the 5K Step Out Walk To Stop Diabetes. The one I’m participating in is in Denver, Colorado.

I encourage you to click the link above and donate. Even if it’s only a few cents. You can make a donation here using your credit card or PayPal. (YES! They take PayPal now!).

If you don’t have anything to spare, that’s okay!! Spread the word to your family and friends. Help me make this Viral!!

Orrrr…..You can join me if you live close enough. There’s always room for one more. It would be fun to have a teammate or two.