5 miler Repeat

I just realized it has been over a week since my last post and I swore to Brittany that I was going to update weekly about my progress. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my day to day that I don't even have time to get on the computer to update. (I ALWAYS have my phone but hate typing on it) So here I am, to issue an apology to Brittany and our readers and to update everyone on what's been happening. :)

Last week I got to go visit my family in Alabama. Our church does VBS every summer and I was so happy that I was off and able to participate. Sometimes I really miss being at home and so those little trips are meaning more and more each time I go.

 I was in charge of games and face painting. To say I had a blast was an understatement. My "adopted" brother Brody was there and he let me paint him a full beard, which was hysterical in my opinion. I painted mustaches, hearts, crosses, and more Auburn logos than I can even remember. (WAR EAGLE!!!!) ;)

Brody with his "stache"

Last week started my week of 5 milers and on Monday I hit the treadmill and completed them. I hate the treadmill more than anything, so it took me an hour and a half to finish. While it wasn't ideal, I was proud of myself for pushing and getting done. My knees were killing me when I finished so I iced them and relaxed a little bit. Due to the soreness, I was unable to get anymore mileage in last week. With that being said, I'm going to redo my week of 5 milers so that I'll be able to complete them in entirety. (And outside at the track)

While I was home, I got the opportunity to have a beach day with my sister, Chelsea, and my best friend Chandra. When we get together, the silliness that ensues is unbelievable. We were able to enjoy a good visit, a subway sandwich, and some sand, sun, and surf. :)

Girl's Day Silliness

Once I got back from Alabama, I helped by taking part in a friend of mine's wedding. I was one of her program attendants and my job was to hand out programs and have people sign the guest book. I took my duties seriously and at 5pm on the nose, took my seat among the rest of the wedding guests. The wedding was beautiful and the Tiffany Blue and Coral theme was breathtaking. I was so happy I was able to be a part of her big day. 

The Bride and her coworkers

Now to the current week now that we are all caught up. :) 

Today I had the pleasure of meeting one of my new team members for next year. She is very sweet and I'm looking forward to working with her. We had a "working" lunch with my other team member, Charla. We are gearing up for a GREAT school year.

 I also got to tell my parents goodbye as they headed to their trip to Memphis for the next few days. They stayed at my house last night so that they didn't have to drive so far. Even though it was a quick overnight trip, it still meant a lot to me to get to see them. Even though I only live 4hrs from home, sometimes it seems like a lot further.

To end my day I paid some bills, worked on some school stuff, and am now debating on if I want to start tackling my "teacher storage room" or wait until tomorrow. Pretty sure I'm going to at least start tonight, but we will see. 5 miles is scheduled for the AM as well.

I hope everyone has a good week and look for some more updates soon! :)

Happy Monday,

Jana

A Little Running, A Little Yoga, & A Relaxing Weekend

I have had a really wonderful weekend, I,  for the most part took it easy. No big plans, no where to be.  I love to go, go, go. Travel to new places, find little adventures locally. But sometimes I really need a weekend that runs at a slower pace. 

Saturday morning, I woke up around 7 and dragged my butt outside for a 4 mile run. I have to say this was not one of most pleasant runs. For most of the run, I just wanted to stop! But I just kept pushing, I almost feel more accomplished when I push through an unpleasant run, than when I have a really great run. It tests my persistence. I definitely went slower with every mile, but only one mile was outside my Disney pace. So I was overall pleased. 

I think I am going to do another week of 4 milers because I don't feel quite ready for 5. I'm sure after another week of training, I will be ready to take that leap. 

After the run, I took a shower, and drove down to the Athens Saturday Market to buy some fresh produce. It is amazing, how much better vegetables/fruit taste from the market! I got some lovely tomatoes, that I have been munching on for snacks.

Once I returned home, I took a very long nap, and I  headed into the office to finish up some paperwork I had fallen behind on at work. I hate going in on the weekend, but I was alone at the office, and I was able to listen to my podcasts, so it wasn't too bad.  I then met my husband for dinner at Olive Garden. Olive Garden has always been one of my favorite places to pig out. Now post weight loss surgery, I can only stomach a few bites of salad and one half of a chicken meatball. It was still satisfying though, and the company was golden, so it was well worth the trip.

Did I mention I have been buying all the Disney movies on blu-ray? I have enjoyed re-watching them so much. Disney is such a nostalgic thing, I remember the first time I saw all these movies! This weekend I watched Hercules and The Hunchback of Notre dame. I may be watching Hercules yet again, right this very second.

This morning I woke up and did this 20 minute yoga video for complete beginners! I have been thinking about what I wanted to do to cross train on non-run days for a while. I thought yoga would be a good option because it is not overly intense, and it won't make me too sore. In fact, the streching should help limber me up.

For a couple of weeks, my right knee has been sore from running, I assume. It never bothers me while running, but it really bothers me after running. Today, it felt so much better after my short yoga session.

I have always struggled with some of the yoga poses in the past, especially weight bearing ones, and today was no different. I had trouble holding downward dog. But I have bought a yoga block to help me modify some moves, and I am sure I will just get better if I keep practicing. I have to say I felt really relaxed after my session. Which is good for me, as someone who struggles with anxiety almost 24/7.

I hope everyone has a good week,

Brittany

Mickey Miles Podcast

I am just popping in to share a really awesome podcast with you guys called The Mickey Miles Podcast! This podcast is all about running Disney (which is exactly what we will be doing in 7 months). I have just started listening to it, so I have only played a few episodes, but it is full of wonderful information on what to expect, how to train, and just why it is so exciting to run Disney. If you are interesting in running Disney at all, I highly recommend this.

You can download the podcast onto your iPhone from the podcast app (which is what I do), listen to it on the website, or on iTunes. It is free, which is my favorite price.

Happy Listening,

Brittany

The Bad Run & The Good Run

I was on such a high from my Saturday 5k victory run all weekend long. But when Monday came around I was nervous about conquering the start of the 4 miler week (I decided to extend the 3 milers into two weeks, due to the lack of runs I was able to get in during last week).

Monday afternoon, I dragged myself onto the treadmill. I don't know if I was still sore from Saturday or just not in a good head space, but my legs felt heavy and clunky. I just couldn't force the run. So I stopped. In the past, quitting on a run would devastate me. I would think about how I would never reach my goals, and I wasn't doing good enough. But I have learned that bad runs happen, and they don't really say anything about my abilities or fitness. 

Now if I had a whole week of bad runs, I would be more concerned. 

So I had to try the 4 mile run again today. I typically don't like to run on Tuesdays because it is my long day.  I planned on running on the treadmill today. But I had brought my running clothes to work, so I could change into them before heading home. I do this because if I change before I go home, I am more likely to work out. But when I stepped outside the office it was so cool out, due to recent storms.  So I decided I would switch it up and go to a local park. I'm glad I did. The park was beautiful today, and it gave me a change of scenary.

I was able to jog 4 miles without stopping! This is the farthest I have ever gone. The first mile and the last mile were the worst. But those two miles in between were my total sweet spot. My first two miles were sub 16 minutes, but I slowed down considerably on the last couple of miles. So my overall pace was a 17 minute mile. It is not a Disney eligible time, but I am still proud. Speed will come in time. 

Sometimes my body amazes me with what it can do when I have the proper mind set. It is amazing how my bad runs are always followed by good ones! Hope that is always the case!

Until Next Time,

Brittany

The Countdown is On...

The countdown to Disney is slowly ticking away! It's hard to believe that when I started my timer that we had well over 340 days! I like to randomly check and when I saw we were less than 250 days away I sent Brit a copy of the timer. Her response was "Holy Moly!" I know exactly how she feels because it seems so surreal to be getting closer by the day. We will be registering for our race on July 15th! It's so close! 

I finished my week of 4 milers on Saturday morning and it was HOT! My fastest 4 miles I did for the week was 58 minutes. My longest was 1hr 2 mins. I'm not going to complain because I'm still under the time limit for Disney and I know that over time my speed will improve. And before I move on, I must say how proud I am of Brittany for running her first full 5K on Saturday! That is such an amazing accomplishment! :) She has inspired me to try and run a full 5K as well. 

Today starts my 5 mile runs and since the weather has decided not to cooperate, I'm going to be using my Mom's treadmill. Even though I hate the treadmill, at least I will get my workout in without too much hassle. Plus, they were cutting the grass at the track I've been running at since I've been home and the pollen is RIDICULOUS! Hopefully this rain will help bring it down a little so I'll be able to run outside tomorrow! :) 

I've been home visiting my family the last few days as our "home" church is preparing for VBS starting tonight and I had a few Pampered Chef shows scheduled. Given that I'm out for summer break, both of these give me an excuse to stay busy and make extra trips home to visit. I love PC because I get to cook and teach while earning some extra income. If you've never heard of Pampered Chef, you can check out my website here. VBS is fun too because I get to be in charge of games with all the kids. There is nothing more fun than working with little kids and seeing their eyes light up. Our theme this year is Weird Animals. I can't wait for the kids to come into the church and see what we have in store for them! 

It's hard to believe that everything is moving so fast. It feels like just yesterday I started my summer break and in two more weeks I'll be setting up my classroom and gearing up for a new school year, my half marathon, and getting everything squared away for Disney! I feel so blessed and can't wait to see what happens! 

Have a Marvelous Monday,

Jana

The "Big" 5k

Last week, I decided I wanted to do a 5k over this weekend. So I hoped on Active.com and found the "Big" 5k, right here in Huntsville. It was a charity run for big brothers/big sisters. I love that organization, so I thought this race would be perfect.

For a while now, I have been feeling very frustrated with myself during 5ks, because I could not perform in races like I do in my work-outs. It was all mental. There was no reason I could barely run a lick in races, when I have been able to run 3 miles working out many, many times!  So my motivation in signing up for this race was to break that mental barrier.  Therefore, I decided to go alone.

In no way, has doing 5ks with my husband or Jana held me back. But I knew to break this mental barrier, I would need to dig deep and be focused only on myself and my running. I have never done a race alone, so I didn't know what it would be like. 

I had a somewhat fitful night's sleep on Friday. I kept waking up to glance at the clock, terrified I was going to miss the alarm. I guess it was a case of pre-race jitters. My alarm went off at 5:45, and I got up, got dressed, and drove over to Huntsville (the race started at 7).

I tried not to put too much pressure on myself, as I walked the parking lot trying to get a decent warm-up in.  I tried not to think about the race at all. But soon it was time to line up, and before I knew it the start horn blew. I just started jogging. I told myself my first goal was to get to the half  mile mark. It is a pretty short distance, and I always feel better after the half mile mark.

When I got to a half mile, I still felt decent, so I just kept going.  The first mile and a half went by pretty fast. But once I got to 2 miles, it started to feel difficult and I had to dig in. The course wasn't entirely flat, and I hate HILLS (even small ones). But I kept going anyway. 

I once told my husband he shouldn't talk to me when I'm hungry, tired, or going up hills.

When I saw the finish line, I wanted to cry. When I crossed the finish line, I almost did cry. I did it in 49 minutes (a 15:40 minute mile average). I had done it, I had finally broke that mental barrier. I felt amazing. And tired. And sweaty.

I immediately called my husband, mom, and texted Jana the news! I could not wait to share it with them (even if they were still asleep). They were so happy to celebrate with me. I wanted to tell everyone! 

I walked over to the food tent to grab a banana, and a lady I did not know came up to me. She said that she had been walking behind me the whole time and she was so inspired by me. Someone was inspired by little old me.Hearing that made me feel amazing. 

Today was the best day, I have truly never been more proud of myself.  I just can't wait to see how I will do in the next race. I guess now I have to work toward finishing a 10k, running!

B's Running Bucket List

Jana posted a wonderful running bucket list a few days ago. I loved her list. So I thought I would make one of my own! The first goals are non-race specific, just my goals to finish these races running non-stop the entire time! The rest are specific races:

Complete a Full 5k Running

Complete a Full 10k Running

Complete a Full Half Marathon Running

Complete a Full Marathon Running

Complete a Triathleon

1. Disney Princess Half Marathon
2. Bad Prom Run
3. Oak Barrel Half Marathon
4. Spartan Race
5. Diva's Race
6. Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco (Hello! Tiffany's Necklace & Firemen in Tuxedos)
7. Turkey Trot
8. Mustache Dash
9. Zombie Run
10. Superhero 5k
11. Heartbreak Hill Half
12. Ragnar Race
13. A Jail Break Race
14. Living Social 5k Dance Party
15. Empire State Building Run Up
16. A Zoo Run
17. A Breast Cancer Run
18. Rocket City Marathon

I'm doing a 5k this weekend. Maybe I can cross that first item off my list?

Catch you on the Flip Side,
Brittany

Why I Run...PT 2

Brittany posted a really good post a couple of weeks ago about why she runs and it really got me to thinking about why I run. The truth of the matter is, what started out as two friends deciding to do their very first 5K turned into more than I could ever imagine. It helped me build confidence. It helped me feel better about myself. It got me to be active for the first time in a long time. But most importantly, it took me out of my comfort zone and gave me an outlet to work out stress and frustrations. 

Since I have started running, I can tell a HUGE difference. These two pictures are prime examples of the differences between then and now.

July 2012

Weight: 302

April 2014

   Weight: 265

When I started this journey, I was very secretive about my weight. I didn't want anyone to know that I had hit the 300lb mark. I was embarrassed and ashamed. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my come to Jesus meeting occurred on my very first flight out to California when I couldn't get the seat belt to buckle. That in and of itself was the beginning to my realizing I had a major problem. 

After Brittany and I started training with C25K, which is a great program for those wanting to start running, I found that even though I always joked about never being a runner, that yes...I could be. I had confidence for the first time ever. Clothes fit better. I was watching the scale move down, although slowly. And the inches came off. For me, the weight loss has been slow, but it has also been permanent. As the saying goes, "I didn't LOSE the weight...I got rid of it. I have no intention of ever finding it again."

I guess my reasons for running have far surpassed their humble beginnings. They have gone from a challenge to something I actually crave. I WANT to be healthy. I WANT to get out there and run. I WANT to see my body change. But most importantly, I WANT TO DO THIS FOR ME! When I can't control anything else, I can control when and where I run. I can control how much I run and I can ultimately control my health over the long haul. I only get one body and I hope that by my 30's I'm in better shape than I have ever been.

If you are thinking about becoming a runner, please remember a few things:

1. It doesn't matter how long it takes you to do a mile, the fact is that you are out there doing it.

2. Don't get discouraged that people are passing you. The only person you need to be in competition with is yourself. 

3. If anyone makes fun of you, don't stop! Everyone has to start somewhere. Some of us are just further in the race than others. 

4. Be proud of the body you have. If you aren't happy with it, only YOU can change it. 

5. Your head will give out long before your body will. Keep pushing or you can't grow. 

6. Sign up for a race before you start. It will give you something to work for. 

7. Have fun! Nothing better than getting out there with just you and the pavement. Forget your troubles and just run. 

For those of you looking for other reasons to run, this is for you. Enjoy!

Happy Running,

Jana

The Girls Go to the Museum

(Picture Source)

The morning after Glow in the Park, Jana and I went to the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Hotel (Where Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated). I was so excited about this visit. I typically do a lot of the trip planning when I go out with my friends. I had sent Jana a list of things we might want to do, including the civil rights museum, thinking she would never pick the museum (although I was most hoping to visit the museum out of all the options).

But Jana who is a museum/history nerd just like me said, "I would really like to do the museum, but I'm thinking you want to do such and such instead." I was so excited to tell her I wanted to do the museum too. Nerds unite!

But really the civil rights museum isn't nerdy it all. It is touching, moving, and sobering at times. I learned so much that I didn't know, and it made me think differently about what I already knew. It was also sad to be reminded how much our home state of Alabama was involved in the controversy. While I love Alabama with all my heart, we continue to lag in making social progress at times.

Some of my favorite exhibits included a Montgomery bus replication with the statue of Rosa Parks. I walked up to the front of the bus, and as soon as I did a voice hollered, "move to the back of the bus." It scared me to death. After the man said it many times, a narrator informed me, if I hadn't moved to the back of the bus by this time, I would have already been arrested.

I was also captivated by the end part of the tour which leads you into the Lorraine Hotel and the actual room where Martin Luther King stayed his last night. The have replicated it the way it was the day he was assassinated. Very haunting.

 

We really enjoyed our visit to the museum, and I would highly recommend going if you are ever in Memphis.

J's Running Bucket List

30 Races to do before 30!

Most people have a "bucket list" of things they want to accomplish before they die. I have a 30 races that I want to accomplish before my 30th birthday bucket list. Please take note and if you have any other suggestions on more I can add, please put them in the comments section. :)

1, Complete an Obstacle Run

2. Complete a Mud Run

3. Complete a Color Run

4. Complete a Glow Run

5. Complete a Zombie Run

6. Complete a Beer Run

7. Complete a Foam Run

8. Complete the Disney Princess Half Marathon

9. Complete a 10K

10. Complete a "Girls Only" Run

11. Complete a Hot Chocolate 5k

12. Complete a Turkey Trot

13. Complete a Jingle Bell Run

14. Complete a Dirty Girl Run

15. Complete the 5K Foam Fest

16. Complete the Spartan Sprint

17. Complete Living Socials 5K Dance Party

18. Complete a Super Hero 5K

19. Complete a Bad Prom Run

20. Complete a Wine Run

21. Complete a Run for the Cure race

22. Complete Warrior Dash

23. Complete a Leukemia Run

24. TBA

25. TBA

26. TBA

27. TBA

28. TBA

29. TBA

30. TBA

Glow in the Park 5K

As most of you know, Brittany and I are always looking for fun ways to train for upcoming races, so when she told me about the Glow in the Park 5k Foam Run I had to do it. I have a bucket list of races that I'm wanting to accomplish and a foam race was #7 on the list! What better way to mark it off the list than do it with one of my best friends?

The rules are simple enough.

Rule #1: Wear a white shirt.

Brittany and I entered our wardrobes and each found a satisfactory white shirt to wear for the race.

Rule #2: Apply black light activated paint to make the glow more fun.

Rule #3: Put on Glow in the Dark necklaces, bracelets, etc

Each of the runners was allowed to pick only one color of paint out of Green, Pink, and Yellow. Brittany chose pink and I chose green. They go so well together don't you think? We were also given each a glow necklace, a glow bracelet, and two finger lights to wear once it got dark. As you can tell, we didn't wait. LOL!

Rule #4: Show team spirit!

Our team name was ET Foam Home. Pretty creative if I do say so myself!



Rule #5: Masterfully get a picture with the "Honey Moon" on Friday the 13th

Okay, so maybe that wasn't a rule, but the next one won't happen until again until 2049 and that's too long to wait to get a photo op, so we found a good place to stop and took this amazing selfie. Notice how we are donning our glow gear. :)

Rule #6: Enjoy the foam cannon and make sure you get all sudsy!

The foam cannon was located on the top of the biggest hill in the race. I'm proud to say that Brittany and I both conquered this hill running and our reward was a few amazing pictures of us covered in foamy goodness! It was such a blast!

Rule #7: Catch an awesome black light selfie of you and your team.

At the end of the race, there are black light stations along the course so we made sure to stop at one and get the mother of all glow selfies. I documented it using my Nike Run app, so we have a nice little souvenir that we can enjoy forever. :)

If you have ever thought about doing a glow foam race, I encourage you to do it. It is really fun and it is a great time to fellowship with friends and fellow runners. And if you get an opportunity to do the one in Memphis, TN...DO IT!

Until later,

Jana

The Week of 3 Miles...

The last few days all it has done is rain. After feeling water logged on Monday and Tuesday, the sun FINALLY came out and stayed out today so I took the opportunity to get in Day 1 of my 3 day 3 mile week.

For those of you have been wondering how Brittany and I are training for this half, we are doing weekly mileage increases. What that means is that each week we add 1 mile to each workout.

EX: Week 1- Walk 1 mile 3 days a week

       Week 2- Walk 2 miles 3 days a week

       Week 3- Walk 3 miles 3 days a week

and so on and so on...

The reason we are doing it this way is so that we don't overwhelm our bodies. Our goal is to eventually work our way up to 13.1 miles, a half marathon distance, and once we do that we can work on speed and go back to shorter miles and alternate long and short. :) I'm currently sticking between a 14-16 minute mile. (Depending on how much I jog) I want to get down to a 12 minute mile prior to Disney so that I have time to stop for the photo opportunities along the route.

The place that I run is a walking/running trail in the town I recently moved to. I love it because it is right by the hospital so if I fall out, there is immediate help. (Just kidding) It is by the hospital, but I actually love it because you see people of all body compositions there. There are thin, fat, fit, and unfit. And just the fact that everybody is so nice! There are people along that course that are so encouraging. They give you a thumbs up or a smile and just when you feel like you are going to give up and stop, they holler to "Keep Going! You got this!" There are also workout areas along the course so you can get in strength training as you run. It's your one stop gym and the best part is that it is FREE! :)

Tomorrow I'm hoping to get in another 3 miles and then Friday I'll be running my 3 miles with Brittany! We are doing our very first glow in the dark foam run! Our team name is "ET Foam Home" and I am so excited! :) It's in Memphis so we are meeting up and we have plans to do a few more fun things while we are there! Anytime we get together is fun so even if we just went to do the race and came home it would well be worth it.

I'm looking forward to a great weekend and an even better end to the week! I hope everyone has a great day and I'll talk to you soon!

Until later,

Jana



Why I Run...

When I tell people I run (which sometimes it still feels weird to even call myself a runner),  it often leads to the invitable joke, "I only run when someone is chasing me." I get it really, it doesn't offend me, I used to totally do the same.  But people also ask me all the time, "Why do you run?"

The simple answer would be, my friend and I randomly decided to do this on a cross country road trip two summers ago. That would be true. But the real answer is so much deeper than that. It is wrapped up in an entire lifetime of struggles with weight & fitness.

I can remember all the way back to elementary school. Hating games like tag because I could not keep up with the other kids. Being picked last for teams every single day in P.E. Feeling like I would pass out when I had to run laps during soccer practice.  Dreading the presidential physical fitness test, knowing I would never measure up.

The worst part of the fitness test was the mile run. I worried about it for weeks before the mile. I couldn't run a lick, and it always made me feel so ashamed. I would walk with other fat girls, as the coach barked orders at us, pretending to just be lazy, and not out of shape.

But everyone knew it was because I was fat.

Even in college, I felt so winded in my physical fitness credit classes. I dropped Yoga because of my embarrassment at not being able to hold the poses. I drove to the cafeteria because even walking that short distance felt like too much most days. I would have to take a break and sit down if I was walking from the Human Sciences building to my dorm.

I could only hope that one day I would take charge of my fitness. I was doubtful anything would ever change. I could never really run, I thought. It was something other people did, not me. Yet, I still dreamed of being a runner.

I wanted to prove to myself I could do something that once seemed so insurmountable. And I did! The first time I ran a whole mile I wanted to cry. It was like I was making it OK for the old Brittany, who could not even walk a mile. It felt like I was finally forgiving that Brittany, I was taking away her shame.

Today I ran 3.1 miles with no breaks.  A full 5k. It was an amazing feeling.  It made me feel powerful. It made me feel capable. It made me feel proud. It made me feel that I was starting to leave all that insecurity behind me.

I am a runner. I can run a mile. I can run three miles. I will run a half-marathon. I can do this, I will do this.

I am Brittany, Hear Me Roar!

Ready, Set, React...

Yesterday's post was a bit tough for me. I didn't realize when I was writing it how many other people struggled with the same things that I do. I was so overwhelmed when people that I know and love were messaging me telling me "thank you" for posting because that is exactly how they feel. Want to know the kicker? Some of them are what I would deem as "skinny", "gorgeous", "beautiful", "fit", etc. It goes to show you that you don't really know everyone and each person has their own story full of trials and tribulations. My goal is to start being more mindful of the people around me and working to make sure that I'm not labeling people, because honestly it goes both ways and I know I'm just as guilty of it as anyone.

I found this picture on Pinterest. "Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it" It hit a nerve with me. I found myself realizing that yesterday I reacted in a new way. I didn't sit back and cry and let the words of another person put me down. I didn't remove the picture and give the person what they wanted. I simply reacted. My reaction was to put it into words. I've always been a writer and whenever I would feel sad or angry or upset I could simply pick up a pencil and paper and write until I had no more feelings. Looking back, I somehow knew that once I wrote everything down I would feel better. And I do. :) I feel better because now I know what I need to do if I ever feel that way again and that is to just let it out and stop bottling it up. It's such a freeing feeling.

This weekend I'll be heading to Memphis with Brittany to run my very first Glow in the Dark Foam Run. Our team name is "ET Foam Home" and I'm looking forward to spending a fun evening with Brit and working on our fitness. After we finish our race (and hopefully get cleaned up) we have plans to go see The Fault in Our Stars. I'm pretty excited about it because it's one movie that I have REALLY wanted to go see. On Saturday we are planning to go to the Civil Rights museum, which I'm really excited about. I'm so glad Brittany is a nerd like me and doesn't mind doing "educational" things when we take trips. She's a huge history buff so I know this is right up her alley!

For those of you wondering, Brittany and I were college roommates at the "W" our senior year (Mississippi University for Women) and friends since our freshman year of college. I know I get asked a lot how we met and all that stuff. I'm not sure exactly other than we just started to hang out together. We had a pretty good group of friends and now that we are out of college we stay in contact with a couple of other girls we went to school with. We often do "W" girls weekends and I guess you could say that this is one of them. We are hoping to run into a few more of our "W" girls while we are in Memphis, but we shall see.

I plan on spending the rest of my day taking it easy and cleaning, etc. We are supposed to have a severe line of storms moving through so I want to make sure that we have everything ready in the event of an emergency. I hope that everyone else in the line of storms stays safe and I look forward to checking in with you soon. :)

Have a great day,

Jana

A Week of 2 Milers & Weekend Recap

Brittany here!

I first want to say isn't Jana's post from yesterday amazing? I love her oh so much.

 

I successfully finished my first week of Summer Day Tx, and it was totally exhausting. All I could envision doing this weekend was sleeping, but I really didn't do much sleeping whatsoever. I kept pretty busy. 

Saturday, I woke up bright and early and decided to go ahead and knock out my workout. I wanted to run outside since I've been doing more treadmill work outs lately, due to the heat. My weather app said it was 73 outside, but it did not feel 73! I was sweating buckets! #humiditykills. After I ran my 2 miles (so happy I'm a little under the pace I need for Disney), I had to lay down on the grass in the shade to cool off before I could walk the half mile home!

After my workout, Adam and I went house hunting. We found some duds and some hits. But it did make me hopeful that there are some wonderful houses out there for us. 

My mom and I had made a movie/dinner date for Saturday night. I was almost too tired to go but I really wanted to see Maleficent, so I decided to suck it up. As we were walking up to the theater,  my mom mentioned there was a tornado warning to the north of us, but I just figured it would all be "OK."

Halfway through the movie, someone stood up in the theater and told us there was a tornado pretty near by. So we walked out to check out the situation, and we were smack dab in a severe thunderstorm, it was nuts! It was storming so hard, it would have been impossible to drive in.  We had to get a refund and wait it out. I thought we were going to be trapped in the theater all night long! Luckily, it slowed up about a half hour later, and we were able to sneak home before the next big storm came. 

We plan on doing a redo today, I can't wait to finish the movie, as it is really, really good. 

Tomorrow I'm trying for 3 miles,

Brittany

It goes without saying...

Dear Fat Girl,

I see you Fat Girl in the mirror as you get ready to get in the shower this morning, assessing your body. Squeezing that fat roll, wishing it away. Sucking in your stomach in hopes of feeling a little better about yourself. Scrutinizing every curve with disdain because the media tells us that fat isn't all that and that if you have any on your body, you should be ashamed of it.

I see you Fat Girl, on the scale. Wishing that the number you were seeing wasn't true. Wondering how you got to that number even though you know a life time of celebrations and living life led to it.

I see you Fat Girl squeezing yourself into your size 22 pants because you are too embarrassed to go buy a size 24. Because by buying that bigger size, you are proving everyone right. That yes, you are fat and no, you aren't doing anything to fix it. So instead of buying new pants, you pull a 3XL shirt over your bulges and hope nobody sees that you just popped the button off of your pants.

I see you Fat Girl as you get ready to grab your breakfast and fix your lunch for the day before heading off to work. I watch as you measure food and log calories because your friend swore that this diet will help you lose weight fast. This is a different diet than the 20 you tried before, so surely it must work! I also see you grab your gym clothes because starting today you are going to start working out.

I see you Fat Girl at the gym after work. All eyes stare you down as you walk to the equipment, unsure what to do. Every good looking, fit person in the building watching you, waiting to see you embarrass yourself or fail. I see you get on the treadmill and walk a little while, because there is no way you can run. I see you watching the Zumba class. It looks like so much fun, but because you are fat, there is no way you can fit in with all the skinny girls that are taking the class. I see you avoiding the weights and bypassing other classes on your way to the locker room. I see you in the changing room, getting ready to go home when you overhear a few of the ladies in the room laughing at you because you "waddle" and they aren't sure why you are even coming to the gym since you are so fat. I see you hold back the tears as you quietly slip out of the changing room before they notice you and hear you vow you won't return.

I see you Fat Girl as you pull up to McDonald's and order a Large #1 and scarf it down before you even make it home. I see you walk in and eat dinner with your significant other, unknown to him that you have just eaten a full meal only a few minutes before.

I see you Fat Girl as you keep the hurt inside. I see you bottle it up and try very hard not to let it show. Instead of dealing with it, you just make fun of yourself. You make jokes about your weight before anyone else has an opportunity to do it for you. You joke about how you will only run if you are chasing an ice cream truck. You joke about being a blimp because you are certainly full of hot air. You take all the hurtful things you have been told and you turn it because for some reason if you say it, it takes a bit of the sting out of it. But I also see you once you get home and how you cry and cry because it hurts so bad inside.

I see you Fat Girl with your friends and in social situations where you feel very self conscious. You worry about what you look like. You worry about if it seems you are eating too much. I see you letting little things bother you to the point that your entire night is miserable. But because you are used to this, you plaster on a smile and keep on going. Nobody can know the hurt inside.

I see you Fat Girl sitting down and talking with another fat friend who shares your sympathies. I see you opening up to that person and finally letting it all out. I also see your friend finally let it go. Who knew someone else felt exactly the same way you do?

I see you Fat Girl getting up and exercising every day. And although you feel like making excuses why you can't, your friend is depending on you so you push through. I see you calling and checking in to keep each other motivated. I see you making future plans and then I see you accomplish them!

I see you Fat Girl, not quite so fat anymore from the exercise and lack of junk food that you have been slowly weaning out of your diet. I see your 22's fitting better, too loose even and you can wear a 2XL shirt comfortably again.

I see you Fat Girl, finally feeling comfortable with how you are starting to look and beginning to be more bold with your outfit choices. I see you change up your hair and makeup just for fun. I see you really becoming happy. For the first time in a long time, you don't cry at night and you feel good about yourself.

I see you Fat Girl, take a picture of yourself and post it to social media because this pic is perfect. Great lighting and your make up and hair are on point. For the first time in a long time, you feel pretty and others compliment you because they can see how far you have come. But I also see someone who is making fun of it. And while you used to get upset over something like this, you see it for what it really is...absolutely NOTHING!

I see you for who you are Fat Girl, and you are an amazing person, full of life, love, and energy to be spent on people who matter. People who are positive and want to see you be successful. I see you accomplishing everything that you set your mind to in ways nobody else thought was possible. I see you taking on the world one step at a time. I see you stumble over and over again, only to get back up and keep trudging along. I see you for the first time, not as Fat Girl, but as YOU!

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! YOU ARE SMART! YOU ARE TALENTED! YOU HAVE A LOT TO OFFER THIS WORLD!

There will ALWAYS be people who want to see you fail, but it is up to you to prove them all wrong. Don't let anyone else steal your sparkle. Nobody does YOU quite the way you do. So keep on keeping on and let the haters fall away. At the end of the day, the only people you should be concerned with are those who love you anyway.

I see you Fat Girl, but now you see YOU too!

Always behind the glass,

Reflection

 

2 Miler? Check.

Brittany here!

I am happy to report I was able to jog 2 miles today on the treadmill after work with no breaks. I'm super proud of myself for having the energy to do so, because I just started this summer camp we run at work,  which is where we take 50 of our kids (with emotional problems), and we do a treatment program. It is exhausting, but it is rewarding as well.

I decided to do the run on the treadmill because it was pretty hot outside. I knew if I was on the treadmill at home, I could watch TV, and jack up the A.C. So I turned on my DVR, started one of my favorite summer shows (The Next Food Network Star), and did a 4 minute warm-up walk.  Then, I was off!

I set the pace at 3.5 and didn't budge from it. Every couple of minutes I would do the talk test. That is where I say a complete sentence usually, "I can still talk in complete sentences." If I can say that without gasping for air, I keep going. I kept going till I got to the 2 mile mark.

It took me 34 minutes (a 17 minute mile). That is still slower than where I need to be for Disney by a minute, but once I'm stronger, I will up the pace.

Today I'm just happy with what I have accomplished. I'm sure I will have bad runs in the future, but I know I am so much stronger than I give myself credit for.

See you after the next run,

Brittany

Weekend Review :)

Good Morning Bloggers! This is Jana Here!

This morning I was feeling a little nostalgic as I got to thinking that it has been almost 2 years since I started this running journey. This was taken after Brit and my very first 5K! (We had gone to the hotel and showered prior to this picture.) I see so many changes between the girls in this picture and the girls I see now! It's amazing how over time you change.

This weekend was not spent idle. I dealt with a severe situation regarding a very close friend of mine on Friday night. (Think intervention) I was with him until 4:30AM on Saturday morning trying to get everything sorted out and calmed down. For the record, everything is okay and a lot of changes will be coming for him very soon.

I was supposed to head to Alabama with Austin for some weekend fun when he got off work Friday night, but given the circumstances (and the fact that I didn't get home until 5AM) we decided to sleep until 8 and then get on the road. The trip to Alabama was hard because we were both exhausted. I was mentally exhausted and physically tired from the night before. He was tired from working a double shift so we could go out of town. We alternated driving the 4hrs and by the time we reached my parents house, we were done for. We both took showers and crawled into the bed and slept until around 6:30 or so. Mom and Dad let us sleep and bought pizza for us to eat for dinner. We enjoyed some much needed family time with them over the course of the evening and were back in bed by midnight.

We got up around 8 Sunday morning to get ready to head to Chickasabogue Park in Mobile, AL. It's a lovely little park where you can canoe, swim, play volleyball, ladder ball, and corn hole. We were there to have our annual summer picnic with our Mardi Gras organization the Marquis De Layfeyette. (For all of those who know me, you know that Mardi Gras is my obsession and I spend countless months in preparation for a weekend of fun per year.) It was a beautiful day and Austin and I bought in to the ladder ball and corn hole tournaments. We came in 4th in the ladder ball and 3rd in the corn hole tournament. Not too bad if I say so myself. Needless to say, we were active and burned off some of the calories from the delicious BBQ we ate with our Marquis family. Once we finished, we loaded up and headed back to good ole Mississippi.

This morning, I had a miscommunication with a friend who wanted to meet at 8AM to go for a "wog" and I showed up on time only to see her not there. Now bear in mind that I have developed what I like to call "Summer Insomnia" where my body gets confused because I'm not on a normal schedule, so I didn't get to sleep until after 3am. So needless to say, I text her to see where she was only to find that she actually said she wanted to go TUESDAY! Today is Monday...surprise surprise. However the day wasn't a complete wash. I was already at the track so I completed 1.64 miles. I would have done more, but the rain started AGAIN so I had to cut it short. The point was I got out there and did something which is better than nothing.

I plan on spending the remainder of my day spring cleaning my house. I have been putting it off and I know if I don't start soon, it will never get done.

Here's to another great day and another great week!

Cheers!

Jana