21 Day Fix: Day 2

This morning I woke up with sore legs, a sore butt, and just a general overall soreness. It is the feeling you get after you know you have busted your butt doing a good workout. Needless to say, I knew that today's workout was going to be harder than I figured simply because of the soreness.

I woke up late and before I realized it, I had not eaten all day. I got up and moving around 4 and took myself to the local Japanese restaurant where I ordered myself a dynamite roll. It met part of my meal for the day, but I know it was a no-no to simply not eat all day. I wasn't sure what the measurement was, but I knew that I had not met my daily quota, so I'm calling it a draw.

I completed the Day 2 workout which was called The Upper Fix. It worked on the upper body and much to my dismay still caused me to use my legs, which are still super sore. After the workout I finally had more mobility. I'm thinking the more I workout the better I'll feel. I've got to get these legs out of the sore phase and ASAP.

After the workout, I helped myself to another chocolate and peanut butter protein shake and am finally getting to relax. Hoping tomorrow's workout goes as smooth.

Until later,
Jana

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21 Day Fix: Day 1

Well, it has been a while since I last logged in and made a post. As usual, life happened and a lot of things got in the way. My relationship of 9 years ended and it has been an endless journey of trying to cope and move my life forward. I mention all this because it was (and still is) an important part of me. As I am moving forward, I am excited about some of the more positive changes coming. Some of which include a new job and a new town. I have accepted a new job teaching 6th grade Social Studies and I am very excited! I'll be moving closer to my family as well. But anyway, all of this will be reserved for another post. Onto the 21 Day Fix.

Monday on June 8, 2015 I began my 21 day journey to a healthier me. As I haven't really worked out much since returning from Disney in February, it is high time I get my butt into gear. I have signed up for the Disney Half Marathon in January of 2016 and its time to get prepared to start training. I'm excited because B is running the full marathon, but I'll leave that to her to tell you all about! :)

The premise of the program is you eat food that fit into these color coded boxes for 21 days and follow the workout plan and it is supposed to help you lose weight, tone up, etc. Each box represents a certain food and based on your weight determines how many times you get to fill each box.  If you know me, I am always up for trying something different, and given that I have had several friends recommend this program, I figured why not. You can read more about the actual program here.

Prior to starting, I read through the nutrition book and got to really know each of the containers. I took sharpie to mine and labeled them, but some people prefer to make real labels. I simply wrote the number of times I am allowed to fill each box a day and wrote the type of food that could go inside of it. So for example, I wrote the number 6 on the green box and labeled it Veggies. That means I can fill that box up to 6 times a day with veggies. I then checked out the shakeology cup that came with my set and looked through the videos that came with the kit. I actually sat down and watched the first DVD so I would know what to expect. Upon watching the videos I noticed that they did advertise for shakeology a lot. Shakeology is the nutritional meal supplement that is supposed to help with recovery after a workout, however it is a little more pricey than I could afford. I simply found a protein powder that was similar and more in my price range by looking online and reading a few nutritionists blogs. 

I also know that taking your measurements and pictures for starting was important. I typically would go ahead and post my before pictures and measurements, but I think I want to wait until I'm done with my first 21 days. I really want to see what kind of difference there is. And I'm a little embarrassed if I'm completely honest with myself. 

For my first day, I started out the best way I knew how. I made a pre-workout shake (chocolate protein powder, 8oz water, half a banana, and ice) and waited for it to kick in before launching into my very first workout which was the full body fix. Needless to say, it lived up to it's name. Less than an hour after finishing, my glutes and quads were KILLING me! I know it is because those muscles haven't been pushed that hard since February. I know now that I really need to get my butt in gear so that's not an issue. After the workout finished, I once again fueled up with a recovery shake (chocolate protein powder, 8oz water, 2 tsp peanut butter, and ice) and took a hot shower to help soothe the soreness. 

According to the plan, each of the shakes constituted a red container, the peanut butter constituted 2 teaspoons, and the half a banana was considered a purple container. For lunch I enjoyed a salad with chicken tenders on top with some avocado lime ranch (4 green containers, an orange, and a red) Dinner was a red container of pan seared chicken, 2 green containers of broccoli, and a blue container of cheese. Believe it or not, I still had plenty of options left to eat. It felt good to know that I'm making good choices for myself and I can still have other things to eat should I feel hungry. I really think this program is going to be a good one. I can't wait to hit Day 21. 

I'll be making daily posts or posting every other day in hopes that anyone else interested can do this as well. If you have any suggestions, please drop them in the comments and I look forward to updating soon!

Always,

Jana

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Princess Half Marathon

I find it almost overwhelming to blog about such an important accomplishment of mine, so I guess there is no better place to start than at the beginning. So here it goes.

We boarded the buses from our resort about 3:30 a.m., but I promise you I had been wide awake since about midnight, I was just so pumped up and ready to go. I was so excited when we got to Epcot, as that was my first real life glimpse of Spaceship Earth. I've been curious about what that thing was since I was a child, I always thought it was some big golf ball!

We all three posed for pictures. Jana and I in our costumes, and Adam dressed as none other than my husband! Oh well, he may not be one for dressing up, but he makes a pretty cute husband.  We also got to hang out a little bit with Ivonna Dream, who basically is a poor man's Fairy Godmother, meaning she was HILARIOUS.

Soon it was time for me to part from the group. We were all in 3 different corrals. I was in Corral K. In a way, I was glad to be headed to the start line by myself as it gave me time to get centered. The walk to the corrals was about 20 minutes, which was a nice little warm up. When I got to the corral, I talked to one or two people around me, got my iphone ready to go, and sat down to listen/watch the announcers of the race. I could not even see the start line until several of the corrals had started ahead of me, and we moved up.

I surprisingly did not have the nerves I have had at the start of other races. I felt prepared and ready. 

My corral went off about 30 minutes after the first corral. There were a lot of people, and it slowed me down quite a bit. I also did a lot of weaving around people, but that didn't really bother me. I just had to be really aware of my surroundings. The first mile came up really quick! But my pace was like 2 minutes slower than I usually go. But I decided not to worry about it. This race was never about personal records for me. In the first couple of miles, I also saw the first characters on the course. I made a choice I wouldn't really stop for characters unless the line was short and it was worth it. But I did love seeing Jack Sparrow, Captain Barbossa, and the big old pirate ship.

 

After about mile 3, we ran past the entrance sign to the Magic Kingdom, which was so exciting! But it would be two more miles before we actually got into the Magic Kingdom. We also passed by one of my favorite character groups, the villains group! How awesome is the Queen of Hearts?  

Around mile 4, the cheering crowds were electric, and I loved reading their signs. They had funny ones that said, "Have Fun Storming the Castle," and "Worst Parade Ever." But also motivational ones like, "Remember when you thought you couldn't do this?" That one almost made me cry.

Mile 5, I glimpsed Space Mountain and I knew we were almost there.  

Running through Magic Kingdom was exhilarating. Seeing the castle for the first time was mind blowing.  And I loved, loved, loved seeing Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff sending us well wishes from the castle balcony. When I was showing Adam the picture I took of them from the race, he said, "Oh, I saw them too!" But he had no clue who they were. I guess Frozen fever hasn't reached Adam. 

Unfortunately, we couldn't stay in the Magic Kingdom forever. And it was a bit of a long slog back down the highway to return to Epcot. Just outside the Magic Kingdom, I saw Mary Poppins, Bert, and the penguin! I almost stopped, but I just wanted to keep going. So I did.

The next three miles went by step by step. I never stopped running the entire race, except to take pictures. Around mile ten, we had to go up an on ramp for an overpass. On top of the hill, the toy soldier from Toy Story was barking orders. I decided to take a picture with him. After I took the picture, he said I had to run fast because I had to make up the 30 seconds I had stopped to snap the photo.

After posing with the green soldier, there was nothing left to do but keep going. The race definitely got harder at this point, but it never felt impossible. I never felt like I had to stop. I was so very happy to finally enter Epcot though, knowing I only had one mile left to go. 

I stopped and posed with royal Minnie, right before crossing the finish line.  I wanted to soak up that finish line moment. It felt so very good. I was so happy I made it. One year of planning and training and I made it! I finished in 3 hours 36 minutes. Not a stellar time, but I stopped for a lot for photos, and I had to go slower than normal due to crowds. But I was still so proud.  

My first goal was just to finish. My second goal was to run the whole thing. I accomplished both.

Adam was already at the finish line. Yeap, he passed me during the last mile, because he didn't stop at all. What a show off. But I was so incredibly proud of the both of us. I think we both felt like rock stars.

My run tracker app clocked me as having run 14 miles. Yes, all the bobbing and weaving added an extra mile to my race. Which is kind of awful, but now I know I can run 14 miles.

After the race, we hit up the hotel food court, swam a little, and then took long naps. That was a much deserved nap. It felt so good.

I'm already eying a marathon in 2017.  Probably in Walt Disney World, because why would I do one elsewhere? Yes, it seems impossible and scary to me now, but so did a half marathon once upon a time.

I got the kindest comments and responses to my announcement that I had completed the half. These are my two favorites, my husband's and my niece, Kayla's facebook statuesus.

This will most likely be my last post on this blog. But you can follow me on my personal blog, One if By B.

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The Last Long Run

Tonight I completed my last long run before my half-marathon, which is exactly two weeks away (eck)! I went ten miles. I had hoped to be going the full distance by now. But I got a little behind due to my wisdom teeth surgery, but I'm pretty sure I can get to 13.1 miles on race day, even if I have to walk the last couple of miles.

Plus, I feel like there will be something special about the first time I ever go 13.1 miles being on race day. 

I was pretty pleased with my time. I completed the ten miles in 2 hours and 12 minutes. That is an average of 13:15 a mile, although several of those early miles were in the 12 minute range. So that leaves a whole hour for me to get in three more miles on race day, since the race has to be completed in 3 hours and 30 minutes. 

I felt pretty good throughout the whole run. The last time I did an 8 mile plus run, I ended up feeling pretty dizzy and sick afterwards. This was most likely due to my mistake of choosing not to hydrate during the run. So lesson learned. 

This time I popped two bottles of coconut water into my mailbox, along with some Gatorade energy chews. Every two miles I would stop and drink some water and have a few chews, before getting going again. This HELPED a lot.

Besides some soreness (which is to be expected), I feel pretty good now that the run is done. I'm feeling pretty confident about the Princess Half tonight, although I'm sure I will be pretty freaked out race day (because I know myself). 

So now 5 short runs is all that stands between me and my journey of becoming a half-marathoner. I just can't believe it.

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One Month Plus One Day

 

The pieces of my Belle inspired running costume for the Princess Half Marathon have started coming in, and I'm starting to love it. I am still waiting on a few portions of the costume to come in the mail, I'm really thinking the costume is going to be great! Tomorrow the race will be exactly one month away, and I'm starting to get nervous.

Part of the reason I'm nervous is I had wisdom teeth surgery and that has really slowed me down. I haven't run in a week, and I haven't gotten in a run over 6 miles in two weeks Well, actually that is not true. I ran a mile on Sunday night, before my mouth started to hurt, and I had to quit.  Then, my mother came over and caught me running, and then she got mad at me. She said I could have wiggled loose my blood clots and aggravated my gums. I think she is paranoid, but she called me DUMB. Who knows, maybe she is right.

My goal is to get back on track tomorrow with my weekday half hour runs. I am paranoid that I've lost all my stamina, and I will never get it back, and I won't complete the race (probably a stupid worry). I need to at least be running ten miles again by half marathon time. I think the adrenaline can get me through the last 3 miles. Plus, I'm not worried about running the whole half marathon. This is my first half, and I just want to finish (hopefully in an up-right position).

Finishing the half-marathon is my number one goal right now, and I'm so overwhelmed with the want to achieve this goal that I am totally freaking myself out. But I'm always freaking myself out over one thing or another. But the other part of this nervous equation of knowing that I only have a month until I have to run a half-marathon is the pure excitement of knowing I only have one MONTH until I'm in Disney world!!

One month till Disney people, this is going to be epic. 

 

Brittany

 

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runDisney Peter Pan Costume Idea

I was just thinking about costumes I would like to do if I ever did another run Disney event, and I was thinking even though Peter Pan is a boy, he could make a really fun costume for a girl. And what is better than the song, "You can fly, you can fly, you can fly!" as inspiration for a race? So here is a simplistic take on a Peter Pan costume. 

1. I love this Think of the Happiest Thoughts Tee for the race. Find it here. 

2. Isn't this Peter Pan bow precious? Find it here.

3. I think this cute earrings would be a nice addition for the costume. Find it here.

4. These are just some running shoes, that would match the Peter Pan outfit. Find it here.

5. This running skirt is so perfect! I can't get over it. Find it here.

Never Grow up,

Brittany

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Preparing for Documenting our Disney Trip

I am a big memory keeper, and this year I'm doing project life. (You can read about that here if you don't know what that is). But I'm planning to do a whole separate album to document our trip, and I have big plans for it. I decided to make a page about the decision of why we are going to Disney (The half marathon). You should be able to click the images to enlarge them a bit.

For this page, I mainly used the Princess themed cards from Becky Higgins Official Project Life products. I really liked using the once upon a time prompt to share a small bit of Jana and I's running journey (I wrote about it as you would tell a fairytale story). I also included our picture from out first ever completed race (Can't wait for our next after race shot after the half)! I snagged the Princess Half Marathon Medal Pictures and Logo from doing a google search. Lastly, I took a screen shot of my confirmation e-mail I received after signing up for the race!

Before I even share anything about my planning page that I made for the album (which is my favorite by the way), I will point out that I am aware I spelled "recieve" wrong, I know it is receive. And as soon as I popped the card in the album, I became acutely aware of this mistake! But photoshop does not have spell check, and spelling was never my strongest subject. But since I'm am embracing imperfection this year, I am just leaving it for now. Unless it really starts to bug me, and I have to reprint it, but I'd rather not pay for the print 2x, even if it crazy cheap.

I wanted to document the planning process because I really believe what the quote says on this scrapbook page, "A huge part of the fun is anticipating the trip!"  And Jana and I should know because we text about the trip and what we want to do nearly everyday!

For this page, I used the super cute Project Mouse Planning Kit. I plan on using so many of her kits for scrapbooking my whole Disney album. I included a list of our dining reservations, to-do list, and our general schedule. I also liked the "step 1 booked" card, as it allowed me to document when we actually booked our trip! Can't believe that was back in August!

And this is the album I am using for all my Disney scrap booking. Adam (my husband) got me this gift for Christmas, it is an album that is just like the one Carl and Ellie had in the movie Up! How perfect is that?

Adventure is Out there,
Brittany

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9.5 Miler. Check.

I woke up on New Year's Day, and I did an epic New Year's run. I went 9.5 miles for the first time in forever (yes, I just referenced Frozen, deal with it). I was so nervous before the run, I decided to go after my afternoon nap. Of course,when I laid down for the nap, I couldn't sleep, knowing that run was hanging over my head. 

So I pulled myself out of bed, had a small snack, pulled on my running gear, and I started my run around the neighborhood. I also prayed a lot before the run. I would say the first 5 miles went by pretty easily, and I was making good time, averaging sub 13 minute miles. About mile 6, I started to feel fatigued, and I slowed down a lot, but I just kept pushing myself to go another half mile and another half mile.  

When I got to mile 8, I was really gassed, and I really had to push myself. But I did, I just kept concentrating on making it one more .1 at a time (because that was all I could force myself to do).  When I hit 9.5 miles, I was sooo DONE. I was about a half mile from home, the distance I usually walk for a cool down, but I called my husband, and I had him come pick me up.

I really wasn't feeling the best after my run. Not like I usually feel. I'm usually so hopped up on adrenaline, and I am very energetic & talkative. But instead I felt somewhat queasy and somewhat dizzy, and I just wanted to sleep.

 I don't like to carry water much when I run, and I don't own a water belt at this point. So I think I was dehydrated, despite trying to drink a lot of water all day. I've decided for future long runs, I am going to stash some water around my route, so I stay hydrated. I also think the dehydration led to the slow down for me and affected my time. But I'm still pleased with my time! So no complaints here.

After a bottle of water and a hot bath/shower, I was feeling much better. And I was finally able to let the pride of going so far sink in. I can't believe how far I've come!

Now it is time to focus on that 11 miler next weekend (ecck)!

Until my next run,

Brittany

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run Disney Costume Ideas: Princess Mulan

For these costumes, I'm always trying to come up with characters that maybe are not as popular at run Disney events. And I think Mulan is one of the least popular princesses, although she shouldn't be, because she is the epitome of girl power & bravery. But she would be such a good choice for a race, simply because she is so strong and dedicated.

1. Believe in Yourself Tank & Matching Tutu
I think this is an awesome race day ensemble. You can purchase these pieces separately or together via this etsy seller.

2.  Earrings
Aren't these absolutely precious earrings, I would wear these even if I wasn't racing! Find them here.

3. Bracelet
This bracelet features one the best lines from the movie it reads, "The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all." Find it here. 

4. Ribbon People Head Band
I love, love, love these headbands this seller makes. In fact, both Jana and I bought one (featuring Belle and Ariel) for our upcoming races. You can find this Mulan one here.   

Be True to Your Heart,
Brittany


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Run, Interruppted

Yesterday, when I woke up, I was so ready to go out and conquer that 9.5 training run on my schedule! I was nervous but pumped. When I opened the front door, I saw it was pouring!!! How disappointing. I could not bring myself to do that run on the treadmill (knowing I would have to be on there for 2 plus hours). So instead my husband and I ran some errands in town, and I resolved to try again that evening.

I went out about 7:30, and it seemed very clear (hadn't rained in an hour). I was having an excellent run (mostly sub 13 minute miles). And even though I was overwhelmed by the distance I had to go, my legs felt good, and I felt confident. About mile 3.5 it started to slowly sprinkle and I thought, "oh no." But I was determined to finish. But right when I hit mile 5, the deluge hit. It was way to cold out to run in that rain and wind (didn't want to catch a cold). So I had to call my husband to pick me up.

It rained all night, and I woke up sore this morning, and I did not want to risk overdoing it. So I'm going to try again either Thursday or Saturday.

Stupid weather. That is all I have to say.

Brittany

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runDisney costume idea: Mary Poppins

I've had a couple of sick days this week and what is better to do when you're sick than check out some Disney movies? My niece and soon to be nephew-in-law gave me Mary Poppins for Christmas, and I was so excited to break that out. Which of course gave me inspiration for today's costume.

1. For Every Race that Must be Run Shirt

I actually designed this shirt on my own at Customink.  I just wanted to show everyone that if you can't find anything you like, you can make your own. I love the little phrase I came up with as well, "With every race that must be run, there is an element of fun." 

2. White Shirt

If you didn't feel like designing your own top, this pretty white shirt with the Peter Pan collar is very Mary Poppinish.

3.Mary Poppins Hat

If you get some really good clips this hat would be such a great addition to the costume.

4. Spoonful of Sugar Necklace

I love this spoon and sugar cube necklace. So perfect!

5. Headband

If you don't like the idea of wearing a hat, this headband would be a great way to keep the hair out of your face, during the run.

6.Magic Band Bow

Since you have to wear a magic band in the parks, you might as well dress it up. I love this Magic Band Bow!

7. Running Sparkle Skirt

I love this Mary Poppins sparkle skirt! It would complete any Mary Poppins race day outfit! 

Have a Jolly Holiday,

Brittany

 
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Viva La Diva 10k

 

A few weeks ago was the day of the big 10k race that Jana already blogged about, and I had a lot of nerves leading up to it. First, I had never ran more than 5 miles, and now I had to go 6.2. Second, my first and only 10k in Auburn two years ago (when I wasn't training at all) was very difficult for me (although rewarding). Third, I had two semi-mediocre 30 minute training runs this week, where I just felt somewhat sluggish. Fourth, I read on the internet that the course was somewhat hilly,  I hate hills, and I rarely train on them. I didn't even know if I could run a big hill or how much they would slow me down.

Jana came into town Friday night to do the race with me. We went to bed at a reasonable time, but I slept fitfully (maybe I had some jitters). So I didn't feel the best when I woke up that morning.  Regardless, Adam, Jana, and I piled into the car and drove the hour up to Franklin, Tennessee, where the Viva La Diva 10k was taking place.

My heart sunk when we got to the course, I saw this big ole hill that the 5k runners were in the process of running up. I did not think I could run up a hill that big and my confidence was shaken by it.  Even the race start line was at the bottom of a hill. I thought I would be drained before we barely even began running. My husband tried to be comforting, but there is not much people can say to me when I get super anxious, I just have to ride it out.

Did I mention it was 33 degrees out? It was so cold! I ended up running in a t-shirt, long sleeved t-shirt, old navy jacket, headband, and gloves! It was that cold. Better cold than hot I guess!

We did our race preparations, snapped some photos, and then it was time to line up for the race. I had set my running app prior the the race so all I would have to do was press a button to start. But of course, it failed me for the first time ever once the race began. So I spent the first little bit of the race fooling with my phone and not paying attention at all to where I was running. I finally got the music/app started, and perhaps the malfunction was a godsend, because by the time I was done fooling with it I was at the top of the first hill, and I had barely noticed the incline!

Soon, I had done my first mile in 13:38, not the optimal pace for me, but I knew the hills were slowing me down some. I tried not to focus on my time, and I just kept truckin' up and down the hills. Yes, I got nervous every time I saw a hill coming, but I was just determined to keep my feet moving. I hit the 3 mile marker, and it was a cruel trick they played on us runners because you actually have to run past the finish line, when you are only half-way through. I briefly wanted to just run through the finish line then and get an awesome finish time. I kid, I kid.

Around mile 4, I started to feel that I would be able to finish with no breaks in running. Although mile 5 was my slowest mile by far (14:28), due to having to run up the biggest hill ever! Plus, by then I was starting to feel somewhat sore and pretty exhausted. But I just thought to myself I will be done so much sooner if I run and not walk, so I kept running and running and running.

I hit mile 6 with the finish line in sight. I saw Adam jumping up and down and cheering me on. He ran with me the last .2 miles. Seeing how happy he was for me made me feel amazing. Once I crossed the finish line, he was actually teary eyed because he said he was so proud of me. Later he told me, " It was pure joy watching you come running down that hill." He is seriously THE BEST. 

I crossed the finish line at 1:26:57, that is an average of 13:43 per mile. That was under my 90 minute goal time! I do think I could have been faster without the hills. But conquering those hills and still finishing at a decent time, gives me a lot of confidence that I can do well at the half-marathon.

After Jana finished a little after me, we headed out to lunch. We had just burned 1,300 calories according to my app, and it was time to refuel. Adam's favorite fast food place in his hometown is Culvers (he lives for their butter burgers). They aren't popular in the South, but they happen to have one in Franklin. So we went there. We just ordered a mixture of burgers, fries, cheese curds, and ice cream concretes. I loosened the reigns a bit, and I had one or two bites of everything. Which still figures into very little calories due to how little I can eat. But it tasted sooo good.  

Once we got back to Athens, we headed over to my mother's to jump into her hot tub. That helped with the soreness so much. I'm super stiff today, but it is the good kind of stiffness. The I kicked serious butt kind of stiffness/soreness.

I submitted my time to the runDisney website, and I'm hoping that will bump me up a corral or two. But we will see! I'm just happy to have my first full running 10k in the books!

 

Since then I have successfully ran 7 miles and 8 miles! And I continue to get faster, little by little. I'm thrilled.  Disney here we come!

 

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7 Miler Comeback...

It's been a while, but we are BACK! :) Forgive B and I for our non posting the last few weeks. The holidays got the best of us. However, we are still running so no worries! :)

Three weeks ago we ran in a 10K in Franklin, TN. The goal was to get a really good time so that we could move up in the Disney corral and sadly for me, my shoe completely blew out at mile 4. When I say "blew out" I mean that I had a huge hole in the bottom of my shoe. I pretty much finished the last 2 miles of the race with my sock and the ground. I ended up getting a giant blister, which was very painful and made for a not so fun walk looking at Christmas lights. However, I still beat my first 10K time I ever had, so I guess it wasn't that bad. :)

B and I FREEZING our butts off! It was 23 degrees at the beginning of the race. It was only 35 by the time we finished!

 

Oh, you know...just chilling with our bestie. ;)

 

Trying to enjoy looking at the lights even though I was in a lot of pain.

 

A week went by and then it was time in our training to do our 7 mile run, which is the furthest that I have ever done before. I was feeling pretty discouraged because I had finished my 10k in 1:43:08 and that was not good enough to move up in the corral. To add insult to injury, I had almost been swept from the course, but thankfully made it to the 5 mile marker so they allowed me to finish. So needless to say, I was really feeling overwhelmed about trying to get in 7 miles and it not taking forever.

 

I was at my parents visiting for Thanksgiving so I laced up my shoes and headed out to the track across the street from their house. Each lap is a half mile, so I knew I had to do 14 laps to get in my mileage. I put on my headphones, turned on my Nike Run app, and started out. I realized pretty quickly that for some reason I had almost finished a full mile and it didn't seem like it had taken that long. When my app updated me on my distance I cheered loudly! I was super proud! I had beaten my fastest mile EVER!

 

After knowing I had a sub 13 mile, I kept pushing myself. When I hit 3.12 miles, I got the next major update that I had beaten my fastest 5K time. I was so excited! I was not quiet halfway there, but I knew I was getting closer.

When I FINALLY hit my 10K goal, I got the shock of my life! I had beaten my time of my previous 10K just two weeks before by 20 minutes! Why couldn't I have had that time when it mattered? Ugh! LOL! (B's time was 1:24:00. We could have finished pretty close together!)



When I finished my 7 miles I was so overwhelmed. It was officially the furthest I had ever run.

Knowing that I am now able to do over half of my half marathon distance is so awesome! I cannot wait until I crush my 8 mile run this weekend! And I know I can do it because I've got the drive and the want and a friend who won't let me fail!

Get out there and run, run, run... In the words of Peter Pan..."You can fly, you can fly, you can fly"

Always,
Jana

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Disney Princess Half-Marathon Training Week 5 and 6

Week 5, Run 1

There wasn't anything really special about my Tuesday morning run. I manged to get up early, even though I stayed up fairly late on Monday night (and by late, I'm mean 10:30, I try to get in bed by 9 on the nights before my runs). I ran around my neighborhood and the nearby school, blasting the new Taylor Swift CD just because I COULD. My splits were 12:47 and 13:30.

Week 5, Run 2

I had no excuse to not get up early on Thursday morning. I slept well, and when my alarm went off I felt rested. But my bed was just soo gosh darn warm.  So I slept in that extra hour, and I really have no regrets. I decided to run on my lunch break.

The minute I got to the park where I run, 3-4 school buses dropped off children to have lunch outside. I was like really?!? I did not want to run in front of a whole bunch of teenagers, but I didn't have any other options, so I did.

When I started running it felt really hard, I don't know why, just an off day. But I knew I just had to keep going. I felt a little better after a mile, but not by much. I felt slow and clumsy, I was sure my times would be awful. But they were decent, just not my best (13:05 and 14:10). But any run where I don't give up is a great run!

Week 5, Run 3

Saturday was the day of my big 5 miler.I have never ran further than 4 miles. I had been nervous about it all week, and I was really nervous when I woke up on Saturday morning. So I put it off. I spent the day in town with Adam, and then came home and took a nap, promising myself I would run after my nap. Which is what I did. Since it was late, and it was dark, I decided just to run around my block. I knew it would be a little bit boring with no changes in scenery (I would just be rounding my block 10 times). But it seemed like the best option. 

I loaded up some podcasts, did a short warm-up walk, took a deep breath, said a prayer, and then I took off. I figured I would not have the best times, since I tend to slow down a bit with each mile. But I had a secret goal to finish under 1:20, and I ended up finishing in 1:06! It was a hard work-out, but not unmanageable so, and I could have ran further if I had to. I managed not to lose more than a minute from my first mile time to my last mile time. My splits were 12:53, 13:02, 13:17, 13:36, and 13:47.

I was so proud of myself, the only other time I have ever felt that kind of pride was when I completed my first 5k running.

Week 6, Run 1

Tuesday just was not my day. I couldn't get myself out of bed that morning, and I decided I would just run on my lunch break. And then when I went to change into my workout gear, I realized I had left my running shoes at home. And then when I got home and went to run, I realized I left my work out clothes at work. Like what the heck? I had no choice but to put my run off till Wednesday. I ended up having to do a treadmill run Wednesday night due to the rain. I set it on 4.5, and I ended up doing 2 miles at a 13:03 pace. It felt really hard, but I was able to finish it!

Week 6, Run 2

The challenge of running on Wednesday as opposed to Tuesday was I would have to run on Thursday as well.  I was concerned I would be too sore. But I got up Thursday morning, and I knocked it out. I did feel somewhat sore, but it didn't seem to bother me much. My 2 splits were 12:59 and 13:28. But I was most proud to be able to say I did my two weekday runs in the span of 12 hours!

Week 6, Run 3

I had 3 miles on the schedule for Saturday. It's funny, I don't worry over 3 miles now at all, it feels short and doable. I enjoyed running at night last week, so I went out for my run around the neighborhood about 9 p.m. I was so proud of my times for this run. My splits were 12:39 (a P.R), 12:43, and 13:04. That makes my average pace 12:56.

I am running a 10k next weekend for my 6 mile day. I'm so nervous/excited. I want to be able to run it all and get a good time!  My goal is to just finish it all running. My secret goal is to finish it in an hour and a half. It would be such a big accomplishment for me.

Brittany

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Watch me Go...



For those of you who don't know, I've been battling severe allergies since the beginning of October. Between sneezing, coughing, and feeling bad I have been struggling to get my runs in. That on top of a full plate at work and you get why I've been terrible at posting. I'm still a little under the weather, but I'm done letting that stop me from reaching my goal of completing my first half marathon. I've been getting in about a run or two a week, but they are pretty slow and I've only run about 30 minutes at a time.

Today was the first day I've felt really good in a while, and minus some coughing, I had no other issues. I warmed up around 3:45pm and took off on my first distance run in a while. 5 miles is a lot of mileage as the most I've ever run at one time was my 10K almost a year and a half ago. I expected a really bad time, but I was surprised to see that I'm not as far behind as I thought.

I finished my run and was flagged down by one of the guys who does training for a local gym. He often brings his classes to the track to run and use the equipment. (I am always cheering encouragement at them as I see them go through circuits and they are always cheering on the runners out at the track.) I waved at him and stopped by to see what he wanted. He told me that he had noticed my running form was MUCH better and he wanted to let me know that he could really tell a difference. I smiled and told him I was concerned because my time had slowed down as my form began to change. Apparently that is normal and as long as I keep running, I should be fine. The fact that he stopped me to tell me I was improving really  made me happy. It made me realize that you never know who is watching you. It makes me want to push myself even harder to ensure that I reach my goals in time for my big race. (And I told him about getting ready for the half and he gave me some really good advice on nutrition goals and pacing. :) For free...which is the best thing.)

It's hard to believe that we are only 111 days away from race day! It seems to be passing so quickly! I can remember when we were at 250 days...now we are almost down to double digit days! It will REALLY hit me when we get to single digit days! B and I are so ready and pretty much text non-stop these days about what all we are going to do! I can't wait to get there!

 

Enjoy your evening,

Jana

 

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Princess Half-Marathon Training Week 4

Week 4, Run 1

I originally planned to keep to the regular running schedule this week, and I would just redo my failed weekend run on Saturday. But I got the idea on Monday night, I should just make my scheduled 30 minute run a 4 miler. So that is what I did. I got up 30 minutes earlier at 5 a.m., than I do for my typical run (omg, I am becoming a morning runner). 

I started my History Chicks podcast (this one about Julia Child), and hit the road. I ran a few blocks from the house around a fairly big intermediate school. It felt tough, but not as tough as it did this weekend. My splits were a little slow, but none were over 14:49. That typically happens if I skip a run.

I haven't done 4 miles in months, and it felt good to accomplish that. 4 miles is as far as I've ever gone, so in two weeks when I have to do 5, that will be a challenge. 

Week 4, Run 2

I ended up doing my run on my lunch break, and it was a beautiful day. Adam had dropped me off at work that morning because he had a friend in town, and they needed the car to bum around (we only have one car). So I ended up doing my warm-up by walking to the park where I usually run when I'm at work. The run went well, I wasn't really thrilled with my times for my two miles, but I don't get caught up with my speed too much. My first mile was 13:21 and my second one was 13:54.   Who am I to complain? When I first started running I was doing a 20 minute mile!

Week 4, Run 3

I woke up Saturday morning with sore legs. I'm not even sure why. I wasn't sore on Friday, so I don't think it was from my workout. But my calf muscle in my leg felt like I had had a charlie horse in it that I didn't stretch out properly. I was on the fence about whether I should run on it or not. So I took it easy all day Saturday, and after a nap,  I decided to go out for an evening run. I figured if it hurt, I would stop.

I had three miles on the schedule. I warmed up, and then I ran around the neighborhood and this nearby school I've gotten into the habit of running at because it has plenty of circular pathways. I was sore, but it didn't hurt while running, so I was able to finish the workout with no problem.  

I was super happy with my times for the three miles (12:41, 12:54, and 13:19).  That is an average speed of 4.6! I am a little extra sore on that muscle today, but I hope it will feel better by Tuesday.

In other news,  I signed up for a 10k on November 15th! Jana will be joining me, so we can update our race times for Disney and hopefully get a higher corral placement.

Until next week,

Brittany

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Disney Princess Half-Marathon Training Week 3

 

Week 3, Run 1 

Oh Monday night was full of trail and tribulations, or at least the type of trail and tribulations that worked together as a force to keep me from not sleeping. We had an extremely bad storm Monday night, that knocked out our power on Monday for hours! We had nothing to do but sit in the dark. I probably dozed off & on on the couch till about 9, and woke up when the power kicked back on by 9:30. I guess my body treated that as a nap, and I could not get back to sleep forever. And then the storm, kicked the power back off after I finally got to sleep. Which is only a problem because when it kicked back on, it turned on our overhead lights in the bedroom. Waking me up and keeping me up for hours again!

I was so exhausted when my alarm went off, and I had to get ready for work. All day long I dreaded my run because I was tired.  When 6 o'clock rolled around, I thought about skipping it, or just cutting myself some slack and walking it. But I decided I couldn't do it. I actually ended up with decent splits, 13:14 for my first mile and 14:04 for my second. Not too shabby for having no energy. 

But I'm most proud that I didn't use how I felt as an excuse not to give it my all!

Week 3, Run 2

I got my run done in the afternoon because all Thursday I was a bit under the weather. But even though I was under the weather, the weather was BEAUTIFUL.   It was around 70 degrees and not a cloud in the sky, which was nice due to all the bad weather we have been having lately.

I decided to just do my run around the neighborhood. Just 4 loops around the block. I started my run, and I felt like I was doing pretty good. But I was shocked when my app told me I had completed my first mile in 12:53!! I have never done a mile under 13 minutes, I almost cried with happiness. I was so proud! My second mile was 13:28, still excellent for me.

I'm so happy with the speed progress I am making. 

Week 3, Run 3

I am unhappy to report, that I have had a rough weekend. I've been very sick with a problem I can't share publicly, that has left me feeling week.   I tried to run both on Saturday and on Sunday, and both times I had to quit because I could not breathe. I understand that it is my body's way of telling me I need to rest and recuperate. I hate missing a work-out! But I will pick it up Tuesday. My plan is to switch things around and try again for 4 miles next Saturday (instead of the three on schedule). I can do this.

 

Until next week,

Brittany

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