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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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, 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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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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Princesss Half-Marathon Week 1 Training (Brittany)

Week 1, Run 1

I was so pumped all weekend, knowing I would officially kick off half-marathon training this week. I love having a plan to follow, knowing exactly what I need to do to reach my goal. That is exactly how I felt about Couch to 5k training when I first did it. I was so dedicated to that plan, and it got me where I needed to be. Being plan oriented is just a part of my highly organized personality. 

Wednesday night, I was determined to get my run done first thing in the morning, although I've blogged how hard that is for me. But when my alarm went off that morning, I decided I'd much rather have the satisfaction of being done with my work-out by 6:45 than I would get from sleeping till 6:45. So I dragged my butt out of bed and put on my running gear.

When I stepped outside, it was soo cold and soo foggy. This is not unusual being that I live in the Tennessee Valley, one of the foggiest places around. I knew I would warm up once I got the blood pumping, and the temperature would feel better. I did a short warm-up and took off running. I went around my block 4 times (it is a half-mile loop). I ended up going 2.2 miles in a half hour (Tuesday and Thursdays are just half hour runs). My first mile was 13:25, and my second mile was 14:25. I am still working on maintaining a consistent pace. I'm thinking of doing at least one treadmill run a week to help with consistency.

I was pretty proud and happy to get that first run under my belt, and not to mention to be done working out so early. 

Week 1, Run 2

I knew Thursday would be the real test run (ha pardon the pun) as to whether or not I could do this morning early run on the regular. Thursday is by far my longest day. And let's face it, by Wednesday night I'm gearing up for the weekend. But I did manage to get myself out of bed Thursday morning, and I'm super proud of myself. I know I can make these morning runs a habit now.

My run was pretty similar to the Tuesday run, in terms of splits and pace! The only difference was that instead of listening to podcasts, I crafted a Disney music playlist the night before. It is awesome, and I'm so going to share it. Every time a new song came on I would be like, "That's my Favorite!" And then I realized oh they are all my favorites because I picked them!

One funny thing that happen that morning, is while it was still dark, I was running, and went to step on a leaf. That leaf was a frog that dive bombed me! Scared me to death. Close encounters of the wildlife kind! 

Week 1, Run 3

I decided to do my last training run on the treadmill, for the whole consistency of pace thing. I had two miles on the schedule. It is kind of funny, because during training, Saturdays are long run days. But the first long run is just two miles. I typically run a little over 2 miles on my half hour outings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So this will be the only "long" run that isn't longer than my Tuesday/Thursday runs.

I started my run on 4.3 mph on the treadmill. Can I just say that I forgot how much harder the treadmill still feels for me compared to running outside? It was a struggle the whole time, I even had to bump it down to 4.1 a couple of times. But if anything the treadmill helps me learn how to keep on going even when it feels sucky.

I'm so happy to have week one of training complete. Just 21 weeks to go!

Brittany

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Pre-Dawn Run

I am never ever ever able to get up early for my Tuesday and Thursday runs, even though I always go to bed with the best of intentions the night before. I even try to get to bed early for that very reason!

I set three alarms; one for 5:30am (so I could hit snooze 1x or 2x), another for 5:45 a.m. (the time I needed to get up to run), and one for 6:30 a.m. (the time I get up for work). I was fully expecting that the only alarm I would heed was the 6:30 one!

I slept kind of fitfully last night, waking up at 12:30, 1:30,  and 2:30. Finally, I woke up at 4:30am, and I was unable to fall back to sleep. So I decided to get up and knock out my run. I took a few moments to decided whether I wanted to run outside or on the treadmill. But since I find the treadmill particularly hard in the morning (maybe because I'm not already pre-warmed up from walking around all day?), I decided to hit the neighborhood.

Man oh man, I'm loving this Fall weather. When I stepped outside it was soo cool and lovely, perfect for a jog.  It was also pitch dark, and it was beautiful with the stars & moons overhead. I set up the podcasts I wanted to listen to, did some walking & high knees for a warm-up, and then I took off.

During my last 5k, I minimized my running app and paid no attention to my time, speed or distance till the end of the race. I really liked doing that because when I  pay attention to my app, it all goes by so slowly, and sometimes I get discouraged if I'm not going the speed I think I should be going, or I feel overwhelmed by how much longer I have to go.  I decided to do this morning's run without looking at the stats just to see if I could estimate speed and such by paying attention to how hard I was pushing it.

I was so happy when my app told me I had completed a mile in 13:20 (my personal record is 13:18). My second mile was 13:38. I was so proud because that is the first time I've done 2 miles with both being under 14 minutes!  Woot, woot!

I do wish I could start getting negative splits (reducing time every mile instead of adding it), but I think I just hit it so hard when I was start, that it it natural that I slow down a bit. As I start upping my mileage, I may work toward getting negative splits! 

Sometimes I get so anxious to be faster or better, not realizing how I have improved. I was looking at my stats from past work-outs, and I found out that the first mile I ever ran a few months ago was 17:30! That is a 4 minute difference. So I have nothing to worry about truly. 

Unfortunately, when I stopped running, I ended up not feeling so hot. A lot of awful cramps, so I'm taking a sick day. I don't think it has to do with the run but I really don't know what is going on. It is so random.

Oh well, I'm sure I will feel better tomorrow, and I will have a lot of pre-dawn runs in my future!

Brittany

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The Weekend Report

We have had a wonderfully simple & just perfect weekend for us, so I just wanted to do a little bit of a recap.

Before Adam and I met in person, we were just teens chatting on social media. During one of these chats, I promised Adam I would cook him spaghetti. I'm pretty sure I was just talking out of my butt because I did not know how to make spaghetti at the time. But when we finally met, I made him spaghetti. He loved it, and I used to make us spaghetti almost every Friday night. But since weight loss surgery, I haven't made it much at all because I really don't eat pasta. But this Friday, I decided to cook him some spaghetti just for him as a treat.I got to use our new stove for the first time and he got his favorite meal. That's a real win-win.

After dinner, I watched a movie I had been excited about for a while, As Dreamers Do. It is all about the early life of Walt Disney. It was a little bit of a cheesy movie, probably a little bit too simplistic. But I liked the movie regardless. No different than a lifetime movie or a hallmark movie, and I always stick those out to the bitter end (like the Brittany Murphy Story, so awful!). I enjoyed sticking this one out though.

I signed up for a local 5k on a whim last week. I always wonder why I do this to myself because setting an alarm for 6:30 on a Saturday is so not cool! But I'm always glad I did. It was uber cold on Saturday morning, feeling so much like Fall! Although I was cold pre-race, I knew I would warm up once the race started. This was a smallish race (maybe 70-100). I was nervous as always, worrying my legs would fail me. But they didn't! I finished the race in 44:20! That is 3 whole minutes off my last 5k time!  And can I say that run has me so excited for Fall weather running? Bring it on!

 

Adam did some yard work around the house on Saturday. I love watching my husband do manly, man things (not that women can't do them too, but I'd just rather not).

 

(BTW, I'm lovin' my fuzzy hair, and Carlee our weekend house guest resting on my lap in this picture). Adam recently remembered that he has an Atari (how he forgot this I will never know). So we went to the Athens-Limestone Flea Market to browse some classic video games. He bought a whole bunch of Atari games. He also picked up his favorite Nintendo game, Duck tales, and my favorite childhood game, M.C. Kids. It is a game that was basically made to advertize McDonalds (yes that McDonalds), but it is so fun and surprisingly difficult. We had fun messing around on those for a bit. 

Of course, no fall weekend would be complete without a little Packer's football. This was our first public outing in our cheeseheads this year, and we checked out a new sports bar that we liked a lot! We got a rough start, and the gamed looked awful during the first half, but we pulled off the win anyway! So that's a good game day!

By the way, this is the face you make after celebrating two Randall Cobb touchdowns, just to be reminded your opponent in your Fantasy league is playing Randall Cobb. The cheesehead of shame!

Brittany

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A Lunch Time Run

I find it so difficult to get up 45 minutes early just so I can go for a run before work. I can literally only think of a handful of times that I have manged to drag my butt out of bed to work out.  I usually just decide to cancel the workout and rely on the 2nd alarm I set just in case I stay in bed. I am super proud of myself when I do get up however, and those runs give me so much energy throughout the day.

This morning I attempted to get up early yet again.  I failed miserably. This was unfortunate, because I needed to get home after work at a decent time to catch the Packer's game (ugh that loss was so heartbreaking). But I took my clothes to work anyway, determined to get off work on time, so I could get my run in before heading home for the game.

This was an usual weather day for Alabama though. Lately, it has been nothing but hot, hot, hot! But today was in the low 80's and overcast. Just perfect. Since I had my work-out clothes with me already, I decided to go for a lunch time run instead. I was worried about sweating during my work-out, only to have to get back to work to finish out the afternoon. But I decided to do it anyway.

I got to the local trail a little after 11, did my warm-up, and started running. The trail was so empty! I usually have to pass many people or am being continuously passed by others (which tends to make me nervous). But I only saw one person in the park during the whole run! It was lovely.

I did two miles total. My first split was 13:18 (fastest mile ever) and then my second was 14:15. My current goal is to get all my miles under 14:00 minutes. Right now, I'm just running 2-3 miles until my training for the Princess starts officially.

It is funny. I always assume a run will drain me for the rest of the day but it is the total opposite. It gives me such an energy boost that doesn't wear off till bedtime! I was able to power through the rest of my busy afternoon. Plus, it is nice to know you already have your work out done, and you won't have to squeeze it in later.

I love what running is doing for me lately. It is making me happier and healthier. And I'm hoping to get in some lunchtime runs in the future! I get ancy now if I go too long without running, my body starts craving all those endorphins. Man, I'm becoming so obnoxious lately with my, "I love to work out!" mantra! Just like the people I used to hate!

Over and Out,

Brittany

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BEST DAY EVER...After my run that is...

You know when you have just one of "those" days? Well I've had one of those weekends that led into week. I got home Friday night to it raining in my kitchen. That's not an exaggeration either. Water pouring into my apt from upstairs. I was NOT happy and it took until Sunday night at 6:30 to get it fixed! Woke up 15 minutes before I had to leave for work on Monday and was in a grouchy mood at work. During planning, I felt like I snapped at my team members so I sent them all an email to apologize and chose to have a better day. Today was a similar day. I woke up to water on my kitchen floor AGAIN (even though the guy said he had fixed it) AND a kitchen full of black ants! Where they came from I have no idea! I got to work and it was a rough day with too much to do and not enough time to get it done. I felt like I couldn't get out of this funk until...I went for one of the most epic runs of my running career!

I BEAT MY PR FOR MY FASTEST MILE EVER BY 15 WHOLE SECONDS!!!!! When I started this journey little over 2 years ago I could barely do a mile in 21 minutes. Today I ran a mile in 13:30! My fastest time to date was 13:45. For someone who has never been a "runner", I'm claiming it today! The best part of the whole thing? All of the frustration and the anxiety and the being upset completely evaporated as soon as I hit that first mile in 13:30 and then was REALLY gone at mile 2 with the same time. I am so blessed and excited that I'm FINALLY seeing results in my speed! My goal by Disney in February is a consistent 12 minute mile. I'll gladly take anything less, but I'm striving for 12. :)

I just had to share! I hope that everyone is having a WONDERFUL day and reminding you to never give up on your goals! Eventually you will reach them! I did today and I couldn't be happier!

Much Love,

J

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My Disney Princess Training Plan

 I've been doing mental gymnastic the last couple of months trying to figure out exactly how I wanted to go about my Disney training. Did I want to follow a plan? Do I want to make up my own plan? How many days should I run? How long? How far? It was a lot of issues to think about.

The runDisney website has their own training plans developed by Jeff Galloway. I have heard several good things about these training plans, most notably on the Mickey Miles Podcast. I have been perusing the 22 week beginners plan, that officially kicks off September 30th, 2014.

I like how the plan is laid out. It asks for a 30 minute run on Tuesdays/Thursdays. I usually do not run on Tuesdays/Thursdays because it is my long work day, but since it is ONLY 30 minutes, that is a commitment I can make. I figure since those runs are always 30 minutes long, I can gradually work toward increasing my speed on the weekdays.

Saturdays are the distance runs, that will gradually increase in mileage, with some "weaning/resting" weeks in between. The plan leads right up to marathon weekend and seems so doable. My goal is following the plan to a tee and updating you guys along the way.

I also plan to run a 10k in November it order to possibly get a better corral placement.

In the meantime, I plan on running 30 minutes on Tuesday/Thursdays (as I did this week) to get used to the running schedule, and then I will run no more than 3 miles on Saturdays (since the first official Saturday run is only 2 miles!).

I can't wait to see how this plan goes.  I think it will be fantastic for me. I always do better with a plan. Just hope to stay motivated!

Brittany

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J and B's Runiversary

July 29, 2014 was mine and B's 2 year runiversary. It seems so surreal looking back over that amount of time and how far we have come. I didn't even realize it until August 1 and of course I had to send her a message to let her know we had missed it. She and I both agreed that it would make for a good blog post, so here we are. :)

I know we post a lot about our running and how far we've come. I just want to say, I'm so proud of B! She had a 14 minute mile the other day! And not just 1, but 3 of them! When we started this journey I know I could barely do a 20 minute mile. The fact that we are up to 14 minute miles speaks volumes about our journey and we are hoping to only get faster the longer we practice.

Instead of writing all about our journey, I want to share a few pictures instead. Please bear with me as this will be a photo heavy post. :)

 These were taken after we finished our very FIRST 5K in September of 2012. We finished in under an hour and we were the last two to finish, but we finished! So blessed I had this girl in my corner. 

 Fun times at our very first foam race! As you can see, we enjoyed the face painting. :)

 Of course I had to throw in a few college throw back pictures. :) As you can see, we had a lot of fun. 

 When Brit and I started our running journeys, we inspired several others to join us for the Color Run in Jackson, MS. As you can see, it was a blast!

 Our very 1st 10K in Auburn, AL (War Damn Eagle!)

Random pics from Days Gone By!

I'm so looking forward to many more adventures with this girl and I can't wait until we get to post all about our experience at the Disney Princess Half Marathon! :D

Until Later,

Jana

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The Week That Was

It has been quite a busy week/weekend around these parts, so I figured it was time for a little life update!

Last Monday, my husband and I finally closed on our home, and I'm so happy that it is now OURS all OURS, it is absolutely perfect for us. Every time we go over to the house, we are just filled with so much joy that it is now owned by us. We can't wait till we can get all the way moved in. Alas, we are still at the apartment, buying our time till move in day. 

Last week was the last week of our summer camp at work. It was rewarding but so much work!! I'm glad for it to be over. We had a great last week though. Graduation Day! Chuck E' Cheese Day! Splash Pad Day! We also had the children reflect on what they learned from summer camp, I loved this response we got. Also isn't that top photo cute? That was the teens we hired to help this summer, taking selfies with my phone when I was out of the room,  I just discovered them today. It cracked me up.

Saturday morning, we got up super early and headed over to the house to paint the guest room. Two of the bedrooms in our new home were children's bedrooms, and they were very brightly colored. So I wanted to switch them up. Neither Adam nor I have ever painted before, so we were somewhat nervous. But I love how it turned out! I decided to go with a darker, less shiny blue. I can't wait to get it fully decorated in my nautical theme! Jana keeps telling me this is her bedroom!  So I told her she will have to make a sign for the room that says, "Jana's Room: Keep Out!" Just as we would have done when we were children.

Saturday night, Adam and I went to my 10 year class reunion. Holy Cow! It has been 10 years. Like what? How has it been 10 years? Our reunion was at the Space & Rocket Center, which was such a cool location. I was nervous having not seen these people for so long, but it was so nice to see everyone. Especially some of my best friends from that time, it was just like old times. And everyone was so nice about my weight loss! I'm proud to be a graduate of Athens High School Class of 2004!

I woke up Sunday morning, and I did a run on the treadmill because it was HOT, HOT, HOT outside. I did 2 miles at a 4.0 mile pace, getting up to 4.2 eventually. I love that I'm speeding up on the treadmill now. It makes me hopeful I can get my pace way up for Disney.  I feel like I have been playing it really careful with my injury, but I have had no extra pain lately, so I'm ready to start amping it back up. I want to be back up to 3 miles by this weekend. Next week, I'm going on a family beach trip, so I'm hoping to get in some pretty beach runs. 

Also, I spent a few hours at the waterpark today. Soaking up some Vitamin D and floating in the lazy river. It was so fun, and it was a perfect ending to this wonderful week. I even got up some courage to go down the big water slide (yeap, that is me gliding on the water), now that was one wild ride.

Have a great week chickadees,

Brittany

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The (Almost) Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Run

Today, I woke up pretty amped and ready for my Saturday run. Historically, Saturday runs are almost, always my best runs. I guess it is because I'm well rested. I usually don't set an alarm clock, but I still manage to wake up pretty early (8:30), when usually I get up at 6.  

I have a slow, Saturday morning routine. I browse the internet, skimming my favorite blogs, and favorite sites in complete quiet. No TV, no music, and no husband playing video games in the background with the OH MY GOSH most repetitive, annoying music ever. Anyone else have that problem?

I then lace up my shoes, and I decide where I want to run. I usually try to get outside on these mornings to vary things up. It has been cool all week, and it was raining all yesterday. But it was clear when I woke up, and my weather app pegged it in the 70's which seemed perfect. When will I learn to step outside instead of checking my app? Because it was perfect, perfectly MUGGY.

I got to the local trail, and I started running. But for some reason, I felt so stiff, and I was so not feeling it. Occasionally, I have those days. I took a break after .2 miles and I tried to get going again, but I just wasn't in the right mind set. So I turned around to do the walk of shame back to the car. I was feeling a little down on myself on that walk back. Sometimes I get so impatient, and I'm so ready just to be that 10 minute a mile runner who can easily go 26.2 miles.  Just forgetting that two months ago, I couldn't run one mile and now I am able to run 4!

But I had the idea, that I would give it a go on the treadmill when I got home. So when I got home, I didn't even think twice and jumped on the treadmill. It felt less hard, but I still wasn't in the proper mindset. However, I did manage go the fastest I have ever gone on the treadmill (4.1 miles an hour). I just did a mile. Which isn't much, but at least I didn't give up on the run. That is the most important thing.

So in total, I ran .2 miles on the trail, walked .2 miles to the car, and I  ran 1 mile on the treadmill.

I know I'm getting there and one run where I don't meet my goal (2 miles in this case) does not mean I won't ever reach my ultimate goal. I have to just keep putting myself out there.

After all, 

Tomorrow is Another Run,

Brittany

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The Week in Running (thus far)

This faux polar vortex the nation has going on right now is kind of rocking my socks off. It feels so good out, there is like zero humidity. It is especially awesome because during the last week it has been OPPRESSIVELY hot. Like make you want to slap your grandmama hot.

I've gone on three runs this week. Gradually increasing my distance by a half mile each time, just so I'm careful not to aggravate that injury. But so far the runs are feeling pretty good and, they are not causing me any extra pain. 

Saturday, I suited up with my new shoes and fancy socks, and I went for a slow half mile jog on the treadmill. I was so scared that my leg would be hurting a few hours later, but I was hopeful the new shoes would make a difference. And they totally did! They are a true blessing. A few hours later I felt no worse than before my run.

So on Monday, I did another run on the treadmill, picked up the pace a bit, and did a mile. While I was running, my leg felt a little tight, so I was worried about how I would feel post-run. But again, I went through the evening with no extra pain. 

Today, with the weather feeling so gosh darn nice, I knew I had to do my run outside. I had planned to go home and head out to our local trail. But when I got home, Adam was very mad because our internet was out. He works from home, so that is a big problem. So he needed to take the car out to hunt down some free WiFi (it is back up now but painfully slow). Meaning no trail run for me.

I could not give up running outside, so I just did the loop by the apartment. Which is not pretty, and it is totally boring and repetitive. But it has fresh air, sunshine, and oxygen, so who am I to complain?

I did 1.5 miles, I was not even aware of any leg pain. I was able to do the first mile in 14:48! I was so excited to see a pace under 15 minutes. This happened on my last run pre-injury. It makes me so happy to see that my pace is slowly but consistently getting faster.  My ultimate goal is to improve my time by a couple of minutes and do a 10k, so I can declare a time and get a better corral at Disney!

Right now, I'm just kind of riding out the happiness high I feel after a successful run. And in the words of Augustus Waters, "I'm on a roller coaster that only goes up, my friends." And if you don't know who Augustus Waters is, I am a little disappointed (it is only from one of the best books out there, The Fault in Our Stars).

Until Next Time,

Brittany

I've Got Some New Shoes On

Y'all, this has been one long rest week for me. I hate coming home and just sitting on the couch, not working out. It makes me feel like one big, old, fat blob.  Not to mention I'm exhausted this week. Working out helps my energy level and my serotonin levels. Not working out is making me feel blah to the power of 3. How far I've come from the girl who hated working out, now I'm craving working out. I hate being inactive all the time, I really do. 

I'm also still sad that I'm missing the running with the goats 10k tomorrow morning. But it is not worth risking further injuring myself. My leg pain is still there, although not very prominent. But the fact that it has not totally gone away worries me constantly.

I had to be in Huntsville today for an appointment anyway, so I decided I would stop by the local fleet feet. I've been curious for sometime about their fitting process and getting a custom shoe. I have been wondering if my stride was causing me more pain. Plus, my shoes I'm wearing now are so worn out! I've just been being a cheapskate about replacing them because good running shoes are not cheap. 

When I got there, I put my name on the fitting board and waited my turn. I was kind of nervous because I get stranger anxiety and that one on one stuff can freak me out. But I sucked it up anyway. 

The first thing my consultant did was measure my feet. I've never known my true shoe size as it varies so much. My feet are more wide than they are long (flintstone feet), which always leads me into buying shoes that are too big for me.  So it was nice to learn my actual size.

Next, she had me run on a treadmill. I learned that I run as I should on my right foot but over pronate (inward roll of the foot) on my left foot. And my left leg is the one causing me all the pain (although it is possible that I'm overpronating because of my leg pain but I feel it is vice versa).

I got fitted for a really nice pair of shoes with a lot of cushioning and support, which hopefully will help correct my running technique. If not, she also suggested some orthopedic inserts for even more support. I also got some nice moisture wicking socks, oh la la.

Tomorrow morning, I'm going to do a slow one mile run and see how that effects my pain level. I'm hoping that it wont worsen things, and I can get back to training as I have been.

Wish Me Luck,

Brittany

Injury, Rest, & Recovery

Last year, I struggled 8 months with sciatica. It really was one of the worst experiences of my life. I could barely move for months. I couldn't walk, and I struggled to sleep because I could not get comfortable.

The pain originally started last summer after lifting some coolers at work for our summer program. My doctor said my weight was worsening the injury, and it was one of my many factors that went in to me deciding to have weight loss surgery. A few months ago, as I started to lose weight, the pain quit.  I was so happy.

Que summer 2014. I'm yet again lifting coolers for work. Two weeks ago, I had to load 9 coolers into my car all by myself. The next day my leg was hurting in much the same way it hurt months ago. I was very worried. It didn't hurt as much as last time, so I went on with my life as usual. Then Saturday, I ran, and my leg really started to hurt a few hours after my run.

I was (am) really upset, I knew I would have to take a break from running. This is the most consistent I have ever been with my running and I don't want to stop. I don't want to lose my conditioning. I'm feeling slightly better today, but I am still in pain. I went to the doctor, and she said I needed to take a week off and rest with no heavy lifting or running. 

So I guess that is what I have to do. I'm not going to attempt to run till Saturday. I'm hoping a week off won't delay my training too much. I had a 10k race booked next weekend, but I'm going to have to skip it. I'm also going to fleet feet, so I can buy some supportive shoes since my current ones are a little worn out. Maybe that will make a difference?

I'm so worried that my leg won't get better, and I'll be delayed for months. But I just have to pray. I'm really going to miss running this week, I've gotten so used to taking everything out on the pavement!

Keep Your fingers crossed for me. I hope this is just one small hurdle in pursuing my dream!

Brittany

Single Digit Days...

We are down to 9 days until we can register for our Disney race! 9 DAYS!!!!!! Single digit days?!?!?!?!?!?! How can it be? It seems like it has been forever since March and now we are mere days away from signing on up!

In roughly 230 days I will be one of the princesses running through the castle doors in the Magic Kingdom with one of my very best friends in the whole world! Who gets to do that? I'm so blessed for the opportunity and I cannot wait until I get to do it and document the journey. Who knows? Once we accomplish this we might even be brave and try to sign up for the Disney Marathon in 2016. What do you think B?

It seems so strange that July 29 of this year will be the 2 year anniversary since Brittany and I started running. Now don't get me wrong, we stopped and started and stopped and started again, but we have only gotten better the longer we have gone. This is the longest that I have been consistent and to be honest, I don't see myself stopping, even after we finish our half. Although, I may take a week long break to give my body time to recoup. I plan to go ahead and sign up for a new race so that I keep on training. 

I just had to share my excitement! Looking forward to getting all signed up and registered. Once I do that, the race is real and I don't have an opportunity to back out. :) 

Have a wonderful Sunday,

Jana

A Fab 4th of July & A Personal Record

This morning when I woke up, the weather was fabulous! It wasn't very hot, there was low humidity, and there was even a breeze. So I knew I had to do a run outside. I chose to go to a local trail here in my hometown. I love this trail! It is is about 2.5 miles round trip, shaded, and runs by a creek.

When I started this run, I assumed I would be pretty slow. I would not say the trail is very hilly, but it does have some short but steep inclines that make me have to push it, and those hills can really slow me down. So imagine my surprise when I did my first mile in 14:42! That is my fastest mile ever! I couldn't believe it! Only one of my miles was over 15 minutes. When I usually can only manage a 16 minute mile. I'm finally starting to get a little faster! I plan on upping my mileage to 5 next week.  And I have a 10k next weekend! Wouldn't it be amazing if I could run it all? Although I'm not putting pressure on myself, just want to do what I can.

After my run, I was sitting on a bench resting, and I looked down at my pants and saw this caterpillar crawling on me. I may or may not have flipped out! I hate bugs!

In the afternoon, I threw on my swimsuit and some sunscreen and headed down to a local water park, Point Mallard. The cool thing about Point Mallard is that it has America's First Wave Pool. But I love going for the lazy river. While I was floating on the river, I ran into two of my coworkers and we hung out for a while. 

I went home and took a nap. When I woke up, Adam and I were able to watch the town firework's show from the comfort of our bedroom. Now I'm sitting here watching old episodes of Gilmore Girls and writing this little post. Just so thrilled to have the whole weekend still ahead of us.

Brittany

10 Tips For Finishing the Couch to 5k Running Program from a Former Couch Potato

The Couch to 5k program is an awesome way to get into running for complete beginners. I have done it twice and wanted to offer some helpful tips for completing it!

1. Choose A Race

The biggest motivation in finishing the program is having a goal. Before Jana and I even started the couch to 5k plan, we signed up for the Street Car 5k in Columbus, Mississippi. I suggest picking a race 9-12 weeks out, since couch to 5k is a 9 week program! However, our race was 6 weeks out, and we trained every other day, which is totally doable! I find Running in the USA and Active.com great websites to find races!

2. Change Up The Scenery

The treadmill (or dreadmill as I like to call it) is great when you are training for a 5k. It forces you to maintain a steady pace and it makes it easy to track mileage. But there is nothing like getting out and pounding the pavement. Not only can you run in different locations (keeping it from getting boring), but it is also helpful in getting ready for a 5k because the races take place outside. And running outside the gym feels so different than hitting the treadmill and vice versa.

3. Remember The First Weeks are the Toughest

When I started the couch to 5k program, I was 350 pounds and could barely walk a mile!  So honestly, I didn't think I could run a bit.  So I was amazed to discover I could! The first couple of weeks were very difficult, even though they were only 60 second, 90 second, and 3 minute intervals.  And the 3 minute intervals almost made me quit. But once I conquered those 3 minute runs, it got so much easier from there. I have talked to others who did the program that felt the same. I think the conditioning kicks in, and it all just gets a bit easier. That is my theory at least. Just stick with it.

4. Have the Proper Gear

You don't have to go all out and buy top of the line running shoes, but you do need a decent pair of sneakers. As long as they aren't too old, too beat up, and have good support you should do fine. If you do have the money, investing in running shoes is a good idea. You can also go to a local running store, run on a treadmill,  and they will analyze your stride to match you with the perfect pair for you.

5. Forget About Speed

Everyone wants to be the next Usain Bolt when they start running, but unless you are already uber athletic, it just isn't going to happen for you. It's more important to focus on time and distance (in that order) than speed. Don't feel bad if you feel you could walk faster than you run. Speed comes with consistent practice.

6. Find a Way to Be Accountable

I think the reason I have been so successful with my running is I have someone to be accountable to. Jana and I have always checked in with each other after runs, reminded each other to run, and given each other a kick in the pants when we needed it. It is a great to have that person to check in with it. It is easier to skip workouts if no one knows you are skipping it. If you have no one to check in with, I would suggest a website like Stickk, where you have to pay money if you don't meet your goals!

7. Make a Kick Ass Playlist (or an AudioBook)

This tip is probably a little obvious, but you need something to occupy your mind when running otherwise the thoughts of, "I want to stop running now," will take over. If I'm inside, I watch some of my favorite shows, but outside I love to listen to podcasts, audiobooks, or music on my phone.  It is absolutely essential!

8. Honor Thy Rest Day

After you have that first successful run that does not make you feel like you want to die, you will get a total runner's high. It can be so addicting, and you might just think, "I want to do this all over again tomorrow." But don't. It is important to take a rest day for your muscles to recover and grow stronger. It will just make you a better runner next time!

9. Do What Works Best for You

Figure out a schedule you can stick with. Do you feel more energized in the morning? Wake up early in the mornings to run. Do you hate mornings like me? Go in the evening. Do you feel drained every Friday after a week of school/work? Do your runs on a Thursday instead. Think of what days will be easiest for you and get out there and run.  You know you best of all, so put some thought into what your training schedule needs to look like, so you won't be making excuses not to get out there on training day.

10. Don't Stop After the Race

One of the biggest mistakes I've ever made was to quit running after my first 5k. I got lazy and felt like I had accomplished my goal. Too bad, I had already signed up for a 10k! I walked that whole 10k, but I wished I could have run it! I had to start the program all over again because I lost all my conditioning. Make new goals to accomplish after that 5k. Do the 5k to 10k program, train for a half marathon, or finally start some speed work. Just keep running!

Have a Great Holiday Weekend Everybody,

Brittany