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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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 2 (Brittany)

Week 2, Run 1

At 2 a.m on Tuesday, I was awaken by an awful storm. It was crazy bad! I really think it was two storms at once, the way the thunder rumbled non-stop. I'm not scared of storms, but we are pet sitting for my mother, and her dog, Carlee, came bolting into our bedroom in a panic! I calmed her down, but I could not get back to sleep for hours (even after both Carlee and Adam were snoring, I was a little bitter).  I finally felt myself nodding off about 4:30, so I turned off my wake up to run alarm, knowing I needed that extra hour to get through my day. 

I was a little annoyed not to get to knock it out early, as I had every intention to do. I even went to bed early in preparation, but such is life. Instead I was able to squeeze it in on my lunch break! That can be tricky because I need to make sure I don't get too sweaty before going back to work. 

I ran in a local park near my office for 30 minutes as scheduled. It is funny because I felt kind of slow and clumsy during the run, but I ended doing my fastest splits ever, 13:08 and 13:38. I believe that 13:08 in my fastest mile ever, so I'm pleased. When I break that 13 minute mile, I'm going to celebrate! 

After  my run, I went to Moe's, and celebrated with a taco that I had carefully built to meet my calorie and protein needs. It was delicious.

Week 2, Run 2

This run started out with much less drama than the one before. I went to bed early the night before, with some complaints from my husband (apparently, he likes to spend time with me). There was no storm to wake me up in the middle of night, and I was able to get up when my alarm first sounded.

I decided to do a run around the neighborhood and by a short nearby trail. I was hoping I would be as fast as Tuesday.   But I wasn't. Who knows why. Maybe I was less warmed-up, maybe this route is harder, but my two splits were 13:44 and 14:13. Boo. I'm not worried about it though, I'm sure my splits will get more consistent as I go. 

Week 2, Run 3

Today I had to do my run on the treadmill due to the gloomy weather outside. What a bummer, the treadmill is so tough anyway, and today I had to go 3 miles for the first time since my last 5k. If you remember, my last treadmill run I struggled greatly, having to bump down my speed after going a mile. This time I was determined to be consistent for all 3 miles. 

I set my treadmill at 4.3mph to start the run. Last time, I struggled with that same pace, even though it is just a 14 minute mile.  The pace didn't feel as hard as last time until the last mile. I had to block my stats so I couldn't see them, as staring at it was KILLING MY SOUL. 

But I was able to run the same pace for all 3 miles, with no adjustments. I'm so proud of that! Next treadmill run, I will bump it up to 4.4mph. I will keep doing that till I get a even faster treadmill pace. When I first started working out on the treadmill, I could only go 3.0 mph, so I've made a lot of progress.

Week 2 of training is in the books,

Brittany

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A 2 miler after 10 Days of No Milers

Guys, I have had a rough week and a half. Last Friday, I ended up in the E.R. for reasons that would totally be TMI, so I won't share. But let us say it was awful. I spent the whole week feeling like crap (so very weak and so very dizzy). Running was out of the question.

I started to feel a bit better a few days ago. So I knew it was time to get in a run this weekend. I ran some errands today and then took a nap. Once I woke up from the nap, I knew I could put off my run no longer. I usually don't put off runs, I usually like to knock them out as soon as possible. But being that it had been so long since I went for a run, I felt nervous.

I'm not sure why. A part of me worries I will lose the fitness I've built up I guess. I always think I won't be able to run at all if I take a break. I just can't help myself. I'm so proud of how far I've come, that going backwards would devastate me.

I will not tell a lie, I felt a little clumsy on tonight's run. My time was also a little slower (by about 20-30 seconds) per mile than it usually is. But I'm not worried about my speed tonight. I completed my 30 minute run and that is all that matters to me.

I'm so happy to have this first run after illness behind me. The official Princess Half Marathon training starts on Tuesday (I'm so pumped). I would have hated to start my training with the fears that I had tonight. Now I can got into it with confidences.

Be on the lookout for training updates from Jana and me as our training kicks off!

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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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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A Week of Moving and Semi-Slacking

I have been off track running wise since I went on vacation, I have just been so tired! When I got back from vacation, I immediately went back to work, and then that Friday we moved! Is there anything more exhausting than moving?

All that packing your stuff, then transporting your stuff, just so you can unpack your stuff all over again. It makes me feel like I have way too much stuff, or that I should run off into the wilderness and become a stuff-less, naked, swamp hermit. And let us not forget the having to clean your prior place! Ugh, I'm exhausted. Add working to the mix, and you have a good idea of how I'm feeling. 

It is hard to find the motivation to work out.  When I step on the treadmill, I'm surrounded by a mountain of boxes, and all I can think is, "I could be unpacking right now." I'm getting extremely paranoid I won't get back on track. Just because that has happened to me in the past. I'm also fearful I will lose all my stamina.

I have made a deal with myself and Jana to get running again on Saturday. I am tentatively thinking of doing the Watermelon Run 5k in Cullman, Alabama, just to guarantee I run that 3 miles on Saturday. I'm also just itching for a good race, it has been a while. But I will see how the rest of the week unfolds before I decide.

For now, I'm just working, packing, and trying to catch some sleep inbetween.

Here is to getting back on track,

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

No More Excuses

It is hard to believe that 2 weeks from today I will be sitting in front of my computer constantly refreshing the runDisney webpage so that I can register for my very first Disney Princess Half Marathon. To say I am excited is an understatement. To say that I've been obsessing over this moment since March when Brittany and I decided to take it on, would be the honest truth. I honestly can't believe it is within reach. 

I'm finding it hard to believe that it is only 7 months until the race. Given that today is July 1st, I decided that I really need to buckle down on the training wagon and get my diet under control. I know in order to be at my best I need to eat as clean as possible. I also need to make sure I'm training regularly. So here are my July Goals for success:

Run a Minimum of 3 days a week

Cross Train 2-3 days a week

Log on myfitnesspal daily (janak2004 is my handle)

Meatless Mondays

Dairyless Tuesdays

Breadless Wednesdays

Sweetless Thursdays

No Fried Food Fridays

Water ONLY Weekdays (with exception of Gatorade for runs)

Today was Day 1 of my redo 5 mile week. I finished in 1:17, which is under the Disney requirement. I know I want to get my speed up, but right now I'm focusing on my distance and I will work on speed as I go. My goal is eventually get up to the 13 mile mark and complete it in under 3:30. If I can do that on my own, I can then work on picking up my speed. My goal before the race is a 3hr race, but if it takes me the whole time I won't be disappointed. 

I hit a wall around mile 3 today and tried to justify stopping and just calling it a day. I thought of EVERY reason possible, but then yelled at myself for being so stupid. If I can't handle 5 miles, how on earth do I expect to handle 13.1? After giving myself a brief, but stern talking to, I realized that I was almost done with mile 4 and I should just shut up and keep going. At mile 4.3 my feet started to kill me. Again, I could see the car right up the road and I knew I could just go on there and not worry about the last 7 tenths, but the voice of reasoning kicked in and I pushed through. When I finished I was hot, sweaty, and my feet hurt, but I was so happy that I had made it all the way through. Sometimes I can be my worst enemy. I know I need to get out of my head and just do it. 

I got to thinking about all the excuses I make as a runner about why I can't do it and what others have told me in the past about why they refuse to run. I have created this list of excuses and facts for your reading entertainment.

1. Excuse- Running is too hard on your body.

    Fact- Running IS hard on your body, but the more you do it the less difficult it is.

2. Excuse- Running hurts too bad.

    Fact- Again, YES, it does hurt, but not in a bad way. It hurts in a "I am kicking butt" sort of way.

3. Excuse- You get all hot and sweaty.

    Fact- I do get all hot and sweaty, but the most rewarding part of my entire workout is pulling off my sweaty clothes after a good workout and taking a nice, hot, relaxing shower. There is no other feeling that can compare to that. And FYI, that sweat is toxins leaving your body. The more you sweat, the better. 

4. Excuse- I don't have time.

    Fact- You have to make time. A one hour run is only 4% of your day. In the time it took you to read this blog post, you could have already started a good workout. Get out there and do it. 

5. Excuse- I'm too tired.

    Fact- A good run will actually make you less tired. You will be amazed at the boost of energy you get. A runner's high is the best thing ever. 

6. Excuse- I'm too self conscious. People will talk about me if I get out there.

    Fact- You would be amazed at how wrong you are. I have more people that give me a thumbs up and a kind word than anything when I go run. Nobody is focusing on you. Nobody is thinking what you think they are. Believe it or not, you might just be inspiring them. Keep going! Don't stop!

I'm sure there are a lot more excuses. Feel free to add them in the comments with your facts. I'd love to see what other pitfalls people have. 

Start the month of July off right! Get out there and Run! No more excuses! You can do it! :)

Talk to you soon,

Jana

The Bad Run & The Good Run

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until Next Time,

Brittany

The Countdown is On...

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

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

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

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

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

Have a Marvelous Monday,

Jana

Why I Run...PT 2

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

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

July 2012

Weight: 302

April 2014

   Weight: 265

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Running,

Jana

J's Running Bucket List

30 Races to do before 30!

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

1, Complete an Obstacle Run

2. Complete a Mud Run

3. Complete a Color Run

4. Complete a Glow Run

5. Complete a Zombie Run

6. Complete a Beer Run

7. Complete a Foam Run

8. Complete the Disney Princess Half Marathon

9. Complete a 10K

10. Complete a "Girls Only" Run

11. Complete a Hot Chocolate 5k

12. Complete a Turkey Trot

13. Complete a Jingle Bell Run

14. Complete a Dirty Girl Run

15. Complete the 5K Foam Fest

16. Complete the Spartan Sprint

17. Complete Living Socials 5K Dance Party

18. Complete a Super Hero 5K

19. Complete a Bad Prom Run

20. Complete a Wine Run

21. Complete a Run for the Cure race

22. Complete Warrior Dash

23. Complete a Leukemia Run

24. TBA

25. TBA

26. TBA

27. TBA

28. TBA

29. TBA

30. TBA

Glow in the Park 5K

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

The rules are simple enough.

Rule #1: Wear a white shirt.

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

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

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

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

Rule #4: Show team spirit!

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until later,

Jana