Doozie of a Tuesday

Monday night our spin class was cancelled because they instructor was sick so I was happy to hear that she would be back last night! Especially because HIIT was before spin so it would be super convenient to take them both. I hadn't taken Evy's HIIT class since she moved it to the new expanded section of the gym and I am glad I went back. She has tweaked her class a bit and man I am feeling it this morning. The best part was there were only two of us in the class so it was somewhat like having a small group personal training session for FREE!

I tried to get Sara to join but since she just started back to gym it 

might have been too much for her. 

So far I am digging the spin class. I am hoping it will help with my running as well. Even though we live in a small town I am glad that there are women here who know that these classes are needed. 

Friday Evy is doing HITT and spin back to back again and since it will be fairly slow around work I am going to take an early, long lunch so Sara and I can go back.

January 30 Day Challenge: Whole30

Now my calendar is blank because I will mark off each day that I complete WITHOUT cheating. If you  haven't researched what a Whole30 is, you should! By far one of the best things you can do for yourself! 

This time around I am going to document my progress with photos because the scale is not always an accurate way of measuring your success. 

Christmas Goodies

When it came to Christmas this year I raked in the goodies! Up top - a new running jacket from Asics, a gift card to FleetFeet to get a new pair of shoes and a running journal. I actually got two of the journals and was thinking of keeping the second one for next year but does anyone know if they change every year??

While I was in Cali I made a pit stop by the Nike Outlet and Target for some more goodies too! In Alice I am an hour away from a Target and almost three hours from the outlet malls in San Marcos. 

Nike I grabbed a new shirt, jacket and super comfy cotton pants! Target was a nice pair of boots, a new dress, and fab faux fur vest. 

Christmas/Birthday Vacation

California was beautiful! I am so glad I was able to spend time with my sister and her family. I did get it a little bit of training a midst our fun! 

Spent Christmas morning, after opening up presents of course, at Beacons which is where my brother in law surfs. To get down to the beach you have to hike up/down the side of the cliff. 

From my sister's apartment you can cruise a little way up the hill to a trail that is 1.5 miles around. It is a doozy if you are not used to elevation changes. 

The weather was perfect for our afternoon Christmas day trail run!

Saturday morning I snuck over to the fitness center before we took off to the Safari Park. The Safari Park was a workout in itself too! Pushing a double stroller up and down and around the park grounds...no wonder my sister doesn't always have to "Workout" to stay in shape. 

A Year of 30 Day Challenges

So I had the bright idea of doing one full year of different 30 day challenges. I mean, you can do anything for 30 days right? At least that is what my Whole30 Facebook group says! I planned out which ones I am going to do for 2015 and if your up for it, do them with me!

January - Whole30 Round 2 

(completed my first one January 2014)

February - Planking

March - Sit ups 

(mind you I have our honeymoon planned this month!)

April - 1 gallon of water per day 

(I saw a picture on Facebook of a woman who did this and the change in her face/skin is amazing!)

May - Push ups

June - Squats

July - Eat 1 salad per day as a full meal

August - bicep curl/tricep dips

September - Burpees 

October - Lunges

November - Rowing 

(on the machine)

December - 2 miles per day 

(this may seem like nothing but with the holidays I find it hard sometimes to set aside time to run)

At the start of every month I will post a printable of my calendar so you can follow along if you want. I have completed a Whole30 before so I know I can do everyone one of these challenges as long as I put my mind to it. 

Sunny Southern California for Christmas

I leave tomorrow morning to head to San Diego to spend Christmas and my birthday with my sister and her family. Yes I know....it is our first Christmas as husband and wife but I had made these plans with Dave's old schedule and when he switched jobs his scheduled changed. Gotta love the South Texas oilfield. 

I am looking forward to checking out San Diego and Carlsbad where they live but I am most stoked about being able to run in a different place. 

My sister is trying to get back into running now that the twins are in school two days a week so I am hoping us running together will help motivate her and I will enjoy having a buddy!

I'M BACK!

I have been a little MIA I know but there were some family things I had to tend to and then with Dave still out on location it has been up to me to get all the Christmas stuff done as well as pack for my trip to California tomorrow. 

The American Bank Half Marathon & Relay is in two weeks! I know I can finish 6 miles...I am just hoping I can do it in less time than my first one! Need to beat 68 minutes!

My friend Sara who just had a baby about 3 months ago wanted to get back into the swing of working out. So she convinced me to go to a spin class with her at our local 24 hour gym. Boy did she go from turtle pace to jaguar! I am pretty sure she might be regretting that decision this morning but either way it was fun to have someone to try it with!

My legs surprisingly don't hurt however the seat was not very friendly to me! The instructor said once we get past the first 30 days we won't even know its there....hope she is right!

Breakfast Egg Cups

I had seen these on Facebook and Instagram however I had never made them because I was skeptical about how they would actually taste. Well I made them this morning and they were pretty good! All I used was ham slices, an egg, and a little bit of cheese. I baked the ham a little bit before I put the eff in and then I baked them for 15 minutes. I think next time I will back it down to 12 minutes to see if the yolk will be a bit more runny ( I like yolks runny ) The way they came out this morning was like a hard boiled egg consistency.  A friend told me to try adding some spinach and bell pepper. 

I will definitely be making these again. So easy and yummy! 

Motivation Monday

Or lack there of. After the weekend I had of helping my parents do a garage sale and move stuff I was exhausted. And sitting in front of a computer out in the shop all day for work doesn't exactly get my blood flowing to want to run unfortunately. I have a habit of wanting to go home, cook dinner, and hang out with my dogs after work but I didn't. I actually left work early so that I could get in a road run. With the sunset at 5:22'ish and then only having about another 30 minutes of light after that I have to time my road runs just right if I want to try to get in some decent mileage. 

The best part about running on Monday is that I feel like I started my week off right, regardless of how my day went. My plan is to run everyday and beat my mileage from the day before. I have 2 1/2 more weeks until the American Bank Half Marathon Relay and I am just hoping to PR on it. I leave for California on Christmas Eve day to spend Christmas and my birthday with my sister and I am truly looking forward to running in Southern California, especially with her. 

I lapped my husband

With it being Wednesday night and Dave wasn't working, we were determined to make our church small group at 6:30. With that being said I had a very short amount of time to get home, change, run (Dave didn't move from the couch), and then get on the road to Orange Grove. My goal was to hit 3.25 miles but I ran out of time. I absolutely despise being late....I think it is rude and disrespectful so I usually end up arriving 10 or 15 minutes early almost everywhere I go. (One of my quirks I guess)

In order to hit my goal mileage for the week I need to run at least 5 miles today, tomorrow, and Saturday and I am going to try to my hardest to reach that goal. I have been running with shin splints apparently and they can be pretty brutal after mile 3. I haven't figured out if I am getting them from the almost 2'ish months I wasn't really running before the wedding or if it is a sign that I need new shoes......I am still such a novice runner I can't tell the difference. 

If I get new shoes before my first 10K in 2015, I would love a new pair of Asics. So far they have been pretty good to me and they are very friendly to my budget!

JUST....wow!

Reading through my blogs this morning and I came across Mile Posts aka Dorothy Beal's

blog post - There Is No JUST In 13.1

It could not have come a better time. I am so guilty of this. I call myself a beginner runner because I know there are so many people that can run faster and farther than I can. I constantly compare my abilities to others. In her post she asks what a long distance is for us and for me, right now, running 10K's is my challenge. I have run 2 or 3 registered 10K's and just over 6 miles around the small town I live in so I know I can do it but they are still challenging for me. 

I have also been bad about comparing my average mile times to others instead of focusing on the fact that I am completing the mileage I set out to do. I am not a fast runner.....in comparison to the people I consider fast. I guess it is all a matter of perspective. I am sure some folks consider me fast. 

I am trying to focus on being consistent and more positive when it comes to my runs so that I will not get frustrated and give up for weeks at a time. I know if I had a running buddy that would help however I just can't seem to find anyone that has a similar schedule as mine to be able to that. 

Thanks Dorothy for the post! It was definitely the motivation that I needed to know that any mileage I get in is better than nothing and it still makes me a "runner". 

My first 10K for 2015 is January 3 and I am part of a two member team relaying the American Bank Half Marathon in Corpus Christi. My second 10K race is at the Cowtown Marathon at the end of February. I know I can complete the mileage however the challenge I know I will face is the weather. I am not used to running in cold temps. I live in a small south Texas town where the high tomorrow will be 71!

Dorothy if you ever make your way to South Texas I would love to meet you!

Two Time Tuesday

So I liked my bistro salad and hummus snack so much I bought the pair again today for lunch. You can't beat the fact that the total cost for such a yummy meal is around $5!

You have to love a DVR when your running schedule interferes with some great shows! 

 Last night was the season finale. I think a little part of me died inside! But Dave and I are two episodes behind, I think, because of his work schedule, so the finale will have to wait. I have been watching this series since season two. I seriously need to find the whole thing and watch it from the beginning again! 

To get in all my mileage for the week I have to run around 4.25 miles per day. Last night was no exception! I did make it outside to run which was nice. Usually the park gets a little creepy past dark but there were actually quite a few runners out there so I didn't feel uncomfortable. I didn't run as fast as I do when I have a pacer/buddy or on the treadmill since I can control that but it was a nice change to be outside instead of staring at the dash of the treadmill for 45 minutes!

Monday Funday

Today was DEF a Monday for me! Catching up at work since I took Friday off to go spend the weekend in the hill country with my husband for my birthday, unexpectedly the roofers showed up at our house, and all I really wanted to do was be lazy. But I am really trying to stay to my training schedule as much as possible. I may not be hitting the mileage suggested each day but I am trying to hit the total mileage for the week. 

I hit my 4 mile mark which was awesome however didn't make it outside in time so it was a treadmill run. But for some reason I am getting pains on the inside of my shins/calves running from my knees down. I have had x-rays done within the last 6 months so I know it isn't stress fractures or anything so I am wondering why this is happening. If you have any suggestions or personal stories I would love to hear them. I don't get the chance to surround myself with more experienced runners very often so any information would be great! I am thinking I might need new shoes but I got these Asics in May. Granted I wear them every time I run. 

Dave is in Del Rio bow hunting solo which means I can do a meatless meal! Picked up a Bistro Salad from HEB - apples, candied pecans and blue cheese! And threw in some hummus and pretzel crackers.

Random

Dave's aunt posted this on Facebook and I thought it was pretty cool!

2015 Goals

1. To complete at least 6 10k's ( will complete 2 by the end of February!)

2. To log at least 10 miles per week

3. To PR on my 5k

4. To complete a 10k in 66 minutes or less

5. To run every Runner of the Year Race with the Corpus Christi Road Runners

Solo Saturday Morning

I really wish I had a running buddy... I think I would really improve more quickly if I had someone there to help push me when I start to get tired or just run at an OK pace. But today was three straight days of morning runs and it was so nice!

There is a gym not far from my house that is open 24 hours so I decided to take my card with me on this run and if I felt like popping in to do a short body circuit I could. 

Around 2.4 miles I was there so I figured why not! Two rounds of 

10 push ups

20 dips

30 jumping jacks

40 sit ups/bicycle

I had been contemplating what to do with the leftover turkey all night. Dave doesn't like soup so I usually know I need to make it while he is on hitch or only make enough to eat for lunch when he is home.

I used the leftover drippings from the turkey as a good base and then made a creamy turkey kale soup!

Can't wait to try it for lunch!

Post Turkey Day

Anderson Park
I wish I didn't have to be at work so early so I could get back to running in the mornings again

My running buddy was a little hungover so I didn't do as much mileage as I wanted but something is better nothing

And then I spent the rest of the day making it look like Christmas threw up in our house!
Dave left with it looking like fall and is gonna come back to Christmas ornaments everywhere!

Corpus Christi Road Runners 33rd Annual Turkey Chase in Pictures

Early mornings....Love when I can start my days with my Asics!

It is about 45 minutes one way to get to Corpus Christi which is where most of my runs are so my drives usually consist of watching the sunrise over farm roads

Ainsley's Angels! 

There is a special place in Heaven for these folks. And if I could run while pushing a stroller I would volunteer.
However I was passed by people with dogs and strollers on this run! 

I had fun and I finished...that is all that matters in my book!

OFFICIAL RESULTS:

FINISHED IN 40:31
AVERAGE PACE - 10:08

FIRST 2 MILES: 19:53

LAST 2 MILES: 20:38

FEMALE AGED 30 - 34 - 16th

OVERALL PLACE - 303rd

OVERALL FEMALE - 119th

Why are you looking at me like that?

I seriously never thought of dressing my doxie's up like this...wish I would have!
It is hilarious!

Now you know where stuffing comes from! LOL

Rain or Shine...And God chose rain!

This morning was another Corpus Christi Road Runner Runner of the Year race - the Bill Dodge Memorial Run down by the SEA District. I love running around that area because the route is usually up and down the bayfront! However I weather here in South Texas has been very wet and I was hoping we would be spared but the good Lord said we needed rain! I estimated my time off a girl I was pacing since I didn't have my phone. Unofficially I ran around a 10:16 average which isn't bad. 

My first 5K in a few months...gotta love putting your life on semi hold for a wedding!

Just a few of the puddles we ran through

Downtown Corpus Christi.
If you have never been here the Hooks Baseball team plays at Whataburger Field on the left
and to the right (not pictured) is the famous Brewster Street Ice House

I left my phone in the truck, otherwise it would have been a very expensive run! I do not usually run without music but listening to the rain and thunder wasn't so bad. 

After the almost hour drive home I was cold and hungry! Egg nog in my coffee and yes....3 eggs! 

IAAP posted the race results!!

Finished in 31:12 (average mile split 10:02)

     2nd place in my category of 30 - 34 Female

Back At It

So Monday started my training for my 10K in January but I do have two races this month. Saturday is the Bill Dodge Memorial Run and then I am running in my first Corpus Christi Road Runners Turkey Chase on Thanksgiving Day!

About two months or so ago I joined our "local" running club. About as local as I can get is Corpus Christi which is 45 minuets away. I can't make the social runs during the week but I do plan on running in every Runner of the Year Race plus a few fun ones on the calendar. 

Monday's run. It was even better getting into the gym and running into a friend and getting
complimented on my crazy leggings!

Started at 5.7 and increased .1 every .25 miles eventually ending at 6.3

So far this week I have made back in the gym Monday and Tuesday, taking it easy with just over two miles. My Nike+ Coach says I need to get in 12.5 miles this week which will be no problem! My legs are sore but it is a nice change to be able to run and workout than worry about wedding stuff. 

Totally excuse my red neck (I got the chain in the mail when I got home from the gym so I had to wear it) but this is a wedding present from a friend from work! The charms are from Stella and Dot. A horse shoe for luck, an H for my new last name, and our wedding date engraved on a "dog tag". How cute is that?!

Training for the American Bank Half Marathon (relay of course!)

Its been a few weeks since I have been running since I was so preoccupied with the wedding, friends, and family and such. But I am around 7 weeks out from the American Bank Half Marathon and Relay that will be taking place here in Corpus. I have a buddy who is going to run it with me who has a few halfs under her belt solo. I am really looking forward to reconditioning my body and spending my little bit of free time doing something good for me again.  

As always I use my Nike+ coach app on my phone to help me with my training program and send me reminders. It helps me if I get little nudges like that of how much I need to run. Plus I can always check out the weeks and prepare my schedule around how much mileage I need to get in. 

From Miss to Mrs

So I have been a little absent the past two or three weeks because our wedding was on the 8th!

Here are just a few pictures that my friend Tori took from the wedding.....ENJOY!