Wordless Wednesday….. Holiday Challenge edition!

check it out at Run to the Finish, and tell her I sent you. Quick! We started this week!

Check it out here! Starts soon!

a mile per day from Turkey Day til New Year's Day!

Do you know of any other challenges you think I should join?

Michelle Bridges, Week 3 and the JSRC Train Run

Week 3 of the Michelle Bridges 12 week Body Transformation was rough for me in more ways than one. I received a chance to participate in a 5 week preview of the 12WBT as a member of Girls Gone Sporty, and will be posting about it weekly.
Each week, Mish posts a video for motivation on a variety of topics. This week she talked about Motivation and Body Image. Yikes.

I love this! I always look to everyone else to motivate me. I feel as if I need a challenge, or a series of DVDs, or other people to motivate me. Mish points out that we nosed to motivate ourselves and gives us some tools to help keep motivated on our own!

Body Image. Another yikes! I definitely have a problem with Body Image. Most of the time, I can point out my smallish waist, my defined calves from running, my arms are always fairly toned. On a bad day, though? Watch out. My stomach isn't flat enough, the cellulite above my knees screams at me, and I just feel like crap. Mish points out that what we see in the mirror doesn't necessarily reflect what other people see when they look at us. She gave some great tips on how to change your opinion of how you really look.

These boots did help my body image this weekend. The hubs brought me to the mall to buy some jeans made for my curves, because he knew that I was feeling negative, and my Levis were not helping. I got a pair of Lucky jeans, and they look amazing. I walked out feeling fabulous. Next, we went to DSW to get some boots. Even the ones that were made for wider calves did not fit! I was devastated. Body image shattered. Because of boots. For real?
I was getting ready for the Train Run the next day and was taping my knee. I noticed how strong my calves were looking, and realized that the boots lie. My calves are awesome, and I will still look great in the ankle boots I bought instead.

My favorite part of week 3 was the burpees!

No, wait, that's not right. I hate burpees. Truly. BUT MIsh challenged us to do 100 burpees during the week and I was determined to do it! I got up during commercial breaks and did them 10 at a time, and managed to finish all 100 within 2 days. Woot! Challenge met! Week 4 starts today, and I am very nervous about the next weekly challenge! What could it be??

My real favorite part of week 3? The Core and Flexibility workout. I stuck to Cardio and Toning during weeks 1 and 2, so this was my first time doing her Yoga workout. IT.WAS.AMAZING. I managed to hold Crow Pose for 5 whole seconds and I felt like a boss! I cannot wait to see how I improve  in the weeks to come! At the end of the workout, we did relaxation techniques. This was my favorite part. There was a lot of this:

What's not to love?
I ended my week with the JSRC Train Run. The Jersey Shore Running Club hold several of these each year. It is a simple concept. You meet up at Johnny Mac's in Asbury Park NJ, and board the train across the street. You get off of the train at one of 3 stops, depending on the distance you want to run. We chose 6.5 miles so we got off at the last stop.

still laughing about the hand dryer in the ladies' room

Eileen and I were taking it very easy, and the rest of the runners took off, and we never saw them again after that first mile. Dave the Trumpeter joined us, though, and ran the whole way with us. He was the JSRC caboose, and sent his birthday (Happy Birthday!!!) regaling us with story after story about races he had run and people he had met. If you read my blog frequently you know how much I LOVE this guy! He usually sets up at races and plays his trumpet and shouts out encouragement as you run by. Such an amazing guy! Everybody sang Happy Birthday to him before we left for the run:

Since this wasn't a face, it was not timed, which was great. We ended up finishing in about 1:16 for the 6.5 miles, and what a hot, sweaty mess we were! It was very humid, and there wasn't much of a breeze, even though most of the run was on the boardwalk along the ocean!

the last stretch was Cookman Ave in Asbury Park

photo op in front of Johnny Mac's with Eileen and Dave

We collected our long sleeved tee (a lovely deep green, and mine was XL since we finished last, but it is SO comfy!) and our beer ticket. The hubs drank the beer. I hate beer. We also got free personal pizza, and Eileen let the hubs eat hers, and I ate half of mine. We made our obligatory stop to Confections of a Rockstar and headed home.

What a week! Not as much running as I would like, because I was still feeling droopy, but not too bad either!
I am feeling 100% better today, and I am glad to be back on the workout wagon, and eating well. I know that I made things worse by resting too much and not eating as well as I could, but all I can do is pick up, brush off, and move on!

What did you do this weekend to keep your body moving?

Race Ragz Winner…. one day late!

Maryalicia!!!!!

Please e-mail me with your info so I can get you your free MyRaceRagz tee!

Wordless Wednesday

I finished my 2014 Achievement Board, what do you think?

Before the squares are added for he goals....

Done! There is room or another frame of squares if I need them!

Have you started thinking about your goals for 2014 yet?

Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge

I am so excited to have this challenge starting soon. November 17th, to be exact! I started doing this challenge last Holiday Season, and did the Spring Challenge as well. It is a great way to help you stay motivated to eat well during the Holidays, and too keep you off of the couch!
When you sign up (it is not free, but it is not expensive either), you get:

• Over $3,000 in prizes again
• Expert interviews with registered dieticians, world class running coaches, Ironman coaches, physical therapists and more
• Weekly emails with tips pulled from the expert videos
• Facebook support group - This group is like no other! Everyone checks in daily and provides a true support system
• Optional 8 week training plan to get you through the holidays

 I have won a prize booth times! I won capri yoga pants in the winter and a sports bra in the Spring (the teenie stole it, though!)

How does it work? 

For less than the cost of a 1 month gym membership:

• Earn points for being active
• Earn points for eating your veggies
• Compete against people at the same level as you
• Enjoy an awesome support network
• Have questions answered by experts
• Meet other like minded folks to help you stay on track
• Win Prizes!! Just a few of the brands featured below!
• Clean Eating Holiday Menu ideas
• Receive daily clean eating email tips {optional}
• Receive an 8 week training plan with ideas for getting family involved and time crunched workouts {optional}

Some of the prizes are coming from Champion, Oakley, Asics, Vega, Timex, and more! It is a great motivational tool that couldn't come at a better time for me! I am really struggling with my diet and I tend to blow off any exercise other than my running! 

When you decide to sign up, mention that I sent you and be sure to let me know you are participating so we can cheer each other on! You won't be sorry! I find this challenge to be far more effective than that 4% weight loss challenge. I LOVE it!

Will you be doing the Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge?

Veteran's Day Virtual Run

For the third time, I pinned on my bib, and hit the road for the Veteran's Day Virtual Run, an 11K run in honor of our Nation's Veterans.

I woke up still a little achey from Saturday's hilly Half Marathon, and I wondered how my time would be at the end of this run. I wore my Dad's dog tags as motivation and hit the road.

It is beautiful here at the Jersey Shore, and I was only chilled for the first half mile. I had a hard time getting into the groove though, and stopped multiple times during the first three miles to stretch my shin and calf. Holy heck, it ached! I stopped to walk a few times, and started to worry about my pace. I only let it bother me for about 2 seconds, though. I am training for Dopey, and want to maintain a 13 minute mile, to help with character stops, and I knew I was on track, even ahead of that pace, so it was all good. I stopped at my usual turnaround, the 5K mark, and remembered that there was a beautiful monument inside the park.

entrance to Windward Beach

It wasn't a War Memorial, exactly, but just as important in my eyes, because it honors the casualties of war o our own home front, the victims of 9-11. Living so close to NYC, very few can say that theory have no connection to a victim. If you don't know someone who passed, you know someone who lost friends or family.

Weeping Angel

 As I was preparing to leave, I noticed my shadow and paused for one more picture.

The run back was so much easier. I don't know what changed, other than visiting that memorial, but my steps were lighter and my legs loosened up, and made up a lot of time. I took a slight detour through some neighborhoods to lengthen the second half, and hit my house at 11K exactly! Perfection.
My time was not great (1:21:52) but it was better than my first year, and my average pace was under 12 minutes, so I am thrilled with it!

I love my new shirt, and the medal is fabulous. I am going to give the pin to my Dad when I saw him on Thanksgiving. It's only fair, since I still have his dog tags, and don't plan to give them back! I have had them since High School, when I used to wear them all the time as a fashion statement. I even started a trend, and a pretty good one if I say so myself!

I discovered something interesting today, when I looked back at last year's blog post about this race. I was complaining that I was tired. Very tired. Like I have been for almost 2 weeks now. During my run today, I thought about this a lot. Can one hour difference really make you this tired? I guess it is entirely possible. I do know that I was sick for a few days before the time change. Could the two combined be the culprit? My eating habits have not been great. A lot of comfort foods and easy meals. That can't be helping. I am thinking that I am my own worse enemy right now. Something so quick to get over, like a one hour time change, snowballed into pure exhaustion, due to poor eating habits along the way.

I have promised myself to get back on the wagon, eating better, no more comfort foods, and getting back into the toning workouts.

Did the time change make you feel as tired as me?

Trenton Half Marathon

Yesterday I returned to Trenton to run the Half Marathon! Last year was the inaugural event and I ran the 10k, but I knew right away that I wanted to run the half! 

I must say, at this point, that the 10k was fairly flat, so I told some people that the Half course was fairly flat. Yeah.... Not so much!

But I digress! Colleen and I headed out fairly early for the race. We had a Half Fanatic  photo meetup at 7:30 and I didn't want to be late! I was having some tummy issues, like most runners do on race morning, but was otherwise very excited to complete my 13th half marathon in 2013!

We got to Trenton with no problems, and passed the lot where we parked last year. I almost just pulled right in, but decided to follow the directions that the site gave us.

Yeah. We got lost. We backtracked to a lot that was charging, figuring it was quicker and worth the $8. It was for cheerleaders only. The attendant directed us to another lot. Again, cheerleaders only. Really?!? Now I am frustrated and follow the next guy's directions. To the lot where we parked last year. Ugh. 

So we missed the meet up by about 2 minutes. We checked our bags and headed to the starting line, where the potties also were.

This is where I noticed that my gps watch    was dead. Oh, and I left my KT tape in my checked bag. Too late to go back, we used the potties and got a "before" picture.

I am still wearing my throwaway sweatshirt from one of last year's races. We entered the corral, which had porta potties flanking both sides. The smell was nauseating. I had to move way up to get away from it, it was making me gag. So gross!

The race started about 10 minutes late. Last year it was about 30 minutes, so it was progress! Shutting down major highways takes time, and they needed a little extra. They had a great trio playing drums and ?flutes? A la George Washington, in full dress. The Trenton mascot, aptly called Trent, was giving us five, and we rounded the corner to run up our first hill. Colleen and I maintained a pace of about 11 minutes for the first 6 miles or so with no problems. The scenery was beautiful, the water stops plentiful, and porta potties every few miles. I finally had to stop to take care of those tummy issues. The line was short but some ladies (I use the term loosely) cut in front. They were bigger than me so I just sucked it up and waited a little longer. We probably lost 10 minutes, but we ran into my friend Lisa and got more pics!

She even gave me a red rubber bracelet saying that I was a perfect 10. I love my running friends! So sweet!

Off we went, and the miles ticked by. We ran through a very hilly area around miles 8-10 and that is where I started to lose steam. My knee pain was minor, almost non existent, but the exhaustion I have been battling all week just kicked in and knocked me flat. Around mile 9 Colleen pulled ahead and I didn't see her again until the finish. 

I met up with a poor guy having hamstring pain and hung back a bit showing him some stretches.

Then I ran the last mile or so with a woman in a Disney ToT shirt who was running her first half. We talked about running and Disney and when we approached the stadium for the finish I pulled ahead of her. Her family was there cheering and taking pics which was so nice! They had finished ahead of her and were waiting.

I zipped around the Trenton Thunder warning track and as I crossed Home Plate they tried to announce my name but mangled it. So funny. Colleen was waiting right there and laughing with me as they attempted my last name.

We collected water and medals and ran into Lisa and posed for more pics!

 We hung with the mascot for a bit and then made our way up three flights of stairs to the food. Which was gone. No more soft pretzels. I am thinking some family members ate very well. There were bananas but they make me gag, so I ha to wait until we got back to the car to eat. 

We got our Mylar blankets and posed for more pics.

A cute little boy took these for us.

#13 is done! We collected our bags and hit the porta potties nearby, which were out of toilet paper so we went back up three flights of stairs to the stadium restrooms. Much roomier but quite stanky!

We skipped the after party and headed home instead. My knee aches a little today but it will heal with a little rest! 

I will definitely return in 2014, I love this race and each year they will work out more kinks! 

Today I am a spectator at a different kind of race: Enduro. The hubs is a dirt bike rider, and this is his second Enduro. I don't really get it, it isn't a race, it's a timing event. You can't go too fast or too slow, it gives me a headache just thinking about it! I love that I can go and cheer for him, he does it so often for me!

Have you ever attended a dirt bike race??