I DID IT!!!

I RAN A HALF MARATHON!!! 13.1 Miles!!!

We ran down the chute that the OSU football team runs in to the field and finished on the 50 yd line!

Me, Missy and Deidra!

Here I come!!!

Doing this half marathon was such a personal thing for me. I didn't do it for anyone else. I had 2 goals going in to this.

1- run the whole thing...no walking.

2- finish before 2.5 hours.

I did BOTH!

(I want to remember this journey so if you already know it...feel free not to read)

I decided to do the half in February. I have been doing Iron Fit classes since January and knew that would help me train. Three weeks before the race, Cass and I went out for an attempted 7 mile run. We made it just over 6 and had to stop. My right foot was killing me. The next week was tough to walk. After a stupid doctor, an xray and and MRI...I had fluid surrounding my tendon (tenosynivitis). I kept up with my Iron Fit but no more running. I considered backing out of the race...but my foot started to feel a little better each day.

Day of the race I was feeling positive. SO ready to do it!

I started the first half of the race at a comfortable pace. I wanted to be able to last. There was also a small incline up Bald Hill. It was about half way that I started to feel awesome. I decided it was time to kick it into high gear. Its that Crossfit mentality...go hard or go home:) I picked up my pace and finished the last half faster than the first half. It felt amazing!!

My official time: 2 hrs 16 mins 14 sec

761st out of 1800 runners

66th out of 140 women in my age group.

I'm hooked. I am signing up for another one in September. (I am now nursing an injury on my other foot). In the meantime I am going to keep up with my crossfit workouts, run some smaller races...5k's, 10 k's. In September I want to beat my time and finish a little faster.

I am just getting started :)

Paranoid/Anxiety or Being Prepared?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQXDt4VdS0E

Watch this! This is not the first I've heard of Jim Berkland and his earthquake predictions. It is the first interview I've seen though. (Thanks Stephanie for posting this on fb!). I couldn't sleep last night. Ever since the Japan earthquake, I think about my own family and what we would do if a natural disaster ever happened here. Well it doesn't sound like that is too far off!
I lost sleep last night planning out my 72 hour emergency kit, thinking of meeting places for my family, the who's, what's, where's, and when's. I drove myself crazy. But I wanted to post what I'm planning!
-stocking up on LOTS of water. (A Costco trip is in my plans today)
-diapers and wipes
-food for my kids. Jarred baby food/formula/ etc
-other non-perishable food items
-gas in all cars
-charged cell phones at all times
-Batteries and flashlights
-lighters and candles
-we have a meeting place if Cass and I aren't together at the time
I'm still driving myself crazy. I worry about my friends on the coast. I'm just a bowl full on worry and anxiousness right now. Hopefully once I'm prepared, I'll feel better.

10 Month Fun!

(Blurry Pic from cell phone)
Kendall is 10 months old and is so much fun. She can do so many things that I didn't think would happen for several months out...like ride in the car part of the shopping cart with Nathan...squealing with delight! So So fun!

Her milestones:
-walking
-says dada
-points at things
-claps
-waves
-recognizes words...if asked she can find the following: daddy, Nathan, mamma, ball, baby, hair, and a few others.
-can eat finger foods by herself
-loves big people food and is a great eater
-drinks from a sippy cup
-learning sign language. Has signed "all done" and "baby" but never consistently
-follows simple instructions...in the bath I say "sit on your bum" and she does. Then I say "good girl" and she smiles and claps.
-loves to wrestle and climb all over Nathan
-shakes her head "no"
We love love love love love her and I can't believe how fast she is growing up :(

Thinking OUTLOUD!!

-I've been buying more Organic products/food lately. I feel like its a responsible decision. Its expensive so I just make small switches...for example, bread, peanut butter, bananas, jelly, and Costco is hugely responsible for making it possible on my budget :)

-Mike "The Situation" from The Jersey Shore is an idiot. He does not have the nicest abs in the world. I think seceretly he is actually referring to the STD's he's contracted...now THAT is a "situation."

-My kids are growing up way too fast. I picture my life being this exact way forever but the fact is, one day I am going to wish my kids were this age again! I'm LOVING this age and having two kids is the best thing in the entire world.

-My dinner menu is short and restricted. I have run out of ideas and need to quickly find some more.

-Half Marathon is a month away and I'm super excited to see how I can do.

-I have daily rituals that I enjoy and look forward too. They are:
       -my morning coffee and oatmeal
       -during Kendalls afternoon nap, Nathan and I snuggle on the couch for quiet time (I nap, he watches tv)

-I've been trying to ween Kendall. Harder than I thought because she is persistent and relentless when she wants ME and not a bottle. She also had really dry skin that I thought was exzema. The doc said no, her skin was being irritated by something. So I cut out most dairy from her diet and her skin is perfectly clear now.

-Nathan is enrolled in Preschool for the Fall....(tear, sniff)

My butt has gone from flat to plump. Thanks to all the squatting and running, my butt is getting bigger...hmmmm.

-We have not saved nearly as much of our tax return as we had planned.

-I'm going to have a new niece or nephew at the end of April and I'm so excited. (Shane and Cheurisya are having another one!)

-Would like to get my Scentsy sales back up to where they were last year. And by the way I'm hosting a Tastefully Simple party. If you read this and live in the area, you were probably invited. If you don't know if you are invited...you are!

-Did not successfully give up my diet caffiene free soda.

-I need to finish my blog on Kendalls 10 month milestones!!

A Sweet Victory in my Book!

So there is some confusion about whether our final weigh in is today or next week. I'm fine with either. I know I've done what I can to help out my team...although I would love another week to knock off a few more pounds.
When I signed up for the competition, my main goal was to WIN! Those of you who know me well will not be surprised by this!!!!! However after a couple weeks in, I am forever changed.
At this point I'm only down 5 or 6 lbs. But my body has changed so much and in the right direction!!! (For my butt, that means UP!!) I've pushed myself harder than I probably ever have doing the Crossfit workouts and have learned that eating healthy is actually fun and delicious! I plan on keeping up with all of this. I am not only more confident, stronger, and happier...but so much healthier!
So despite the win or loss...I am THRILLED with my outcome. If it took signing up and paying $50 to jump start my new found motivation and lifestyle; then it was well worth it!
Not to mention that I have signed up for my first half marathon!! I will be training hard for that over the next month!!!!

Anywhere will do!

Nathan was pretty quiet the other morning. I found him in the bathroom playing the iPod!

3 Days to go!!!

Final weigh in is Friday morning. I can't wait!!! As much as I am on a mission to lose weight and look great, being in a competition and on a team with 4 other ladies puts so much pressure on me!!! I think three times before putting anything in my mouth. I've been doing good and I'm excited to see my final number. I haven't weighed myself in a couple weeks but the last time I did, I was exactly what I weight when I was 8 weeks pregnant with K. So I'm almost down to my pre-prenancy weight...but my goal is my pre-baby weight...meaning, before I had Nathan.

Anyway, I'm working out extra this week and my diet is near perfect! So what do I have planned for Friday night to celebrate 8 weeks of hard work???
A buffet binge and Izzy's Pizza!!! Call me crazy but I love that place! Salad, pizza, breadsticks and their yummy cinnamon roll things!
Then back on track. I signed up for the half marathon in April and have just over a month to train. I know LOTS of friends who are also signed up and as much as I love and support them...it's hard to not want to be the best. That's that stupid competitive bone that I was born with. Being realistic though, I am not where I should be as far as my running endurance is concerned so I have my work cut out for me.