I am awful at keeping up with things. I really am. I get lazy and just do not remember stuff. But for the last two years I have been making resolutions that I am actually sticking to. This coming year will be no different.
New Years Resolutions 2015
1. PR my race times. These will be my 5k, 10k and half marathon races. I have picked out my races and am ready to go. My first race is actually New Years Day and its a semi local 5k. I've never run in this area but am excited to run this race. I haven't run a 5k race since June and I was really not prepared to run that one. Valentine's Day will bring on my 10k and then my half marathon will be just a few weeks later on March 7th. I am running with my neighbor and I'm excited for this race.
2. Be organized. I seriously lack organization. I think that leads to my forgetfulness. My birthday is in Jan so for my gift I told the hubby I wanted a life planner. I browsed a bunch and ended up with a Plum Paper Designs fitness planner with the my home bundle. It has everything I need to keep track of our families crazy schedule, my fitness plans, calorie tracking, meal planning, bill payments and schedule and more. Everything will be in one place and will be a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Things are just too hectic these days and I need some help with that. Hopefully this will do.
3. Lose weight. Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is so cliche but its really important to me. I am on a roll right now. Coming off the first round of the 21 day sugar detox and losing a total of 12lbs and 18.25 inches has really put me in a great mindset and I just feel fantastic. I have kept with the paleo type diet with a few small cheats since it ended before Christmas but I haven't gained weight and in fact I have lost another 1.3lbs. Today actually starts another round of the detox for me. I decided to give it another go, this time shorter, at 19 days because of the birthdays we have this month (my twins turn 8 and I will turn 27). I went grocery shopping today and got everything needed and am excited to begin again. This time I have no fears, nothing is worrying me and I know I will be able to keep up with this. I hope to lose another 8-10lbs this round. My ultimate goal is to lose 32lbs to get to my goal of 150lbs. I am getting so close so I cannot wait.
4. Repair my Diastasis Recti. This one is a bit harder. Due to the severity of my abdominal separation, this will require surgery. I will be getting a tummy tuck while repairing the DR because I do have excess skin after having four children and gaining and losing weight but my main focus is the DR because my core is just shot. I cannot do a sit up, I cannot do a pull up, I cannot do planks, I barely can do push ups. Just sitting upright in bed from laying down requires a ton of effort and if I'm not careful I have ended up in a huge amount of pain for the muscles pulling. It's not fun.
5. Move to Austin, Texas. I have been dreaming of this for many years. And for a lot of that, I thought this dream was out of reach, it would never actually happen. But this year, it is! My husband is getting out of the military this year and is working on joining the police force and I'm just giddy as could be. Being in Austin brings so many new opportunities to our family, I couldn't begin to list them all here, but just one thing- helllllllo running trails! They are everywhere! Oh I could just dream of running in Austin every second of every day!
There's not too many goals I have this year but these ones I have are big to me and mean so much. 2015 is going to be an amazing year and I have such high hopes.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
its not always easy
Today is day 19 of the sugar detox and im still going strong. I am down 11lbs and when i last measured about 5 days ago i was down 10 inches across my torso and hips alone. My belly and my hips have always been my trouble spot. Im very hippy as is and adding any weight there makes it so much worse. These last few days i havent really lost much weight. An ounce here, an ounce there. I gained a pound during the time i usually ovulate which is pretty typical for me but lost that within a day or so. These last two days Ive lost a full pound. I am sure its because ive been slacking. Im not really hungry. I have to remind and force myself to eat. My calorie intake has been really low. And so has my hydration. I usually drink upwards of 90 ounces per day. Ive only been drinking around 20 which is just not good. To top that off my husband schedule has been insane and one of my daughters is home sick so I havent worked out like I should.
Its all excuses. I could get up early and run before my husband goes to work but I havent. I could work out at home or do my 66 laps around my kitchen island (yes i did see how many laps i needed to run a full mile lol) to at least get some cardio in but I just havent. I fell into a rut. Go figure. We all do at some point. But if I want to get to the point where I am consistently happy with my body and my running I have to get my butt into gear.
I wont be able to run tonight but I will be doing some strength training. Do butt and arms or something. Tomorrow I will get up early and go do some interval work before my husband has to leave. I gotta do what I gotta do if Im going to have the results that I want. My first goal is just 5lbs away. So close. This weekend Im going to do a timed 10k. I havent really ran a good 10k in many months. On my training runs I have come close to my PR of 1:14:30 so im going to get out there and see where I stand. I'd love to continue that same pace for my next half marathon which is not until March but it gives me plenty of time to get there. Its a local race. All flat except for one bridge. After running the bridge at OBX I know I can do the one here as its almost half the size. My normal running paths are hilly so it does give me better training so I do go faster on the flats and am more efficient when I encounter hills. One plus to those evil things.
Im hoping to sign up soon for some local 5ks between now and the half. If i could find a 10k race locally that would be awesome too but those are harder to find around here. Theres usually only 2-3 a year. I need to get back into the racing spirit. Running alone and forging those long distances kinda got me into that rut where you just dont feel like doing it because its easy or you just dont feel like it. I have to get out of that post marathon rut and back into my groove again. After the holidays are over Im sure I'll find some races to do to get me there.
Its all excuses. I could get up early and run before my husband goes to work but I havent. I could work out at home or do my 66 laps around my kitchen island (yes i did see how many laps i needed to run a full mile lol) to at least get some cardio in but I just havent. I fell into a rut. Go figure. We all do at some point. But if I want to get to the point where I am consistently happy with my body and my running I have to get my butt into gear.
I wont be able to run tonight but I will be doing some strength training. Do butt and arms or something. Tomorrow I will get up early and go do some interval work before my husband has to leave. I gotta do what I gotta do if Im going to have the results that I want. My first goal is just 5lbs away. So close. This weekend Im going to do a timed 10k. I havent really ran a good 10k in many months. On my training runs I have come close to my PR of 1:14:30 so im going to get out there and see where I stand. I'd love to continue that same pace for my next half marathon which is not until March but it gives me plenty of time to get there. Its a local race. All flat except for one bridge. After running the bridge at OBX I know I can do the one here as its almost half the size. My normal running paths are hilly so it does give me better training so I do go faster on the flats and am more efficient when I encounter hills. One plus to those evil things.
Im hoping to sign up soon for some local 5ks between now and the half. If i could find a 10k race locally that would be awesome too but those are harder to find around here. Theres usually only 2-3 a year. I need to get back into the racing spirit. Running alone and forging those long distances kinda got me into that rut where you just dont feel like doing it because its easy or you just dont feel like it. I have to get out of that post marathon rut and back into my groove again. After the holidays are over Im sure I'll find some races to do to get me there.
Friday, December 5, 2014
A boo and a yay!
Well its the end of the week and its now day 8 of my sugar detox. It should be day 9 of my run streak but i failed. I guess i underestimated how this detox would effect me and the extreme exhaustion and slight dizziness i had kept me from running for 2 days. I ran for 5 days straight but just had to stop as I did not want to risk passing out and being that my husbands hours are crazy, that means I would have been pushing the stroller and I wouldnt want to put my daughter in that risky position either. I did begin my new half training this week and got 95% of the runs in for that so not worried there. Just now I know that run streaking while on this sugar detox isnt the best idea and thats ok.
Anyway, week 1 of the 21 day sugar detox is complete. Doing great on eating what I need to and staying away from the sweets and treats and I feel good. Yes I was tired the other day and had some random dizzy spells (not blood sugar related as I made sure to check that) but those have passed and I just feel refreshed. I am on my period and have some slight bloat from that but the grossness that usually comes along, the sluggishness, and crampy discomfort is not here. I havent had any cramps at all except for the very first morning and not only that but my cycle has been a lot lighter overall as well-- a HUGE plus! I am honestly impressed with that. And the best news of all, I am down 6.2lbs! It makes me want to go out and run 6.2 miles to celebrate the occasion, but i'll wait until tomorrow to do that for my first long run of my training plan =)
Anyway, week 1 of the 21 day sugar detox is complete. Doing great on eating what I need to and staying away from the sweets and treats and I feel good. Yes I was tired the other day and had some random dizzy spells (not blood sugar related as I made sure to check that) but those have passed and I just feel refreshed. I am on my period and have some slight bloat from that but the grossness that usually comes along, the sluggishness, and crampy discomfort is not here. I havent had any cramps at all except for the very first morning and not only that but my cycle has been a lot lighter overall as well-- a HUGE plus! I am honestly impressed with that. And the best news of all, I am down 6.2lbs! It makes me want to go out and run 6.2 miles to celebrate the occasion, but i'll wait until tomorrow to do that for my first long run of my training plan =)
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Run Streaker and Sugar detox?! Whats next?
The holidays are upon us and so are all the sugary sweet treats! Sugar is my downfall, my weakness and my addiction. I crave it. I dream about it. I want it all the time. I add sugar to my food when cooking, I'd add it to my tea or juice I was drinking. I love sugar. But sugar does not love me and my body does not love it.
I finally decided I had had enough of this addiction and decided to go for a change. A new me without the grip hold sugar had on me. I had read a bunch about various sugar detoxes, quitting it cold turkey and other various methods. I even downloaded the 21 day sugar detox manuals many months ago but never got up the courage to do this. It seemed too difficult. Too drastic. But this time I knew I had to go for it. Thankfully my wonderful husband said he was up for the challenge and would do it with me.
The day after thanksgiving, Friday, November 28th, I quit sugar. I began day 1 of the 21 Day Sugar Detox. I began that morning with a hard boiled egg and some leftover turkey for breakfast. Lunch was more leftover turkey with some leftover mashed carrot and rutabagas my family calls "carrot n turnip". After a successful but super long shopping trip to buy all the necessary foods to restock our fridge and pantry after clearing them of all the no foods, i began dinner. Broccoli slaw "pasta" with a sugar free tomato sauce and ground turkey sausage. It wasnt until after dinner and after the kids went to bed that I began to have my usual cravings of sugary treats. Thankfully I have none in my house or I might have given in. Instead I snacked on some turkey with some guacamole and cilantro.
Day 2 consisted of the family and I going to some local trails and we walked/ran a total of 2.5 miles. I ran 1 mile of it with 2 of my kiddos who have caught my running bug and we had a fun time of it. Not my fastest mile and we had a few spills but was a fun outing. I had more eggs for breakfast that day and followed it up with the turkey,guac and cilantro "salad" for lunch. Dinner was a homemade meatloaf with the last of the carrot n turnip and some steaming broccoli. My three year old proclaimed the meatloaf was "FANTASTIC!" and my 6 year old son said it was the best meatloaf ever! And my husband, well he went back for 3rds HA! Night fell and once again the cravings returned. This time I snacked on a few pieces of sliced turkey and mozzarella cheese and drank an approved chocolate smoothie. Much more dark chocolate (as its 100% raw cocoa) than I am used to but satisfied the craving for sure.
Today is day 3 and im doing good. A bit more tired than I usually am but its been a busy few days. I slept through breakfast and went to church instead. Came home and made a chipotle shrimp and veggie salad for lunch which was super filling. Planning on having cilantro lime chicken with some homemade sweet potato fries for dinner. Sweet potatoes are an energy modification that athletes and nursing mothers are allowed to have while on level 1 of the detox. Im not a huge fan of them but a few with dinner wont hurt I suppose. My husband on the other hand would eat them daily so he is happy he can still have them.
While doing this sugar detox I am also doing a running challenge. Of course got to add in the running as this is a running blog for the most part. This challenge is the Runners World Runstreak Challenge. You have to run at least 1 mile every single day between Thanksgiving and New Years. Now I have seen these challenges many a time but I have yet to complete one. I dont run daily. Every other day and sometimes skipping 2 days before running again is what I'd do. But I decided I would go for it. So I began on thanksgiving with a nice, cold 5k around my neighborhood and actually ran the fastest 5k I had done all year. It wasnt a PR but still faster than Ive done in a while. My marathon training kind of took away from my speed training over the last few months so i just havent ran fast in a while. But that is going to change.
Next up is my new half training. I am signing up for a local half marathon and my goal is to PR it. Not only get a PR but kick that races butt. I want to dominate. I want to finish knowing I did everything I possibly could and just have my best race ever. So I am kicking my training into high gear. Tomorrow is day 1 of this new training plan and I cannot wait to be out there every day doing what I need to do to kill it at my next race. Ive heard run streaking helps many so im hoping it helps me in addition to my new running plan. Ive added more strength training days to my plan, dedicated intervals and track workouts to work on speed and some nice pace work as well. I am going to do this and Im going to do it well. Goal is set and Steph is going to RUN this 13.1!
I finally decided I had had enough of this addiction and decided to go for a change. A new me without the grip hold sugar had on me. I had read a bunch about various sugar detoxes, quitting it cold turkey and other various methods. I even downloaded the 21 day sugar detox manuals many months ago but never got up the courage to do this. It seemed too difficult. Too drastic. But this time I knew I had to go for it. Thankfully my wonderful husband said he was up for the challenge and would do it with me.
The day after thanksgiving, Friday, November 28th, I quit sugar. I began day 1 of the 21 Day Sugar Detox. I began that morning with a hard boiled egg and some leftover turkey for breakfast. Lunch was more leftover turkey with some leftover mashed carrot and rutabagas my family calls "carrot n turnip". After a successful but super long shopping trip to buy all the necessary foods to restock our fridge and pantry after clearing them of all the no foods, i began dinner. Broccoli slaw "pasta" with a sugar free tomato sauce and ground turkey sausage. It wasnt until after dinner and after the kids went to bed that I began to have my usual cravings of sugary treats. Thankfully I have none in my house or I might have given in. Instead I snacked on some turkey with some guacamole and cilantro.
Day 2 consisted of the family and I going to some local trails and we walked/ran a total of 2.5 miles. I ran 1 mile of it with 2 of my kiddos who have caught my running bug and we had a fun time of it. Not my fastest mile and we had a few spills but was a fun outing. I had more eggs for breakfast that day and followed it up with the turkey,guac and cilantro "salad" for lunch. Dinner was a homemade meatloaf with the last of the carrot n turnip and some steaming broccoli. My three year old proclaimed the meatloaf was "FANTASTIC!" and my 6 year old son said it was the best meatloaf ever! And my husband, well he went back for 3rds HA! Night fell and once again the cravings returned. This time I snacked on a few pieces of sliced turkey and mozzarella cheese and drank an approved chocolate smoothie. Much more dark chocolate (as its 100% raw cocoa) than I am used to but satisfied the craving for sure.
Today is day 3 and im doing good. A bit more tired than I usually am but its been a busy few days. I slept through breakfast and went to church instead. Came home and made a chipotle shrimp and veggie salad for lunch which was super filling. Planning on having cilantro lime chicken with some homemade sweet potato fries for dinner. Sweet potatoes are an energy modification that athletes and nursing mothers are allowed to have while on level 1 of the detox. Im not a huge fan of them but a few with dinner wont hurt I suppose. My husband on the other hand would eat them daily so he is happy he can still have them.
While doing this sugar detox I am also doing a running challenge. Of course got to add in the running as this is a running blog for the most part. This challenge is the Runners World Runstreak Challenge. You have to run at least 1 mile every single day between Thanksgiving and New Years. Now I have seen these challenges many a time but I have yet to complete one. I dont run daily. Every other day and sometimes skipping 2 days before running again is what I'd do. But I decided I would go for it. So I began on thanksgiving with a nice, cold 5k around my neighborhood and actually ran the fastest 5k I had done all year. It wasnt a PR but still faster than Ive done in a while. My marathon training kind of took away from my speed training over the last few months so i just havent ran fast in a while. But that is going to change.
Next up is my new half training. I am signing up for a local half marathon and my goal is to PR it. Not only get a PR but kick that races butt. I want to dominate. I want to finish knowing I did everything I possibly could and just have my best race ever. So I am kicking my training into high gear. Tomorrow is day 1 of this new training plan and I cannot wait to be out there every day doing what I need to do to kill it at my next race. Ive heard run streaking helps many so im hoping it helps me in addition to my new running plan. Ive added more strength training days to my plan, dedicated intervals and track workouts to work on speed and some nice pace work as well. I am going to do this and Im going to do it well. Goal is set and Steph is going to RUN this 13.1!
Run Steph Run..... 13.1
I have some friends that blog or used to and I have never really found myself all that interesting or thought id have anything worth blogging about but I've come to just say you know what, I am interesting. I am unique and someone out there may like what I have to say.
I began running back in Sept of 2012. I decided that I needed a change. I needed to get back in control of my body. Running was something I always did back in my glory days. I knew that I could control my body better when I ran. So I jumped and signed up for a 5k. I had not run more than a pitiful mile in many years. I had 4 kids now. My body was 70lbs heavier than it ever had been. What was I thinking?! But I went out there and I ran a few times in the two weeks time until my first race. Race day came and I was so unprepared. It was a horrible attempt but I finished the race. I finished at 43 minutes even. I was hurting. I was tired and honestly I was embarrassed. This was not what I thought it would be like. But I went back out again.
Two weeks later I went with a few friends and did a small race on our local marine base. I had to bring my youngest with me and I ran/walked with her in the stroller. This time it was even worse! 55 minutes it took me to finish. I knew I had to actually train if I were to continue to run. There was no way that it would even be possible. I just couldnt try again without training. So I joined a local running group. It took me a few months before I got up the courage to actually go to one of their workouts but I followed the page and I read all that I could. I actually went out and I ran. I trained. A few more races and I lowered my 5k time from 43 minutes to 37 minutes. Still not fast by any means but I was out there and I was doing it and this time I enjoyed it. And by this time I had a great group of running friends and partners that pushed me to do more.
This crazy group of runners brainwashed me into thinking I could do even more than a 5k. What?! No way.... I never thought I would do anything more than that, it was crazy talk. But they did. They got me on the crazy train and between Feb of 2013 and Sept of 2013, I had ran over 500 miles lowered my 5k time, trained and ran a 10k and had trained and was about to run my first ever half marathon. 13.1 freaking miles, holy cow! I was now obsessed with running and did whatever I could to fit it into my day. It made me feel like myself, made me feel alive. Running became my therapy, my stress relief, my solitude and the time I needed to just be me again. Not the wife, the mother. Just me. It felt wonderful. I continued running and pushing my pace as I ran another half marathon just two weeks after the first, followed by a 10k just two weeks later where I beat my first 10k pace. I finished up my running for the year on Thanksgiving of 2013 at our local Turkey Trot. This was race 18 for the year. I had set a lofty goal of 20 and I still had 2 more races coming up but life had other plans for me.
I had been dealing with off and on pain in my calf, it was mostly annoying when running but afterwards would just ache and ache. At the turkey trot I pushed myself harder than I had in a long time. I crossed the finish line limping and gasping for air but I had crossed that finish line in a time of 33 minutes and 42.4 seconds. A huge PR. 10 minutes off in just over a year. It was amazing. I felt amazing. As the adrenaline wore off that amazement fell way to pain. I went into my doctor a few days later and found out I had torn my soleus muscle in my calf. I needed to stop running and begin physical therapy. Cue heartbreak. Ugh, not running was awful. I hated it. And to not have my stress reliever, my me time, specially over the holidays was just unreal. But it wasnt too long before I was setting new goals. I was going to focus on my running, focus on new distances. Within a few weeks of getting the go ahead to begin running again, i began to train for a new half marathon. This time I had to train with two of my children with me as my husband was out of town for training with the military. Pushing a 30lb and a 50lb kid in a 25lb stroller was nuts but I was not any slower than my pacing had been for my previous half marathon. I had high hopes of setting a new PR at this upcoming race. I was excited for it and just could not wait. Unfortunately plans changed and I missed out on that race but friends helped push me towards a new goal. One that I did NOT think would be possible. A FULL MARATHON! But these friends of mine, they know how to deliver the crazy and there I was back on the crazy train.
Its been a few weeks now since I ran my first marathon. I did not do my best, injury got in the way of that but I am happy for my chance to do it. My experience was an overall good one. But i have decided that maybe right now fulls are just not what I should be doing. I was able to lose weight and lose many inches as well as gain some great muscle mass during training which many say is not possible (after all you are always hungry while training!) but I have figured out how to control my body again. I have figured out how to be me again. And most of all, I am happy again. I still have a long way to go. But I am getting closer every day. And just like we have to train to run those races, to get good at those distances. I just have to train my body to stay strong, to be healthy and to be happy. So every time I am out there and I say to myself, Run, Steph, Run, whether it be 13.1 miles or just 3 miles, I am doing it for life. I am doing it for happiness. I am doing it for health and for fun. And so I will run.
I began running back in Sept of 2012. I decided that I needed a change. I needed to get back in control of my body. Running was something I always did back in my glory days. I knew that I could control my body better when I ran. So I jumped and signed up for a 5k. I had not run more than a pitiful mile in many years. I had 4 kids now. My body was 70lbs heavier than it ever had been. What was I thinking?! But I went out there and I ran a few times in the two weeks time until my first race. Race day came and I was so unprepared. It was a horrible attempt but I finished the race. I finished at 43 minutes even. I was hurting. I was tired and honestly I was embarrassed. This was not what I thought it would be like. But I went back out again.
Two weeks later I went with a few friends and did a small race on our local marine base. I had to bring my youngest with me and I ran/walked with her in the stroller. This time it was even worse! 55 minutes it took me to finish. I knew I had to actually train if I were to continue to run. There was no way that it would even be possible. I just couldnt try again without training. So I joined a local running group. It took me a few months before I got up the courage to actually go to one of their workouts but I followed the page and I read all that I could. I actually went out and I ran. I trained. A few more races and I lowered my 5k time from 43 minutes to 37 minutes. Still not fast by any means but I was out there and I was doing it and this time I enjoyed it. And by this time I had a great group of running friends and partners that pushed me to do more.
This crazy group of runners brainwashed me into thinking I could do even more than a 5k. What?! No way.... I never thought I would do anything more than that, it was crazy talk. But they did. They got me on the crazy train and between Feb of 2013 and Sept of 2013, I had ran over 500 miles lowered my 5k time, trained and ran a 10k and had trained and was about to run my first ever half marathon. 13.1 freaking miles, holy cow! I was now obsessed with running and did whatever I could to fit it into my day. It made me feel like myself, made me feel alive. Running became my therapy, my stress relief, my solitude and the time I needed to just be me again. Not the wife, the mother. Just me. It felt wonderful. I continued running and pushing my pace as I ran another half marathon just two weeks after the first, followed by a 10k just two weeks later where I beat my first 10k pace. I finished up my running for the year on Thanksgiving of 2013 at our local Turkey Trot. This was race 18 for the year. I had set a lofty goal of 20 and I still had 2 more races coming up but life had other plans for me.
I had been dealing with off and on pain in my calf, it was mostly annoying when running but afterwards would just ache and ache. At the turkey trot I pushed myself harder than I had in a long time. I crossed the finish line limping and gasping for air but I had crossed that finish line in a time of 33 minutes and 42.4 seconds. A huge PR. 10 minutes off in just over a year. It was amazing. I felt amazing. As the adrenaline wore off that amazement fell way to pain. I went into my doctor a few days later and found out I had torn my soleus muscle in my calf. I needed to stop running and begin physical therapy. Cue heartbreak. Ugh, not running was awful. I hated it. And to not have my stress reliever, my me time, specially over the holidays was just unreal. But it wasnt too long before I was setting new goals. I was going to focus on my running, focus on new distances. Within a few weeks of getting the go ahead to begin running again, i began to train for a new half marathon. This time I had to train with two of my children with me as my husband was out of town for training with the military. Pushing a 30lb and a 50lb kid in a 25lb stroller was nuts but I was not any slower than my pacing had been for my previous half marathon. I had high hopes of setting a new PR at this upcoming race. I was excited for it and just could not wait. Unfortunately plans changed and I missed out on that race but friends helped push me towards a new goal. One that I did NOT think would be possible. A FULL MARATHON! But these friends of mine, they know how to deliver the crazy and there I was back on the crazy train.
Its been a few weeks now since I ran my first marathon. I did not do my best, injury got in the way of that but I am happy for my chance to do it. My experience was an overall good one. But i have decided that maybe right now fulls are just not what I should be doing. I was able to lose weight and lose many inches as well as gain some great muscle mass during training which many say is not possible (after all you are always hungry while training!) but I have figured out how to control my body again. I have figured out how to be me again. And most of all, I am happy again. I still have a long way to go. But I am getting closer every day. And just like we have to train to run those races, to get good at those distances. I just have to train my body to stay strong, to be healthy and to be happy. So every time I am out there and I say to myself, Run, Steph, Run, whether it be 13.1 miles or just 3 miles, I am doing it for life. I am doing it for happiness. I am doing it for health and for fun. And so I will run.
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