Virginia Beach Rock n' Roll Half Marathon...

I am home from the amazing high that vacation brings!

The convention before the race was exciting! I entered a contest, and won a spot on the Geico race team...which just meant that if I wore their swag for the race, I'd get a free massage afterwards. I didn't wind up doing it, and I also didn't see one person wearing any of those bright green gecko shirts. But I have a cute running shirt for around town now!

Me and sis got this sweet milk mustache pic at the convention

And then, it was RACE DAY!

I was ready to go!

We set our alarms for 4 am. My sister couldn't believe it. She has never gone to a race, let alone a big one! we got up early so we could drive a bit out of the way to take a shuttle to the start line, so we didn't have to worry about walking or parking, which wound up being the best decision ever.

It was so nice to have my sister there with me for the experience, I usually race alone, and having someone with you just enhances your experience.

getting into the zone before the start..

The temperature was 92 and humid. Don't ask me what the heat index was, probably over 100. I hadn't trained in that sort of heat, and I was worried about it. I was also concerned that I hadn't pooped. I dunno about you, but more than running 13.1 miles, the idea of running full of poo scares me way more. I don't think non-runners understand the importance of a bowel movement. Everyone thinks it is a joke, but it is very real. 

My pace group taking off!

We had a wave start, which was a first for me. Usually the fast people get the fanfare, and the rest of us walk slowly til we reach the start line. I liked this change, because we all got the countdown, and it was not as congested when we took off. 

The first 5 miles were cake. It was all along Atlantic Avenue, so we could sneak a peek at the ocean in between hotels. The sunrise glistening on the ocean, along with all the supporters, and bands was so motivating, it was beautiful! 

Then the first hill, a bridge over Rudee's Inlet. 

For someone who trains flat, this is daunting. So, I walked it. I was doing good at around an 11mm pace, and I was afraid of my time, but I had to keep in mind, finishing was my goal. 

That's about the time the heat really hit home. I took advantage of every water and gator aid station, as well as my own water I had in my belt. I bought a cooling bandana, so I got it wet and started to try to cool off my neck and face.

Hearing all the sirens, and seeing all of the "downed runners" along the road, reminded me that my goal was finishing. I didn't need to break any PR's this time. It was HOT!

Mile 8. It. Was. Hot. My face was on FIRE. There were a lot of people outside their houses with hoses, and sprinklers. A few volunteer groups with rags soaked in ice water. (heaven!!) I just thought, I'm over halfway there. The rest is a breeze!

We ran through the naval aquatic base, which was awesome because I thought there would be some men in uniform.. and I didn't want to look like a wuss. They had pitchers of water to refill our water bottles, and pots and pans full of ice cubes! I grabbed some, and thanked them profusely, and wrapped the ice in my bandanna and used it to try to cool my face and neck. 

Getting back to pace is a struggle. I slowed down. 

Mile 10. ONLY 3 MORE MILES!!  There were some people on bikes that rode along us for a while, and as they said "if you can run 10 miles, you can run 3". Yes. This is true! 

But mile 10 is around the time that my being hot turned into being cold. I got goosebumps, and seeing that it was ridiculous hot, I knew it wasn't a good sign. I had to stop worrying about my pace, and focus on the finish.

Luckily there were a few cooling buses along the route, and one was just up ahead. I veered off and spent a few minutes inside an air conditioned bus stretching and reading inspiring texts from my friends that urged me to keep going!

I got back out on the course, and was faced with that bridge again, which I walked. At the end of the bridge was the boardwalk. The final 2 miles, all along the ocean. 

Amazing! 

I crossed the finish with all my wits about me. A lot of pain in my hamstrings, exhausted, covered in sweat, and right my ankle was killing me, but I didn't stop. And I didn't push past my limits to prove anything, and I finished strong. 

Finishing at the beach=awesome! Third half under my belt=priceless!

My official time was 2:57. My run keeper time was 2:52, which I stopped when I got on the cooling bus, and should have stopped when I took a potty break..But under 3 hours was my ultimate goal this time, and I squeaked by! I had a 2:20 my last half, but I'm happy to have finished this one on my own two feet!

I spent the rest of the day doing this...

By the way, did you see my bling? A sparkly starfish? Priceless!

This was a great race, a great course, and so well executed! I'm already considering centering my next year's vacation around running it again! 

Even Small Accomplishments, are Great Ones!....

This whole vegan thing is pretty hard. Not just giving up meat and dairy, but all the things that contain meat and dairy that you never thought did!

For instance, I have one cheat meal a week, and I was so excited to go to Chipotle because I could get a vegetarian bowl, and have BEANS! But I found out the beans are cooked with bacon. I was very appreciative of the workers to point it out to me, but I was also disappointed. Because of my strenuous workout routine...I was really looking forward to some extra protein in my meal, so I got cheese. I felt like a quitter, but I am not going to dwell on it.

I have been hungry. Really, really hungry, and struggling with my calorie count, because the vegan proteins are so high in calories, and making up for it with fruits/veggies make me hungry just about every hour. I have to plan more snacks to help curb hunger pangs. Next week I'll be better prepared.

I'm also having a hard time being a "clean eater" and eating all the processed vegan proteins. Unless I have dried beans and legumes that I prepare myself, I am really at a loss for what else to eat that isn't "processed".  I have had all my nutrition dead on for so long, that now I have to branch out. A challenge.

 My first attempt at a vegan meal was whole grain pasta, with tofurky italian sausage ,spinach, tomato, and I melted tofutti garlic and chives cream cheese in my noodles. I used a small plate so it looked like more. This is only 3/4c noodles, and half of a tofurky link. Total score taste-wise, it tasted like the real deal..... but the calories, and processed food part, worried me. Turned out, my noodles contained egg whites....another loss. 

For dessert I had tofutti chocolate "ice cream" and a sliced strawberry. The ice cream was just the same taste-wise as real ice cream, and the same calorie wise too. The calories scared me. I'd been having Arctic Zero ice cream, which contains whey...so it is not vegan. The calories in that are amazing!

In the end, for a week, I accomplished a lot. I'll get there eventually. I'm going to allow myself the ability to fail from time to time, because I'm going to try to do this meal by meal. Small accomplishments! I may have had cheese this week, and egg whites in my noodles, but I didn't have an animal protein for 12 out of my 15 meals for this short amount of time. I consider that a win! 

In other news, I joined my gyms new bootcamp program, which is an hour of high energy athletic interval training. My first class, I was picked out of the 6 girls as "boot camp buddy of the day". (You pair up in two's)

When I was announced winner he said it was, because of my perfect, controlled form, and my refusal to give up. (the instructor spends a lot of 1:1 time with you in the smaller classes, and offers you "modifications" in case you are tired and I never took one single modification, I pushed thru)

Sure, my prize was just a small toy soldier. But I was recognized in front of the group and this little guy made me feel Strong! 

I'm going to take all my little accomplishments as they come.

The Challenge is Over...But My Journey is Lifelong...

My 24 day challenge is over. My trainer was just as bummed as me today, she said she swears she will find a way for me to keep taking personal classes with her. She told me I did great, and I look great, and I am so going to miss her!

What I gained out of this short span of really kicking my own ass, is the reassurance that my limits really are all MENTAL. Your body will do whatever you tell it to do, as long as you tell it that it can.

Did I win? I won't know for another 24 days. The participants were staggered, and when I was at the gym yesterday (yes, I was at the gym on EASTER) someone new was just signing up.

Whether or not I win, my personal victory is priceless!

My results:

Pounds lost: 5
Fat lost: 3.5% (my goal was 2% to get back into the "average" fat range, so I beat my goal!!)
BMI lost: 1%
% of Body Weight Down: .3%
Inches: mainly in the arms the only ones worth mentioning, is half an inch per arm.
Pants: down a size, back to my fighting weight!

My most cherished accomplishments, are with the strength and endurance that I gained in just 24 days!

I can do 20 "girl push ups" all the way down, and up when I could barely do 10 half-assed ones 24 days ago.

I can hold a low plank for 2 minutes when at the start, I crapped out at 30 seconds.

I can run consistently for 30 minutes at a 6.5 pace, giving me an over 3 mile run in that time, when before that  a 6.5 speed was a "minute only" sprint.

I can lift 15 lb weights for my arm sets, when 8 lbs. use to be torture.

Perspective?

Yea, this was me....

There was a time when I was well on my way to 300 lbs. All I did was sleep. And eat. And wake up from sleep to eat and then go back to sleep.

And then I walked. Then I walked longer. Then I walked faster. Then I walked even faster still.  Then I jogged short distances, and then I joined a boot camp and finally stopped "working out to eat" so I lost more weight, and then I did 5k races, and then I ran 3 half marathons. The first medal made me want more. The sense of accomplishment, was intoxicating.

The more I challenged myself, the more I surprised myself. And then I got complacent, and stopped stepping up my game.

While I await the final results, I will do my best to keep up the intensity of what I learned from my trainer. I found a website It's called bodyrock.tv, and if you want results, you should check it out!

And I also downloaded a HIIT app to my phone and programmed all the classes I could remember so I could continue pushing myself to my limits.

I lost my mojo for a few months, but now I'm back! And I had forgotten how amazing it feels to achieve things you didn't think you could, because I thought I had reached a plateau, and instead of pushing thru, I stayed there and let it try to beat me.

Now, excuse me while I have two glasses of wine, and enjoy the Easter apple crisp my Momma made, that I waited until post weigh in to enjoy!

Being at Peace...

One of my favorite quotes, hung prominently in my cubicle is.."Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart". -author unknown

I am at peace.

And it was a long road to get here, but I don't plan on leaving anytime soon.

When I hear people complaining about their lives, whatever it is...jobs, kids, spouses, family, finances....I really take a moment to take stock in my own life.

My life is pretty amazing, and I thank the universe for the person I am today. 

It isn't that my life is without problems, or turmoil, or issues at all. We all have money problems, stress at work, family drama, relationship BS...What I am thankful for, is the fact that thru the years despite all of my setbacks, I have taken an active interest in learning how to be less concerned with controlling the outcome of any given situation, and more concerned with controlling how I react to them.

The understanding, that if I have given my all to anything, I have done my best. And I can recognize when something is out of my hands. I can't say enough about how amazing your own well-being is, when you make this realization. 

It was not until I took an interest in believing that I was the only one in control of my happiness, that things turned around for me. I discovered inner peace, and self love. What an amazing accomplishment!


Had I not thrown caution to the wind, and just tried to live a life more in tune to the way I talk to myself and perceive things, I would have never believed it was possible to be the person that I am today.

I am calm. I am happy. I am present, because I choose to be.

Change your thoughts....change your life!! What have you got to lose?

Another Race, Another Goal!...

Tonight was my second 5k of the season. I was so terrified it would be in the 90's as it has been, and I'd end up having to walk most of it (smoker...guilty...) but last night I asked the universe for rain. Rain would make me run faster, and cool me off.

I didn't get rain, but I got 70 degrees! Granted, it was probably still about 80% humidity, but I'll take it!

I did the Rock The Lock 5k, which was a night run thru the city which I reside, and mostly, on the hiway, which was kinda sweet!! Race start time, at 6:45, finished, post race food collected, and home by 7:30. Ya can't beat that!

It starts and ends where we have our free concert series for the city, so we crossed the finish right behind the band playing on stage!! Pretty cool!

My only goal for my second 5k this year was to beat my first 5k time of 31.59.

I did that!! I finished at 30.35, at a 9.51 pace!! I've never gotten under a 10m pace for a whole race, I'm so freaking proud!

I started to do tempo runs a couple days a week to beat my half marathon time come October, and by doing so, I have learned what my comfortable pace is without technology, because I don't have a fancy race watch.

If I feel uncomfortable, but can still run, I am at my max pace of 6.0 . And I can tell when I am at my "usual pace" when I slow it up.


My shining moment was that this race I am in an older age group. This did wonders for me, as I placed 12th out of 27 women in my age group.

Go me!!!!!

My end of season goal is still to do a 5k in under 30...but it looks like working on increasing my pace, just since June...is already working!!