Race Schedule and Results

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

I'm going to Vegas!

And I'm so excited! We need to get away, badly! I'm sick of crying dogs, rainy days, a cold house, etc. Although it's not going to be very warm on the mountain, the thought of having to do nothing but play with kids sounds great! :)

I had a great run yesterday and I need to brag a little. Prior to signing up for the Ironman, Tom and I usually ran 10 minute miles. We didn't try to go faster, point blank. Well I've really been working on my speed and yesterday I had the best results to date. We enjoyed the warmer temps and got to run outside. We did 6 miles and averaged 8:36 minute miles! YIPPIE! I think my goal of a sub 2 half marathon is definitely within reach. I have one in March and one in April to see if I can achieve that! I'm so happy and feel so great about how far I've already come!

Monday, January 28, 2008

Who's my daddy?

So the other day Tom and I went in to pick up our Chinese food that we ordered from the very yummy local Chinese restaurant. This isn't any ordinary Chinese place though - it's AWESOME! We don't eat there often, only when we really want a treat. For $15 you can come out with a box full of food (usually the box is one that used to carry a case of Bud Light but they don't sell alcohol here - hum...) oh, and there's a giant mural of horses frolicking in a field with Chinese writing that Tom swears says "we make our food with nothing but the best horse". BUT, none the less, it's our favorite place and they have the health inspection things posted so we know that it's all good. Anyway, so we go in on Saturday night. We're standing in line to tell the lady our phone number (that's how they recognize your order, probably because they would BUTCHER your name if you had to spell it) and there's a little girl, maybe 5, behind the counter. She looks at Tom and I and starts giggle. I look back thinking that there is something behind me, but nothing. She starts talking to the lady at the register (in the same screaming manner that the people cooking the food talk) and both start laughing. When we get up to the counter, the older lady says to me "she think you looked Chinese, what you phone number". Um, okay. I've never heard that before!

Sunday, January 27, 2008

A good week

I feel like I had a good week. I lost a pound which is always nice, but I just felt good. We went on a fabulous run yesterday - a hilly 5.7 miles and ran it in an 8:56 pace. I love knowing that I'm becoming a better runner and it's only January! Just goes to show that my hard work in the gym is paying off and I have high expectations for the coming race year! I also love my resistance training workout and Tom has even started incorporating it into his routine. I keep saying "do my arms look different" and God bless him, but we both know they don't yet, but I definitely feel stronger. I can't wait to go to the pool and test my new strength out! :)

We're off to Tonia's this week. I'm so excited to spend some time with her. I feel like each time we get to see each other, our relationship gets just a little stronger and that means a lot to me. And of course we can't wait to see Spence and Em! I'll definitely have to post some pictures when I get home (which happens to be my birthday! YEA!) No, I'm not really that excited about my birthday - it's just another day closer to being old! HA!

Have a great week!

Monday, January 21, 2008

Just an update -

Not that I have too much to post. A few highlights:

  1. We head to Vegas in a week and a half to see Tonia and the kids. We're so excited. We'll spend 6 days with them and are very much looking forward to seeing the little monsters (and Tonia too of course!)
  2. I leave for Tahiti in about 45 days. I'm excited, nervous, anxious, happy, sad, and everything else! I'll be gone 15 days total and am already laying in bed nightly thinking of everything I need to bring for 15 days and how I'm ever going to get it all in carry on! :) That in itself is going to be an adventure!
  3. Heard today that more people are thinking about coming to IMFL this year. I'm so excited at the prospect of having my family, the Brzezicki's and the Landis's all down there. Of course I've already started thinking of what fun we can all have (and what motivation to keep going through all the hard parts I'll have getting to see all of them throughout the trip!) Yeah - I'm SUPER excited!
  4. I got my Self magazine on Saturday and am holding it for the Vegas flight, although I'm intrigued by the whole issue - it's "finding your happy weight". I've just read a teaser about your happy weight being the one where you don't have to fight to stay there! I love it and know that's what I'm aiming for.
  5. It's cold... like really cold, but the sun is shining. We have our heat on (duh) and set at 67 (that's what it's always at), and 3 radiator portable heaters downstairs. Our indoor/outdoor house thermometer which is sitting next to me downstairs says that it's 31.4 degrees outside and 60.2 degrees inside. Welcome to the life of a 100+ year old house! :( I can't wait to move!

That's all for my update today. :)

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Ugh...

I gained a pound this week. I feel like I've just gotten back on the roller coaster. Up and down... up and down... the story of my life! I had some good parts to the week, and some not so good. Maybe I'll have better luck this week? One can only hope right? :)

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Okay... I apologize

Maybe my post the other day was a little bit of a downer. :) I'm not as crazy as I come across! I stupidly wrote a post when I was feeling down. It's funny to read now because wow, I'm a nut case sometimes! It helps that I write these things though, because to look back on them, I know that I'm not as neurotic as I sound! It really made me take a step back and ask myself if I really thought what I was writing that day... and I don't! The power of your emotions!!!

I know that I wrote about being perfect and the struggle that I'm going to have to be perfect. Such a hard word to define because I don't believe that there is such thing as perfection. I mean, my husband is as close as they come for me, but who I am kidding - he has flaws just like the rest of us. hehehe! When it comes to my lifestyle, I can be "perfect" in my eyes by making better choices and being happy with the life I live. That's it... it's a simple answer. And on days when I question this, maybe I need to come back to that post.

Too often we all strive for perfection. I guess in the "perfect" world, people would realize that perfection is only what you perceive as being perfect. Does that make any sense? So for me, perfection will only come when I stop being silly! :)

Friday, January 18, 2008

Is it working?

Last night on our run (which was a good one by the way!), Tom and I had a very hard but interesting talk about my weight. It's one of those things where I have good weeks and bad, and this one seems like a bad one. We've been house sitting and I have just been completely knocked out of my grove. I find myself snacking a lot more, not watching my portions, etc. Although I work out for an hour to and hour and a half each night, it just doesn't seem to be doing anything. I have been writing everything in my journal, although not portions and I think it's killing me. So our talk last night - it was that for me to lose 15 pounds I have to be PERFECT - no cheating ANYWHERE until I'm there. I got really upset about it because I'm torn. Should I work on accepting myself and my body for what it is now and be happy enjoying the foods I enjoy, or should I put myself on a very strict eating regiment to hopefully get to a weight that I *think* might make me happy. And when I do reach that *happy* weight, will I fall back into my old life and gain it all back, or will I have to live every day for the rest of my life knowing that I have to be perfect. I'm mean truly, what is perfect? No sweets? No soda and chips? No eating out? Small portions? I don't know. I'm so up and down with it and I just hope that I can find some answers within myself.

Tom loves me for me and that's a great gift. He just wants to be happy and that's an even greater gift. Now I just need to give myself the gift of happiness...

Sunday, January 13, 2008

I keep changing my blog

Guess I haven't found a template that I love yet. I'll keep working on it!

I am so happy this morning. I got on the scale and was down 1.4 pounds. I really felt like I had a great week - eating lots of veggies and fruit, taking my vitamin each day, getting 4 strength training session and 6 cardio session in, eating out only 2 times, and generally watching my portions. I also wrote down everything that went into my mouth which was really good. I don't know if I can hit my goal of 5 pounds down before Vegas, but I know that I'm on the right track!

We're heading out for family pictures this afternoon. I can't remember the last time that we had a family picture taken - I know that John and Tom weren't part of the family yet. Should be fun! :)

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Just checking in...

Since I had the goal of blogging 3 times a week at least, it's time for a check in. All is good. The weather has been awesome, although it's slowly getting colder. Tom thought that I needed to update my posting on Monday. We didn't ride 16 miles, we rode 32 which I thought was clear - he didn't. Yesterday we again took advantage of the weather and went for a 7 mile run. We had both worked out our legs the night before - me with squats and lunges and Tom with the machines. OUCH! That's all the needs to be said. It was a windy day and we both felt like our legs had been encased in cement prior to the run! HA! Tom told me that this is just what you feel like when you train for the Ironman. Wait a minute, I didn't sign up for that!!! I guess I need to get used to it. Maybe more massages are in store for my legs this year!

We're heading out tomorrow night for "date" night. Something new! I'm excited because we have been so good about eating out (alright, I had Subway and did do lunch out yesterday with a girlfriend) but it'll be great to just have some time together out. It's a lot different than time together at home, trust me!

That's all for now! Hope everyone is having a good week.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Taking a break

From the OSU football game because it's not going so well, aka the Bucks are losing bad! :) Tom's not happy so we decided to take a little break. All is well here. I weighed myself yesterday and was a bit disappointed to see a 0.2 pound loss. I thought that I had a good week last week, but I guess it wasn't good enough. Ho hum... maybe this week will be better.

On the bright side, we got outside for a ride today. Mrs. Felt Good missed me... I could tell right away! It was 65 degrees and ungodly windy, but we had a great ride to Prospect, had lunch at Subway and then fought the wind home for 16 miles. It was such a nice change of pace from the indoor trainer. I think tomorrow is supposed to be a little of the same and I'm thinking that we'll probably end up just running outside which is fine with me! Beats the treadmill any day!

Mom bought me a sewing machine for Christmas. I've been so excited to use it and finally got around to making my first project. I was very proud of myself, especially since I'm so dumb when it comes to anything crafty. I didn't even know that you needed two things of thread to sew. I have a lot to learn. In the meantime, enjoy my first project:


Friday, January 4, 2008

A good start

The last few days have been good for our new lifestyle changes. We ate out for lunch yesterday (our one time for the week) and we both made very smart choices - soup and salads at Applebee's. I even ordered French Onion Soup and didn't eat the cheese... that's unheard of! :) We filled the freezer with veggies, healthy meat options and now have our meals planned for the next two weeks. it's great! Not only are we going to eat 10 times better, but we're going to save SO much money this way. We also joined the Y yesterday for the next few months. I know that we are both anxious to get back to swimming. We also found an Abs class that we're going to take 3 days a week and we might even try a yoga class once a week. I love this new life!

I worked out in a skirt yesterday that I got for Christmas. LOVE IT! By far the best piece of workout clothing that I have!!! I'm definitely going to rock it in the Ironman. No questions asked!

I've set a small goal for myself. We are going to Las Vegas on January 30th and I would like to be down 5 pounds by then. I think it's attainable (especially since I gained about 5 pounds in the last two months). I'll just feel so good if I'm there by the time we leave.