Heart of Gold Virtual 5K

For my event this month I signed up for the Heart of Gold virtual 5K to benefit the Joyful Heart Foundation at virtualstrides.com. This charity was created by Mariska Hargitay who plays Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The content of the scripts, the work she did to prepare for the role, and the letters she received from her viewers opened her eyes to the epidemics of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. Sadly:

One in three women report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend

Every two minutes in the United States, someone is sexually assaulted

More than five children die every day in this country as a result of child abuse and neglect and up to 15 million children witness domestic violence in their homes each year

The mission of the Joyful Heart Foundation is to transform society’s response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse, support survivors’ healing, and end this violence forever. A worthy cause indeed...

The medal was a box of chocolates containing 11 removable chocolate charms. Some medals contained special prizes too (but not mine!). My goal was to break 37 minutes this month which I managed to do. I was especially happy that I motivated myself to complete it on a workday morning as well!

So I've managed a 5K each month now for the last 4 months which I'm really proud of. Now to book next month's challenge...;)

Run for the Rescues Virtual 5K

For my event this month I found another virtual race on Flex It Pink's Facebook page benefiting Marley's Mutts - a dog rescue organization. I picked a great day - it was perfect weather for a run!

Despite the lovely conditions, I haven't been running much this month so I found it really difficult and my time was about 10 seconds slower than last month. Regardless, I did it which I'm really happy about (since that's 3 5Ks in the last 3 months!) but I do need to start training if I'm going to be able to continue through our hot and sticky summer months:)

Puppy Rescue Mission Virtual 5K

For 2017 my goal is to complete at least one event per month. I also want to align my activity with causes that I'm passionate about. I saw this virtual run for Puppy Rescue Mission (sign up here!) and thought it would be a perfect way to start out the year!

The Puppy Rescue Mission helps deployed soldiers adopt stray dogs of war. Animals rescued by and bonded with soldiers overseas are often logistically difficult to bring home. This organization assists with the process to enable soldiers to bring home their companion animals from war.

My senior puppies had no interest in joining me but I could feel them rooting for me from their couch:)

My time was over a minute faster than December which I was really happy with since it was my first run this year! The medal was also adorable and says "Soldiers savings Puppies and Puppies saving Soldiers" at the bottom. There are still medals left so you can still sign up and choose any distance too!

Pink on Parade 5K

Lu and I had a perfect morning at the Pink on Parade 5K in Celebration! I haven't been running hardly at all lately so it was really nice to just focus on supporting the cause and enjoying the experience. I ran when I could, and walked when I needed to. I was very slow but I did it:).

Getting up before 6 at the weekend (particularly after a late night out) was tough but I did the old drill of laying out all my stuff and it wasn't too bad once I was actually out of bed...

Like peas in a pod again:)

We loved the T-shirts!

I was so nervous on the start line - I haven't run for 3 miles since May!

 And we got cute medals!

I'm feeling really inspired to focus on my health right now and I'm working on Daily Habits to stay on track for the last 100 days of the year. It's going really well. I read an excellent article (Forget the Goals) which explains the philosophy perfectly. I'm determined to end this year stronger!

Miles for Milk 5K

Lu and I have been doing Couch to 5K together over the past few weeks and it's felt great to get back into our old routines:). We were so happy when we realized that the Miles for Milk 5K - one of our all time favorite races - was towards the end of our training schedule so we signed up!

Miles for Milk is to support the creation of a much-needed Milk Bank for Florida. It's at Bill Frederick Park which is close to home and so pretty and on Mother's Day weekend, naturally:)

Last time we did the run, Lu wasn't even pregnant yet - and now she's an actual breast feeding mom - what a perfect celebration for her first Mother's Day and my birthday weekend!

We both had such a great time. No pressure (it was a training run for us), plenty of chatting and thanks to some misleading signs we ended up with an extra half a mile at the end to take in the scenery:)

And we made a new friend too - hi Leslie!

All that fun calls for a sweaty hug :)

Love ya sister!

Back to Basics in 2015!

Happy New Year to you all! A fresh, new start to a lovely, perfect, unspoiled new year is one of my favorite times of the year. It's a time to set new goals, dream a little and start over. I love it and it's exactly what I need to kick start my activity levels right now. 2014 was disappointing from a running perspective:(. I'm not going to go over all of the goals I missed for a change - I didn't do so badly in all areas and I've decided to just be kind to myself and look forward instead :). I am very happy to say that I did manage to end the year much more committed than I started it, and I've been running regularly again lately and am nearing completion of the Couch-to-5K program! I feel super proud of the training plan on the fridge with sessions actually crossed off to schedule!

I'm not sure that these goals won't change but feel like I should write them down anyhow so here goes for 2015...

1. Work out more often (3 times a week at least)
2 12 events
3. Any of the following: 10K, sprint tri, bike 25 miles
4. Increase my walking
5. Lose 15 lbs!

 

These seem to be in line with where I am at right now and I know how to do this so it's time to get back to basics and make it happen! Happy New Year!

My new plan

The year is flying by and I have made little progress with my 2014 health goals:(. I've been wondering how to get back on track and whether or not these goals are even relevant to me any more? It feels so strange but I just haven't felt motivated to race lately and I'm not even sure if I ever want to get back to running at all. I have been dabbling with it the past few weeks on the treadmill for a couple of miles a couple of times a week but that is all. I don't have the confidence for an in-person 5K right now but I don't feel ready to throw in the towel yet either. I think I'll have a last 'push' and then decide if I want to continue with running or try something else completely. So here are my original goals and a new plan:):

1. Work out more often (3 times a week at least) - I'm doing much better here lately:). I am still walking regularly and even managed to hit the work gym for a run at lunchtime this week. Working a midday run in twice a week when my energy levels are goo will really help me fit in my activity more regularly.
2 14 in-person events in 2014 (one each month and a couple of extras). I think it's unlikely at this point that I'll get this done if they are all in-person :(. So rather than give up, I'm going to sign up for a virtual event so that I can still align with a good cause, have accountability to record my time, and share the experience with other runners, albeit electronically:).
3. Any three of the following: 10K, sprint tri, bike 25 miles. I need to get started here - Biking once a week shouldn't be that much to ask surely!
4. Either PR or complete a 5K in under 30 minutes during an event. I'm not even going to think about this one for now...let's see how I feel after a month.
5. Lose 15 lbs! So I am about 2 lbs down. Eating clean and staying active is the right way so I need to knuckle down and get it done!

2014 has been an amazing year so far with a fantastic new career start for me! I would love to end the year re-energized physically as well and there's still much of the year left. Rebuilding the habit will be tough but I know I will feel great and I have done it before so I know it's possible!

March for Meals

This morning was a *landmark* moment because we did our very first event together as a family :) :). We supported Meals for Wheels at their 11th Annual March for Meals walk by beautiful Lake Monroe in Sanford...

 

They had a great network of volunteers, sponsors and participants that all showed up despite the overnight rain to support their mission to feed homebound seniors in the local community...

 



 

Since I got my Fitbit for Christmas, I've discovered just how sedentary my lifestyle is:(. It's been a big wake up call actually - I've learned that when I am not running or working out, I am basically sitting which is something I need to change by incorporating walking into my daily routine.

 

 

And I'm also learning that I really like walking:). You can explore a new place in a different way, see new things and have some great conversations too! We also have a walking group now at work to stretch our legs during the workday:).

 



 

We saw a ton of ospreys :)

 

 

Too cute :)

 

 

After we were done I ate my first Meals on Wheels breakfast (which was really good) and one of their volunteers played guitar. He was amazing and only 11!!

Mike loved his shirt!

 

And I won one of the drawings! A Target gift card - yes please!!

 

 

Great cause, beautiful scenery and my little family all together - feeling so grateful this morning :)

 

 To find a local Meals on Wheels program, here's the link:) http://www.mowaa.org/findameal

Event 1 of 14 in 2014 - Seasons 52

It feels like such a long time since I've done a race and one of my goals for 2014 is to do at least 14 in-person events. So we signed up for Seasons 52 which is a beautiful 5.2K in pretty Winter Park to get the year officially underway! It was really cold - just above freezing point - so I broke my golden rule never to wear cotton during the run. After a nerve racking start we were off and warmed up in no time! My goal was just to run the whole thing which I did for the first time in weeks! 

 

 

Mike has discovered photobombing....:)

 

 

He was done in just under 27 minutes!

It was Lu's birthday!

 

It's a Team Daaaaaammmnn!!! reunion - Happy New Year:)

Goals for 2014!!

Setting goals is one of my favorite things to do:). It's a time to imagine the future, dream of what's possible, celebrate past accomplishments and put failures behind you and move forward:). So with that in mind, here are the not-so-spectacular results from 2013...

Goals for 2013:

1. Run more often. This one was an epic fail:(. I ran less often in 2013 than during the previous two years. I'd love to make it all better by saying that I fell in love with another activity but that would be a lie. I fell in love with laziness:(
2. Do at least 12 in-person events, and one each month. I completed 16 in-person events in 2013 but missed an event for two months of the year :(
3. Complete two Half Marathons. This time I mean it :). Apparently I didn't. I completed one Half and a 10-miler
4. PR at two different distances - existing ones. I PR'd at the Tower of Terror:)
5. Lose 15 pounds. Ruh roh. I weigh exactly the same today as at the beginning of 2013:(

So what happened??? There were some really bright spots to the year but part of the problem with hitting the goals was simple lack of motivation. I fell out of love with running during some of the year and didn't switch successfully to something else to stay active. I need to build that flexibility into my goals for next year for sure. June was tough - with more focus on proper sleeping habits I would have had a better chance at getting up to run more easily which is key when it super hot. I also wasn't very organized which would have helped me bike and swim when I didn't feel like running. Eating has been a bit of a hot mess this year. Too much sugar and mindless overeating.

So, here are my goals for 2014...drumroll please...

1. Work out more often (3 times a week at least)
2 14 in-person events in 2014 (one each month and a couple of extras)
3. Any three of the following: 10K, sprint tri, bike 25 miles
4. Either PR or complete a 5K in under 30 minutes during an event
5. Lose 15 lbs!

How am I going to do all of these? Firstly, I'm making the commitment by writing these goals down! I've already signed up for Janathon (which means I need to work out every day for a month) to start out the year on track:). I've also signed up for '14 in 2014' which gives me access to a group of people on Facebook doing the same to keep me inspired and motivated. Planning is going to be really important so my next job is to make a race/training plan for the year, to include some speed work. On the weight loss front, I'm wearing a new Fitbit and tracking calories on myfitnesspal. To help manage the sugar cravings I'm going to be relying on my new, trusty Yonanas machine which is a great alternative to ice cream which is frankly the devil's spawn. I've also signed up for yoga with a friend so that will help me stay accountable and keep the stress levels down which has been a major driver in recent overeating episodes. On the motivation front - I'm also going to try and align my activity with good causes. I've signed up for www.weightlessproject.org to help fight malnutrition through activity and I'm going to pick some races with worthy beneficiaries. In 2014, my mantra is going to be "Running for a Reason"!!! I'm excited...

Pig on the Pond 5K

2013 is going so well - I've already done 5 races so far! For the Pig on the Pond 5K, we met up with Sean and headed over to the scenic race route which was alongside Lake Minneola in Clermont.

 

 

The race is part of a bigger, annual festival - so we ran alongside the gorgeous lake and then finished in the fairground which was different!

My goal was to come in under 31 minutes and place reasonably well, Mike was looking to place and Sean was looking to beat 30 minutes...

 

 

And we all hit our goals! Sean came in 20 seconds under 30 mins! I placed 4th out of 32 in my agegroup!!

 

 

And Mike came in first place in his age group!!! Boo Ya!!!

 

 

And we even got a medal too :). Fun race, great company, gorgeous views and great results. So worth getting up early on the weekend for!

Janathon is here!

I so needed a brand new year with new goals and new challenges:). 2012 has been exhausting and I'm totally ready to hit the ground running (literally) in 2013!! I feel really motivated and positive about my new goals and losing some weight:). And I can't think of a better way to start the year than by signing up for Janathon (link here)!!!

Janathon is a virtual event organized by a group of runners in the UK. Basically it's a challenge - you have to run (or do some other form of exercise) and blog about it every day for a month! I did the same challenge in June last year and despite some rule bending here and there, I did it and the results were amazing (link here)! Here goes...:)

Day 1: Bike trainer, 20 minutes

This one was huge for me today for a number of reasons:

1. I have been really lazy lately

2. Things have a tendency to stay in their boxes in my house if they don't get opened and assembled in about a week. I didn't want my new bike trainer to become one of them!

3. I haven't ridden my bike since we moved in October so now the tires are inflated again and I have located all my biking paraphernalia I have no excuses!!

4. I need to have some way to exercise indoors that does not involve a DVD. I would rather sell an organ than do a DVD. Unless its the Thriller dance. Which is really good exercise so it counts;)

Anyway, after a frustrating hour putting it together and some help from Mike my new bike trainer works!!! And it feels a lot like real biking. And it's sweaty :)

Day 2: Bike trainer, 20 minutes

I rescheduled tonight's planned run for tomorrow so I figured I'd do the trainer again. This time I pimped it up with a special towel cover that has a remote control holder. It's actually called a bike thong which made me giggle :). Day 2 done!!

Day 3: Run, 35 minutes, 3 miles

Lu's back!!! Ebaaaaa!

Day 4: Nothing
Day 5: Nothing :(
Day 6: Run 75 minutes-ish, 6 miles
Day 7: Bike trainer 20 minutes
Day 8: Nothing
Day 9: Nothing
Day 10: Run 35 minutes-ish, 3 miles

OK it's officially over. I have too many days to catch up. Janathon - you have gotten the better of me! See you in June when I'll be ready for you. Grrrrr!!!

Goals for 2013!!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

 

The verdict is in and overall I did pretty well with my 2012 goals :) Here are my results:

Goals for 2012:

1. Run over 450 miles. I actually managed over 466 miles this year!
2. Do at least 12 events, including one that is not solely running. I did 14 'in-person' events including a sprint tri, a rowing event:) and 3 more virtual events!
3. Complete two Half Marathons (yikes!). I did one Half and a 10-miler so I was a 5K short :(
4. PR at two different distances. OK so I'm cheating a bit here - I technically PR'ed at the 10-miler and a virtual 5-miler since I've never done these distances before ;)

I have mixed feelings about this year to be honest. I definitely added a lot of variety with some obstacle events and plenty of cross training mid-year. I also managed to transition to a whole new routine in a new city. Moving house twice has been the biggest challenge over the past year but I have still managed to stay active throughout and more importantly managed to stick with it throughout the hot summer. The big success of the year for me though in 2012 was finding Lu! Having a running partner has added so much joy to the process for me and I treasure our friendship and the accomplishments that we have shared :).

So, here are my goals for 2013...drumroll please...

Goals for 2013:

1. Run more often. I managed to get miles in during 2012 through plenty of long runs. That said, I didn't run as regularly as I'd have liked to. This year I ran on average just over twice a week. In 2013 I'm shooting for an average of at least 2.25 runs a week.
2. Do at least 12 in-person events, and one each month. This will keep me active all year round.
3. Complete two Half Marathons. This time I mean it :)
4. PR at two different distances - existing ones. No cheating allowed!
5. Lose 15 pounds. Nuff said.

My fitness level has already suffered from too much Christmas season over-indulgence so I'm really going to need to step it up! I've added a bunch of events for 2013 on the blog so that I can start planning now. For Christmas I have a lovely new pair of sneakers and a shiny new bike trainer and rack for my car too. So no excuses! I've also found a local Weight Watchers group. 2013 is going to be amazing!!! Happy New Year!!!