Nottalotta Movin'

I'm realizing more and more that GOAL SETTING is the biggest motivator for me. But I can't really sign up for another run... or can I?

I can run a 5k in the fall! There are some pregger ladies that do that up until the day before they pop!

Now on to find a 5K that I want to do... I bet Race For the Cure is coming soon... yup, just looked it up, September 25, 2010. Not too far away and I need a motivator.

Just now I ate too many Cherry Twizzler Bites... probably not the most nutritious thing for baby "Fermi" and my tummy is feeling it now too. This pregnancy has so many more cravings and food aversions than the Owen pregnancy did... sheesh! I saw the Twizzler Bites and I just HAD TO HAVE THEM... what a weird feeling.

Oh and on top of that my legs are so sore. Like I've been running every day... which I wish was the case, but is not the case. So maybe if I actually do run, the sore legs will not be sore? That would be weird.

Weird. Good. And on my way to a goal.

Another way to move

So I haven't blogged in a while, and exercise has definitely taken a back seat in my life for a couple of reasons:

#1 It was the end of the school year, teachers are running around like chickens with their heads cut off and I was supposed to run on purpose on top of that?!

#2 A week after school ended I started working at Fermilab in Batavia, IL which for all physics people is the COOLEST opportunity ever... I started running again around my grandparents' neighborhood because I am living with them, but not to the extent I had been because

#3 I am pregnant again.

Yes, this very happy news was probably conceived DAYS after my ultimate goal of the River Bank Run and my accomplishment of actually losing ALL my Owen-pregnancy baby weight. I call it Owen-pregnancy, because this time around I am shooting for a Cassidy-pregnancy.

Cassidy is my cousin Erin's first born, she's adorable and chunky in all the right baby places and I love her smile! Erin, however, was a I-stuck-a-basketball-in-my-t-shirt pregnant woman. I was so jealous that when you looked at her from behind she did not look like some whale-morphed-into-a-human mixed with a penguin-waddling-down-the-hallway. She looked like Erin, until she turned sideways and you wondered whether she was being funny by actually sticking a basketball underneath her t-shirt, or if in fact she was WITH CHILD.

So that's my goal! A Cassidy-pregnancy is in my future.

I'm 12 weeks along, running at least once or twice a week (I try), but come August I'm going into overdrive... well maybe just drive, considering I'm kind of in neutral on a hill :) I just recently quit my job as a high school teacher and accepted a job as a professor. Less $$$ (yuck), BUT less time (YAY!) which means more time with my boys and my future girl (it's a girl right? we can hope!)

Why not still move?

So I've been debating writing a new blog. I was thinking this one has run its course. I accomplished my main goal - back to my "normal" size. Ran two races in the process, one 5k and one 10k and thought, I'm done.

THEN I realized I've totally taken time "off" thinking that was all good... well my body missed exercise. And I think that was both emotionally and physically.

Since May 8 I have gone out twice to run (once a mile, once 2 miles) and biked two times (once to school and once just a good bike ride)

Two of the bike rides and one of the runs all happened in the last three days because I was noticing this actual need to exercise.

So I am happy that I've achieved my goals that I set out to achieve last summer. But now I want to maintain a healthy lifestyle... and hey that's a HEAFTY (I can't help but think of the commercial when I write that... "heafty, heafty, heafty") goal when you think about it. Reaching goals is AWESOME... maintenance is the tough part.

wish me luck!

I did it!

112 miles later I ran a 10K. It was awesome.

Well IT was not awesome, it was freezing, and cold, and we parked far away, and my chip didn't register so I never got my official time...

BUT it was awesome!

I ran 6.2 miles in about an hour. My goal was 10 minute miles... and I did it! My goal was to accomplish something I haven't done in years... done. And let's be honest, at the end of the day I wanted to LOOK and FEEL better... and I do! HELLO size 6 and 8, it's nice to meet you and WEAR you again!

I haven't run since Saturday, my miles definitely took a dip in April when I began nursing my heal which hurt so bad I could hardly walk! So I am taking a break. I'm going to bike for a while and figure out my next "purposeful" move.

I'm hoping the metaphor I began begins to translate into my professional life as well. I feel like there is a purpose brewing under it all. What is it?

p.s. If you read this, read my sister's blog. It's what I've been waiting for! Leah is a FANTASTIC insightful writer, and she started to blog.... oh the JOY!

100 miles!

Today I hit the 100 mile mark. Wow.

Can I say I'm amazed with myself? I think I can, cause I just did. Not only did I hit the 100 mile mark today, I also wore jeans I bought in 2003 today. Skinny jeans to boot! Oh it was just fabulous. I even enjoyed the muffin top that came with zipping them up. Gotta love what you got right?

Anywho, I also registered for the RiverBank Run 10k today instead of the 25k. I've been nursing a sore leg and tendinitis in my heel... so I thought, I'd rather run 6.25 miles well than 15.6 miles not so well. Someone mentioned to me that I will be chaperoning my high school's prom that night as well, so I may not want to be too exhausted. When I say chaperoning, I mean running the show!

So there it is: Almost a year ago I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy - who would of thought I'd run a 10k 12 days after his first birthday?!

I guess goal setting is awesome. Gotta start thinking of the next one...

39% there

I have had a rocky couple of weeks in my training. I felt sick, sluggish, and lazy for a while there and it was hard to get motivated. Despite those feelings, I somehow managed 16 miles in the last two weeks. 6 of those were today! And that's not counting a core workout with my teacher friend Julia. I am excited that logging 16 miles in 2 weeks is "sluggish" for me now!!!

On March 31st I am flying to Florida to see my family. I am hoping to get in a good 12 miler when I am there. That's my goal. Twice as far in 2 more weeks.

Owen is growing and growing and I am shrinking and toning.

Life is good.

47lbs later...

It's February 16, 2010. My little Owie is almost 10 months old. I gained 50lbs during my pregnancy and am 3 lbs away from what I weighed when I BECAME preggers... I actually have a NORMAL BMI of 24... and am on my way to toned.

These were my goals when I set out on this adventure of blogging. What an AMAZING feeling to have achieved or almost achieved them!

My latest goal set the last time I blogged was to begin training for the River Bank Run in May. Since then I've logged over 30 miles!!!!!

Just tonight I got home and really wanted to have a glass of wine and veg out on the couch after a full night of parent teacher conferences... But my body went through the motions of putting on my running clothes, my shoes, my hat, gloves, getting my nano, and walking out the door at 8:30pm. I thought I'd get in maybe 2 if I was lucky... but I just kept running and got in 3!!!

I think that SEEING the results has been fantastic too. I look better. One of my students even asked if I had lost weight and people at church have noticed... and well the fact that I am looking or starting to look very similar to what I used to look like is just fan-freaking-tabulous!

Happy Running!

A Plan of Attack!

So I have a teacher friend that is the ultimate guru of fitness. I asked her to put together a training schedule for me and I bought a running calendar (30% off at Meijer!) to get my bootay into gear. I realize that I am in no way a morning person, but now at least I have a check off list. Since that early morning I...

Ran 2 miles
Ran 1.5 miles
Ran up and down the stairs in my house 20 times because it was so COLD and then did crunches while Logan coached me (this was way fun!)

And today I ran 4 miles!!! Well I ran 3 miles... walked for 5 minutes... and ran the rest of the way - strong. I felt kind of like the runner in me was trying to emerge. I felt old muscles that I don't think I realized I had start to work and make my stride longer and faster and it was AWESOME!

I kept saying to myself - I had a baby 9 months ago and I am

R-U-N-N-I-A-N-G

(must say like Forrest Gump)

The best part was when I got to the top of the hill just before GRCHS... I actually grinned so wide I wondered what the cars driving by thought of my goofy self.

So 4 miles - 11.6 to go :)

Early to rise!

So it's January 6 and I have yet to run since that beautiful wintery day back in December. I did come up with a plan, however, and began its implementation this morning...

I am a high school teacher, and so I have access to an indoor track and this morning I got up early, made Logan get up early, and drove to the CAT (the nickname for our athletic facilities) and ran 1.5miles this morning. Granted, this is not a lot to do, and I could have done more, but this morning was the trial run so to speak :)

Besides the unbelievably cold shower I had to endure afterward, this plan worked well. The goal is to shower at school next time, because the hot water is in working order here.

(Our school is located downtown, our Athletic facilities are on the outskirts of town... hence the driving around)

The best part of this morning was Logan saying, "You're winning!" after each loop I made. Apparently I was beating the red team :)

And so it begins... 1.5 miles to 15.6miles in four months... I can DOOOO it :)

I must admit, running in circles is boring, but it beats freezing my tail off outside!