Sick Day

Well after trying to ignore it for 2 days I finally had to cave in. I have had a pretty sore throat for a few days now but this morning I couldn’t just forget about it and go to work. I barely have a voice this morning and my throat is burning in addition to a semi fever. Has your tongue ever tasted like metal? Yea it is gross. I am also hot and cold at the same time and it shall be interesting how I feel with 2 fires going when it gets to 50 out today.

Though I am glad to say that last night I got a 5mile run in!! I tried to take it easy and not talk about my day to Heather and Dud but I still was pushing the pace a little. We had to deal with a bit of wind on the riverwalk but it could have been worse. They also added a new piece to the riverwalk so we headed over the river and went down something new! It defiantly didn’t feel so boring that way.

I wanted to hit the gym this morning but when I was having trouble breathing around 4:30am I knew it was not going to happen. So I am going to go back to reading my book and sipping on tea/soda all day. Just not going to be doing any talking (yea not an easy task for me even when I am alone…someone has to talk to the cats!)

Hope you all have a better day then me.

Monday yet again

Let another week begin! Week one of the fitness challenge complete. It had its ups and downs but I think my body is getting used to the fruits and veggies. Now it is time to get my legs on board!

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Helping others and others helping me

I want to start off and say a huge thank you to my friends and family who have helped me raise money for the National Walk for Epilepsy. Our team has met out goal and past it! If you still want to help our cause you can still visit our team site here.  Thank again I love you all for helping me!

This weekend was all about helping someone. Friday I came home after our family run to get Bri and head over to his Pap’s house. They had been working together for about a week now making a firewood box. This thing is awesome! Bri’s pap is so good with making things. They had no pattern or anything just supplies and an idea.

Final project…Bri even put Poly on it! I love it!

Saturday the helping continued. Over the past 2 years we have put new hardwood floors in Bri’s parents and out house. Adam’s Gram wanted new floors in her kitchen so we all jumped in to help! I didn’t really use the saw at all when we did the the floors. My dad would be sad to hear that (former draftsman) I just don’t like the unpredictability of it. My sister is the one who took his love for tools and became the tech teacher. Well Manda and I worked together and go the pieces ready and the guys put them down. Eventually Manda had to head to a Baby shower so I had to get comfy quick and start cutting!

That goodness there was no measuring or numbers on my part or it would have been a much longer day. Dud just made a mark on the wood and I  just finished it so I could cut along it. I am proud to say I DID IT!

I forgot a before pic but this shows no cabinets to after we got it all back in there. We started at 9ish and left around 8-8:30pm.

Can’t forget the food Gram made! She had a crockpot of BBQ, crockpot of ziti, then the big crockpot was wedding soup which was new to Bri and I. Basically I am to learn how to make because Bri more then loved it! He even invited Gram over to make it for him which we all know she would do!

It was a great weekend to help her out!

Oh workouts?? Yes I still got some in! Like mentioned earlier I ran with the family Friday PM. Saturday rest day. Today I got an awesome 3mile run in and it was the fastest run I have had since my injury! I started and ended at the gym so I could lift when I finished . I was on a tight schedule so I only got 40mins in lifting before I had to head to the store. Overall good day!!

 

Have you helped out anyone lately??How do you give back during the year?

Fitness Friday

Let's start off with last night's workout first. I got out my Six Week Six Pack DVD and got right to Level 1 as soon as I got home. It has been months since I did the DVD and it showed. I have the weakest wrist ever so every time we do mountain climbers or the side planks it feels like I am going to break them. I got through it though just like Jillian kept saying!
             
                                                            
This morning I got right up and headed to the gym by 5:40. I got through 3miles on the bike then hit my arms like crazy. I avoided ALL abs since I am sore today! I got another hour in for my Fitness Challenge!  

If you are hopping on over from the Fitness Friday welcome! Leave a comment and I will come visit you!

                                                                                                           

Tid Bits

Is it Thursday already? Is it almost the end of January already?? What in the world!!! I can not believe how fast this year is going. Everyday there is new drama but why wouldn't there be? 


Anyways...tid bits


1. I have set aside my fear of meat heads and I go to the free weights all the time now to lift at the gym. I used to hate how they hog machines back there but now I go get my 5 things done and get out. Cons...I only know of 5 things to do. I watch the other ladies that go back there for ideas. Any free weight suggestions...I want to get rid of my jiggle in my arms!


2. I have only ran once this week. I am not writing why I am just quietly taking the time off and praying. (No family I am not saying why you can just assume!)


3. I can not find a good pair of shoes to wear during the day. It seems that they are not helping with "my reason I have only ran once this week". I don't like wearing my running sneakers because I fear I will break them in differently by walking in them. The ones I wear to the gym and my fancy boots seem to be the issue. What sneakers do you wear around. Do you have a pair that are just for wearing and ones that are just for running?


4. I got observed yesterday by my superintendent while using the interactive whiteboard. I am taking a class with him to learn how to use the IWB. I knew the one flipchart was going to give me trouble and I was right. The kids shadows were in the way so I said forget it move on. Guess what...he didn't care! Whoohoo.

Progress

I have been working as hard as I can to earn  points for the Family Fitness Challenge. As I stated before I do not eat very many fruits or veggies and had to go shopping for some for the challenge. Well I guess I can say I went all in Monday with the fruits and veggies and my body said all out. (TMI??) Yesterday I had the following…

So lesson learned..increase levels at 10% at a time like you would with your running! Today only consisted of the salad and clementine's!

I also did Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown DVD this evening. It felt great to stretch out. I am all ready to hit the gym again tomorrow!!

QOTD: Are your daily servings pretty balanced? Do you get the required servings of fruits and veggies in daily or close it?

Family Fitness Challenge

What is a Family Fitness Challenge  you ask? Well our school districts have ALWAYS done some type of fitness/wellness challenge for the employees but this year they aren’t in my school. So Heather has come up with the idea to do her fitness challenge that her school is doing and include the family in it.

She created workout/food logs for all of us and teamed all of us up. It is for 5 weeks and it really matched right up with some of my 30 before 30 goals!

The first thing is we get 1point for every minute of exercise we do a day outside of our work day. So that is pushing me more to hit the gym in addition to my runs! I am starting off on the right foot with hitting the gym Monday morning.

The second part is 1point for every serving of fruit or vegetable you have in the day. I went to the store at 8am this morning and loaded up on fruit and some veggies.

                                        

This was a goal of mine to have fresh fruits/veggies in the house each week! The clementine's are delicious!!

The pair ups go as follows for the challenge!

Amanda and Richie (Heathers husband)

Adam (Manda’s husband) and Dad

Me and Mom

Heather and Robyn

Ella (the helpful baby!) Her fruit/veggie and exercise points will be added to a group each week!

Here’s to another goal of completing a workout DVD too!!!

 

QOTD: Have you participated in a fitness challenge? Biggest Loser, 10 in 10?

30 before 30 complete list

Ok I have been working on making a 30 before 30 list. I had trouble of breaking them down enough to get 30. Here is what I came up with.




1. Finish another Marathon Training Plan with no injuries.
2. Complete the marathon (it is the weekend afterwards so I will be in the new age group then)
3. Continue to go to the gym 2-3 times a week.
4. Drink at least 1-2 nalgene bottles a day.
5. Continue to cross train weekly (zumba, bike, elliptical)
6. Complete at least 2 half marathons
7. Ride my bike 3 times a week from May-September
8. Purchase pepper spray or something else to carry with me on runs I do alone.
9. Drink more smoothies with protein powder. I already have the powder but just stopped using it when I was not running.
10. Make more HEALTHY MEALS that will give me more energy for long runs. Bri will prob not like this because he likes his frozen pizza (I do to), mac and cheese from a box, and very unhealthy pastas.
11. Read at least one adult book a month ( I am hooked on Juvenile books..can't help it I am a reading teacher who connects to what her kids read!)
12. Save more money! I want to start putting more money in the savings now that I don't have a car loan to pay.
13. Make double payments at least 3times on my school loans.
14. Complete one crafty thing! I have a few things that I got stuff for but never finished!
15. DATE NIGHT! B and I stink at this. He likes go with the flow and I like to plan. Hoping maybe we can try to set some time aside that isn't in front of the TV eating dinner.
16. Family time. My family is 2hours away and I sometimes use the excuse it is far away. Due to my seizure this fall I went up there less. I want to make there once a month!
17. Get fertilizer on the garden ASAP so I can actually have a garden this summer
18. Get outside more this summer! (refer back to the biking  and garden goal)
19. Organize kitchen cupboards (we have limited space so I pack it all in as best I can)
20. Find new places to run, trails!




Ten more:
21. Do not purchase anymore shoes for 6months (see number 12)
22. Do not purchase anymore running clothes for 6months (see number12)
23. Purchase veggies and fruits at the store weekly.
24. Do not eat out unless with family or friends. Do not buy breakfast or lunch alone.
25. Complete a whole Jillian Micheal's workout dvd
26. Send a gift to someone once a month as a surprise
27. Donate money to a cause!
28. Attend a blogger meet up!
29. Lose 5 pounds
30. Get my abs back.


OK there we go. I hope I complete most or all of those before September 16th!! I want to arrange them in categories so I can see them better too. I plan on printing them out so I am reminded of them daily as I make choices throughout my day.  I have not signed up for any of the races yet but I will let you know soon which I will be training for when they are posted!! I am hoping to show somethings when I complete them too!!

Snow!!

Yesterday i got two workouts in like I have been trying to do for the last few Fridays. I hit up the gym with Manda and Heather before work. I got in 3miles on the bike then about 30-40mins lifting. I go over to the free weights first and do a few things I know but I don't know many. Plus I hate switching out the bars on the machines so if the right bar isn't on I move on. Lazy right?
                   
After a long day at school I was excited to hit the roads for a run in some snow with the family!! We had got just a little over the night and I wanted to try out my new trail shoes I bought 3months ago! We went down to a park that we know they wouldn't clean off the paths. I loved the tracks the shoes left, they have awesome treads! I only slipped once and that was on black ice which is expected. We got in 3miles!

Now back to the long day....to sum it up quick. There was a disagreement and it was left at that. Hours later I was given an apology for being snapped at. They said it always sounds like they snap at me. I said I didn't know if it was me and how I react either and that I was sorry. At my job I have a passion to help as many struggling readers in a hour/day/month/year as I can. Sometimes that passion gets the best of me and I want to help kids that a teachers thinks just need a small group from themselves. We are OK now.


Now I am off to enjoy this awesome cup of hot cocoa that Bri made me and the 3inches of snow we got last night!!

QOTD: Work disagreements.....have you ever got in one? Ever got an apology?

Tid Bits

On to Thursday Tid Bits! I am making a list of places that I would like to go to or see while in D.C. in March beyond walking the best walk ever!

1. D.C. cupcakes. I wanted to go there last time I was in D.C. with my mom but she was all about staying around the monuments and museums not going to Georgetown. I am all ready to go because our hotel is in Georgetown!!

2. A frozen Yogurt place! I am so jealous of all of you who have a place near you and go all the time. I have NEVER been to one. (maybe this should be a 30 before 30 goal!) I did see on Run Girl Run a place she went to last night that looks good to! She went to Tasti D Lite!

3. Go back to NCIS store and see if there is anything new to buy!! I already have the NCIS sweatshirt and Bri has the hat.

4. Meet new friends!!! Whoohoo I am so excited for my first blogger meet-up!!!

QOTD: Where do you try to go on a vacay? Food places or historical?

So close and 10more things

Jamie and I are so close to meeting out $500 goal we are now at $480! You are still able to order a shirt or make a donation.

Order shirt here Cotton or Dri-Fit  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEZUdV9SUm1oOEUtNlhNZlVJc0FuNFE6MQ ( you do not have to have a paypal account to order. You can fill out the form and we can contact you about sending money or you can hit continue on the paypal site to order another way.)

Donate to our cause directly visit here  http://giving.epilepsyfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk/walk?team_id=22560&pg=team&fr_id=1920

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I figured out who I read the 30 before 30 post on too (thanks Cortney for reminding me!)
Ok so yesterday I started my first 10 things out of 30 I want to accomplish before I turn 30 in September. I have been thinking about 10more that I want to add to the list.

1. Finish another Marathon Training Plan with no injuries.
2. Complete the marathon (it is the weekend afterwards so I will be in the new age group then)
3. Continue to go to the gym 2-3 times a week.
4. Drink at least 1-2 nalgene bottles a day.
5. Continue to cross train weekly (zumba, bike, elliptical)
6. Complete at least 2 half marathons
7. Ride my bike 3 times a week from May-September
8. Purchase pepper spray or something else to carry with me on runs I do alone.
9. Drink more smoothies with protein powder. I already have the powder but just stopped using it when I was not running.
10. Make more HEALTHY MEALS that will give me more energy for long runs. Bri will prob not like this because he likes his frozen pizza (I do to), mac and cheese from a box, and very unhealthy pastas.


Here we go

11. Read at least one adult book a month ( I am hooked on Juvenile books..can't help it I am a reading teacher who connects to what her kids read!)
12. Save more money! I want to start putting more money in the savings now that I don't have a car loan to pay.
13. Make double payments at least 3times on my school loans.
14. Complete one crafty thing! I have a few things that I got stuff for but never finished!
15. DATE NIGHT! B and I stink at this. He likes go with the flow and I like to plan. Hoping maybe we can try to set some time aside that isn't in front of the TV eating dinner.
16. Family time. My family is 2hours away and I sometimes use the excuse it is far away. Due to my seizure this fall I went up there less. I want to make there once a month!
17. Get fertilizer on the garden ASAP so I can actually have a garden this summer
18. Get outside more this summer! (refer back to the biking  and garden goal)
19. Organize kitchen cupboards (we have limited space so I pack it all in as best I can)
20. Find new places to run, trails!!

Ok those 10 took awhile,....I may need to take more time to think of 10more!

30 before 30

Over the past few months I have seen a few 30 before 30 post and recaps. I turn 30 in sept. and was thinking if there was anything I wanted to accomplish before that big move into the next age group bracket. Is it said that is all I see it as? Not getting older but put into the bigger and faster age group??

Anyways I will be working on making a list. I will try to get 30things but I might not have that many. I will start with the first ten fitness ones I have so far.

1. Finish another Marathon Training Plan with no injuries.
2. Complete the marathon (it is the weekend afterwards so I will be in the new age group then)
3. Continue to go to the gym 2-3 times a week.
4. Drink at least 1-2 nalgene bottles a day.
5. Continue to cross train weekly (zumba, bike, elliptical)
6. Complete at least 2 half marathons
7. Ride my bike 3 times a week from May-September
8. Purchase pepper spray or something else to carry with me on runs I do alone.
9. Drink more smoothies with protein powder. I already have the powder but just stopped using it when I was not running.
10. Make more HEALTHY MEALS that will give me more energy for long runs. Bri will prob not like this because he likes his frozen pizza (I do to), mac and cheese from a box, and very unhealthy pastas.

That is a start and all things I should be able to accomplish. I just need to be smart and safe about the training plan this time around. I am really cutting back on unnecessary 5k's and such. No trying to go all out on long runs either. Go slower and look to slowly negative split on long runs. Ok so there are a few more goals too.

QOTD: Did you do anything before you turned a certain age? Was turning 30 a big thing for you?

Motivation for today

I am excited about my fundraising efforts for the National Walk for Epilepsy. We are at $440 so far for our goal of $500! Jamie and I are so excited. We have some other teammates too, like Manda! You can still donate now or purchase a T-shirt and donate to the cause and help spread awareness!

I appreciate everyone's love and support that I have received over the years as I struggled with Epilepsy and I can not wait to spend that time with others who have something in common with me.
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Motivation for me today to get my run in as soon as I walk in the door after school!


















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QOTD: What was your workout today? Anyone on a training plan at the moment or are you in between plans?