HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

One minute I’m recovering from a quad strain, and the next, it’s 2013. Holy friggin cow. Where’d the time go?!?!

So for the past few months, I’ve been dealing with a few family tragedies, transitioning jobs, and transitioning schools. It’s been quite chaotic, hence the blogging hiatus. But now I’m back, and read to kick some bootie! Let’s get down to business!

2013 New Year’s Resolutions Goals!

• Race each distance: 5k, 10k, 13.1, and 26.2. While I completed the Nike Women’s Marathon in October, it wasn’t my finest moment. (Physically or mentally!) Let’s just say that I’m glad I did it, and I honestly thought about dying. [Dear Random Team In Training Coach: THANK YOU for telling me how little I had to go until the finish!! I honestly had no idea where I was, and you seriously gave me a boost!!!] I told myself that the NWM was the only 26.2 that I’d ever do. But then I decided that I was not going to accept a crappy race. I will do one more. And I had better have a kick ass experience! 😉 And believe it or not, I’ve never competed in a 10k. I’ve done all the other distances, and definitely run bunches of 10k distances, but never for a race. So that’s on my goal list. 😉
• Participate in the #Digital40Days. I read about a yoga challenge through the Lululemon Blog, and I figure it’s a great way to do something different, and create some much-needed calm in my life! Bring on the BLISS!!! It’s free to join the challenge, but for those who want more, there’s more incentive to pay for the extensive program. Come try it with me!
• Eat Clean, 80% of the time. Let’s face it. I’m not giving up my red wine or my dark chocolate. It’s just not going to happen. But, I can control my eating so that I can still succeed in fat loss and strength gain. By knowing that I’m going to indulge from time to time, I can stick to eating clean easier. [Notice how I said “easier”, not “easy”. There are some times where it’s going to be rough. Accept it and move on.] I picked up a copy of Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo. I’m not going Paleo, but I really like getting new ideas for gluten-free foods and ways to prep veggies. Breakfast this morning? The Blueberry Lemon Muffins. Verdict? AMAZING! My son is gluten sensitive, and both of us get bored with the same foods over and over, so getting new gluten-free ideas helps keep eating fun 🙂

For now, those are my goals. I’m sure I’ll come up with smaller, more specified goals throughout the year. That’s what’s great about goals: create ’em, crush ’em, create more!

Oh, wait! I almost forgot the most important goal for 2013! Take my family to Disneyland!!! Spending time with the people most important to me at the happiest place in the world. . . Can’t go wrong!!! 🙂

I hope you are having a fabulous start to the new year! Cheers to health and happiness!!

What are your goals for 2013?

Treadmill Workouts Don’t Have To Be Boring

I’ll admit it.

I FRIGGIN HATE THE TREADMILL!!!

It’s boring. Also, the treadmills at my gym face out from the building. This means that you’re watching the weather, the traffic, the people at the grocery store, and Burger King. You’d think it’d be motivational. It’s not. It makes you crave french fries.

But let’s face it: sometimes, using a treadmill is the only way you’re going to get in your run. At some point, it’s going to happen.

So I thought I’d share a couple videos with you to help keep the treadmill as interesting as possible. Are you going to look/feel like an idiot? Very likely. Are you going to get results? YES.

 

 

 

 

 

And if you’ve vowed to never run and/or never set foot on a treadmill, maybe this is more your style:

 

 

Today, I’m set to run an easy 3 miles. I’m guessing I’ll run the usual routes, but we’ll see what the weather’s like. (Running in full sun in the middle of the afternoon = torture.)

Have you checked out the Lululemon SeaWheeze App?!?! It’s AMAZEBALLS AWESOME!!! It’s set to get you ready for their SeaWheeze half marathon, but it’s a great design for any half marathon! It has a perfect schedule to set me up for my half in July, and with extending all training runs a bit, it’s a great schedule to get me ready for the Nike Women’s Marathon in October. The app has videos and demos, and great descriptions of what your runs should look and feel like. Places to take notes for workouts, too. And come on, how awesome is hearing a rest day being called “sweatpantsana”?! 😉 It’s free through the iTunes App Store (sorry, I don’t know about the Android Marketplace. But I can’t imagine it wouldn’t be there!) Check it out!!!

What’s your favorite running app?

How often do you run on a treadmill?

My First Run Club

Despite having to set some attitudinal alarms for this morning, the morning of my first run club went quite well!

I left the house at 8:20 this morning for the Lululemon Run Club at 9. And honestly, the only reason I knew where I was going was that the Jungle Run starts at where we were meeting. Otherwise, I would have had to leave earlier to allow time to get lost. It’s tradition. I have to get lost wherever I go. 😉

I arrived at the track in plenty of time, which to me translates to: where’s the bathroom?! I’m telling ya, when you’re only 5 feet tall, liquids go straight through ya!

Our group consisted of Coach Lori (www.coutureconditioning.com), 3 Lululemon educators, a Lululemon ambassador (the only guy in a group full of women, must have been so horrible, hehe), and what appeared to be his wife/girlfriend. Since 2 of the educators were new to running, we did a very easy 3 miler along the Cooper Trail. The trail that my first half marathon of the season will be on. Awesome! Training time! Jungle run, look out! I’m gonna kick your bootay!

I have never had a run where I could talk the whole way through. . . and I liked it! Granted, 3 of us ended up running together, so 2 were talking while 1 was catching her breath. But still, it’s new for me! And I’m totally addicted!!

With the incline that the trail was on, I probably would have run too fast from the start and would have walked my sorry butt back up the trail (we did an out-and-back). But since we were slower than I normally train, and I had some awesome people to keep me accountable, I never walked!

And my feet and calves? Not a single problem!! HALLELUJAH!!!

For all of you contemplating a running club, don’t think about it: JUST GO!! Seriously, I’m addicted. I’ve never had a better time while running!

So after I got home, it was errand city. I ended up taking my mom and my son to Fleet Feet to get my mom an actual pair of running shoes (I refused to let her run in her Sketchers or Keens anymore. I put my Mizuno’d foot down!) After shoe shopping (where my son discovered the amazingness of Strawberry Banana GU Gel, thanks to one of the sales associates) it was time for PetSmart, Trader Joe’s, deliver irises to a friend, dinner out, and then finally home again. Only to freshen up and then head right back out to celebrate my friend’s birthday!

Busy busy busy day!!

And now I’m about to get ready to take my son to my grandma’s house for Mother’s Day. My son loves his GG! (Great Grandma, GG, get it?)

I hope you all have a wonderful, happy, healthy Mother’s Day!!!

Do you go to a Run Club?

How are you celebrating Mother’s Day this year?

don’t be THAT GUY

It appears that race season is in full swing. With so many races happening yesterday, all of the miles that people are tracking, and Boston only a few short weeks away, I figured a bit of running advice would be greatly appreciated. 

So here’s my two cents: don’t be THAT GUY 😉

She.Is.Beautiful Race Recap

Let’s be honest: if I wasn’t already registered for this race, I wouldn’t have run today. There, I admitted it. I’m not a big “let’s run in the rain and wind” kind of gal, so with the weather patterns for the past week, I was really doubting how much I’d enjoy today. But, the weather gods smiled upon us! Overcast, slightly on the cold side, and no wind!!! Whoo hoo! 

And even though it didn’t rain, I still got to wear my bday jacket! The Run: In The Rain jacket from Lululemon! (Thank you, Momma Llama! I love you!!)

The race was along West Cliff; one of my fave places! Pink balloons and motivational signs everywhere, lots of supporters, and tons of women of all ages! the youngest little lady I saw had to be about 4 (wearing the cutest pink tutu and tiara!) and the oldest was in her mid-to-late 80s. Runners, walkers, and baby stroller pushers! Such a great crowd, just out for a good time! 

the sign at packet pick up

about half a mile in. still overcast, lots of pink, and the waves crashing ❤

cuz you totally wanted a pic of the fancy yellow “sign” 

my FAVE sign on the course!!! 

This is the second time I’ve done this 5K… and the second time it’s been offered… I’ve got an amazing participation record! 😉 hehe 

Great race, great energy, great people! I’ll definitely keep doing this race, but next year I think I’ll do the 10K…

This was the first race of the season for me, so I was just out to enjoy myself. My stats also include me stopping to high-five the kiddos (anyone under 10, and there were quite a few! awesome, right?!) and take pics. I was thinking I’d run at a 10:30 to just enjoy myself, and that’s pretty much what happened. (When the official photos are available I’ll post those)

What’s your agenda for the day? Are you racing? Working out? Having mimosas? 😉