>Bootcamp = Tight calves

>Monday afternoon I left work early to head to the gym. I had made my mind up that I was going to try the bootcamp class at my gym. I had never taken it before and was doubting I would survive when the class description was followed by "advanced." But I went anyway.

The class was great. We started with a 2 mile warm up jog around the building (outside). I jogged along side a friendly girl in class who chatted with me the whole way. Fun. Then we ran up the stairs once we were inside and headed back to the room. The class consisted of different intervals of jumping rope, shuffle running, jump squats and push ups. Once those intervals were done we did a few upper body exercises. I felt great being able to keep up with the hard body group that was taking it despite the fact that I was the fat girl in the class. I didn't let that intimidate me too bad! ha

After the class some of the ladies that run asked if I want to go run the loop around the pond with them. I very hesitantly said yes and that I knew they would blow me away. They assured me I would be fine. And I was. I felt (and still feel) really good about the class and the run following it. I've come a long way in the last year and it has taken me a while to finally realize that I am capable of great things.

The only bad thing is that my calves are tight! Tight. Very tight. I'm pretty sure it is from all the jumping rope (which I actually liked!) during bootcamp. I am planning a trail run tonight but am worried about the tightness causing me problems. Part of me thinks they will losen up once I get going but the other part of me is afraid they won't. I started having some cramps in my right calf during my last 5k race (10-30) but ran through that as best I could with no real issues other than it showing up here and there during some of my recent runs. We will see how today's run goes. I'm not shooting for time or distance but just getting out and enjoying my run and the beauty around me!

I leave you with this quote that was shared by Active.com on Facebook today.

"Being your best is not so much about overcoming the barriers other people place in front of you as it is about overcoming the barriers we place in front of ourselves." -Kieren Perkins

>Maintain Don't Gain

>A challenge.

Beginning November 1st I have been participating in a challenge at my gym. It will run for 10 weeks.  The concept is to make it through the holidays within 3 lbs (+/-) of your starting weight. Tips given for this were to get plenty of sleep, exercise (at least 150 minutes a week), drink plenty of water and of course a sensible diet. They will check our weight once a week and keep track of our attendance based on how many times our card is swiped at the front desk. Easy enough, right!?

Having been at this weight loss thing a while and recently meeting with a dietitian to fine tune some things my goal with the challenge was to continue with my weight loss and work on my fitness during the holidays. I of course want to be able to lose weight during the holidays but even just maintaining is a huge success.

Our first weigh in was this week and I stuck with going on Monday mornings. I figured keeping a Monday weigh in would hold me more accountable on the weekends which is when I tend to get a little off track with my eating. So far my plan has worked and I have made it through the weekends just fine and without any gorging on unnecessary foods. I also committed to making it to the gym 4 days a week. I didn't want to say 5 and then have a week where something might come up with the kids or myself getting sick or anything else with our schedule being off. 4 feels like a safe number! And I can certainly get 150 minutes of exercise in 4 days especially since I usually run 3 days a week for over 30 minutes. You do the math. ;)

The water drinking I have down no problem at all. I carry a Camelbak water bottle with me every where I go. I rarely ever go a day without drinking 80 or more ounces of water. The only other beverage I drink on a daily basis is my morning coffee (an my smoothie, but that's breakfast. lol). I had given up diet soda completely but about once a week I have one can or less which is much much MUCH better than the 2 cans a day I was drinking.

With the tools I have from all my years at this weight loss thing, the info from the dietitian and just the fun of this challenge I do believe I can reach my goals during the holidays. So, all that being said here are some stats. I like to keep in mind that 1. my monthly friend decided to pay me an early visit the day before my first weigh in and 2. my gym scale is slightly off from my home scale.

Nov. 1 - (gym scale start weight) 179.3
Nov. 8 - (gs) 176.3
total loss week 1 - 3 lbs!

I was very excited to see a loss and a significant loss at that. I knew at home the scale read 177 the day of my weigh in when I started and that this weekend it read 174. I knew I was down according to my home scale so my only hope was to at least see that I had indeed maintained when I weighed in at the gym. But to have seen a loss was a big boost for me! Now my goal is to keep the momentum going and to lose a bit more before Thanksgiving. I already have a Thanksgiving day plan which includes a Turkey day race (8k...my longest race yet) and an eating strategy to keep me on track! Look for more details about both in the days/weeks to come.

My question for you is...
What are you doing to make it through the holidays to keep from gaining?

>If You Give a Mom Some Free Time

>You never know what she will want to get into.
The possibilities are endless.
~ shopping
 ~mani/pedi
~ a warm tub and a closed bathroom door
~ read a good book
~ a nap

And the list could go on and on.

Today after church my hubby went to a football meeting and the kids went with Mamaw and Papaw. What does that mean??? Free time for mom! Woohoo!
I was just going to grab something quick to eat and head to the gym (since I thought ahead and packed my bag!). But hubby felt bad about me "eating alone," so I called a friend and we had a great lunch. Then I drove home to put away my leftovers and change clothes. Minutes later I was back out the door and off to the gym. I had a nice little Sunday run.

5 miles in 50:56

I could have easily came home and napped or played on the computer a while. Heck, I should have been home doing laundry and dishes and preparing a grocery list for the week. But I must say it was nice being able to have a little time alone and I am proud to have used it to go for a run.

>My Last Shameless Plea...

>As you know (because I have only posted it here a bajiliionzillion times), I ran the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on October 30th (I set a new PR, by the way). This cause is very dear to me as I lost my grandmother to breast cancer and know so many others battling this disease. I don't know the specific statistics but I'd venture to say breast cancer affects all of us in some way whether it be a family member or friend. I set up a fundraising page this year and my goal is to raise $250. I am at $215. $35 away from that goal. If you'd like to help by even donating $5 I would be forever grateful. :)


Please visit my page  HERE!! But do so before midnight tonight as that is when time runs out!!! Thanks!!

>Call me crazy, but..

>I like to say I am determined!

On Tuesdays my gym offers some great classes beginning at 5:00 p.m.
They have what is called Core Challenge. It is described as a 25 minute boot camp that challenges all the core muscles from shoulder girdle to hip and everything in between. A great lead into cycling, bodypump or to stand alone with your exisiting cardio workout.
BodyPump begins at 5:30 and if you have read here before you know that I LOVE me some BodyPump. You can read more about it here and even find a location near you that offers these classes! Check it out.
Following BodyPump is Zumba. I know you have heard of it. It's a funky cardio dance class that is designed for anyone! The first time I took the class I did it alone as my only workout for the day and believe it or not I broke a pretty darn good sweat.

This past Tuesday I woke up determined to make the day's workout count. And I did. I took all three of those classes (back to back!). I even increased my weights a bit in BodyPump. Here it is Thursday and I am still feeling it all over my body. And no I was not trying work off a gorge fest of Halloween candy. I am happy to say that I ate one snack size pack of Peanutbutter MMs while we were Trick or Treating. I think I burned those with all the walking that night, but just in case I was determined they got burned at the gym. haha

As part of a holiday "Maintain Don't Gain" challenge at my gym I had to commit to so many days of attendance at the gym. I committe to 4 days a week. They handed us a whole sheet of ideas to burn calories and also suggested a minimum of 150 minutes of exercise per week. Hello? I surpassed that suggested minimum this week already! Woohoo! So, my friends, I am determined to reach my goal of not gaining over the holidays. The challenge runs for 10 weeks. I am pretty sure I can make it to the gym a total of 40 times.

I'm not crazy (as a couple of friends have said!) but you better believe I am determined!!!

>Then and Now...

>a look back.

I told you yesterday that I finished the Race for the Cure about 6 minutes faster this year than I did last year. I always like to reflect on how I did now compared to then but the thing I like to see the most is the difference in how I look in pictures. I've come a long way and forgive me while I boast and explode with pride.

These were pictures from last year. Same time, same rice. 

But there is a difference.

I don't know the exact amount of weight I have lost since this time last year but I plan to read back through my blog to see. I just know that I look like a completely different person from the front and the back! My hard work is definitely paying off and I could not be more proud than I am right now. I have a lot of work left to do and thank goodness I still have the drive, determination and motivation that will get me there! 

Oh and official results were posted last night....

ME - 33:06

Hubby - 30:40

We kicked that 5k's tail and I am ready for the next finish line!!

>Racing for a Cure

>This weekend was our local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5k. The hubby and I ran this together (even if he finished just before me). Everything went great again this year; although I am bummed that I still have not reached my fundraising goal. I think there is still time if you feel inclined to donate (even as little as $5 helps, I promise!!). And let's face it, we all have boobs that could potentially need the help of the Susan G. Komen foundation. So, if you wish... CLICK HERE! I am only $60 away from my goal which is $200 less than last year's goal. Boo.

Anyway, for the race recap....
The forecast scared me all week long. High's in the 60s but the lows... 34 for that morning. Brr.
I worried about getting my race outfit and gear just right for the temps especially since last year I overdressed. And as you know (if you read beforehand) that I was going to be sporting the awesome PINK Travel Skirt from Team Sparkle (check there often for my story!). I felt amazing in that pink sparkly skirt and do believe I am going to add one to my Christmas wish list. It had magic in it, ya know! And I of course turned lots of heads, had lots of fingers pointed my way... "Cute tutu!" and "Look at her cute skirt!" Who wouldn't feel amazing?! I mean... LOOK at me!

My hubby and I left the house around 6am or so. We  I like to get there early to get good parking and check out all the pre race things going on. However, it was so cold that it took us a while to want to get out of the car.  After we snapped pics, bundled up, and chatted with some friends we headed to the event site. We got our back signs all ready to go and walked around. We decided not to pick up any pre-race goodies due to the lines and I really didn't want to have to lug stuff back to the car and risk being "too late" getting to the start line. I'm sure we would have made it just fine, but my nerves are always giving me fits before a race.

 

 Pre race photos! It was still dark and very early, but we are smiling. And my hubby wore a pink shirt for the first time in the 12 years we have been together! :)

 I ran in memory of my Nana. 

Hubby and I had a little pre-race warm up. We both felt really great. I really thought the cold air would bother my lungs espeically since I had not done as much outdoor running (in the cold) as I had planned to prior to the race. But I was surprised that I felt great, minus a bit of jittery nerves!

 Here I am just before the start.

I suppose I could have smiled but I didn't want to look obvious. haha 

At exactly 8:30am the horn sounded and we were off. 

I felt really good. I didn't start off too terribly fast since there were so many people. My only real problem was the SLOW people in front of me and trying to dodge my way through/around them. Hubby and I were side by side for the start and I had hoped to stay that way at least for the first mile, but there were these two women in front of me moving much slower than I was. I couldn't go around either of them because of the people beside me. I tried my best to go through them, edging closer to them, trying to squeeze through (I had room!) and even saying excuse me, but the closer I got the closer they squeezed together. I finally just say, "Geez!!!" and ran around them quickly only to almost be stopped by a couple of WALKERS! That was the only negative part of the first mile. I ran the entire first mile and when I looked at my watch I saw 8:47 and thought to myself that I would most definitely make the first mile marker at under 10 minutes. However, once I rounded the corner and came to the end of the hill where the marker was my watch had already reached 10:20, which was still a good pace for me. I kept going telling myself that I would make it a point to hit mile two at 20 minutes (wishful thinking). 

At mile marker 2 I was at 21 minutes, which was still right on pace for where I wanted to be. I grabbed a cup of water at the first water station but really only stuck my tongue in the cup because I didn't want to stop or slow down to drink it. So, I tossed it in the trash and kept moving along. I don't really know what my thought process was through mile two other than I felt a cramp in my right calf. I walked about 10 seconds but picked right back up to running. 

There was a "friend" (who ran this race with me last year) there as well. She started behind me but by mile 2 was closer to me. My goal was to not let the fact that in my last race she sort of made me feel as though she was hoping to beat me and/or compete against me. This began to mess with my head as the night before she text me questioning about the race. First of all, I run for ME! Any competing I do with my running is AGAINST MYSELF. I don't like feeling as though a "friend" is hoping to beat my time or compete against me. I felt as though she was thinking that since I have continued running for months and she hadn't it was her goal to prove her running was better than mine and finishing before me would make her feel better. I don't know. I didn't like. 

At any rate, she approached me at some point during mile 2 and I of course, smiled. She made conversation that her inhaler didn't work or she didn't have it. I noted that my right calf was crampy and that (I really need to go deal with a tummy issue but by golly I was meeting my goal!). And with that she slowed and I sped up. A hill of bricks was ahead of me and I was determined to not walk it like I had last year. And I didn't. I kept trucking along as bystanders were yelling, "You go girl! You are almost there! Don't stop!" And soon enough I rounded the corner to the downhill finish.

As I looked at my watch, I knew that hubby had to be done as 31 minutes had past. I came under a bridge where a group of acapella singers were singing to finishers and I knew from last year's race I didn't have far at all to go and that a PR was mine! I booked it only to see my "friend" pass me but because there were so many runners finishing at the same time it was hard to speed up much as the path narrowed and there just wasn't much room to move sideways. So, I kept my swift pace and tried desperately to get a good view of the finishing clock, but the sun.. oh the sun! It was bright and even though I had my sunglasses on I couldn't see it until I was actually crossing the line.

33:32

I set a personal record! 

6 minutes faster than last year!!! 

I wanted to cry, I wanted to find my hubby and hug him so big. 

I love that he snapped this picture of me at the end even if I do look weird.

This is one of my proudest post race moments. I accomplished something I had not done before.

I said over and over on the way to the car, "I am so proud of myself. I did what I came to do." 

And looking back on where I was this time last year, I realize I accomplished a whole lot more than just a pr. But there will be more on that later.

Here are a couple of more post race pics. I love that my hubby runs *with* me. I always  say with me and then add, even though he finishes before me. He's so silly that he reminds me each time that I am catching up with him. He finished in 31:06. I am so proud of him, too. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have by my side when I start a race. One of these days I am going to finish right beside him, too. Wait and see, I have goals for my little huge running legs!!!