Goals

I'm a big believer in setting goals...I guess that has been something ingrained in me since my high school years. My coaches always had us set goals at the beginning and end of each soccer season. I enjoy setting them and working towards them and the feeling of satisfaction when they are accomplished. 2009's big goal was to concentrate on the birth of AC and being a mom. Some other goals were nursing her to a year (still going strong with that - only two months left - holy cow!!), getting back into shape, being a better soccer coach and teacher, and of course being a better wife. 2009 was one of the best year's of my life...one that I will always remember and say, "remember 2009? what a great year!"

So on to 2010...what are my goals going to be? One of the mom blogs I read (yes, I categorize my blogs - running, mom, decorating - those are the main ones) used a book I recently read to sum up her goals for 2010 - Eat. Pray. Love.

Eat - I started what I have been calling a "food revolution" in our house the week before we got out for Christmas break. Using fresh foods, more organic, less high fructose corn syrup stuff - just trying to cook more and be healthier. I'm not doing it for the weight factor, but for the health of our family. We want AC to grow up eating healthy foods and not processed junk. Obesity is so rampant in the USA and we want to teach her about eating right and it starts with what we put on her plate everyday. So the food revolution will continue on!!

Pray - we were sooooo good about going to church and tithing before AC was born. Even the first couple of months after she was born we would go and sit in the back, but once she started more of a nap schedule and getting louder we went less and less. We must get back to church!!!

Love - just still working on being a better mom and wife - this will always going to be a goal of mine as AC grows up.

So where does running and fitness fall into this? This is a running blog after all (the mom blog is private!). I'm on week three of P90x and I want to finish this thing. I'm also running a 25K in January and a half marathon in March. Where I'll go from there I'm not sure. But I'll be running, biking, and lifting all of 2010!! I'm working on potential races so I'll post those at a later date once I figure it out!

Happy NY and running!!!!

Holy sore!!

Man I am sore from my neck to my toes! Yesterday I did the P90x chest and back workout which includes a lot of pushups and pullups. I'm on week three and the first two weeks I did all of my pushups on my knees, but yesterday I decided to start the pushups full out and then go to my knees when I got tired on each set. So for instance the first exercise is just standard pushups so I did ten full out then ten more on my knees. And I sure feel it today! These workouts really kick your butt!

This morning I Michael and I ran 12 miles at Stanky Creek - I forgot how technical and undulating those trails are - much more than the WRT. And it was freezing!!!! When we started it was 19 degrees. Holy cold. So my hips, legs, knees, and feet are achy from that run.

But it's all that good, I just rocked some workouts, kind of sore. I can feel myself really getting into the groove with things and improving my overall fitness...what was my goal over my three week Christmas break. Hopefully I can keep it up once school starts back Monday. It's going to take some planning but I think I can do it!

Happy New Year and happy running!

Miles and miles

I have thoroughly enjoyed my break so far...20+ miles on the trails last week and I'm looking to do the same this week. Michael and I have been heading up to the WRT 3-4 times a week and just enjoying our time off on the trails!! We ran 7.5 out there yesterday and I told him I was going to miss this once work starts up next week.

I've been ramping up my mileage for the Swampstomper - we did 12 miles last weekend and are aiming to do around 14 this weekend. I can't wait for that race!

What else...I'm also doing some cross training in the form of P90x. A teacher at school is letting me borrow hers and I'm on day 10 and I've been sore almost everyday. This thing kicks your butt!

Well, that's all for now. Just wanted to give a quick update...hope you all are enjoying your breaks!!

Happy running!

Love it!

Three more miles this morning on the trails! Woohooooo!!! 7 miles of trails for the week!!!!!! 4 more tomorrow with my friend Laura!!!! I just love it! Look at all my exclamation points!!!!

As I said in my last post...I just love this time of year...and so does she!!


Happy trail running!

Back to it

Well, it's exam week around here at my school so it doesn't matter if I come in stinky to give an exam, so this morning I went to Shelby Farms to get a nice 4 mile trail run in! What a great way to start the morning! One of my goals this Christmas break is to run on the trails as much as possible, so I'm on my way to meet that goal.

I love this time of year...

Happy running!

No go

Today's race was a no go for me. AC was up most of the night crying from either being sick or cutting her top teeth, so none of us got any sleep. Plus the fact that she is really not eating food or taking a bottle - she just wants to be nursed. So I couldn't really leave Drew with a super cranky baby and no way to feed her. Poor baby feels horrible...


Maybe next year! So now I will focus on getting ready for the Swampstomper in January! Congrats to all the runner today!

Happy running!

Tomorrow?

If you had asked me two weeks ago if I was ready for the half I would have said heck yeah! But today I'm feeling a little uncertain. I'll finish, don't get me wrong, but it might be a long day. Last week I only got in 6.2 miles between traveling, Thanksgiving, and school and this week AC has been sick. So I've been up lots at night and doing lots of nursing so I'm pretty pooped. She is so pitiful - sniffles, a horrible cough, 102 fever, and a little vomiting!! I feel so bad for her...


I've been loading up on fluids, but I'm pretty tired. So we'll see how it goes!! Good luck to everyone running!

Happy running!

Let the taper begin...

I got in my last "long" run before the St. Jude half this morning. Another 10 miler done! And it was my fastest one yet - 1:48 - which I know is not that fast for some people, but I was rocking it. I did a 6.5 mile loop and ended up at my house where I dumped my pullover and gloves in the driveway and picked up the water bottle and food I had waiting there. I felt pretty good the whole time so we'll see what happens in two weeks!

As I was running I found it pretty crazy that I am actually doing this. When school and soccer started up in July I was really doubting that I would have the time or energy to get it done. But that huge stretch of rain in September that cancelled a lot of soccer made it possible. So thank you Lord for the rain!!

Happy running!

5 Overdressed Miles!

Even though I really didn't want to, I set out on for a five-mile run. Yesterday was cold and wet and by the time I had time to get my run in it was 6:30...and I so would have rather curled up in bed and watched NCIS. But after I put AC down I got dressed...and by dressed I mean tights, long sleeve shirt, pullover, gloves, and a hat! I had been so cold at school and home that I just assumed outside was freezing. I had the hat and gloves off 5 minutes into the run and by the time I was done I was sweating hard! This is the second time I've done this recently - I've got to remember how to dress in this weather.

But I did it and it ended up being a great run - all miles under 10:00. Although the last mile I tried to break 9:00 and I felt like I was flying!! Only to see it was in 9:22! Oh well. It's hard to believe I ran a half marathon a year and a half ago and never went over 8:50/mile. I'll get back there one day!

Happy running!

Oh, when I got home I ended up curled up in bed and watched NCIS on DVR. Good stuff.

Hotty Toddy!

Just watched the rebels beat down TN!

Runs so far this week:
- 5 mile run on Wednesday - an awesome run! All miles under the 10:00/mile mark and the last mile was in 9:11! Get down.
-3 mile run on Friday - not a good one. I took yesterday off to spend some time with AC and I think I got so distracted that I did not eat a lot in the morning. I was supposed to do another five miler but when I got to mile 2 I was so tired and hungry that I just did three. I get so caught up with AC and her eating sometimes that I neglect myself - no good!
-10 miles this morning with Laura! We met up at Shelby Farms and ran 5 miles out on the tour then turned around and came back. Ten miles on the trail hurts in such a different way than 10 mile on the road. 10 miles on the road is bone jarring pain and 10 miles on the trail are a tired I just kicked some butt sore pain. I love it!

Tomorrow I'll wrap up the week with three miles - so that will be 21 for the week! My second 20+ mile week in a row.

Happy running!

Wades and more!

Last Sunday I had an awesome 8 mile trail run with Laura thanks to Wade's Big Adventure! The weather was great, the leaves were falling, and there was mud everywhere! The course is a 4 mile out and back and I would probably say that about 3/4 mile was pretty much under water and unrunnable - we just had to wade through it. The 18 milers had it even worse with some of the water coming up to people's necks!

I led for the first six miles at my slow pace then Laura brought us home at a fast pace. I can't tell you how great it felt to be out there. I love the trails so much and miss them terribly! I especially missed them last night when I ran 10 miles on the pavement. It's amazing how much more beat up you feel running on the pavement as compared to the trails.

This week so far has been a good running week for me. I was out of town for the state soccer tournament in Chattanooga for most of the week. I got in 4.5 miles the day before I left then I ran 4.5 miles in downtown Chattanooga after a very rough semifinal loss. I always feel better after a run and I can sort things out in my mind. Drew was really busy all day yesterday so I had to save my run for last night after I put AC down. And let me just tell you it was a rather boring run. We live in an area with a few neighborhoods and a lot of two lane roads, so I don't feel that comfortable running on the two lane roads last night, so I ran 5 two mile loops through the neighborhood! I had water at the start so I could just grab some as I went by. But I'm so proud that I actually finished it - I don't remember the last time I ran double digits! Slowly (1:50), but surely I got it done.

I plan on doing another ten miler next week and then maybe the road race series half to wrap up my training for the St. Jude half.

Happy running!

Getting it done...

kinda...I'm going to get three out of my four runs done this week, but I'm happy with that because this week has been insane! I got one 4.5 miler in and a 3 miler this morning. Then hitting Wade's for an 8 mile trail run tomorrow!!

This week was nuts! We were in Jackson, TN for the region tournament finals Tuesday night until 11:30. We lost, but we still qualified for sub-state which was today...and we won! We are in the semi-finals of the state tournament starting Thursday!! I was at school late Thursday for our annual Halloween Bazaar that I'm in charge of for student council. I went to sleep around 8:45 Thursday and Friday nights...and I'm about to fall asleep now.

I felt good on both runs - averaging closer to under 10:00/miles. I can't wait for tomorrow - 8 miles on the trails in this beautiful fall weather!

Happy running!