Shoe Update...

Ok, this is going to be a boring post, but I just wanted to say that I'm officially in LOVE with my new shoes!!!! Seriously, it's sad, but that's how I roll!!!!

Thursday last week I was able to get my self some new walking sandals at Gazelle Sports. There were two styles I tried and while they were both nice, I ended up with Chacos. They are so cute and super comfy! I just know I'll be walking tons of miles in them for many many years!!! And with purply straps... what more could I ask for???? Awesome!

Then I also found some new work shoes... and I found a pair of Clark's at Shoe Carnival!!! Even on sale! They are just so comfy and look nice with my new pants, so I'm all set!

Ok, that's really it. My life is so boring right now... just working a lot and dealing with teenagers which is more stressful than I ever imagined, but I still love them. Might be taking in a movie tomorrow if I can fit it in. Then we need to go to graduation at my son's school. It's a whole honor's dinner and stuff, so it should be quite an experience! I'll let you know.

TTFN!

Better Week...

Yes, it's been a better week. Hubby was gone all weekend, so no big Mother's Day spoiling for me, but the boys and I spent the afternoon with my sis and her family and our Mom. That was really nice! The weather has been beautiful and my new clothes are making me feel skinny and I love it!

Tomorrow is going to be shoe shopping day. I need new summer sandals that I can really walk in this year. Last year I spent a lot of time in my flip-flops and my feet and legs did NOT like me. I plan on walking a ton again this summer, so it's off to the really good shoe store and spend some cash on a great pair of sandals that I can walk hundreds of miles in! One of my favorite things to do in the summer is walk, especially because I live so close to a couple of nice beaches and boardwalks. I also like wearing shorts or capri pants, so sandals are much cuter than socks and tennies (in my opinion) so I want to feel good about what's on my feet! So my plan is to find those tomorrow along with a new pair of work shoes in brown because I got a new pair of pants that look really bad with black shoes. Just sayin!!!!

Also tomorrow I think I'm going to take the boys to Holland to watch the Tulip Time parade. We'll probably also get some junk food while we're down there.. at least they will, we'll see if I can resist the temptations!!!! I wonder how long I'll have to run to work off an elephant ear???? Maybe I should look that up!

So I signed up for my next race. Another 5k in Muskegon on June 4! The best part about this one... my sister is going to do it with me!!!! Oh yes! I'm so excited, this will be her first!!!! What an honor and inspiration she is! So happy she decided to start running, I really know how hard it is, but I think it will be a great thing for her health, and that's super important to me!!!!

So overall... a much better week!

I Freaking DID IT!!!!

I ran my first 10k this morning!!! I've been training for this since the beginning of February so I knew I could do it, but until you actually get there, it's nerve-wracking!!!

So this morning... I got up and had my breakfast, got dressed, did my thing... got downtown early to find a parking place. It's the first day of Tulip Time, so I knew I'd have to walk a bit, but it was good. I walked over to the start/finish line, and the 5k had already started. About 5 minutes later the first 5k finishers were crossing the line and the crowd was cheering, even me! I stood there and watched all kinds of people cross that line and I was so happy for all of them!

About 20 minutes before the 10k was supposed to start I dashed over to the potty for a final pit-stop. Then back to the line. We waited a few extra minutes for the last 5k racers to finish and then I lined up at the back of the pack and we were off!!! The whole group took off at a good pace and I stayed right with a bunch for a little bit. After the first mile I was still passing a few people, but my pace seemed to even out a bit. I was checking my gps for my pace every mile or two and it was what I wanted, so I kept going. I need to work on gulping water while running, I did really bad and only got about one swallow at each of the water stations, but I think it helped! Had to tie one of my shoes again at mile 2, but it didn't seem to slow me down much.

There were people that passed me and people I passed. I just kind of kept my head in the game and pushed really hard! There were some hills, but not too bad, and about a mile into a headwind which made me very thankful for all that windy training!!! I ended up 17th in my age category, which doesn't sound great, but I was happy with that because my official chip time was 1:04:27!!!! I was training to come in under 1:15, but I blew that out of the water!!!! I was so happy... I still am! Floating is about how I feel and I think I'll let that stick around a while longer.

So now what. I can say that this will not be my last race, not by a long shot. It really gives me something to work toward and I need that to keep going. To be honest, I really don't always like running, but I know I need to do it. I am going to keep running. As it's helped me lose weight and get in the best shape of my life... I really don't have a choice!

Besides... the feeling of crossing that line was amazing.. and I FREAKING DID IT!!! Woohoo!!!!!

Butterflies Or Wrestling Armadillos????

One of those are in my tummy right now.... which one I'm not sure, but it's one of them!!!! I've picked up my race packet and gotten my clothes all ready for the race, but I'm nervous! Why, I'm not really sure. I know I can run this 10k. I've been training since February 1st... well, really I've been training for a year, but seriously on a training plan for 14 weeks. I can DO this! I'm just really nervous!!!!

This weekend is the first anniversary of my becoming a runner. Seriously! One year ago today I could barely run for 60 seconds without feeling like I was going to DIE!!!! Nine weeks later I ran my first 5k. It was a slow and painful race, and I finished in just over 41 minutes, but I didn't die. That was my goal! Three months after that I ran in my second 5k. I finished that one in 36:37. Shaved off five minutes, and I was thrilled! That was about five months into my new life as a runner, but I still didn't FEEL like a runner. Not that I knew what that was supposed to feel like, I just still didn't consider myself a runner.

So maybe it's the weight loss that has accompanied this journey, maybe it's the new shoes, or maybe something else... but today I honestly can say I feel like a runner!!!! Tonight after work I went to the place where we picked up our race packets so that you don't have to fight the crowd in the morning. There were a TON of runners there. You know what? I wasn't the oldest, I wasn't the fattest, I probably wasn't even the newest! I was just "one of the runners!"!!!! And that feels AMAZING!!!! Nobody looked at me like "what's SHE doing here???" Everyone was encouraging (which runner's are, by the way, we love everyone!), and I got so many smiles and words of "good luck tomorrow!" I was nearly in tears walking back to my car. I know I'm an emotional wreck... but it was really nice and completely unexpected, because I'm still somewhat "new" to this thing of thinking of myself as an athlete! And it's AWESOME!!!!

So, tomorrow morning I will wake up, eat my breakfast, put on my running clothes and drive to the parking place to walk to the starting line (after at least one last potty stop). I will line up toward the back of the pack (because I don't want to be trampled on, I'm not THAT fast!) and I will run. I will run as fast as I feel comfortable, or just a little faster than that. I will focus on my breathing and my pace. I will finish the race. And I will smile at all the volunteers along the way. Because I am a RUNNER! And we are happy people!!!!! My only wish is that someone would be there for me to take my picture when it's all over, but hubby is stuck on the road for the weekend and my kids just can't be counted on not to wander off at this point, let alone be awake and coherent at 8am on a Saturday!!!! So when I get home I'll post something on Facebook, because that's how I roll... and I'll feel even more like a runner.

But for tonight, it's either butterflies or wrestling armadillos in my tummy. Not sure which, but I hope they calm down soon so I can get my rest!!!!!

What A Week!!!!

It's been a pretty crazy week around la casa!!!! Saturday my youngest son did a really dumb thing and got himself grounded for life. Yup, that's what I said. For life. Well, at least until summer. Seriously, at least, a minimum, of five weeks. Wanna know what he did? Of course you do!!!!

Friday night he spent the night at a friend's house. No biggie, he spends the night there often. Told him to be home by noon on Saturday because the house needed some teamwork cleaning time. Well, I got up later than I planned to take my 9 mile run, but I left the house a little before noon and told hubby that kiddo should be home soon, but he may want to call and check to see he's on his way. Nearly 4 miles into my run I get a phone call from a number I didn't know but I answered it. It was the security officer at Walmart saying he had my son there with some friends and they were shoplifting. WHAT!!! He wasn't supposed to be out of the neighborhood??? I'm shocked, confused and horrified! And I'm running. I'm not even halfway done running. Crap!

So I ask the guy to call my husband and he would come because I really didn't know what to do. So I keep running. A little bit later I call my husband to make sure he got the call from the store. He did. He's ticked! He's on his way and will call me back. I keep running. I am off my route because I'm frazzled, but I keep running.

Hubby calls me again to ask how soon I'll be home because he's about to lose it. I tell him I already planned to cut it short, but I was still over two miles from the house. I'm shot, emotionally I'm a wreck, but I try to keep running. Then about one mile from home I totally lose it. I break down sobbing. I can't run anymore. My head is NOT in the game. Long runs are so much about the head over the legs. My head is home but my legs can't run anymore. I turn off the GPS which said I had done 7 miles somehow, and walk the mile home. Sobbing. I'm a mess.

So I get home and the only question I have is "what the HELL were you thinking???" He went, with three other little boys, on the BUS to the NEXT TOWN to the Walmart. Then they shopped a little bit. Then one (or more, I really don't get the whole story) decided to steal. He says he didn't steal. I don't know what to believe. He was supposed to be walking the couple blocks home. Instead he hops a freaking bus to the next town. Did I mention he's 12 years old? Yup, 12. Might not make 13 at this rate! What the heck??? I didn't even know he knew the bus routes? Shocked. Horrified. And now he's grounded.

So he gets to walk the few blocks from school to my office everyday after school and sit in my staff room doing his homework until I get out of work and take him home. It's the only way I know what he's really up to. I don't trust him right now. Don't think you can blame me for that. I've hated them being "latchkey" kids, but I thought that they got how important it was to be truthful and not do dumb things like this!

Anyway. Beyond that, I got spoiled last night. My SAI Big Sis was awesome to me last night and treated me to a pedicure and dinner in celebration of my losing 32 pounds! Yup, that was my total lost as of my last weigh in (I do weigh in again tomorrow... ) and I couldn't be happier! I still want to lose at least 10 more, but I'll see how my body handles it and see what happens. Sometimes I get to a point and can't lose any more, but because of all the exercise I am doing now I have no idea what will happen... and I like that!!!!

Hope you all have a great week and I hope for another loss on the scale in the morning!!!! What a week!!!!

A Good Day....

Today was a good day. My husband was home. He let me sleep in and took over kid duty this morning. I ran 6 miles. Had lunch with my husband. Had dinner with all three of my men. But the best part of today???? My weigh in day... and I lost 3.2 pounds! Holy moly!!!!

I also have another NSV (non-scale victory) to share... I haven't had a single Cadbury Creme Egg this year. Nope! Not a single one purchased or consumed by this self-confessed egg addict!!! I think that has to be one reason I've been pretty steadily losing instead of stalling or gaining since the beginning of the year. Whatever it is, it's working... so I'm going to keep on keeping on...

And my race is in 9 days!!!! I'm so ready.. and praying it doesn't rain that morning!!!!!

Happy Easter!!!

He is risen!!!! Alleluia!!!!! I already got my praise on during the two services this morning at church. I love singing and was able to take part in the choir this year again which is amazing! We even did a couple of hand clapping fun songs along with a couple of more "serious" choral pieces... just awesome!

Anyway, I wanted to say Happy Easter as well as brag a little bit... Yesterday I ran NINE miles!!! Yes, that's right, I said NINE!!!!! It wasn't easy, not all of it was even enjoyable (especially the first 2.5 into the wind and the last 2..) but I did it and I could not be prouder of myself. I am not a bragger most of the time, but I will brag about this because I FREAKING DID IT!!!! Yahoo!!!! My race is in two weeks and I'm so ready to rock that thing it's not even funny... I'm going to kill it!

So today I'm a little sore (not surprised there) but still need to get some exercise in, probably a little walk or bike ride and some weight lifting.. mainly because I want to eat some of this chocolate Easter bunny that's staring at me!!!! But also because I'm on a roll that I don't want to break.

On Valentine's Day I joined a fitness/weight loss challenge on My Fitness Pal with a group of ladies that are motivating and inspiring and just overall fun! Our challenges varied, but mainly they were walking/running 100 miles in 70 days which ends today. I am very proud to say that I not only went 100 miles, I ended up with 124.5!!!! I didn't count anything but running, so I could have been many more if I'd have counted all the elliptical and walking miles I did in the past 10 weeks. One of the challenges was to take a "before" and "after" pic. We didn't have to share, and I had no intention of sharing, but then I took the "after" one today... and I'm pretty shocked!!! I only lost 13 pounds (which is awesome) but on my short little self, it really shows!!! Let's see if this works...

Before (Feb 15, 2011)

and After (April 24, 2011)

Please excuse the mess in the back.. took these in my closet by my vanity which nobody ever sees... but whatever, the light was good and I had a mirror!!!! Anyway, I think you can tell I'm a little proud of myself, which isn't a bad thing when I've worked so hard!!! I'm not nearly done with this journey, I will be counting calories until I can't count anymore and exercising until they put me in home or something... it's just who I will need to be if I want to stay healthy and happy, and I'm ok with that!!! I have about 15 more pounds I'd like to lose, and I will get there, but by no means am I in a big hurry. This is life we're talking about, not a race! But I will race, because it's fun, and the training is so good for my body and my soul.

So goodbye chubby mama... look out world,.... Nikki's here to stay!!!!!