I have to get better, right?

I have to get better, eventually, right? I need to really take a look at what I'm doing with my life and make it better.

I mean I live a pretty happy existence. I have a job that I love, yes love! I have a wonderful husband and 2 beautiful daughters.

This is Melissa:

This is Meghan -- OK and maybe not so cute with blue lips from her first popsicle, and yes, she is now eating a green one ;):


But what don't I have? I don't have the self-control I used to have. I used to be able to turn my head at anything that was bad for me. I used to exercise 5-6 times a week. I used to weigh 155 pounds.

But I'm working on it... just need to take one day at a time; one meal at a time. Eventually I'll be able to "Just Say NO" again and again to those bad for me foods, right?

It all starting to make sense now

Ok - so this post isn't going to be about running at all. Sorry if you were looking forward to one :P~

Meghan is my 3 year old daughter. I've heard from several people that the two's really aren't terrible, it is the three's. And so far that has been true for us. Meghan wasn't an angel by any means when she was 2 but she was definitely a lot nicer than she is now.

She has become very bossy towards us (which we don't allow). She has started using baby words instead of her real words (answering "GaGa" or "GooGoo" when we ask her stuff). And she has started hitting us (thankfully just us and not Melissa - our 6 month old). And she has been afraid to go to school. She doesn't want to go into her classroom if her teacher is there. She needs to get dropped off in her old classroom and the director take her to her classroom.

But it is all starting to make sense now.

About a month ago as we were driving home from school (daycare), I asked Meghan about her day. She told me that she was sitting on the floor and Michael stepped on her. I thought she meant by accident (that he tripped or something). I asked her what happened and she said that she cried but was OK now. I let it drop.

Then on Wednesday Meghan said that Michael pushed her. I asked her if Michael said he was sorry and she said no. I asked her if she told Ms Renee (her teacher) and she said that she cried and screamed. I didn't like this at all.

So yesterday (Thursday) when I picked her up, I asked Ms Renee about it. I told her what Meghan had said and Renee answered that Michael was an aggressive child. He has a speech impediment and that he does not speak at all - which come to think of it, nope, I have never heard Michael make a single sound.

Renee said that she is working with Michael on his aggression and trying to get him to communicate in other ways. But she obviously can't watch him 24/7 with 10 other kids in the class as well.

But no wonder Meghan has started displaying such awful behavior when she was always such a well behaved one before. And no wonder she doesn't want to go into her class - she is probably being bullied by Michael. No wonder she is starting to hit us, she is learning that from Michael.

I think today I'll stop for a few minutes and talk to the director about Michael and see what else can be done about this. It definitely is not a good thing for Meghan to be near him but I don't want to deny Michael an opportunity either. There just needs to be some sort of compromise, right?

Oops, I forgot

I went running at lunch time today and I forgot to take my new RoadID. What's the point of having one if I forget to actually use it?

It wasn't even that I forgot to just attach it to my shoe, I left it at home so I didn't even have it with me. I need to remember to put it in my bag tonight before going to bed.

Today's run was slow for me. Still had a pretty good pace, but definitely not one of my best times. I'm sure it is because this week I've been eating like crap and not drinking my fluids.

I will start eating better again on Monday. I just need to get this week out of my system. Saturday night is date night for Steve and I and we're going to The Cheesecake Factory (and hopefully a movie, too). I told him I couldn't care less about dinner, I just wanted the cheesecake.

Cheesecake is my favorite dessert. Now to just decide which flavor I want!

Slow Today

Whoops! Forgot to post on Sunday. We went to the gym as usual and I did 6.28 miles in 70 minutes.

I took Monday off.

Today, I ran around my neighborhood. I started out ok, but felt really slow at the end. I ran 3.14 miles in about 39 minutes. Yes that is very slow!

On a side note - for the Biggest Loser challenge at work, I lost a total of 21 pounds in 8 weeks. I'm very proud of myself for that. I made 3rd place out 18 total. Only the top 2 places paid, so I didn't win any money, but it is all good.

The Road ID

It came, it came!

When I made the decision to sign up for the half marathon, I also made the decision that I needed to be safe in my training. One thing that does that is the Road ID. It is like an insurance policy. You hope you never need it but will be glad when you do.



I purchased the one that goes on my shoe (instead of my wrist or ankle). The pink part is a pouch so I can carry an ID card or my car keys (which I definitely need since all of my running pants don't have pockets).

If you want to, you can see it close up by clicking on the picture. If you don't feel like it, it has my name, city I live in and Steve's number to call (which I, of course, blacked out). Then it has a saying "The journey of one thousand miles starts with one step." I might have to start tracking my miles to see how long it takes me to get to 1,000 miles.

I can't wait to try it out!

On another note - the Biggest Loser weigh in was this morning. It said I lost 20 pounds total. Yay for me! However, if we are at work on Monday, we can also weigh in on Monday. So I will be good this weekend and weigh in on Monday as well to see if I've lost any more weight. I'll let you know then.

I did not eat dinner last night or breakfast this morning. I also went to the gym this morning before work and could barely do anything. I only did 2.0 miles in 36:41. That is such a slow pace for me. But at least I did something!

Yikes!

Approximately 8 weeks ago, I joined the Biggest Loser challenge at work. We had to pay $25 to be in the competition. There are 18 people in it and the top 2 people get the prize money ($338 and $112 respectively).

Final weigh-in was to be on Monday the 22nd. Perfect for me as I work out hard on Sundays when we go to the gym. Well today, it turns out the 2nd place person won't be at work on Monday. THEY MOVED THE FINAL WEIGH IN TO TOMORROW MORNING!!! YIKES!

I'm so not ready. I was in 4th place at the end of week 7. I needed to lose approximately 3 pounds to be in contention for 2nd place. I don't think I did it. And now I'll not know for sure if I would've made it had I had the weekend to work out like planned.

I did work out at the gym after work today. I ran 6.1 miles in 70 minutes. I know it isn't healthy for me to do this, but I skipped dinner and will be skipping breakfast and go for a run before work (and the weigh in) in the morning. I am allowing myself to drink plenty of fluids, but no food until after the weigh in. I just figure doing this for one day won't hurt me too much. I know if I were to keep skipping meals, then that is when it becomes unhealthy.

Either way, I should be proud of my journey. At the end of week 7, I had lost a total of 19 pounds. I still have a long way to go, but 19 pounds isn't anything to scoff at.

The best time yet

I didn’t get a chance to blog yesterday. But I had a good day, running wise. I went at lunch time like normal. I completed my route in 35 minutes and 44 seconds. That is the fastest time I’ve done my work route as of yet. I’m very proud of myself.

Now, if I can only get the rest of my life in such great working order – I’d be set! Actually, things aren’t so bad. I just always feel like there is never enough time in the day to get everything done. I never seem to have the time to just even clean the house. Thankfully, Steve does help out A LOT. He takes out the garbage, sweeps/mops, does his own laundry and picks up when necessary. He does not cook or wash dishes, but that is ok. I like to cook, though I hate doing the dishes.

I didn’t run today at lunch, but I will tomorrow. I’m getting my hair cut tonight. I am going to get it cut short for the summer months and running in this heat and humidity. I’ll definitely post some pictures tomorrow if I have the time.

Today's workout

Sundays are gym days for Steve and I. We take the girls to his mom's house and she watches them for us while we go and workout. Today was a nice and good work out.

I was able to go 6.07 miles in 70 minutes (60 minutes running and 10 minute cool down). Afterwards we had to rush home to attend my niece's birthday party. Thankfully I was successfully able to avoid the pizza and cake that was there.

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Side note: Would anyone care if I talked about other things that go on in my life besides my workouts and training? I guess it really doesn't matter what you think since it is my blog... but just wanted to check first :)

254 Days and counting

Well, I did it. I took the plunge and signed up for my first half marathon. It is the Women's Half Marathon taking place in St Petersburg, FL. It benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

It is 254 days away on November 21st.

I'm excited over it, although I didn't enjoy paying the $85 registration fee ;) But it is all good, it *is* for charity. And it *will* help me keep healthy.

I've asked Steve to make sure he is waiting for me at the finish line. Everything I've read said for the first one, not to worry about finishing in a certain time frame, just to try and finish it. I know I can do that as long as someone is waiting for me at the end. I hate running my races with no one at the end to look forward to seeing.

So.... 254 days and counting!

And oh, today's workout was at the gym because it rained again today. I can run further at the gym but it isn't as hard since it is on the treadmill. I did the 'hill' workout so it was a little harder but still thought it was pretty easy. I did 3.75 miles in 45 minutes today (a 5.0 mph pace).

Useless Day

I was a bum today. I didn't work out at all. I went out to lunch with a co-worker instead. I miss going out to lunch with my co-workers, but it is probably all for the better. It not only saves me money but it saves me from expanding my waistline.

I was, however, able to avoid the bake sale that went on after lunch. I did feel bad that I didn't donate any money (all proceeds were going to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) but I felt great that I successfully avoided eating any of the junk food they had there.

I will be running tomorrow on lunch (weather permitting, of course). Otherwise I'll have to do weights in the gym. I need to do more weights anyway. Cardio is great, but weights are what need to be done to get the muscles to burn those calories in a more efficient manner.

The "Energy" Drink

I didn't get a chance to run at lunch time today due to an urgent meeting being called. But it is all good. One quick phone call to Steve (my husband for those that don't know) to ask him to pick up our children from daycare and I was off to the gym after work.

As I was walking in, a lady offered me a free drink. I don't remember the name of the drink, but it was basically an energy boosting one. She said the bottle contained 2 servings so to only drink half of it before my workout. What the hell, I thought. I drank half of it.

First it was kind of gross. It was supposed to be fruit punch flavored and I could tell that it was trying to be fruit punch. But it contained no sugar so it didn't taste right. Think Kool-Aid before the sugar was added.

Second, it upset my stomach. Not right away, but while I was running on the treadmill, I could feel my stomach hurting. It was not a good feeling.

Third... I didn't feel any more energetic or have more energy to do my workout.

Like I said before, I don't remember the name of the drink or else I would tell you all to stay away from it. Seriously. All I can remember is that it came in a plastic bottle and the plastic wrapper on it was silver and had a silver cap.

So for today... I was able to do 5.50 miles in 70 minutes.

Welcome to my journey

The start of any journey is just placing one foot in front of the other. And that is what I am doing.

I'm relatively new to running. I do like to run, but I can tell that my form is bad. But you know what? At least I'm doing it.

So far my journey has consisted of running 3-4 days a week on my lunch break at work and on Sundays at the gym. I have run a few 5ks (3.1 miles for those that don't know) and am doing pretty well at those.

I've set my sights higher now. I believe I will start training for a half marathon that is coming this November. Then that gives me over a year to make sure I can do a full marathon in February 2012.

Let's start on this road together....