Turkey Trot'in

Once again, late but for posterity's sake


October 29, 2011 -- Time: 30:57 (we believe the new time is due to a last-minute, shortened route)

In My Shoes

At the 1st 5k in April, Elliott saw the other kids participating in the 1 mile Fun Run.  His interest was piqued.  Then in May at my 2nd 5k, I randomly won that medal.  That really hooked him! So I've been trying to find a time that it would work for him to do his first Fun Run.  Thanks to the help of Anna, today was the day!

Doug took this unauthorized picture of me about to cross the finish line. 

Since I look semi-decent, I decided to publish it for posterity.

I hope to see many "double" shirts in my future with Elliott!

This race was a mixed bag for me: 

• Elliott's 1st Fun Run! :)
• Vanessa was unable to attend; this is the first time one of us has raced without the other. :(
• Katie V was my running buddy! :)
• Around 2.5 miles, I started gagging.  Two sips of water instead of one did me in?  Who knows what happened.  Anyhoo, I had to walk a few yards to get myself back under control. :(
• My time was 30:34, shaving nearly 3 minutes off my 3rd 5k time! :) [no wonder I almost puked!]
• The first time Doug has ever been present for a race. :)

 I am so proud of my boy.  And I am so proud that I inspired him in this endeavor.  +1 for Mami!


The end of every race is the beginning of a new one.
  --T-shirt of a kid I passed

Positive Patty

So I promised you a more positive post.  Here goes.  What have I been up to other than paper chasing and real life?  Couponing and running! :)

Here is my teeny tiny stockpile.

 

I still have LOTS to learn about couponing and deals, but I'm already addicted to what I have accomplished.  I actually get all antsy on Sunday mornings to go get my deals!

As for running, Van and I have now been running for SEVEN MONTHS!  It was only at the very end of August that we ran 3.1 miles without stopping.  We've now done so a handful of times, so we just keep setting new goals for ourselves!  Our next 5k together is Saturday, Oct. 29 (Turkey Trot at MSU).  However, in a week I'm going to run my first solo 5k (while Elliott attempts his 1st 1 mile fun run!).  I am scared to death.

A few months ago someone asked me how I liked running.  And sometimes that answer is "I hate it."  But it's a very complicated relationship.  Well, lo and behold, Dooce summed it up perfectly: http://www.dooce.com/2011/09/20/its-going-so-well

And the choir says, "AMEN!"

Labor Day Recap

As my great but exhausting weekend was playing out, I realized it resembled last year's 3-day weekend.  So for simplicity, I edited last year's list to show once again how I spend my holiday weekends.

Saturday:

Prairie Arts Festival

• RAN my 3rd 5k!

 

 

• (Doug worked dove hunts)
• (Part of a) Funnel cake as breakfast (a PAF tradition)
• Strategies for keeping Elliott from being whiny failed, even with his new gun, but I was granted a reprieve when Jero agreed to take the 2 little ones back early for the 2nd year in a row! :)
  
  
• Chicken on a stick for lunch (another PAF tradition, and it must be purchased from a particular vendor)
• Bought 1 gift and 1 item (frame) for the nursery
• Kitty won 2nd prize in her age category in the art contest

Post-Dove Hunt Cookout in Artesia

• A fairly new tradition, but very worth it b/c the people who put it on are golden...you are going to want to click on the below pic to see Corgan wearing her Rapunzle hat :)
  
  
• (Doug still working)

Sunday:

Family Lunch 

• Crazily, Elliott and I went swimming even though the temperatures had already started dropping
• Played Contact

Another Post-Dove Hunt Cookout

• A delicious meal of BBQ beef sandwiches at Jero & Penny's house
• 2nd game of Contact in one day

Monday:

• Chilled at the house the grand majority of the day with the front door open, enjoying the rain and breeze through the screen door
• Read a book
• Umi for supper

So excited to FINALLY be able to say I kicked PAF off by running!  I hope to be able to write that every year from here on out!

Gearing Up

1st 5k

2nd 5k

3rd 5k Saturday!

Idling

Even if you're on the right track, 

you'll get run over if you just sit there. 

-Will Rogers

You're so vain, you probably think this post is about you...don't you?...don't you?

I know, I know, enough already, you are sick of this from me.  But I am trying to make a record for myself!

April 2010:

 May 2011:

This picture reflects a loss of somewhere in the 7-11 pound range.
(The story behind this pic is too much to explain.)

YAY! :)

Previous documentations here and here.

A Little Mo' Cardio

An acquaintance recently introduced me to See Jane Run, who I now "follow" on Facebook.  I love the testimonials from other women about why they run.  And it's a good thing that was in my brain during Vanessa's and I's 2nd 5k (Saturday, May 14) because I couldn't find my mental happy place (The HILLS are alive!).  So I started thinking like those women, and chanted to myself:

I run because I can.
I run for me.
I run for us (Van).
I run for my family.
I run to prove I can.

We finished in 33:34...taking 2:45 off our previous time!  (For reference, see 1st 5k story here.)  We placed 40 and 41 out of 71 participants.  Now, we had done a lot of mental preparation for this race, and again, the course is VERY HILLY.  My student worker, an amazing runner, had warned me that our time might be slower due to the hills.  Well, we were blessed with fantastic, cool weather (all the better to breathe in!), and apparently a whole lot of adrenaline! 

One of the funniest things to me was at registration.  We saw two women with the race map trying to figure out the course before starting.  Vanessa and I were both like, "OMG, you mean they haven't run the course?!"  Then we got a kick out of our Type A selves having HAD to do our race homework to prepare.  :)

But the FUNNIEST thing was receiving a call later in the morning that I had won my age category.  After a few euphoric seconds, I realized that probably meant I was the only person in my age category.  Well I was wrong...there was one other person!  HA!  But I did beat her by 1:15! :)  I'll take it anyway!

 

Next up, a different training schedule for summer (read as: AVOIDING THE HEAT).  Then we have our sights set on the Prairie Arts Festival 5K in early September.  Our goal is to run that one without any walking.

There is no finish line. - See Jane Run

Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body

It is very apropos that last night's episode of The Biggest Loser featured a 5k since I just completed my very 1st 5k this weekend!  And no, I was not running through mixed-terrain in New Zealand, but the emotions were so very similar.  The feelings of "I can't believe I'm doing this"..."I never thought I would be a 'runner'"..."Being overweight and out of shape means I can't do things"...Powerful emotions.  It is something I have been wanting to do for about 3 years.  And a year ago my running buddy Van and I were about THIS CLOSE to beginning.  But the beginner's running course was offered at times that were not conducive to our commuter schedules.  Fast forward an entire year, and we joined said class together.  We trained for 5 weeks with the amazing Molly, and we were so happy to finish in 36:15!  We are now training for our 2nd 5k, and we are still in awe that we did it, that we stayed on track and completed this goal that was so important to us.  Not only was it an amazing journey for our individual selves, but it was a great journey to take together as cousins.   Maybe next time this huge milestone will actually include pictures!

I'm working on a new personal goal (no, nothing insane like running anything longer than a 5k), which I will share with you in time.

Title credit: U.S. Marine Corp

Pick up the phone! It's me calling!

My new sister-in-law's married name bears a shocking resemblance to my name as it was pre-marriage.  So when I put it in my phone, I made sure to add her maiden name also so it wouldn't look so odd to me.  You know, in case the phone should ring and I think my 1999 self were calling.  So in the "If I could write a letter to myself" style, what would my 1999 self be calling to say?  A few thoughts:

Wow, why are you so fat and out of shape?

What do you mean you have credit card debt?

YOU NO LONGER DRINK DR. PEPPER?!?

I see your housekeeping prowess hasn't improved.

Wait, you drive WHAT? (Contributed by Sara)

It is time to fully embrace reality.

What would YOUR 1999 self say to you?

Editor's note:
Leigh-Ann, my NABWW (New Age Barren Work Wife) says the following were missing:

How awesome is it to still be with the man you love? 

How does it feel to finally be a mom?

Do you enjoy being a homeowner?

Did you know you would love a work wife so much? ;)

Hmm, an optimist amongst us.

Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise - Take 2!

I want to take the accomplishments of 2010 and make them bigger smaller and better in 2011!  In regards to healthy, wealthy, and wise I want to:

• Lose more weight and be a smaller (and healthier) me
• Exercise more
• Eat out less
• Get a firm grasp on my budget and become fanatical about it
• BE IN LESS DEBT!
• I want my hubby to get healthy again and stop going to the ER :(
• I want to provide an environment (and good example) of being active for my son
• I WANT TO START ADOPTION PAPERWORK!

 I realized just the other day that I had hit another major accomplishment sometime over the course of last year: I no longer sit down to pay bills with fear and trepidation.  In fact, I have that list out all the time studying it.  It is still F  A  R from perfect, but if I can ramp up the current diligence, watch out!

30-Day Blog Challenge: Day 13

Day 13: Goals

If only you knew how much I've been struggling with a related issue lately.

Personal goals:

• To be the best mother and wife I can be (insert all other familial relationships here)
• To get out of debt
• To continue to lose weight and keep it off
• To become one of those annoying people who LOVES to exercise
• To keep a cleaner house
• To be a better friend

Professional goals:

I have been trapped in a Sara ping-pong match here, and the match was only intensified by my work trip last week.  Do I want to stay in distance education?  If so, I need to take some big girl steps forward.  Is my dream of working in adoption supposed to be a long-range dream?  What is the likelihood that I will leave the state retirement system (or the state, for that matter) before my 30 years are up? 

• To be able to articulate my professional goals

REFOCUS!

Goals for October - December 2010:

• Hit 1#0 pounds by Christmas
• Go down one pant size by Christmas
• Be in a smaller width bra by Christmas
• Be able to run 1 mile without looking like an asthmatic imbecile

Workout Schedule:

• Mondays - Walk on treadmill at home
• Tuesdays - Zumba or softball
• Wednesdays - Kettle bell workout at home
• Thursdays - Zumba
• Fridays - None
• Saturdays - Bob Bootcamp workout at home
• Sundays - Stability ball workout at home

These are all very ambitious for me, but still measurable and attainable.  I just realized that I made a list of goals on a Tuesday (not the magic Monday we all talk about) at the end of a month (not the magical "I'll start on October 1" motivation).  Huh, that makes me really happy.  So here goes...

The (Excrutiatingly Slow) Shrinking Woman

November 2008 - 10-Year Class Reunion

December 2008 - Disney World

Behold, my fattest year (above). Lost 10 pounds over the course of 2009:

September 2009
November 2009 - Vegas

June 2010
A total of 19.5 pounds (or possibly more) lost since 2008-2009.

15 pounds to go to get back in my weight range!

Welcome to the Family!

I have now left behind 2 weight families! (Well, I've probably left behind 3, but since I never saw the highest family number - since I was avoiding the scale at that point - I have only seen 2 weight families repeatedly from the view of the scale.) It feels so good to leave behind another weight family! I have now lost 9.5 lbs in 12 weeks on WW (5% of my starting weight + 1 additional pound). Add that to the 10 lbs I lost and kept off last year, and that is pretty substantial. Slow, but substantial. And I'm starting ZUMBA class on Thursday! I'm super excited about it. Next week I have to cancel WW (my 3 months of pre-paid will end), but I am going to go back to tracking with Livestrong. And with fall Sanderson classes back, I am excited about new numbers to come.

I'm also working on a compilation of pictures showing me at my biggest (2008-2009) and my very slow shrinking journey.

My pants actually look a little ridiculous today through the hips and thighs - a little like clown pants. But my tummy and waste are being stubborn! Hello, Zumba!

The Return, and Subsequent Squashing, of Sassy Pants

As you may have noticed, we leave for the beach tomorrow! And I'm wondering if the fact that today I felt like I had my sassy back is really good or really bad timing. In addition to all the weight numbers I threw at you just days ago, I'm 0.6 pounds away from what I like to call a new weight family (or a new set of 10's if you will). In other words, IF I weighed 130.5 lbs, then I would be 0.6 pounds from the 120's family. But I digress.

Today I feel like there is hope for this fattie. Today I feel that in the near future I can breakthrough the badness. B-u-t. In just a day, I will be faced with the personal manifestation of my failure -- the childhood friend who moved away, while still the chubby kid and turned out super hot. I mean, I don't want to be harsh, but she is the real life Ugly Duckling into the Swan (not that she was ever ugly).

So, I will attempt to be sassy while faced with hotness. Oh dear.

Stories to come after next week!

Fro Yo ~ Ho Cho ~ Pi Yo

I also rejoined the Sanderson Center (1 year and 1 month after giving up my membership to go back to school). Going back to group classes is like dating -- you have to check out the instructors, see if he/she is going to be a good fit, etc. Last week Sara and I tried kickboxing...except the normal instructor was out and it was taught by a yoga instructor. It was interesting, and it was a good workout. But kickboxing it was not. Today we went to PiYo, a mix of pilates and yoga. Yes, it has definitely been over 400 days since I had been to yoga. Youch!

By the Numbers

Confession: I have been doing WW (again) for the past 7 weeks, and I have lost 8 pounds. I have a great support network this time (though I'm not outing anyone on here), but I'm still having trouble committing 100%. Even the high of losing - and the frustrating fact that I should be losing 2 pounds a week instead of a little over 1 - has not pushed me to give it my all. I need therapy.

But anyway, in an effort to pump myself up, here are some updates:

• I am now 0.4 pounds away from the first goal set by WW.
  
  
• I am 3.5 pounds away from what I consider my first goal - the weight I was in 2002 (or was it 2003?) when I first joined WW.
  
  
• I am still 16.5 pounds away from the top of my weight range (based on height and my self-categorization of a medium-sized frame). I am using this chart: http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm
  
  
• I am down around 6 pounds from this time last year.
  
  
• I am down 10 pounds from the beginning of 2009.
  
  
• I am down AT LEAST 20 pounds from my heaviest weight (2007-2008). Like most women, I don't truly know my heaviest weight because...say it with me...we stop weighing when it gets really bad.
  

Sara and I are about to kick up our exercise schedule, which I'm really excited about. Oh yeah, and my pants are threatening to fall off today, even PMS'ing...which is a rant for tomorrow.

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I'll Love ME, Tomorrow!

Every day I tell myself that today is the day I'm going to go home from work and exercise. And then when I choose being lazy over being active, I assure myself that tomorrow morning I start anew.

Self-discipline is when you tell yourself to do something and you don't talk back.
-- W. K. Hope

I'm putting myself in timeout.

It's only a day a-way!...To-MORROW!

Take That, Ticker

So, I'm feeling a little ticked off at the ticker that was not moving, so I deleted it. Mature, I know. But it made me feel better! :)

Here are the things I've been doing well:

• No DP in 89 days ---> see self-made ticker
• Rarely drinking sweet tea and mostly drinking decaf unsweet tea
• Drinking 1 Diet Pepsi a day
• Eating lunch 4 out of 5 days at my desk (sandwiches, soup, salads, leftovers, etc.)
• Eating supper at home every week night
• Eating out 1/week for lunch and only 1/weekend (HUGE progress!)
• Gave up chocolate for Lent, so I've only had it on Sundays
• Drink the recommended amount of water...on weekdays
  

Areas I need to work on:

• Continue cutting sugar from my diet
• Cut my sodium intake
• STICK to my daily allotted calories
• Continue to cut back on processed food
• Continue to eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Eat less carbs
• EXERCISE! EXERCISE! EXERCISE!