Lenten Sacrifice

Today is Ash Wednesday. For most of my life, that really meant nothing. I grew up Southern Baptist and the Lenten Season is not something that I really observed. However, since joining the United Methodist Church, I have come to appreciate and actually look forward to Lent. 

I have come to appreciate the process of praying through what I will "give up" for the 40 (46 counting Sundays) days of Lent. I finally felt affirmed in my decision this morning. 

This year, I am giving up Facebook for personal use 

and all fried foods.

While both will be difficult and at times tempting, I feel convicted about the time spent on one and the indulgence of the other. I hope this will truly be a time when I experience spiritual growth. 

This amazing video brings me to tears every time I watch it and puts my Lenten "sacrifice" in perspective. He gave the ultimate sacrifice...

What are some french fries and a social network 

in the face of this?

One week...but so far away

It's one week until my birthday and I'm not even close to reaching my goal. Well, kind of.

I'm basically where I started...kind of. If the goal was to lose 7 pounds before my birthday, and I've gained 5 pounds and then lost them, then I'm still in pretty good shape, right? Unfortunately, the goal was to lose 7 pounds AND be a certain weight (Sidebar: This is a good lesson for my PR students in making goals singular - an individual/organization can achieve one part of a goal and not the other!). When setting the original goal, I also failed to account for Riley being away at Disney World for EIGHT DAYS last week and the fact that I would "need" cookies to get through the week as well as the introduction of Valentine's Day candy EVERYWHERE (Sidebar: This also provides great material regarding setting realistic goals for my PR students!).

To end on a positive, last week was a good running week. I was able to get in three runs for 12.5 miles. I'll take that after the previous week...which I'm just embarrassed about.

So, how are you doing with YOUR goals in 2012?

Trying New Things

I have a birthday next month. I am not what you might call "excited" about it, but it does provide an easy deadline for reaching a goal. I've put on about 4 pounds over the holidays that I need to shed. And another 3 would get me into a weight range I haven't seen in about 6 months. Goal created...

To lose 7 pounds by February 6.

There it is...in writing. That comes to about 1.5 pounds a week. Very do-able. Yesterday, I cut my Dr. Pepper consumption in half from the previous couple of days, which should help a lot. I ran 3.5 miles, did 100 crunches and a 2-minute plank (feeling the effects of the caffeine reduction and the ab work, by the way!). Good start.

Today is Sunday - a somewhat hectic day at our house because of Jeff's position with our church. That hecticness - coupled with my disdain for cooking - has resulted in the routine visit to our local Mexican restaurant every Sunday after church. Today, Jeff and I split an entree. It saved us $10 (that's $40 a month and $480 over a year, BTW). More significant to the current goal, it saved us BOTH a lot of calories and from the temptation of overeating. Baby steps, people. Baby steps toward getting back on track.

I'll keep you posted as we try new things and I work on reaching my birthday goal...

If you have "little things" that help, please share! I'd love to have more ideas for reaching my goal!

Training is "Officially" Underway

Last week was "unofficially" week 2 of marathon training. I logged just over 20 miles and gained 3 pounds. Uh. I'm confused. I'm eating like a horse, yes, but I'm burning crazy numbers of calories (in comparison to pre-training burn, of course). Not going to worry about the number on the scale, just the number of miles. Right?

So, today marks the "official" start of the training - it is Week 1 Day 1 of the training plan I'm using. I still have (MANY) moments when I think, "What ARE you thinking?" Those usually start around mile 3 when my body starts protesting the 100% humidity sucking the life right out of me! 

I have already tackled today's run. It was a steady 4.25 miles (9:42 pace) with some pretty good hills. Left the house around 6 a.m. and several times thought, "I could still be asleep. You're an idiot." But now that the day is rolling, I'm glad it's done, and I'm looking forward to pushing the distance a little further tomorrow (Of course, that means rolling out of bed earlier. Ugh!).

All that to say, I'm on track (I know, it's Day 1, but cut me some slack!), but still having sanity-doubting moments! 123 days to race day...

Hot, Humid and Snakes...Oh, My!

Week 1 of marathon training in the books. I still can't believe I'm really doing this. I've visited the race website several times just to "confirm" my registration.

Monday: 4 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles
Thursday: 3.2 miles
Saturday: 6 miles

18 miles total for the week - and that's about 8 miles more than last week! So thankful for the overcast skies during yesterday's long run (God answers even our "smallest" prayers!). It's been really hot and humid this week and to be honest, I am NOT really enjoying running very much right now. I know that will change in the fall, but the thought of the long runs BEFORE fall does not make me look forward to this.

So, I had my first encounter with a LIVE snake this week and didn't even know it. My neighbors came to tell me that they are pretty sure I ran right on top of a water moccasin that was coming out of a wooded area in our neighborhood. WHAT? It was fairly small (they ran over it coming to tell me it was there, thank goodness!) but it was a snake nonetheless. I think it might be time to invest in a headlamp for my nighttime running.

131 days until race day (OMGosh! That freaks me out a little!)!

I'm embarrassed...

I'm embarrassed. Good blogging requires continuity. The last month has really been a blur. Luckily, I've run more than I've blogged (to find a bright spot?).

We went to the beach the first week in June, and I thought (or maybe I hoped) things would slow down a bit upon our return. No dice. I managed to get in a few 2 - 4 mile runs while we vacationed in Orange Beach. It was so fantastic to have designated pedestrian lanes on the road and not have to fret about traffic. Well, at least not as much as normal. The humidity was pretty rough, but the sounds and smells of the ocean totally made up for it. Despite the chaos, I've managed to log about 10 - 14 miles per week.

I leave Friday with our youth group for a trip to the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. I'm excited about the cooler weather and planning to get in some miles while we're there. They will be hilly miles, I'm certain, and probably done EARLY in the morning, but I'm ready for some new terrain and I'm pretty sure I'll need the time to keep my sanity.

I'm finding a lot of enjoyment in my running - despite the miserable heat and humidity that mark summertime in Mississippi. I have refreshed my playlist recently, gotten comfortable with my summer pace and I'm trying to mix up my routes as much as I can.

So, despite my failure to blog about it, the running goes on. I hope July will bring a little more downtime (and I'd be ok with some cooler temps!) as I have a list of ideas for posts.

Stay hydrated, my friends.

Racing Debut

Tomorrow is race day! I am so excited to actually be running a race tomorrow - AND WITH MY HUSBAND! I can hardly stand it (and he seems totally uninterested and unfazed by my excitement). It's been several months since I've competed in a race of any distance, and I've missed the discipline of a set training regimen a little.

Anyway, Jeff completed the Couch to 5K program a few months ago and has been running about 3 miles 3 times per week since. We were (finally) able to get our boys situated to BOTH make it to a great 5K nearby in the morning. YAY!

The Market Street 5K is a great out-and-back race on a trail down by the river in Columbus, MS. The course is completely flat and very shaded. The weather forecast for the morning is perfect! All that in taken into account: I am going for a 5K PR tomorrow - 27 minutes. It's ambitious, but I'm hoping my competitive nature will kick in and help me push a little harder. Last year, I ran the course in 32:05, so we'll see what I can muster up in the morning.

Will try to get some pics of the "happy couple" post race!

My Inspiration and My Friend...

One year ago today, I ran my first 5K. It was the Old Cotton Mill Classic that wound through the streets (and up the hills!) of the MSU campus. Eli was just 11 weeks old, and I had been running all of 5 weeks when the race began. I would love to write about this amazing experience of triumph and victory, and share that I was able to run all 3.1 miles at a record-breaking speed...but it wasn't that and I wasn't fast.

I struggled the entire course, and I think I finished in just under 35 minutes. My friend and colleague, Karyn Brown, was there with me every step of the way. She walked with me when the hills got the best of me. She encouraged and pushed me all at the same time. She slowed me down when I got the urge to rush near the end because she knew we had one more hill to climb. We had run several times together before that day and she always shared tips and advice that helped her complete her first 5K (and several more after!). I am forever grateful to her for holding me accountable when I didn't "love" to run. 

As I "celebrate" my one-year racing anniversary, I am so grateful that I have had many people along the way to encourage and inspire me...but none more than my friend. Thank you, Karyn! Can't wait to run together again soon!

A side note: Karyn is a new mom to the most adorable little boy! Diwas Brown made the long trip from Nepal with his proud parents several months ago and is loving life with his new family! If you'd like to follow their difficult but amazing journey, The Brown Family blogs at New Brown Child.

I've lost it...26.2?

The whole taking-a-break-from-training thing has not lasted as long as I had hoped. Somewhere in my crazy head (I think it was actually around mile 4 of my 6-mile run today!), I decided I want to (try to) run a full marathon...this year (What? Are my eyes reading correctly what my fingers just typed? Who hijacked my blog?).

When I started running last year, the full 26.2 was a bucket list kind of thing. You know - when the boys got a little older...after the Promotion & Tenure process was complete...when I had more time to train, really. But now, I think I want to go for it...and in 2011.

I had planned to run St. Jude's 1/2 again in December, but I'm thinking I may just go ahead and register for the full marathon. It's a great race, amazing atmosphere, great course, far from home so no one will read the police report or see the news where I had to be transported to the hospital...you know, all the great race pre-requisites for your first marathon. And if I think I can't make it the full distance, I can always turn off at the 13.1 mark and no harm done. Well, other than feeling like a complete failure, I'm sure.

Anyway. I'm putting it out there for all the world to read and comment on. I have no aspirations of qualifying for Boston with my time; I just want to finish...upright.

Marathoners - is this really possible? Have I totally lost it thinking I have time to train for this? 

Oh, dear...

Disaster Averted

When I re-read my last post, I realized it was pretty whiney...so thanks for not calling me out on that! Apparently, the whining worked though!

Since then, the scale has moved! I weighed 159.0 this morning!! Woot, Woot! I haven't seen 150-something in a LONG time, my friends (Just for the record, I actually saw 158.4 three of the 17 times I weighed - I couldn't believe my eyes and just wanted to stare at the number!!). While I can't attribute it completely to healthy eating and working out because I participated in the 30-Hour Famine with our youth group Friday and Saturday, I'll take it! This brings my total weight loss in just over a year to around 74 pounds!

And second, and probably most importantly, I've had a major break-thru with my running this weekend. 

When running causes more stress than it's relieving,

something's out of balance and needs to be changed. 

To understand this, I need to go back in my journey a little. Last March, I started running. My overall goal for running was to lose weight and get my health back. Knowing how my brain operates, I set a long-term goal to run the St. Jude's 1/2 Marathon in December. This was my motivation to keep running (and justify all the money I was spending on gear, but I digress...). I did St. Jude's in December and in the delirium of my runner's high, I signed up for the Frostbite 1/2 marathon in January (five weeks later!)...and I did that, too. I was really ready for some time off - as in no-pressure-running-just-to-run time off. 

Instead of listening to my body (and my mind!), I began training for the Country Music 1/2 Marathon (April 30) and invited my sister-in-law to join me (it would be her first 1/2!). As the semester picked up speed (no pun intended, runners!), I fell behind in my training and even struggled to get my shorter runs in during the week; then, I began to struggle making time for long runs. All the struggling was stressing me out and stealing the joy of my running. It felt like one of the other million things I HAD to do in the day/week. It was causing more stress than it was relieving!

My sister-in-law (who I swear wears an "S" for Super Woman under her clothes) also had trouble getting in her training runs. In our womanly wisdom, we decided this weekend to nix the 1/2 and just plan a fun visit! We'll have a wonderful weekend with them and will go for a long run, just the two of us, for a distance of our own choosing without battling 30,000+ other runners Since we made this decision, I can't even begin to explain how relieved I've felt!

So relieved, in fact, that I went for a run tonight (on my rest day!) - JUST BECAUSE I WANTED TO! It felt amazing to run without worrying about distance or pace or anything - I just ran to run! I didn't HAVE to - I really WANTED to!

Some of you will read this and think I'm copping out and that's ok. I know hard-core runners will criticize, but what I think I did was avoid the fast-track to burnout. One of the purposes for my continued running is to relieve (some) stress in my life. It's relaxing and provides me some alone time to decompress. Because the other obligations in my life creating obstacles for my training plan, running was actually causing me stress. Defeats the purpose a little...

So, what's my plan now?

Three to four runs per week of varying distances (3-5 miles) with one mid to long run (6-8 miles) on the weekend depending on time and weather. May also try three runs and a kettle bell workout some weeks.

And my advice to others (new or old runners): Listen to your body! If you need a break from race training, take it. There's always another race to train for and no one's going to take your "runner card" just because you're not "in training" for something.

"S" is for Struggle

CONFESSION: This week has been abysmal in terms of my training for the Country Music Half Marathon (April 30). Today is Thursday, and I have run 8 miles so far this week. Further, I did not do a long run last week. Ugh.

Some reasons for this?

1. Work is killing me. Being on this side of the "end of the semester" is no easier than it was as a student. In fact, I might argue it's actually worse. I have tenure looming over my head so the pressure for research productivity is weighing heavy, a stack of papers that need to be graded so the students can move forward with their final projects, exams to make out, interns to hire for the summer, I'm chairing one search committee and serving on another, we've been in the midst of academic advising for the fall...Ok. You get the point. At the end of the day (which has been closer to 6 or 7 lately), I'm spent and the last thing I've felt like doing is lacing up the sneaks and going for a run. And then there's...

2. The overwhelming "Mom guilt." When I have to work more, my time at home is even more precious. It's pretty hard to give up those few awake hours I have with my boys - for whatever comes up or "needs" to be done. Enough said.

3. I'm really lacking commitment to the Country Music 1/2 marathon goal because I still haven't registered. I need to commit, pay the money and plan the trip (See reason number 1 for why I'm having trouble committing to taking a day off).

4. The scale's not budging. Over the past year, I've been able to see the results of my efforts - in my clothes and on the scale - and this has been a significant source of motivation. I think my scale might be broken because it hasn't moved in several weeks. While I know this is not what I should be worried about, it does motivate me as I'm a results-oriented kind of gal.

5. Oh, and the weather has really been miserable. It was so beautiful a few weeks ago, and I was loving spring running. Enter cold, rainy weather. Yuck. 

So, there you have it. My confessional for the week: I am struggling. I have a list of reasons why, but I guess if I have to find a bright side - I am working on finding solutions for all the issues and getting my groove back. 

Stay tuned...

Beach-front Running

Yesterday, I arrived on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for a two-day conference. My husband tagged along  (he grew up on the Coast) hoping he could visit with friends while I was in the sessions. We left the boys with the grands (a BIG thank you to them!!) and it's been a nice little get-away for us both. 

Cool thing?

We BOTH packed our running gear and went for a 4-mile run along the beach this morning! It was a beautiful morning, perfect temperature - I really enjoyed our run!

Just a couple of thoughts from the experience...

1. A change of pace is nice...for life and running. I miss my boys something terrible, but it's been nice to spend a little time with my husband between the conference meetings. Our run together this morning was icing on the cake. It wasn't my "best" run ever in terms of pace (Bob Harper's kettlebell  workout is still kicking my tail!), but it was new sights, sounds and even smells.

2. I am so proud of my husband! He "left me" twice during our run to pick up his pace a little but we finished the run together. He got new, properly fitting running shoes on the trip down, and I think he's going to enjoy running much more now. I worried when he started running in January that he wouldn't stick with it through the rough time to get to the point where he wants to run and actually enjoys it...but I think he's getting there. I'll be surprised if he doesn't finish his first 5K in under 29 minutes (I'm trying to talk him into a guest post on his C25K experience - stay tuned!).

3. I think I'm going to like my new shoes! I have been wearing the Nike Vomero (3 and 5) since I started running and I've been scared to try anything different. But, I'm giving the Brooks Glycerin a go and so far, I like them. The fact that they look like mint chocolate chip ice cream helps a little, too!

4. I will never forget to pack a sports bra again. Enough said.

My New Running Partner?

So, my husband is a recent "graduate" of the Couch to 5K plan. I've offered to run with him the entire time he's been training and he has declined. But I'm pretty good at wearing him down (i.e. nagging until he gives in!) and...

He finally caved!!

We ran 3.2 miles (9:34 pace) together yesterday after the boys were off to school and I, personally, loved it! Still don't think he was all that excited about running with me, but he did it anyway. 

I am so proud of him for sticking through the program and next week, we are headed to get him some new running shoes. I think this purchase alone will make his running more enjoyable! He'll be signing up for his first 5K race in April; and he even mentioned needing another stroller so we could do races and running  with the boys (maybe he DID enjoy it!!). I suggested a double stroller...that he could push, of course.

So, that's my big running news (so far) for the week!

Note: A longer post to follow about my one-year running "anniversary" when I finish grading this stack of papers!

Oh, and I'm Famous!

Ok. Not really, but my new friends (Terry and Meredith Sullivan) that I mentioned meeting at the Frostbite 1/2 marathon thought my journey from fat to fit worthy of a Spotlight on their website! Truly humbled!

Check it out at http://www.liverightnowonline.com/!

Many props to Terry and Meredith for what they are doing to get Mississippi moving and (hopefully!) out of last place in all the health categories!

3 Random Things

This weekend, I enjoyed an amazing girls' weekend with three girlfriends from college. We met in Memphis (they all live in Arkansas) and spent Friday and most of Saturday laughing, shopping, and well, eating. I was SCARED to get on the scale this morning - even following a 5.5-mile run. But, somehow, despite the gluttony, I managed to lose weight. Apparently, laughter is great exercise!! So, I am now 1.4 pounds from a significant milestone in this journey from fat to fit...the 150s. I haven't seen 150-something in probably 10 years! Stay tuned, friends! I'm motivated and the Tagalongs are gone; this could be the week!

A non-scale victory this weekend: Spent WAY more than I wanted to (or should have) on a new pair of jeans, but the fact that they were a size 31, seemed to make it ok in some crazy way. According to the Big Star Jeans sizing chart, this is a 9/10. WHAT? While that might not seem "small" to some, I bought a pair of pants two weeks after Eli was born that were an 18W. I'll take a 12 or 10 ANY day, my friends! 

And finally, I love running on Sunday mornings! I've always reserved Sunday as a "day of rest" in my training. Partly because it's biblical and partly because Sundays are somewhat hectic at our house because of Jeff's schedule and responsibilities at the church. But, because I didn't get my run in yesterday, I got up early and ran this morning. WOW! No traffic. Perfect weather. Amazing playlist to get my heart ready for worship this morning. Pretty sure I'm going to be working some Sunday runs into the schedule a little more often.

So, there you have it. A few random events/thoughts/milestones from my weekend. 

Oh, and if you're ever in Memphis and can get to a Huey's, EAT THERE! It was the best burger I've ever eaten and the onion rings are as big as your head. Calories don't count during girls' weekend, right?

Busy-ness is not a friend to running

This week has been nuts and next week is not looking much better! I know I am entirely too busy when I don't have time to get a run in, or at the end of the day, I don't have a run left in me. Last week, I think my total mileage was less than 15 miles and this week, I'm at 9.5 miles with only two days left. Ugh!

This is what happens to my running when there is no race on the horizon, thus I continue to preach the importance of having something to work toward to keep you accountable. If you want to start running, but don't think you "have time" - signing up for a race forces you to MAKE time. No one wants to shell out the cash for a race and be a no show or not be able to do your best!

So, next week, I will be committing to a race in March. I'm pretty sure my next 1/2 will be in April in Nashville, but I will also be seeking out something before then. I'm open to suggestions if there's a 10K nearby.

Happy weekend!

10 Reasons I Run

A few nights ago on Twitter, people were posting reasons they run (#whywerun); there were some really great comments. It made me start thinking about the reasons I run. I'm quickly approaching my one-year anniversary of lacing up the sneaks and the reasons have definitely changed from my initial motivation. So, here are...

The Top 10 Reasons I Continue to Run:

10.  It's a great excuse to buy great looking work-out gear.

9. I like the look of surprise on people's face when I say, "I'm a runner."

8. It's an age thing. As I get older, I need to "feel" younger and running certainly makes me feel better about aging (most days, anyway!).

7. I can eat (almost) whatever I want without gaining weight.

6. I FINALLY like the way my legs look in shorts.

5. I think race t-shirts are cool.

4. I want my boys to remember me as an active/healthy mom who could keep up with them. I love the look on Riley's face when I "race" him around our circle on his bicycle.

3. I love all the technology (my Garmin 405, Nike+, Twitter chats, Daily Mile, etc...)!

2. I'm too cheap to join the gym. I'd rather spend the money for a gym membership on new clothes!

1. It's pretty much the only time I have to myself during the day. As a working mom and wife of a youth minister, my days are filled with people. Running provides my serenity time and the further I run, the longer I have to myself. I see a marathon in my future, folks. :-)

So, what about YOU? Why do you run? Or if you don't run (yet), why do you want to?

Surprise!

Not long after Saturday's post-race blog post, I received a text from one of my sweet girls working the race for the JR Miss Committee telling me I won a medal! WHAT??

I won first place for my age division (31-40). Now that's just pretty darn cool. Certain this will be the only time that ever happens for me - a "benefit" of smaller races, perhaps?

But check out my sweet hardware!

Redefining "WINNING"

I ran a 5K this morning. Not a big 5K with thousands of runners, music and streets lined with supporters; but a small, local 5K to benefit an adorable little boy in our community with Sanfilippo syndrome, a genetic error of metabolism. Quinn is 5 with a life expectancy of 10 - 20 years...but no one's told him that! He was cheering on the runners and having a great time (You can visit his Caring Bridge page to see his full story)! As the mom of two healthy boys, my heart breaks for Quinn's parents. I simply cannot fathom what they are going through as they work to help find a cure to heal their sweet boy.

I've seen several people since finishing the race, and I'm still proudly wearing my "I Ran for Quinn" sticker. The first thing they asked was, "Did you win?" Which has me thinking...

How do I answer that? I ran a pretty hilly course and set a new PR for 5K (27:39). That's a WIN!! I ran alongside a super sweet 7th grader who was running his first 5K. We chatted throughout and had a great visit! Although he said several times he could barely keep going, he did...and so did I. WIN! The race was organized by the Winston County JR Miss Committee, and I have several beautiful girls who make my life better that will be competing for the title in a few weeks. Despite the overwhelming desire to sleep in because my boys are at their grandparents - I showed up and supported them in their efforts to help this sweet little boy. WIN!!

So, did I cross the finish line first? No. Will I ever cross the finish line first in a race? Probably not. But did I "win" today? Absolutely!!

So, today, I'm redefining "winning" and declaring:

I WON THE RACE!

**Quinn's color is purple and today I use it proudly in this post!

More Water, Less Dr. Pepper Wrap-up

The more-water-less-Dr. Pepper challenge officially ended yesterday. I would love to report it was a smashing success and my plan to "ween" myself from Dr. Pepper was well on its way. Unfortunately, I got a little off-track after the Frostbite 1/2 marathon.

There were only a couple of days when I drank a Dr. Pepper after my 2 p.m. "curfew," but my water intake declined drastically - in fact, there were some days I doubt I even drank 20 ounces of water. I really can't explain it and I'm frustrated with myself for going backwards; I was doing so well. In fact, going into that weekend, there were several days I only had one Dr. Pepper. And then in my I-just-ran-a-half-marathon-so-I-can-eat-whatever-I-want phase, I got off track. Ugh.

Tomorrow is a new day and February is a new month. I will do this...