Weekend happenings.....

Some day I will have a weekend that isn't scheduled from the start of the weekend to the end of the weekend.  But truthfully, that probably won't ever happen, and I kinda don't mind.  

Friday I made a plain and simple, but yet oh so good, lasagna dinner and from scratch!!

This was a quick and easy lasagna recipe to put together but yet tasted so good.  You can find the recipe  here.  Added some Texas Toast 5 cheese and a side salad.  Not bad for a Friday night!!

Then on Saturday it was an early rise and shine.  Hubby was taking two of our girls to their track meet and I was heading out for a 5 mile run.  Keeping me company was my little Sarah.  I ran and she rode her bike.  She kept telling me how nice it was and how she loved the smell of nature and she was so glad to be out there with me!  Oh....and can we stop for ice cream at McDonalds?  Uhhh duh!! Yes!!

Here are a few pics from our bike/run.  Just gorgeous and couldn't ask for better weather!

My run was really good and just felt all around easy.  My pace was slow but that's what I wanted!

Now today, Sunday, it has been kinda mellow but the older children are coming home for a Sunday dinner of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, dinner rolls, and strawberry shortcake for dessert!! Yes, yes I will take pics =)

Although hectic, I love it! 

A little catching up and a little Friday phone dump

Just thought I would do a little catching up and start a Friday phone dump.  Hopefully I will keep at least that going....ha!  

My runs have been going pretty well so far.  Everything seems to be working well and not much pains. My runs last week was a 5miler and a 3miler with lots of hills.  The 5 miler was a nice easy flat pace and really was all around a great run.  The next day I did a 3 mile hill run and it was good but very hard which I need.  In between I have been doing small workouts and weight training.  Also, the week before I did do a 5k in a neighboring town.  This was my first 5k for the year and it went pretty well.  Hills were decent and the weather was perfect.  I'm sure I have mentioned what I have on tap for my scheduled races but here it is again.  

April:  Spring into health 5k

May: Lou Cox 5k

August: The Little Miami 10k

September: Air Force Half Marathon

I feel pretty good about what is on the schedule and really excited too!  As soon as my half is over in September I am scheduled to receive my last radiation treatment which will put me out for a few months.  

Okay here are a few pictures from my phone.  All are pretty random so enjoy!

 This was while on what was suppose to be a 4 mile run but turned into a 3 mile run walk.  My shins were pretty sore.  Took this pic to show you how fashionable I am!! Don't hate!

 Love my Lilly Pulitzer shopping bags....just doing what I can to help with the environment!

 This was taken just before my 5k of the season about 2 weeks ago!  Was a good race.  Small but very well organized and I believe it was it's 4th or 5th year.

Just pure joy and sweetness right there!! 

Have a great weekend and hopefully whatever your runs are this weekend it will be a good one!

Running on the hottest day this year!!!

Today I wanted to head down to the bike path to do a easy 4 miles.  Nothing too long or fast but felt really good and thought today would be the day.  Was I wrong!! Do you ever have days like that?  Where you feel that you could actually run and run and everything just falls into place?  Well today wasn't my day and actually I haven't had a day like that in....oh a long time!!

Before I set out I decided that I would wear my impression sleeves for my legs since I have been feeling like my shins have felt pretty tender during and after my runs.  I actually got to put on a pair of running shorts and a tshirt instead of  bundling up for the cold.  All I can say is that it was super warm and super humid!!  I couldn't run until noonish so maybe that has a little to play in it I'm not sure.  All I know is that I was hot and sore.  My legs felt tight not too far into my run.  Whats up with that? Maybe it could have been from doing my speed work of 6x400's yesterday with 6 slow 400's in between.  Or maybe it was from not being on a great diet.  Orrrr maybe its from not stretching like I should or hydrating enough before a run!!  Could be all the above.  My plan of 4 miles turned into a 3 mile run walk session.  My shins have been pretty tender here lately and this is what I ran in hoping that it would help some.

I truly didn't care I just wanted to be comfortable and if somebody didn't like it........well too bad!

Me during a walking part.  I started to get frustrated at myself and then decided to just narrow down what it could be that was making my legs sore and tight while running.  Either way I plan to get out there again Saturday but just for a mile run because I have a 5k on Sunday....at 2pm!! 

Well hi there!

I know! I know!  I sure do let time get a way from me and this blog!  Your not missing too much though that is for sure!  

Wanted to share with you what the Easter Bunny brought to me and my husband. 

How awesome is that??  Filled with everything that I love!

My runs have been going pretty good.  I have been averaging 3-4 days a week and doing a little cross-training on the off days.  This Spring has been yet still pretty chilly but not too bad and I have been able to get outside to enjoy my runs.   I live on a street that is pretty hectic so I don't like running on it much but have decided that I gotta suck it up and do it anyway.  I usually will take and run half of it and then detour back into a neighborhood and then back home.  If I choose to do my whole street then the neighborhood I can get about 5-6miles done.  Also good due to the little hills through out.  

After my runs I have been loving on me some protein and fruit shakes.

This one was after my 3.33mile run and it was delicious!! I added ice, protein, low carb vanilla yogurt, small banana, and some raspberries!  Yummmm!! 

Well time for me to take Miss L out to test her jogging stroller.  Only going for 2miles today just to see how it goes.  I will try to take plenty of pics and post soon.  Last month I purchased the Bobb Stroller and have been beside myself knowing that this (hopefully) will be a great time for both her and myself and getting my runs in.  I will also give you my thoughts on all that too.

February and no heart

You know what I'm talking about!  Some people get this in January, after the holidays, some get this other times through out the year.....I get this in February.  I just get, well, kinda lazy!
Trying to keep myself motivated to go out to the treadmill and run has been a real struggle.  I have done the tricks of adding new music, pretending I'm actually running with tons of people in my up coming half marathon in September.  I have pretended to be out along the path of a beach or even the path I run during better temps.  But it's also just getting back in the groove period! I'm finding that I just don't have quiet the desire to get my runs in.  I have, but just barely and not with a full heart.  You expect those kind of runs every now and then but I have been that way with each run.  Even putting myself on a training plan for my 5k's that are coming up in April and May have been bah!  I have also been slacking for my cross train days.  AND I have been eating like I am still on vacation.   Yea I have been doing a Pure Barre class here or there or doing a half hearted elliptical....but thats it and theres no heart into it.  

So what gives?  I have had these types of days but not for this long.  I have even thought about maybe just putting my runs on the back burner for a while.  But deep down I know that will not make things better.  And even on those days that I only get out there half heartedly, I'm always still glad I did something.

So that all being said, I have decided that I just need to pull my big girl panties up and get with the program.  Life is life.  And if there are days (or a full month) that I'm not going to be running with a full heart for it but I'm still out there, I'm still doing it.  I also need to set my fears aside that have slowly crept in of what if I get injured again?  What if I can't run as fast as I think I should?  What if I can't run even a 5k even after all the training?  Tons of things have crept in but I just have to let it all go and go out there and run with the love that I do have for it.  If it's a 13min mile then so be it.  I'm out there and I need to get comfortable with it again.

Today is suppose to be speed drills but I'm opting to just get outside and just run what I can.  The weather is going to be super nice today and then the rest of the week cold and snowy.  I can work my speed in Wednesday.

So, I'm going to go out and just run the 25 miles I know I can do and just see where it takes me.  No time limits, no certain amount of miles and no certain pace.

How about you guys?  Do you go through slumps like this?  What do you do?  Or am I just being a complete baby who has just gotten lazy? 


On a little bit of a personal note, February was also John and I's 30th wedding anniversary!  Wow!

It's been a marriage of a roller coaster and with nine kids and a grand baby, life is never dull!
Happy 30th honey!

Ran like I stole it!!

Winter and treadmills generally equal pretty boring! But Saturday doing my long run for the week was probably the best run I have had in a long time!  I have had to do my runs on the treadmill due to the weather here in Ohio.  I love the snow but with my previous foot issues I don't take chances running in it.  I have been taking every precaution in doing what I can to not go into the Spring/Summer months getting injured or having foot issues again.

This week I signed up for some Pure Barre classes!  I have read and heard a lot of great things about it and thought what the heck...I'll give it a try.  

My thoughts were to try something different.  Step out of my box! And I'm glad I did!  I usually workout at home and generally by myself.  So, walking away from my gym to sign up at a place I've never been, don't know anybody....well that was stepping outside my box!  Pure Barre is know for their lift, tone and burn!  And that is exactly what happened yesterday when I went to my first class!  Not only did it give me a great workout it delivered everything that I have heard and read about.  The instructor, Bev, was great!  She was clear on what we were to do and if she felt that your form wasn't what it should be, she had no problem coming over and helping with getting you where you need to be.   The classes are generally kept to twenty or less making it easy for the instructor to give that special one on one attention when needed.  

So, I know it was only my first class but I have excitedly scheduled my next few classes and looking very forward to each of them.  I'm hoping with the stretching, the toning to fatigue muscles that it will also help with my running.  I sure hope so!

Have any of you ever heard or try Pure Barre?  If so what are your thoughts on it?

Still here....

Wow! It's been a few minutes since my last post.  Have you missed me?  How was everybody's holidays?  I sure hope that it was a fun filled blessed one.  

Not much was done over the holidays run wise.  I did a few things here and there but nothing to write about.  I am on a schedule now and I'm going to start looking for some local 5k's and would love to do a 10k this spring.  So I have set my training plan according to some of those.  I am following a schedule in the Run Less Run Faster book.  I have followed their plans before and love the fact of running only 3 days a week and doing a lot of cross training the other days.  I have scheduled my workouts so that I have Sundays off but if I'm wanting to do a little extra something I do a walk or light elliptical.  

I have signed up for the Air Force Half Marathon that is scheduled in September.  I am excited for this and want to beat my time from this past year.  Should be able to since my foot has been doing a lot better.  

With only having the 3 days of running a week, that should also help to keep my foot feeling good.  I don't want to ever have to go through something like that again.  I'm thankful that I was able to still train and do my half last year but it was rough!! I know I can do better too.  My running schedule will be like this:

Mondays:  Speed work

Tuesdays:  Turbofire and light elliptical

Wednesdays:  Temp

Thursdays:  Turbofire and light elliptical with some legs

Fridays:  Turborfire

Saturdays:  Long run

Sundays:  Rest

This schedule is good for me and hopefully will help me get my runs back up there and to stay healthy.  

How was your holidays and are you back on a routine/schedule?

Have you signed up for any Spring 5k's or 10k's?