Getting Close

The marathon is so close now!  No more long runs, just shorter easy runs.  This training did definitely not go as I planned, but you know what, my life was more exciting then I planned!  I will be crossing that dang finish line on November 3rd!  It may not look pretty, but I will be there.  I have big plans after this is done as far as exercise.  A whole new routine using yoga and walking.  Minimal impact, but strength training.

I have all my bib info and times and I'm going to put that up next week, that's right it is all confirmed baby!

As far as married life, it's good, it's easy right now.  I am not sure why, but the finality of it feels so comforting and makes you want to work harder.  I know now more than ever before that I support gay marriage because I was with B for over 7 years when we got married and it does feel different, in such a wonderful way.  Everyone should feel that!

I have also been having fun outside (on days that I wasn't totally exhausted from long runs).

I cheered on my old College

I celebrated a special boys 2nd birthday

I got some important snuggle time with my ole hound dog

This weekend, short run tonight, hike tomorrow and 8-9 miler tomorrow (easy breezy)!  Oh, I almost forgot, it's pretty cold out right now!  There is that whole thing.  I have run in shorts and a quick dry t shirt for all of my runs.  Last weekend I ran a half marathon (taper down) at a 9 1/2 minute mile pace and wore pants.  It was cold, but you know what the pants where too much!  I am going to try out my pants that I have that end right below the knee this weekend.  I'm hoping that is the perfect balance for this weather.  

"The whole point of the week is the weekend"  :)

down but not out!

I ran 18 miles this weekend and felt really good! I had a calf cramp that I had to massage and I am still working on strengthening and stretching it completely, but other than that I was in the zone! I ran at 9-10 minute mile pace and I was super tired but I felt ok. 18 miles is huge! I was supposed to be at 19 without any breaks in my training and one mile short is nothing! I'm going to go for 20 this Saturday and that will put me 100% back on track! I am doing it! I am going to cross that freaking finish line in a month!

Other amazing things I did are:

1.  Going to in-laws to go through our honeymoon photos

2.  Hanging with some friends in town after a long after run nap

3.  Apple picking with good friends (annual tradition)

4.  FOOTBALL!  Sunday Funday!

Overall, this weekend was great, a lot of moving and shaking, eating and laughing and of course sleeping!

I woke up today and took C for a long walk testing how my calf felt and it felt really good!  Tonight I'm going to make two apple breads (freeze one) and take C for another long walk and do some squats/lunges and stretch the crap out of my legs.  I have to 6 mile runs I'm planning on doing tomorrow and Thursday and want to make sure my calf is fully recovered.

Married and running!

I got married! I went to France! I'm still running in the Marathon! The top picture is of my brother, me, B & my sister :) Unfortunately I'm still erroring out and have to type in HTML. This situation is so beyond frustrating. I think I need to upgrade my windows, but I use a work computer (during my free time) and I cannot upgrade unless I get permission, booo!

Anywho, my weddding was magical in every way and it was over within a blink of the eye. Then me and B whisked ourselves off to France and had the BEST time. We gorged on food, wine, history and relaxation! The Europeans know how to do it right though because even with eating so much cheese, wine, etc I lost weight! We did so much moving around it worked out great! What I didn't do was my long runs :( I did two runs both 6 miles and when I came home and did my long run last weekend, I felt the damage. I only was able to complete 15 and it was at a 10/11 minute mile pace. I put myself back on track this week and hopefully I will feel better this Saturday. Either way I'm crossing that flipping finish line! Below are some pictures of what I will remember as the best couple of weeks of my life!

 

Clyde as a pup

Clyde on 4th of July, little guy celebrated his 7th Birthday on August 15th!

I know I have been slacking. I'm sorry :( I said it before and I will say it now, wedding planning and training is hard! I have been training though! Last week I ran 13.2 pretty fast and felt great. I ran it at a 9:25 minute mile pace with weird splits, but I felt really good. I got new sneakers and anti blister socks and I think they really made a difference. Tomorrow I have 14 miles and this weekend I have tons of wedding odds and ends to finish up.

I am getting married in one week! Next Friday!  Below are some pictures of the pallette I'm drawing from to get you an idea of what my wedding might look like.  I have some pictures of me on my final fitting etc, but that I will have to save until after!

Bridesmaid Dress Pallette

Centerpiece base idea

Very soon you will be able to see a lot more and I can't wait to show it!  We are beyond excited and also kind of exhausted!  Cannot wait for our honeymoon in France!!!  Have a great weekend!

Mid Week Runs

I haven't been that great with my mid week runs. I am supposed to do three about 4-5 miles a week. The last two weeks I only did two and they were between 3-5. Now it isn't because I'm not feeling good, it is because I have no freaking time. I really should have really thought about training for a marathon in the midst of my planning/throwing a wedding. The truth is I did think about that, last year! I was engaged and I was going to run the 2012 NYC Marathon. That WAS the plan. Well, plans change and now I'm a mess! The good news is I 100% always get my long run in each weeekend. I have been feeling really good for the most part. I have a slight heel issue, but nothing too crazy. I ran Thursday morning, super fast too. I ran 4 miles in a little under 9 minute mile pace because, you guessed it, I woke up late. I have been having trouble sleeping and my body needs sleep! I am soooooo excited to marry the man and celebrate all night with my friends and family, but I'm telling ya, I am also super excited to go back to a quieter life! A good spot during the week was having dinner with my dad! It was super fun and we had a fabulous meal! I took a picture of my "desert" a cheese plate! I ate the two cheeses to the far left, yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum! Have a great weekend! **update the stupid page isn't working. I think I'm going to start having to blog at home :( I guess I'll have to show you that gorgeous cheese plate another time!

Bachelorette Weekend!

This weekend was just so special! It really makes me cry thinking about how lucky I am to have such amazing friends and family! There was a lot going on this weekend and all of it was just happy and fun. I'm going to show you the weekend in pictures!

Preview of the back of my hair on my trials on Thursday

View from dinner on Friday night, this is the Jersey Shore!

Ha, ha!  A little festive decorating!

A "before" picture

My grandma made that veil for me to celebrate in, so cute!

Crazy bride face!

Smackin the bum!

Towards the end of the night, that is my bum! 

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all my girls for making this girl feel extra special!  I had the best time and now I'm ready to marry my man in 25 days!  

Erroring out again, return to posting tbd...

9 and feeling so alive

Yesterday I woke up to a doggy that wanted a walk!  It was 6am and I was going to sleep in a bit and do a 2.5mile run, but Clyde was by my bed and I figured I owed him a good walk. The weather was chilly, in a good way, so we went for a couple miles.  I snapped this pic right before we left!

Look at him just eyeing up his leash!

I skipped my run, but hey like I have said before life happens and you have to work around it.  I walked about an hour with him that morning and then walked an additional amount in NYC, took the stairs instead of the escalator (major stairs people) and just put in little exercise here and there.

I am going camping this weekend and leaving super early Saturday morning, so I decided I needed to get my long run in this morning (Friday).  My alarm went off at 5am and thank god, it was still chilly!  I felt great, ran my 9 miles without a hitch and finished running to the bathroom!  There you have it, 9 miles is my marker of when I have to go to the bathroom!  The good news is there are plenty of areas I can stop and I know where they are from last year when my mileage adds up even higher!

Just finished 9.12 miles at 9.36 minute mile pace!

Although I am super tired, I am feeling really good today.  Soreness is at a minimum and the only ache I have is in my heel.  I am going to look into it and see what I can do, but I do not think I can do much.  Have a happy and healthy weekend!

Stats

This morning was a beautiful morning!  There was a nice breeze through my whole run.  Unfortunately, I had all my shorter running pants/shorts in the wash so I had to wear my long black running pants....fail!  Anyway, it wasn't all that bad.  I took a different route this morning.  I hit a big long climbing hill up around 1.5 miles then looped back around and did the stairs up from the bottom to the top of that hill on the way back.  Overall, felt pretty amazing!  I have been using my anti-friction rub which avoids blisters on my feet and even though I need new shoes I haven't had sore feet that much.

It will save your skin from a ton of pain, do yourself a favor and purchase S.T.A.T.!

I took a look at my "achievements" on micoach so far training this year and it makes me happy!  So far I have run:

10:05:22 hours

62.54 miles

8,120 calories burned

Not too shabby if I may say so myself and training has just begun! 

After my run this am, I took Clyde to the dog park and heard two people talking about their training.  It got me excited and I wanted to join in on the discussion, but I chickened out!  Although I have run many races and trained for the marathon last year, I still don't really think I'm qualified to join in with "real runners" you know, people who pace at 8 minutes or faster!  I don't know if I will ever be able to hang in that club, but it was cool to hear them talk about their training schedule.  Even though I run at a 9.5 or 10 minute mile pace, we are doing about the same mileage each week, which totally made me feel legit!

Tomorrow a super quick run, probably 2.5 miles or less.  I have to switch around my long run this weekend and do it early Friday morning (9 miles) and I don't want to push it the day before.

Good news alert!  My "skinny" work pants are starting to feel loose in my upper thigh area!  I haven't been weighing myself really, but my food choices have been pretty great for the most part.  I think some of that has to do with not weighing myself.  See if I see a loss, I usually give myself a "fat" day to gain some back, yeah that doesn't work.

Familiar Pavement

This weekend was filled with a ton of activity, but all good!

Friday started off with an early morning alarm going off at 5:30am.  I ran a quick 4 and some change mileage and then we hit the road for a drive to Spencer, MA.  We visited friends for the weekend and they took us on a surprise tubing trip!  To say it was fun was an understatement!  For about 4 hours we tubed down the Connecticut River with minor rapids, a cooler filled with beer and twisted teas and made a pitt stop to jump off some cliffs!  Below is a picture of us before we hit the river.

  The white bobble looking things was our coolers!

After tubing we got some Mexican, chatting a bit more and went to sleep at our friends home. 

It was an early rise again on Saturday.  Our friends have four children ages 5 and younger.  Yes, you heard that right!  They were up and ready to play around 6am and there wasn't really any point in trying to stall.  I got up immediately and started playing with the kids and tried to give B a couple more hours of sleep.  He was up about 30 minutes later ha!  They were having a BBQ that day, so we helped out where we could, but mostly I just played in the pool with the kids.  B is the godfather of the little girl (she is the only girl out of the bunch) and she is our flower girl in our wedding next month.  Here is a picture of me and my girl Luci at thier BBQ.

Total lovebug!

We left around 4pm and heading home to Hoboken.  Around 7:30 we got home, showered and tried to watch The Bourne Legacy.  It was a fail.  I fell asleep about an hour in.  Oh well, I'll have to catch the ending another time.

Sunday was, you guessed it, another early rise.  I got up around 6am and heading on my long run.  I was excited because on Sunday it did cool off a bit.  The heat wasn't that bad and it showed in my run. 

Kind of fuzzy, but above are my stats for that run.



I felt great, but it was kind of annoying because I had to start my tracker about a minute before I actually started my run.  I ran at around a 10 minute mile pace.  It isn't fast but I'm still starting out and my long runs I need to maintain a slow pace because I am not sure how much energy I will need at the end.  I did start hitting the beginings of the longer paths I took last year.  It was fun and it made me happy to see the same milestones I had surpassed last year.

After the run, I showered, got my oil changed, went to a fun baby shower for my beautiful cousin and headed home to chill the F out! 

Tonight, wedding work followed by an early morning short run! 

When it's this hot, you don't cool down

I ran my scheduled 4 miles this morning and I think my body is starting to get used to running in the heat.  There was zero breeze by the water and the sun was out in full force, but I didn't feel sick or exhausted.  Another bonus was that the water fountains where on!  Hoboken usually only turns their water fountains on after 7am, so it was a supremely pleasant surprise that they were on when I went for a drink around mile 3 at 6:30ish in the morning!  I dipped my whole face in that water fountain! 

I took a cold shower and just couldn't totally cool down.  I didn't put make up on because my face was still a little clammy and I just knew the walk to work I would only start sweating again.  Below is a picture of me on my way to work, an hour and cold shower after my run!

                                   Yup, still have a completely red face, kind of hard to put make up on!

I literally moved where ever I saw shade.  If one turn had a shadier path, I was on it.  Even though I managed to stay in the shadows of buildings, I was a little sweaty when I got to work.  Ugh, these are the only days I miss my job in NJ where I would just walk to my car, sit in AC, walk out of my car and go into an AC office!  Sweating and blouses are not the best of combinations! 

I tried something different this week, starting Monday, regards to eating.  I tried eating less bread, pasta & rice.  I am still eating a lot.  But in the morning I am going for two fried egg whites and two veggie sausages with a load of hot sauce, see below:

                                                                  Don't playa hate!

I have been eating a lot of salads, but a lot.  I mean I am not really full, and this morning I snuck on the scale and guess what, I lost weight!!!  I mean I know it's a mixture of running as well, but when I was eating toast for breakfast and pasta for dinner it definitely didn't feel as easy.  I mean I really am not feeling deprived or hungry during the day.  Well I'm going to try and continue this eating and let you know if some crazy urge or something comes over me and I binge on two loafs of Country Arnold white bread or something!

Long trip with a sweet ending!

I rented a movie, I Give It A Year, and ran to the buses.  It was a maze of people and smells, but I found the bus to Toms River!  Alas, I made it to the back of the line, which was winding and turning in all directions to keep up with the massive amount of people waiting.  Lucky me, I got onto my bus!  One cute and funny movie later I arrived in Toms River, exhausted, but not a bad ride!  I got back to my grams talked to her and my mom and waited for my brother and nephew to arrive.  Around 8:30 I saw his little head pop out of the car!  It has been a year, but my little silly nephew was here and still...silly!  The energy a happy child brings into a room is electric!  I wish he lived nearby so much!  Here he is in the middle of eating a ton of meatballs and pizza.

A little fuzzy because he was moving around, but look at that smile!

As you can probably tell, his mother is Philippine and man is that a dominant gene!  Such a good looking boy!  After a couple of hours, we were completely zonked and all called it a night.  I woke up at 5:45am and started my morning.  I had to catch a 6:45am bus back to NYC, so I was showered and eating cereal by 6:05am.  To my surprise Gav woke up and gave me a big hug and kiss goodbye!  Not the worst way to start a morning!

Not sure what my plans are for tonight.  We have some wedding planning we have to do, but other than that I am looking forward to a low key night.

Tomorrow am, a medium run (prob 4-5 miles).  My long run is going to be on Sunday this week, 8 miles, so I will be running tomorrow and Friday am!

I can blog!

Yay!  No more errors!  Ok, so I have done a lot since my last post, too much to remember, but I did save my 4th of July post that didn't work.  Since then running has been great, I am 100% on schedule with my plan and even though it feels like I am running in a sauna, I get my ass out there and even have taken on the "stevens hills" already (3.5 + hills this am)!  This weekend is 8 miles, I wonder what time I should wake up to do that! 

Tonight I'm heading down to TR and get to see my nephew!!!!  Can't even explain how excited I am!  I will def take a picture and post about it tomorrow.

Below is my post from 4th of July which I saved!

Happy Independence Day weekend America!!!

This long weekend was hot hot HOT!  Wednesday night, B and I had dinner with friends.  It was great to catch up with them, however the place we frequent a lot and had dinner was having a really bad night!  They were out of pretty much everything, they overcooked our pizza and the service was pretty bad.  It is a shame, we loved that place, but probably will not go again for a long time.  We had wine and some after dinner cocktails at another local place, then called it a night around midnight.

Thursday we woke up early, but no early enough.  It was way too hot for me to do a run so we took Clyde on a decent walk and B napped all day.  It was 4^th of July and we had plans to go to a friend’s family barbecue and B wanted to “rest up” before the night of bbq started!  I, on the other hand, got really bored.  I worked on some wedding stuff, did a light clean then decided to go for a bike ride.  I was thinking that since I would be moving the “breeze” from movement would be enough to keep me from passing out!  Most of the trails by the water where closed off for the fireworks, but I did get a pretty decent hour bike ride in.  Then when I got home, Clyde decided to show me how patriot he was by posing with his red, white and blue toy!

At the BBQ I made really good food choices…at first.  I had the grilled chicken, the salads and stuck to the low cal foods.  Then, after way too much Twisted Teas, I went nuts.  Deserts, potato salad, hamburger.  Ugh.  That along with the calories of the “teas” really made me feel sluggish and fat the next day.  Friday, B had to do work at his parents and I felt like sh*t.  I dropped him off and went home.  Sat at home doing nothing and ordered some fried food around 2pm.  My stomach was on the fritz and it helped.  Bad cycle.  Drink, eat bad, eat worse to ease stomach pain from drinking.  Yeah, that will not be happening for a long time!  I went to pick B up around 6 and we had a nice grilled dinner with his parents.  I wasn’t feeling 100%, but that dinner at least felt good.

Saturday came and went.  It was 100 degrees literally and just a dead humid heat.  B and I stayed pretty much in our undies on our bed all day.  We met up with friends for a late dinner, but the food choices where all very good.  Sunday was another hot day, but I was babysitting!  My friends where moving so I watched their toddler for a couple hours and it was fun!  He is a very good boy, so it was pretty easy!  He waded in his pool for a bit, but even that was hot! 

 

This morning I woke up and ran.  Even though it was still really hot, I couldn’t put it off anymore.  It wasn’t fun and I didn’t feel great.  I knew it was all because of the heat, but it didn’t matter.  I was bummed with how hard it was.  Tonight B and I are having a super healthy dinner of black bean burgers and veggies then going for a bike ride!  Believe it or not, I’m really hoping for some rain to cool off the heat!

I have a big day ahead for me tomorrow and I can’t wait to get to it!

Also, here is another bonus picture of Clyde meeting a little pittbull puppy, swooooooooooooon!

Ran 7.5, feel so alive....still can't post in normal post section. I might need to change my host.

Looks like my browser needs to be updated, need approval from comp :(

Trying to post, but I am erroring out :( I saved my post on a doc though and will try tomorrow!

TGIW

It's only Wednesday, but it is a Friday in our office!  We have off tomorrow and Friday and I am so excited!  One of my best girlfriends moved into the suburbs in April and I do not get to see her as much as I had when she lived three blocks down and we are spending 4th of July together!  So excited to hang with her and her fam!

Can I tell you, I felt great today!  I ran 5.5 miles this am and it was awesome!  I used my micoach app to make sure that I didn't start off too fast.  I kept my first two miles within the 9-10 minute mile pace instead of the 8-9 minute mile pace I have been starting off at.  The first mile consisted of working on my breathing and making sure my strides where complete (meaning rolling my feet all the way through and expanding my stride to a comfortable distance).  I put band aids on my feet to avoid blistering, but they weren't the blister bandages I usually purchase, just regular band aids.  Although they work in the beginning, they tend to move so towards the very end I felt the blisters popping up.  I really need to purchase my gear and new sneakers now that I think about it.  Anyway, at mile one I felt great, I knew I could push farther than the 4.5 miles I did on Monday and so I took a quick glance at what time it was and saw I had enough time to add more distance.  It was that simple, one mile in I knew what type of run I was going to have.  Now I have been running for a very long time and this is the second marathon I am training for, so it took many, MANY runs before I was able to identify what my body feels during a run, but once I did I was able to take in the view and coast.  I decided that I should snap a shot and share the view I am so lucky to see each run.

Beautiful, NYC.  That is lower Manhattan, the large building is the Freedom Tower (where the World Trade Towers used to be)  It was hot, but a beautiful morning.

After my run, I took C to the dog park and stretched.  I wore a cotton shirt running and it was a mistake, but I didn't have anything clean that I saw in my groggy state when I woke up at 5:45am.  Cotton just isn't a great material when you sweat.  It is heavy and it can chafe.  I didn't have to worry about chaffing because it just wasn't that long of a run to cause it, but any long runs past 10 miles you have to be in your best running gear.  I'm talking quick dry running shorts (they are undies that are like booty shorts), quick dry shirts and I wear cycling shorts.  I also use a bunch of other gear that I put on my body, which I spoke about last year and will again this year once I enter those longer runs. 

I got ready for work and then at work, I decided to take another picture, this time of my foot!  This puppy is the never ending blister!  This is what I need to get the correct bandages for.  It heals, but new ones just start forming underneath.  The blister bandage that is kind of like another layer of skin I put on works wonders, but if I don't use it, see below!

You have been warned!!!

Also, I'm sorry that my feet are kind of gross looking.  My toenails are painted and cute, but I can't really get pedi's when I'm training (too embarrassed) and the bottoms of my feet kind don't get the attention they deserve!  Also I wear flip flops in the summer and walking around Hoboken/NYC in flip flops = not best idea.

I am hoping we are going to get out of work a little early today, then B and I are hitting up Dozzino's for dinner and getting our Hot Onion pizza on!  The best pizza, seriously that Hot Onion is the best flipping pizza!  I am not sure, but I think I am going to have wine with dinner, I have off tomorrow and I only plan on doing a 2.5 or 3 mile run, so if I have a little too much wine, aight no thang! 

I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July!  God Bless America!

And training officially begins!

July 1st is here!  My training for the 2013 ING marathon has officially begun!  So here I am, a year later and going for it the second time around.  I ran this weekend, just a quick two miler.  I woke up late and didn't get started until around 8am.  The humidity was really just stifling.  Two miles was all I had in me yesterday morning.  I also did a ton of activity this weekend in general.  My weekend was another glorious one!  Hours of walking and bike riding, two movies and chilling with my two buds Brendan and Clyde!  Clyde really was not interested in the walking part, so after a few attempts at longer walks I took him home and let him relax in the A/C.  Each year he gets worse and worse in the heat.

This morning I was up early in an attempt to beat the humidity, around 5:45am.  I ran, it was ok, but not amazing.  I'm sorry but the first day of training and having it be as humid as it was stunk.  I was all ready to be positive and happy about marathon training, but in the end I did it, about a 9:30 minute mile pace and it was just ok.  I went home, stretched and got to work early.  I ran 4.5 miles this am.  A little longer than what I started out with last year, but I want to pusth myself a little harder than last year.  My goal is to be stronger and more prepared.  Don't get me wrong, I could have run the marathon last year.  I was up to 22 miles and I know I would have run it, but I did hit some hiccups during training.  Mostly towards the end since I was so tired of it all.  I hope to remain focused and strength train a lot more. 

My post run "glow"

I gave myself a pedicure yesterday too, which felt great and my toes look like a pro got to them, however my soft feet gave me a big ole blister this am.  Last year my feet suffered the most, including losing two toe nails!  I am going to put some money into investing the proper socks and preventative bandages to not have them go completely to shit this year.

I have runs scheduled for Wed/Thurs & Sat this week.  Saturday being my long one, with a distance of 6 miles.  I do plan on weight training tomorrow and Sunday.  Let this be my ceremonial "ribbon cutting", and I'm off!

Facial Cleansing

I got a facial on Wednesday and boy did I need it.  We have something here called Groupon.  They give you deals, like the one I purchased.  I got a basic facial (usually $70) for $35.  Not too shabby!  You tip on the full amount and you have to pay tax, but it's definitely a good deal.  I was exhausted, I felt better, but kind of crappy and for about an hour I was able to relax and my face felt great.

Now this was a basic facial, which didn't include any deep pore cleansing.  I will have to get a top of the line facial soon before my wedding so I can get rid of any black heads I have.  I may be pale and freckly, but overall my skin stays pretty clear!  Below is a picture after I left, I didn't smile because I wanted to show my skin with no lines in it.  I look hardcore!  Don't mess with me!

Post facial "glow"!

Yesterday was great!  B and I have been working hard this week communicating and figuring out how to communicate best.  We are 100% committed to getting through any issues (well mostly any issues, I am pretty sure I/we can't get past any cheating) that come up no matter where they come.  It is not always easy, like I said before, but I am praying and hoping it is worth it and so far it feels like it is.  We are connected and focusing on us and yesterday was a good day.  We felt happy again and I was able to get a great nights sleep!  I think I plopped down around 9am and stayed asleep until around 7am!  I woke up today feeling refreshed and focused!

Unfortunately, running was not in the cards for me all week.  I am waking up early tomorrow and getting a long run in, my goal is 5 miles.  After that, not sure.  Maybe a bike ride, maybe cleaning, grocery shop, I don't know, all depends on the weahter.  I'm not making plans this weekend, so my plan is to relax, do what I feel like and enjoy it!

Next week marks my official training schedule.  I am both nervous and excited.  Get ready to hear about the blisters, chaffing, bathroom breaks, oh yes, are you getting excited yet?????

Weekend of emotions

Well this weekend started off amazing!

Friday night I chilled out and watched Oz the Great and Powerful with B.  Saturday, woke up early, took C for a super long walk, then took a super long bike ride with B, then took C for another super long walk with my girlfriend.  C was completely knocked out!  After the second walk around 2:30pm we headed down the Jersey Shore to celebrate Father's Day with my Dad!  We didn't hit any traffic, I made sure to note that time we left to go down, because traffic to go down the Jersey Shore can be a biotch!  We had a great BBQ, chilled on the deck and left feeling healthy, but full!

Satuday night, BAM, I felt like I took a bullet.  B and I hit a really really rough night in our relationship.  I found myself unable to think, feel anything except anger and hurt.  I am not going to go into specifics, but it was bad.  I wasn't sure if I was going to put it out there, but the truth is the truth.  Sometimes relationships no matter how strong they feel are tested. 

The very next day B was out the door to Las Vegas.  He left late afternoon and I needed an escape.  I hit the movies, at 9am in the morning.  I sat there, probably looking like a pedophile, escaping to Monsters U, then I went to a different movie theater and sat and escaped to James Franco's house in This is the End.  I was able to laugh, I was able to forget, for just a couple of hours, but that was enough.  Enough for me to know that I am ok.  I will be ok.  I laughed. 

When it was time to get back to reality, I did.  I went home, B was off and as life stopped.  I didn't take calls, I didn't want to speak to anyone.  I wanted to understand what was going on.  I didn't eat.  That may be the only good side effect to getting really hurt, my appetite is gone.  I can't even swallow food, it makes me sick.  I slept.

Monday morning I woke up, still ignoring conversation.  I went to work.  I worked and slowly my head began to become less foggy.  A solution and a path was forming and I was feeling slightly better.  After work, I was ready for conversation.  I talked to my sister, she was amazing.  She confirmed my thoughts about what is the best course of action and she also listened to me.  I got to get it out.  It felt like a weight was lifted.  I talked to B, my love. 

I didn't get much exercise during the last two days, but I actually lost weight due to the whole not eating when stressed thing.  My appetite is coming back, but my heart is still hurt.  I do plan on exercising this week and getting some good runs in, but I just didn't have it in me the last couple of days.

Like I said before relationships, all relationships in life are work.  You have to put in the effort, you have to want to make it work, you have to have love.  I do not have all of the answers, but I am willing to try and find them.  Wish I had a happy update, but instead I just gave you a real one, warts and all.

"Love isn't always perfect.  It isn't a fairytale or a storybook and it doesn't always come easy.  Love is overcoming obstacles, facing challenges, fighting to be together, holding on and never letting go.  It is a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.  Love is work, but most of all, love is realizing that every hour, every minute, every second of it was worth it because you did it together." - Ritu Ghatourey

Red Face

I felt it today, I really did!  It was easy!  The 4.5 miles flew by this a.m. and I finished strong.  My lungs felt great, my legs felt great, my feet, well they didn't feel horrible.  True is I need new sneaks and I need to get better socks.  When I run with my "running socks" my feet hurt much less.  I also need to bulk up on my blister blockers and the chafe roller.  Sexy, huh?  ahahahahah!

Although I was totally happy with my run, as I was getting ready for work I ran into a problem I totally forgot about...red face!

This is a couple of minutes after my run.  See how red my face is, I swear it is not always that red!

I took a cold shower to cool off and my face was still completely red.  Only my face, not my neck or any other part of my body get this red.  It is really difficult to get ready in your work garbs and look like you applied blush really really wrong ahahah!  It takes me about 2 hours for my face to back to its normal color.  I think today I am going to try and figure out what causes it and how to prevent/bring it back to normal faster. 

Last night I made a killer quick and easy dinner.  I didn't take any photos, but it was a super easy recipe.  So on Monday night B and I went grocery shopping and I put a bunch of our chicken breasts we purchased into the crock pot with some water, onions and seasoning.  Tuesday a.m. I took them out of the pot and put them in the fridge.  We made chicken salad on Tues, Wed was the tasting and last night I wanted to do something different, I made kale & chicken quesadillas!  Amazing!  I cute the kale off the stems, rinsed it, cooked it in olive oil, onions and garlic.  Then I took the chicken out, pulled it apart then heated it up in the same pan with kale.  I placed the cooked kale & chicken into tortillas with an italian blend of shredded cheese, put in saute pan with a lid over and flipped.  Voula!  A perfect quick dinner that B and I really liked!  I skipped on the tortilla part and just had the kale & chicken with sprinkled parm on top to save on calories.

I am not sure where this weekend will take me, but I hope it involves a bike!  TGIF!

No Sleep for Hoboken

I didn't sleep very well last night.

We went to our tasting, it was amazing.  Every new plate was filled with beautiful colors and perfectly places sauces!  We all loved pretty much everything, but certain items definitely stood out and we cannot wait to have all of our wedding guests enjoy the food as well!

As amazing as all the food was, as soon as the tasting was over, it was stress.  It washed over our car like a 10 foot wave.  We are getting married in 70 days and we still have to pay so much money!  Now it is not like we do no have a savings for the remainder, we do, but we are going to be over and that means credit card debt.  That debt that is just out there, gaining interest, eating away at your financial soundness.  There is so much to do for a wedding and everyone and their mother has gone through it.  I am not complaining, I just had a night of "holy shit what did we get ourselves into" feelings.  I am not a relationship expert by any means, but when B and get stressed, we need to find a way to release it.  I wish I could tell you went up to the bedroom and released it like maniacs, but instead we decided to pick a fight.

It was long, it was knock down drag out and exhausting.  Now, don't be alarmed, I love B with all my heart and I know he loves me too, but we let it out.  If B is upset with me, he tells me and usually visa versa.  I am not sure if this works for everyone, but it's cleansing and therapeutic for us.  It makes us try and correct the things that are  important, however, during the release it's exhausting!  Unfortunately, not exhausting enough to go to bed at a normal hour.  We were up talking for hours and hours.  Each of us trying to understand the other.  One little stressor led to all of the stresses during this process. 

I woke up this morning bleary eyed and completely exhausted, but happy.  I kissed B good bye and headed to work.

Eating, well it was normal today, so far exercise was nonexistent, but it is really nice out and I am going to walk to the path and I am going to do the little stuff I do around the apt.  The "little stuff" includes leg lifts, pushups, crunches and squats.  A little here and there between commercials gets my heart going and then I go to bed feeling good.  Tomorrow is a run (FYI, I did run Wed. morning, longest run since pretraining, 4.5 miles).  Mojo is coming back my friends, slowly but surely!

In closing of today, just wanted to put a little note about James Gandolfini.  I did not know him, but New Jersey people share a kinship, rest in peace.

Playing Catchup

My life, like I am sure most everyones life, is passing me by fast!  The last week has been filled with moving and getting s*** done! 

First, I have been running about three times a week!  I am still not in the comfort zone where it is a breeze and I can just add distance and not feel it, but I am getting better.  My breathe is coming back.  My legs are starting to pace myself more easily.  Of course my face always looks like a radish when I'm done, but that will never change!  I mean half of it is from the sun, I'm very pale and freckly, sun burnt is a way of life for my summers!

In the elevator after about a 4 mile run, red faced and light haired! 

Pretty much I run between 3 to 4 miles three times a week and the mycoach app is showing my progress.  I have knocked a little over 2 minutes off my time since starting and I added more elevation to my routes.  I cannot say it enough how tracking your progress actually leads to progress! 

This past weekend was in one word, amazing.  The weather was perfect out and we took advantage of it!  Friday, B and I had dinner and Sangria with friends, delicous!  Saturday I hiked with Clyde & a girlfriend and her dog.  A little tid bit he is a three legged pitt after he got lost and damaged his leg.  He did such an amazing job hiking and we even got a bit lost!  Props to that pup!  After the hike, I went home, took an hour nap and then B and I went to a local pizza place for an early dinner.  Naps are so underrated!  I'm 31 years old and I love a good nap!  After pizza we got in a long bike ride followed by frozen yogurt and a movie at home!  I cannot say it enough, but days like this past Saturday make me so thankful for my life! 

Sunday was an early morning Clyde walk, a 4 mile run, then off to B's rents to celebrate Father's Day.  We are celebrating with my dad this Saturday since he was just coming back from a long vacation! 

Monday was filled with waking up late, argh, and totally rushing around in the a.m., working late, argh, food shopping and eating late, triple argh!  Monday was annoying, but I am happy we got a food shop in at least!  I put chicken into the crock pot at night with onions, a little water and creole seasoning and this a.m. it was perfect for the chicken salad I want to make tonight! 

This morning I woke up and was going to go for a run, but I knew we would be busy tomorrow night and Clyde got the shaft on a walk last night, so I decided to take him on a long walk and when we got home I did push ups, crunches & leg lifts.  Tonight I am going to try sneak in a quick run (2-3 miles) then make chicken salad and do laundry.  Ah, what a wild life we lead! 

Tomorrow, if I don't get a run in tonight, I will be running 4 miles tomorrow a.m. and then work, then our tasting!  Yes!  I cannot wait to try all the goodies from our venue!  We invited our dads to come with us since we only could invite two people and they really aren't too invovled in general with the wedding process. 

I hope wherever you are, you are having as much beautiful weather as we are here in NJ!

Pretraining, training

I officially start training on July 1st, but like I said in prior blogs, I start running consistantly in June, and I have!  My breathing is still a work in progress, but I already feel better.  My energy is up, I feel stronger already and it has only been a couple days into June!  Also, I am organically opting for better foods.  What I mean by organically is that I don't have to think about it, I just crave it.  I know it has been a while so let me catch you up.

The weather in NJ has been weird, super hot, rainy or colder than expected, but since June 1st it has been pretty nice!  Perfect for running.  This am I wanted to take Clyde for a walk, he was basically begging me with his eyes.

Look at those dark eyes, screaming WALK ME!

So I did!  I took him on about a 45 minute walk and he was plenty happy!  I was going to run in the am, because I just feel better running in the am, but I knew it was going to be nice out all day, so I am going to jog when I get home.  My goal is to do 3 miles at whatever pace feels right!

I have been using a new app called micoach. I know there is amazing things you can do with this app, but to tell you the truth I can't totally figure out how to work it yet.  I can, however, figure out how to make it track my runs and it is AWESOME!  It shows me how far I went, a map of where I went, the elevation, paces, etc.  Also, as I am running it tells me when I hit a distance and the pace I was going for that mile!  I have to say that I absolutely LOVE what it does for me!  I love hearing that little ding and the woman telling me my stats, it is so motivating!  I started using this on my last run and I plan on storing my workout history during training, however I can't figure out how to import the information so I can show you yet.  I have a friend that knows I.T.  really well so I will have to make sure to get more lessons from him soon!  I really want to be able to publish my runs, so anyone can see how to train for a marathon when you are not professional runners!

My birthday was amazing and low key, just the way I wanted it.  Spent with family and friends and barbecue!  The time has been flying by and things have been moving faster than I can keep up with.  Wedding invites are out, shower thank you's are getting finished!  It is so hard to write thank yous, it takes me a while to express the gratitude I have for everyone.  I really am humbled to how amazingly generous my family and friends are!  B and I are lucky people indeed!

One of my guilty pleasures these days are Starbucks Berry Hibiscus teas!  Amazing I tell you and as far as drinks from Starbucks go low on calories as well.  When it is hot, nothing cools me down like a Berry Hibiscus Refresher!!!  Get it guuuuuuuuuuuuurl!

I mean doesn't even look refeshing????

Memorial Day Weekend

This is a pivotal weekend for me for a couple reasons:

1.  I'm going to turn 31 on May 26th
2.  I have to officially start training next week
3.  Summer starts

Ok, maybe not that pivotal, but the official start to training is a big mental date in my head!  July marks the time frame when most people start full on training, but June is when I condition myself for my consistency runs.  I will be running four days a week, around 2-6 miles depending on the days.  I know that is not a big deal, however the consistency is what gets me into the habit of training and trust me, if anything, you need to feel like it is second nature to wake up at the butt crack of dawn and run, sometimes for hours.  Once you know it's just what is done then there is no getting out of it.  At least that is what worked for me last year and I felt good last year.  I am a fan of the morning run for a couple of reasons.  First, you get it over with, second you feel good (no belly full of food) and third there is not thinking about it, you wake up and go.  That is the goal of June.  To wake up and go and get into that mode.

Also, I am going to be 31!  I'm excited about this one.  I pretty much had a mental breakdown last year, turning 30 was a big bummer for me.  I am not 100% sure why, but it was.  This year, I really don't mind.  I'm going to be 31 and this year is going to be amazing!  I will get married, run a marathon, go to France and perhaps many other life changing things.  I'm excited for all of them!  31 is going to be great!

Summer starting, well it is, but hell I just couldn't think of a number three, ha!  I love summer and everything that goes with it.  The heat, the sweat, the sun, the thunder storms!  I love it all! 

I spoke before about doing a modified master cleanse this week, it didn't happen.  That thing called life got in the way, but the next two weeks I have cleared my calendar (it really is a matter of clearing social obligations) to do the following cleanse:

Breakfast   Master Cleanse Lemonade
Lunch        Salads (piled on with healthy options, but a big salad)
Dinner       Master Cleanse Lemonade and large glass of almond milk

Snacks - Lemonade or teas

Yes, this is not the cleanse, but the lemonade is really great at satisfying any hunger pangs I have and I need a lunch.  I know that about myself and I want to have something that can give me a boost to lose some pounds before training, but not tire me out completely.

This weekend will be filled with BBQs!  I am prepared though, each BBQ I have a plan of attack when it comes to healthy options!  I'll try take photos to recap on Tuesday!  Have a healthy and happy Memorial Day weekend!   God Bless our United States Armed Forces, your lives where not taken in vain!

Feeling like a woman!

I got my hair done this weekend!

What do you think?

I lightened it up just a bit!  A perfect bit!   I'm going to do it one more time before the wedding.  It is crazy how great your hair looks when you leave a salon!  I wish that I had some hair style skills!  I loved the lighted up look and am so happy I did it.  It kind of took a long time, but worth it 100%.  I feel like such a W.O.M.A.N. when I leave the salon.  My hair has bounce, I don't cringe when I see a reflection of myself on the way home!  I wish I can harness that feeling and look forever! 

I do have girlfriends that look great, pretty much 100% of the time I see them.  They get up early, take their time getting ready.  Blow dry their hair with a round brush, put make up on, the whole shibang.  They look great, really they do.  I wish I had that in me sometimes.  I just don't.  I don't even wear makeup really (example the picture above).  I am not one of those naturalists either.  I do think make up and getting done up is beautiful and more importantly it makes you feel beautiful.  That being said, I'm really nervous to get my make up done the day of my wedding.  The last time I got it done was for my sister’s wedding and it scared the crap out of me.  I know it looked really pretty, but I felt like a Kardashian, like a clown.  I didn't feel like myself.  Wanting to look beautiful for my wedding is important, but I still need to look like myself.  My poor make up girl, I will probably have to do a million trials! 

Other than that my weekend was uneventful in the best way!  B and I met up with my old work friends on Friday, so fun!  Saturday I did my hair and we went to dinner and Sunday we did brunch with his parents.  I did get the wedding stuff I wanted to get done this weekend completed too.  All in all a great weekend if you ask me, despite the crappy weather!  Also, the "stuff" is gone and we are back on track!!!!
 

Shame Cycle

I feel shameful after a binge.  It drives me crazy that I still at almost 31 years old have binge cycles.  I know what sets them off and I continue to do it from time to time. 

Sometimes, every once in a while, B and I enjoy a little herbal stimulants.  Although, it fully relaxes me and puts any nerves to a complete mellow, I also mentally give myself a free pass to eat and eat and eat.  I don't even think it is anything directly from the herbs, but instead just myself saying, F it, go for it, who cares.  I know I have a binging mentality.  I have had issues over shopping, over drinking, over eating, over working out.  It took years of hitting low points in each area to fix.  Whether it was racking up so much debt I couldn't sleep, which I paid off 100% every penny and now I rarely shop at all, or working out so much and so hard that I pass out on a treadmill, I used to push to an unhealthy place.  I know I am not perfect, but I have found a good place at 31 for almost all of my vices, except when I enjoy this little thing.  It isn't even enjoyable for me when I wake up the next morning feeling fat and lethargic.  I swear off it and then BAM it is in our apt. 

This is definitely something that I no longer want around me, not because I am against it, in fact I am a huge supporter of legalizing it, but because I become a fat ass from it!  I need B's support in keeping it out of the apt and I just haven't gotten it yet.  I will say again, we do this every once in the while, so it is not something that is in our apt a lot, but I feel it is a cycle.  We do it, get lazy and fat, then stop, I get back into shape, and we do it again. 

Well I want out of this cycle!  I am hoping putting it out there will nix any desire that I may have to do it again.  I want to be 100% balances on all my vices, including binge eating!!!!!  I promise to write every time I have a binge and what caused it.  It may  not work, but at least I will feel embarrassed putting it out there and think before eating everything in my kitchen! 

This weekend is actually a pretty relaxed one for the most part, I am getting my hair done though!  I'll put up a pic when it's finished!  Also, next week I'm going to attempt to do a version of the master cleanse from Mon-Fri.  My co-workers are out all week, so I will be doing lunch alone!  Perfect time to try this since I will have no pressure to socialize at lunch :)  Have a happy, healthy weekend!

Being healthy by environment

Well, the wedding adventure is over!  It was so beautiful in the Outer Banks and they had perfect weather for their special day! 

We got there around 3pm on Wednesday night and stayed in the house with the bridal party (B is a groomsman).  The house was massive!  Three levels and tons of bedrooms each with their own bathroom, views of the ocean, a movie theater room, pool and much more!  They had a welcome BBQ that night which was filled with ribs, salads, mac n cheese and so many other delicious foods!  I actually stuck to a pretty decent plate of salads and veggies.  I was drinking though.  Pinot!  Usually when I drink my appetite is minimal.  This is me and B on the porch swing outside our room right before the BBQ was about to begin.

He is so serious and I'm a total cheese ball!

We woke up super early to seize the beautiful weather and my girlfriend Marisa and I went for a run.  It wasn't the easiest run, hungover and kind of out of shape, but I think we did about 2.5 miles and walked on the beach back.  After the run we hit up the beach and chilled out for most of the day on Thursday.  It was beautiful out but the water was way too cold to swim, so it was mostly just sitting on the beach.  Then came lunch!  I mean it's vacation, so you want to eat like fat lards right?  Wrong!  The people that where in the house, who where awesome btw, all ate really healthy.  I mean grilled chicken and grilled veggies healthy!  They were up for runs, training for iron mans, doing it all and you know what, it's contagious.  I wanted to do those things and eat like they did.  It felt good.  It goes to show you how it is easier to have a healthy lifestyle if your partner has one!  It spreads! 

Thursday night was the rehearsal dinner, I only drank a little bit and ate pretty modestly.  B was having a great time and I was getting so tired and wanted to make sure I was ready to go for the wedding day the next day so Marisa and I walked back to our houses.  It was about a mile away and I saw a shooting star!!!  No joke!  I made a wish and will remember that star forever!!!!  Actually the whole sky in the Outer Banks looks like a planetarium.  So many stars, it was so peaceful.  I went to bed super early and woke up around 7am ready to GO!  Marisa and I went for another run (B had a lot of groomsman duties to do during the week) and then started helping out. 

Friday consisted of everyone helping out to put together the reception/ceremony area and making everything just right for the bride and groom.  The finished product was beautiful and the bride and groom where stunning!  A total success!  I would post pictures of the bride/groom, but I didn't take any with my phone :(  I forgot it!  I took some with my friends phone and she is going to send to me!  She did send me one of me and B though!  This is near the water where they had their ceremony.

I actually hate what I'm doing here, but B looks like a hottie!

The wedding was over and we finished the weekend kind of lounging and driving of course!!!!  Outer Banks is not a hop and a skip away from Hoboken, NJ.  Sunday we got back after spending time with our respective mothers and crashed!  Monday was back to work and busy busy busy!

Today, Brendan said he is starting a full on diet.  Let's hope we can keep a healthy environment that was down there!  I felt great eating those foods and being so active.  I hope we can keep it up and lose some lbs in the process!  Let's not forget my fitting is June 8th!!!!  Holy Moly! 

Surpise!

It was me and B sitting at the bar McCloones on an amazingly gorgeous day on Saturday.  We decided to go to the bar to meet my sister and my brother in law for a drink and hour before my step mother’s retirement party.   Well that is what I thought anyway.  I get a frantic text from my sister that the retirement party is earlier than the time my father had provided (which would be very much likely, my dad is a ditz) and I should hightail it over there before speeches start.  It was being held at the historic center of Monmouth Beach, NJ.  We pull up, we park in a frenzy and I dash in with my card out, trying to get in before my step mother speaks, then flash bulbs!

The first person I saw was my mother and I immediately knew, this is “my wedding shower”!!!!  The room was so girlie.  White, cream  & pink colors surrounded the room and little pink potted plants where in the center of each table.  My bridesmaids are seriously the most thoughtful beautiful all around ladies.  I am so lucky to have such a great group of friends!  There was sangria, wine and water on a main table and there were gifts, EVERWHERE!  I hit the jackpot!  It took me a while to calm down.  I walked around the room and hugged each person, but I was still completely frazzled.  I sat down ate a bit and then we got down to business, I got in the big chair in the front of the room, the supposed “hot seat” and my girls asked me all types of questions about Brendan and our relationship.  I knew most of the answers and I definitely knew the ones I should have known!  It was really sweet hearing the answers he said to some questions.   Then gift opening.  I am not sure how it was for every other bride to be, but I was so shocked and amazed with how generous everyone was.  We got so many great items off our registry and the only thing left now is to get a house! 

At the end of the day, it is weird being the center of attention, but it really shows you how loved you are.  I left the shower feeling so blessed to have all these people in my life from all different times of my life and I am blessed to be marrying such an amazing man!  I cannot wait for this next chapter!  I will post pictures as soon as I get them from the girls!

Other than that amazing, amazing day, not much happened this weekend.  I got to spend time with my bff that flew in from LA for my shower (how awesome is she), her sister (another bff) and her baby on Sunday morning.  Hanging with babies seriously keep me youthful for sure.  I can’t wait to have one to play with!  B left for OBX to help his best friend get ready for his wedding down there on Friday and to play golf!  I am heading down there first thing tomorrow morning to celebrate thier wedding and I cannot wait! 

Food wise, I have been keeping it healthy for the most part, but the shower threw me for a small loop.  Also, I got my lovely friend this week and feel like my body is one big bloated fart!  I won’t be on for a couple of days because I will be in OBX, and will def take pictures!  Sending love out to the internet world-love-love-love!

Wedding Shower

I had my wedding shower this weekend!  It was a total surprise and it was everything a gal could have asked for!  I am super busy today, but will definitely post tomorrow :) 

Happy!

I'm happy today!

It is so beautiful in NY & one of my favorite bloggers, Elle, on priorfatgirl.com is back from a hiatus!  I love the way she writes! 

I kind of binged at Chipolte today at lunch.  I get a veggie salad which is good, but about 25% of the time I also get chips and guacamole....fail.  Anyway, I'm full and completely hyper from too much diet coke, but ready to finish up the day! 

Even though I ate bad at lunch I have been eating very healthy at dinner.  Check out this concoction.  I am not sure if any of you have tasted or tried to cook Kasha, but it is delicious.  To me it has a rice, quinoa texture with a wheat/barely taste, but I cook it in veggie broth and it absorbs the flavor pretty easily.  It might not look like much, but it was so good and filling.  I picked up some mixed veggies on the way home, likely sauteed them in a little bit of olive oil and mixed the prepared kasha and veggies.  I made B pasta/chicken in pesto sauce, but was feeling veggies and grains!

Don't hate, appreciate!

My weekend is low key, so I plan on soaking up the rays!  Have a happy/healthy everyone!

Stress eating

I hear this a lot, I stress eat and I eat when I'm depressed.  That sucks!  Seriously, I know I am one of the luckier ones that actually lose my appetite when I am stressed or depressed.  I can't imagine going through something that is making me completely stressed or depressed and then gaining weight on top of that.  I truly feel horrible for people that have that tendency.  I am, however, a bored eater.  When I have zero to do and the TV is looking good and the kitchen is about 10 steps away from the couch, I look for whatever item I can sit, zone out and pop into my mouth.  Sooooo, I usually try and keep items that I can't do that with.  Like items I literally have to cook.  That is not part of the "lazy/bored" equation so I tend to not to pick.  I know this is not a normal way of life, especially if you have a family including children, but for now that works.

Anyway, I digress.  I ate, eh, this Saturday.  It was a beautiful day, so C and I took a 3 hour walk!  So nice and Clyde was kaput!  Then I went to my moms/grams and my sister came over and we stuff my wedding invites and worked on another wedding project.  It was really nice, so I was happy and just chilling, so I ate.  Nothing too crazy, just a typical trip to family over eating session.  Well the next morning something happened that completely stressed me out and Sunday my appetite was minimal, until I calmed down around dinner time after I worked off some steam walking around Hoboken and doing crunches!  It is so weird how our bodies are effected by feelings.  I was at a point of pure anger and I felt it all through my body.  It took me physically pushing myself a little and talking to friends to get it out.  I felt calm again, relaxed.  I will say this over and over but I am LUCKY.  I can do that.  I know because I see it with my family members that being sad/depressed is no joke.  I am so freaking lucky that I can get it out of my system and it's gone.  I mean it isn't like forgetting anything, just that feeling in my body is gone.  Eating healthy is one thing, but mental health is just as important if not more.  It is not something you can ignore and will effect your physical health as well.  Thank god we live in a society where it is much more acceptable to receive mental health care.

Other than that, not much has been going on since this weekend.  Working, soaking in whatever time I have outside in this amazing weather. Spring is finally here!  And making Pizza Muffins!  Remember those?  English Muffin pizzas?  I haven't made them in years!  Well B and I ate a dinner of just Pizza Muffins :)  It was delicious and made me think of being a kid!  Check out my plate!

I do love me some crushed red pepper!

Today is one of my besties from forever birthday out in LA.  I'm sending love and happiness vibes as far as I can....hopefully they can reach her!  Happy Birthday Kristin!

Friday and I'm in love

I love the Cure song, It's Friday and I'm in Love.  I am not sure if that is even the name of the song, but that is definitely the chorus!  I love Fridays, especially when it's so beautiful out! 

I have been doing my 100 crunches and my eating has been really great.  I have kind of been avoiding the scale because I just want to focus on eating well and exercising and just weigh in to myself next week.  I think, sometimes, when I lose I give myself a free pass to eat anything I want and that should not be the case at all!

Last night was the NFL draft, we watch it together and discuss the picks.  It was really fun and this is what I look like when I watch the draft:

Jammies and Wine!  Now that is how you watch a draft!

I have a great weekend planned with plenty of outdoor activities!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

Park Avenue Richard Simmons

I completed my first night of 100 crunches.  I did three sets of 30 reps and one last set of 10 leg lifts.  It wasn't really that bad and it gave me energy to play with my crazy Clyde, so we goofed around and I chased him up and down our duplex stairs.  B came home a little toasty and ready to pick a fight, so he stayed on the couch last night (7 years...it's not always roses and butterflies) and my little munchkin Clyde slept on top of his toys/bones to make sure B didn't get them, ha!  Check it out, B took this picture last night of him!

I hope he had sweet dreams of bones!

This morning I took C for a walk and at lunch I met up with my girl Christy and walked Park Avenue in NYC.  Park Avenue is a beautiful street lined with flowers and sculptures.  There is a ton of money on that street, especially in Midtown.  We walked two miles like Richard Simmons and I was armed with weights!  Um, yeah, we stuck out!  Check out my weights I keep in my desk drawer just for those occasions!

Only 3lbs, but let me tell you, I feel those 6 additional pounds around 20 blocks of walking!

Tonight, hoping to go for a quick run and do my crunches.  128 days until my wedding, 128 days to get into tip top shape!

Hundred Crunch Challenge

I am starting a challenge for myself.  One hundred crunches each day.  Once a day.  I am going to give myself some slack though. 

1.  It does not have to be 100 crunches all at the same time
2.  It does not have to be 100 crunches in the same position

Just 100 crunches at anytime throughout the day everyday.  I have pretty much zero ab strength, so I am a big fan of intervals of 30 with ten leg lifts (lay on back with hands together under butt in diamond shape, then lift legs up and down).  I need to start seeing some changes to make my mind at ease.   I have a dress fitting on June 8th, my first one and I want to be close to what I will be at my wedding.  That is about a month and half so plenty of time to tone up!

Small victories get me closer to the larger goal!

My legs are feeling much better today.  I can walk down the stairs without holding onto the banister and looking like a total wierdo!  I am going to try go for a walk tonight with B and C.  Tomorrow, it's on like donkey kong!  I should be all rested up and the weather is supposed to be AMAZING, so I will be getting my exercise on!  Long walk with C in the am, walking with my beautiful preggers friend at lunch and hopefully getting a short 3 miler in after work.  That is the goal.  I'm ready to jump back in full force.  I have been tipping my toe in and have been resting my soreness when I have to, but the last couple of weeks have gotten me ready for training again.  So even though I don't "officially" start marathon training again until June/July, I will be running at least every other day to keep up my lungs and continue to build my strength.  My goal during this time frame is to get strong.  I plan on incorporating a lot more strength training activity this time around such as lunges, squats, weight lifting, hills, etc.  Sandy got canceled the NYC marathon for a reason and in my head it is so I can be better prepared!