Running Partner

Calvary's Isabella

I would like to introduce you to my running partner. Her name is Calvary Isabella or Bella for short. She is a Miniature Australian Shepherd. The breed is just like standard size Australian Shepherd, just a little smaller. I got Bella when she was 8 weeks old. She is now almost 4 years old. Australian Shepherds (Aussies) are known for their intelligence and willingness to please. Bella has just that. She is incredibly smart and loves to be with me at all times.

Bella is about 30 pounds and is a red-tri coat pattern.

She is also very out of shape at the moment. Aussies have a double coat, making the Florida Heat kind of tough on her during the summer months. I plan on getting back in shape along side of my trusty pal.

Bella loves to go for runs, however she thinks it is appropriate to potty every quarter mile or so. On day one of our training run she pooped three times, and peed and uncounted amount of times. I am hoping that she will get better as we run more, because it slows our pacing down.

Obedience is a major factor when taking a dog for a walk or a run on a leash. Bella is really good about listening to me on and off the leash making her controllable around people and other dogs. However, if there is another dog she gets really excited and wants to play most of the time.

Now that the weather is getting cooler I hope to take her with me on most of my runs, so stay tuned to my posts to find out how she is doing with her training runs as well.

Zeus

I couldn't write a post about Bella and not include Zeus. This is Bella's little brother. He loves his picture being taken.

Day 1 of Training

It is official I have started training for the Disney Princess Half in February. My goal is to finish the race in 3 hours or less. There are a lot of training plans out there for half and full marathons to follow. I am going to try and follow Jeff Galloway's training plan. His plans usually include a long run on the weekend then two 30-45 minute runs during the week. I am going to try and do three shorter workouts during the week to get in shape quicker. Or at least that is my plan. Last night I was trying to figure out the best time of day to try and get my runs in. I don't really like running with the jogging stroller, because it slows my pace, and it is kind of hard to push. Well after talking with the hubby I decided that unless I can find a cheap tread mill and run when Addie is sleeping that it is best to just push her in the stroller. With hubby's work schedule we never know when he will be home. One week it could be 5 PM every day, then the next week it might be 8 PM. I could try and run early in the morning, but running in the dark around my neighborhood doesn't sound appetizing to me.

Water Hazard on the Golf Course

So day 1 of training started today. I loaded the stroller, the car seat, the baby, the diaper bag, the dog (i decided she needed to get in shape too), and me in the car to drive to the path I mapped out.

We live relatively close to a retirement community and they have golf cart paths that follow all of the main roads through the community. One of the paths travel like 20 miles or more through the community from one town to the next. The path is nice and paved, plus the landscaping is pretty.I parked at the sheriffs department at the beginning of the path and unloaded all of the above list.

I am the typical first time mom. I packed everything I could possibly need for Addie. Wednesday when I go to run again, I am NOT carrying nearly as much stuff. Is there a reason why I think I would need a fully stocked diaper dag? I don't know, maybe, but I doubt it.

Anyway back to my run today. We started out great! A nice warm-up followed by run/walk intervals. I had planned on running .20 miles then walking 2 minutes. I did that about once then had to start running shorter distances. My running partner Bella (a miniature australian shepherd) is very out of shape as well. At about 3/4 of a mile she started slacking way behind. We were running early this morning, but it was still kind of humid out. I started running less and walking more. The whole 2nd mile we pretty much walked back to the car. It is going to take some time for her to lose some weight and being a productive running partner, but that is what team work is for.

I must of made her bored.

The running path is a golf cart path that is about 12 feet wide and nicely paved. However, the drivers of the golf carts are not so nice. Some of them were really nice and gave me a lot of room when they passed, but some... not so much. Also, the path is mostly straight, but there is some turns. Those turns... how can I say this nicely... some of those drivers think they are in the golf cart version of Nascar! They fly around the turns. I am pretty sure they are pulling an Earnhardt Sr. and throttling through the turns instead of braking! But we didn't have any near death experiences so I think this is my new running path. There is quite a bit of shade along the way as well. Some of the best qualities of this running route is the fact that the paving is smooth, there is shade, most of the people are friendly and wave or say good morning. and it is pretty much unlimited running. The road is called Buena Vista Blvd. It goes from one side of the community to the other, so it is probably 15-20 miles long total.

While on our run Addie must of gotten bored because she passed out in the stroller. Since this was the first actual run with her in the stroller I used the head support from the car seat. I am glad I did, because it supported her head when she fell asleep. She was a great running partner. Once we started going, I didn't hear one peep out of her. Normally she is a very "vocal" baby, but not today on the run. Either she slept the whole time, or she was really enjoying it.

Here we are midway through our run. She of course was sleeping, but I couldn't help getting such a cute picture of her!

The actual run wasn't that bad. I completed 2.06 miles. My pace was really slow because of all the walking. **And my dog thinks she must stop and potty about every quarter mile (Read about her here)** It was actually probably one of my slowest runs ever, but at least we got out there.

I am officially on the waiting list to be matched with a buddy for I Run 4 (IR4). The email says it could take 6-8 weeks before I get a match due to the over abundance of runners requesting matches.

With that said, if you know any one who is a runner and would be interested in being matched send them over to whoIrun4.com. Also, if you know anyone that is physically or mentally handicapped that would love to have a runner, or some one that has a child that is handicapped, please send them to the website as well.

On a side note... I listen to Pastor Mark Driscoll podcasts during my runs. He said some pretty awesome things: One of which was... "When good things become God things, they become bad things." He was preaching on one God and how we worship other things like: sex, money, people, things... It was something that really stuck with me.

The baby is awake now... Time to play. Stay tuned.

Turtle and Dog Run

My challenger tonight! 

Tonight was the first night I ran since my 5k on Sunday Morning. I was going to try to do a 2 mile loop, but by the time dinner was done and my hubby got out of the swimming pool, it was already 7 P.M. and I didn't want to run in the dark.

I asked Bella (my miniature australian shepherd) if she wanted to go for a run, and of course as all dog running buddies do she got super excited and ran to the door. I harnessed her up, tied my asics and set my garmin for a training run. I mapped out a 1 mile run around the block earlier so I decided to do that run tonight.

I ran past our old house during my run. It was bittersweet... Actually it was sweet, because I realize we got a much better house for a lot better deal. (God works like that sometimes)

Along the run, Bella and I almost ran right past "Our challenger!" He was a little baby gopher turtle. He was on the side of the road eating supper when I stopped to take his picture. He didn't really like me getting that close to him, but stuck his head out anyways.

Here is the funny part of my run tonight... When you run with a dog you risk the chance of said dog needing to "potty." Well I normally carry doggy bags with me, however tonight I figured I didn't need one since we were only going 1 mile. At about 1/2 mile Bella stopped to pee. I paused the garmin and the nike+ app and let her do her thing. We jogged on. At 3/4 of a mile she decided it was time to poop. Now mind you, our house is right around the corner. She kept trying to stop to potty along the way. I was trying to get her to the nearest empty lot so she didn't poop on someones lawn. What does my awesome little running partner do?

She stops in the middle of running and poops in the middle of the road. :-/ Not on the side in the grass... but on the asphalt. I did what any runner would do... I bowed my head in shame and jogged off hoping no one was looking.

Overall my run was really good. I didn't do intervals, I just ran till I wanted to walk and walked for a few steps then started running again. I really have to focus on running and training for the Disney Princess next year. I really want to beat my last time of like 3:30.

Today's run summary:

Miles: 1.19

Time: 14:36

Pace: 12:16

I analyzed my run on the Garmin website and figured that my running pace is about a 9:30 to 10:30. That is much faster than I thought it was. Now I have to build endurance to try and lessen my walking times.

I will leave you with a picture of my running buddy Bella:

This is Bella. She is a 3.5 years old Miniature Australian Shepherd. 

Training Plan

There are so many training plans out on the internet for 5ks and 10ks and half marathons. Well I decided to use the Jeff Galloway method. I used his method to train for the Disney Princess Half in 2012. It is a running method that uses walk breaks to increase endurance.

My sister-in-law and I are going to run the Color Run 5k in Orlando on September 22nd. It is just over 12 weeks away from now. I used Jeff Galloway’s template for a 12 week 5k plan. I put it into excel and penciled it in my planner. I also used his pacing times to begin shaving time off of my miles.

The plan starts off easy with only two 15 minute runs on Tuesday and Thursday then a 1 mile run on Saturday. I am starting off running 30 seconds and walking a minute. This translates to about a 16 minute mile. The further into the plan I go, to faster pacing I plan to train for. Most half marathons and other races require a 16 minute mile.

Here is a link to the training plan that I am using. **I did not come up with the times, I just added my pace into the workouts. This is basically the same training plan from Jeff Galloway’s website. Click here >>Training Plan

After the 5k, I continue the training for a 10K that I am thinking of doing in November. If you want to use my document I do not mind at all, but please link back to my blog.

Below is the pacing times. This is directly off of Jeff Galloway’s website as well:

Run/Walk	Minutes/Mile
30s/60s	16
30s/45s	15
30s/30s	14
1m/1m	13
2/1	12
2:30/1	11
3/1	10
4/1	9

I will start this training plan on July 1st. The cross training days (Mon, Wed, Fri) are used for working out, walking, or resting. I plan on doing my Kinect Nike + workout two of those days. Sundays are specifically for resting. Jeff goes into detail that your body needs a resting day at least once a week to gain strength and recover. I am sure for the first few weeks I will need to take more than one resting day, at least until my sore muscles get stronger.

My goal:

 

Ok well that is my goal, to get back in shape, but I like running for much more than just to tone and tighten. Running is a perfect time to clear your head and get right with God. I love listening to Christian Rock and worshiping God on my runs. Not only does it pass the time, it also helps me relieve stress.

 

 

Don’t forget to go like my Facebook Page!!!

I will leave you with my ALL time favorite Bible Verse. I actually had a bracelet made with this on it when I ran my first race. It helps me get through the tough miles…

“I can do all things through Christ…” Phil 4:13

Welcome back to running

6 weeks have already flew by. Addie is 6 weeks today, and I had my 6 week check up on Tuesday. I healed well from the c-section, so I am now released for exercise. Which means I can run again!!
Addie had her one month check up last week. She was 11 lbs. 9 oz. and 22 1/2 inches long. The Dr. said she was in the 90th percentile for both weight gain and length. I guess she eats well Her next appointment is at 9 weeks and she gets her shots. I am not looking forward to that appointment by any means.
1 month
Sleep is getting better. We are on a routine. Napping and awake spells during the day, bath time between 7-8:30 P.M. Then she eats and goes to bed. She sleeps for 4-5 hours then eats again. Sometimes she goes right back to sleep, other times she stays up “talking” for 30 minutes. Good thing is she then sleeps another 3-4 hours. This routine has worked for over a week now, so hopefully it will continue to lengthen.

Back to running…

Monday I decided I would go walking after my husband got home from work. He watched the baby and I hit the road. After I started walking, I decided a little bit of running would be good. We live in a neighborhood with blocks. I walked the long sides and jogged the short sides to get started. I only did two laps around my block. It felt really good to run again. There are some things I need to fix. For instance, since having Addie, my belly moves much more than it used to. The feeling is weird and kind of distracting. I am going to start wearing a compression tank top to see if that will help that issue.

The next day my legs were on FIRE! My quads hurt so bad. I know it was only .86 of a mile but it was still a hard workout! I didn’t realize how out of shape I was until I started running again.
I also finally talked my Hubby into letting me purchase the Nike + Kinect game. WOW!!! Let me tell you… it kicked this out of shape mama’s butt! Besides the fact that my legs hurt from running on Monday, my whole body hurts from this game. My rating for the game is pretty high, with the exception of the sensitivity of the kinect sensor. There was one exercise that wasn’t picking me up. Because the game acts like an actual trainer, it didn’t count my reps so instead of doing 15 reps, I completed like 50! Overall, I really enjoy the game though. Keep on the lookout for more reviews of it.
My goal is to get back to 150 lbs. This is the weight that I was before I got married. Although I am more focused on the shape that I am in rather than the number on the scale. I am currently at 175 lbs. This is still 10 lbs. from my pre-pregnancy weight.
Be sure to follow my blog by liking my Facebook page.
“Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.” - Romans 12:1

It does get easier!

I think the most common advice given to new parents is: “It gets easier.”
“Yeah Right!” Week 1 was a whirlwind. Recovering from a c-section and adjusting to breastfeeding. That week flew by, only because my mom-in-law stayed with me and helped me adjust to motherhood. **I have amazing in-laws!!! My mom-in-love came over everyday to help me. She took her vacation and spent almost every single day helping me clean my house and take care of my new baby! I honestly think I would have had a break down had she not been there for me.**
“I don’t think I can do this!” Week 2 was a wave of emotions and denial. I honestly didn’t think I could do this whole parenting thing. I was sleep deprived and still getting a hang of taking care of a little human. There were a few nights that I just started crying. I felt like I couldn’t do it. I was extremely tired, and breastfeeding HURT! I wanted so bad to give up breastfeeding and formula feed. I think I text my girlfriend every single night this week to get motivation to continue putting myself through this pain!
“Maybe this isn’t quite so bad!” By week 3 I was getting the hang of this mommy thing. I knew how to soothe the cries of my little one, and feeding was getting a little bit easier. Still sleep deprived but the love for our little girl was growing with everyday.
“It does get easier!” We have reached week 4. I believe those people with the common advice now. It truly does get easier. You learn how to soothe the baby when she cries. I am still learning what she wants with each cry, but I am getting much faster at figuring out what it is. Breastfeeding is much easier then before. This realization of the light at the end of the tunnel came last night. Our little girl ate and went to sleep at 10 PM, she woke up at 3 AM to eat again, and went right back to sleep until 6:15 AM. It was amazing! This mama got almost 7 hours of sleep.

1 day old (Born at 8lbs 2 oz.)






1 week old (7lbs 15 oz.)






2 weeks old (9lbs 3oz.)
3 1/2 weeks (10lbs 7.5oz)
She is getting so big already. The pediatrician says she is growing very good. She is averaging just under a pound a week.
Back in shape
Now that all of the water weight has disappeared my weight loss has slowed down a bit. I am still losing about 1 1/2 a week though. I am starting to do the dance game on the Xbox kinect while Addie is napping in the mornings. I also still try to squeeze a walk around the block in. Of course Florida is incredibly hot during the day and I usually don’t think about getting out to walk until it is too hot, so I try and walk in the afternoons. I still only walk about 1/2 a mile. I am trying not to push my body too much yet since I am “technically” not released to exercise. My goal is to begin training again at the beginning of July.
I think I am going to run in the Color Run in Orlando, FL in September with my Moms Run This Town group. It is a 5k length which I think is a great start. I am still on the fence about running the Disney Princess Half Marathon next February. I really want to because the RunDisney events are AMAZING! Maybe if I can find someone who will run it with me I wouldn’t be on the fence. Any takers?? It is only 13.1 Miles
Well since my Hubby is home this weekend I am going to find some things to do around the house. It makes it much easier when he is here to keep an eye on the baby.
Have a great weekend my friends and family. Here’s a thought for the day:
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:9-10

13.1 miles of Awesomeness at Disney

So my first half marathon was a success! A slow success but never the less, I finished it and got my medal!

2012 Disney Princess Half Marathon Medal

5 months ago if you were to ask me if I would ever run a half marathon, I would have laughed at you. I was an athlete in high school. I did cheerleading and softball, and weightlifting every year, but after graduation in 2009, and my wedding last year, I have gained weight, and fell out of shape. I could barely run a quarter mile with out needing CPR, let alone finish 13.1 miles.

The journey begins, the end of October 2011, my friend Liz and I were talking, and she said she wanted to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon. With out thinking, I said that I did too (which was true, but I never ran). So on November 1st, 2011 I began training for my first half marathon. I did great for the first few weeks. I stayed on a training schedule, and ran everyday or at least four times a week. I felt great working out every day, and eating healthy.

I never thought about the fact that I had bad knees from sports in high school, and shin splints.  Well after about four weeks of training, my body really felt like it was breaking down. I went for a long run (3 miles) on a Saturday morning with Liz, and my knee was hurting really bad, so I had a decision I needed to make. I had to decide if I wanted to slow down training and just work on finishing the race, or keeping pushing to be able to run the whole thing. I chose to be able just to finish the race.

So this brings us to January ( I gave my knees and shins ample time to heal... plus with the holidays and everything... ok to be honest I fell back into the rut I was in with no exercise, and I just used my knees as an excuse.) In January, I ran about once a week, but nothing major or recorded. Well as the year flies by, I realized it was two weeks before our race. I ran a few times a week, just to stay limber and not go out cold turkey. I read some blogs about walking/running the marathons, where you run a minute, then walk a minute, or what ever ratio works for you. I decided to do this type of running. :-) It seemed easy, and not nearly as intimidating as running 13.1 miles.

February 25th, 2011, Expo Day!!!

The expo was held at the Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World.

Liz and I (Left) at the Complex in front of the Globe!!

Pausing to take some pictures and laughs, we had a great time at the expo. We got tons of free stuff, including luna bars, hot pink boas, tastes of GU and Clif Shots, we got lots of pamphlets, and went back for more luna bars.. lol. We picked up our race packets with our race bibs, and shirts too. We spent a lot of time at the expo, but didnt spend much money (Though there was plenty of things that could be purchased.)

Ok on to Sunday:

So we had to be at the park around 4:30am, so the alarm was set at 3AM!! After five hours of sleep, I woke up to a pretty rested body. I woke up really excited and nervous, so I only ate half a banana, and drank a lot of water. This is what I packed for my first half marathon:

Starting Left to Right Clockwise: Grey running capris, sunglasses, a hair bow, black running skirt, my pjs, athletic tape, tylenol, running sneakers, socks, sports bra, running tank top, and a long sleeve shirt (just in case)

 With my clothing all set out the night before, it was so easy to just get up and put on my gear. We were out of the house at 3:20 AM on our way to Epcot.

Me, Liz, and Josh (Liz's Husband)

 The car ride over was pretty exciting. There was a lot of traffic, at 4 AM but we arrived safely, and on time!

Me and Liz before the race waiting for the line-up

The air was pretty cold, at about 50 Degrees, and there was a breeze blowing, but it was fully prepared for with light jackets!

We stopped to take some pics before we were sweaty and tired:

When the announcer called everyone to begin making our way to the corrals, there was warning that it would take about 20 minutes to walk to the corrals, so we started off almost immediately. The good thing about being in Corral F, was that we didn't have to rush to the front of the line. There were 16,000 people all trying to make their way to the same place as the rest of us.

16,000 people making their way to their corrals

 

Once we got to our Corrals, they were crowded but very exciting. The Fairy God mother came out to wish us all the best of luck, and start off the race with some serious fireworks, and celebration. It was a truely magical experience.

Off we went. The race began!!! I started my pacing immediately. I ran only for two minutes, then walked a minute. and so on and so forth. I read a lot of tips, and they all said to be careful at the beginning, so you don't push yourself to hard and lose the strength.

**This is the point that I will say make sure you go to the bathroom before you line up in the corrals, because the first two bathroom stops were huge lines, and once I relaxed into my pace, all that water I drank definitely caught up with me**

 After a few miles, you run under the magic kingdom sign, that was like a breath of fresh air. There is many milestones along the way, and this is definitely one of them.

Mile 6

Mile 5- 7 is pretty awesome. You actually run through magic kingdom, and at mile 6 you run through the castle! It is awesome. Another fresh air moment, and we are back to keeping pace.

About mile 7 my legs and feet started really hurting so I slowed down quite a bit. I would only run for a minute, then walk for three minutes. The last stretch of miles were kind of boring, they are pretty much down access roads, so there isn't a lot to see, but it was nice to relax a bit.

Mile 11 was the longest mile for me. It felt like it drug on and on. Also the last couple miles before epcot are kind of hilly. There is I think three over passes you climb. But knowing that there is only 3 miles left is amazing. Running through epcot was cool. There was a church choir singing, and that made my feet move a little bit faster, then... there is was!!! I could see the finish line! It was beautiful! 13.34 miles later (according to my GPS) I had finished my first half marathon. My time wasn't impressive at 3:16, but it was awesome to me!!!

My didn't hurt as bad as I thought they would, but I had them wrapped with ice anyway just in case!

I finally caught back up with Liz who by the way ran it in 2:20!!

There we are! Medals and Ice!!! Lol We finished our first half marathons!

This experience was so much fun! Tiring ye, but fun, and after I can walk again without being sore, I am beginning training for a healthier life style, and possible a 5k that I run the whole thing!!!

Oh yea, and the actual winner of the race finished the run in 1:16! She even beat all the boys!

I am going to keep up with my blog on my running experiences, and Next year around this time, there will definitely be another Disney Princess Half Marathon Medal on my wall!