attempting to do better

In attempts to do better, I got a new widget for the blog today! The daily mile. Not real sure yet how to add to it daily but adding it is certainly part of learning how! So bear with me.

As for last night's planned 5...well I struck out and was smoking fast...ha..fast only because I have been running half marathon pace for 6 weeks. Under 10 minute mile and then I was about to take a right on a regular corner, it was dark and I ran smack dab into a very sketchy character....he was turning down the road I was coming out of...so I opted to hang a left and check things out while I ran back to my car...well, he also changed directions and followed me...soooo run aborted! Back to car, headed over to our church care center. Attempted and did run sprints on the court...but my knees are still suffering alittle from sunday's 12 mile run, so I decided I would run laps. HATED that, so I opted to do walking lunges, once down the court, I switched to walking squats, down the court with those and I opted to hit the free weights....I did 3 sets with 15 lb weights like this 15-12-10...jello arms were done! By then it was almost time to get my sweet girl, so I turned on the garmin to find that it worked to some degree inside....I ran until it got to one mile, which about another half mile only and hit the door~

so 5 miler ----FAIL!

but at least I was moving and burned some calories. today my body would agree that I 'worked out'! Guess that is all that matters! I didn't sit and eat something bad for me! :) Hope your thursday is fantastic!

A perfect day

While I have had lots of great days of recent and LOTS going on for that matter. AND I did say that I would post Christmas pictures and snow pictures and basically blog about all of the things that we have been up to. Well, I haven't! I have literally been on the road 95% of the time for the past 2-3 weeks and I am wiped. I did retrieve the recent pictures from my new camera from it and saved to the computer, but I also have installed PhotoShop on my computer, which I should be pleased about....but instead I JUST HATE THE WAY it opens picture for me to sift through. Actually there is NO sifting and I HATE it so I am boycotting it and just not posting photos...Boo for you, because I am only going to bore you to tears with words without photos!

But to save myself from blogging suicide....not that anyone reads my blog anyway, but still last week, Laila stayed with my sis-in-law and neice while we were gone on a trip and she posted some great pictures of the girls. so there you go, saved by Aunt Jes....stroll on over to her blog and read/see all about their fun time!

http://myhappily-ever-after.blogspot.com/2011/01/whew.html


But back to my perfect day. See we have been gone and despite the fact that this sounds all fun and restful! It ISN'T socializing is hard work and can wear you out! Granted we had a great time and visited with old friends and even made some new ones. I am wiped. So yesterday, we opted to head home a day early and got in last night. And since today was a scheduled day I was planning to be out and Laila had just gotten to Granna's yesterday afternoon, she wanted to stay with her after a visit with us. Soooo what does any working mama do with time off from work and child duty?????

You got it, I took a 40 minute bath last night. Read my book on my Kindle before bed. AND slept til 8:15. Got up, watched the Today show, which I love! And just laid around. I think I would have scratched the day and stayed home all day had Justin not been there asking? Are you not going in today? Are you going to wash some clothes while you sit? HOW on EARTH do you wash CLOTHES WHILE YOU SIT? Spoken like a man! Love him and he helps but seriously dude....when do I just sit. He finally backed off and I admitted that I should head on in and get ahead rather than stay behind from being gone so much....so at 10:15 I hit the shower and as I was ready to exit. He says, 'wanna go to lunch' Why husband....I believe that I will. So we met in town for lunch at the new Mexican restuarant and had fabulous childless meal with one another. Also tacked onto the childless supper that we had last night at the Grill in Starkville, where we both went to college and lived for many years. So two weeks of travel together and two alone dates in less than 24 hours.

That is how you have a great DAY!!!!

Hope yours was great as well! Plus I plan to run about 5 miles while Laila is at choir this afternoon and that should make for a complete fantastic day! Especially since my running shoes are likely thinking I am cheating on them....not a foot into them since Sunday's 12 MILER!

Half marathon update!

Training is going great...have made every long run. This past week was 12 miles, in 2 hours 23 minutes and few seconds....but who cares.... I RAN without STOPPING p.e.r.i.o.d... TWELVE miles! And I must brag and say that I ran the last mile...as in mile #12 in 10:43!!! which is great since my average pace has been around 11:30-11:45. On target to finish RnR New Orleans in around 2 1/2 hours. Anything under 2:45 and I will be proud of. Anything NEAR 2:15....I will SHOUT about! All very possible. With running, you just have to take it as it comes. Some days are great, some days you suffer through. right now is time to rest the legs some and beging the 'taper' I laugh at saying that because just a little over a month ago....I really didn't understand what that meant....I read about it....but didn't get the lingo! Now 6 weeks into training for first half marathon...and I get it....getting to taper was hard work and resting before the big day is also great!

All in all....I have enjoyed training for first half marathon and I actually feel ready. I have listened to my body and skipped out on some shorter runs due to body fatigue and family and life happenings....but feel very ready to get out there and sweat and work for 13.1 miles come February 13th! And with all the COLD, check that FREEZING insanity weather....short of rain...I can handle and be prepared for any weather that comes our way! Watch out NOLA...here I come!

Helloooooo World!

Yes I realize that it has been forever since I posted anything. See I got this awesome new camera from my hubby for christmas AND I finally got the pictures out of the thing last night. I had intended to lay down with Laila, then get up and finish all my have tos for out of town trip this week. Weeellll, let's just say that I didn't do anything past get her to sleep and shut my eyes...'for just a minute' only to wake at 3:30...AM....Yep, I slept a long little while! Being that I had tons NOT done....I got up at 3:45 and got after it. So while the pictures, all 456 from christmas and the SNOW....are now out of my camera, they still are not uploaded to my blogger, which means. I would love to show them to you, but it is likely going to be a while. Sorry guys! Anyway, so I have not posted because I have so many great pictures to share that I keep thinking I will do it. Well, I stink, I admit!!

So for now, I am just going to tell you all that. Tell you, christmas in the new house was AWESOME! That I got lots of great gadgets.

Like the camera that is waaay smarter than it's owner
Like a new Garmin Forerunner 405 watch for running....that I used when
I RAN 11!!!! MILES yesterday.(yes I just completely changed thoughts)
I ran 10 last week
8 the week before
and 6 prior to that. So I have gotten ALL of my Sunday long training runs in....and it is going well!

Yesterday I must say that My running bud and I ROCKED! Yes I realize that I am a goober for using that phrase....but what else do you say when you are bragging on yourself? I mean really? I can vividly remember when running 3 miles seemed IMPOSSIBLE....and now I am consistently running nearly 3-4 times that!
Times? well, soooo glad that you asked...been really slow 11-12 minute miles, but we have been happy to finish these and no injuries!

Last sunday we ran 10 miles in 2:01:14- and it was brutal. That was the day of the snow. So it was 18 degrees on the thermometer without the INSANE wind chill! It was brutal and rough. Struggled really hard the last 2 miles. AND this week....the 10th mile....well, we ran it in 10 minutes 14 seconds! Yep....fastest mile yet! Finished 11 miles in 2:09:xx! So our pace was faster and we ran an extra mile. that is good news.

So still on target for RnRHalf Marathon February 13th!!!!! Happy Valentines to me!!!!!!

Hope you are all well. I am working today even though it is a holiday....see our Neurologists didn't seem to mind that it was an official state holiday! No, really I was working anyway because I am leaving town in the morning!

Take care all and I will get some of the best photos up as soon as I can!

Jenn