Hoover Dam Marathon

I am so overdue with this post...oh well...it is what it is!!!

I completed my FIRST marathon!!! Wahoo!!!! I was so nervous the morning before...and the morning of! Especially since we got lost and couldn't find the start line to the race...HA! I was late starting, I started like 2 minutes after everybody else!!! Oh well!!!

Nathan took lots of pictures, I'm just putting a few on here:)

I was very proud of myself...and for sticking with the race. The first half was beautiful AND I felt really good...the second half was HARD. There was SO MANY HILLS....ouch!

My time for the race was 4 hours 45 minutes. That comes out to be about 10:50 per mile. I felt real happy with that time, especially with the amount of hills that were involved! I KNOW I could have gotten a better time, if it was more of a flat route. But thats okay. I am taking a bit of a break from the intense training...still running, just not nearly as many miles as before. It takes SO MUCH time and my sweet hubby needs a break too:) I am hoping to do another marathon next year though!!!!

The Wellness Challenge is officially over. Me and 2 other girls got a perfect score!! So we won. yay!!! So this week I have been eating whatever the heck I want...and it hasn't been pretty. HA

Too many sweets thats for sure. I haven't been taking any pictures of food at all...haven't been in the mood I guess. That and I basically eat the same things over and over....which I've already posted pictures on here before. SO! I guess that's it for now!!!

Happy eating...and exercising!!!!

Really???

Can this girl do it?

Last week I officially registered for the marathon. I almost had a panic attack! It's only just over a week away until the race. I'm feeling very nervous...having lots of self doubt...WHY???!!!! I hate that I do that. I have trained very hard...I really feel like I'm ready. I put up a sign in my bathroom and my kitchen that says...I am a marathon runner...I can run 26.2 miles....Just to remind myself that I CAN do it. Can I Really??!!! Yes, Yes, Yes.......I have to constantly remind myself....envision myself at the finish line.....

Here's a few food pics! I love, love, love this cute little bowls...

and I love putting food in them to eat! It makes eating more fun...hahahahaha

Only 2 1/2 weeks left on the challenge. I still have a perfect score! Go me!!!

So, So Good

I had this sandwich for lunch this week. It was SO YUMMY. Just a veggie sandwich. Toasted the bread a little bit (homemade of course!)...then put a tiny bit of miracle whip...then added lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red cabbage and red bell peppers. I have been CRAVING it ever since.

Running is good. This week was my recovery week...and I was very grateful!!! So my long run is just 7 miles tomorrow. Next saturday I tackle 20 miles...and I WILL succeed this time!!

Wow

It's really been a while since I last posted!!! Every day I think I'll have time...and it just doesn't happen! Who knew that having 4 kids would take up so much time??!!! hahaha

So, today being Labor Day...hubby is home and we are all just hanging out. So, thought I'd take a quick few minutes to update this here blog-a-roo....

The challenge is going well. I am glad to be doing it again! And I'm loving the point for doing a personal goal. I love checking off the things I've accomplished every day and I love that my cute hubby is doing it too. My overall goal for the challenge is to get a PERFECT score...so far, so good.

My running is doing amazing! Saturday I ran 18 miles...YES you read that right! 18!!! Seriously can't believe that I did it....well, I can...but I can't...you know?! It was a BEAUTIFUL morning for a run...and I got POURED on the last 6 miles. Not just a sprinkle...but poured on. When it first started sprinkling I was like, yeah! This is awesome! Then as it got harder...and harder...I was like...um....having many doubts of wether or not I wanted to keep going. BUT I did. The last 2 miles of my run were...well, not gonna lie...they totally sucked! I was ready to give up...my whole body hurt...BAD. My calves were on fire and both my knees were killing me. BUT (again) I didn't give up. I kept thinking that if I did...I'd be letting myself down. So, I just kept plugging along. That last little bit took me a while...but I just kept going! I was seriously VeRy proud of myself for pushing it. I was very sore on Sunday and am still today. I had only 2 miles (hallelujah!) to do today....and I didn't even want to do that! BAHA! But, of course I did!!

It makes me even more nervous for my next long run this saturday...20 miles...I was so tired after 18, I don't know how I'll make it the full 20. But every week I wonder that...and yet I still manage to complete my goal. AmAzInG!!!! It's a great feeling to know that I can do something so difficult and challenging. I have been talking with family members about the race and many have said that they'd like to go....we'll see what happens. I think we'll be taking our whole family up there for the event!!! It makes me very excited. I am SO grateful for my husband and for his support in all of this. He is so sweet and takes good care of me after my long runs. Oh how I love him!!! :)

Sad news is...I already need new running shoes. I just got these for Mothers Day! But I guess with as many miles as I've done the last month...they are just shot. There is no way I can do my 20 mile run this saturday with the ones I've got. So I'll be going down to get some more on Wednesday probably. Well, Babe is crying and ready for a nap...so guess I'm done for this time...hopefully it won't take me as long to update the next time!!

Food!

Just a few things that I've eaten over the last few weeks. Time is short these days!!!

Lunch: Chicken Salad w/spinach and nectarines...(nectarine was DIVINE! so juicy and yummy!)
Breakfast: 3 egg whites, onion, red pepper and zuchini. Nonfat plain yogurt w/fresh strawberries and blueberries

Breakfast: Oatmeal w/fresh strawberries and blueberries (my most favorite breakfast!)

Lunch: Salad (spinach, red leaf lettuce, peppers, brocolli, carrots, zuchini, cucumbers) w/fresh grilled chicken topped w/some balsamic vinagrette (so yummy)

More nonfat plain yogurt w/fresh strawberries and blueberries...isn't that the cutest little bowl you ever did see??? (50 cents at TARGET!!! LOVE IT!!!)

Workouts are good. I am on phase 3 of P90x. And have been sticking to my running schedule. This saturday my long run is 12 miles!!!! I am gonna have to go WAY early so I don't get overheated in this Arizona heat!!! My long runs will just be getting higher and higher. Makes me a little nervous. This week 12, next week 14 and the next is 16!!! Then I'll have a recovery week (whew). Then I start getting into the 20's!!! Oh. My. Gosh.

My meals have been good and healthy. My snacking and sweets, not so much. I am definitely a stress eater!!!! At night I just wanna sit down and relax and not think about anything! After the kids finally get in bed, I'm exhausted and always looking for SOMETHING !!!

Love this quote

Love yourself, for who and what you are; protect your dream and develop your talent to the fullest extent.

Joan Benoit Samuelson

Slacker

I am feeling very "slackerish" lately. Yes I've been working out, exercising, doing my "thing"...
Today was my long run day and I did 9 miles, outside!!! It was a good run...I was feeling tired around mile 8, but kept pushing!!! Next week I do 10 miles....and it just goes up from there!!! The marathon is on Oct 31st so I need to make sure I get all my running in so I am PrEpArEd!!!!!

Anyway, back to slacking. My eating. Is. Horrible.

My portions are out of control! And the sweets are still killing me!!!!! ugh!!!!

So, I printed out 2 pictures of Dara (sp) Torres...(previously made a post about her)...I will hang one in my room and I plan on putting one somewhere in the kitchen, either in the "snack" cupboard or the fridge. Haven't decided. That way, I am reminded of my goals and where I want my body to be.

I am so grateful that I did the 12 week challenge...and am thinking I will do it again...but maybe a little bit of a different version...and my cute hubby says he wants to do it too!

On to some GOOD food. I wrote about this place before....PiTa JuNgLe!!! Oh how I LOVE that place. Healthy food that is so, so good! My cute hubby and I got to go on a date last week, and I chose to go eat there. I got their Mediteranean Chicken Salad...OH MY GOSH!!! Pure heaven, it was so good. I wish oh wish I had a camera to take a picture!!! I can't WAIT to have it again. Super healthy dinner and then I had a big old ice cream from cold stone afterwards...wha???!!!! Idiot!!!

Here's me...setting the reset button AGAIN!!!!