I'm Embarrassed to Admit it, but I've Lost Something...

My mind!! Admit it, that's what you expected.

Truth? I am really embarrassed to write this post. Other than Trent, I haven't told anyone exactly what it is that I have lost. I didn't want to perceived as "that woman". The one who is always talking to people about what she lost. But after much encouragement and peer pressure from my husband (I HATE peer pressure!) here we go.

I have lost an Abby:

20 dozen eggs:

or about 4 gallons of water:

image source

Well, maybe not all of those things. I am happy to say our Abby is still safe and sound with us, and there is still water and a dozen eggs in the fridge. But I certainly did lose something..

As of today I have lost 32 lbs. It's crazy to me that I can say that.

I made the decision to get fit when I saw this photo in June.

This photo was sad for me. Here I was, giving my husband a last hug before he defied death by jumping out of an airplane, and all I could see was how awkward and unhealthy I looked. During this time I was eating like crap and feeling terrible. I had no energy to play with my kids, I was embarrassed by every photo of me, and even my chubby pants were tight. I felt like I was slipping away to be replaced my someone who was unhappy.

I started changing slowly. First, I began doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.

I had started this before after having Abby, but never finished it. It is really friendly to beginners. A short 30 minutes a day left me sore and breathless, but it wasn't overwhelming. I loved that I could work out and shower all within nap time. At first it was so hard for me that I used soup cans for weights, but by the end I was up to 5 lb weights.

I felt so proud of myself for finishing! A few weeks into the shred, I started watching my calorie intake. I downloaded the calorie counting app My Fitness Pal. It is really easy to use, and it was remarkable just how much I had been shoving in my face mindlessly consuming.

After the first 30 days I had lost 14 lbs and 11". Wow.

Next up was Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30. This was harder for me, and I did not enjoy it the way I did the Shred. But I pushed through, and felt like I gained a lot of endurance.

At the end of Ripped in 30 I had lost another 6lbs and 5". Moving in the right direction!

By this point I was really getting interested in running, so I switched my focus(and limited amount of time) to running. After a month of focusing on running I had dropped another 5lbs and 3".

The last 7lbs I have lost through a combination of running and strength training.

I am really proud of my slow and steady losses. There have been many days where I go crazy and enjoy every little food craving (Halloween and my anniversary) or skip a work out, but the difference is I don't let that define me. Having too much cake one day is no longer an excuse to have too much cake everyday.

While I would like to lose another 10lbs, my main focus now is training for my Spartan Run in January and my half marathon in February.

It feels kinds cool to be able to describe myself as a runner, a weight lifter, and as a person in training for something. I am liking the kind of person I am now. I love having the energy to chase my kids around the park and up the monkey bars. And I am so happy to be a strong, capable, daring woman again.

Getting Dirty : Tips for a Mud Run

A few weeks back I wrote about my good clean bubble run. While getting clean and sudsy during a 5k was fun, life is about balance. Here is a recap and some tips from my recent dirty, rough, mud-caking Mud Run.

I had been looking at mud runs since January of last year. Most of them seemed intimidating, as at the time I had just started running and was in poor shape. Huff and puff after a mile, can't do two push ups kind of shape. 

One day I came across the Del Mar Mud Run, and before I could wuss out I handed over my money and prayed I would be able to run more than 2 miles by the time the race came around. Eight months later I ran it, survived it, LOVED it!

Honestly, other than continuing my typical work out routine (run 5-6x a week, cross train 3 days) I did no extra research into this type of run. That being said, here are my tips learned from experience.

#1 DO NOT WEAR COTTON! Cotton absorbs water. It will get heavy, and cause chafing. Instead wear gear that was specifically designed to be moisture wicking. This includes your socks. Feet can get chaffed too.

#2 Wear tight leggings. The mud sucks into every crevice, pocket, and cranie of your body and clothing. I wore tight capri running tights and drawstring pocket-less running shorts. I would have just wore the leggings, but I was worried about them becoming sheer when wet, and I was too cheap to buy a black pair before the race. Surprisingly, I was very comfortable and the extra shorts didn't hinder me.

#3 When it comes to your shirt, tight would be best. I wore a loose fitting, sleeveless performance shirt. While it dried quickly and felt comfortable while running, I think something more form fitting would have prevented rocks and dirt from getting under my shirt during the mud crawl parts. Every time I would swim through a mud bog the dirt would chafe my stomach. Owie.

#4 Wear trail shoes, or an old pair of running shoes. Please do not wear your awesome $150 shoes for a mud run. Please? Pretty please? The mud may or may not wash off, and is that really worth the risk?

#5 Practice at a play ground. I mean it. In a mud run you will rely heavily on your upper body strength to get through the obstacles. Monkey bars, rope swings, pull ups are all parts of mud runs. Playgrounds can supply ample opportunities to work on this. Now when I go to the park with my kids, they get a giggle out of mommy messing around on the monkey bars.

#6 Please don't tape your shoes. I know a lot of websites recommend you duct tape your shoes onto your feet and ankles.I saw dozens of runners with their tape falling off from the wet mud, and plenty of people standing on the side of the course so they could peel useless duct tape off.  Also, to me this seems like you are asking for an injury by restricting you natural movement.

#7 Bring a change of clothes, including shoes, towels, and a few gallons of water. The gallons of water are important if you are facing a long line at the showers after the race. Just wash yourself off with the gallons you brought along, camping style.

That's it folks! Come prepared and then all you have to think about is the fun! Mud runs - the most fun you will have paying to play in mud.

Bubble Run 5k: Have a Good Clean Run

Ever long for a fun run that left you feeling refreshed rather than dirty and exhausted? The Bubble Run is just that!

Using my go to resource for fun runs, Groupon, I found out about and signed up for a local Bubble Run. 

 


Run through colored bubbles in the middle of a heat wave? I'm in! 

Gabe had been asking me for days if he could run in the bubbles with me. I was worried about him being run over in the bubble bog pits and I do not own a jogging stroller. But the morning of the run I looked at that cute face and I couldn't say no. We pulled out an old graco stroller, put some sunglasses and a bandana on him, and away we went.


The run (ha, ha, see what I did there?) down: 

Distance: 5k (3.1 miles)
Fun stuff: 5 different colorful bubble bogs where a machine spews bubbles at you
Swag: Bubble run t-shirt, temprary tattoo, and a plastic visor as well as a water bottle and granola bar after the run
Bonus: Each bubble bog station had creative names such as "Ring, Ring....Yellow", "It's Not Easy Being Green", and "Rolling in the Pink". 
Bummers: Not much to do after the run

Every bubble bog would result in Gabe being completely buried. He was thrilled! We would pull the bandana over his nose and mouth before each bog, and he came through unharmed.

The bubbles were surprisingly dry. In that, you didn't slip around and once you were a few feet out of the bog you were dry. No slimy bubble residue. And on a hot summer day, the cooling bubbles felt awesome! My new official opinion is that all runners should be doused in bubbles every 1/4 mile. So, run planners, get on that. Okay?

We were left a little tye died after the run, especially our feet where the squishy bubblieness took longest to dry.

Yes, you may need a pedicure after this run. Or a manicure for all the gentlemen out there. But unlike the Color Run, this dye washed off easily in the shower.

I would do this race again in a heart beat. In fact, next year Gabe and Abby both will be running through the bubbles with me! Who knows, maybe we can even convince Trent to join us (hint, hint, wink, wink).

Thank you Bubble Run for a Good Clean Run!

Do you have a favorite fun run? Please share!! I need inspiration and motivation to lace up my running shoes five days a week.  And don't forget to follow our blog for more interesting content!

Run or Dye 5k: I Ran the Rainbow! Tips for a Colorful Run.

This May I did something I had never done before: I ran a 5k. When picking my first race, I needed something that wasn't serious. Nothing timed or competitive. Enter: Run or Dye

I'm sure you have most likely heard of a run like this in some form (Color Run, Color Me Rad, ect.). The Run or Dye 5k had a Groupon for $22, making this an inexpensive investment for a first run.

If you are unframiliar with these types of runs the gist is this: You run 3.1 miles. During your run there are 5 different color points. At each point you are pelted with Holi powder (technically Holi is an Indian holiday, and the powder is used in its celebration). 

Holi powder is colored, scented, and "technically washable". But if you do not want to sport the rainbow on your face, hair, and car for days on end you can take steps.

Tips for Your Colorful Run:

Hair:

Put leave in conditioner in your hair. 

While the color powders are fun and you will love having photos of you looking like a walking box of fruity pebbles, eventually you will want the color to come out. If you put leave in conditioner or coconut oil in your hair prior to the race, it creates a barrier between your hair and the powder. This will help all the color wash out. Remember to work it into your scalp as well to avoid long term purple scalp.

Skin:

Lather yourself in extra moisturizing body cream. The princaple is the same as the hair tip: the moisturizers create a barrier between your skin and the dye in the Holi powder.

Make sure to really work the moisturizer into the creases (inner elbows, behind knees, arm pit area, ect).

After the race, do not immediately use warm water to wash off. 

Think of washing stained clothing: cold wash only. 

Since I wasn't about to take an ice cold shower, I did a pre-wash first. I wiped down with baby wipes, which removed a huge amount of the color. Then I took a lukewarm shower, and used a loofah to remove the rest of the color from my skin.

Face: 

Waterproof makeup and moisturizer really help keep the color from staining your face. I also recommend you buy a cheap pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes. 

The Holi powder can also irritate your lungs, and tastes aweful if it gets in your mouth. Wearing a bandana around your neck allows you to protect your mouth when you run through the color pelting spots.

Clothes:

Don't wear anything you love. To this day my shoes are stained. 

Car:

This is something you really need to think about. The Holi powder will be coming home with you. Unless you like the tye dye look for your car, you need to take steps to protect it. 

Wipe down with baby wipes before getting in the car. Change your clothes if possible, bagging up your colorful shoes and clothing to deal with later. 

If you can, invest in some cheap seat covers. At least put towels over the seat and on the floor. If you had people there rooting you on, remember they most likely have Holi powder on their shoes too.

Above all, have fun! If you came prepared this can be a hugely enjoyable event, with no long lasting stains. 

Enjoy running the rainbow!

 

Have you done a colorful run? Share your tips or stories!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner - I Won a Spartan Race!!

Last week I was feeling a little adventurous with my work outs. As in, "I think I'll try interval training! I can totally do that!". I know. Super exciting, right?

After one of these productive treadmill sessions, I came home and saw one of my favorite blogs, Random Rants of an Army Wife, was doing a giveaway. And not just any giveaway, a Spartan Race giveaway!

Blindly excited that the word "race" was in the sentence, I wrote about why I love running:

 I happily went about my day, moving on to the important things like hop scotch and hide and seek (my kids aren't the only ones that still play these, right?).

A few days later, low and behold, I get a friendly message: I won!! Wow! How exciting! How thrilling!

Then I looked at what a Spartan Race was.

How terrifying.

Think the love child of a serious 5k and a Crossfit Games. 

It looked fun. It looked challenging. It looked like the kind of stuff my wimpy upper half was unprepared for. Burpees? Pull ups? Army crawling through mud under barbed wire?

Dude.

Maybe this was just what I needed though. To be honest, I have been struggling on the fitness front. My moods have been all over the place, and even when I work out I don't push myself as hard as I can. 

My nutrition has been as bad, if not worse. Coffee and ice cream are not a special necessary food group. I need to remember that.

Now I have a goal. I will be running in the southern California Spartan Sprint in January. And I will be in the best shape of my life to do it. 

I met with a trainer today to start a weight training plan. For running, have a goal of hitting 15-18 miles a week, with 3/4 being speed training. I am dragging my butt out of bed at 5am tomorrow to make it to a boot camp class, because apparently I "have no ab muscles" (per the trainer) and bootcamp class can help with that.

It is going to be hard. But what about my journey has been easy? In the end I will be a Spartan. I will be able to say I made a commitment to myself and followed through. 

Thank you, Amber at Random Rants of an Army Wife and Spartan Races, for giving me back my drive and motivation. 

Have any of you run a Spartan race or something similar? Please share your training tips! And I will share my cookies. Or protein powder.