5 Minutes of Torture

What a beautiful day! I'm so glad I took today off of work - I couldn't have asked for a better day! My sis doesn't go back to Chicago until 6:00 tonight, and I wanted to maximize our sista, sista time.

Now, that doesn't mean I got to sleep in this morning, as I had to teach Group Power at 5:30am. I dragged myself out of bed, taught to a small class (everyone else must have had a hard time getting out of bed this morning, too!), came home, and went right back to bed! :)

So, yesterday I gave you a sneak peak of my ice bath after my 18+ mile run. Last week I complained about my hips hurting on Facebook and got several responses suggesting an ice bath. So yesterday I called J on my way home to start the bath for me. We only had one bag of ice in the freezer so he just filled up the tub with cold water and added the bag of ice. Here's the progression:

OMG, IT'S COLD, IT'S COLD!!!



I can do this, I can do this.....



Ok, maybe not....



It was at this point that I handed J my watch and said "Tell me when 5 minutes is up - no longer!"

I'm not exactly sure how long I am supposed to stay in there, but 5 minutes seemed long enough!



So, I have to be honest, yesterday I wasn't sure if this helped at all as my hamstrings were mad sore all day. BUT my hips didn't hurt me one bit. So I couldn't really make a determination.

But when I got up at 5:00 this morning, my leg felt pretty darn good! My knees were a little achy, but that's normal. My hips were A-OK! Yes!!

So, can I say that this was all because of the 5 minutes of torture? No way. But I do think it HELPED. I'll try again next week and see if it's the same outcome - anything for an easier recovery!!

Now I have to get ready to teach Group Step at 5:15 - double duty day! We just got home from the first annual Ice Cream Challenge. When Mandy saw J fail at finishing this ice cream sundae from Malley's, they challenged each other to a competition. Well, today was the day. Check it out:



Bad ass, right? Details to come............!!

New Love

What a long day! I hope everyone has been having a RAD Easter, or fantastic Sunday, for those of you who don't observe Easter. We are loving this Spring weather!

Yesterday was an exciting day for the hubby:

He's an Apple Geek, and was so stoked for the iPad. The kid actually got up and was in line at the store by 6:30 Saturday morning! I think I may have just been replaced as the love in his life......

The Easter Bunny came to our house this morning - did he come to yours? C got some brand new soccer cleats and sweet David Beckham shorts. His first game is next Saturday so he is SET:

He got the usual candy, too, but we try to emphasize the healthy lifestyle in our house!

After he found his Easter basket (took over a half hour this year!) I was out the door to meet my friend, Lauren, for an 18 mile run! I was a little nervous, as I had never run with Lauren before, but it turns out we run almost the exact same pace and really pushed each other. The run went super fast, as we had a lot to talk about, and it was a course I had never run before. We ran through the metroparks, and there were a bunch of other early runners out this morning, too. It was such a nice day!

Here we are at mile 11:

We actually ran past a family of deer, and saw these huge fish jumping in the stream. It was pretty cool.

Can you see them all? You have to look hard, but they're there!

We averaged a 9:41 pace for the entire run - pretty great considering we were running for almost 3 hours straight. Trust me, that's a LONG time, yo.

After the run I raced home to shower and change before we had to get to my mom's for brunch. But first, I took one of these:

My very first ice bath! I'm going to post specifically about this tomorrow, so this is just a sneak peak!

Brunch at my mom's was great, as always. She made:

• banana nut muffins



• strawberry muffins



• chocolate/banana cherry bread



• ham, sausages, and bacon



• eggs and biscuits



• fruit salad

Enough to feed an army! Everything was fantastic - I definitely ate more than my fair share, and I wasn't even stuffed!

Now we're home and my sis is having a sleepover with C. He definitely takes advantage of her when she's home - she doesn't know how to say no! They're playing Wii, and I'm about to head to bed - I have to teach Group Power at 5:30am! Here's hoping my legs are recovered!

Peace.

Fantastic Good Friday

Hope everyone had a fantastic Good Friday! Mine was great!

My work was closed at noon due to the holiday, so I got to leave at 11 since I start work at 7 - HOLLA!! I swear, there's nothing better than leaving work at 11:00 for the weekend - the drive home is so happy. As soon as I got home I suited up and set out on my 8 mile run. Being typical Cleveland, the weather has changed dramatically this week. It was 75 and sunny yesterday - perfect running weather, but also perfect sweaty Heather weather, too. I have been trying a new deodorant, to stop my pits from sweating for no reason, and check this out:

Holy heck, no sweat marks!!! Sweat everywhere else of course, but the deodorant is working wonders! Lol.

Looking at that picture makes me realize I need to buy a black shirt for the marathon - something that doesn't show all that sweat. I need something longer, though, because I have a really long torso - any suggestions?? What's your favorite running shirt?

OH, and I averaged an 8:57/mile pace on my run!! ROCK OUT.

And, what else made my day yesterday? MY SIS CAME HOME TO VISIT!!!!!!!!

Here she is with my dad. Love her. I love her even more because she just bought her plane ticket so that she can come to my marathon!! Luv you, Mandy!!!

So, if you're a Clevelander, you might be able to recognize where the above picture was taken:

MELT! We always talk rave this place, but never have time when Mandy is home so we headed out for an early dinner. There was still a long wait, but we just stuck it out. Totally worth it. They make the BEST grilled cheese sandwiches on the planet, and the vegetarian chili is TO DIE FOR. Seriously, if you ever come to Cleveland this MUST be on the top of your list to try. Just beware, the wait is never shorter than an hour, and they don't take reservations.

Here are the rest of us at dinner:

I taught Group Step this morning, took Diddy for a nice long walk, and now I'm off to shower and get ready for the day. I think we're meeting my parents and Mandy at Legacy Village for some shopping. I'm going to try and talk my sis into going to H&M with me at Beachwood Mall, too, to help me shop. She's the pro!!

I think today is going to be another great day.

I'm meeting up with a friend from the gym tomorrow morning to run 18 miles (!!). Wish me luck!

Have a nice Easter everyone!

Too Cool for School

Today was a good day.

After work I managed to squeeze in a quick 3 mile run, while C rode his bike. How could I not - I even ran in shorts and a t-shirt it was so nice!! We went down to Lakewood park and back - an almost even 3 miles.

Cute, right?

Afterwards we had an even quicker dinner, got changed, and started the short walk to school because C had his Spring Concert! Since he is in a 2/3 combined class he got to perform with the older kids and was super jazzed. Here he is with all the "cool kids":

He's the cute kid on the end kinda waving to his mom, but not really because he's with the cool kids and doesn't want to look dorky in front of his friends. :) Little do they know he was just bike riding/running with his mama an hour before!

Grandma had the brilliant idea of heading to Malley's afterwards for some ice cream. That blew my "cut the crap challenge" right out the window. No, really, it wasn't that bad. I'm limiting myself to one treat a day, and this was it. Though Easter Sunday could be a whole other story!!! Watch out cereal, here I come!!! Sidenote: I've already bought my 3 favorite Kashi cereals and they are waiting not-so-patiently for consumption after my 18 miler on Sunday.......I can't wait!

Typical Mom/Son pic:

DEFINITELY the cool kids.

Peace.

It's a challenge!

So I haven't mentioned this, but all this running has caused me to gain some extra pounds the past few months. Well, let's be honest, it's not just the running. I know that when I train for a race I tend to gain some weight in my legs, butt, and thighs, but this is just getting out of hand. (I'll never understand those skinny, scrawny elite runners - my body does NOT react that way!) And it's hard when you run 17 miles, and burn almost 2,000 calories to NOT be hungry!!

Anyways, Allison, over at Green Dog Wine (love her blog, btw!), is doing a Cut the Crap Challenge for the next 20 days until April 14th. I will, of course, have my own rules, but she's the one who inspired me to get my butt in gear.

Why I am doing this challenge:

• I'm feeling "soft". I used to be nice and toned, but I'm feeling squishy - especially in the belly area! Eww....
• I want to look as strong as I feel
• I want to be in the best shape I can be when I run the marathon on May 2nd
• I want to fit into my designer jeans again!

Here are my rules:

1. No snacking (this is my #1 bad habit). If I'm going to eat something, I will put it on a plate and sit down to eat. No more handfuls of this and handfuls of that.
2. One treat per day. I have a serious sweet tooth. Enough said.
3. No white bread.
4. Limit processed food - this isn't too hard, as I don't eat a lot but there are times when I resort for the quick fix.
5. Have ONE serving and give myself time to digest. I'm a fast eater so I tend to eat more than I need before I even realize I'm full. SLOW DOWN, Heather!

I don't want to limit myself completely, but I do want to clean up my act. I'd like to break my snack attack habit (this is especially bad in the evenings) completely. I thought to myself earlier today that if I was strong enough to stop biting my nails 10 years ago (after doing it all my life!) I can do this.

Determination and will power are what it takes, but most of all accountability! If I don't tell anyone what my plans are I will let them fall wayside. So I'm relying on my friends and family to hold me responsible for my actions! Of course I know I have to believe in myself first and foremost, and I think the key to this challenge is actually stepping on that scale. I haven't done this in over a year when I first noticed myself gaining weight. I think seeing that number will give me that final push I need.

p.s. Did anyone think of the lady from SNL who says "It's a match!" when they read the title? LOVE that skit!! :)

Long Day to run 17 miles!

So, here it is, the 17 miler recap.

It takes a lot of planning to run 17 miles, let me tell you. I was meeting Jenay to run the last 10 miles at 4:00 at my mom and dad's house. One good thing about running later was that I got to sleep in! I seriously can't remember the last time I slept in - I think I got out of bed at 8:45? (!!) Well, anyways, my parent's live on the east side of Cleveland, about 25 minutes from me (I'm a west sider! insert hand signal here). So after my lunch of an almond butter and banana sandwich I started getting ready.

After packing my bag and all essential electronic equipment including my ipod, Steve, HRM, iphone, etc, (and Market Day chicken I had got for my mom, leftover tupperware containers to return, a can of black beans she needed for dinner - talk about everything and the kitchen sink!), I headed to my Aunt Mary's house to drop of some fuel. She was going to be our halfway point this time! I got to my mom's house about 2:20, unloaded, said hello, and was out the door for the first 7 miles. I tested out my new headphones:

I have such a hard time finding headphones that stay in my ears when I run without a headband. You see, I sweat like a crazy person. Seriously. I can be standing still in 70 degree weather and my nose will have sweat on it. I blame my dad for handing down his sweat glands to me. I mean, my sister, NEVER sweats! WTH?

I read a review on these and snatched 'em up right away! I have to say, they worked fantastically! They never slipped and stayed in my ears the entire run, and considering it was raining the whole time I give them 2 thumbs up! And, seriously, it was RAINING, not drizzling. You can see here:

That is not sweat, people (ok, maybe some of it is). But you can definitely tell from my hat and pigtails that it was raining. The wind was crazy, too, very challenging, but I actually enjoyed it!

As soon as I arrived back at my parent's house, Jenay showed up (good timing!). I quickly threw my hat in the dryer while I changed shirts (I was soaked from the rain - and maybe some sweat) ate 2 Sharkies, grabbed my hat, and we were out.

It was 5 miles to my Aunt Mary's house. The rain was now a light mist, and we were running with our backs to the wind so we were feeling strong. We got there in pretty decent time (average 9:40/mile) and had a quick visit so we could stretch and see this pretty girl:

This is my cousin, Lily - isn't she cute??! Another baby! My aunt is only 4 years older than me, so it's not unusual for my aunts to have babies younger than C.

Once we were done getting our baby fix, we headed out for the 5 mile run home. Man, the last 2 miles were tough. My hamstrings were super tight and I just wanted to be home in my warm, DRY clothes. Jen and I pushed through and really kicked it in for the last mile (finished that mile in 9:27!) - not bad for being in uncharted waters! 16 miles was the furthest run I had ever had until Sunday. Let me tell you, it felt like we were sprinting that last mile when, really, we were running a pretty steady pace. What a kick in the pants.

Luckily C's dad dropped him off at my parent's while we were on our way back. And here we are with C being a goofball in the back:

Not sure how I'm going to do the day of the marathon with how much I sweat. I'm definitely going to need an "ensemble change" (channeling my inner Mariah). I sweat too much to go 4 1/2 hours without changing my shirt! Oh well, I'll figure it out, but any suggestions are welcome!

2:44 total - not too bad, right?? I'm proud of myself - AND I'm being smart with my recovery and taking care of my body. I made it a priority to ice my knees as soon as I got home that night. Which wasn't until 8:00, btw. I was gone from 1:30 until 8:00!!

I won't even tell you how long it took us to pack everything back up to go home.

Talk about a long day.

Baby snatcher!

Hellooooo!

So, before I get to my 17 mile recap from yesterday, I thought I'd catch you up on mine and J's beautiful Saturday. It was really chilly in Cleveland, but sunny and bright! The sun makes everything better, doesn't it?

After our morning trip to the gym (which I mentioned in my last post), we decided to enjoy the sun and take Diddy for a walk:

Can you see how he's pulling J along?? Haha. Yeah, we have no control over our 20lb pup.

We then showered up and headed out to Crocker Park. J headed here:

And I headed here:

Yeah, we definitely split up! I get mad bored in the Apple store, and J would rather cut off his arm than wade through H&M. I wanted to check out their new garden line that my sis tipped me off on. The stuff is cute! But does anyone else feel a too old to wear those cutesy flowers? And the dresses can be super short! Especially for someone as tall as me (5'9"). Speaking of which, I did pick up one dress, but it's a khaki shirtdress, not one of the new summer dresses. I need to find some cute sundresses that are age appropriate!! Any suggestions?

The big trip for the day was to here:

We had both been wanting to try Indian food, and heard really good things about this place. Well, here's my review:

OMG, never again. I barely ate a thing - what a disappointment. The service was bad, AND the food was barely edible - NOT a winning combination. J ate almost half of his but he got to a point where he pushed his plate away and said, "I can't do it anymore". Haha! We laughed about it and got some ice cream to cheer us up:

Ahhhhh........much better!

Then we headed to visit our friends with the new baby. They just built a new house, too, and J hadn't been to see it yet. I just wanted to see little Evan:

J calls me the baby snatcher. Anytime our friends (or not even our friends!) have babies and I'm around, they get snatched right up. So cute!

So, dinner wasn't fabulous, but the rest of the day made up for it. Babies make everything better.....

We left later than we expected, and headed home for a full night's sleep to gear up for my 17 mile run I had planned. Recap to come!! Stay tuned.....

Also, I think a challenge is in the works. I'll post about it when I have more details. Have a good night!