Tower of Terror 10-Miler 2014

So last weekend (October 3-5) was the Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend at Disney. If you will recall, last year's was my first big race ever. Before I talk about my race, I have to brag on some others.

So, my mom had so much fun watching Megan and I last year that she got amped up and decided to participate. She and my stepdad signed up for the 5K during Princess Weekend. Then, she signed them up for it this weekend AND signed Lydia up for the kids' races. Mom and Jeff really can't run it, because of some former injuries, so they walk. They just like to participate.

This was Lydia's first race and she *can* run. The first race was her age group. Depending on the age group, the kids run either 100, 200, 300, or 400 meters. Lydia ran 200. The 100 group was hysterical to watch. They are all aged 1-3. Some of them LOVED it and others weren't having it at all.

The winner went to Baby Aladdin who got about twenty feet from the Finish Line and refused to go any further. His parents refused to pick him up to walk him across the finish (a lot of parents were carrying their kids, lol). Even the media people got into it.

 Eventually, Baby A won. The RunDisney people needed them off the track to let the next racers (age 4-6) start. Parent - 0, Kid - 1. I took a ton of pictures during the 15 minute sage (there were several heats), but managed to get an internet friendly one (ie, no faces of the kid).......

Lydia rocked her 200-meter dash and even convinced Jeff to join her. Next up was a timed 1-Mile race. For that one, she wanted me to run with her. I was wearing flip-flops, so that wasn't happening. I walked near the path for the first half, so that she could see me. At that point, she was comfortable running the rest of the way with the group. Disney security is really tight, especially for the kid races. They don't let anyone leave the race area without a tag that matches the child's bib, so I told her that I would meet her at the Finish Line.

In her words, the race was "HORRIBLE. It was a long and awful race!" But, she liked her medal, lol.

After their races were over (I was getting Lydia ready while Mom and Jeff were doing their race, so no pics of them), I headed back to the hotel to nap and rest up for mine later that night.

Here's where I get real.......... I have *REALLY* let myself go. Like, I weigh more than I have in 5 years. Not a fact I'm proud of, but it's the truth. Not only have I gained 20 lbs since last year's race, but I plain didn't train. I mean, I'd run a few miles a couple times a week, but that doesn't prepare you for something like this. So, I was nervous. I knew I'd finish, but I figured it would take me about 20-30 minutes longer than last year.

On top of that, Megan is preggers and due with the-best-niece-in-the-world on Oct 19th. Homegirl wasn't about to attempt 10 miles at 38 weeks pregnant. My other race buddies also weren't doing this one for various reasons. So, I was solo. SCARY.

We always run by ourselves, but we usually hang in the corrals and start together. You get in your corrals at 9:15/9:30. The race starts at 10pm and my corral started at 10:20pm. So, I was basically chilling by myself for an hour. Heidi came up to hang with me until corral time and to see me finish, but it was still a bit intimidating to just stand there in a crowd of 9500 people and not know a soul.

But, I did it. I tried and I completed it.

As I was trudging along and miserable, I would just try to pep myself up. Thankfully, the weather was gorgeous. Last year was hot and humid. This year, it was the first cool night we've had. 50's and little-to-no humidity. So, I tried to tell myself that at least I was getting to enjoy the weather. Also, when I was in the last three miles and could only jog about 1-2 minutes at a time before having to walk, I really had to give myself a chat.......... 

"Jess. You are trying. You've completed 7-8-9 miles and you are still trying to jog. THAT is an accomplishment."

It was not easy. In fact, it was REALLY hard. I wanted to quit. There were times when I told myself that I just didn't care what my time was, anymore. There were times when I felt really bad that Heidi was waiting for me and I was taking so long (turns out, she was having a blast with the other spectators). But, I kept going.

Eventually, I did finish! And, I was completely right...... 21 minutes behind my time from last year.

Heidi was super proud and supportive. I was really thankful to have someone at the end.

Ironically, I wasn't nearly as sore as I was last year. I mean, I was sore. But, it didn't last as long or as bad as last year.

As it stands, I have TWO half-marathons scheduled at the beginning of the year. One at the beginning of January and another in mid-February. Yep, I'm insane.

How am I going to keep myself from going down that nasty 'Wingin It' rabbit hole? Well, it does help that these races are close enough to have something to work for, but far enough that I can train reasonably. I'm doing a HIIT Running app three days a week (started Week 1, Day 1 today) and then one longer run (starting at 4 miles and working my way up). Plus, I'm throwing in T25 for strength, speed, and agility.

I *know* I can do this. With the exception of my longer runs, I shouldn't be working out more than 1 1/2 hours a day. Back in my glory days, I was working out double that some days.

I'm also trying not to stress about my weight, right now. Of course, I need to work on my diet (those french fries and sweets have snuck their way back into my habits) and I definitely want to lose weight, but I'm trying not to focus as much on that. Right now, my main concern needs to be getting fitter.... faster.... stronger... more endurance. I feel like if I'm mildly conscience of my eating during this time, some of the weight should come off. Once the holidays and these races are over, I can really focus on the weight.

That's the plan. To keep myself accountable, I'll be posting my workouts and progress toward my goals at least every two weeks.

Here goes................

This Princess Wears Running Shoes...

So, this is a couple months late, but I figured now is as good a time as any, right?

One of the reasons I started running was because I decided that one of my Bucket List items was to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon. In fact, I made it one of my 101 in 1001.

I'll be honest, after I ran the ToT 10 miler, I started slacking. Majorly. I wasn't as prepared as I could/should have been. But, I decided to do my best and work to do better next time. I mean, you have to have a baseline, right?

On Saturday, Feb 22nd, we picked up our packets and got our official race bibs....

Disney really does know how to up the excitement for these races. It's a whole weekend event (with kids runs, 5k, 10k, and a fitness expo). We spent a good amount of time walking around after we officially checked in. My mom and Jeff ran the 5k on Friday, so they were up there. We went to dinner at Downtown Disney and called it an early night as we had to be on the bus by 4am.

When the alarm went off at 3:15am, I can't say we were too thrilled. But, we did make it on the bus by the appropriate time...... only to discover that we both left our room keys in the room.

3:50 am...... It seemed like a good idea back in July......

As early as it is, Disney also knows how to wake you up. Music, lights, etc. Plus, the people watching is stellar..........

There are over 25,000 people that run this race and everyone is split into corrals (A-P). So, imagine our delight when we found our friend Leigh-Anne and her hubby as soon as we made it to our corral (I, ftr).

Did I mention that LA is preggos? And, she'd run the 10k the day before?

Megan and I were shamed and declared that next year, it was a must.

Once the race actually started, we all crossed the start line together, but quickly separated. Usually, Megan is faster than me, but she was still recovering from knee surgery. LA and her husband already decided to take it slow. I went on by myself.

Again, Disney does know how to do these races. They always have some sort of entertainment along the way, picture stops, etc. Except for my one bathroom break around mile 2, I didn't stop.

Well, except to take this picture.......

There was something SO amazing about being able to take a picture in front of the big Magic Kingdom sign/parking booths. Typically, it's full of cars wanting to park. I'll admit, I got a little emotional when I reached that point.

Also, before we even got there, we saw the fastest runners coming back from MK. As in, we were just hitting mile 3 and they were on mile 8. It was pretty cool to cheer them on. They each had a bicyclist riding next to them to make sure they were safe (because they were basically running by themselves).

Another incredible moment...... so, as I was running, I was sort of staying in the same pack as this woman and her friends. The back of her shirt said, "This Princess Used To Be Paralyzed."

I thought to myself how wonderful it was.... Then, we got to Main Street. She stopped in her tracks, turned her back from the castle, and just burst into tears. Her friends surrounded her and they were all crying.

It was such a beautiful, inspirational moment. I am tearing up just typing about it. I, also crying, told her what a great job she was doing and kept running.

Generally, I don't stop for the picture spots on these races. The lines are long and it is for characters (which I can see whenever). However, when I got to the castle, I decided I DEFINITELY needed to get a picture. Somehow, my sister managed to catch up, so we were able to get a picture together......

Yes. I am using the Proofs. I'm not paying $30 for the one picture. Anywho.....

Keeping it real...... Miles 7-10 sucked. Like really, really bad. At one point, I could only tweet how bad it was....

One of the reasons I started this whole journey with running is because of how far it pushes me out of my comfort zone. It is a physical and mental challenge. It brings out so many of my old insecurities. It is something that no one (including me) ever though I could accomplish. The fact that I get up at 5:15am regularly to run (or run after work, if I don't quite make it out of bed) is proof of how much I've personally changed.

But, it is hard. Especially when you're in the middle of running 13.1 miles. 

When I hit the ten mile mark, my body got a boost of energy. Granted, my mind thought, "If I were doing the Tower of Terror, I would be done, right now."

One thing that kept me going was all the funny signs. One particularly awful incline had a group of several basically calling us all crazy for even attempting. It was funny, lol.

This was my personal favorite, right around Mile 12.......

When I got into EPCOT and was headed to the exit (you go in, run to the lake and then run back), I saw Megan was just entering. Sister power walked the whole thing. I ran back to her and we finished the race together!

My ending time was 3:08:29 and my place was 11672. It wasn't what I originally was hoping for (back in October before I started slacking), but I did better than I expected. And, I finished ahead of over half the people that participated!

And, I earned this beauty.............

Lesson #8 - You Can Do ANYTHING (including run 10 miles).... If You Work For It

*** This is both a lesson and a recap. While the recap part is mainly for my own memories, I promise there is a lesson at the end.

Let me tell you about myself about 9 years ago. I was in college, my stepfather had just passed away about 6 months earlier, and I was spiraling into a continual darkness. I was 100 lbs heavier than I am now. I still danced, but was not fit or healthy.

Eventually, I woke up and started working to a healthier existence. A couple years ago, I started the Couch 2 5K. I did it and then fell off the running. Then Summer 2012, I started again and actually did really well. I got to the point that I could run for 45 minutes. Then, I stopped.

Well, around March, I picked it back up again. And, I got the wild idea to sign up for a 10 Mile Run. I really don't know WHY I got that idea, but I did and I convinced my sister Megan to sign up, as well. Shortly after, she suggested we sign up for a 5K series during the summer. We trained and practiced and completed the series. Then, we kept training. Honestly, I didn't train as hard as I should have, but the Florida Summer got to me. Regardless, I did keep running and preparing for October 5th.

It came, alright.

Megan, my mom, and I headed to Orlando. We picked up our race packets and checked into the hotel.......

Then, we waited. It seemed like for-ev-er. I tried to nap, but that was a no go. I did manage to eat.

Finally, it was time to get ready and head toward the buses for the race!!!

"Does this tutu make my butt look big?"

I cannot explain the energy on that bus ride. Everyone was excited, nervous, and buzzing with energy.


Momma and I on the bus!......

If I thought the bus ride was exciting, getting OFF the bus and walking towards the pre-party and race start was multiplied. There were thousands of people in the parking lot of Hollywood Studios. A DJ, music blaring, light up balloons.... it was insane. The most entertaining part was all the runner costumes. Oh, the creativity......

Like this guy..... 

He was part of an entire ensemble of Star Wars characters.

I had a couple friends that were also running. We tried to meet up, but with so many people using cells, reception was non-existent. We spent a couple of hours just walking around and trying to stay calm. And, my mom took tons of pictures.....

Eventually, it was time for us to get into our corral. Since neither of us had proof of times, we were in the last two corrals.... I moved back to Megan's, so we could start together. Everyone had to line up at 9:15. The race started at 10pm. Our corral wasn't scheduled to start until 10:28.

In essence, I felt like I was going to throw up for over an hour.


Here is us faking being calm, cool, and collected.

FINALLY, it was our turn to start. Towards the Start Line, we were able to see my mom holding up signs for us and her phone. She had my cousin on Facetime, so she could see us, too!! Honestly, that is what calmed us down and got us really excited. The loud music, the lights, fog, DJ, and MC helped, too.

Something I loved is that Disney gives a grand start to each corral. With the scary "Twilight Zone" music and a firework start, we were off!! Our route looked like this.....

While Megan and I started together, we knew that we wold be running by ourselves. She has a faster pace than I do and we each run to music. Despite the official website claiming that they do not recommend earbuds, most racers do wear them. The warnings and announcements are LOUD. Even with my music going, I could hear the important stuff.

A couple notes about the course..... it is mostly on main roads. At first, it is kind of cool to realize that you are running where you normally drive at Disney World, but it gets a bit boring. They do have entertainment and characters along the way (I didn't stand in line for any of them), but mainly you are just running.

It was HOT and HUMID. Not as bad as what we dealt with in July and August, but still pretty nasty. I made sure to take all of my walk breaks and to drink plenty of fluids at each water station.

My least favorite part was the dirt path you take right before entering Wide World of Sports. While the character stations they had were really cool, the path was dark and narrow. You would have three or four people walking shoulder-to-shoulder (rude), so you'd have to go off the path to run around them. Plus, all the dirt being kicked up was irritating.

When we did get to Wide World of Sports, I thought I would never get out of there. It was like reliving my worst PE days, all over again, lol. We ran onto the soccer fields, went around the track, ran on sidewalks, and then went around the baseball field before heading out.

As you can see, as we exited the complex, we hit the Mile 7 Marker (btw, the mile markers were awesome.... a running clock with an elevator theme), that was when I started having true doubts about myself. This was the conversation I was having with myself, in my head.....

"Yay!!! Mile 7..... Almost there!!!!"

"Only 3 more miles! 3 miles is normal to you. You got this!"

"Holy cow, I have THREE miles to go...... It's after midnight and I still have three miles to go."

"It is so hot. I'm so tired."

"What if I just walk the rest of the way? That wouldn't be so bad, right?"

"Where is more water? I'm so thirsty."

"WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?!?!?! WHY DID YOU SIGN UP FOR THIS, JESSICA?!?!?!"

 "I don't think I can do this."

"Just keep running. Just keep running until you fall down."

"If I pass out, will I still get a medal?"

"WHERE is the water station?"

"Don't stop. Just keep running."

About the 7.5 mile mark, a cool breeze came. Out of nowhere. All around me, people were exclaiming over the cool breeze. I said out loud, "Thank you, Jesus. I needed this."

Now, I won't say that I didn't struggle the rest of the way, but it gave me a push that I desperately needed to keep going.

Eventually, we got back to Hollywood Studios. The last mile and a half was actually in the park. As awesome as it was, it was also a little bit of a mind game. See, I know that park like the back of my hand. I know exactly how to get from Lights, Motors, Action to Tower of Terror..... the best, most direct route. Yeah, they don't take you that way. You weave in and out, taking the most indirect way possible. When we rounded the Sorcerer's Hat, there was a big crowd cheering and a DJ congratulating us..... we only had a half a mile left.

That may have been the longest half mile EVER. The volunteers that were cheering us along were amazing, especially that last half mile. They knew we were hot, tired, and just ready to quit.

When I saw the finish line? I booked it as hard and as fast as I could. I totally crossed the finish line with both arms pumped over my head in victory. My mom was there to take a picture and cheer me on.

After you finish, you still have about another mile to walk to get the freebies, cool down, and get your bag before getting to meet up with your family.

This was my view when I finished..... A moment I will never forget......

The very first thing they hand you is cool towels. Then, you get in line to have one of the ten or so people handing out medals put one over your neck. Just like in the Olympics. When the lady told me, "Congratulations. You did it!" I almost cried.

I called my sister who I knew had already finished (we signed up for each other's updates, so my phone dinged when she hit the 5K, 10K, and Finish). She had just gotten my update and was able to tell me my time before I even knew it, lol. She was waiting past the bag claim with our friend BJ.

In that walk, they hand you a ton of freebies. My hands were full. I got my bag and happened to run into my friends.... we patted each other on the back and then I met up with my mom, Megan, and BJ.

 

My mom had these shirts made for us, while she was waiting. She was SOOOO proud of us....

 

They had an onsite engraver. It cost $20, but I felt is was well worth it.

I will keep this thing forever......

 

They had an after-party and we stayed until about 3:45am. It was exhausting, but the whole night was so exhilerating.

Two proud sisters......

 

11300 people registered..... 9474 actually came and finished.... My overall placement was 4233. Out of 6132 women, I finished 2349.

I ran ten miles in 2 hours and 8 minutes. 

Me.

My FB status the next morning read, "I did it!!!!! If you ever had PE with me, then you will know that ME running ten miles is basically a miracle."

People said (and still are) how proud they were.... how impressed.... how they could never do it.

I'm soooooo proud of myself and my accomplishment. And, I'm soooooo thankful for their compliments.

Here's the thing though.... They *can* do it. Again, I once weighed 100 lbs more than I do now. I've struggled my whole life with running. I was always last.... always the slowest.... always the awkward, clumsy kid that no one wanted on their team.

And, *I* placed ahead of over half of the 9474 people that participated.

If I can do it, anyone can. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow..... but eventually.

I've been running off and on for two years. I've been training (and not as seriously as I should have been) for 6 months. I worked for it and I did it.

You can, too.

Keep in mind, I still don't like running. I don't consider myself a runner. I do it because it is a challenge and because it pushes me completely out of my comfort zone.  

If running isn't your thing (trust me, it's not my thing, either) or you have no desire to do it, that's fine. But, don't say you can't. You can. You can do anything that you are willing to work hard enough for. If it is humanly possible, you can do it.

Will you do it as well as the next person? Maybe not, but you can still do it.

That is my lesson. It's something that I learned in a big way this past weekend. 

A couple of notes, if anyone is interested in running this race.........

• I would recommend staying on Disney property. It is a LATE night and not only is travel shorter when you are on property, but you don't have to worry about driving.
• Definitely jog to your own music, even though they say not to. There are boring stretches.... it's dark.... it's long...... unless you are planning to chat with a friend while walking briskly, music is needed.
• Warning.... you are going up and down a lot of ramps to get on the highway. So, not only are there hills (more than this native Floridian is used to), they are curving and slanted. Like a NASCAR race. Except you are trying to run it.
• It may be October, but chances are pretty high that it will still be hot and humid in Florida. I am used to this weather and I was feeling it. I would guess that the majority of the people I saw being carried away by medics at the end of the race were because of heat exhaustion/dehydration. My body/habits are able to adapt. I know what to do. However, I noticed so many people skipping right past the water stations. I would grab a cup of Powerade at the front of the station, walk, swig, and then grab a cup of water to do the same thing. Every. single. time. Yes, I felt a little yucky with that much liquid in my stomach a couple times. I did feel like I was going to get sick a couple of times. But, I just slowed down until I stopped feeling so water logged. When it was over, I drank both the bottle of Powerade and the bottle of water they handed us within the hour. Probably within 45 minutes. I kept drinking throughout the night. You have to do that when you are running 10 miles in Florida.
• It is an expensive race. It's Disney, after all. However, it is also worth every penny. 
• If you have any questions about this race, feel free to email me :)

Blogtember..... Life Lately and A New Challenge

Monday, September 23: A "life lately" post. What you're up to, how you're feeling, how you're doing on your goals, etc. Bonus points for great photos!

Based off of my lack of blogging, you may have guessed that life is crazy. September through May is my crazy time at work and this September is no different. It's just insanely busy.

Life is good, though. Just busy. And, when I do have a moment to breathe, I just haven't felt like getting on the computer. Like, I want to share and document, but I do not have the oomph to put it on my screen. I'm trying to remember to relax.... and keep in touch with friends.... and spend time with my family.... and live in the moment.


Like, when I catch my coworker raiding my snack stash.....

Or, taking in a Miranda Lambert concert with the sister....

Or, appreciating a Harvest Moon coming up over a lawn of fellow concert-goers.

Also, there are still some potential-maybe-possibly-we-will-see-what-happens things in the works. Maybe. I don't really know. But, if there are, it could be exciting. We'll see.

 Tuesday, September 24: Review a book, place, or product.

Let's see... I haven't read a new book in far too long, unfortunately.

Places..... I went to several new places on my New England and Canadian cruise. I fully intend to review them in great detail, at some point.


Product. I got this.

So, two days after I got back from my cruise, I started the Advocare 24 Day Challenge. That was exactly two weeks ago and I'm down 6 lbs, pre-cruise. The day after I got back, I weighed myself (why, I do not know) and I was up 7.5 lbs. Granted, most of that was just plain "on a boat on the sea for a week" bloat. And, I was Day 4 of that TOM. So, as much I would like to say I've lost 13.5 lbs.... really, I've lost 6. But, it is incredible and I will take it. I still have another 10 days. I've already gone ahead and ordered another set of 14-Day supplements for the Max Phase.

I just feel good. I'm eating clean..... not perfect, but pretty darn good. I'm staying away from all "white" foods and keeping my carb sources to mainly be from fruits and veggies. The past two Mondays, I've gone to group birthday dinners..... both Mondays, I had one bite of the shared dessert. The past two Fridays, I've gone to lunch with Billie Jo.... we always go to a FroYo place after and both Fridays, I've had a small cup (about 4 oz) of FroYo with some blueberries. That is the extent of my sweets.

While the idea of some yummy Fall treats have piqued my interest (um, caramel apple cookies and pumpkin cream cheese pound cake, anyone?), I really haven't had to tear myself away from anything that was actually sitting in front of me. Thankfully, the cravings aren't there.

I don't know how much I will ultimately lose, but I know I feel amazing. And, with the Fall, I need to feel amazing. Let me tell you, this Advocare stuff is legit.

Not Coming In Last.....

Remember my 101 in 1001 list? Well, a few of those items involved running goals. There are a couple reasons for this and it was a progression. See, I've always HATED running. Loathed. Detested. Despised with the burning passion of 1000 suns. Then, I figured out that running actually is one of the only things that flattens my stomach and makes my waist go down. It changes the shape of my body.

Well, crap.

So, I restarted the Couch 2 5k, just for exercise. Then, I got a wild hair and decided to sign up for a super cool (aka Disney) 10 mile run in October. I convinced my sister to sign up with me, so I'd have someone to share "the fun" with. She has done 5k races for the past couple of years and told me that I really should run a few before our ten miler (which, did make sense).

I felt like if I did a 5k and a ten mile, I should add a half-marathon to my list. Just to round it out.

A few weeks ago, Megan texted me that she found out about a local race series during the summer. Four races, spread out over three months. She and her husband were going to sign up for it to keep them motivated. I bit the bullet and signed up, too.

On June 1, 2013, I woke up super freaking early, got my running clothes on, ate a small (healthy) breakfast, and headed to their house. The plan was that I'd ride with them, we'd pick up her mom on the way (Patti really wanted to cheer us on), and we'd get there about 15 minutes before the race started.

So, at 5:58am, on the dot, I pulled up to Megan and Bryan's house. Where it was pitch black inside.

A couple of doorbells later, Megan swung open the door, "OUR ALARM DIDN'T GO OFF!!!!!!!"

Cue Jessica standing around for the next ten minutes while those two raced around the house to get ready, let the dogs out, get the dogs back in, and scarf down a banana.

Well, Megan ran around. Bry was not too thrilled to be awake........

We eventually got in the car and on our way. After picking up Patti, we found a parking spot in a nearby street and headed to the lake.

Megan and Patti happy on an early Saturday morning....

Bryan..... wishing he hadn't been convinced to sign up.

 

We had about ten minutes before the race started. I saw a ton of people I knew and even had some time to catch up with my dear friend LAP and her husband B.

To be perfectly honest, I was terrified prior to the race start. All throughout grade school, I ALWAYS came in last in P.E. I was the kid that everyone had to wait to complete the mile run before going back to the locker rooms. While I'd been jogging along with my C25K app for sometime, I was completely overwhelmed by the idea that I'd stink this one up.

Ready to race!!!

Finally, the gun went off and the race was on. I was afraid that I'd be tempted to run too fast at the beginning and wear myself out, but I actually did a pretty good job of keeping a steady pace. Then, I surprised myself by easily passing several people I knew and thought to be better runners, as a rule.

Megan and Bry went pretty far ahead of me, at first. Megan stayed there, but by the 2nd mile, Bryan was in my sights and pretty much stayed there until we both finished (him about a minute ahead of me).

After the race, we all met up to drink our ice cold water, eat the yummy watermelon provided, and wait for our unofficial results. Once those were posted, I saw that my unofficial time was 35:00 even.

We posed for one last picture at the Finish Line and went on with the rest of our day.

To say that I didn't call a few people to regale them with the fact that I'd actually run a 5K and no one was chasing me with a gun would be a lie. Because I did and the people I called were astounded, proud, and thrilled, because they know what an accomplishment it was.

The next day, I checked online for the official time......

Gun Time - 35:00

Chip Time - 34:10

Placing - 653 out of 990

Do you know what that means?! I finished ahead of 337 people!

I already am excited about the next race that is a week from Saturday (another marvel) and already have a plan to improve my time.

See, I did make some rookie mistakes. We waited almost a minute after the gun went off to start, which is why I got 35:00 and is why my placement ended up where is was. I'm ok with all of that, but I know how I can improve that 34:10. The race is measured by the sidewalk of the lake we run. The lake is just at 2.8 miles, so we have to around just a little over once. However, for the first mile, they close down the road to traffic so runners can spread out. For the first mile, I ran on the road, not the sidewalk. As my phone alerted me to the fact that I hit 3 miles, I knew that I was still some distance from the finish line. When I crossed the finish line, I had run 3.22 miles. Next time, run on the sidewalk.

Also? Water station. That messed me up, big time. First, most everyone was stopped and crowded around the table, so I stopped, too. Then, I had trouble jogging and drinking, so I just walked while I sipped. Next time, jog around the table, grab a cup, take a swig, and keep moving.

Regardless, I'm super proud of myself and am happy to have already worked one thing off my list!

Apparently, we are the runners in the family.....

Operation 30

I originally had a cheesy "Toning Up Tuesday" title. Then, it hit me.... I want to lose 30 lbs before I turn 30. Use that cheesy title, instead.

Last Week's Workouts:

Sunday - Walked for an hour

Thursday - Walked for 50 minutes

Saturday - Walked for 50 minutes


So, I exercised three times. I earn a "C" in the exercise department. Could have done worse, but could have done better.


Let's make some goals for this week......

1) Workout at least 5 times.
2) Complete Week 3 of the Couch 2 5K

Insanity - Week 1

I started the Insanity program this week. Basically, I just know that I need something extreme for this last 25ish lbs. Plus, I need to firm up in the trouble areas and from what I've heard, this program will do just that.

Here are my thoughts.........

- After the first day.... as in, just the Fit Test..... I could barely move the next day. It hurt so bad.

- I ended up having to take a day off in the middle of the week. While my muscles were hurting less, I could tell that they were reaching a point of unhealthy exhaustion. Thanks to my cheerleading days, I'm pretty aware of the difference between "good tired and sore" and "dangerous tired and sore."

- This program is aptly named. It is INSANE.

- Some stuff I just can't do, at this point. Push-ups, mainly. I have a lot of shoulder strength (again, cheerleading... I was a base), but not a lot of pectoral strength. Right now, I'm modifying the push-up moves to try to build my strength there before going all Insane.

- One thing I do like is that just as you are getting tired of a set of intervals, he changes it up.

- It is both encouraging and discouraging that the people in the video can't keep up with Shaun T. Encouraging because then I don't feel so bad when I have to take a breath. Discouraging because if professional fitness buffs can't keep up, how in the world am I going to be able to keep up, lol?

- If Week One is any indication, I may end up extending the first phase. It is supposed to be be four weeks, a week of recovery, and then move into four weeks of more intensity. I think I may go 5 or 6 weeks before moving on.

In with a New Year....

I hope everyone had a safe and Happy New Year!!!

Myself? I spent my evening at home, celebrating my brother's 19th birthday (it's kind of sweet that his friends like us enough to spend NYE with us) and playing with my new BFF, Siri.

Oh, and I spent a couple hours texting my awesome twin Marianne. Which was great, because not only has it been forever, but it was probably one of the funniest conversations known to man.

Anywhoodle.........

So far in 2012, I've read over 100 pages of the third book in The Hunger Games (um, I read the entire second book on Friday. Can we say addicted?), drank two cups of coffee w/ creamer, logged my points for the two cups of coffee w/ creamer (*sigh* Hi, WW), watched church online (according to my pastor, I'm still good people for watching online, but the super people were actually there in person), and spent 45 mins IMing (yes, IMing) with TG (yes, TG) after he started it (*sigh*.... you'll be proud of me for being the one to finally end the conversation).

So, what else do I have planned for the brand-spanking new 2012?

My immediate plans include finishing my book, heading to the mall in hopes of finding the planner I want that can't be found on my side of town, and potentially tiding up.

Then, I'll look onto bigger things.......

My annual trip to St. Jude :)

Recapping the last quarter of 2011 and letting you in on the first quarter of 2012 as it happens. I want to get back into a blogging groove.

Keeping up with my birthday goals.

Couch to 5K. I started it last Fall...... faltered..... slightly picked it back up..... then dropped it completely. Well, Siri and I have other plans for this year. My C25K app is installed. I have new running shoes purchased with my Kohls cash and some Christmas money. I'm ready. This needs to be the year of not walking, jogging, whining about it, RUNNING. You hear me? I will run. I will. No, really, I will.

Beyond that, I'm not really sure where 2012 will take me. There are all these FB statuses about how 2012 feels like "the best year YET." And, while I admire the optimism, I don't really share it. I mean, I'm not hoping for a bad year. I just don't know where it will lead. At all, really.

And, for the first time in my life, I'm perfectly ok with that.

Happy New Year, Everyone!!!!

Liking 'Large'

This past weekend, I went to Disney. While I was in the Orlando area, I stopped by some outlets in search of warm clothes. A couple years ago, we had a lengthy cold snap and I bought some sweaters, etc. That got me through last year, even though they were a little roomy. However, a couple of cool days already showed me that they would NOT work this winter.

As I don't like spending a lot of money on clothes, period, I *really* don't like spending a lot of money on clothes that I only need about 2 months (if that) out of the year AND that I have no intention on fitting into next year (30 lbs until my goal weight).

Hence, outlets.

I hit up my favorite bargain clothing store.... Old Navy. The lady in the dressing room was amazing. She gave me her completely honest opinion on everything I tried on. My favorite line?

"Honey, all of these clothes are too big on you. What size are you bringing in here?"

"XL"

"Ha! No, let me go get you smaller sizes."

See, my whole life....... well, since I have been old enough to pick out my own clothes and take them into a dressing room..... I've been XL or XXL. At my heaviest, I was a size 26 going on 28 (this is the first time I've ever said that publicly, lol....... still not sure I'll ever be comfortable saying my actual weight).

When I walked out of the store, I walked out with four Large long-sleeved shirts, one Large long-sleeved sweater, and two pairs of size 14 jeans. Now, depending on the store or the make of the clothing item, I still may need an XL or a 16. However, that's becoming less and less. The dressing room attendant pointed out that I *think* I need the larger size...... when I really don't.

I know, to a lot of people, the thought of wearing a Large or a size 14 is appalling. I mean, it's still chubby and by its own name, Large. However, my 5'7 1/2" big-boned frame has NEVER been this small. It was an awesome feeling to walk out of that store carrying clothes smaller than I've ever worn.

Like I said earlier, I still have about 30 pounds to go. I don't know what size I'll be at that point.... I am more concerned with being a healthy weight, BMI, etc.

Walking out of that store, though? Was definitely a nod to how far I've come.........


February 2005 (pretty much the heaviest).......

July 2005 (I'd just started losing weight)......

June 2011......

August 2011.........

A Good Problem To Have.....

Hello.

My name is Jessica and very often my clothes are falling off of me.

See, I don't like to spend a whole lot of money on clothes. Especially when I don't intend on staying that size for very long.

Case in point.........

I'd been wearing the same jeans for a really, really long time. The dryer was my friend.

As I lost weight, however, I'd have to wash and dry them after every wearing. Not because they were super dirty, but because they'd get too loose to wear a second time.

Then, it got to the point where as soon as I put them on, I'd constantly have to pull them up.

On Black Friday, Old Navy was having a killer deal on jeans and pants. So, I broke down and bought several new pairs. It was an uh-mazing feeling to walk around and NOT have to hold my pants up.

Fast-forward to July........ I'm not quite four months into WW and am down 13 lbs (slow, but steady). The last time I measured, I was down quite a bit and that was well over 6 weeks ago.

Straight to the point......... my clothes are falling off of me, again. My "skinny" jeans from Black Friday are becoming baggier and baggier. By noon, I'm hefting them up. Thank goodness for jeggings....... even though they are baggier than jeggings should be, they are still form fitting and don't look like a potato sack on me.

I'm not ready to go out and spend a bunch of money, just yet. So, I'm slowly weeding out my closet.

Last week, I put on an outfit. When I looked in the mirror, I saw a garbage bag on my body. So, I promptly took the outfit off and started a "These Don't Fit Anymore" pile.

I added to the pile yesterday when the same thing happened with another whole outfit. I figure that by the end of the summer, I'll have most of my too large clothes out of my closet.

One of my coworkers has threatened to take me clothes shopping and force me to try on everything she throws at me. I told her to wait another 10 lbs and then I'd be game. 

Like I said, at least it's a good problem to have!!

Dial vs Digital.... and, how I lost 4.4 lbs overnight...

Last week, my friend who managed the Curves I was a member of FBed me............ "Curves closed down today."

As I was just there the day before and I had called her at said Curves that morning while she was working the morning shift, I was slightly shocked.

Turns out, during their lunch closing, they had a "Quarterly Meeting." At that meeting, they were given their last paycheck, unemployment papers, letters of reference, and a sign to put on the door. My friend, who went to work that morning expecting to work a double shift, was devastated. Besides me and a couple other personal friends, she didn't have any of the ladies' numbers and no way of getting in contact with them to say good-bye.

Like I said, I was taken aback. I had a routine that worked for me. I'd go to Curves at least 3 days a week for the machines and then I'd go to the Y 2-4 times a week for cardio. It may have seemed silly to some to go to two gyms (I didn't pay for two.... I get a Y membership through work), but it broke up some of the monotony. Not only did I get to see my friend several times a week, but I had made friends with other ladies there. Also, I didn't have to think about what machine to use next.

Overall, I figured I would be ok. I still had the Y. Sure, it would be a pain to figure out their machines and get into a new routine, but I'd live. Sidenote: It HAS been a pain. A big one.

Fast-forward to this week. It hit me that my source of weight and measurement tracking would be gone. I always got weighed and measured at Curves. I didn't even own a scale.

Plus, I knew that the Y scales weigh me heavier (according to the Curves scale AND the Dr's scale), so I didn't want to use that all the time.

It was time to buy a scale.

Yesterday, after lunch, I ran by Wal-Mart. Mama M was with me and said that she just had a cheapo dial scale. I bought the $8 one and we went on with our day. Later in the afternoon, I decided to try it out. In my office. Only, when I stepped on it, the thing was so tiny, you couldn't tell what it said. I mean, you could tell what 5 lb range you were in, but you couldn't tell the exact number.

FAIL

As soon as work was over, I drove directly to that same Wal-Mart and exchanged for a digital scale. One with a slightly larger screen.

I proceeded to the gym. When I got home, I got it out and worked through the instructions to figure out how to get it to track my weight, etc.

The good news was that I could see perfectly what the scale was reading for my weight.

The bad news was the actual number it said I weighed. I slightly panicked. "That cannot be right. I couldn't have gained 3 lbs over the past week."

This morning, as soon as I got up, I got back on. Down 3.4 lbs. "That's better."

I went about my morning routine. Maybe this is TMI, but when I peed, I peed a lot. I hadn't thought about it before I weighed, because I didn't feel the urge to go.

Well, after hopping on again, I realized just how worth it, it was. Down another full pound. "Thank you, Jesus."

WW Edition of Frozen Meals

I *try* to eat healthy. Especially with doing Weight Watchers, the healthier choices "cost" less or nothing in points, so I try to keep that in mind when eating.

However, with my schedule, cooking three meals a day (or even one meal a day.... unless you count putting something in a toaster or making a sandwich "cooking") isn't feasible. I eat out a lot. I just do. Thanks to Katie, I found a website that allows me to make better decisions when eating out.

Then, there are the days that I have back-to-back meetings and no time for a real lunch (like today). After a few times of having to make urgent Mickey D's run a couple years ago, I started stocking up. I keep little snacks in my office....... nuts, 100-calorie popcorn, etc. I also keep some frozen meals in the freezer downstairs. Just for those emergencies.

I've always been a Healthy Choice girl, when it comes to frozen meals. Well, really, I prefer Marie Callender or California Pizza Kitchen or Stouffers. But, for "healthy" frozen meals, I go for the HC.

Then, I started WW. And, Smart Ones came into my life. For those of you who don't know, Smart Ones is endorsed by WW and has all the points directly on the box.

A couple months ago, Target and Wal-Mart were having competing sales on Smart Ones. So, I stocked up. It took me this long........ I do try to avoid eating them all the time........ but, I've almost gotten through my stash and feel equipped to do some reviews.

** Smart Ones is not paying me to do these reviews. However, if they'd like to.... or just give me some free SOs.... I wouldn't turn them down.

Stuffed Turkey Breast

It wasn't bad. The veggies were well seasoned and cooked well in the microwave. The turkey was moist and the gravy was pretty good. The stuffing was a little too mushy for me, but I still would eat it again.

Chicken Enchiladas Suiza

This was actually really tasty!! The enchiladas were on the miniscule side, but that's to be expected. The flavor was good and the sauce was yummy to mix the rice. The tortillas were a little on the soggy side, but not too bad. I'd get it again.

Pasta Primavera

Another winner! I like the bowtie pasta and the sauce is yummy.

Creamy Rigatoni with Broccoli & Chicken

One of my absolute FAVORITES. I love this stuff!

Three Cheese Ziti Marinara 

I liked this one. A little heavy on the tomato sauce, for me, but overall I'd eat it again. There's a lot more cheese in the picture than in the actual dish, just be aware.

Thai Style Chicken & Rice Noodles

Not really a fan. It was fine for a change, but I probably won't get it again.

Cranberry Turkey Medallions

Again, not a huge fan. I was really excited about this one, too.

The turkey medallions were so small that they got a little dry in the microwave and the cranberry relish was a little too spicy for me.

Pasta with Ricotta and Spinach

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!

I honestly feel like I'm cheating and eating "real" Italian food. I mean, it is really good!

Mini Rigatoni with Vodka Cream Sauce

This was pretty good, too. I liked it better than the ziti.... the sauce was the right amount of tomato, cream, and vodka, lol.

Fiesta Quesadilla

Pretty good. I had one of them for dinner with a Bud Light Lime and was pleasantly satisfied. It's pretty heavy on the spice and black beans, but did work brilliantly with the BLL.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sundae

Super yummy! CCCD is one of my favorite ice cream flavors, so it hits the spot!

Peanut Butter Cup Sundae

Also, really tasty!! The PB ice cream was a really good consistency, imo.

Turtle Sundae

I'm a huge fan of caramel, but I wasn't crazy about this. It's ok, but not my favorite. I think the caramel tastes a bit fake, if that makes any sense.

What are your thoughts? What "Smart One" meal am I missing out on?