Health Challenge

As you all know, I am have been in a health challenge since January 1 and it ends April 1st. I REALLY want to win so bad!!!! I could really use the money for clothes. I need clothes so bad!! I seriously wear the same 4 outfits. I wish I didn't fall back into my bad eat habits last month but it's all good. I know what I need to do and I will do the best I can. I've decided that I will not post ANY weight loss until our final weigh in day. I want to keep it a secret and I don't want my competitors to see were I am at. Hahaha;) Actually, I don't even know if they read this??? I will also post some after pictures, but I most likely wont be as tone as I wanted or thought I would be at that point. Only because with my training for my Marathon, I thought I could go all hard core on my weight training but I just can't. I am still weight training, just not as crazy as I was doing before. I am doing what my trainer said to do, but after my race on April 20th, I will really step up the strength training.
Well.... It's time for some breakfast and I will run my scheduled 8 mile run tonight after the kids are in bed.
Wish me luck!!!!! :)

Brrrr...

Well. I didn't end up running at 5:30am like planned. My alarm did go off but there was NO WAY I could get up. I had a hard time falling asleep last night, and out 4 year old woke up crying with an ear infection, and my hubby is now sick too:( I feel so bad for my little family.
I was able to go for my run this afternoon since my hubby stayed home sick today. I went up to daybreak for one I love running around the lake, and I just wanted to run a different route. So the sun is out today but it's FREEZING!!! As I took off, the dang wind was blowing towards me for 3 whole MILES!!!! I was seriously already so tried at mile 1. My average pace is usually around 8:20's-40's. Today due to the wind, my average pace was around 9:20. I was so beat and walked so much. It's crazy how draining the wind is. My poor hands were numb.
I am so glad to be done:) I still have upper body to do but will do that later tonight.
I have done really well with my clean eating today. No cheating at all. I ALMOST had a brownie but didn't. I decided to have a string cheese instead. Yay me:) This girl LOVES treats a little too much:/

I took this picture on my run this afternoon. It was so cold that the lake was frozen. Brrrrr

BEWARE!!!!!

I am so sorry for posting a pic of my VERY UGLY feet, but I wanted to show you what my poor feet go through due to my many miles and hours of running.  My left foot, all toes are bruised except for my big toe.  My right foot, I have no bruising, but my big toe nail did fall off in November and it's grown back only halfway and my pinkie toe nail fell off a few weeks ago.
I have been told that this is happening because I need bigger shoes. That is actually false. I went to my Podiatrist in December when my toes were even worse then they are now. I told him how everyone keeps saying I need bigger shoes. He said that this is VERY common for long distance runners. He actually said that my feet don't look that bad compare to other runners that see him. He said this is very common.
I did get new shoes in December and actually got a full size bigger just to see if it would make any difference even though my Doctor said it wouldn't, and he was right. I am still having the same issues. I have even tried different brands of shoes but he said this is a common side effect for runners and I will just have to deal with it. I think it just depends on how you run. I must run more with my toes?? Oh well, I am just thankful I can run:)

It's a new week!!

This week is going to be very hard for me. I am going to be tired, ornery, and super worn out. Haha
With our son not feeling well, which he is doing so much better but not 100% I will not take any of my kids to the gym. Yes, I am one of those Mom's that keeps my babies home even if they have a clear runny nose. So my hubby and I decided that we will take turns going to the gym. I offered to go this whole week at 5:30 am. Yes, you are reading that right. 5:30 AM!!! I know I have told you in the past that I hate working out early because it makes me so ornery and tired the rest of the day, but with kids being sick and hubby working during the day, this is what I need to do this week, and my hubs will go at night. We decided that we will take turns. This week I go early, then next week he will. It will be nice for our bodies to have this change.
This week my running schedule is: 5,8,5,16. It's going to be another hard week of running, but I'm ready. I'm excited because I have another race coming up. St Patty's 5k on the 16th. It's good to run a few races during your training to help you with your speed. I can't wait:)
So here's to a new week of eating 100% clean and training HARD!!!!
Oh, so about our health challenge. We haven't been doing weekly weigh ins and my hubs and I didn't do good last month and I wasn't sure how others were doing until today. I am still in first place (I think, haven't heard from my older brother) with a total of 8.1% body fat loss, but my little brother is super close to me with 7.9% It freaked me out a bit because I was in the lead by quit a bit so I really wasn't worried until now. I need and will be in the zone from here on out. April 1st is our final weigh in and I REALLY want to win:)
I hope you all have a great, and healthy week. LET'S DO THIS!!!!!!

16 miles DONE!!!!

Oh my goodness I just ran the furthest I have ever ran EVER!!! 16 miles baby!!! I was nervous for this run because I only ran 7 miles on Wednesday. I didn't run my 4 on Monday or my 4 on Thursday:/ No reason, just got lazy. I was also nervous because I've been running on the treadmill. But I have to say that I felt amazing and very strong on this run. The weather was perfect. It felt so good to have the sun on my face (but very hot for the first 6 miles)
I started to get very tired around mile 13. I got a little emotional when I hit the 13 mile mark. I have ran 13 miles a ton of times, but for some reason, I felt very proud today when I reached that point. I only had 3 more miles to go. I wasn't winded at all but my poor feet, legs and bum were VERY SORE!!!!! I ran mile 15 pretty fast then my last mile I was so done. I finished strong in 2 hours and 34 min. I was sore when I got home but not as bad as I thought I would be. I took a bath right away. I always do this after my runs to help my muscles. It felt great to just chill and relax.

Boy, oh boy, my legs KILL now!!!!!! I can barley move and could totally go to bed right now. I am BEAT!!!! It's crazy to think that I would still have another 10.2 miles to go after my 16. As of now, I would be crawling across the finish line. I defiantly need more training. I am thankful for my rest day tomorrow and I'm sure I will be very sore for a few days.

Sweetness

Our 6 year old woke up this morning really sick. (I know, didn't we go through this in FEBRUARY!!??) He has a fever, sore throat and threw up once. After he threw up, I told him how sorry I was that he was sick and that I am so sad. He then said " It's OK Mom, I'm fine" then he started to tear up and said "I hope I'm better before my race" His race isn't until JUNE!!
What a little sweetie. Poor thing didn't care if he was sick, he was only worried that he might not be able to race. He sounds just like me:)

I really hope this is just a 24 hour thing and that no else gets his "bug" I can not go through crazy sickness again. Ahhhhhhhh

Here we go............

In about 3 hours, I will be running the furthest I have ever ran. 16 MILES!!!! I am going outside this time. No treadmill today. It's a beautiful day. 50 degrees, perfect running weather. I will be running for about 2 1/2 hours, maybe a little longer depending on the route and how tired I get. I am actually really excited.
I was supposed to go this morning at 6:00am with my bestie but last night around 6:00pm, I wasn't feel well at all. Just super weak and so worn out. I went to bed at 9:15 and slept until about 9:30 this morning. I still felt a little worn out this morning, but I had some breakfast and feel so much better. I think I am just "down" right now. My motivation has been lacking big time, when I eat crappy I feel crappy, I had my monthly visitor a few days ago (TMI sorry) and it's so hard to get on track again when you have been off track for so long. So I got online and started pinning motivation quotes and it totally got me pumped and ready to go. (I know crazy, but they really do help me)
I will also be running with my new running buddy for the first time. My gun. With me running for hours and far away from home, I need to make sure I stay safe. Yes, I do have my concealed permit so I am OK to be running with it.
I'll post all about my run when I get back. Wish me luck!!!!! EEEEKKK!