Magic Mile No. 2 … No one ever drowned in sweat …

Saturday – 4 miles

• 4.01 miles, 48’ 08” minutes, 12’ 00” min/mile average pace, 159 BPM average heart rate
• Splits:
  • Mile 1 – 10’ 34” min/ mile
  • Mile 2 – 10’ 53” min/mile
  • Mile 3 – 14’ 21” min/mile
  • Mile 4 – 12’ 13” min/mile

Today definitely started out rushed. My sister and I were supposed to meet our other sister for breakfast at 9:30. So when I woke up at 7:30 this morning, I had a funny feeling that we were not going to make it to breakfast. In an attempt get my day rolling quickly, I skipped my usual breakfast, which was ok because I was out of granola anyway. I quickly changed into my running clothes, filled up my water bottle, ate a serving of Clif Shot Bloks (to compensate for my lack of breakfast) and was out the door by 8.

The morning was already shaping up to be warm one. By the time I had walked to my running trail, sweat was already starting to bead up on me. Now according to my phone, the temperature was only 80 degrees but the humidity was making it feel like it was at least 90 degrees. Last week’s weekend run was actually very bearable regardless of the heat because I spent most of the time in the shade. Of course, last week’s long run was about completing the distance and this week’s run was about speed. My goal for today’s was to improve my time from my last Magic Mile, which meant I needed an uninterrupted length of trail to run on. Unfortunately, the shaded sidewalk is littered with driveways and side streets, which prevents me from running as fast as I can. Once I made it to the running trail, I started running, trying to push myself as much as possible. After the first mile, I stopped to drink some water and catch my breath. Being in the direct sunlight was brutal and the sweat was really pouring off of me. I continued running after my brief pause and really tried to stay in the shade. It was a little difficult though to run in the shade during mile 2 because I was trying to get to a safe place to cross the street. Most of mile 3 and all of mile 4 was in the shade but the damage of the heat had already been done. I actually walked for a portion of mile 3, which was not what I wanted to do at all. When I finished my run, I was literally drenched with sweat and it wasn’t pretty let me tell you. I was also late for breakfast, which didn’t really matter since my sister was still asleep when I got home. None of that mattered though because I had successfully accomplished my goal for this run. My Magic Mile time was 4 seconds faster than my last one! While I was hoping for more of a difference, I will totally take 4 seconds!

No pain, no gain …

Friday – Strength Training

• Kettlebells – 46 minutes (Joint Mobility Warm Up and Sculpt & Condition Workout)

When I woke up this morning, I felt much better than I did yesterday. Plus … NO PAIN IN MY LEFT KNEE! I almost jumped around my bedroom with an overwhelming feeling of joy. I thought better of that though and decided to wait until after work before doing my kettlebell workout. I didn’t want to push my luck. I also decided that instead of doing the squat thrusts during the workout I would replace them with either mountain climbers or push ups. While I was at work today, I ordered another Kettlebell DVD. I really think I have a problem. Lauren Brooks has several workout DVDs besides the one I already have. Today, I ordered Volume 2 of the Ultimate Sculpt and Condition Workout Series. After I receive it and try out the workouts, I will be sure to post my review for each of the workouts included on the DVD.

I ended up doing my workout really late again tonight. I wanted to make sure that my knee was good to workout so I decided to wait until after work. Unfortunately, by the time I got home from work, it was time for dinner so I had to wait until after dinner to workout. I really enjoyed my workout tonight mostly because I missed doing my kettlebell workout on Wednesday. I did modify the workout just a little though. Because my knee has been so sore recently, I decided not to do the squat thrusts and continued doing push ups. After my workout tonight, me knee didn’t bother me at all and I was ecstatic to say the least. During the rest periods of my workout, I took the time to write down the exercises and the interval lengths so that I can take this workout with me to the gym.

Another late night run ...

Thursday - 3 miles

• 3.64 miles, 40' 11" minutes, 11' 02" min/mile average pace, 158 BPM average heart rate

I think that my work is starting to affect my sleeping patterns. When I dive into my work or I have a large deadline looming, I end up with a million things still on my mind even after I leave the office. My list of things to do takes over my thoughts and I don't shut it off. No matter how early I intend to go to sleep it doesn't seem to work out the way I want because I can't turn my brain off. One major disadvantage to this is that I usually don't wake up early enough to get my runs in before work. Most days that doesn't really bother me because I can still hit the treadmill after I get home from work. Today I was actually really upset with myself for not waking up early. My sister (the one who doesn't live with me) is moving to Chicago next week and she came over for dinner tonight. I wanted to have as much time as possible with my sister before she leaves. By not waking up early enough for my run, I was afraid that I wouldn't get to have enough time with my sister or I wouldn't get to run until midnight. My sister had a different idea for the evening then I did. After I got home from work, the three of us worked on dinner and played some video games. After we ate dinner, we watched a little bit of television before my sister left for a going away party with some friends. I guess I didn't have to worry about getting everything done tonight after all. I don't have anything against my sister but I must admit that I was more than a little upset with the evening's events.

After I calmed down and my dinner settled in my stomach, I changed into my running clothes and jumped on the treadmill. I really didn’t try to push myself tonight because my knee is still a little sore. I know I shouldn’t run with a knee injury but my knee doesn’t feel injured just tight. It feels like all the muscles around my knee are just really tight and don’t really want to move more than necessary. I still wanted to get in a good tempo run so I didn’t slack off too much. After my five minute walking warm up, I set the belt pace to 4.0 mph and jogged for five minutes to help loosen up my knee some more. Within 15 minutes of starting to run, I had increased the belt pace to 5.0 mph. While I was running, I tried to stay aware of my body and what it was saying to me especially my left knee. During the actual tempo portion of the run, I felt my knee loosen up and without severe pain. I continued at 5.0 mph for 25 minutes and my knee felt really good. I finished my run with the belt pace at 4.0 mph for five minutes and then cooled down with a 10 minute walk. After my run, I tried to really stretch out my knees in hopes that it will avoid anymore soreness tomorrow. I guess I will know if it worked when I wake up tomorrow.

Finding my center and focus …

Wednesday - Strength Training

• Bikram Yoga - 90 minutes (class at local yoga studio)

For the first time since I started kettlebell training, I chose not to do it when I had the opportunity. I woke up this morning with plenty of time to do my kettlebell workout but I didn't do it. As I got out of bed to go turn the alarm off, I felt some soreness in my left knee. I felt this same soreness yesterday morning when I woke up and at the end of my run last night. I decided that the cause of this soreness might be the number of squats and squat thrusts that I am doing during my kettlebell workouts. Since I have never really done these exercises before starting my new kettlebell workout, I may very well be doing them incorrectly. Also, I don't really want to upset the people who live below me so I have been trying to cushion the jumping action of the squat thrusts. I believe that by cushioning the jumping action I am actually causing my knees to take the brunt of the motion, which is probably not a good thing. Because of this, I decided to take the day off from my kettlebell training.

I still went to my Bikram Yoga class! I may have decided against doing my kettlebell workout this morning but I still went to my Bikram class with my favorite instructor. I probably should have stayed at work to finish some things up but I also wanted to attend my yoga class. Such decisions to make. I have been making a lot of progress with many of the poses. Even though I have been practicing yoga on and off (mostly off) for about three and a half years, I am still not very flexible at all. I can honestly say that I have progressed leaps and bounds in my level of flexibility. My hamstrings still have a long way to go. I still have issues coming out of Toe Stand properly but that should come along as my hamstrings loosen up. I am almost ready to begin kicking out on my Standing Forehead to Knee Pose, which also requires strong knees and hamstrings. Even though my knee was sore this morning, that feeling wore off throughout the day and I was able to get the most out of my practice, including achieving the full expression of Fixed Firm Pose. The class was also really hot again today, which could have helped my move through the poses almost effortlessly. It seems that the hotter it is in the class then the looser my muscles are. It felt good to attend this class tonight I didn't feel completely centered focuesed today at work, which probably had something to do with me not doing my kettlebell workout this morning.

UPDATE: Disney's Wine & Dine Half Marathon Medals have been unveiled!

This is an update to my previous post about the medals for this year's Wine & Dine Half Marathon and Relay. Yesterday, runDisney reposted the image of what the medals will actually look like (see below). Apparently, the medals should not have looked gold at all becuase they will be the same silver color as last year's medal. This means that the only difference between this year's and last year's medal is the lanyard and a few minor tweeks to the actual medal. Disney also stated that not only is half marathon filled to capacity but now the relay is too. The only way to participate in this event is to sign up through a charity organization.



2011 Wine & Dine Medals

So what are my thoughts on what the actual medal will look like? I really like it. In fact, I love it. Yellow is NOT one of my favorite colors. I don't think I own a single piece of gold jewelry. Needless to say, I am excited that the medal will be silver again this year. Besides, the silver color means it will resemble the real Spaceship Earth much better. And even though, yellow is one of least favorite colors, I really do like champagne and white wine, which what the lanyard reminds me of. I really can't wait to run this race and add this medal to my collection (which stands at one). I actually received a medal for my very first race even though it was a 5K. The Iron Girl Race Series believes that everyone deserves a medal to honor their accomplishment. This one looks way cooler than that one but they are both special to me.

I think I must be completely Goofy!

Tuesday - 3 miles

• 3.58 miles, 40' 02" minutes, 11' 11" min/mile average pace, 155 BPM average heart rate

I already know that I have caught the running bug. What are the clues that tipped me off you might ask? Let's see. (1) I go through withdrawals if I miss just one training run! (2) After I finished my first race, I signed up for 7 more, including 3 half marathons! (3) I am currently going through race withdrawals because I haven't raced in 3 months! I am pretty sure that I have gone from just catching the running bug to being fully infected by it. My proof of this is quite overwhelming.

Today one of my best friends, who is also infected by the running bug, informed me that she is going to be running her first full marathon on February 18th, 2012. She asked me if I wanted to join her. I actually seriously considered it! Now keep in mind that I am running the Rock 'n' Roll St. Petersburg Half Marathon the weekend before that! We decided that wouldn't be the best idea. Then I told her that my goal for 2012 is to train for and run the 2013 Walt Disney World Full Marathon. She thought that sounded really cool and I figured that was the end of it. I didn't stop there though. After we had decided to run the 2013 WDW Marathon, I told her about the Goofy Challenge. The Goofy Challenge is for those people who are brave enough (or just really stupid) to attempt running the WDW Half Marathon on Saturday morning and then run the WDW Marathon the very next morning. That got her even more excited. So she said that she wanted to do the 2013 Goofy Challenge instead and seeing as how I don't like to be out done I said that I would do it too! Am I crazy or what ?!? I haven't even run a half marathon yet, let alone a full marathon and I am already saying that I can run both on back to back mornings. When my boyfriend finds out, he might actually have me committed. I think I might not tell him until we actually commit to it.

After all of that talk about running craziness, I was really excited to get home and jump on the treadmill. I know that treadmill running is not the same as running outside. I actually prefer running outside but it is just way too hot to enjoy the run. Instead of doing my usual hill workout, I did an interval workout. After my five minute walking warm up, I increased the belt pace to 4.0 mph (without building up to it like I normally do) and pressed the interval button on the treadmill. I chose the 1-1 intervals, which set the high and low to the same limit (two minutes each). The low interval had a belt pace of 4.0 mph and an incline of 0%. The high interval had the same belt pace and an incline of 3%. I really liked this workout and I know that I can push myself harder than I did tonight. My average heart rate was well out of the zone that it should have been in. Maybe next time I do this workout , I will increase the belt pace or the incline of the high interval. I am glad that I didn't push myself too much tonight. As I was finishing my run, my left knee started to feel sore. I am thinking that it may be a result of the number of squats that I did during my workout last night. I need to be very careful with my form when it comes to my squats. My knees are crucial to my running.

Struggling with my self image ...

Sunday - Rest
Monday - Strength Training

• Kettlebells - 30 minutes (Joint Mobility Warm Up and 2X Fat Blast Workout)

When I woke up this morning, I decided not to workout as I planned because I wanted to measure myself. Six weeks ago, I went through the process of measuring myself to set a baseline of measurement for my progress. I know it isn't exactly accurate because I started my lifestyle change in February, which is way more than six weeks ago. My original intention was to measure myself every four weeks but since I was on vacations I let it slide. After I returned from vacation, I didn't want to measure myself because I was afraid that my physical appearance wasn't changing even though my weight has been dropping. When I look in the mirror, I still see the remnants of the person I used to be. I only see the imperfections that remain and I don't really see the changes that are occurring. I think I have had self image issues my entire life. My situation isn't being helped any when I receive compliments on a daily basis at work about my new physique. I watched an episode of Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta on TLC over the weekend that really struck a chord with me. One of the girls at the bridal salon had recently gone through her own lifestyle change where she lost 65 pounds over the course of a year. (I promise I was not on the TV show.) Even though her physical appearance had drastically changed, she still saw her old self and all of her old problem areas every time she looked in the mirror. Her lack of self confidence about her new physique really made the experience of wedding dress shopping a painful one for herself. I know that I am not getting married any time soon but I am afraid that as I continue down this journey I will be my own worst enemy. I have been so self conscious of my physical appearance for so long that it will be hard to see myself as a changed woman with the physique I have always wants but never thought I could have and I never have the guts to try to get it.

By the way, the results of my measuring process are a loss of 8.6 pounds, 13.25 inches (total), and 3 inches in my hips. Now keep in mind that these results are over the course of 6 weeks and me measuring myself. Hopefully, I will have more accurate measurements taken when I finally sit down with a personal trainer in the next couple of weeks.

My workout tonight was great. I felt upset with myself this morning because I didn't workout but I still was able to get it in. I really like the workouts on my new kettlebell DVD. They are more about using the weight of the kettlebell for its intended purpose rather than a prop to swing around for added resistance to body weight/cardio exercises. Now don't misunderstand me. I really enjoyed the Kettlenetics workout program and it helped me get to where I am now but it can only take you so far and there isn't a whole lot of room to grow. The exercises that are done in those videos can not be done with any bell heavier than 8 lb. I honestly can't wait until I access to heavier kettlebells to see how my fitness will improve. I also really want to talk to a personal trainer that can point me in the right direction. Up to this point, I have been doing everything on my own. I have developed my own nutrition plan and my own training plan (with the help of Nike+ and Jeff Galloway). I try to listen to my body as much as possible but I haven't quite figured out what my body's threshold actually is. I think I am going to join that gym this weekend and get the ball rolling. I guess I will have to write down my kettlebell workouts so I can take them with me.

Long Run No. 6 ... I need a better running strategy ...

Saturday - 8 miles

• 8.01 miles, 98' 15" minutes, 12' 16" min/mile average pace, 167 BPM average heart rate
• Splits:
• mile 1 - 10' 56" min/mile
• mile 2 - 11' 05" min/mile
• mile 3 - 11' 15" min/mile
• mile 4 - 11' 47" min/mile
• mile 5 - 13' 26" min/mile
• mile 6 - 12' 22" min/mile
• mile 7 - 11' 55" min/mile
• mile 8 - 15' 23" min/mile

This morning's run went much better than last week's long run. I did come across some issues along the way but as a whole the run felt and went better. Even though I set my alarm for 5:30, I didn't actually get up until 7:30. I went to bed around 10:30 but I guess I needed the extra sleep. Of course, by sleeping in those extra two hours that meant that I would be running during the heat of the morning. While I was getting ready for my run, I decided that I would adjust my route so that I would spend as much time as possible in the shade. That was the only way that I was going to avoid overheating. I also didn't have the time I normally like to have between when I wake up to when I go for my run. I ate my breakfast as quickly as possible so that it would have some time to digest. I was afraid that the yogurt and granola might actually turn in my stomach because I didn't allow it to digest fully. Once I was dressed and my breakfast was eaten, I filled up my water bottle and ate my first serving of my running food. I chose to eat a serving of strawberry flavored Clif Shot Bloks before my run and a serving of mocha flavored Clif Shot Energy Gel during my run. Last week I tried the vanilla flavored Clif Shot and that was a little too sweet for me so I figured the mocha flavored one may not be as sweet.

I headed out the door around 8:15 and started walking to my running trail. The actual trail runs along a seawall and a road with houses and a shaded sidewalk. Because I was starting out so late this morning, I chose to not run on the actual running trail but rather the shaded sidewalk that runs parallel to it on the other side of the road. I also normally like to start at the beginning of the trail because it has mile markers that make it a little easier to ensure that I am running the correct mileage. Instead, I chose to start earlier so that I would be able to run as much as possible in the shade. I also chose to run through the residential neighborhoos again this week. My run went well for the most part. The first four miles actually seemed fairly easy to me. I didn't feel the desire to stop running and start walking at all. Of course when I reached the four mile mark, it was time to eat my Clif Shot Energy Gel. I haven't quite figured out how to open the Clif Shot packeage while I am running, which means that I actually stop and walk while opening and eating my energy gel. Unfortunately, my mind starts playing games with me at that point. Once I allow myself to take a walk break, it becomes easier for my mind to convince my legs to stop running. I need to come up with a better way to eat my energy gels so that I don't need to take a walk break. This will probably require that I get a running belt that will hold my water bottle instead of me holding it in my hands. Maybe if I have both hands free, it will be easier to get the package open while I'm running. The last fours miles were not terribly hard but if I started feeling too hot or out of breath or like my heart rate was too high I would stop running and walk for a little bit. I know that I could have run the entire distance but I didn't and I let myself down.

Nest week's Saturday run is scheduled to be four miles. One of those four miles is supposed to be another Magic Mile. With all of my recent training and increased long run distances, my Magic Mile time should have improved but I won't find out until next week. The following week I have a 9.5 mile long run scheduled. Before that long run, I am hoping to have a new running belt that should help me free up my hands. I really want to achieve my goal of running the entire race and I need to really focus on that goal during my training if I am going to achieve it. Besides trying out a running belt, I am also going to try a ne strategy. Up to this point, my running strategy has just consisted of lacing up my shoes and listening to my iPod. That hasn't kept me motivated during my last two long runs so I need to switch things up. I read somewhere that some people actually dedicate every mile to a different person and that keeps them going. This technique is usually effective for people during races but I figured I would try it out on my long runs to see if it will work for me. Now I just need to spend the next two weeks coming up with a list of people that motivate me enough to keep running ...

Nothing gets in the way of my training ...

Friday - Strength Training

• Kettlebells - 46 minutes (Joint Mobility Warm Up and Scult & Condition Workout)

Work has been really stressful this week. We have a large scale proposal that is going out in less than a month with a lot more work left to do on it. This scenario is similar to the one that helped me become a severe workaholic last year. Since my goal this year is to not revert back to my old ways, I am really focusing on my training right now. That focus actually helped me during my workout tonight.

Even though I woke up early enough to get my workout in before work, I decided to go to work early to get further on my current project. After a day of putting out fires and feeling like I wasn't getting anywhere, I headed home to take out my frustration on my 8 lb. kettlebell. I warmed up with the Joint Mobility workout and then I did the 40 minute Scuplt & Condition Workout. I must say that this workout is fantastic. I think I also had a lot of built frustrations because I am really sore right now especially in my core area. I feel like I am becoming comfortable with the overall flow of Lauren's workouts and each exercise. Oddly enough, the hardest exercises for me have nothing to do with my kettlebell but rather the body weight exercises. My push ups, squat thrusts and mountain climbers could totally use some work but they are getting there.

Disney's Wine & Dine Half Marathon Medals have been unveiled!

With just over two months to go before the big race, Disney has released what the medals will look like for this year's Wine & Dine Half Marathon and Relay. After seeing last year's medal, it appears that one of the differences is the color. The 2010 inaugural medal was silver and this year's medal appears to be gold in the picture. Disney also indicated that the lanyard will be different from last year's maroon (or red wine) colored one. If the picture is showing the new lanyard, the it is probably supposed to either be gold to match the new medal color of white wine colored to go along with the theme. I can't wait to have that medal around my neck after I cross the finish line. Between this year's and last year's colors, I look much better wearing silver but there is just something about the thought of having a gold medal around my neck. It just makes you feel like a winner and in my opinion anyone who trains and runs a half marathon (or any other long distance) is a winner. Most people don't have the desire to start training for an event like this let alone actually participate in it. If you are among the few people that start training and participate in teh event, then you are a winner and you deserve a medal like this to commemorate this milestone in your life. I am completely excited about earning this medal!



2011 Wine & Dine Medals
(Half Marathon is on the left. Relay is on the right)



Night time tempo run ...

Thursday - 3 miles

• 3.67 miles, 40' 07" minutes, 10' 55" min/mile average pace, 159 BPM average heart rate

When I didn't wake up early enough to run before work, I decided to take Jeff Galloway's advice and run at 10 pm. It totally threw my schedule off though because I usually like to be in bed by 10 pm so I can wake up early enough to work out. Tonight instead of changing into my pajamas and climbing into bed, I doned my running clothes and climbed onto the treadmill. When I first decided to run at night, one of my concerns was how my stomach would handle it after a day of eating. I also wanted to make sure that I pushed myself without going too far.

Let me just say that I felt great after my run tonight. I got my heart rate up to 172 BPM at its max, which is on the low side of my threshold zone. I could have probably pushed myself a little bit more but I found a new max pace that I am comfortable with. After my five minute walking warm up, I set the belt pace to 4.0 mph, which is where my comfort zone has been. I held that pace for five minutes before I started to slowly increase the belt speed. Before I started running tonight, I actually set a goal for my max pace to be 5.0 mph. I spent 10 minutes increasing the belt pace from 4.0 to 5.0 mph in order to allow my body to adjust to running at the faster speed. Once I reached my max pace goal, I maintained it for 20 minutes and I actually felt like I could continue at that pace. I chose not to though because I had finished my scheduled mileage and I didn't want to push myself too much. I spent 5 minutes slowly bringing the belt pace back down from 5.0 to 4.0 mph before I started my 10 minute walking cool down.

My run tonight went really well. I pushed myself to a faster belt pace, which was very empowering. Throughout my run, I controlled my breathing and never felt out of breath or overexerted. Hopefully, this will translate into my 8 mile long run on Saturday morning. My big concern is that the weather has been so hot recently that I may get overheated. What really sucks about this heat is that by 9 am when I leave for work it is already so hot that I work up a sweat just walking to my car. I am going to have to wake up extra early to try to beat the heat.

Just breath ...

Wednesday - Strength Training

• Kettlebells - 30 minutes (Joint Mobility Warm Up and 2X Fat Blast Workout)
• Bikram Yoga - 90 mintes (class at local studio)

My lesson for today was to just breath. No matter what problems or issues arise or stand in my way, I can tackle them as long as I just breath. Breathing is one of the most crucial elements of any exercise. It helps you to maintain your form and technique. It also helps to provide your body with much needed oxygen. Proper breathing technique is just as important as having proper form and technique.

One thing that I like about Lauren's workouts is that she really tries to focus on breathing technique. As she does each exercise, she goes through when to inhale and exhale. This is especially useful for someone like me, who still isn't comfortable enough with weight training to know proper breathing technique. This morning I did the 12 minute Fat Blast Workout twice after doing the Joint Mobility Warm Up. I am not disappointed with these workouts at all. I really do feel like I am short changing myself though. The 8 lb. kettlebell is not heavy enough therefore I am not getting the most out of these workouts. My boyfriend and I are looking at joining a gym that has locations near his place and mine. He has decided to start working out on a regular basis so I decided that I would support him. I know how difficult it is to start a healthy living journey alone and if I can help then I won't let anyone do it alone. The gym we looked at near my place only had two kettlebells (a 10 lb. and a 15 lb.) so I will be able to continue my training for at least a little while. He is supposed to be going to check out the location near his hplace this week to see if he likes that one. Hopefully, that location will have heavier kettlebells for me to use. Either way, I don't want to purchase any new kettlebells until after we make that decision. I am also excited about the potential of working with a personal trainer. New members are given a one hour session with a personal trainer for free. I am hoping that the trainer will help me make sure that I am training adequately for my races.

After work today, I went to my Bikram Yoga class. My favorite instructor was back from her vacation. I can now officially say that my training is bcak on track after my vacation hiatus. Before any yoga class, it is important that you set an intention for that class. If it is your first Bikram class, your intention should be to just stay in the room. My intention for tonight's class was to just breath and to live in the moment of the asana (pose). That may not seem like a difficult intention and when the class first started I didn't think it would be. Of course, I didn't account for the number of people in the class. Math lesson of the day: the temperature of a Bikram class is directly proportional to the number of people in the room. The more people in the room, the hotter the room is. We had at least 40 people in the class tonight and it felt that the room was at least 120 degrees! No joke! I think my intention for the class really helped me overcome the extreme temperature of the room. Several people actually left the room, which is a huge faux pas. I stayed in the room and moved through each posture using my breath to control my level of effort. I was able to move into Toe Stand and find my balance. I still have to work on moving out of the posture correctly though. I also felt no in my knees during Fixed Firm Pose and I normally feel just a little bit of soreness. Tonight's class helped to reassure me that I am doing what my body wants.

Not every week of training is going to be perfect but as long as I keep at it I will continue to improve. My running will get easier. My kettlebells will continue to improve my overall strength and fitness. My yoga practice will continue to help me calm my mind, recenter my focus and realign my body.

Another hill workout ...

Tuesday - 3 miles

• 3.45 miles, 40' 05 minutes, 11' 36" min/mile average pace, 157 BPM average heart rate

This morning's run went fantastically. I needed this one to go well. Saturday's run was really disheartening and I don't know how motivated I would have stayed if this run didn't go well. When the alarm went off this morning, I said to myself as I rolled out of bed to turn it off that I would not go back to sleep. I really wanted to get my run in this morning so I did. I had a funny feeling that I was going to be stuck at work today and I wanted to make sure my day started off on the right foot.

Rather than randomizing the hills, I chose to do a custom hill workout. I steadily increased the belt incline from 0% to 5%, which is about all I can handle. Eventually, I hope be able to increase the incline more but I haven't really set a goal for that. The three half marathons that I am running have fairly flat courses so my hill workouts are for my own personal benefit. Although anyone who has ever walked through the Walt Disney World Theme Parks knows that there are some fairly steep inclines in some areas. Without knowing what the actual race profile is, all I can really do is work towards improving my leg strength and slowly increasing my threshold belt incline. I like doing this style of hill workout because it allowed me to gradually build up to the max incline and then slowly back down to original incline. The randomized hill workout doesn't really do that at all.

Even though last Thursday's easy run suggested that I might be able increase my max belt pace above 4.0 mph, I decided not to for my run today. My heart rate did still get up to an appropriate level for this type of workout. Maybe next week, I will increase the belt pace to 4.5 or even 5.0 during my hill workout. Although if I do that, then my tempo runs should increased to pace to about 5.5 or 6.0 mph.

I need more Kettlebell!

Monday - Strength Training

• Kettlebells - 46 minutes (Joint Mobility Warm Up and Sculpt & Condition Workout)

Last night I stayed up way too late watching the baseball gaem. After such a great pitcher's duel, my Rays still lost to the Red Sox. I did fall asleep before midnight even though the game continued well into the night. I was woken up when my boyfriend got home from working at the baseball stadium. I guess I am just coming up with excuses as to why I didn't wake up before work to do my strength training workout done. Oh well, at least I did still get it in after work.
Tonight I tried the other workout on my new Kettlebell DVD. I started with the Joint Mobility Warm Up, which really helps to loosed everything up but doesn't really get the heart rate up. The Sculpt & Condition Workout is similar to the Fat Blast Workout in how it is structured. The workout itself is much longer and so are the intervals. Both workouts utilize 30 second intervals. The Fat Blast Workout uses 1 minute of exercise and 30 seconds of rest. The one minute of exercise is divided into two 30 second intervals of 2 different kettlebell moves. The Scupt & Condition Workout uses 2 minutes of exercise and 1 minute of rest. The exercise interval is divided into 2, 3 or 4 different kettlebell moves. By the of this workout, I was drenched with sweat and incredibly sore. I think that by doing the correct RKC (Russian Kettlebell Certified) version of the kettlebell exercises I am actually working the appropriate muscles groups more than I was with Kettlenetics. My core muscles were incredibly sore while I was trying to breath during the rest intervals. I can't wait to try this workout with a heavier bell.

Surrendering to the Yin ...

Sunday - Rest

• Yoga - 90 minutes (Yin Yoga Class)

Before I went on vacation, I signed up for a yoga workshop that took place this afternoon at my yoga studio for a style that I had never heard of before I signed up for it. The style of yoga is called Yin Yoga. When I first heard about this workshop, I did some research online to see what it was all about but even that didn't prepare me for the class. The Bikram classes that I take are always about energizing you body, developing lean strong muscles that are very flexible and heating the body both internally and externally in order to aid the detoxing process. During a Bikram class, the asanas (poses) are so strenuous that they are not held for more than a minute at a time. The Bikram series also focuses a lot on balancing poses. After listening to the teacher during the introduction portion of the workshop, I quickly realized that Yin Yoga is the complete opposite of Bikram Yoga. I was fascinated with the theory of yin versus yang as it applies to the practice of yoga. The idea that you can completely realign your skeletal system by stretching the deep or hidden muscle tissues intrigued me. I wasn't quite sure how much realignment would take place during one class but I was open to the possibility. One huge difference that I noticed right from the start besides the cold room and really dim lighting was the duration of the asanas. In Yin Yoga, each posture is held for 5 minutes, which means that props are essential. The focus of each posture is to stretch the tendons and ligaments that hold the muscles in place around the bones. This stretching allows the bones and muscles to realign and return to place where they belong. The teacher said that some people actually feel taller when they leave the class. After 90 minutes of this slow moving and very static form of yoga, I was amazed at my transformation my body went through. I am not saying that I was a foot taller or anything but I finally understood the meaning of yogic bliss. I felt truly peaceful and like I had truly surrendered to the moment. I was also able to sit cross-legged and touch my forehead to the floor in front of me, which I couldn't do at the beginning of the class.

Long Run No. 5 ... Not such a great run ...

Saturday - 4 miles (changed to 6.5 miles)

• 6.52 miles, 80' 35" minutes, 12' 21" min/mile average pace, 167 BPM average heart rate
• Splits:
• mile 1 - 11' 07" min/mile
• mile 2 - 11' 31" min/mile
• mile 3 - 11' 20" min/mile
• mile 4 - 11' 42" min/mile
• mile 5 - 12' 49" min/mile
• mile 6 - 16' 09" min/mile

When I first start training, I read somewhere that not every run is going to be a great one, not every run is going to be easy and not every run is going to be effortless. My run this morning was not great, easy or effortless. My run was hard and painful but I didn't give up. I will live to run another day.

I woke up this morning at 5:30. The summer heat is in full swing so I figured that if I woke up early enough I would be able to beat the heat  ... most of it anyway. After I woke up, I made my breakfast of yogurt and granola. My sister always asks me if I get bored with eating the same thing every morning. My response to her is no because while I always eat yogurt and granola the flavors are never the same. I also feel like I have loads of energy in the morning after I eat my breakfast. After eating my breakfast, I started getting ready for my run but I hit a bit of a snag. Since my boyfriend was still sleeping, I didn't want to turn any lights on in the bedroom. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the outfit I wanted. I must have spent 20 minutes rooting through my clothes looking (or rather feeling) for the clothes I wanted to wear. My day didn't start off on the right foot. Finally, I found the clothes I had been searching for. I quickly changed, finished getting ready, and my first serving of Clif Shot Bloks. I know that my schedule only called for 4 miles but I decided that I should make up the long run I missed last week. I figured that trying to run 8 miles next week would be much easier if I ran the 6.5 miles today. My runs this week went really well. I know they were on a treadmill but I stll felt really good about my run today.

The first two miles were actually great. I went a different route on my running trail. The route brought me throught a residential neighborhood, which had nice scenery and wonderfully shaded sidewalks. Once I made the loop throught the neighborhood, I ended up back on my normal route, which does not have shaded sidewalks at all. This was at about 7:45, which means that the sun was already well on its way to being high in the sky. From that point on, I felt labored and extremely uncomfortable. I started counting the minutes until I was supposed to eat my energy gel. I also continued to guzzle my water. At the halfway point (3.25 miles in), I ate my Clif Shot energy gel in hopes that it might help me power through to the end of my run. I am still experimenting with my nutrition during my run so I decided to try the Clif Shot energy gel today. I tried the vanilla flavored one and while it was delicious it was also sickly sweet. After finishing my energy gel, I continued running hoping that I would have some crazy jolt of energy but it never came. I also must have been dehydrated because I couldn't get enough water. By the end of mile 4, I had finished 22 oz. of water and heading stright for the water fountain. During mile 6, I actually stopped running and walked most of it. I did run the last half mile of my run, which felt good.

Even though I completed the distance, I don't feel like it was a really good run. After my run, I sat down and tried to figure out what went wrong so that I can make the proper adjustments for my run next week. I looked at my food diary and realized that I more than likely didn't eat enough carbs last night. Next Friday, I will have to make sure that I am eating more carbs and protein so that I have enough stored energy for my body to perform the way that it should. I also only had 8 cups of water, which was obviously not enough. I am going to have to really drink more water next Friday and try and get at least 12 cups in me efore I go to sleep. Hopefully, my 8 mile run next week will go much better.

Lauren Brooks is amazing!

Friday - Strength Training

• Kettlebells - 20 minutes (Joint Mobility Warm Up and Fat Blast Workout)

Let me just start by saying that I had no intention of using my new Kettlebell DVD until sometime next week after I had the chance to get a heavier bell. I am so glad that I tried it today though. First off, I was completely taken off guard with how fast I received it in the mail. It only took two days and it came via USPS! Secondly, I want to get the most out of my new Kettlebell training regiment so I wanted to go get a heavier bell before I started. While I was at work today, I figured out that I would have enough time to do one of my long Kettlenetics DVDs. (You guessed it. I didn't wake up early enough to do my workout before work again this morning.) By the time I got home, my mind was changed. I decided that before I go out and buy a new, heavier kettlebell I should make sure that the 8 lb. bell isn't heavy enough. I know now after doing this workout that I really do need a heavier bell.

This workout DVD is by far one of the best ones that I have come across. There are three different follow along workouts and step-by-step instructions for 15 beginner kettlebell exercises, not to mention the tons of other useful information provided. One thing that sets this DVD apart from the others is that it feels personal. Lauren talks to you as if you were actually taking her class in Southern California. Most instructors on workout videos attempt to make you feel like you are taking a class with them in person. The other workout videos always fall short of this and you end up feeling alienated from the teacher. Another aspect I really like about this video is the portability of the workout. I never thought I would ever say that about a workout video. Now I know that as long as I have a DVD player and adequate floor space, I can pretty much do any workout video anywhere. That type of portability is not what I meant. I mean that this workout can literally be taken to the gym as long as the gym has kettlebells. I love the fact that as soon as I feel comfortable with my form and technique I don't really need the video. This workout DVD is based on true interval training and Lauren tells you what the intervals are so you aren't guessing and you aren't trying to follow the beat of the background music.

Today, I did two of the three workouts and the step-by-step instructions included on the DVD. No matter how many times you have done a certain move it is always a good idea to do the step-by-step instructions included on the DVD. Each instructor is obviously going to have their own way of doing things and you may learn something new that will help improve your form and technique. The step-by-step instructions on this DVD are fantastic. Lauren is very thorough and really emphasizes where the power and effort of the exercise should come from. The Joint Mobility Warm Up is a six minute workout that can be used as a warm up, a cool down or both. I used is a warm up today. The Fat Blast Workout is a 12 minute workout. It is based on 30 second intervals of the different exercises broken up with intervals of rest. When I first started this workout, I was afraid that because I was using a bell that was lighter than recommended I wouldn't get the most from the workout. I was wrong. By the end of the 12 minutes, I was drenched with sweat and heart rate was definitely raised.

Another Official Race Email from Disney!

Only two and a half months left until my very first half marathon! Just thinking about it makes me so nervous that my stomach gets butterflies. If you were planning on running the Wine & Dine Half Marathon and haven't signed up yet, then you may be out of luck. The Half Marthon has sold out but there are other options if you are interested. According to the runDisney website, there are still still spaces available for the Half Marathon Relay and several charity organizations still have spaces available. So if you are still holding out or even considering running in this event, then hurry up and sign up before it is completely sold out!


2011 Commemorative Pin

It has been about a month since I received the last email from Disney. The last one informed me that the course map was finally available. I am a complete control freak and I am the first to admit it. I am also a very impatient person and I really wanted to know what the course looked like when I registered for the race. Unfortunately, I had to wait almost two months from the time I registered to the time I was able to view the map. This race email provided even more information. Most important of all is that the 2011 Race Program is available! Another piece of crucial information is that bib numbers and waivers will be coming with the next email, which I am assuming will be coming sometime next month. Also, Disney has switched from using the ChronoTrack D-Tag to using the B-Tag. I have never used either system so I can not comment on the advantages or disadvantage of them but hopefully the switch won't affect my race. The D-Tag is the most similar to what I have used for my other races. It is a timing tag that attachs to your shoe. The B-Tag, however, is actually attached to the bib and is very sensitive apparently.

After getting over my initial excitement about receiving another race email from Disney, I checked out the race program to see what valuable information I could gleam from its PDF pages. The list of exhibitors is in the program as well as a layout for the expo hall. I have never been to race expo before so I really hope that I am able to take advantage of everything they have to offer. There are also several articles that contain some interesting information. One in particular by Jeff Galloway was about racing/running at night. Since I am still quite new at this whole racing thing, the running at night aspect of this race is one of the most nerve racking aspects for me. At first, I was nervous about the distance but I really feel like I can do it. Racing at night on the other hand is an idea I am still struggling with. In the article, Galloway suggests scheduling at least two runs in August and September at 10 PM to ensure that you aclimated to running at night. While I had actually thought of this, I am not sure when I will be able to do it. I guess I am nervous about running on the streets by myself at 10 PM, which eliminates scheduling my long runs at night. That leaves me with running some of my treadmill workouts at night. Somehow though, treadmill running doesn't seem like enough when it comes to aclimating to racing at night.

You know it is going to be a good day when ...

Thursday - 3 miles

• 3.49 miles, 40' 07" minutes, 11' 28" min/mile average pace, 148 BPM average heart rate

You know it is going to be a good day when you rock out an early morning run and then you see a rainbow on your way into work. I don't think I could have asked for a better day. Shockingly, I was able to get up this morning for my run. It felt great to get my run in before work this morning and I really hoped that it would help start my day off on the right foot.

Normally on Thursdays I like to do tempo runs but since I am still trying to take it easy this week I didn't do one this morning. I think my run went really well this morning and showed me that I am improving and might be ready for the next level. I set the belt pace to 4.0 mph and I felt like it was really easy. I didn't have any difficulty with my breathing and my body didn't reject me or give me any problems. When I finished my run and found out that my average heart rate was so low, I was really shocked and really happy. When I first started running, I thought that getting my pace down to a 10 minute/mile would be easy. I was wrong ... very, very wrong. I have spent the last several months trying to focus on my technique and getting my body ready for the longer distances. Some where in all of that, I was also conditioning my body for speed. With my average heart rate that low, it likely means that I was not pushing my body to its limit and that I will be able to go faster next week during my tempo run. I never thought that day would come.



On my way into work this morning, I saw a rainbow. It hadn't rained yet today but there it was in the sky. I could see all seven colors of the rainbow, which brought a smile to my face. I have been really stressed at work lately so I figured that the rainbow was good sign that my day would be better than it has been. Unfortunately, I had no such luck. Today actually was worse than any other day at work this week. Maybe the situations I was dealing with at work just rubbed me the wrong way but I felt really irritable all day long. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.



Ultimate Body Sculpt and
Conditioning with
Kettlebells DVD Vol. 1

The other highlight of my day (besides going for my run and seeing a rainbow) was receiving my new Kettlebell DVD in the mail. I was stoked when I checked the mailbox and saw the package. I couldn't wait to open it up and pop it into my DVD player. I just wanted to preview the workouts. I think that this DVD has to be one of the best workout DVDs I have found. The instruction is very thorough and informative. I think my 8 lb. kettlebell may be too light so before I start using this DVD I am going to have to kettlebell shopping. Darn I absolutely hate shopping ... just kidding! Then again I may just have to try out the video with my 8 lb. bell.

Rise and Shine ...

Wednesday - Strength Training

• Kettlenetics - 47 minutes (Cardio Balanced Workout)

Even though my body resisted the whole time, I actually woke up early enough to get my workout in this morning. Let me tell you I completely shocked myself when I finally rolled out of bed. I think this workout went a little smoother than the last time I did it. I also tried to really focus on my form and the muscle groups that I was working. I did bite the bullet and used the 4 lb. KBell for the side planks with arm raises. I had no desire to dislocate my shoulders at 7 AM. I figured that wouldn't be the best way to start the day. One of the other reasons why I wanted to get my workout done this morning is the possibility of going to my Bikram class tonight. I really wanted to get back in my routine of morning workouts, which is harder than I thought. Today, I wanted to have time to go to my Bikram class if I chose to go. After I finished my workout this morning, I made the decision that going to my Bikram class would probably not be the best idea. I was already sore all over (and still very am sore). and decided that pushing myself too much this week would not be a wise decision. My decision was confirmed when I got to work and checked the class schedule at the studio. The teacher that is my least favorite of all is still covering the classes of my favorite teacher. She should be back next week according to the schedule. I already signed up for the class so that I have something to look forward to next week.

Back on the Treadmill again!

Tuesday - 3 miles

• 3.14 miles, 35' 02" minutes, 11' 09" min/mile average pace, 153 BPM average heart rate

I made an executive decision today. I decided that I really do want to continue my Kettlebell training based on the RKC training method. I have done research in order to determine if there are any instructors in the area and unfortunately did not find what I was looking for. I did find a certified RKC instructor in the area but he doesn't teach classes as frequently as I would like. I really enjoy doing my Kettlebells at least 3 days a week. As a result, I ordered a new DVD to add to my workout collection. I am really excited to try it out and can't wait for it to come in the mail. I will continue using my Kettlenetics DVDs for now because it is a great workout and I don't want to have a break in my training. I ordered The Ultimate Body Scult and Conditioning with Kettlebells DVD Volume 1 from On the Edge Fitness. I stumbled across the website with I was looking at Amazon for more Kettlebell DVDs. One of the main reason why I chose this DVD over all of the others is because I really liked the instructional techniques used by Lauren Brooks. She had sample videos on her website and after watching several of them I was convinced that this workout would be worth the money and would really help me take my training to the next level. I can't wait to try this workout.

While I am truly happy to be getting back on my training schedule, I have not been able to get back to my regular sleeping schedule. By not being able to get to sleep early enough, I am unable to wake up to get my workout complete in the morning. Since I have started my journey to a healthier way of life, I have realized that my body really does need 8 hours of sleep and anything less only leaves me feeling very sluggish and drained. Needless to say, I did not wake up early enough to run before this morning so it was pushed to after work. I really hope that I will be able to get to sleep early enought tonight so that I can wake and do my workout before work tomorrow.

Seeing as how I haven't been able to run in a week, I decided to take it easy today. Based on my average pace, it probably doesn't look like I took it too easy today but I promise I did. My usual Tuesday workout is the randomized hill workout on the treadmill with a walking wam up and cool down. I didn't do that today. I had plenty of hills last week. Instead, I left the incline at 0% so that my calves wouldn't kill me. Hiking 11 miles and running 4 miles through the Appalachian Mountains really did a number on my legs last week. At one point around mile 2, my right calf started to really tighten up and I backed off on my pace and the tightness went away. Around the 2.5 mile mark, I got a nasty cramp in my right side. I maintained my pace and breathed through it. Eventually, the cramp went away. For whatever reason, my right side was giving me problems during my run but I was able to breathe through them and finish my run. I did probably set the belt pace a little fast (4.0 mph) but I felt strong while running and was never out of breath.

Back to the Daily Grind ...

Monday - Strength Training

• Kettlenetics - 34 minutes (Total Body Blast)

Something about having to go back to work today did not inspire me to wake up early. When I did wake up finally, I had to finish unpacking so my workout was pushed to after work. It actually felt really good to get back to my training routine. Recently, I have been trying to use the 8 lb. KBell more than the 4 lb. KBell because I want to really increase my level of training. I felt really good when I did the FlowMotion Basics workout on Friday evening so I decided to try the Total Body Blast workout with the 8 lb. KBell tonight. I think it went really well for my first attempt with the heavier weight. Of course, I am ridiculously sore while I am writing this. I also didn't attempt to do the side planks with arm raises using the 8 lb. KBell. For that exercise, I switched to the lighter 4 lb. KBell because I didn't want to throw out my shoulders. I also didn't attempt a full push up either. My shoulders felt a little sore after the full Turkish Get Ups so I didn't want to push my luck. Eventually, I will be able to do the side planks with arm raises using the 8 lb. KBell and a full unmodified push up. That day is not today though.

On another note, I am working on my vacation recap posts. I took some amazing pictures so stay tuned for those posts. I will likely create a new tab with links to the posts so that you can easily navigate to them. My boyfriend and I had a wonderful time on our vacation and I can't wait to share our experiences with you.

More Animals and Waterfalls …

Friday – Strength Training and 5.5 miles of Hiking

• Rainbow Falls Trail – 5.5 miles
• Kettlenetics – 20 minutes (FlowMotion Basics)

Two years ago when we were up here, my boyfriend and I saw a LOT of animals along the Cades Cove Loop. That trip we only spent two nights in Gatlinburg so we were only able to the loop twice. One time was at dawn (which I highly recommend) and the other time was split over several hours because we went on a hike to Abrams Falls. That trip we actually saw three groups of black bear mothers and cubs. Please keep in mind that while seeing bears is amazing, it is also really uncommon to see three different groups at separate times and separate locations in the same day. When we started planning our trip this time, I suggested that we stay an extra night so that we could go on another hike or see more of the park. The idea went over really well. My boyfriend suggested that we drive the Cades Cove Loop as many morning as possible. With that as our goal, we woke up at 6 this morning and headed into the Cove to see more animals. I think the animals must have known we were coming back because they were out in full force this morning. We were having a wonderful time spotting the animals and taking pictures when my boyfriend said, “where are the cute,

cuddly bears?” I promise you that he really did say that. I asked if he expected to see as many bears as we did last time and he said yes. I then informed that what we saw last time was really rare to see that many bears. He actually looked really upset about that … almost crushed. Shortly after that, we came across a doe on the side of the road who was playing and bucking. She crossed the road right in front of our car and his day was immediately brightened.

Once we left the Cove, it was already lunchtime so we head back to the Subway and grabbed some sandwiches. We ate half of the sandwiches right there and saved the other half for later. The skies looked clear so we headed over to the Rainbow Falls trailhead, which is located on Cherokee Orchard Road. While both trails we hiked yesterday were considered moderate in difficulty, the Rainbow Falls Trail is considered strenuous and is 5.5 miles round trip. After just 30 minutes of hiking, we completely understood why this trail is considered strenuous. The entire way up to the waterfall is a steady uphill incline. Also, the trail is very rocky and showed evidence of washouts. Foot placement was absolutely critical throughout the hike. I promise that the waterfall at the end is completely worth the effort. There are several smaller waterfalls along the trail but the real prize is Rainbow Falls. The water drops 75 feet and is surrounded by

discolored rocks that look like a rainbow. My boyfriend had loads of fun swimming in the tidal pools and climbing up them to get closer to the actual waterfall. While he was doing that, I was taking some more photographs of course. Before we left the waterfall, we sat and ate the other halves of our sandwiches and drank plenty of water. On the way back, it started to rain and it was really coming at some points. Foot placement became even more crucial on the way down then it was on the way up. The hike was completely worth getting rained on though mostly because the waterfall was gorgeous.

After we got back to the car and dried off, we started to make our way back to the hotel. Just as we pulled out of the parking area, we ran into a bit of a traffic jam. Almost instantly, I realized what was going on. Traffic only backs up like this for one reason and one reason only … black bears! I quickly grabbed my camera and jumped out of the car. As I approached the crowd of people, my suspicions were confirmed. Up in a tree on the side of the road was a mother bear and her two cubs. Now I couldn’t actually see much of the cubs but the mother was beautiful. Please note that I do not recommend taking pictures of bear cubs without knowing exactly where the mother is at all times. While I

taking pictures of the mother bear, I made sure to pay close attention to her body language. She started to show signs of agitation probably due car doors opening and closing and the number of people around. At that point, I returned to the car not wanting to be too close if she decided to leave the tree. Other people followed suit and the traffic jam dissipated.

After we got back to the hotel, my boyfriend cleaned up and took a little nap. I decided to finally get a strength training workout in. I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to workout the next few days and I wanted to try and keep up with my kettlebells. After the 20 minute workout, I cleaned up and we finished getting ready for dinner. Because it was our last night in Gatlinburg, we had decided to have a really nice diner and then find a bar with a live band to listen to. We chose a really nice place called The Park Grill. If you are ever in Gatlinburg and looking for a great, I would totally recommend this place. I had the grilled rainbow trout with grilled veggies and my boyfriend had the pork shanks with a baked potato. It was absolutely delicious. After we finished our dinner, we walked around, went into a few shops and observed the “local” nightlife. One of the shops that we love in Celtic Heritage, a shop that specializes in all things Irish, Scottish and Welsh.  Two years ago, my boyfriend actually bought me a claddagh ring from this shop. We eventually found ourselves at a local bar that we discovered two years ago but they didn’t have a live band tonight. We decided not to stay and headed over to a bar that was much closer to the hotel. It wasn’t crowded at all and even though there wasn’t a band here either the atmosphere was good enough to enjoy a beer or two. Unfortunately, the two guys working there (they may have been the owners) decided to turn it into a nightclub. The music was ridiculously loud and wasn’t enjoyable at all. We quickly finished our drinks and went back to the hotel.

Animals and Waterfalls …

Thursday – 3 miles 5.6 miles of Hiking

• Laurel Falls Hike – 2.6 miles round trip
• Grotto Falls Hike – 3.0 miles round trip

We woke up this morning at 6:30. Who does that while on vacation except to catch a plane? We do when we visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Two years ago I brought my boyfriend to the Park for the first time. At the time, he thought that both my dad and I were completely crazy when we told him our mantra is “dawn and dusk”. Then I took him on the Cade Cove Loop at dawn and he understood.

My boyfriend knew how much my training means to me so he tried to figure out the best time for me to get my 3 miles run in. I told him that as the day goes on I will figure it out. He even suggested that I run on one of the trails we were going on because it was paved and almost 3 miles.

So after I got out of the shower, I started pulling my running gear together when I realized that I was missing the most crucial item … my running shoes! After my run on Tuesday, I didn’t put them in my bag so that they could air out and dry from the sweat. On Wednesday morning, my boyfriend grabbed my bag and I didn’t check the room. I was fuming at myself. All of my prep work to find the best routes were just chucked out of the window. I spent the next few minutes mentally berating myself for my stupidity and then I decided that it wouldn’t ruin our day or our trip. I spent the next 45 minutes (the drive from the hotel to Cades Cove) convincing myself that I was still going to be working my leap with the amount of hiking we were planning.

Once we got to Cades Cove and started the 11 mile Scenic Loop, my anger disappeared and I absorbed the beautiful scenery we were surrounded by. Now what is so special about the Cades Cove Scenic Loop and why must you be there at dawn? Cades Cove is an area of the Park that at one point was the home to many families. The old homesteads are still standing for you to see and walk around. It is an area of the Park that is teaming with wildlife, including wild turkey, deer and black bears. During the warmer months (everything but winter), the best time to see the animals is at dawn and dusk because the weather is cool enough for them

to come down from the mountains to graze. We saw a lot of wild turkey and some younger deer (not fawns or greens horns but still visibly younger). It was really amazing to see all of the animals in the Cove. The scenery that the mountains provided truly lived up to their name. The morning haze lingered for a long time after the sun rose. The effect caused the “smokey” look that the national park is known for.

After an hour of driving the scenic loop, we headed over to the trailhead for Laurel Falls. This hike is 2.6 miles round trip and is considered moderately difficult. It is also a very accessible trail because the trail is paved, which allows people to bring strollers and even motorized scooters. I know that you probably don’t believe me but we actually saw an elderly woman on a motorized scooter

coming down the trail as we were headed up. The actual hike only took us about and hour and a half total. Of course, we spent about 30 minutes at the water fall mostly so that I could take a whole bunch of pictures. Unfortunately, my boyfriend was a little disheartened with this water fall because the tidal pool at the base wasn’t really big enough for him to swim in it and it was also really crowded due to the accessibility of it. I thought that the waterfall was gorgeous especially with all of the mountain laurels blooming. The crowd was definitely detracting from the overall beauty of the waterfall and its surroundings but it is also a must for any first time visitor to the National Park.

Once we got back to the car, we headed back into town to grab some lunch. Oddly enough, there is a Subway right next to the hotel so we were able to eat healthy for several of our meals. While eating our oh-so-delicious sandwiches, we watched the weather to make sure that we wouldn’t get too wet while hiking to Grotto Falls. I am glad we waited to leaved for the hike because as soon as we finished our lunch the sky opened up. Luckily, it didn’t last very long and it wasn’t humid and muggy afterwards.

In the Gatlinburg area, there are actually two scenic motor loops in the National Park. The Cades Cove Loop is near Townsend and is the one we went on this morning. The other loop is the Roaring Fork Loop, which is named after the river that runs parallel to the road. The trailhead for Grotto Falls is located on the Roaring Fork Loop. The hike is 3 miles round trip and is considered moderate in difficulty. Unlike the Laurel Falls Trail, this trail isn’t paved and is therefore not as accessible to everyone. The lack of pavement alone was enough to thrill my boyfriend about the hike. Because we waited the storm out, the trail was empty and when we got to the waterfall it was empty. He was stoked because he was able to go swimming in the tidal pool. Word of warning: the waterfalls in the mountains are usually part of the river that run through the mountains. If you haven’t figured it out yet, this means that the water in the tidal pools is utterly freezing. My boyfriend has a

tendency to forget that fact until after he jumps into the tidal pool. Of course, his reaction always gives me a wonderful fit of laughter so I never remind him. I think we spent about an hour at the Grotto Falls and it was really amazing to just sit there and take in our surroundings. One of the coolest features of this waterfall is also where it gets its name. The Trillium Gap Trail actually continues behind the waterfall and heads up to Mt. LeConte, which is the highest peak within the National Park. You can actually walk behind the waterfall, which is totally cool.

Within 30 minutes of getting to the waterfall, more people started to show up. I finished taking my pictures while my boyfriend dried off and put his shoes back on. We ate a Clif Bar and drank some water before we headed back to the car.

After we got back in the car, we finished driving on the Roaring Fork Motor Loop. Towards the end of the loop is another waterfall known as The Place of A Thousand Drips and it is a roadside cascade. We stopped, of course, so that I could take more pictures. Finally we got back to the hotel. All of the hiking we did today really wore us out and another storm was fast approaching so we called it an early night. We just had leftovers for dinner. I had the other half of my Subway sandwich and my boyfriend had the last two pieces of pizza from last night.

The Tale of the Dragon …

Wednesday – Strength Training

Even though I brought my kettlebells, yoga mat and workout DVDs, I didn’t follow my schedule. I was quite upset with myself today about it but then I reminded myself that I was on vacation and that my normal routine was chucked out of the window when we left my place on Monday morning. I also reassured myself that we had planned to go on three hikes in the next two days.

After waking up this morning, we loaded the car back up and headed across the mountains to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Now, the most direct route from his mom’s house to Gatlinburg is to go through Cherokee, North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by way of US 441. Of course, we never do anything the quick and easy way. There are two other ways to get there but they go around the National Park and

add at least an hour on to the drive. One of these routes is along US 129, which has a stretch of road that is known as the Tail of the Dragon. When we were up here two years ago, my boyfriend kicked himself for not going on the Dragon. The Tail of the Dragon is a stretch of road that is 11 miles long and has 318 curves … one way! It is very popular with motorcyclists and is the major reason why my boyfriend wanted to trailer his Harley up to his mom’s house. Time was not on our side to add a hitch to his car before we left. Not having his motorcycle did not deter him from driving the Dragon. Yes we actually drove 318 turns in 11 miles. I had a raging headache by the end of the drive. Apparently, I have a mild case of motion sickness. The Dragon was definitely a very cool drive but it wasn’t as scenic as US 441 in my opinion. We stopped at one of the highest spots to take in the view and I took some photographs. After we “tamed” the Dragon, we went into Maryville, Tennessee to the Smoky Mountain Harley Dealership. If you ride on the Dragon, then you should definitely stop at this place

to pick up your souvenir t-shirt. As well as the obvious souvenirs related to the Dragon, this shop also has a great selection of bikes and other gear. We spent at least an hour in the store as well as a lovely amount of money (we just couldn’t stay away from the t-shirts). Once we were done in the Harley Store, we headed to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Gatlinburg is a town that is a wonderful tourist trap. It is known as the Gateway to the Smokies and because of that it has become a town that thrives on the dollar of the tourist. The town is actually quite perfect for what we needed … a place to sleep and eat. Once we checked into the hotel and got settled, we headed out to walk around and find something to eat for dinner. If you plan accordingly, once you get to your hotel you won’t need to drive anywhere. So while I didn’t do my scheduled strength training workout, I did walk up and down the streets od downtown Gatlinburg. We ended up eating at the Mellow Mushroom. I had heard great things about this restaurant from friends who live near one in Florida. Unfortunately, the closest one to to my place would take two hours to get to. For those who have never tried the Mellow Mushroom, I highly recommend it. The Kosmic Karma pizza was delicious. Now before you start thinking that I have fallen off the healthy living wagon, the pizza was covered in veggies and I only had two slices. We also split a dinner salad and I had oil and vinegar on it. We didn’t stay out too late after that because we wanted to get up super early to drive the Cades Cove Loop. We did check out some of the shops though, including the new wine shop and monnshine distillery. Free tastings at both!

The Dog Days of Running …

Monday – Strength Training Rest
Tuesday – 3 miles

• 3.83 miles, 44’ 00” minutes, 11’ 30” min/mile average pace, 168 BPM average heart rate

So yesterday was the first day of vacation and most  of it was spent in the car (as I predicted). That’s ok though because the end result was well worth the 10 hour drive. We left my place at about 4:45 AM and headed north. We stopped in Lake City, Florida for gas and breakfast around 7:15. Now I promised myself that I would try my best to continue to eat healthy while on vacation. We stopped at Subway for breakfast and I had an Egg White Flatbread Sandwich with turkey, cheese, spinach, tomatoes and onions. It was actually very delicious. (I have never had Subway for breakfast before.) We didn’t stop again until after we got near Atlanta and we needed more gas. For the most part, the drive up was fairly uneventful and went really smooth. We did drive through two rough patched of weather, one when we hit Helen, Georgia and the other one near Hiawassee, Georgia. The weather near Hiawassee was the worst one because at one point it was a total “white out” of rain and hail! After almost 10 hours in the car, we safely made it to my boyfriend’s mother’s house. We didn’t really do anything after we got there. Of course, there isn’t a whole lot to do in the town she lives in. I know that I don’t live in a thriving metropolitan area but I don’t think I could ever live in a rural community.

This morning I woke up still a little tired but I went ahead and got ready for my run. I will be completely honest with you. I 1as nervous about running an area that I am unfamiliar with. Apparently I wasn’t the only one concerned. My boyfriend’s mom and her friends insisted that he take me out and drive the route before I start running. They even warned him that there were loose dogs, which of course made him nervous. After I ate my yogurt and granola and got dressed for my run, my boyfriend and I drove my chosen running route. We used the odometer in the car to make sure the route would be at least 3 miles. We also found the loose dogs. They were cute little things and not anything at all like what we were led believe they were.

Once we were reassured I would not be attacked by vicious, rabid dogs running wild on the side of the road, I started my run. Right around the first half mile mark, the dogs saw me. I guess I was running within their property limits because they literally chased me and barked at me until I left their property. They were completely harmless though. Not only did I find the loose dogs at this point but I also hit the first hill. I took it slow and steady and even shortened my stride so that I could maintain my pace. The downhill was much longer than I expected but I focused on not increasing my pace. It was actually a really enjoyable run for me. I came across another dog about a quarter mile before the turnaround point. This one didn’t chase me but it did bark at me. On the way back to the house, the dog was actually waiting for me on the other side of the road and was still barking. It actually made me laugh. I think I was laughing up until I hit the first uphill segment on the way back, which didn’t even come close to the the hills I am used to on the treadmill. The second uphill wasn’t as long but it was very steep. Halfway up, I couldn’t run anymore so I walked. Once I crested the hill, I started running again and continued to run until I made it back to the starting point. I was quite surprised that the other group of dogs didn’t meet me at the beginning of their property limits. I guess the owner didn’t want them chasing someone who is running in the road. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with the temperature outside. I don’t think it got higher than 75 degrees and I didn’t finish my run until after 10 AM. All in all it was a really good run.

Vacation starts tomorrow!

Sunday – Rest

• Kettlenetics – 47 minutes (Cardio Balanced Workout)

I thought that I wasn’t ready to do the Cardio Balanced Workout with the 8 lb. KBell. I was completely wrong. When will I stop underestimating myself? I decided to go ahead and do my strength training today instead of tomorrow because I am going to be in a car for about 10 to 12 hours and the last thing I am going to want to do when I get out of the car is workout. I decided to do this workout with the 8 lb. KBell because I really want to take my strength training to the next level. The only way that I will be able to get my body into the shape that I want is to constantly force it to a new level. Doing this workout with the 4 lb. KBell was getting way to easy so I knew it was time to push myself to the next level. After the warm up, I was actually ok with my decision to use the 8lb. KBell. By the end of the swings (there are an absolute ton of them), I started to second guess my choice but I stuck with it. I was dripping with sweat and was afraid that I would drop the KBell. After the swings came some more standing exercises and then came the floor exercises. For the first time in two months, a modified push up actually seemed easy to me. Yes I admit that I do “girlie” push ups. At this rate, I might actually be able to do a full push up by the end of the summer. The only exercise that caused me any problems was the side planks with arm raises. After the first set, my shoulders were a little sore. The second set was much harder and my right shoulder actually gave out during one of the arm raise. I ended up using the 4 lb. KBell for the rest of the side planks and arm raises. I felt like this workout went really well especially using the heavier KBell.

Magic Mile No. 1 ... Dolphins and a Turtle

Saturday - 4 miles

• 4.01 miles, 46' 42" minutes, 11' 38" min/mile average pace, 170 BPM average heart rate
• Splits:
• mile 1 - 10' 38" min/mile
• mile 2 - 11' 45" min/mile
• mile 3 - 12' 16" min/mile
• mile 4 - 11' 53" min/mile

When I went to bed last night, I knew that this run had the potential to be a really bad one. Against my better judgement, I didn't set my alarm. I was tired and really, really annoyed with my phone. Last night, my phone decided that it had had enough of this world and was ready to pass on to the next one. It completely reset itself back to factory. I was not a happy person when I went to bed last night so I decided I wouldn't set my alarm. My body wasn't fooled though. I woke up at 7 AM without an alarm. I tried to ignore my useless phone and get ready for run, which was easier said than done. After some hemming and hawing, I finally got ready for my run. I ate my yogurt with granola and drank some water. Because my run today was only scheduled at 4 miles, I didn't worry about taking any "foo" with me. Mind you that "food" while running is not normal everyday food. It took me about 20 minutes to walk to the running trail, which allowed me to come to grips with how I was going to handle my 4 mile run. According to the Jeff Galloway training program, today's run was supposed to be 3 miles with a Magic Mile (MM). A Magic Mile is a way to estimate what your pace will be on race day. Of course, the first time you one your pace isn't that great so you should actually run at least three and use the average as your Magic Mile pace. The MM is a mile where you push yourself to your max. It is recommended that you should not be able to continue anymore at your current pace when you finish. Even though, I did improve my overall time for the mile, I don't feel like I pushed myself as much as I could have. When I finished, I felt like I could have gone faster. That's okay though because I still have several more attempts to improve my MM pace.

Once I finished my MM, I took a moment to catch my breath and drink some water. When I started running again, I was conscious of making sure that my pace was much slower than my pace was for the MM. I wanted to be able to maintain my pace for the last three miles that I scheduled for today. The trail I run on is located along the water and today the water provided me with some excellant views this morning. Of course, with my phone on the fritz, I didn't have it with me to take any pictures. At the end of mile 2, I noticed that the water was moving. I examined it closer and two dolphins were swimming along the sea wall. About a mile later towards the end of mile 3, I noticed something floating in the water. At first, I thought maybe the dolphin had actually folled me it wasn't. It was a sea turtle swimming along. I actually stopped running to watch him for a little bit. The turtle dove down into the water and actually came back up with a crab. It was very peaceful to watch the sea turtle float along and it reminded me of the peaceful, realxed feeling that running gives me (when I am not stressed about my phone not working). At that point, I realized that I was focusing on the wrong thing this morning. The last mile of my run was probably the best one I ran all day because I allowed my mind to clear and started to enjoy my run.

What a way to start the day!

Friday - Strength Training

• Kettlenetics - 34 minutes (Total Body Blast Workout)

The more I do this workout the I sweat. That probably sounds really gross (and it is) but I think it means that I am working harder each time I do it. It could also mean that my place is warmer than it was the last time I did the workout. I am hoping that I am actually working harder. When I started doing the the warm up, I actually felt like I should have been using the 8 lb. KBell. I stuck with the 4 lb. KBell though and by the end of the workout I was glad that I did. I know that the 4 lb. KBell is not going to work my arm muscles or my core as much as the 8 lb. KBell would but the lighter weight allows me to get a handle on the rhythm of the workout. Eventually, I am going to do this workout with the 8 lb. KBell but that won't be happening for at least a few weeks. This workout is quickly becoming one of my favorites because of the crazy plyometrics that I end up doing. And even thought the 4 lb. KBell really isn't providing a ton of resistance, the body weight exercises really compensate for that. I can only imagine how using the 8 lb. KBell will affect this workout.

On another note, my vacation is only three days away. If you can't tell, I am super excited! I haven't started packing yet but I have all weekend to get to that. My big concern is making sure that I will have room for my clothes after I pack my running clothes and my photography gear. You can tell where my priorities are. My other big concern is that fact that none of my clothes actually fit me anymore. That is actually a really good thing except when you are trying to get dressed in the morning. I guess I will have to go buy some new clothes this weekend so that I am not limited to the two pairs of jeans that barely fit me (and they are my new ones). I can't go overboard with new clothes though because I am still losing weight. My body has not quite reached the weight that it wants to be at (I know because I am losing weight). People always ask me when I will be done losing weight. My answer is always I don't know. I have never been a tiny person so I don't know what my body wants to weigh. According to the BMI chart, I need to lose at least another 18 pounds before my weight will be considered healthy. I am hoping to achieve that weight by October 1st for my very first half marathon. But after that who knows. Needless to say, even though I have lost 42 pounds this year, I don't think that my body is close to its true healthy weight. Because of this fact, I am having a difficult time justifying buying more new clothes. Unfortunately, none of my clothes actually fit! What a vicious cycle I am stuck in! I also need to go through my old clothes and get rid of the ones that don't fit anymore. They are taking up valuable space in my closet and dresser. I am having a serious mental block with that mostly because I am truly afraid that I wil lbe right back where I started a few months from now. I know that the likelihood of that happening is slim to none because I love the feeling that exercise gives my and I don't want to give that up.