TGIF!

I am so glad it's Friday!  Particularly since I thought all day on Wednesday that it was actually Thursday, which meant I thought yesterday was Friday.  I have no idea why I was so messed up on my days this week, but I am glad it is finally, actually Friday.

I am also very glad that I think I am on the upswing of this virus that has been plaguing me for almost two weeks.  Which means that I shall run this weekend and that makes me happy!  While I normally listen to Another Mother Runner podcasts while I run, my Napa teammates have been talking about their musical playlists for next week and it got me thinking about what songs I would put on a playlist at the moment.  My current favorite jams are:

• Rather Be by Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne: this song makes me happy and it is impossible to not groove when you listen to it.  An added plus is that the background music sounds like the music from any of the Mario Nintendo games
• BO$$ by Fifth Harmony:  Be prepared to have the following stuck in your head all day "C-o-n-f-i-d-e-n-t, I'm confident." The acoustic version of this song is awesome, too.  They have great harmonies!
• Bang Bang by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj: super catchy and fun!
• All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor:  this is a fantastic song with an equally fantastic message

I'd love to add some other songs into the mix, so tell me what is going on in your world musically? 

In preparation for my trip to Napa next week, I am preparing my social media outlets so that I can update everyone when I can.  I've added an Instagram feed on my blog to the right and I will endeavor to make my way out of the Stone Age and actually use it.  So far so good; two Instagram photos in 2 days!  Thank you to my friend, Mary, for helping me think through my social media plan!  

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." 

One week

In exactly one week, I will be landing in San Francisco to begin my Napa Valley Ragnar adventure!  I am so excited and part of me still cannot believe it is happening.  It seems like it was just yesterday that I was submitting my video for the Another Mother Runner contest and now here we are, just a week away from the race!  As a side note, Dimity and Sarah are running some amazing giveaways this week during the "Back to School 5K", so pop on over to the Another Mother Runner website and check it out.  The giveaways are back to school themed and there are some amazing, drool worthy prizes being given away each day to multiple winners.

I took today as another rest day, per the nurse practitioners advice from yesterday, and I am feeling somewhat better thankfully.  Hopefully this virus will be done in a few days!

I think I mentioned a few weeks ago that we received our start time for the race, which is 5:30 a.m. next Friday, and that I was going to enlist Matt's mathematical skills to help me estimate the start times for each of my legs.  Fortunately, I have some math-y Ragnar teammates, too, because they were able to determine our approximate start times.  This is, of course, just an approximation, but my legs should be roughly as follows:

1. Begin at 10:47 a.m. on Friday, ending at 12:03 p.m.
2. Begin at 12:09 a.m. on Saturday, ending at 1:16 a.m.
3. Begin at 10:56 a.m. on Saturday, ending at 11:26 a.m. 

It seems so official writing that down!  It helps me to visualize the race, though, too.  I was listening to one of the Another Mother Runner podcasts on my run Monday night and they were talking to the two women "cadets" they are coaching for the Saucony 26 strong program.  One of the things they discussed was visualizing yourself on race day as you train for a big race, or any race, really.  I thought it was a great idea and when I really stopped to think about it, I do that much more than I realized.  Every time I've run hill repeats this summer or up a hill in general, I imagine what it will be like to run the hills in northern California.  I imagine what it will be like at the exchange points and I definitely visualize what it will be like on my night leg.  Visualizing your race can also be a really great positive motivator if you happen to have a difficult run, and we all have those days! 

Do you visualize yourself on race day as you train?  

"One day she decided to stop letting fear hold her back and chose to live bravely.  From then on, she flew."

Trying not to overdo it

I finally bit the bullet and went to the TakeCare Clinic at my local Walgreens tonight.  This was partly inspired by a lackluster run last night (more on that in a minute) but mainly by the fact that I am still not feeling remotely close to 100% and I want to feel on top of my game for Napa next week.  I hoped that perhaps this was a bacterial infection that could be knocked out with some antibiotics, but alas, it is a viral bug that needs to run its course.  It sounds like I might be on the downswing of said bug and it appears that my cough is a result of post-nasal drip, which will hopefully be alleviated with some Sudafed.  My lungs were clear, which I was relieved to hear.  The nurse practitioner advised that I get some rest and stay hydrated, so that is what I plan to do for the next few days.  It's hard taking it easy, but I need to be rested and healthy for my trip.

I thought I felt well enough for a run last night and since I've been itching to hit the pavement, I decided to go for an easy run.  You could certainly say it was an easy run, too.  I went to the hilly trail by my house and did 3 miles, which went something like this.  Run the first mile, run/walk the second mile, and walk the third, and last, mile.  In reality, I did not feel all that well and I could tell when I headed out that it wasn't going to be the greatest run.  While it wasn't the greatest run, it did feel fairly good to get a workout in.

I brought my running clothes to work today, rather optimistically, but I did not feel good when I woke up, so I decided to forgo the run and go to the doctor.  It's hard accepting that your body needs to rest more than it needs to run, but hopefully after a few days of rest, I can get a few runs in later this week or over the weekend.

One of my awesome teammates (and van mates!), Melissa, posted a great article to our Facebook group page today and I thought I'd share it.  The author writes about what she wish she'd known before her first Ragnar and I particularly appreciated the tip she shared about her night leg and embracing the solitude.  It's no secret that the night leg has been my particular area of concern, but I have heard from several people that the night leg is often one of the the best parts of the experience.  Several of my sweet teammates have offered to run my night leg with me, although at the moment, I'm leaning towards pushing myself outside of my comfort zone and going it alone.  I may change my mind at midnight next Friday, which is when my second leg is predicted to start.

I'll be anxious to write my own post about what I wish I'd known before my Ragnar, although I have been fortunate to have some great advice from my great teammates who have done overnight relays before and my own research.

Feel free to share any of your tips for running an overnight relay below! 

The below quote is rather fitting, especially considering two of my three Napa legs have some pretty epic hills (both up and down)!

"If you never attempt the ascent, you'll never know the thrill of swooshing down the other side." 

Gearing up for Napa Ragnar

This was such a lovely weekend!  Friday evening we had a quiet evening at home and I crashed early since I still wasn't feeling great.  Saturday morning ,we got up early and went to a local homecoming parade, which Nick was marching in with his friend, Logan.  It was fun watching them hand out candy to the parade-goers and it was equally as fun watching Jack pick up all the candy that was thrown at his feet.  It was a bit rainy, but the temperature was in the 70's and it felt wonderful!  After the parade, I took a little nap and then Matt and I had date night!  Nick spent the night at Logan's house and Jack spent the night at my mom's house, so Matt and I went out to dinner and then rented a few movies to watch.  After the drizzly morning, the sun decided to come out and it was an absolutely beautiful night.  Matt and I ate outside and enjoyed the delightful weather.

Our view at dinner last night.  Lovely!

Today, I did a bit of de-cluttering around the house and went to a Thirty-One party (I have a Thirty-One addiction; so much great stuff in the new fall catalog!).  I also did some meal prep for the week and I tweaked the recipe for my shrimp pasta a bit.  I added some lemon juice and a touch of Italian breadcrumbs in addition to the olive oil and garlic.  The little bit I taste tested this evening was delicious so I am looking forward to more delicious lunches this week at work!

I've mentally started packing for my Napa trip, although I won't start physically packing until likely the night before I leave.  I did pick up a few things this weekend, though, and I guess I have started a Napa pile in my dining room of things I need to bring with me.  Ragnar requires each person who will be outside the support vehicle during nighttime hours of the race (6:30 p.m. - 7:30 a.m.) to wear a reflective vest,  i.e. essentially all teammates should have a reflective vest.  I very much appreciate the concern for safety, but I didn't know that I would necessarily ever use a reflective vest other than for this race, so I wasn't too keen on buying my own.  Several of my teammates mentioned that they could bring a spare in addition to their own so that we would have the coverage needed.  However, after talking to a few of my teammates, I realized it wouldn't be a bad item to add to my running arsenal.  In addition, when I got my shoes a few weeks ago, I found out I had a credit at my local running store that was exactly the cost of the reflective vest.  Coincidence?  I think not!

So, I headed to my running store on Saturday after the parade and picked up a sweet, pink Amphipod reflective harness.  I love that I found several reflective items in pink.  I realize that safety is far more important than looks, but darned if I don't want to look good whilst being safe and I much prefer the bright pink color over the typical neon yellow color.  

My  new reflective harness.  In pink!

I also grabbed a few packs of Nathan shower wipes.  I typically use unscented baby wipes after I run at lunch during the work week, but I figure giving these wipes with a fresh, clean scent a whirl will be a good bet considering I will be sans shower for the better part of two days, during which I will be running the equivalent of a half marathon.

Hoping these wipes will work in lieu of a "power shower" since I won't get one for a few days in CA!

Disclaimer:  I purchased the above products and all opinions are mine alone. 

The last piece of gear I have in my Napa pile is the sweetest gift I received from a dear friend on Friday.  I had lunch with my friend, Amy, which was a celebration of our birthday's, both of which were in August.  She gave me two lovely silver shoe lace charms for my running shoes!  One says "Lovely Laura" and the other says "You've Got This!"  I love these and I know they are going to give me extra encouragement and motivation in Napa!  It will be great during each of my legs to be able to look down and remind myself that "I've Got This" and that I have sweet friends and family cheering me on all the way.  Thank you so much, Amy, for such a sweet, thoughtful gift!

My sweet shoelace charms from my friend, Amy!

I didn't do much in the way of exercising this weekend, which was unfortunate considering how beautiful it was here.  My head feels better, but all of my congestion has moved into my chest and I can't seem to shake a really bad cough.  In fact, Saturday as we walked to the parade route, my chest felt a little tight.  If that continues, I will definitely go to the doctor to get it checked out.  I feel  much better this evening though, so I am planning on a run tomorrow.

I also want to send a huge virtual Congratulations to my friend, Stacy, who had a fantastic race this morning at the Cardinals Care 6K.  I'm so proud of you!  

Have a great Monday everyone!

"Ships in harbor are safe, but that's not what ships are built for." 

Almost on the mend

Unfortunately, I am still feeling under the weather, so I have not been to the gym this week, nor have I gone for a run.  I have been itching to go for a run, though, so it's been hard being out of commission, but with another heat advisory issued today, I didn't feel quite so guilty for missing out today.  I am hoping to feel well enough to either go to the gym tomorrow night or to go for a run.  If I don't make it for a run tomorrow, then definitely this weekend as the weather is supposed to be significantly cooler with highs in the upper 70's (yes, please!).

Yesterday marked the two week countdown for my departure to San Francisco for my Ragnar relay and I am getting really excited!  There is a lot to do between now and then, mainly planning what I'm bringing.  There is a lot to bring and I definitely have to be strategic when it comes to packing since my running gear needs to fit in a van along with my teammates' belongings.

I've found quite a few helpful articles on packing for a Ragnar Race (here and here) and I am also fortunate to have a few overnight relay veterans on my Ragnar team who have shared their advice and tips, as well.  My favorite tip so far has been to pack each of my running outfits for my individual legs into large, gallon size Ziploc baggies and mark them accordingly.  This way, each is easily identifiable and post-running, I can put the appropriate clothes back into the bag to contain the inevitable eau de sweat smell that will occur.

I've also been feeling a bit apprehensive of late about getting lost during one of my legs (particularly my night leg).  I don't know why I have this fear and I know how irrational it sounds, but I am nervous nonetheless.  One of my teammates suggested printing my leg maps and putting a copy in the appropriate Ziploc bag with my running gear for that leg so I can bring it with me.  Another genius idea!  Bringing the leg map with me (just in case) will be good peace of mind.

Happy (almost) Friday everyone!

A friend posted the below sentiment on Facebook today and I adore it!

"There is inner beauty about a girl who believes in herself, who knows she is capable of anything she puts her mind to.  There is beauty in the strength and determination of a girl who follows her own path, who believes in herself.  There is beauty about a girl who loves herself now while she fights to be the girl she is becoming." 

Summer Cold

Sadly, this is not a post about unusually chilly summer weather, but rather a head cold that I picked up from the hubs and Jack.  It is not fun being sick in summer, but I am counting my lucky stars that this happened now and not two weeks from now when I'm in Napa!

I briefly considered going for a run tonight or going to the gym, but thought better of it.  I figured being sick is my body telling me I need to rest, so tonight, the boys and I did a little crafting.  I saw a link on Facebook a few weeks ago for this adorable pumpkin made out of mason jar lids and I knew I had to make it.  I love, love, love Halloween and this looked like a perfect fall/Halloween decoration for our table!  Luckily, a co-worker of mine is a canning guru and she had a bunch of rusted can rings that she gave me.  She was a little shocked at first that such a craft would "waste perfectly good canning rings" but she was happy to share the rusted lids with me.  Everything has a purpose, right?

So, after dinner tonight, the boys and I went outside to our back yard and had some spray painting fun with the rings.  I'll be sure to post a picture of the final product; I can't wait until it's done.

On another note, the bow tie pasta with shrimp that I made last night was fan-freaking-tastic for lunch today!  I paired it with a side salad with craisins, croutons, Parmesan cheese, and some red wine vinaigrette and it was a delicious lunch!

I'm hoping to feel up to a run tomorrow, but I guess I will have to see how I am feeling.  It's off to bed for this girl!

"Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work." 

Lessons learned from my August Goal

I am proud to say that I met my August goal of not weighing myself save for the two times I had my weight and measurements taken at the gym!  I had my first weigh-in at the gym on August 2nd and did not weigh in again until Saturday, the 30th.  That is a huge accomplishment for me given that for most of my weight loss journey, I've weighed myself every day.  I've spoken a lot about the pros and cons of this method, so now I will share with you what I've learned from weighing myself on a monthly basis.  However, first, I will share with you my progress, or rather my lack thereof.

According to the scale at the gym, I gained 5 lbs (repeat to myself, I am more than just a number on a scale, I am more than just a number on a scale.)  I was originally somewhat ok with this number as I figured I had gained muscle mass.  However, my friend the body fat measurement tool told me otherwise, as my body fat percentage went up nearly a full 1%.  My BMI number also went up.  As far as my  measurements are concerned, everything stayed the same (shoulders, waist, hips, and arms) with the exception of my shoulders and chest, which each went down 1/2 inch.  So I lost a total of 1 inch.  Hooray, I suppose.

To say I'm disappointed with my numbers would be an understatement, but I'm not dwelling on it.  Yes, I have been going to the gym pretty regularly, but I have also been eating a lot of junk food.  In the interest of full disclosure, for the past two weeks, I have been drinking weight loss shakes for breakfast and for most of my lunches to help jump start my weight loss.  In my heart of hearts, I know this is not the solution for me, both in the short term and in the long term. I've been down this road before, but I thought that perhaps this time it would kick start my weight loss so I could get my momentum back.

However, what I found was happening was that I was so hungry around 4 p.m. each day, that I was continually eating from that point on.  I was famished when I got home from work and would munch on whatever was around.  And to think, the scale said I gained 5 lbs.  Who would have thought?

In any case, I talked to the trainer at the gym on Saturday a little bit about my numbers and my eating habits and he encouraged me to look at the ingredients on the weight loss shake.  He told me if I could pronounce even one of the ingredients on the label, then by all means, continue to drink them.  I didn't even have to look at the label to know that he was right.  I know that the shakes are not the solution for me and talking to him was the kick in the ass I needed.

I need to go back to eating three healthy meals a day with healthy snacks interspersed throughout the day.  Tonight, I prepared a big batch of steel cut oats to have for breakfast each morning as well as a batch of bow tie pasta with grilled shrimp that tastes divine (I may have had a taste test before I put it in the fridge) for my lunches at work this week along with a side salad.  I also made a batch of homemade trail mix (peanuts, mini chocolate chip morsels, and raisins) to snack on during the day.  Having such a good lunch to look forward to well help curb the inevitable "I want to eat out today" thoughts that happen around 11:30 in the morning.  By having healthy, hearty day time meals and snacks, combined with healthier dinners and a return to running mixed with cross-training, I feel confident that I can get back on track.

I certainly don't mean to diminish the plans of anyone who has found success with weight loss shakes.  I think that if you find what works for you, you should stick with it, however, I know that it is a plan that does not work for me personally, so I need to return to what does work for me.  Running, cross-training, and eating healthy meals throughout the day.

Back to my thoughts, though, about weighing myself on a monthly basis.  I really enjoyed the freedom of not weighing myself everyday (maybe a bit too much), but I admit, it was hard some days to not get on the scale.  It was tempting on more than one occasion, but I stuck to my plan.  I think, though, that it would have been helpful to see at some point mid-way through that I was not on track for weight loss.  Rather than wait an entire month to see that I've gained 5 lbs. perhaps it would have been helpful to see that I was up a few pounds a few weeks into the month to get back on track.  I don't see myself going back to daily weigh-ins, because it is emotionally draining, but I think that perhaps weekly weigh-ins will be key to help keep my sanity and keep me on track.

Wishing everyone a great week!

"You don't have to eat less, you just have to eat right."