30 day Challenge Vlog

Back from vacation with a gain/30 Day Challenge

So I got back from vacation on Saturday...

Let me just be honest and say that I ate like I was on vacation.

I didn't necessarily feel like I over ate, but I did have lots of treats that I normally wouldn't have had.

I exercised about 4 times, including the marathon in the 2 weeks.

The first time I weighed when I got back I was just preparing myself for the worst. Like a 10 lb gain.

When I first stepped on the scale it wasn't as bad as I had prepared for, but it still wasn't good..5 lbs.

However I started drinking lots of water and got back to my eating habits and this morning was back to 170.

I actually stepped on the scale twice because I needed to be sure it wasn't a fluke... luckily it wasn't.

So...I gained 2lbs, that is much better and workable!

I found myself really worrying about it, I think because everything in our life seemed to change while I was on vacation. The biggest being that my husband got promoted (which is really great) except that he commutes an hr and a half now which leaves little time by the time he gets home to eat dinner, get my son to bed, and hope to go work out. That and I have just been really tired since being back as well. 

I really want to keep running, but again, it's finding the time.

BUT, I have to do something. So I am trying to figure out what might work for this next while, a challenge of sorts.

So I am starting a 30 day challenge.

I am starting it today rather than June 1st for 2 reasons. One, I will use the rest of May to be too lenient with myself and two because my parents are coming at the end of June so I want to be at least kinda finished up by then.

I am going to go through these prompts here just to get my mind in the right place as well.

I made a 30 day work out plan and I will do a video every week as well just to keep me accountable!!

I am going to wait to do this Day 1 until the 29th when I do my updates.

On to the next goal....

My Marathon Story 26.2!!

Sorry I have been MIA from the blog. Things have been crazy busy with vacation type buisiness and we haven't been back home for over 6 months so we had a lot of people try and see and catch up with. You know how it goes.

Anyways, I have been wanting to write about my race before I forget about it, and this is the first chance that I have had to do that.

My husband and I made our way down to the Expo which we found with ease. I picked up my packet and bib and we headed to our hotel, which ended up being only 5 minutes from the Expo and finish line. Awesome! It was really nice as well, thanks Priceline.com!

After everything was going so well and smoothly I was able to relax a little more, which was a good thing!

 At about 3:00 we headed to Maggianos (which I had been wanting to try) and we shared the meal for two!

{I had no idea you get to take a portion home with you as well!!!  Talk about carb loading dream!!}

When we got back I layed out all my gear for the next day and pinned on my bib and attached my timing chip to my shoe.

 My husband was very supportive and fell asleep!!

{ha ha}

We were so tired from essentially losing a whole night of sleep on the Thursday we drove out to California so we decided to take a nap. I set my alarm for 7:30 and then I woke up, ate a little more food, watched a little tv and then tried to get back to sleep again by 9:00 pm.

I actually slept really well. I woke up to check the time a couple times, but other than that, slept normal. At around 3 am I woke up, made a cup of coffee and my peanut butter and honey whole wheat bagel, and started getting ready. I had to be there for my shuttle at 4:15 and we planned on leaving at 4:00.

We were one of the first buses that got there so all the porta potties were available!! woo hoo! I went twice before we started. Here is a video when I was just waiting....

My friends John and Joy Richart decided at the last minute to run the race as well and they ran it with me the whole time. John was my youth pastor when I was growing up in high school so I have known them for a long time. It was such a cool experience!

{John and Joy are on either side of me and on the outer sides is Lisa and her son Ryan. Joy has ran nearly 20 marathons I believe, including Boston. This was John's 9th marathon and I am not sure how many Lisa and Ryan had run but they had just gotten back from back to back marathons a week apart in London and Paris!!}

{do I look excited/nervous enough??}

I was so paranoid we would start out too fast and I probably did run the first part faster than I had planned. But it was so nice to have people running with me and to talk to that it all went by so fast. I did feel like I was on a high and talking Joy's ear off!

{so awesome that the major humidity gave me fantastic fro braids!!}

I really felt awesome until about mile 21, and it just hit me...like...this is it!!

I had to start taking walk breaks.

Joy made this video for me during one of our first walks...

My mind seemed to go into a survival type mode. I knew I only had 5 miles left, easy right??

Not so much after 20 I guess.

Joy took some gold fish and asked me if I wanted some, so I took them. My stomach felt sloshy from all the water, gatorade and gu's I had taken. I chewed a few and spit them out because they made me want to vomit, but I actually got a bit down and I think they helped!!

I know for sure I ran the last mile, and every step I really wanted to stop.
John and Joy really helped me along, encouraging me, and telling the cheering people on the sides that this was my first marathon and they would cheer for me, ha ha.

This was us coming up the dreaded point 2.

From this point on everything seemed a little surreal for some reason. Probably because the finish line was nothing like I expected. All the food was gone, no shiny rain coat thing, no massaging people. So I just stood there with my metal, trying to find my family, which I finally did.

They took some pics with and for me too!



It means the WORLD to me for all these people to be there and support me.


I could not have trained at all without these two below who watched my son so I could train many hours!



My amazing sister-in-law, Catalina!! Who was sooooo supportive of me the entire time!
LOVE YOU!!!

and of course, my amazing husband like always!!



I still can't believe I have done it, and I have to say, I am so proud of myself.

{I am going to write more about my feelings surrounding it all later, thank you all of YOU too who have supported me with your love and encouragement as well...it means more than you know!}