Marathon weekend came and went and I’m happy to report that… we conquered!

The Baltimore Marathon was the fourth marathon I have participated in. It is my opinion that each marathon is its own unique experience and will be forever remembered as such. Besides being my pal Lori’s first marathon, the Baltimore Marathon will forever remain ingrained in my mind for its H I L L S. (11 miles of them, to be exact. Or so Lori figured out.)

Obviously, I’m still a little sore. (Not to mention walking down stairs backwards.)

Here’s the rundown:

Although we live close enough to drive, our little group decided it be best to rent a room near to the event to ensure maximum sleepage. (Sleepage is a word, right?) Of course, sleeping was second priority next to food. (Hey, what good is all that running if a girl can’t get a decent meal?) We had the most scrumptious marathon eve meal of burgers and wine at Pratt Street Ale House. Best. Burger. Ever.

Race day was fantastic. The weather was perfectly cool and crisp. Ideal running weather, to be sure.

We had agreed ahead of time that this marathon would be one that we (especially Lori) would enjoy. No time goals. No pressure. We stopped to take pictures along the way, we enjoyed the scenery (well, SOME of the scenery, Baltimore has some less than lovely places that the marathon happens to run through and those place require police protection) and really soaked up the experience.

My nemesis the IT band made a throbbing appearance around mile 16 but luckily there was a medical tent nearby so I got some assistance. Crisis averted. Because 10 miles of throbbing pain would have been less-than-pleasant. Can I say that again? Less. Than. Pleasant.

Do we look happy? Of course we do! By the way, Lori and I earned a second medal called the Maryland Double for completing the combination of Frederick Half-Marathon and Baltimore Full Marathon. It is large and heavy and difficult to wear. I heart it.

A huge shout out to the staff and volunteers of the Baltimore Running Festival who provided the best race support that I have ever experienced on a course. Always enough water. Always enough Gatorade. Plenty of Power Gels, food, bathrooms and medical attention available. It was a well-oiled machine in terms of attention to detail.

As I feared, Lori was instantly addicted and looking towards her second marathon. (Darn Katie totally rubbed off on her.) And as for Katie, she runs the New York Marathon and the JFK 50 in November. She is nuts. (But I love her.)

And now to figure out my next big goal. Hmm… any suggestions?

Training for the Baltimore Marathon Officially Begins!

Okay, friends, there is no turning back. This weekend marks the formal and official no-turning-back-now start of  training for the Baltimore Marathon. I’m really excited about this race because it is my pal Lori’s first marathon (whee!) and the first time I’ve ever run the full course in Baltimore. I’ve run the 1/2 four separate times so this is an exciting step for me. (Of course, Katie will also be joining us as well. She is a warrior, that one.)

Below is the plan that will be guiding our training team for the next four months. You can keep track of the actual mileage via my Daily Mile account. (Also located on the right sidebar of this blog)

Date / Mileage

July 2 / 9
July 9 / 10
July 16 / 7
July 23 / 12
July 30 / 13
August 6 / 10
August 13 / 15
August 20 / 16
August 27 / 12
September 3 / 18
September 10 / 14
September 17 / 20
September 24 / 12
October 1 / 20
October 8 / 4
October 15 / Race

(BTW – This training schedule is courtesy of Hal Higdon. And ever-so-slightly modified by me. Natch.)

Interested in running but don’t know where to start? CHECK OUT MY VIDEO on the subject.

On another note…

DC METRO FOLKS, DO NOT MISS THIS. Gotta give props to my friend Sunday of Extreme Parenthood who found this fabulous gem of a race -the Run For Your Lives Zombie Obstacle Course 5K.

Brilliant.

Will I be there? Are you kidding? I MUST be there. Running with zombies? Hellz yeah! (Even though technically is is the weekend AFTER Baltimore. So, the zombies might have the advantage on me that day.)

If you are in the area, you should really hope over to the website and check it out.

PROJECT: The Frederick 1/2 Marathon

STATUS: Conquered

ANALYSIS: Stunningly beautiful day. It was everything a race day should be – exciting, uplifting, challenging and inspiring all at once. Plus, it was Lori’s first race and well, that made all of the difference!

As with any race, it started to wear on me about two miles prior to the finish line. But since my official job for this race was cheerleader, coach and chatterbox, I pretended I was unaffected. Shhh… that is our little secret.

At this point I can officially calm down about training and focus on maintaining the mileage. Our next race is on October 15th – the Baltimore Marathon. A mere 159 days away. Makes me tired just thinking about it.

I think I need to nap first.

In nine days I’m running a half marathon with my dear friend Lori.

Just in case you are wondering, this post is not about ME.

After a ridiculously wet 11 mile long run last week.

You may recall that Lori journeyed with me last year when I went to the Big Apple to run the New York Marathon with Katie. Because of that, and many, many, many other things … I have become her biggest fan.  Lori has lost over 105 pounds and one of her major goals in life is to conquer a distance race.

So here we go. This is HER race. And we’re gonna do it… together.

Can’t you just FEEL the excitement?

Having and conquering a goal is a powerful thing. The feeling of empowerment that comes from proving something to yourself is almost indescribable.

I can’t wait to see her face when they place that medal around her neck.

Truth be told, to me she is already a winner. She has battled so many odds and still she shines. She is my hero.

Next week ‘s race is just a formality.

“Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character.” — T. Alan Armstrong

How about you? Do you have hero in your life?

Warning: If you do not want to hear someone whine or discuss weight loss, fitness or the like you had best jump off my blog right now… Still here? Then proceed at your own risk.

For the past two years I have relished cold weather season. R E L I S H E D.

Because I love snow? NOPE. Because I cherish the holiday season? NOT EVEN CLOSE.

It is because, for the past two years, I have had serious body issues.  I don’t even want to look at a pair of shorts LET ALONE a swimsuit. ((shudder))

I have had to jump through some crazy hoops to keep myself covered up. (Two boys who have a healthy obsession with pool water will do that to you.)

I’m going to be honest with you, when I hit 37 my body just changed.  The word “changed” doesn’t actually represent what I am trying to express. It is more accurate to say that my body BETRAYED ME. Suddenly I gained easier than I lost. Suddenly my clothes no longer fit. Suddenly I could run a marathon but couldn’t loose five silly little pounds. Suddenly I felt old and tired. Not to mention tired and old. I began to yo-yo diet…

I’ve had awhile to ponder the state I have been residing in and I’ve come to the conclusion that I am finally ready to move forward.

You would think that self-loathing would have given me motivation months ago… but you would be wrong.

The more I ponder it, the more I realize that if your mind isn’t into it… you will fail.  You can’t just go through the motions on this one. There is no auto-pilot. No “phoning it in.” You have to be ready. Your mind must be a steel trap.

I’ve been watching my girlfriend Lori transform for quite some time now. Lori has lost over 100 pounds THE GOOD OLE FASHIONED WAY.

She is amazing. She is tenacious. She is DETERMINED.

Her mind is focused.

And I plan to join her.

Because I believe that I have found my focus. FINALLY.

Boy have I been off of my running game lately.

Last week I skipped my long run. I had so much to do and so many pressing commitments that I had to skip my run with the girls. Long story short, I never made up for it on my own. (Shocking, right?)

This week consisted of a four mile run, a two and a half mile run and an eight mile hill run.

Can I just say that the eight miler kicked my ever-lovin’ a$$? Those hills were brutal. Now, I admit that I deserve the punishment – I haven’t been eating properly and the time change is still wrecking havoc on my life. I should be sleeping more. I’m actually kind of worried about my overall exhaustion. I don’t know if I should see a doctor or if I just need a good ole fashioned kick in the pants.

Sigh.

I will be running  a 1/2 marathon on May 7th with my bestie Lori and although I know that I can do it, I just hate the physical shape that I am in. I need to drop some weight, tone up and find some energy – STAT. I really hate crossing the finish line spent.

I have seven weeks to get something done.

I’m sooooo not motivated.

Help? Anyone know a quick program to get me going?

MUD. FIRE. ROPES. WATER. TIRES. NETS. BEER.

What do all of these things have in common? They are all an integral part of the inaugural Mud Dog Run being held on Saturday, April 16th at the Ceresville Mansion in Frederick County, Maryland.

Wow.

Now, I’ve tackled a couple of intense things in my lifetime (182 mile Ragnar Relay, anyone?) but this just seems like some tough, insane FUN. With beer.

Folks who participate will get to tackle a 3.1-mile course and wind their way through 14 different obstacles including tires, cargo nets, wall climbs, rope walks,  not to mentionrunning through parts of the Monocacy River. Did I forget to mention the jumping over fire part?

(Those of you familiar with the Warrior Dash, should know that the creator of the Mud Dog Run, Jay Jeffrey, drew his inspiration from that very event.)

Many of you are probably wondering where the beer part comes in. (Bunch of lushes!) Flying Dog Brewery, fabulous brewery that it is,  will host the after-party for its mud-covered runners. Think: beer, food and music! (Note: Families and friends are encouraged join the party afterward.)

What makes this fun-fest even better is that proceeds from the race will benefit the new FISC Foundation aimed at bestowing college and summer sports camp scholarships to local athletes. The goal for the first race is to fund five college scholarships and five sports camp scholarships. (I love a good cause!)

THE DETAILS:

Registration is $55 until April 1st and $65 thereafter. Participants will receive a pint glass (classic!) and light lunch with their registration.  For more information or to register, visit www.muddogrun.com.

Disclosure: My company is helping raise awareness of this event in the area. That being said, I was not asked to share this information on my personal space. I did it because, obviously, I am a crazy runner and this is so right up my alley! Who is joining me? (Still trying to get my husband to commit to mucking in the mud. Jury is still out.)

Post 2 in the Resolution Report series

This weekly report is my accountability to the world as well as a way to help others stay motivated on their own journey to fitness or ahem, a bikini body. I’ll share what I am learning along the way in the tips, techniques, resources & trends section of the posts.

Before I give you some actionable ideas, let me just report that I have lost four pounds in three weeks. YAY! Now, the critic in me thinks I should have lost at least six but hey, I’ll take it!  I’m trying train my brain to get over weighing my success in POUNDS and instead focus on STRENGTH  and BODY FAT loss. Not as easy as it sounds. (I’m half tempted to chuck my scale to avoid the temptation.)

At this moment, my body fat is at 28.2% and my BMI is 24.5.  My goal is to hit 21-22% body fat. I have a way to go, as you can tell.

My upcoming week focus and action items: Hitting my daily water goal and taking those before pictures

TIPS, TECHNIQUES, RESOURCES & TRENDS:

PULL OUT THE CAMERA: You know, a couple of years ago when my husband and I were really focused and on a roll, we took pictures every week of ourselves in bathing suits so we could see the changes that we were making in our bodies. As mortifying (MORTIFYING!) as those pictures were in the beginning, boy did they motivate us to keep our focus. It was thrilling to see visible changes. I have to admit, I’ve been avoiding the camera since January 1. I know that it is time to take that dreaded “before” picture. Sigh. I encourage you to pull out the camera and document your journey. It will keep you motivated and accountable.

FIND AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER: Finding someone to keep you accountable and in essence act as a “cheerleader” is a priceless resource. In this case, tough love can be a blessing.  My partner is Lori. I just emailed her all of my measurements. Talk about vulnerability! Couple that with the fact that she herself has lost over 100+ pounds (not to mention the fact that she is my running partner) and you can imagine how she will help keep me on the straight and narrow.

HIT THE HEAVY WEIGHTS: Obviously I am a cardio girl. I would rather run than do most any other kind of exercise. But there is no denying how rapidly I see results when I hit the weights. (No wimpy weights either. That is just wasting your time, ladies.) I’ll be reporting more on this in my journey but let me just leave you with this little factoid: for each pound of muscle you have, you burn 50 extra calories per day.

EXPERIMENT: Now, obviously I am not a trainer or dietitian so remember these are my own trial and error recommendations… Protein supplements and shakes are very helpful when  you embark on a fitness and weight loss program. I’m a big fan of Myoplex Light (20 g of protein) and Slim Fast High Protein ( 15 g of protein) shakes. I try to substitute a meal with a shake a couple of times a week. Taste wise, I must admit that I prefer the Slim Fast products. They make me feel like I am “cheating” a bit more. Plus, mmmm… chocolate.  And their snack bars really satisfy when I need a sweet fix.

Some resources:

• 8-Week Beginning Runner’s Training Program
• The Runner’s Field Manual: A Tactical (and Practical) Survival Guide
• Hot Lips – Pepper Spray
• Yak Trax

Contact your local running store, YMCA or fitness center and see if there are any running groups you can join to help you along with your running journey. And no, you can’t have my running partners. Lori and Katie keep me on track and laughing the whole dang run. They are mine. Heh.

Maybe you made a resolution, maybe you didn’t. I started the New Year with two big goals – to challenge myself (hence the “Project Me 2011″) and to get uber-fit.

And by uber-fit I mean BIKINI. Yes, this mom of two just said BIKINI. Shudder.

I’m just an average Joe just like everyone else, and my resolutions come with plans … and fears. What if I don’t stick with it? What if I don’t have time? What if I FAIL and the whole  world sees? What if I can never fit back into my clothes?

I find that I do better when I put my goals out there. I need to be accountable. I need some cheerleaders.

On Sundays I am going to be accountable to YOU. I’ll also give you reports on body fat, inches and weight lost. (We’ll start with that next week.)

HERE’S MY REPORT:

I started my resolution last week. A little late by most standards, I realize.

Since I started my resolution … I’ve lost 2 pounds (!!) and learned to alter the way I look at food. That is a huge step for me. Food is my personal stumbling block. Well, actually the QUANTITY of food I think is acceptable is my stumbling block.

My family and friends have been … very supportive. Although my husband and I haven’t been as diligent as I would have liked, we missed a leg workout day earlier in the week and if we don’t get up at 4:30 a.m. then the whole workout is rushed.

One way I have changed my thinking is … to view food as fuel and to think twice about what I put in my mouth. If I am intentional about my eating then I don’t graze as much.

If I had to pin down one piece of advice so far to someone who may be working toward the same goals … it would be plan your meals. Plan! It is much too easy to stop off for fast food when you are in a hurry. Take an hour on the weekend to really think about when you will be eating for the week and stock up on fresh foods. It is worth the effort!

What are YOU doing to keep your resolutions on track? Do you believe in resolutions?