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?