Friday Thoughts

So Friday is here. Friday April 16th. Where is April going? Time is flying by!

So I have to admit, even though it is my fourth time around the block, I am finally feeling good in my current clinic. Sure, it helps that I LOVE my instructor. But for some reason, everything is really clicking this time.

Wednesday night we went out for our last set of 4 & 1's and it really BLEW. I did it and it felt great to finish. But it felt so crappy. I really can't explain it any other way. I hadn't eaten all that great during the day. And I don't think I drank enough water.

So I was pleasantly surprised last night when we moved onto our first set of 5 & 1's. Starting out I was cautious, but I kicked it up and finished up at 28:17 for 3k! WOOHOO! I know it isn't about how fast we run, but I really want to get a PB at the end of this clinic. It may or may not happen. But I want to try!

For anyone who is, has, or is thinking about running, we can all agree on one thing: those first four weeks, you have to stick with it. Because, quite frankly, it isn't all that fun. Your body is getting used to this new activity. You feel like someone is sucking the life out of you with every set. But then something happens. You run one day and everything just "clicks" into place. It is worth the effort, I promise!

Comings and Goings

Wow, time flies when your having fun!

We are SO BUSY right now. So very busy. I am back to work, and working an average of 20 hours a week. Between that and running, and doing stuff with the kids, we are swamped.

My two sets of 4 & 1's have gone alright. My second set yesterday was not too good, but I finished it. I am looking forward to moving on to the 5 & 1's on Thursday. So that means we are already on to week FIVE. Wow.

I have been thinking a lot about what my goals are going to be this year. I do want to keep running, of course.

Since I am going to be teaching the next Women's Only clinic in May (!) I am going to be keeping it slow. I will then probably go into 5k training and depending on how that goes, go into 10k training. But no Half Marathon training this year. Which I am fine with.

I feel a bit discombobulated today.......I think I need some sleep.

4 & 1's

Started!

So now it's on to 4 & 1's. Hrmmmmmm. I gotta say, this is where it get tough. Really tough. At this point I think a lot of people want to quit. But not me! I have a goal race that I want to finish in under 45 minutes!

I signed up yesterday and I am really looking forward to it. The only thing I can't figure out is if it has a medal. Anyone know?

I will be heading out early tomorrow morning to do my next run at the store. Since we can't find a sitter for Sunday mornings, Colin runs with his group. I did have some company last week though. Maybe they will join me again!

Wet Wednesday

It looks like its going to be a wet one around here. We have been spoiled with beautiful weather the past week, so we were bound to get some awful rain in our future. Well, the future is now!

I will be heading out tonight on my own for my last set of 3 & 1's. Tomorrow we move onto: 4 & 1's! I can't put anything by you guys! So far so good, hopefully I make 4 & 1's rock too!

We seem to have another runner in the family. Connor will be running in his very first race on April 25th here in Aurora! It is the Kids Mini Mile at the Run for Southlake (Daddy is running the 1/2 marathon)! He gets his own race kit and medal for finishing! He is very excited! And no, it isn't an actual mile, it is the last 500 Metres of the race course!

Three Things Thursday

I really need to NOT only post twice a week:

1. Last night at Run Club we completed our last round of 2 & 1's! Woohoo! This time around I really felt like I didn't do as poorly, and last night I ran my best so far! I always treat any run pretty much like a race. I hate leaving anything out there. So I run my little heart out.
2. This weekend is Easter. I cannot believe it. It feels like only yesterday that we were celebrating Christmas. Now that April is here, the rest of the year is going to fly by. We are having brunch tomorrow with our family, then Easter Dinner on Sunday at my Mom and Dad's. We also have tomorrow off here in Canada, so that means LONG WEEKEND!
3. I started back at work on Tuesday night and it was great to be back. I missed working, and I missed my co-workers. And April looks like I will be getting lots of great shifts, so I am very excited!

I hope everyone has an amazing Easter.

Tuesdays Gone Away

I managed to squeeze in a run this weekend while I was away and it felt pretty good. I decided to take a few days off and will be doing my last set of 2 & 1's tomorrow night at Run Club. Then it's 3 & 1's. Wow. Time flies when you're in pain.......I plan on running at least twice more over this weekend. So hopefully I will be where I want to be sooner rather than later.

Also, I head back to work tonight. Thank God. Not getting paid does not equal good times. And I have a lot of shifts coming up, so I will be back to a regular schedule in no time!

The weather this week is going to be BEAUTIFUL. So I am going to be taking the kids to the zoo tomorrow, which they always enjoy. Plus we have a membership, which is totally worth it.

Happy Tuesday everyone

Three Things Thursday

1) Well we are moving on to 2 & 1's tonight at clinic. I always get a little nervous when we move on to the next level. So far so good for me. I feel good, I feel really good! Lets hope that it keeps up! It is also Bring a Buddy night and THE SHOE TALK. Oh lord, between a half dozen clinics and working at the store, I could give the shoe clinic myself!

2) The kids have spent the last week at their Grandmother's place, so I have had a nice break. It has been really good! But I miss them and I will be looking forward to seeing them again tomorrow! With spring coming, it means that we can do more outside! So I am hoping we can make it out to the park in the next few weeks!

3) April is already looking to be a VERY busy month for us! I return to work on March 30th and EVERY weekend is booked from now till the end of the month! Another sign the year is moving forward. Less REST DAYS!

Last 1 & 1's

So with the rain disappearing after a few days, me and Cam Man made our way out for my last set of 1 & 1's this week! Did 2.5 k in 25 minutes, which is right on track. The longer you run, the faster you go, so I am not going to worry too much about my time right now! On to 2 & 1's tomorrow!

Everything feels nice and loose. I find on days that I exercise I am never really hungry. I think I might try to do something everyday, so as to make sure I don't eat myself to death!

And I was down 7 pounds this first week back at it! I love the first week of Weight Watchers. All the crap comes out of your system. Lets hope I can keep it up!

A Goal Race

So my hubby has talked me into running the Hazel 5k in May as a goal race for the end of this clinic. I wasn't going to run in a race, but I figured why the heck not. We all know that having a race in mind keeps us going out there (most of the time). And with the weather beginning to get nicer, it is going to make it easier to get out and run.

So far so good. The clinic started on Thursday night, and like most Learn to Run clinics, is HUGE! I think that everyone is going to have a lot of fun. Once we are able to leave the parking lot that is :)

And on the Weight Loss side of things I was down 6 pounds this week! YAY! Being back on Weight Watchers always makes me feel more focused. But please, I have to find something else to eat besides SALAD. I am turning into a rabbit over here!

I've Been Cleared - Three Things Thursday

• The title says it all. I have been cleared to run! My appointment went great yesterday! All my tests came back ok, so they didn't find anything in the tissue that needs exploring further. And apparently (turn away if you think you will be embarrassed) the tissue they did remove was 95% mammary tissue. It was all boob baby lol! He told me not to play any contact sports for another month, but that I could return to my regular activity as soon as I feel comfortable. I was just so pleased with the initial outcome of this. It has changed my life already. And there is still a bit of healing left to go!
• I went running again last night. 2k in 20 minutes exactly! So yeah, a 10 minute kilometre pace, but hey, I am just starting again right? Hopefully as I get better and things start clicking I will get a bit faster. I would LOVE to be able to run a 7:30 k by the end of the year. Is that too lofty a goal?
• I had our niece with us this week for March Break. My sister is due to have her second child in May, but this pregnancy has been difficult for her. So to give her some much needed rest, I have been taking our niece during the day. Let me just say it has been a lot of fun. But there is not way in HELL I could have another child. Three is the PERFECT number!

If you have the time please head over to my BFF's page and take a moment to donate to Nolan's Dream Chasers. It is an amazing cause, one that helps a lot of children enjoy their life during it's most difficult time. Thanks again!

Doing it Right

In an effort to get back in the saddle, I decided it was time for a new pair of running shoes. My solid, but incredibly worn out Adidas Control 10's needed to be retired.

Any runner out there can attest that when you find a shoe you love, you really should try to stick with it. I have always been an Asics girl (my first two pairs of running shoes were 2120's and 2130's). But then I tried the Control 10's and fell in love. But guess what? That's right, they don't make them anymore. Boo. So, I went to The Running Room here in Aurora (my store, the GREATEST STORE IN THE WORLD!) and had my manager do another gait analysis on my feet. Luckily, my gait was the same. But guess what? The 2140's and 2150's have changed.

WTF.

So, after trying several shoes, I found my new pair:

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10

At first, I have to admit, I was hesitant. They felt great on, but they needed a test drive. So off to the gym I trudged tonight for my first POST OPERATION workout. And guess what?

They are incredible. My feet never felt like this was the first time I had on these shoes. They felt nice and snug and there was a ton of room in the toe box. Plus, my left foot, which has been bothering me for some time, didn't hurt at all. I did 7 sets of 1 and 1's plus ten minutes on the bike.

As for "the girls"? Well, this operation will be changing my life. I was EXHAUSTED by the end of the 15 minutes, but I could breathe. I could breathe. I am pretty sure everyone in the gym thought I was crazy, because I actually burst into tears!

Cross Those Fingers

After a long week of recuperating and rest I "think" my back is back to normal. I really don't want to go through this again if I can help it.

Man is my fitness struggling though. Back to some light exercises tomorrow. I have a final appointment with my plastic surgeon on Wednesday. If he gives me the OK, I will begin running again on Thursday with the new Learn to Run clinic starting here in Aurora! And I hear the instructor is awesome*! So I am really looking forward to it :) I know that starting over for the....1......2.....3......4th time is going to be daunting, but I am looking forward to the challenge.

I forgot to mention a few months ago I planned out this very intricate running calendar for this year. And next. I am WAY off now. But, I still want to try and up my distance to at least a 10k by the fall. Maybe I can. Maybe I can't. We'll see. Keep your fingers crossed!

* It's my husband LOL!

** I just realized that I had MODERATE ON on my blog and didn't see ANY COMMENTS from the past THREE MONTHS! Thank you everyone for all you kind words and support. I love and appreciate you all VERY. VERY MUCH! And I turned moderate off ROTFLMAO!

Best Laid Plans

My intended run did not happen. I woke up on Friday morning with a tweak in my back. As the day progressed, it became full on spasms. And I have been having then every day since. I am not going to the doctor because I already know what it happened. I have been doing more than I should have been and the muscles around my back and ribcage can't seem to handle it. Now I can't walk upright and feel like I vice is squeezing my right around the middle.

So now I am depressed that I STILL can't get out there and get going. I am so FRUSTRATED. And the weather is gorgeous this week. I wanted to take the kids out to do some stuff. Now it doesn't look like that will be happening either :(

Yesterday many of my friends and family including my hubby ran the first real "race" of the season here in Southern Ontario. I haven't tried The Chilly Half Marathon yet, but hopefully someday I will! Small Steps! Hubby was 4 SECONDS off his personal best, but he was happy with his time! My BFF got a personal best by more than five minutes. Congrats to everyone that ran and I hope to join you in the future!

I'm Back

Hello to anyone still out there!

My surgery was, for the most part, a success! Not being able to do any real physical activity is causing me some issues (ie weight gain) but overall I am really pleased. It can take a yeah for everything to settle into place, but I am really happy with the results already.

Tomorrow I will be going out with my Personal Trainer (my husband!) and going for a 3k run. I am nervous and excited all at the same time. He is being so supportive during all of this. I am pretty lucky.

I will be returning to work at the end of the month and going full tilt then. I am hoping to teach the Womens Only Clinic in May, as hubby is teaching the Learn to Run and 5k back to back starting at the end of March. I am also hoping to run a few races into the summer and fall, but I am not so sure how that is going to work out.

Wish me luck on my continued recovery!

This I Know For Sure

That regardless of what happens, I am already the person I want to be!

Wish me luck everyone!

One Week

All my ducks are in a row so to speak. Just waiting now for the big day to come.

I had my pre op appointment at the hospital and it went well. Just all the pre stuff and the flow of the operation. It is apparently going to be a painful month and a half after. But the pain isn't really what I am scared of.

Besides that, my world is just fine! I may not get the chance to write on your blogs often but I read them every update. Take care my bloggy friends ;)

Ummmm....So........Hmmmmm

BOOBS BREASTS KNOCKERS

Ok now that I got that out of the way:

On February 10th I am having a Breast Reduction Surgery. To any and all people that are not into knowing the details, TURN AWAY NOW!

I was basically born with breasts. I'm not kidding. I had my first "training bra" when I was 8 years old. Yes 8. By the time I was ten, if memory serves, I was wearing a 34B.

I am so not kidding.

During high school, I was a 36C, which on my 5'5 135 pound frame looked huge. But I was in high school. I LOVED the attention. Sure, my back hurt ALL THE TIME. Sure I was subconscious and hated buying new clothes. But I dealt with it.

When I put on weight, well you can guess what happened. At my heaviest I was a 44DDD which seems small now. But I was heavy and really didn't notice them since there was weight everywhere.

Before I began having kids, and at my smallest since high school, I became a 40D, which also seems small now. Then I had baby #1. Shortly baby#2 followed. Then baby #3. I am now a 46F. The last straw came this fall, when I was trying to get back into running. I can barely breathe while I run. There is so much WEIGHT on my chest. It is so hard to explain. Forget about the back pain, knee pain and sciatic pain. And the HEADACHES. Literally. It was agony.

So after speaking to my family, my doctor and myself, I decided it was time. Time to change my life for the better.

So that is my news. My big change coming. I hope that it gets me on the path to a better self. Both inside and out.

January Blues

Hello Everyone!

I was down FIVE POUNDS last week! I wish I could say that means I lost 15 pounds overall, but really all it means is that I am back to where I was before Christmas LOL!

Well, is it February yet? Since New Years Day, things just have been so stressful around here. I think that January is like that for a lot of people. Which is why they go away! It seems at every corner there is something else weighing on me, us, our family. Stress is a real trigger of emotional eating for me.

Yesterday was probably the icing on the proverbial cake. Our porcelain stove top CRACKED right down the middle.

FML

I mean really? REALLY?

Work is extremely busy which is good for me, so I have been working a lot too! When February comes I will be off for a few weeks for a surgery. I will talk a bit about that next time though.

In the meantime, I am reading all you blogs and thanks if you've left a comment. It means a lot that people out there are listening.

OH! I totally forgot. So, if you recall, my Garmin busted. So not cool. I sent it back to Garmin's electronics division and apparently the whole unit needed to be replaced. So, I got a brand new Garmin. Score!

Have a great day everyone!

Ugh

So this past week has not been a pleasant one AT ALL.

Firstly, I did not go to WI this week. I will be going back next week, but I knew I was up and I totally didn't want to pay 17 bucks to know it. I have a free pass to miss a week, so I will use it then.

Moving on from my up, I am having a better week this week. There is hardly a drop of wine or junk in the house, so that is making things a little easier. Tonight I am heading out with the hubby to run hills with his 1/2 marathon group. We'll see how that goes!

I also had a bit of an incident here on the weekend involving a serrated knife. Long story short, always use a cutting board. Managed to cut myself pretty badly and required a tetanus shot. Emergency on a Saturday night =not so much fun!

I am also going to another Yoga class this Friday night. Hopefully it will be as good as the first one!

This is a 1st

I was down .2 pounds at WI last night. It is the first time in history I lost weight during Christmas!

Tonight I am off to work. Tomorrow I might try to get to the gym to do a class. We'll see. New Years is going to be quiet.

Nothing new to report. Everyone BUT me is sick with a cold. Not too pleasant. When I am the only one that isn't sick, you know it's serious lol!

Enjoy the rest of your week everyone! Be safe!