This is what happens.....

When you leave your computer unlocked....you get HACKED!

My lovely boyfriend has been running....he ran for about an hour last night and had me worried sick because he hadn't run more than 30 minutes in 6 months! I thought something had happened so I had loaded the kids up in the car to go look for him when I got the text that he was done and back in his car. WHEW!

What else have we been doing? OH we celebrated a very beautiful girl's 9th birthday last Wednesday. It was a low key celebration....but completly perfect. :)

Anyways---I have nothing to say really other than I'm in love with the most amazing man. I couldn't be happier. I'm proud of him for all he does to make me the happiest girl alive. To me he is the BEST boyfriend, friend, lover, father, worker, runner on the planet. I'm blessed beyond belief.

You have come a long way from the first time I met you love.....I'm proud of the man you were, are and are aspiring to be for our family. I love you baby!

Harder Effort Running

So, last night, I probably did my first bit of "hard effort" running. While my daughter was at soccer practice, I did loops of the park where she practiced...perhaps roughly 3/4 mile? Not sure, honestly. I do know that I looped it 6 times in a little over 33 minutes. Other than that, I'm not real sure.

So, I made 5 loops and just felt like sorta 'dropping the hammer' for the last loop. It was a fun feeling. All I can say is that it took me roughly 6:20 for the first loop, 5:45 for each loop after that, and about 4:50 for the last loop.

Today, I'm definitely feeling it. Not like soreness or pain or anything, but definitely feeling that my legs were working. And man, does that feel good. Hope to do it again soon.

35 More Minutes

So, today would qualify as a "long run", as I hadn't done more than 30 minutes this year. Today, I went for 36 minutes. I had planned on 40 minutes, but cut the run a little short when I'd already gone over 30 minutes. I just took a turn that headed me back to my car, rather than the longer way around. Turned out to be the right decision. Great run. Felt great.

Marathon Support

I gave all I had to give in cheering for and supporting runners through volunteering and cheering over the course of the weekend.

Honestly, I came away from the weekend having been given more than what I gave, by far.

Not much more to say than that. From a running perspective, it was a great, eye-opening weekend.

Later all! More to come.

Olympic Trials Volunteering and Good Running

Today was the Olympic Trials...yes the same ones I (perhaps) foolishly once believed I'd be running. It was an awesome experience being out there, watching the nation's best, and all the Olympic hopefuls. Watching Ryan, Meb, Abdi, Ritz, Desiree, Shalane, Kara and Deena all go running by multiple times, while I was road-guarding at miles 7, 15 and 23 was just an awesome, awesome experience.

The best part was watching NBC's coverage later and seeing all the places that I've done all my best training. Great event, and great memories from the morning out there.

Following was lunch with a buddy of mine, who is running w/his brother tomorrow at the Half Marathon, and seeing another marathoner who will be running tomorrow. So, after all of that, this evening I went for a run and ran roughly half a mile longer than I have been doing my previous runs....and that only added approximately 30 seconds to my over all time. Needless to say, I ran harder than I needed to, and I'll probably be feeling it tomorrow as well.

I did all of this in my new Nike Free's that I purchased today at Luke's Locker. Great feeling shoes, especially since I'm only running 30 minutes at a time these days. Good time to see if I can get adjusted to them while I'm working my way back into shape.

That's all for now. Time to hit the hay and get ready to go out and cheer on all the half and most of the full marathon folks out there, challenging the course that is the Houston Marathon.

Looking forward to a fun day of marathon watching, football watching and hopefully some computer game playing.

Step by Out of Shape Step

Wrapped up the weekend with a morning 30 minute run (actually 29:20 over my otherwise 30 minute course), followed by a nice weight workout. And because it has been since I was 18-19 years old since I worked out consistently, it's taking a little bit of time to find my "groove", but I think I'm finding it...the right weights, the right reps, the right exercises...Today felt like an awesome workout. I walked out of there feeling very good.

I have to get home, take a look at my body just before the shower to remind myself how much I dislike my naked body right now. :P I know...sorry for the gross images burned into your minds, but I'm just sayin'. It was just 18 months ago that I was the lowest weight I'd been as a runner, fit, fast and (while most, if not all, non-runners would say I was too skinny) pretty happy with how I looked. I had gotten all the way down to 147 lbs, and for 5'11"-6'00", that's not too bad. Right now...well... add about 25 lbs to that. YIKES!! What's funny is that most of my non-running friends, think I still look "skinny". Oh well.

I'm not saying I need to get down to 150 or lower to be happy, but I do want to get myself back around 160 lbs. And if I'm there, and I have the fitness that comes along with weight work, even at 36 years old, I hope to feel ok running with no shirt on come Spring and Summer time. Right now, that shirt is staying on, I don't care if I was running in 100 degree weather. :-)

Progress for the Week

Back in the gym again, for some more upper body work and a little more running.

Progress is good this week, and I'm at least feeling like I'm finally headed somewhere again running. It's a good feeling.

Starting the Year Off Right...I think :P

Two 30 minute runs on the 1st and 2nd.

10-minute run on the 3rd, followed by 45 minutes in the weight room...chest, shoulders, arms, abs and back...

Good days.