I'm not the same...

Last year I kind of starting getting fit, it might have even been the year before that, in 2010.  I started running. I mean started! I think the first race I did was a 3k. I thought I was going to die!!  I really am not a runner! 

Even though I had been overweight, and according to BMI and other standards I was "Clinically Obese" which I kind of just thought I was good enough still, I was moving, I was active (or what I thought would be active) I played with the kids.  I wasn't one of those moms at the park that would just sit on the bench because they couldn't play or walk around.  I felt like I often was doing physical things with my family. 

Like I said, I entered a few races, never trained really good enough to really do well at them, basically just barely finishing them.  I would be sore the next 3 days or more from running.  This went through the summer of 2011.  I lost a few pounds but nothing really to notice.  My hubby who is a runner told me to start running and I would drop all my weight that way.  After all that is what he does each year, he gains a few pounds during the holiday, starts running in January getting ready for his big races, and ta-da.... he drops the weight he gained plus more.  Yeah, didn't work for me, plus I HATED running!  It's hard to be motivated by something you dislike so much!

November of 2011, I had a gorgeous perfect friend that invited me to her workout classes.  They started at 5 AM, yes 5 in the morning!  I was like, yeah.... no thanks!!  I am not a morning person.  I would prefer to stay up until 5 in the morning than go to bed and get up at 5 am.  She had done some sort of "challenge" blah blah something and lost body fat.  I was not sure where that fat came from because in my eyes this woman is one of those you want to hate... she is unbealivably beautiful, he hair is alway perfect, she looks good in anything she wears, even when she is shoveling mud she looks cute.  You know the type right...?  Well that is this friend.  I finally decided to try it out.  I thought it would be fun because it was more weight kind of traning and I LOVE weights and being strong.  And anything was better than running!

I go to this class, barely getting out of bed, and here are these other "barbie" workout girls.  I was thinking REALLY?  Here I am, BIG and I can't keep up with them, I am sweating so much I feel like I just stepped out of the shower, and I am having a hard time catching my breath.  Yeah it was that fun. 

I was embarressed to be there with these other ladies that seemed so fit and fabulous, I felt like I had nothing in common with them, I wasn't going to come back!  When I got home I was thinking about it and was really being honest and asking myself, why am I not going back?  The reason I wasn't should be the real reason really to go back.  Be uncomfortable, be imbarressed, what ever it took, I needed to do it to get the happiness that I wanted when I looked in the mirror. 

I'm not talking that happiness when you look in the mirror because you look so HOT and you want everyone to be jealous of how wonderful you look.  I'm talking about the happiness that I could look in the mirror and like who I saw, the happiness that comes from liking the person I am.  Many years I would look in the mirror but not liking what I see.  I knew the person I was/am is an amazing person but I didn't ever see that.  It was hard to see that through the unkind thoughts in my head and how disgusted I felt at myself and the way I looked.

This truly was such a blessing in my life!  My friend surely was inspired to invite me to come with her as a friend.  I was always be so grateful for her to spur me on when I needed it.  The timing was perfect!  The same challenge my friend had done, was being repeated in Feb 2012.  I was up for the challenge of it, and was so glad I did it!  I not only loss some weight but I was finding that person inside again too.  It was very emotional for me and spiritual too. 

This is a picture that was taken in Sept 2009.  I may have lost a few pounds or gained a bit of muscle since this picture and before the challenge, but I was the same weight on the scales really. 

I had a BMI of 38.4 (obese catagory) when I first started working out and then after the challenge I had a BMI of 29.9. Still in the "overweight" catagory.  I lost 6% body fat, and gained 6% muscle. 

I lost 7-1/4 inches off my waist just from the challenge alone. Crazy huh! 

 

The challenge consisted of 12 weeks of workout plans, meal plans, and 4 inspirational sessions.  The things I learned during the challenge I have adopted in my life and my eating habbits and life style.  I became more flexible too which I hadn't really counted on.  I was able to put my wedding ring back on, something I took off shortly after I had my twins who are now 10 years old. 

 

I think the biggest change has really been my attitude, my outlook, and the way I feel about myself.  I think that is the biggest thing I lost.  I did go on to lose a total of 60 lbs which spanned from before and after the challenge until about the time school started again.  With the holidays and other things, I have put a few pounds back on.  I lost a total of 11 inches off my waist and 7 inches off my hips too.  Amazing right!  Something else....  I went from a size 18 (probably really size 20 but I couldn't bring myself to buy that size) to a size 10 in jeans.  Is that amazing?  Crazy really!!  This was all in a 6-8 month time frame. 

 

Sometimes when I am with my husband and we are at a store or something, he wonders off and I do, he can't find me because he forgets I look so different.  Funny huh!  I few times I have seen a picture or video of someone in the back ground and totally thought it was someone else in my family.  Those are the little things that make me smile. 

 

I also ended up running the Epic Relay Race with my husband in August (I think that is when it was).  It is like the Ragnar Relay where it is a 12 man team, each runner runs 3 different times.  It went from Logan, UT to Jackson, WY.  Fun... even if you don't like to run.  I am totally doing this again this year!  (If you are interested let me know, we still need some runners.)

 

With all that being said, it is again that time of year to start getting ready for the challenge if you want to do it.  I am totally signed up for it.  If you want more information, go to her blog for details.  She also has FREE yes, FREE classes on Saturday at Westlake High School at 6:30 am. 

 

I know I still have a way to go, but I feel so much better.  If you have any questions or want more details, feel free to talk to me too.  I would be happy to share with you the things I have learned or have done.  I have wanted to do this post for about 6 months or so, but you know how life gets, and I am also one of those people that feel like it has to go in order.  I am all out of order now...   I'll have to play catch up and go back I guess to do the older stuff. 

The picture below is from Nov 2011, at the Gov. Gala and then the other picture is from July 2012 with my size 18 pants that no longer fit me.  I still have those pants though.... I'm keeping them as a reminder! ;)

Getting ready for Ragnar

Okay so the first two pictures have nothing to do with the Ragnar, but they were sunsets from the beginning of July 2011.  This is looking out the front of our house.  So cool huh!  It looked so much better in person.

 For Ragnar it isn't uncommon to see crazy costumes and crazy decorated cars.  Robert was getting ready for his Ragnar race and he was looking for some good costume ideas.  He was looking for wigs and all that.  The girls were helping him with the wigs he found. 

 Robert got some cool pink sunglasses to go with the pink wig.  Then one of the girls tried out the crazy wild black hair.  She felt like a rock star!  I think Robert found some fun glasses to go with this one too. 

 Amber looks a little funny with this hat and wig combo.  You gotta love her poses.

After all that digging in the costume box, finding matching glasses at the store....  Robert forgot all about bringing it, so he didn't even use them.  Too bad, it was good stuff!  Maybe some other race time.

WA Ragnar July 2011

For the last few years Robert has been a part of the WA Ragnar team, Running on Fumes.  It is an Ultra team which means they have 6 people instead of 12 and they run basically 2x the amount.  The first year it was a huge challenge since one of the guys didn't ever show up so they were now a 5 man team running what 12 people typically run.  Most the years he enjoys it and looks forward to doing it again. 

This is at the starting line.  This is the team all ready to go.  Robert this year was runner #1, so he started the race from the start line. 

 Even though he looks all ready to go and all, he was super nervous, as he is with most of the start of his races.  I am not sure what he is ever nervous about... he always does better then he thinks he will do. 

 It kind of looks low key at the starting line compared to the starting line in Utah, so that is what I hear.  I haven't ever really been to the starting line of the one in Utah so I couldn't tell you for sure. 

He is quite a running machine! 

It's always kind of bitter sweet when he comes up for the race.  It means several things, a night usually alone with him, which is a nice little get away after a long vacation and a long time being gone/away from my hubby.  It also means that our time is just about over being in Washington with family which makes me sad and kind of lonely.  I usually also stay up North with my sisiter and brother until the race is over which is always fun.  We usually get together with our other sister that lives near by too. 

When the Ragnar is over, I have a few more days until we normally head back home.  Since we moved to the West side of the lake, it never felt like I was coming home.  This year it did feel like I was coming home.  It only took nearly 3 years to feel like it is home.  That is a nice feeling, even if I am leaving my "home" with the family I grew up with, I take my own little family back to our own home. 

June stuff

 I was so happy to see that I already did a post about May birthdays.  You can read about them here.  I feel a little less behind I guess.  I had thought I had saved one to post but then didn't find it.  I guess I posted it after all.  So now on to other things....  

This is some of the events from June:

I had signed up for the 5K Dirty Dash, basically just a mud run with obstacles too.  I signed up for 2.  As the day was approaching, I realized that we had soccer games that day with the girls, and there was no way Robert and I both could do it.  I asked the girls and Lauren was all up for it.  She hadn't been running or anything, so I knew we would be awhile to do it.  She had a blast, she likes doing the races and would like to do more.  We were one muddy mess!  I scratched up my leg pretty good in the last mud pit, got a nice scar now from it.  We asked someone to take our pictures before and after, but somehow, they were taken right, and we didn't end up getting ones.  I also left my purse behind so I didn't have money to pay for the warm showers, so we took freezing cold showers and then changed our clothes.  The picture of our dirty clothes, after our shower is all I have to show for it. 

I can pick out those use to be white socks Lauren wore that day.  They are pretty stained up now. 

Of course June isn't just for the Dirty Dash, it is also for the big Ragnar Race!  It is the race that consumes my hubby the whole year.  Prior to the race, we took a drive after church up on the race path to find some good spots for exchanges during his race.  We had a BBQ lunch at some resevoir or something.  The kids explored while Robert made lunch/dinner, or linner as Emily would call it.  We brough the dog too. 

 It was almost like the beach, all sandy and fun to dig in. 

 There were tons of drift wood type sticks and logs the girls played on. 

 Everyone seemed to have their own sticks.

 Samantha got tired of walking.  She got a ride for awhile.

 The girls found some evidence of some animals....

 But some of the animals seemed to have left parts behind.

I think it was the weekend of the Ragnar Race that I took the kids to the Farm Country.  I love the sign they have out by the entrance.  Pretty funny!

The girls found lots of things to do.  We made ice cream in a bag, played some farm games, got coloring books, stickers, and rode on a wagon ride in addition to petting the animals and riding the horses/ponies.

Samantha was loving the little calf and foal that were eating her skirt and licking her hands.  She could have stayed right there the whole time and not gone any where else.

The girls stood in line for what seemed to be FOREVER to ride the horses and the few ponies they had out there too.  About the time we were getting close, they switched out all the horses for different once including 2 small ponies.  The girls all had their horses picked out and then they put their horses away.

For the most part the girls were delighted to be riding the horses. 

Lots of big smiles and the little girls wanted to do it again.  I think Emily was wishing this was a real ride on a horse not stuck in the little arena.  She would have prefered a trail ride somewhere instead.

For the most part they were pleased and had a good time. 

Both Samantha and Amber gave their horses kisses as they got off and told them Thank you. 

This is a group shot of the group we went with.  We had lots of fun.  We need to go back to farm county again soon!

We left Farm Country, got some dinner and then we went to the Dog Days they had.  They had tons of vendors set up for dog related things and little botiques selling items for dogs like special dog treats along with normal food vendors too.  They had a cool diving dogs demostration where they dogs would dive into a huge pool to get their toy.  But for the most part, the girls enjoyed the giant slides. 

The girls wanted to go back to Dog Days the next day too. 

Race again

Sometime last year I entered a race.  Actrually two but I only ran in one.  This year I have signed up for 2 more.  Each of them are 5K and I am thinking about entering the 1/2 marathon, is that crazy?  I think it is.  Time will tell. 

My race was on the 23rd of April which seemed fine untiil I realized the girls all had their first soccer game that day too.  Game one at 9am, game two at 9:30, and game three at 2.  My race started at 9am in Alpine, but I had to be there early to get my runners packet and check in.  That would mean I would miss the first 2 games and Robert would be hopping from one to another. 

I was getting a little worried about my training since I hadn't really for awhile.  My parents were here, I didn't run at all that week.  We had spring break and sick kids, I didn't really run that week.  I figured I would just get in some good long runs and some fast interval workout before my run on Saturday. 

Then on Sunday of race week I had a terrible headache.  (It never went away until Friday.)  Monday morning I had a scratchy throat, and by the middle of the day, I had called Robert to tell him to pick up something for dinner since I didn't really feel good.  My throat on one side felt like it was on fire.  My head still hurt and I just wanted to go to bed.  Tuesday morning I slept in while Robert got the early kids off to school.  I had to get up around 8 to make sure Em was getting ready for school and then I would have to take her to school.  Once I got out of bed, I was in such pain, my body hurt all over, my throat was in a firery furnace, my ears felt as if they would explode, my head was pounding.  Several times contempleted ways to end the pain, but I knew that wasn't the answer. 

Robert had asked me that morning if I needed him to stay home.  I don't think I have ever had him stay home, even after we have a baby, he takes a day or two off, and then goes back to work.  I guess he figures that is time enough right.  (smiles)  I felt so horrible, and I hated to call and ask, but I did, I called and asked if he could come home.  I called and got a doctors appointment.  Confirmed strep, I pretty much slept most the day after 3pm, except when I was in that 1 hr window of not being able to take more pain meds yet not getting relief. 

Wednesday I told Robert he could go back to work, I knew I was on the mend.  I hadn't eaten much at all, I did manage to eat a popscicle, but the sugar in it left undesirable phlem in my thoat.  I figured I was dehydrated too, possible cause of headache, and it hurt SO SO bad to drink anything. 

By Friday I could drink continuously without having to stop after ever swallow.  It didn't hurt much to even swallow my own saliva compared to before.  I even ate part of dinner.  Things were looking up. 

I had been dizzy and light headed the whole week.  Grandma said it was due to the antibiotics.  She may be right, I still get a little dizzy now, but not as bad, and I am still on the meds.  I was contemplating the whole week how I was going to run this race on Saturday.  How can I run if I am dizzy?  How can I run if I haven't eaten at all?  How am I going to run when my throat hurts so bad?

I talked to Robert about it on Friday night.  I had decided it was a bummer but I wasn't going to be able to do it.  I hadn't trained the last 3 weeks, I was sick, we had crazy soccer schedules... it just wasn't going to work out.  End of discussion, I wasted my money, I didn't get to race. 

Amber woke up early Saturday morning.  I started to think about the race again.  I could walk if my throat was hurting.  If I was dizzy, I could always just walk too.  I already paid for it, even if I walk it, I should just go.  I set my alarm and went back to bed, or tried to.  I was then too excited to sleep and was thinking about the race. 

My alarm went off, I woke up Robert to check to see if he was okay if I really did go to my race.  He said he would arrange all the soccer stuff and I could go.  I got up, had a yogurt for breakfast, took some motrin and grabbed a bottle of water and headed to the race. 

The race was in Alpine.  It was FREEZING!  I met some new friends there, which was good, since I was afraid I would be all alone running by myself.  I did run pretty much by myself but I had some friends to talk to before the race started while we froze! 

My time was not impressive.  I was very dissapointed in it.  (5K in 35 minutes, average of 11min miles.)  But since I was sick, and since I hadn't ran the last 3 weeks I try to not be so upset about it.  The race itself was alot of fun.  I had a good time.  I am thinking about signing up for their half marathon which will be in Oct I think in Park City.  Time will tell.  I need to get running more. 

Saturday I had one hip that was really sore.  By Sunday, I was moving so slow and didn't want to bend over and pick up anything.  At church I asked Robert to hand me my bag.  My hips hurt, my ankles, my shins...  I felt like I walked like an old arthritic person. 

The race I did was the Pink Series, for breast cancer.  It is an all women race, and they had I think 6 firemen in their firesuits on the bottom and a white shirt and pink tie on, with their hats.  I tried to put my picture on here of it but it says the server refused it.  Go figure!

My next race is the Dirty Dash, on June 3rd, and I have a race entry already paid that no one is using.  Anyone interested?  It's a 5K at Soldier Hollow with obsticles to run through as well.  Sounds like fun.  Check out their website. 

A busy, busy weekend

This last weekend I ran in a race. 
"What?" you say, "a RACE?"
Yes that is right!

Robert got me a treadmil for my birthday, and I have been using it.  Nice huh!  It took a few weeks before we had it all put together and so far I have used it about 3 times or more a week.  Robert runs all these races and says it is so fun.  I keep thinking how is running fun?  Well maybe he is somewhat right?  (The race was fun, but running on the treadmill is not so much.)

I had a goal to do a race.  I signed up for a 5K in Aug.  It was a Midnight Run that I thought would be kind of fun.  I got lost so I arrived late, and was all frustrated I didn't run in it.  There was this police directing traffic, he was shining his flashlight all over.  As I pulled up by him I noticed then that my race has started and saw where I was suppose to be.  I rolled down the window and the officer said something about stopping or something.  I told him I couldn't see anything because he was shining his flashlight right into my eyes!  (I realized at this point that I was kind of rude and a jerk to him, oops!)  He then asked, "Where are you going?"  Remember it is now midnight, I pointed over to the people running, and told him I was suppose to be running the race but got lost, and now am too late.  He suggested for me to still run it.  I thought maybe I would but by the time I got there everyone was out of sight...  I was mad, annoyed, frustrated and cried back to the car.  I think maybe I was tired too.  I was looking so forward to this and then I totally blew it!  I was so angry.

I then scheduled....  a different race.  This was a 3k, it was Racing Cane by Run13.  I ran it and did really good for myself.  When I have been running on the treadmil, I seem to only be able to run a 12 minute mile (I'm kind of embarressed to even admit it because I walk a 15 minute mile).  I have tried a faster pace but I just get too tired and can't keep it up or have to slow down and walk.  I was running for 2 miles without stopping before my race.  Of course that was just a 12 minute mile.  Hey, it's better then being able to run 5 or 10 minutes. 

At my race, I ran an average of a 10 min 3 sec mile.  Which really suprised me.  I ran the whole time, I was tired but I wasn't as tired as I was on the treadmil doing the same speed.  In fact most of the time I looked at Rob's Garmin watch (keeps track of distance, pace, time) I was noticing how fast I was going so I had to slow myself down in fear that I would be worn out before I was done. 

It was a GREAT race, but it was my first race.  It is a starting point, something to measure and compare to later. I really wanted to do this Mud Dash this weekend but I didn't sign up in time... and it was 10K and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it.  It looked really fun though, it was a obsticle mud run.  Maybe next year.

Lauren and Amber also did the race with me on Saturday.  They ran the kids run, Lauren did half a mile and Amber did a quarter.  They both did really good too.  Amber ran the whole time chasing bugs she would see, and Lauren ran/walked.  She would run really fast and then tire out and walk for a few steps and then run again.  She did great.  Lindsey thinks she wants to do it next time. 

Then there was Sunday.....  I have been freeking out this last 2 weeks I think it has been, since a day after Labor Day.  I was called to be the Primary President in our ward.  YIKES!  Sunday they sustained me.  I am really still all frazzled about it, my mind won't shut off (which is why I am still awake).  There is so much to do, I keep going through my mind what I have to do and thinking of how to do this or if I should do this or this....  Our ward also was just split so we have lost many of the teachers.  I hope this anxious, nervous, scatter brained, can't seem to focus, feeling goes away soon.  I really need my head back.