13 in 2013 ~ Tackle the Miles Virtual 5K ~ 2/5/13

As I've mentioned before, the perimeter of my neighborhood is 1 mile which makes it very convenient for me to know how far I've walked.

My original plan for the week was to walk 2 laps today, 1 lap tomorrow and walk 3 laps for my Tackle the Miles 5K on Thursday.  Thursday is supposed to be the nicest day this week.  Meaning, it is supposed to get up to 36F and be partly cloudy.  Today was 31F and occasional snow.

Fitness Friday ~ Winter Runner(Walker)land 5K ~ 1/18/13

It ended up pouring down the rain on January 11th so I had to put of my Winter Runnerland 5K until Sat, January 12th but I already had my bib printed off with Friday's date.  Oh well.  I'm glad I got it in before the whole house became a huge vat of flu germs!

I finished in the same time as my Resolution 5K on January 1st at 1:01.  My husband joined me for my last lap but he wanted to talk!  Couldn't he tell I was concentrating?  lol

It felt really good.  Will I ever feel good again?  :(  Actually, I can tell a bit of a difference today.  My sleep is still really restless and I feel weak but I don't ache and hurt like I have for the past few days.  As I mentioned in my Oh So Thankful post yesterday, the girls are doing much better!

If I can just get some housework done today, I'll be happy.  Hopefully, by Monday, I'll be able to start walking again.  Just in time for the 16F degree weather to hit...

Anyway, that makes 2/13 5K's in the books for me!  Yay!

My next 5K is scheduled for January 25th for Runs For Cookies Birthday.  I hope to feel a lot perkier by then.

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Daily Exercise Summary:

Fri, 1/11/13 - Off.  Heavy rain and sick kid :(

Sat, 1/12/13 -  Winter Runnerland 5K  1:01  Beautiful weather :)  Dist. = 3.1 miles

Sun, 1/13/13 -   Off.  Family time and Church.

Mon, 1/14/13 - Sick kids, Dr appts., prescription filling blah of a day ;(

Tues, 1/15/13 - Sick kids fighting with each other, better be on the mend because they're going to school tomorrow kinda day!

Wed, 1/16/13 - Me sick...

Thurs, 1/17/13 - Me sick...



Total Miles This Week:  3  :((((

Total Miles in 2013:  17

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Friday Weigh-In

1st Goal = T - 10 lbs

12/28/12 = Weighed in for starting weight.  Felt like crawling back under the covers!
1/4/13 = -2.0 
1/11/13 = +0.2
1/18/13 = -2.0


Lost Toward 1st Goal: 3.8 lbs
Total Lost:  3.8 lbs

Crocheting a 6" square for every pound lost to make a "Life-ghan" with Cris.

Squares allowed:  3
Squared completed: 0

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Fitness Friday ~ Shin Splints ~ 1/11/13

I have been getting some major shin splints this week while on my walks.  Yesterday was almost unbearable!  I'm thinking I need a good pair of shoes and also some warm-up stretches before heading out.

So what is your favorite running/walking shoe?

Do you know of some good stretches for shin splints?

I planned on walking 5K for the Winter Runner(walker)land Virtual 5K today.  I even put today's date on the bib, but it looks like I'll have to wait until tomorrow.  It is raining today, which wouldn't matter but I also have a sick kid home from school.  Bummer...  Tomorrow the hubby will be home and it is supposed to be beeaauuutiful.  We're talking 60F and sunny.  In January.  In Pennsylvania.  Crazy!

I finally remembered to set my van's trip meter to zero before pulling out of my driveway the other day!  I drove the lap around my neighborhood and guess what?!?  1 mile exactly!  I just have to remember when I do a 5K to walk up to the corner and back in addition to 3 laps :)

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Daily Exercise Summary:

Fri, 1/4/13 - The sunshine was beautiful and the wind was might!  I only did 1 lap due to some, er, chafing in an, um, delicate area...  Dist. = 1 Mile

Sat, 1/5/13 -  Shopping trip and groceries.  I'm counting it!  Dist. = 1 mile

Sun, 1/6/13 -  Off.  Church and family time.

Mon, 1/7/13 -  My shins were tight for the first half of my walk today.  I tried working on my posture and it seemed to help.  Dist. = 2 miles

Tues, 1/8/13 - It was a balmy 36 degrees today.  I even had to take my gloves off!  Shins were tight again today.  Maybe I need some special stretches before I walk.  Dist. = 2 miles

Wed, 1/9/13 - Didn't want to, but I did!  I was so glad to cross it off my list for today.  Dist. = 2 miles

Thurs, 1/10/13 -   Major shin splints! 5K tomorrow.  Dist. = 1 mile



Total Miles This Week:  9

Total Miles in 2013:  14

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Friday Weigh-In

1st Goal = T - 10 lbs

12/28/12 = Weighed in for starting weight.  Felt like crawling back under the covers!
1/4/13 = -2.0 
1/11/13 = +0.2


Lost Toward 1st Goal: 1.8 lbs
Total Lost:  1.8 lbs

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Fitness Friday ~ Resolution and January 5K ~ 1/4/13

On New Year Day, I walked my first 5K  in 2013 as a participant in these events:

It was a cold, cold 30 Degrees.  Then I saw one person that had done their 5K in -11 degrees.  Yes, that is a negative!  So inspiring.

This picture taken just after I finished.  It is a bit dark.

Here's my breakdown:

1st - 20 minutes
2nd- 21 minutes
3rd- 20 minutes

Total Time:  1:01

I was hoping to get under 1 hour but I'm pretty happy just to have finished that third lap.

Mark me down for 1/13 5K's!  whoohoo!

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Daily Exercise Summary:

Fri, 12/28/12 - In between snow showers, I got out and walked.  I had to watch for icy patches on the road but it wasn't too bad.  Very cold but my new neck-warmer I made kept me toasty warm and I could pull it up over my mouth/nose when needed.   Dist. = 2 miles

Sat, 12/29/12 - Off.  House Cleaning and laundry.

Sun, 12/30/12 - Off.  Church and family time.

Mon, 12/31/12 - Cold, cold walk today.  I kept my neckwarmer up over my mouth and nose the entire time.  I almost stopped after 1 mile but kept going.  The 2nd mile felt better than the first so I'm glad I didn't cave :)  Dist. = 2 miles

Tues, 1/1/13 - Resolution/January 1 5K.  Cold and windy.  Brrrrr....  See above for more details.  Dist:  3.1 miles (AKA 5K)

Wed, 1/2/13 -  Sad, sad day.  No desire :(

Thurs, 1/3/13 - 22 degrees but the sun was shining brightly with nary a cloud in the sky!  Dist. = 2 miles


Total Miles This Week:  9 miles

Total Miles in 2013:  5 miles

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Friday Weigh-In

1st Goal = T - 10 lbs

12/28/12 = Weighed in for starting weight.  Felt like crawling back under the covers!
1/4/13 = -2 lbs


Total Lost:  2 lbs

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Fitness Friday ~ Cold Weather Gear? ~ 12/21/12

First, I'd like to take this opportunity to invite everyone to join in the "13 in 2013" challenge.  You can see more information under the "13 in 2013" above.  You'll also be able to see what events I have lined up for myself so far.  Just yesterday, I decided to participate in a "60 Miles in 60 Days" virtual event to support Kelly Gale in her endeavor to raise enough money to participate in the "60 Miles in 3 Days" event to support Breast Cancer Awareness.

Now on to my main topic.  I need some major advice on cold weather gear.

I was going to do my winter exercising at a gym but there are so many cons that I think I might nix that idea.  The cons are:

1.  It is a 30 min drive one-way.  That means I'd be wasting 1 hour of my day just driving.

2.  I would be paying a ton of money out in gas.

3.  Membership fee is $75 and then an additional $65/month.

4.  The gym is so busy first thing in the morning that I would have to wait until mid-morning and then my whole day is shot!

5.  Mid-morning is also the prime time for little old ladies and I hate feeling the urge to knock them off the machine I want to be on!  I'm so horrible!

So anyway....  I thought if I take all that money I'd be spending on gym expenses and put it toward some good cold weather gear, I'd save in the long run.  Time, money, aggravation...

Here's what I'm thinking I will need:

1.  Some kind of clothing that holds in the heat.

2.  Earwarmers (I'll be making my own over Christmas break.)

3.  Some good shoes.  (Not my normal Wal-Mart specials.)

4.  Music player.  In nice weather, I love just listening to the birds, the water etc, but in the cold I need something to make the time go faster and keep me moving.

I really don't know what kind or what else would benefit me, so I need major help from all the experienced cold weather walkers/runners.

One benefit I love about my little neighborhood, known locally as "Hollywood", is that the perimeter is just slightly over 1 mile.  I basically have a 1 mile track right outside my front door.  But, I'd love to have some kind of training schedule.  Are there any good resources out there that I should know about?

I'm trying to get my 2013 plan situated.  It starts off right away on January 1st with the "Resolution 5k" that I signed  up for.

Thanks in advance for any tips and advice you can pass along to me.

Gratituesday ~ My Body Is A Temple ~ 12/4/12

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

I was reminded once again this past week in my Bible study that my body is a temple.

~"Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"  1 Corinthians 3:16 NASB~

I can't say that I've treated my body like temple over the past decade.  I've struggled with my eating habits, keeping an exercise routine and just plain being selfish and lazy.

I've gone through "spurts of determination" to do better and will for a few weeks but without fail, I'll lost my motivation and return to my bad habits of doing nothing but the essentials to take care of my health and body.

I dream of one day feeling strong and athletic as I once did.  I dream of one day being able to say that I'm in a healthy weight range.  I dream, I dream, I dream.

I won't lie and say that I don't also want to look good and feel pretty and buy cute clothes again.  That just wouldn't be true.  I want to go shopping with anticipation and not dread.  But even more than that, I want to be able to RUN!  I want to be able to play basketball and softball with my daughters.  I want to be able to go on bike rides.

 I want to feel like me again.  I want to not be embarrassed to see people I went to school with and think about how different I look.  I want to stand next to my (skinny) husband and not feel huge and frumpy.

Most of all I want to feel HEALTHY!  I want to feel FREE!  Free of the extra weight and burden that it puts on me.

I joined a gym about a month ago and have been really enjoying my time there.  But, I fear that I will once again lose my motivation and determination.

So, I signed up for a "13 in 2013" challenge.  I committed to walk/run 13 - 5k's in the year 2013.  I've joined in the facebook group for this challenge and have been so inspired!  I've signed up for a few virtual 5k's and also have some real life 5k's planned for next year.

I am really looking forward to participating in these events and the supportive community that is being made.  I am so grateful for these new friends and their excitement that is contagious!

So, I'm going to be "in training" and working on my endurance, stamina and speed.  I have a long way to go but am very hopeful!

~"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?  For you have been bought with a price:  therefore glorify God in your body."  1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NASB~