Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen: August 2014

Friday, August 29, 2014

Race Day Prep


TOMORROW, TOMORROW, I'm gonna, try so hard, to noooottt hurt my-self! (you have to sing it to get it!)

Things not to do, run a race that you haven't trained for. OOPS! Well tomorrow is that day. I am going into a 4 miler race, COLD! I just haven't done it. I have helped out at the training and most of the summer I had Collin with me and when I was able to run other things happened that didn't allow me to do the full mileage. I have done max of 3 miles total in one run/walk this summer so to say that I am ill prepared for tomorrow, yeah!

But the great thing is, I am already in pretty decent shape. Yes, I might be bigger than all the other girls, and yes I did just have a baby, BUT training while pregnant was a major AWESOME thing I did, because my body remembers and craves to run. So I think I will be ok tomorrow. I knew I would be walking more than running in this race months ago and I was totally ok with it. Next year, I plan on blowing away my time from my first race (unless at that point I am pregnant again) But still I am not giving up. I love running and I still plan on doing it as often as I can! I have a plan coming up for Saturday long runs in September and I love running in Sept and Oct. The weather is so beautiful!

Couple of things to think about for today as it is the day before the race:

~Keep on hydrating! I talked about it yesterday but still cut out the other drinks and just do water. (not that I drink pop or other drinks all that much, well, except for milk. So no milk for me.)

~Disney has this huge Pasta in the Park event the night before their races, but that is just not the best thing to do before a race. Yes, it is widely known to carb load before a race, but it is only 4 miles. It is not a marathon. So if you do eat pasta tonight before the race don't over indulge. (Olive Garden's pasta dishes are enough pasta for 3 people. Know your portions.) You can probably go just a smidge over a cup of pasta but don't, don't, don't over do it! I personally am looking forward to my butternut squash soup tonight! YUM! (Thank you Whole Foods Market for awesome butternut squash soup)

~Lay all of your race clothing out tonight so you know where to find everything. It is an early call tomorrow and you will be excited. Don't want to risk leaving anything at home. So have your outfit, bib and a bag filled with what you will need for tomorrow.

~Also put out your kids clothing and hubs too, so that there is nothing to think about in the morning so you can try to sleep in as long as possible and not run around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to find everything tomorrow morning when you should be leaving!

~Plan on leaving early and arriving way before the cut off for the street to be closed. There will be traffic if you arrive too late. If they ask you to be there between 6-7 am be there by 6:30 so that they aren't in a huge rush to get everyone off the roads for the race to start.


~I already mentioned this but pack a bag of things you will need after the race. I pack an extra pair of socks and flip flops. Depending on how my feet feel post race I get to choose. The grass tomorrow will be damp so I will prob change my socks before I race so I don't have soggy feet when running (like last year) And the flip flops will be for after the race. Pack a towel and a change of shirt too if you want. (Me I'm brining a change of bra because nursing in a sports bra not made for nursing, almost impossible!) Sorry if TMI! For the 4 miler race, bring some chairs to sit in. So that you don't have to sit in the grass, unless you want to sit in the beautiful grass you can but we learned from last year, bring some chairs!

~Make sure you eat something tomorrow morning before you run and drink a glass of water before you leave the house. You need fuel for your body. You need water. A Banana is great. don't drink 24 ounces of Shakeology, unless you are used to doing that before a run of course, but just eat something small. Don't make your body work too hard by having to do 4 miles and digest a large breakfast. Snacks and fruit will be provided at the end of the race, and you can always bring your own snacks to munch on after the race too.

So there are my tips! Hope everyone has a safe race tomorrow. Rest today for tomorrow we will play! See you there!

Thursday, August 28, 2014

HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!

2 days and counting down to my first postpartum race on SATURDAY! Today begins the 2 day of binge drinking! WATER THAT IS you silly people! I am not going to be over drinking water I am going to make sure that I am drinking the required amount of water for my body.

General rule of thumb to drinking the required amount of water is divide your weight in half and make that number into ounces and that is the minimum amount required. Plus if you workout and drink 8oz while working out, add an extra 8 ounces to replace the 8oz you sweat out. And since I am nursing, I have to drink even more water in general so I am drinking at least 150-200 ounces a day. It's a lot but I love my water and my body is used to it!

The biggest thing to not do before a race is to drink gallons of water leading up to a race. Because it can deplete our electrolyte levels prior to running, plus I don't want to feel squashy when running. The best thing we can do is just make sure that we cut out the other types of drinks, i.e. pop, sugar drinks, alcohol, and such. And replace those drinks with just water. It will keep us more hydrated and we will feel better the morning of the run.

So for the next 2 days, drink plenty of water, but not too much and cut out the other drinks.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Can't Believe August Weather

I just can't get over how mild the weather has been in central VA this summer. (I am knocking on wood right now as I write this!) It has been such a mild summer that I am getting nervous as to what this winter will have for us. But still it has been amazing. The past 2 mornings have felt almost cold and perfect running conditions. The Saturday runs for the training program have all been amazingly tolerable, except for maybe 1. I just can't believe how amazing this "summer" has been.

I am looking forward to the fall, because it is my favorite season! I love running in the crisp morning air and see the fog hanging heavy on the grass in the mornings. I already told Matt that Saturday mornings are mine to go running so I am totally looking forward to that!

What season is your favorite to run in?

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

August Week 3 Recap

I just can't get over how fast time is flying. With Mason it seemed like everyday and every week crawled by and now it is zooming by, so much so that I can't even get this out by MONDAY! Sorry!

I am doing so well with my workouts and PiYo. Yes I still miss a couple of days but hey life happens but I haven't fallen off the wagon yet! I am trying to add in exercise activities with Mason too, because his 3 year old body needs it just as much as my body does. And it almost always ensures a nap for him later in the day. Bonus points for mommy there! I took my monthly transformation pictures this past week! YEA! I might not have lost weight on the scale but I am losing inches. This week my goal is to eat better and follow my nutrition plan more closely!

This past week I also started Mason with some schooling activities. Since he isn't potty trained yet he can't go to the pre-school we really want him to go to. No diaper policy. So this year I am taking his pre-pre-schooling in my own hands. I went to Barnes and Noble and found a great book to start with and so far he is doing really well. He has the attention span of a 3 year old (about 30 min) but so far so good. I just need to keep a consistent schedule.

Collin is also growing by leaps and bounds. Gone are the growth spurt days and back to sleeping through the night, thank goodness! I am so glad to have a baby that is sleeping 8+ hours straight through the night, then he feeds at 5am and passes back out for a few more hours. I don't know how I did it or what I did. It just happened. (don't hate)!

Workout Recap:
Sunday: rest
Monday: PiYo sculpt
Tuesday: PiYo Sweat
Wednesday: PiYo Core
Thursday: PiYo Drench
Friday: rest
Saturday: walked around a mall for about 4 hours. We had our last training run this morning but we all slept in and I had to feed Collin while everyone was racing then I cheered them on to the finish. This coming Saturday is our big 4 mile race!

Friday, August 22, 2014

PiYo Test Group...Last Call

Ok everyone! Today is the last day to sign up for the PiYo Private Test Group to be able to get it in the mail next week! I know some of you have been wondering about it and if it actually works and I can say that IT DOES! I have been doing PiYo for 40 days now and I have lost 8.25 inches. AND my diet has not been that stellar so the inches lost are from the workouts! My butt is lifted and my belly and hips have lost the most inches.

My diet hasn't been too bad, I have one bad day a week generally but we have been eating out more or having people over and I like to "cook, cook" when someone comes over . I think a huge part of me being able to still lose weight with a wonky diet is because of Shakeology! It is seriously amazing! I don't have cravings like I used to and I am not tempted to go out during lunch and get fast food. Which means that Mason is eating healthier too because he is not eating all my fries either! So the best way to get results is to pair PiYo and Shakeology! It seriously works and I can't wait to see the changes I will have in another month or 2 from now! I am worth it, so I make it happen. And so are you! If you want to get results pair Beachbody or whatever workout program you are doing with Shakeology. Even if you can't workout everyday or what not. I would still say drink Shakeology because it is a great, way better than slim fast or other meal replacements, out there!

So here are my results. They are subtle but they are there! 8.25 inches people! And to note my black shorts I am wearing appear longer because they aren't being stretched as much as they were in Day 1 so they are hanging on me a little bit!

So if you are interested, yes I am taking to you... Fill out this form and I will get back to you! And if you are thinking about being in a future test group fill this out too so we can keep in touch and you can be the first to know about future groups! Or if you have questions fill this out, SERIOUSLY just fill it out!

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Running Tips and Tricks: Aches & Pains


Running is hard work! It really is. And often we find that our legs are sore or our back hurts, or man look at that BLISTER! These are common aches and pains from actually putting forth an effort at something that is physically challenging. Here are a few tips and tricks to help with those pesky aches and pains we get.

Leg soreness: There are different parts of your legs that will be sore or the whole leg will be sore but for me my shins/calf and my IT band area. After a run if your shins or calfs have been sore it is best to use the R.I.C.E. formula to help out.

Rest: take a break. It is ok to take a nap if you have to but make sure you rest after a run. Your body worked for you so it is time to work for your body and allow it some downtime!

Ice: Make sure you ice your legs or anywhere that it hurting. A bag of peas or a lunch ice pack is great but it can help with the swelling and can make your legs feel better.

Compression: Compression socks are the new fad around town. If you look at runners around town you will see most of them sporting socks that go up to their knees. No these are not the new fad in tube socks, well they might be, but more than likely they are compression socks. There are some super fun socks out there too. They help increase circulation in your legs and reduce lactic acid build-up. RunningSkirts.com has some super cute compression running socks!
Elevate: Elevate your legs. Sometimes after running you might have some swelling. So while you are RESTING, ICING, prop your feet up on a pillow up on the couch. This is great! You are doing 3 things at once. My hubs know that when I get home that I will rest for about an hour before I really do anything, otherwise I crash and crash hard later in the day!

Massage: Some other ways to help your body out are massages! I love me a massage, I do! I go through my chiropractor's office and it is part of my physical therapy with chiropractic care and is covered by my insurance. Check with your insurance company for their own rules! But I was getting a massage a month while running and while pregnant. I try to get 1 massage a month. I also schedule a massage a few days after a race because I build up so much more lactic acid because I push myself harder during the race. So I have sore muscles and a lot needs to be worked on and it just feels so good!

Foam Roller: Invest in a foam roller trust me! They are amazing. They might hurt for the first little bit but they are awesome! I roll out my IT band to keep it loose and not too tight. I use a high density hard roller but there are soft rollers out, I just feel it so much more with the high density roller and man there are times I hate doing it but afterwards they are great. For foam roller exercises go here!
Prevention: The biggest thing that can help prevent aches and pains are a good pair of running shoes. A lot of people have aches and pains because they don't have the right running shoes. So find a local running store and get professional fitted for a pair of shoes. The store should look at your running style and how your foot falls and such to determine your shoe. And it might not always be the cutest shoes in the world. And that is ok. I would rather have the right foot ware over cute any day!

Hope this helps!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Happy 3 Months To Collin


Collin turned 3 months old yesterday! He is getting so big, doesn't help that my arms are always sore from PiYo! He really is developing into a social little bug. He loves to coo and talk and just be super cute. He really likes to lay on the charm with his cubby little smile too!

He is such a great little baby! He did regress a little in the sleep dept. this past month. With the 3 month growth spurt he was waking up at 2am to feed. That only lasted for about a week and we are now back up to sleeping straight from about 9:30/10pm until 4am. Then he eats for about 30 min and is back out until 8am. He loves his afternoon nap and will pitch a fit at about 12:30 to go to sleep and is out until about 3:15. Then I have to feed him to get his belly full before my 2 hour block of teaching so he is a happy quiet baby while I am busy.

Mason really started to show jealousy towards Collin this month. He doesn't like being told to wait to do something or for me to do something for him until I am done feeding Collin. He will come up and growl at me and get angry. But then will just sit down and do something else but he is letting me know he isn't happy. He accidentally kneed Collin in the face this month too as he was climbing around, playing around on the bed when I had Collin laying down. It was an accident and he started crying when he understood her really hurt Collin, since Collin was screaming like a banshee! His hurt cry is so sad and scary sounding. So we are really working hard to give Mason his undivided individual time but also trying to teach him patience. It is something that he needs to learn. He often asks for water while I am nursing and I know he can do it himself he just wants me to do it. But I stick to my guns and ask him to either wait or do it himself. (he ends up doing it himself he just wants attention.) Dividing my attention between the two is being more and more difficult. So we are all learning right now!


Tuesday, August 19, 2014

PiYo Week 4

This was a great week, a hard week but GREAT! I really am loving the PiYo workouts. I feel so strong but not too sore by the end of them or even the days after. Yes I am sore, but not as sore as I have been after other types of workouts. I really think that the flexibility training along with the strength training helps to keep the muscles stretched without getting tight.

I had 3 brand new to me workouts this week, Hardcore on the floor, Drench and Strength Intervals. Hardcore on the floor, it is the FREE BONUS WORKOUT DVD when you order PiYo through a coach like me. It was hard! Very hard. I think I prefer Core more because I pushed myself and had a hard time doing all the exercise. Drench lives up to its name. I will try to get a pix of me after drench, but this last week it was pretty bad and I had to go and shower pretty quick cause we had things to do. Strength Intervals made me feel like the biggest wuss in the world. I had to pull out of moves so quickly because it was just one right after another and my arms were still sore from the previous days. It was just one of those days I just didn't have it. But I still did it and pushed myself. Plus I think that I over did it in Hardcore on the Floor and my chest muscles have really been biting back at me! But here is the thing, I have room for improvement. And I will improve and I look forward to the day when I can finally do the routines and look back and see how far I have come!

Am I getting more flexible? Somedays I think yes, and somedays not sure. I know that I feel like I am and I feel like I am holding myself better in my core in general. I know that my back doesn't hurt as much and I sit up better when I am nursing Collin so I know that this is definitely helping me.

I will say this that I felt so strong this past Saturday when I did do some running. I felt so stable. My legs felt like they could carry me longer and better and I asked a lot out of them especially with the sprinting I did. My core was engaged and my chest was up and my breathing was on point! I am excited to see what I can really do at the race. Even though I haven't trained for the race as much as I would have liked to have I still know that I can do the race and finish it in a pretty decent time. I am aiming for about the same time I had last year. We shall see.

Would I recommend PiYo? Um, yeah! If you are looking for a low impact but serious strength training and stretching exercise then this is it for you. It really targets areas that I personally want to be stronger, ahem my butt and core oh legs and arms and shoulders. I really does it all. I think it is a gradual change though and I know it will lean out muscles. So if you are interested fill out the form below and LET ME KNOW! Even if you can't be in this PiYo test group I know that I will offer others. Let me your email so I can keep in contact with you!

But if you want to be in this group, let me know now! There are only a few spaces left!

Sunday, August 17, 2014

August Week 2 Workout Recap

This was the last week before school starts. Most moms are going to be celebrating this week as their kids go back to school. At least I would be when my kids finally start to go. I guess it is bittersweet but still us mommas need a break sometimes don't we! Anyhew I made sure to really kicked my butt into gear this week. Which I am happy to announce that I DID! 

I stuck to the workouts even though they kicked my butt and I couldn't do everything but I sure worked myself. I have needs improvement on my 2 newest workouts that were added this week: Drench and Strength intervals. I am so excited to gauge my strength changes over the next couple of weeks! 

Life as a mom is keeping me pretty busy. I still haven't added running back into the mix, except for on Saturdays and I am still trying to work out a schedule with my hubs on when I can go to his gym during the week. Or hopefully soon I will be able to go back to my gym and it will be easier to do running! 

Currently I am looking into 1/2 marathon training. I am planning on, I guess kinda sorta, looking at doing a 1/2 next spring and will start my 1/2 training in November. I am going to start training for my 10k here in a few weeks so I am excited about that. Race season, here I come! I do know that I will continue to incorporate leg strengthening exercises/weight training during my training because last time I did that (in 2010) I was able to run longer without my body tiring out. So I will be in full training mode so soon! 

Oh and another thing. I was without Shakeology until Wednesday. I could definitely feel a difference in my body, energy and craving levels when I am not drinking it. I was exhausted, and all I wanted to do was stuff my face of sweets and pastries. Workouts were hard and not and I had to really push to get through the workout. Started drinking shakeology on Wednesday and it really takes about 3 days to get it back in your system and to get that energy kick. IT REALLY IS GREAT STUFF! Note to myself, don't run out again! 

Workout Recap: 
Sunday: Rest
Monday: PiYo Sweat
Tuesday: PiYo Hardcore on the floor
Wednesday: PiYo BUNS
Thursday: PiYo Drench
Friday: PiYo Strength Intervals (only able to do about 1/2 so sore and tired from Drench and Buns)

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Life of a Busy Mommy!

This past week was CRAZY in the Allen household! It was my first full week back at teaching, last week it was only a partial teaching week. And to top it off Matt was gone for 4 DAYS! I was by myself with the 2 boys for 4 DAYS! Needless to say it got a little stressful and crazy! Both boys were missing Daddy like crazy and Mace was tired of dealing with just me. I didn't pull any hair out, the house survived and we are all in one piece but man I am so thankful that I have my hubs here to help me with the boys regularly because I need that break in the afternoon to just decompress!

It was so cute when Matt got home. Mason just wanted to hold him and hug him and didn't want to go to bed but we promised lots of playing the next day (which he did) just with daddy! Collin was cooing up a storm just to Matt when he saw him. (Matt got home around 9 pm by the way!) Collin was talking to Matt, like trying to have a conversation with him, telling him everything that he missed while he was gone,  and it was so cute!

So back to normal life now, yay! Coming up this week we have my weekly PiYo recap, Collin 3 month post (I know, already), and Running Tips and Tricks! See ya tomorrow!

Also there is still some room left in the PiYo test group! If you are interested let me know!!! Make sure you JOIN my team here!

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

PiYo Week 3 RE-DO

Now that I have officially redone week 3 I can talk about it! OH MY OH MY How much do I love BUNS! It was awesome! I was sore from the bowlers move for 4 days. 4 DAYS PEOPLE! I haven't been that sore from working out in forever and that is going back to my first week with my personal trainer where he literally kicked my butt and pushed me to my max to see where we start from! But yeah, I felt it like crazy in my thighs for 4 days. Then core the next day, oh boy! IT WORKED ME HARD AND GOOD!

The only workout last week I didn't do is the strength interval on Saturday. My legs were toast after still be sore from BUNS and also from my run with the training program that morning and trying to keep up with MJ! Now she is an inspiring woman who makes me want to push harder every single day! 80+ lbs down and still rocking it in the weight loss dept! LOVE HER and so glad I met her!

Anyhew I am also noticing that I am more flexible. During some after workout stretching I was able to reach further and my legs spread more apart without killing my hamstrings. I totally need my hamstrings looser! I love it when Chalene tells us to lift our tail bone or pop a hip out here or there. I feel the stretching so much more deeply.

Also this was my first week that I kept plank up during the whole routine. I only dropped onto my knees when going to Chaturanga because I am still working on getting my tricep pushup. OUCH! 

I am going into the final week of the first half of PiYo this week and super excited. I got to start it off with SWEAT last night, had to wait for the kiddos to be in bed. But after this week, it gets more difficult I assume because Define upper and lower is gone and it goes into DRENCH and SWEAT a ton! 

---Beginning August 25 I will be hosting a Exclusive PiYo test group on Facebook! Let me know if you are interested in joining my team and group!!! Leave a comment, msg me, email me or click here and click JOIN TEAM! 

Monday, August 11, 2014

RIP Robin Williams

Such sad news on the passing of a great comedian! Robin Williams. He was in so many movies that I really enjoyed watching over and over again! Robin Williams, may you find peach and happiness since you brought so much happiness to so many. You will be missed.
~Mrs. Doubtfire~
~ Aladin as The Genie~
 ~Hook~
 ~Jumanji~
 ~Night at the Museum~

PiYo Test Group


Ok, you have all seen me post about PiYo over the last few weeks! What do you think? Would you want to try it out too??? Guess what!?! You can! I'm going to be hosting an exclusive (meaning like 5 people only) PiYo test group in 2 weeks through Facebook!!!

~What is PiYo? It is a fusion between Pilates and Yoga while being a cardio work out. You are always moving so you are burning calories all the time!

~What benefit will I get from PiYo? A sweating cardio workout, every time! flexibility, flexibility and more flexibility!

~Can it really help me? Sure can. Are you a runner like me? Well it will help to loosen up your almost always tight hamstrings. It will strengthen your core  and it will give you the strength workout using your own body weight that we need to make us stronger.

~I have bad knees or wrists can I still do this? YES! Every move has a modification to it. You wrists will get stronger every week, I had weak wrists before and they are doing great!

~Can I actually lose weight? YES YOU CAN! Because it is a cardio workout you are burning a ton of calories. AND When you pair it with Shakeology you will lose even more, plus combat those cravings and get all the vitamins you need in a day!

~I don't have time to work out. YES YOU DO! Most of the workouts are 25 min or less! You don't need hours worth of exercise because of the power moves you are doing and you are constantly moving (you can drop to a rest position at any time to recover thought) so you are burning a ton of calories!

SERIOUSLY PEOPLE! PiYO is AMAZING! I love it. It is a ton of fun and as a nursing mother I have had no back pain since about a week into the program because my core is tightening up. I have been more flexible and my hamstrings are not as tight as they were. My muscles have been sore though because I am working them but seriously this is a great workout. I am on my 4th week this week and will have pictures posted next week, but I am losing more and more inches every week! I feel better in my clothing! Please think about this, let me know if you have any questions because this program is truly awesome! Click here for more info on PiYo and send me an email with more questions or to reserve your spot! connectthedotsginger@gmail.com

Sunday, August 10, 2014

August Week 1 Weekly Recap

Another week down and it was even my first week back to teaching! So it was a busy, big week for me. I teach private music lesson out of my home and during my lessons on Tuesday, Collin slept the whole time in his swing and part of the time in the swing during my Friday lessons. He did pretty well, but I only had 3 lessons this past week and this coming week is a full schedule, and Matt is out of town, OY! so we will see how it goes with having a babysitter and all.

This weeks workout went really well. I did a re-do of my weekly workout for PiYo since I missed so many the previous week and I did very well this week! My legs were sore from the Buns workout for 4 days! CRAZY! Just finding the time is the hard part. My goal this past week was to wake up early to exercise and I couldn't. Collin starting waking up in the middle of the night to feed and I have been an exhausted zombie mommy all week so waking up at 5 am when Mace and Collin were sleeping in till 7:30 didn't work. Thankfully they both go down for Mommy quiet time at the same time so early afternoons are working.

Workout Recap: 
Sunday: Rest
Monday: PiYo: Lower
Tuesday PiYo BUNS
Wednesday: PiYo Core
Thursday: PiYo Upper
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 3ish mile run (ran with the training program today sans Collin so I really got to get out there! Wasn't consistent running as I was stopping to help cheer ladies on their runs but I joined some ladies and ran with them, double backed and joined other ladies and so forth. It was pretty cool and I was was pretty worn out. Ran back in with M and she KILLED ME! I was running at a faster pace than I am used to which is good and we were working on hills!

Friday, August 8, 2014

Friday's 5: What NOT To Do For A Race!


Hey, hey everyone! Today is my first time doing a Friday 5. So here are 5 things on what NOT to do for a race! SERIOUSLY Learn from me. Now this post is for everyone. If you have never run in a race, READ IT and if you have run in a race before, go ahead and laugh at what I learned because chances are you have experienced these before! Just saying'!

1. DO NOT forget to apply BODY GLIDE to anywhere that rubs. That means under clothing seams at the waist, under the sports bra, between your thighs and your feet. Rubbing causes friction. Which will cause blisters or chaffing. It is not fun trying to finish a race with a massive blister on the verge of bursting, or has already burst or major chafing going on. IT HURTS!

2. DO NOT shave your inner thighs or higher, you know what I am talking about, the night before a race or the morning of the race! I REPEAT! DO NOT SHAVE! Just don't even shave. Make it a plan that you will shave  a couple of days before. Here is why. FRICTION plus razor burn! Worse than just chaffing. The morning of my 1/2 marathon I made this mistake. I shaved my upper thighs, not that they needed it but I thought it would be more "slippery" when I applied my body glide and be better. IT WAS WORSE And it hurt and I dealt with the chaffing for days afterwards.

3. DO NOT forget to use the bathroom just before you enter your corral for the start line. If you have a long wait ahead of you, ahem Disney races, then wait as long as you can to go before you have to go in the corral. Other wise you will be like a lady in the Disney Race that has to go within the first 80 ft and uses her friends as a shield so she can go in the bushes off the side of the road. Or like my friend K who had to use the bathroom by the 1st mile. Stay hydrated but make sure you empty your bladder as close the the beginning of the race as possible.

4. DO NOT attempt to run in a race in something you have never run in before. You do all this training before a race and you learn what clothing works and how your shoes fit and you are comfortable. Don't mess with that mojo on race day and run in a tutu for the first time without ever trying it out before or a costume you have never worn around the house, or in BRAND NEW SHOES. You already know what works so stick with it, don't change the gameplay at the last minute because you could end up with chaffing, or blisters or a broken ankle. Stick with what you know works!

5. DO NOT forget to have fun. Soak in all the sights, sounds, and excitement that the beginning of a race and the feeling of running a race can give you. It is ok to get teary eyed when you cross the finish line of your first race, first 1/2 marathon or even if it is your 20th race. YOU ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING that many people think is the impossible! It isn't and you showed that if you could do it, they can! We need to work together to end this obesity epidemic. It is out of control in our country. YOU KNOW IT IS and that is why you took this first step to sign up for a race, train for it and FINISH IT! You are amazing and so awesome! ENJOY YOUR RACE!

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Avengers Assemble! RunDisney 1/2 Marathon

RunDisney released the medal images of the Disneyland Avengers 1/2 marathon! Spinner ALERT! Disney is sure having fun with the spinners lately! They are cool! What do you think? Are you going to be part of the Avengers this year in the inaugural race?

Collin's Baby Pictures

We just received the proofs for Collin's baby pictures. He was 10 days old when these were taken. He is not this small anymore and I miss it but I sure do love the little guy he is becoming! He loves to smile and giggle and coo like crazy. Also loves to stand. He fusses unless he is standing. But enjoy these cute pix of some of my favs!










Wednesday, August 6, 2014

PiYo Week 3

This week got away from me. Life got in the way. And that is okay! Life happens. Crappy things in life happen and we all have to deal with it. But the thing is not to give up. It is to keep going. So for me, I am going to re-do Week 3 in PiYo because I missed 2 brand new workouts. I did my normal ones, the Define upper and Lower that I have done every week but I didn't get a chance to do Buns, Core or Strength Intervals. So WEEK 3 Re-Do will be up next week.

The big thing though, I AM NOT GIVING UP! I AM STILL DOING THIS! So If you are interested in reading about the week 3 workout for PiYo, come back next week!

Interested in trying out PiYo? Click here!

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Running Tips and Tricks: Music


I love music! I wouldn't teach it if I didn't love it. There is always a constant hum of sound around us and sound is classified as music. There is even a piece of music where a pianist just sits on the bench and allows the sound all around him to be the music. The people coughing out of discomfort waiting for him to pay, the hum of the air conditioning the outside noise that seeps in. Even our body has it's own beat and pattern with our heartbeat. Anyhew, music history lesson over. 

With that being said about music all around us. Music when working out and exercising can be a driving force to challenge us and push us to that next level. If there is a slower song playing than our run will gradually meet the beat that is playing and slow down, and just is the same as the opposite. Fast singer = faster pace. My friend recently wrote that she went to a spin class and was disappointed in the instructor because there was a great song on but didn't use the song to the best of its ability in keeping the beat or pushing the group to go harder and faster at the peak of the song. I am sure you know what I mean. Have been there. When a great song comes on and you just push yourself a little harder because that song pumps you up!

On your iPod or MP3 player, do you have your own workout playlist? I do. I already mentioned my 5 top running songs here. Jog.fm has actual pace per mile songs that you can pace your run to. HOW COOL IS THAT! Just put in the pace you want to run (12 min mile in my case) and BAM there were enough songs listed for 9 hours and 33 minutes! You can even listen to the song and it tells you where you can get it, i.e. iTunes or Amazon. Pretty neat.

Jog.fm says, "Studies have shown that listening to music during exercise works wonders on the mind and body. Not only can it improve results by acting as a motivational tool AND as a distraction from fatigue, but it can help improve lung function and it might even make you smarter." 

Time to organize my playlist on my iPod to 13 min mile and 12 min mile pace songs. New project, YEA! 

Monday, August 4, 2014

July Week 5 Workout Recap

This past week really took a tole on me and my workouts! I am actually thinking about "redoing" this week workout wise. Setting myself backwards one week because it just didn't happen. ARGH! The thing is though, it didn't happen because of life. My life got in the way. Which is ok. We all deal with unexpected changes in our life and we just keep moving. The good thing though is that I was still active. I spent Tuesday evening filling hundred of nail holes in the house we are trying to sell and Wednesday (10 hours) painting said house. Friday I was so sore I took a break because I pushed through the soreness of my legs on Thursday and did Define lower. Friday I hit a wall and my whole body was toast. And I was supposed to do a double workout to make up for the Tuesday and Wednesday I missed. And yesterday I just didn't get a moments rest to do my workout. So like I said, life got in the way and we are in a new week which means a week to improve. So here is for a REDO week and kill it!

Workout Recap- 
Sunday: Rest
Monday: PiYo Define: Upper
Tuesday: rest from working out but spent 4 hours filling nail holes
Wednesday: rest from working out but spent 10 hours paining
Thursday: PiYo Define: Lower (felt good after bug ouch later)
Friday: rest
Saturday: rest

Goal for the week: To work out early in the morning to get it done before life catches up with me!

Friday, August 1, 2014

Happy 2 Months to Collin

Sorry this is so late, 2 weeks to be exact! But here is my little guy at 2 months old! CRAZY that it is already over 2 months. Time really does go by so quickly and because he is such a great baby I wish that time would just slow down! 
 So Collin is an amazingly great baby! He is so easy. He doesn't really cry, but when he does it is either a little whimper or it is his "SUPER PISSED OFF" cry! He loves to smile now and is starting to belly laugh.
 He gives his Momma and Daddy 8+ hours a night straight. He starts crying for food at 8pm and is out cold by 9 and won't make a sound until about 5 or 6. He loves to watch his big brother whenever he is around. And loves to make coos and all super cute sounds. Even his farts are cute at this point!
 He really does look so much like Mason it is scary sometimes but he is definitely a different demeanor. Such a laid back baby! I sure do love this kid so much. I am so thankful that I am his mommy! Such a miracle and such a blessing!
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