Happy Little Trees 5K

Back in April I ran my first virtual race! I've never been big into doing virtual runs because I like the whole race experience but when I saw this medal and shirt I HAD TO HAVE IT!!!

Some background information: I am an art teacher and am obsessed with Bob Ross. So I am always looking for Bob Ross things I can wear at work. I have pins on my lanyard, a Funko Pop on my bookshelf, a bobble head on my desk and a student gave me an ornament for Christmas. The kids get a kick out of it.

Best medal ever!

The race was called the Run for the Trees- Happy Little 5K. It was put on by Michigan State Parks and the proceeds went back to the parks to plant trees. It took place over the week of Earth Day.

I actually had a good time doing my first virtual race even though I was all alone on the roads. It felt a little different from just going for a run though because I was in the mindset that it was a race. I finished in 38 minutes, not my fastest but that's OK because I was enjoying myself and having a good time.

I hope you are staying healthy and safe! Run on friends!

Day 2 and protein shakes

Day 2 of being home has gone better than day 1 did. Day one was my birthday and I think that is part of the reason I was depressed. Not being able to go out, no birthday dinner, no cake, one to remember for sure. 

I have been doing the Strong Body Guide program since last October. I did REALLY well for the first few weeks and was really dedicated. Then the holidays came along and I completely stopped. There was too much going on and I had no time or energy to work out. I finally started up again a few weeks ago and although I have not been as dedicated with the meal plan, I have been getting all the workouts done. I am currently on week 9 and the last 2 days have been ROUGH. By the end of my workout I had done 160 squats!!! My hamstrings were killing me last night and today. 

We found out from our school system that we will now be out for a month. While the last 2 days have been trying (hello, small children) I have been working out hard. And when I finish weeks 9 through 12, I am going to start over. I am excited to see my progress at the end!

I have also been trying to change some things in my diet. This is one of them. I drink a protein shake every day. I use almond milk, ice, chocolate protein powder, a banana and peanut butter. I also picked up some greens and have been adding them as well. I tried them in a strawberry shake and I could taste them, but with the chocolate, peanut butter and banana, I couldn't. 

My other favorite shake to make is almond milk, ice, chocolate protein powder, strawberries and a banana. 

Post workout Mama.

Amazing Grass that tastes like grass!! Ha! It's not too bad mixed in with something.

So I hope everyone is staying healthy and making smart choices during this scary and uncertain time in our world! Yes it is hard being stuck at home, but it could be a lot worse. I talk to my friends through text, Marco Polo and Snapchat. I see what others are doing through Facebook and Instagram posts. I get to watch the Today show in the morning and I am already getting some books read that have been sitting around for months. We got a new oversized chair in our Florida room and that's where I have been camping out and reading. It's so nice!! Oh and napping. Man have I missed napping. 

Check back again for more! Ta ta for now!

Coronavirus Craziness

We are on lockdown y'all. This is bananas. 

Last week we were totally unprepared for everything that is happening. Thursday we were told that something was going to happen and the students would be out on Monday. At 4PM that afternoon we got the call that school would be closed for 2 full weeks. Nothing like that has ever happened before. Friday we spent the day helping students check out books from the school library while teachers prepared for what was to come. Friday a few of us went out for drinks to de-stress a little. Saturday was when it really hit me. We stocked up on groceries and everything else we thought we might need since we know we won't really be going anywhere anytime soon. 

Thankfully we live in a neighborhood with one acre lots and our boys have plenty of space to roam. We will be able to get out and run, walk and ride bikes so that is good. But we won't be doing much else. Keeping the boys occupied is going to be tough. 

I plan on working out a LOT. I've made a few changes to my diet and had already upped the amount I was running and had already started to see a difference. I wonder what I will look like at the end of this social distancing. Maybe some before and after pictures are to come. I'll probably be blogging more now that I have lots of time on my hands. 

Stay safe everyone. Take care of each other. 

Sunday Runday

Sundays are supposed to be my training day. That has happened once...hahaha.
Life always gets in the way of training. I ran 3 miles a few weeks ago and it was roooooough...I am so out of shape for running.

I'm a turtle!!!

I ran 2.5 miles today and I was stiff at the beginning but then it got a lot easier. I finished that in 30 minutes so at least I was faster than the other week. This weekend I need to run about 4 to 5 miles. Keeping my fingers crossed for decent weather so I don't put it off again...I CAN'T put it off again!

I am in desperate need of accountability y'all.

Trying to bring back the blog...

It's been 2 years since I last wrote. Two years too long, I know. I intend to get back at this, I promise.

I'm not only making that promise to you, but to myself as well. I fell off the wagon hard 2 years ago.

When I last posted, I was near the end of my second pregnancy and was so miserable in my own body. Not long after, in the early morning hours of March 23rd, our little butterball entered the world at 9 pounds. No wonder I had been so uncomfortable! He was all cheeks and still has those cheeks and is the sweetest little boy I could ever hope for. Our little Deuce, now named Sutton, is a total mama's boy. He also had major acid reflux, ear infections, was sick all the time and had to get tubes in his ears at age 1. The first year was insane and I barely slept, drank a lot of coffee, and never ran because I was too tired. So, so tired. I've never known tired like that.

My chunky little guy at just a day old :-)

I miss him being this small

4 months old and adorable!

Brothers having fun in the snow. I miss the moose snowsuit!

This past Christmas. They are so great together.

On top of having a new baby, we found a house on an acre of land that is in the county we live in so we decided to move. Probably not the smartest idea we've ever had, but we did it and somehow made it work. It needed a lot of remodeling so we lived with my parents for 2 months while we gutted the kitchen, took down a wall, ripped up flooring and so much more. We moved in 3 days before Christmas and still had no usable kitchen but we made it work with paper plates and the bathroom sink. I'm not gonna lie, it was like camping and it totally sucked. More on that in another post.

Right now I want to talk about running, and mental health.

When I started my running journey, I was 24 years old and going through a nasty divorce after an abusive marriage. Running was my saving grace and kept me sane. I didn't know it at the time but it was helping me in so many ways. I was never much into exercise, fitness or sports until I began running. Fast forward through a few years of therapy, running, meeting and marrying the love my life and having 2 babies and I realized that I've had anxiety my whole life. Which developed into post partum depression after my second son was born. The world came crashing down around me and I didn't know how to hold it together anymore. My OB put me on anxiety medication and my world is totally different now and it's better than it has ever been. The downside to it is that for unknown reasons, you carry around extra weight. For me, it's about 10-12 pounds. This has really started to chip away at me and makes running really hard. But that's all going to change.

As my baby approaches 3 years old, I am feeling more and more like myself. I'm not in a zombie-like fog anymore, somehow making it through the day. I've started doing more for myself and getting back to who I used to be. I found an exercise and meal plan that actually works for me (when I stick to it). I was doing really well up until the holidays and then I fell off that bandwagon pretty hard and gained everything back. I'm about 5 weeks in again now and still struggling on most days but making it more of priority. This weekend I am meal prepping getting everything ready for next week so there won't be any Chick-fil-a runs. Sorry CFA, you know we love you! I also signed up to run the Monument Avenue 10K this March. I ran my first mile last weekend and it hurt sooooo baaaaddd..... I am definitely starting over from square 1. 

So stayed tuned and see where this journey takes me!