E L T O N J O H N

10 hours until showtime.

workout done.
day off work with recovering sick kid.

So far? good day.
Oh, by the way. . .

Can you do a 5K? http://bit.ly/cDBLAC I bet you CAN!

Breaking through walls.

So Sunday was a tough day- but I worked it out and got that good workout in. That's what mattered.

The best part about it was that in reflection, I was actually energized to stay on track by recongizing that I CAN beat myself mentally and push to reach my goals. It turns out- I'm going to have to do a treadmill workout tomorrow too- so I'll be testing myself again; but this time I'm going to do it- a shorter run on the treadmill, I think I can handle this.

Today, my oldest daughter was sick- so I had to take a half day to come home and play Dr. Mom. But I went to the gym before I came home- so that way it was done and out of the way. She is still feverish, so looks like I'll be home tomorrow too- unless she just wakes up so much better (no real symptoms of anything- just a fever). But tomorrow night- ELTON JOHN CONCERT!!

I am so excited about this concert- you just don't know! :)

Hitting a wall.

This happens every now and then, but I hit a wall today. And my body is rebelling and being stubborn. I don't want to exercise. It feels like a forever thing- like I'm done. I know that's not true- but today it feels that way. I got on the treadmill (bc it was raining here) and set in my head to do 4 miles. I was feeling sluggish- but thought that once I got going that I'd kick it into gear and feel good. No dice.

Once I hit the mile mark and just wasn't feeling it- I got off the treadmill.

As far as my training schedule for my race, I should have done 4 miles today. but I know I can do 4 miles, it isn't about that- I just needed a break. So- instead, in a bit, I will go do a workout video. I just need to switch it up a little. Still get a sweat in, still burn the calories and feel good- but just don't want to run today.

Coming off a large weight loss last week- I thought I'd be pumped and it would be easy to continue- but it just didn't happen that way. So today I'm regrouping- cutting myself some slack (but still going to put in a good workout) and get back to the training schedule tomorrow.

**Update: I did get in a 50 minute workout video, a great sweat and I feel so much better.

Did I read that right?

Here's a cool number - 6.2. Why is it cool? because I lost 6.2 lbs THIS WEEK!

I was not trying to hit such a huge number- and I also realize that it is unreasonable to believe I can maintain that type of loss each week- but I worked my (literal) butt off this week and was very strict about how I ate and it paid off!

We are having a biggest loser contest at work- and last week, I was up .2 - so to be down that plus an additional 6 lbs- I was ecstatic!

I woke up not sure I really wanted to do my short run today- but that just powered me for the next couple runs at least- the results are what drive you to move forward.

This isn't just about weight loss (though today, it totally is!)- but overall health improvements and awareness. I deserve to be healthy and I'm making sure it happens now.

**Update: I was actually THE biggest loser for the week, btw.

Jitters.

I'm signed up for the 500 Festival 5K that runs right before the Mini Marathon in Indianapolis on May 8. I'm looking forward to running it- and also nervous.
- it starts at 7am. STARTS at 7am. That means for parking, stretching, etc- I will have to be there very early. The bonus is that I'll be done in time to watch the winners of the Mini cross the finish line.
- I get a sparkly 5K medal for finishing.
- Races make me nervous- but then again- I still get jitters before any run. I am a runner, I claim it- I own it- but my confidence in my ability still gets stuck sometimes.

My biggest fear at the moment is the fact that headphones are not allowed on the course. If you see my post about the Race for the Cure,  I use music to pace myself. This is going to be a real challenge to mentally keep myself on pace and not get going too fast and putter out. However, on the plus side- It will be easier to find my pace group this time- so I'll be around others of my same ability. The race is 2 weeks from Saturday. One more week of solid training and then I'll take easy runs for the week of....

If anyone wants to offer some advice, I'd be happy to take it!

Recognizing a habit.

People often discuss habits - most of the time, it is about bad habits. We may mention wanting to FORM good habits- but you don't hear much talk about the success (in terms of a habit, that is).

This morning- as I was getting my [healthy] lunch together for work, I saw something I had posted on my refrigerator in January when I started back to running. It was a list of 'excuses' of why TO exercise, even when you don't want to. One of them is "Like Dr. Phil says, 'Fake it 'til you make it'".

Early on, I found my training schedule to be so bothersome- my body was rebelling, it hurt, I was sore- it was hard. There were days that I had to D R A G myself to my runs either on the treadmill, or later, outside. But I kept that list up- and the Dr. Phil line always jumped out at me.

This morning? I realized I had not looked at that list in several weeks. I now look forward to my runs every day- and if there is a chance I won't get it in, I get upset- upset enough to MAKE the time to get it in, one way or another. I did, indeed, fake it until I made it. I MADE IT!!! I may not be fast, I may not be a long-distance runner (I think 4-5 miles is my limit for now)- but I am a runner without having to force myself to believe it.

I have made a healthy habit stick- and more, I love the feeling of tired muscles from a great workout. As I left the gym from my strength training routine yesterday, my arms were sore- but a good sore. It was awesome.

Have you made a healthy habit stick- and have you given yourself the credit for making it happen?

There once was a race called Ragnar

I had a baby this past November. Sometime in about the middle of the pregnancy- I had the crazy notion that I would be able to join 11 of my friends- 7 months after having that baby - to run a 188 mile overnight relay race in Utah. But ready or not- I am going!

The race is just 2 months away- June 18. We run from Logan, UT to Park City, UT - each person running 3 legs of varying lengths. In total, I will run 12 miles - all 3 of my legs are right at about 4 miles each. I have the shortest distances of all, and 2 of them are mostly sloped downhill. I hope this counteracts the elevation challenge we'll all be facing from being used to running in INDIANA. I am so excited for this though. I mean- the self-conscious part of me is fearful that I'll be shunned by the real runners out there- the ones who run farther and faster than I do (which is most)- but I actually think I'll be accepted and encouraged. I am certain that I'll be so physcially exhausted by the end that it will hurt- but I'm ready. I still think I was crazy and posessed by a red-headed baby that made me agree to do this.

The good part about this relay? At each exchange we start running as the last runner finishes his/her leg- so there is no corral to accidentally start out too fast to. I get to pace myself, which means I'll be able to maintain my paces better. We should get some amazing pictures and have a really cool story to tell. If it wasn't so expensive to do this race, I could see probably wanting to do at least a couple a year....ah, but that's the pre-race me talking. . .

Race Results and lessons learned- and Spirit felt

This picture was taken at 7:15am on April 17, 2010 well before the 5k Race for the Cure that started at 9:00am this same day.

The amazing pink parade started at 7:30 and I was openly balling by 7:31. 50+ yr survivors. Just the number baffled my mind- amazing to think the kinds of treatments and dark outlook they would have had when diagnosed that long ago. I was so overwhelmed by it that I actually had to walk away from watching it to compose myself. At first I felt guilty for that- but then I started thinking about the family I've lost (not to breast cancer, but many other kinds) and the names of the people I was honoring on my shirt for those who had donated to my race today. It gave me strength and helped lift me back up.

I was a bit of a loner all day- I knew several people running the race as well- but never did get to meet up with any of them, and I did look for awhile. But after the race was over, and about an hour had gone by, I got cold- so I went home.

The race itself. *sigh* My body likes to pretend it is back in high school and still fit enough to jump start a race the way I did today. Alas, it is not. As I was waiting in the timed run corral- I was preparing mentally and getting my iPod ready. Well, the iPod was ready- but my headphones (which already had one side on the fritz) decided to completely malfunction RIGHT.BEFORE.THE.RACE. So- plan B, no music- will run to nothing. (**Note: the problem here is that I use my music to help keep my pace) In my brain, I kept telling myself to hold off and start slow and not get too hasty- but my legs did not listen...and off I went trying to keep up with the 10 minute milers. About 3/4 a mile in, the legs rebelled, lactic acid pooled (or so I can only imagine) and I got a cramp - yes, that soon. So there I was- walking. But I was walking FAST to try maintain my overall pace that I do while training. Mentally, it was hard to not beat myself  up for starting off too fast and having to walk most of the way- but I did get bursts where I felt better- and I did run during those bursts. It wasn't a total loss of effort- I gave it my all. My fitness has a long way to go. I used this race as a measure of where I am. I know my training pace is getting much better- but my race pace has a long way to go. However, I'm happy to report that out of the "official" timed runners (41,000+ in the race, but 1172 had timing chips, myself included)- I had 100 people finish after me. I had 20 in my age range finish after me. My race mantra? "Don't be last" - so- I achieved that. While my recent training pace has been an average of 13:15-13:00 minutes/mile- today- my pace was 13:56. Eh.

I know that the race was about SO much more than a pace, and a finish- and it absolutely was- but the internal competition and determination to get healthy and fit again is always at the front of my mind. Negative self talk always appears and I have to fight against that all the time...I will get there- it is just a long, slow (but worth every second) journey.

This is the finish line. The sun had warmed us up to a chilly 50 (ish) but it felt great. And to all those who have battled and survived or lost- today was for you. For your memory, for your children/family, for all those who have to battle after you. TODAY we are one, fighting for a cause and taking cancer head on!

My next race is the 5K at the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. I have already purchased new headphones to help with my music situation and will leave the rest out on the course - and I'll start conservatively in order to run as much as possible. The Ragnar Relay in Utah is in June...more about that soon!

Race for the Cure

It's 44 degrees as 6:00am. I've been up for 30 minutes and getting ready to get dressed and get out the door at 6:30. Full race recap later today. Over 41,000 ppl registered for this race. Yahoo!!

The Lola Legacy

Alrighty. I figure that since this is near the beginning of my blog- I should do an "About Me" kind of post- sparked a bit by Eternal Lizdom's Party Post

Probably most of the people who may read this will already know me personally- but maybe not- so here's to you!

In no particular order. . .
- I am a 30-something woman with 2 young children who lives in Indianapolis.
- Married to a really wonderful man who I'll call "Kid Electro" for his privacy's sake here on the blog. I kissed a lot of toads to meet this Prince, and I KNOW how lucky I am to have him. I may not show it every day- but he is my R-O-C-K.
-I'm a sister, a daughter, a friend, a cousin, a granddaughter, a mother, a wife and an employee. I'm also a runner, a cook, a hockey and football lover and many other things.
-I have struggled with my weight since the end of high school- I was always at a comfortable/manageable weight until my Freshman year of college where I put on at least 2 people's worth of the freshman 15- and it just came on from there.
-Since then- I've yo-yo'd up and down; one time getting back to my pre-college weight, which is when I met my husband and then promptly put back on 40 lbs of "I'm happy" weight. 7 years and 2 kids later- here I am. I have a lot of weight to lose overall to get to my goal, but I'm not looking at the big number right now. I'm focusing on continuing my fitness efforts and reeling in my eating habits.
-I've actually been athletic for the better part of my life- sometime between entering college and gaining the weight (give or take a few periods of time) I became lazy and enjoyed a little too much partying. But in middle and into high school- I was a competitive swimmer, played softball, tennis and liked being in shape. I'll never be really thin- it is just not my build; I'm ok with that- I just want to be healthy and fit.
-I am a very determined person. When I set my mind to something- very little can get in the way. I may have setbacks- but I will come back to it- with passion and focus.
-I love deeply, I'm fiercely protective of my close family and friends
-I'm very liberal- so liberal in fact that I even have conservative friends; because, let's face it- it takes all kinds to make the world go round- and I can't preach respect without giving it.
-I'm very outgoing. So outgoing that I sometimes put my foot in my mouth or seem nosey. So - if I do this to you- apologies now, it is not intentional- I just genuinely care about whatever I'm asking- I'm curious by nature.
- I can't pinpoint my biggest flaw- because I have many. I'm coming to grips with them as I age- I tend to be a bit of a control freak. . .*whistle* who knew?
- I need a hobby. Running is one...it is new to me. I'll probably write a lot about it (will talk exclusively about that in my next post). But I need something else- a series of books, or an inexpensive hobby that doesn't take tons of time or investment. I have a short attention span caused by my inability to carry on a linear conversation now that I have children.

Ok- one final thing about me- the name....Lola. It isn't my real name...my real name is Emily. Lola was born- oh, around 1997-98, I think (girls, correct me if I'm wrong here). See, me and the Grant Street Girls (again, another post- but short version: college roomies and best friends) would bar hop- and sometimes we might be hit on by a less-than-desireable male. In said situation, we decided as a joke to give fake names....they all started with L. For some reason- I *became* Lola- and it has stuck. Lola is kind of bad ass. She likes wigs and a reason to dress up and be silly. Emily has not found enough time to be Lola lately. Lola lives within though- and she's that little part of me that will never fully grow up, will never stop being a smart ass, will always be too big for her britches in defense of others and always stubborn.

Wondering about something else? Feel free to ask!

Well, isn't that funny?

In my first post on this blog. . . I mentioned the near-death experience of the other (private) one between friends....now that one is going again and I haven't posted here at all.... le sigh. I've got to get better about that.

So I decided that maybe I'll make this a running blog- trials, tribulations and achievements along the way. And I'll throw in some fun, funny stuff too. I mean, I have 2 small children....the funny is part of the gig.

That said- I had a great run yesterday. Having started running again after my 2nd daughter was born in Nov 2009, I had a set back in early March of a really nasty bout with (what seems to be a now annual) bronchitis. In prep for my upcoming 5k's and Ragnar Relay in Utah in June- I'm trying to master the 4 mile distance (the distance of my legs in the Ragnar). And slowly working on pace. As I transition from walk/run intervals to as much running as possible. . .my pace certainly improves. When I started in Jan - I was around a 15 min/mile. Yesterday? I maintained a 12:55 min/mile pace for 30 min. Yay for great runs!

I realize to some that that pace may even be a slow WALK to them...but I don't care..I'm out there, I'm doing it - my health is improving, my weight is improving (albeit slowly) and I'm getting the miles in...'nuff said.