This morning we ran a 7 miler. It was a beautiful morning...stars out, 30 degrees, and most importantly NO WIND. Ten of my best runner girls met at my house at 6 am and we took off.

We started out around 10:40 then picked it up in the 9's for the remaining four miles. Surprisingly, our overall pace was right at 10:30. That's great but as fast as those last four miles were, I would've thought it was faster. The good thing is I didn't sound like a heavy smoker and I was able to hold a conversation the entire time.(A testament to yasso's for sure.)

I absolutely love my runner girls. I am so grateful for them and realize that without them, I would not be so consistent in my running. It is so hard to find a group that you click with and are as anal as you are when it comes to getting in all of your runs and that are willing to take off at 5 am to do it.

So, this post is dedicated to my homies. Girls, I am so so thankful for you. Hopefully we mid foot it all the way til our 80's together!

Hello fellow fitness lovers! It's been a crazy few weeks here but God's grace has been overflowing and I have continued to get my workouts in and maintain some sanity (although questionable at times)  I am on my third week of Crossfit workouts and am totally in love! I have wanted to do it for years but haven't had the chance to get in my local gym. I started just taking things here and there and implementing them on my own. Bootcamp and Pilates are still going well and our classes continue to grow. We just started running Yasso's again with my Runner Girls and despite what I thought, I am actually enjoying them. My speed has really increased and it's nice to feel like I'm flying again:) I am still doing Hot Yoga and as my friend says, its like a weekly deep tissue massage.

Advocare plus Weight Watchers is still going well and i am down 10 pounds. I am really taking it slow and eating what used to be considered splurge meals but within boundaries. its great knowing that I can cut back, lose weight, but still enjoy foods I love...its all about balance.

The tot has been sick (as we all have been) off and on with a cold. He's been pretty fussy but he's still been a champ accompanying me in all of my adventures. We made a trip to Knoxville to see Medical mama and i ran a five miler in the hills. Talk about a challenge. Brutal but in a good way. When we got home, Freeing Sisyphus joined us for a visit and she, for the first time, was able to run with my team. It was so cool having her join us and she rocked out those four miles!

We are on week, 5 of Mini training and it is going really well. The girls and i have a set schedule and it is starting to feel pretty easy to stick to it. Last night, we had a Good Form running clinic and we got to see all of the participants on tape and learn better and more efficient ways to run. I love these informative training nights.

I'm still doing BSF and working with my "baby mamas." I am really beginning to connect with the girls and really enjoying that time. They probably think I'm an old dork but thats okay:)

So, thats about it for me. What's going on in your world of becoming allpointswhole?

Hello blog world!

As you know, we have been on a major break with our site. The sisters and I have experienced a lot of loss this past season and it has been a very difficult time. It has caused us to re-evaluate ourselves and our motives. I just couldn't in good conscience post during this time. And sadly, we found ourselves not living a whole existence. Sure, we were "going through the motions" with good works but our heart was somewhere else.

We have been working on an overhaul of the site for quite sometime but with Freeing Sisyphus moving across the country and starting a new role  at her job, there has been little time. Not to mention, I myself, as I stated previously was just in a dark place. There were moments of light but in the end, it came down to a term that's pretty cheesy but true: "stinkin thinkin"

I found myself very ungrateful for everything around me-my friends, family, career, etc. I was taking everything for granted and not living in a thankful state. Through a series of unfortunate events, my eyes were opened and I am now trying to live in the present and be focused on a grateful heart everyday. I am ashamed of my past attitude and honestly was missing out on life because of it.

A light switch has been turned on and I can see again.

We all have times in our lives that are dark and scary, but it certainly is not an excuse to be unappreciative and bitter.

We will continue to work on our site and more importantly our lives for that matter, but until then, I thought I would share some of our recent activities. Bootcamp has continued to grow and I am more than blessed to be able to share my life and what little I know about exercise with my community.

We are embarking on a weight loss journey through WW with some friends. More than losing weight, it is taking accountability for what we are putting in our bodies. And most of all, it is only a representation of the "cleaning house" that is going on in our lives.

We continue to workout and now that 1/2 marathon training has started, I rarely get a rest day. But, its okay because sweating once a day, is crucial to my well being.

I thought I would share some not so life changing or important photos in an effort not to glorify myself but to inspire others to make small changes-take baby steps towards a healthier, happier you. (These are pics of the last few months)

And since we are under the Daily Sweat tab, I will share my workouts for the week.

Monday: Run 4 miles (10:48 pace)
Tuesday: Kickboxing and teach Pilates
Wednesday: Run 4 miles (10:38 pace)
Thursday: Plyometrics, Hot Vinyasa Yoga and run 4 miles with training group (10:30 pace)
Friday:Teach bootcamp
Saturday: rest day
Sunday: Run 5 miles and teach bootcamp

What small changes have you made so far in 2012?

This is our eighth week doing bootcamp. Cant beleive its been that long already. We started out slow to get everyone acclimated but these girls are tough and they are improving at rapid speed.

Last night, we had our workout in Tina's gym. I told her all that was missing was some box jumps and pull up bars. We might have to look into that.

Everyone rocked it and had a great time. We were all sweating, had great form and worked our butts off. Tina and I even ran 3 miles after.

If you are interested and live in the area, we work all major muxlde groups making sure you are sore the next day. We do plenty of aerobic until failure and then back to weights. ...sort of like circuit training. Lastest sceince, says this is the way to get the most bang for you buck.

Classes are super cheap and the friendship you make is priceless. We workout on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays typcially at PCC but sometimes in the garage. I really like that feel actually. Makes me feel all GI Jane. We weighed in last night and it was insane to see the difference. Our group total was over 20 pounds. Melinda wasnt there to weigh and she has lost 14 since she began eight weeks ago. And this is from just working out people!
 
What are your workouts looking like?

Want to see real results, join us! We have so much fun while cheering each other on and sweatin out the negativity in our lives!

Oh walking boot, oh walking boot, how I loathe thee oh walking boot (apparently it's been made famous by Tom Brady).  But, you have saved me many times from myself, that is for sure.  I told my sister two weeks ago, I was pretty sure that after my half marathon I would end up in the boot for a few weeks after the race one way or another. 

Sure enough - visited my orthopod on Tuesday and posterior tibilias tendonitis is the verdict.  I am severely pronated, so I have to use orthotics.  It must be time for new ones, but regardless this is why I started getting that intense pain in my inner ankle and lower left leg.  My doc diagnosed it pretty quickly and said I was lucky it didn't rupture because it is one of the tendons in our body that if we mess it up, it's very hard to get it back 100%.  Okey doke, then.  I guess I'm lucky and glad I scaled back as much as I did in the last few weeks of my training and sacrificed the speed and a little of my pride.

So, word to the wise, take care of that tendonitis.  This particular injury is in the area in our leg that is referred to the watershed area which is a place that gets little blood flow for healing.  I ordered this fancy heating unit from The Mend Me Shop right before the race, and I think it helped and continues to help.  So, although they aren't paying me to recommend them (and I can only vouch for myself), it's worth checking out for those of you out there who are looking for some good heating/cooling methods: http://www.mendmeshop.com/.

So, boot, here I come.  It's good I have one purchased already, so at least its not an added expense :).  I also have a couple of pair of crutches if it comes to that.  The perks of being stubborn.

Any good boot stories out there? 

I'm glad I did the race, but I'm not so glad to be having to use my friend again.  Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend.

 

So it isnt the BEST picture of me but it was one of the best running experiences I've had. I've been wanting to get into trail running for two years and I finally got the chance. My friend Melinda invited me out to her 25 acres to run. It was so beautiful as we went up and down inclines. Next time, I am wearing my Vibrams.

Melinda ran the farthest she has at almost 2 miles. She is doing so well with all of workouts and it is so encouraging watching her get stronger and believe in herself that she can indeed do anything she sets her mind to. She accomplishes this in the business world with no problem but is learning to do it with her body.

I had to wear the "Elmer Fudd" hat in case we got shot at by people like my good friend Summer:) It was such a cool experience and we plan to do it early morning each Sunday morning,

Have you gone trail running? Which do you prefer? Road or trails? Trails are such a different and delightful experience and the road is something totally different. So if you are looking for a zen run, trail running is for you!

Life has a funny way of working out.....always.  Just when you think you know something, life comes around and lets you know that you don't know anything.

Last year I ran my very first half marathon with a horrendous training schedule.  The longest distance I ran was 8 miles.  But, I finished at 2:48, walking about a mile of it, so it was under a 13 minute mile, and I was happy.  All winter, I did very short runs at faster paces.  By the time I started running in earnest for training I was doing 6 miles under 11 minutes.  I thought - oh yeah - I'm going shave a good minute and a half of my per mile time.  Hah.


I'm not exactly sure what went wrong.  I think maybe it was that I had to do too many of my runs on the treadmill because of the dark unitl I started a running club.  And, then after my 8 miler, I felt great everywhere else except for in a weird spot near my ankle where I had an old break.  The cycle would be feeling ok on long runs, horrible on recovery run, better at my 2nd run of the week and then ok for long run.  And so the cycle continued.  Tendonitis, arthritis, stress fracture?  I'm still not exactly sure, but after my long run last week of 10 miles, I couldn't even walk on Monday - I was limping bad.  Terror set in even thought I wanted to pretend it didn't.  I decided to not run during the week, do some biking and strength training and leave the race to God.  I ran a quick mile yesterday just to remind my body how to do it.  It was painful, but ok. 

I woke up this morning just promising myself to have fun, take in the scenery and see what happened (although part of my brain did envision ending up on a stretcher). 

And, I did it, running the whole way which was really my goal all along.  The great irony?  I did it in 2:47 minutes.  One minute better than my time last year (where I walked for a mile or so). 

What does this tell me?  Well, I don't think I'm really built for speed, but if I am, then I need to do more longer runs than I did this year in training and more speed drills in longer runs.  What is the other thing that it tells me?  It ain't about the time, it's about the training, the commitment and getting er' done.

My proudest moment - there was a quarter of a mile hill at mile 8 that most people in my pack walked.   I just put my head down and somehow found the energy to keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with walking, but my goal this year really was to run the whole thing.  I did it.  I really did. 

Thanks to everyone for all of their support.  And thank goodness it's over :). 

My sister Melody is someone who I greatly admire. She works in management about 60 hrs a week, is finishing her second masters in one more class. She has 20 page papers due almost every weekend. Yet, she still finds time to give back to causes, support me, and start a running club. Sound familiar? Well, this is where I get it from.

Honestly, there's no comparison and she's taught me all I know. She basically raised me.

Tomorrow is her second 1/2 Marathon in Philly with donations going to the homeless kids at Covenant House. She visited and her heart was bleeding for those kids and I'm sure she will be back to help them.

She has tendinitis but I pray it is relieved during the race, I know she is a fighter and thus will kick butt.

I dedicated this blog to her to let her know how much I love and appreciate her not only for spurring me on to greatness in running and many other areas-this blog for one but b/c her strength is out of this world.

I love you Melody and I know you will rock it tomorrow. Just breathe and believe. You've got this sister!. I can't wait to read the race review and see the beautiiful smile on your face like in the