'Twas a dark and chilly night...Glow 5k race recap

'Twas a dark and chilly night for our first race in the dark.  We found the Glow 5k on Active.com and thought it sounded like a lot of fun.  The Glow 5k was a fundraiser for restoration in Haiti, and it always feels good to help out a good cause.  It was a very Chilly night,  perfect for testing out our Winter running gear.
This was the first race I ever waited until the race to register. Only down side to waiting until the day of, is there is no guarantee of a race shirt.  We (Sindi, Mom, and I) did get one, but we were told we wouldn't.  This was a very small race, put on by a church.  Before the race started they prayed over the event, perhaps that is why I did so well.

It was 38 degrees by the end of the race, I forgot to check before the race.  We all wore different types of winter running gear.  I wore a pair of Under Armour winter running tights, a C9 by Champion, fleece lined tech shirt, a C9 half zip hooded fleece lined shirt, and a C9 wind jacket.  I also had my C9 gloves, which aren't very warm and my Under Armour headband, which fits perfectly and keeps the wind off of my ears. I recommend all of these pieces, except for the gloves.
The race was in Woodhaven, Michigan on a track. There were only about 160 racers, but that makes for a crowded track.  At the start of the race it was dusk and all of the glow necklaces looked really cool.  We had decided before hand that we were going to do 45/15 intervals, and only mom set her runkeep app.  It was so congested we ran the entire first mile without walking. My endurance is really improving.  Sindi and I lost mom somewhere in that first mile.  We stuck together and she really pushed me.  We didn't have runkeeper to notify us of when to walk or run so we only walked when we felt like we really needed it, or when my shoe came untied or when I lost my glove in the dark.  My knee was killing me because there were some pretty steep inclines, it is a good thing I wasn't alone, because I would have walked.  Without runkeeper we didn't know how far we had gone or our pace so we really had no idea how we were doing.  We passed the race clock on our way to run another lap on the track and we were pretty sure we were making good time.  Somewhere around the half way mark we got really hot!  We layered our clothes so we thought it would be easy to take off a layer if needed.  Well, Sindi found out the hard way that once your race bib is attached to the outside layer, you are kind of stuck.  Getting a spibelt with the race bibs clips may come in handy for shedding layers during a race. http://www.spibelt.com/products/specialty-spibelt/spibelt-endurance-series
The last lap was the hardest on my knee, I even told Sindi to go without me.  But then I remembered how great our time seemed when we passed the clock and I had to push myself.  I remember saying to Sindi, "I wish the finish line adrenaline rush would hit me right about now".  We came around the bend and the rush hit me as I saw the race clock say 33 something.  I forgot all about my knee as I sprinted all out for the finish line, a finish of  34:15, my fastest 5k time ever!  That is almost 6 minutes faster than my first race finish and nearly 3 minutes faster than my last PR.  This was race clock time, because this wasn't a chipped race. So in reality our time was faster since the clock starts when the first person crosses the start line, and we were near the back of the pack.
I love getting new PRs, but I also like learning new things with each race. I learned that for a race I don't need to dress as warm as I do for a training run.  I learned that if I want a race shirt, I must pre register. And I am learning to push my body harder than ever with each race and I will even live to tell about it.

Halloween Candy...UGH!!!

Hi, my name is Janie and I am a sugar addict!!!  Candy has always been my weakness.  I would rather eat a bag of Starburst Jelly Beans for dinner than a steak.  So after months and months of trying to cut candy out of my everyday diet I had succeed...then came Halloween!  I am so close to my goal weight, I really thought I would be able to stay focused.  I had a plan, I would pick out a few of my favorites from the kids candy and put them in a bag and when it was gone, whether it was 1 day or 10 days, I would be done.  Well, that has NOT worked out so well.  I really don't want all of my hard work going to waste.  I am still running, so at least I am not gaining weight from it, but I could be losing!  At this point I need to come up with an idea to get it out of my house and not into my stomach.  I feel like getting rid of it is depriving my kids, but I don't want them to have the same addiction.  This morning Gavin climbed in bed with me at 7am and I could smell Reese's on his breath, and I realized he is already a sugar addict too.  Help...give me ideas to get rid of the candy that won't make the kids too upset!

5K ~ Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness

Well, this weekend I had my best 5K time. At 36:13, approximately 2 minutes better then last months 5K. I was proud of myself in that sense. In another sense I was SO MAD!!! As I watched my MIL (Sandy) and SIL  (Janie)  kick butt doing the 10K I was MAD, MAD, MAD! If I could have kicked myself in the butt I would have…..lol Now, knowing in my heart of hearts that I could not have done it I was still mad, why? Who knows. I guess I am mad at my body. Why by now can I not do a 10K by now?

I am in a battle with my body’s endurance levels. I feel like at around mile 2 I start pooping out. Knowing that I have a stomach that hold about 3oz of food at a time I am assuming this is the reason why I am having this battle. I cant fuel my body the way “normal” people do. By the time I get out to run in the morning I have only had about 3 bites of yogurt and maybe a bite of banana and honestly I don’t think that is enough at all. I was told yesterday to start eating oatmeal 2 hours before I run. So guess what I will be doing this week?? You know it, I will be trying oatmeal to see if this is going to help. To be continued on that subject……

On November 22^nd I WILL be running my first 10K….Wish me luck

Side Note: Saturday was dedicated to all the sweet babies that have gone on to heaven. Ava Yvonne & Calleigh Mae

Dress Like the Devil and Run for the Angels 10k Race Recap

I conquered my first 10k today, and I did it while wearing a tutu!  

We ran the 2nd Dress Like the Devil and Run for the Angels 10k in Ferndale, MI.  This was a fundraiser for an organization called Angel kisses.  Angel kisses funds programs to help improve care for families who experience prenatal loss during their second or third trimester.  I couldn't think of a better way to remember my niece Calleigh Mae and my friend's little girl Ava Yvonne.  Ava's parents choose the color purple to represent their angel, which is why I wore a purple tutu.  Calleigh's nursery was in owls so we always think of Calleigh when we see an owl, so we wore purple owl pins on our shirts as well (can't really see them in this pic).  Before the race they handed out balloons for a ballon launch.  The balloon launch was beautiful. I wish I would have thought to write a note and attach it to the balloon like the family next to us did. 

   This was only the 2nd annual race so it was pretty small (only 168 total runners) compared to other races I have run.  Since there was a HUGE Making Strides against Breast Cancer walk in downtown Detroit today, this may not have been the best day to have another event in the area.  Even though it was a small race, it was chipped, which gives you official times.  This was the first time I had a chip that you tie on your shoe.  I have always had chips attached to the back of my bib.  I had the chip tied on my shoe while I was walking around getting warmed up and it started to rub on my leg.  I was not going to be bothered with that for 6.2 miles, so I took it off and tucked it in my armband.  

Ava's Daddy sporting his race shirt

   This event's cause is near to my heart so I don't want to be negative, I am, however, going to give my honest opinion of my race experience.  The race shirts were awesome, they were Dry-fit shirts and they had a spot to write who you were running in honor of...

   I have been fighting some sort of sinus thing for a few days, so I was having a hard time breathing in through my nose, and I forgot my tissue on the front seat of the car.  That made it really hard to breath properly for a 6.2 mile run.  The race route was through the city of Ferndale, which wasn't very scenic or exciting at all. There were several signs pointing us which way to go and volunteers at every turn as well. The 10k route was just doing the 5k loop twice.  Most of the volunteers were supportive, and we got lots of comments on our tutus.  
   I have a real problem of going out really strong during a race and then hitting a wall toward the end. Since we were doing a 10k I kept trying to watch my pace so we did 30/30 intervals (30 seconds walking and 30 seconds running).  During the first half it seemed as though there was always a big gap between the people in front of us and then another big gap of people behind us.  I seriously felt SLOW.  I would check my time on my Run Keeper app, according to it we were doing fine.  My sister in law, Sindi was way ahead of us and I kept thinking I was running really slow.  She rocked the 5k, with a time of 36:13, she beat her PR by almost 2 minutes.  She drinks Super Pump, I need some!  
   As if I wasn't already feeling inadequate, when we started the loop for the second time, there wasn't anyone in front of us or behind us.  Yikes!  By time we passed some of the volunteers the second time, their enthusiasm had died down, and so had mine.  We were running  down a street and I told my mom, I think we are going the wrong way.  There was a volunteer down a little ways who started to yell, go back, you missed your turn.  Now I felt defeated, there goes our time. We will never finish in a good enough time to turn in to Run Disney.  Luckily, my mom pulled out a map of the course.  She said, "I don't know why I grab this, but I am so glad I did". At one point a police car pulled up next to us and ask us to run on the sidewalk for the remainder of the race.  That was kind of annoying.  Sidewalks means dodging cars not parked right and lots of ups and downs with the curbs.  By this time we felt ridiculous running the streets of Ferndale in tutus!  Coming up to another volunteer, she said "oh, I didn't know there were still more runners I have been taking the signs down".  I was mad, I paid $40 just like everyone else, so now I have to run on the sidewalk while reading a map.  Part of me just wanted to look at the map and find a short cut to get back.  I was pleased to see the water stations were still all there for us.  As we got to another turn, we saw a volunteer get in his car and pull away.  I was really getting down on myself, thinking my app wasn't working right.  I know I am not that slow, I have finished 5k in still had several people behind me.  I am by no means fast, but I figured I was average.  I was super aggravated, I couldn't breath, my knee was starting to hurt, and I was really just wanting to walk back to the car and forget the whole stupid thing.  Good thing I was doing this in honor of my niece, because quitting wouldn't have honored her at all! They had taken down the 5 mile marker so I kept thinking we had a lot farther to go than we did. I thought for sure I would be crawling across the finish line.  We got to a corner with a volunteer and she said you are almost there, just around the corner.  I was so excited to round the corner to find...Nothing!  What?  They took the finish line down already, too?  No, it was just around the next corner!  As we rounded the corner I was able to see the race clock, it said 1:18:02.  I said to my mom, "lets go, we might be able to use this time for Disney".  I have no idea where the last gust of energy came from, but I was able to Run, not walk, not crawl, but run across the finish line.  I finished in 1:18:27.  Which actually could have been about 2 minutes better had we not missed a turn. 

   After the race, I went up to the coordinator and told her about the problems with the volunteers leaving and taking the signs down.  I love what the race supports and would like to run it again, so I thought some feedback would be helpful.  While I was talking to the coordinator, I heard clapping and cheering and much to my surprise another person crossed the finish line!  It did make me feel better that someone finished after us.
   While looking through the race results, I saw that only 53 people ran in the 10k.  I can't be so hard on myself, I have only been running for 9 months.  I got out there this morning in the cold, sick, and frustrated, I completed a 10k!  Out of 168 runners only 53 of us had the guts to do the 10k! 

~Princess Janie

Seeing improvements!

I usually run three days a week, and like most things you do or see regularly, you don't always notice improvements. I use the Runkeeper app to track all of my activities.  Runkeeper measures your distance using GPS, calculates calories,  keeps track of my pace, and alerts me to change from walking to running intervals.

This past Saturday I ran 9 miles for the first time since my knee injury.  I was able to compare my results on Runkeeper from when I first ran 9 miles back in April.  The weather in April was pretty similar to this past Saturday (believe me weather makes a huge difference).  So, in April I ran 9.02 miles in 2 hours 18 minutes and 54 seconds, which was an average pace of 15:24 minutes per mile, and an average speed of 3.89 miles per hour.  The route was pretty flat with an incline of only 212 feet.  I burned 975 calories on this run.  After comparing my results I was super excited to see my improvements.  I ran 9.03 miles in 2:07:54, which was an average pace of 14:10 minutes per mile, and an average speed of 4.23 miles per hour.  There were a few inclines on this route so I climbed 489 feet. I worked my butt off on this run and yet I had a decrease in calories burned, only 862. I am not going to complain about burning fewer calories since I know the reason, I am 20 pounds lighter than I was in April!! 


When I first started training for the Princess Half Marathon I was worried that I might not be able to keep up a 16 minute mile, and not be allowed to finish.  I am no longer worried about not being able to finish.  I  love being about to look back and see how far I have come!  I wonder just how much further I can go!

~Janie

Consumed with The Disney Princess Half Marathon

Mom, Sindi, and I are running down the street and there are hundreds of people chasing us, as we get to this HUGE building there is no where to go, except through it.  Nervousness hits me as we start to enter the building.  Then a sense of excitement comes over me, because this building is beautiful inside and I want to enjoy the scenery, but the crowd is getting closer.  All of a sudden there is a bright flash in my eyes, there must be a security camera somewhere.  We've been caught.  We start running faster and I hear someone screaming my name.  And just like that, I woke up!  Later that day, I was telling my mom about my dream and she said, the big building was the Castle at Walt Disney World.  Then it all made sense, the crowds chasing us were the other runners (I guess,  I think highly of myself to think so many people will be behind me).  As you run through Cinderella Castle at the Princess race they snap your picture, which explains the flash in my dream.  As for the screaming it was my family cheering for me.  I am so consumed with this race that it is even overtaking my dreams!

Not only has the Princess Half Marathon taken over my dreams, but my whole life! I waste spend so much time online every day researching costume ideas, ways to refuel, the average weather in FL in February, and of course stalking reading all the PHM Facebook groups. The planning doesn't just involve running, but a whole Walt Disney World vacation!  So, I have also spent hours figuring out where to stay, planning our days, such as which day we should go to which park.  Also, where to eat at each park, so I could make our advance dining reservations.  These things must be strategically planned around extra magic hours, days and times of parades, and of course all the run Disney festivities.
Obviously, I am super excited to "run Disney", but then what?  Do I just cross this off my bucket list and start a new hobby?  Do I find a new race that will excite me?  Not sure another race could ever excite me like Disney can (this Disney run got me off the couch and running 3 times a week, not to mention, I carry 44 less pounds with me on my runs).  I have been planning this race since January of this year.  I have thrown myself into this 110%,  and I fear when it is all over, I will be depressed.  For now, I will keep my excitement alive, by stalking PHM Facebook pages, and working on my Cinderella costume, I may even make a doctors appointment to get some antidepressants for the flight home.

~Princess Janie  

To 5K or to 10K??

To 5K or to 10K?? That is the question of the day!

So I have been thinking since I started this journey “When do I progress to the 10K?” Do I improve my time on the first several 5k’s or do I move on to a 10K? Push myself (in distance)? So this is what I have decided. I am going to PUSH! If I don’t push I will never go further, right? I am scared, fearful, terrified? Of what you ask? FAILING! I hate to fail. But who does?? :)

Starting this week I will be following the Jeff Galloway plan (www.rundisney.com/training/) which starts with 2~30 min runs and then a 2 mile run (Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday). I am good with that! Ha ha ha. I checked the calendar today and it increases very slowly but not to slow!  So all I can say is “here goes nothing” wish me luck, cross your fingers, braid your hair
~Sindi

My top 5 reasons I NEED a running buddy...

My morning run yesterday got rained out so I had to fit it in after the rain.  I have been running with my mom since March of this year.  After running alone yesterday I realize all the reasons I NEED a running buddy, here are the top 5 reasons...

5.  Safety...I am beyond paranoid!  I have watched way too many crime dramas on TV.  Do you know how many joggers get attacked running through the park on Law and Order every season?  Far too many.  I pulled up to the track at the park and saw two cars and did a quick scan of how many people, age, and gender.  I only saw one old guy on his bike and thought I could probably take him, but where was the owner of the other car?  I only ran with one ear bud in so I could hear if anyone came up behind me.  Fortunately, I have my mommy super power of eyes behind my head too.  Not to say that when I run with my mom she is going to fight off all the freaks, but there is safety in numbers!

4.  Accountability...When I tell my mom I will meet her at a certain time, I know she is depending on me.  Shoot, I don't want her running alone with all the freaks out there.  If I didn't have to show up at her house everyday on time, I may not actually get out there everyday.

3.  Socialization...I am a stay at home mom and by running with my mom I get adult conversation during the day.  Talking also helps pass the time. 

2.  Running is my therapy...I can tell I am crabby with my kids on days when I don't get to run.  Running is a form of therapy for me.  Lucky for me, my mom is a psychologist so I get double free therapy when I run!

 1.  Motivation...Running with someone pushes me when my body says to quit. I am 24 years younger than my mom, I can't quit as long as she is still going.  While I was running alone yesterday my plan was 3 miles, I kept telling myself 2.5 miles is close enough, or I can just walk for awhile.  Thankfully, I no longer listen to the lies, but having someone with me makes it easier not to listen.

~Princess Janie

Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo 5k race recap

As my alarm clock was buzzing at 6am this morning, I thought to myself, "I have lost my mind, I just paid $30 to wake up at 6am to run 3.1 miles".  I am still trying to get use to this new lifestyle!

My first impression of the Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo race was, WOW!  Traffic was backed up all the way on to the expressway.  I didn't realize this was such a huge event!  This was the 2nd biggest event I have ran to date.  The Race for the Cure was the biggest event, but it was much more relaxed and there weren't any official times.  So, this was by far the biggest "Race" I have run,  yet. 

Mom, me, Sindi, and Chelsea

As Sindi, Chelsea (Sindi's friend), Mom and I headed to the start line we decided on run/walk/run intervals of 45 seconds running and 15 seconds of walking.  This is first time we tried this interval sequence. We typically run 1 minute and walk 1 minute, so this was a big change.  We started out the race walking since it was so congested in the starting area.  I was getting frustrated with the crowd, so I broke away from my group and ended up running on my own today.  Running alone isn't as much fun as running with friends.  I made the best of my time alone and was able to focus on my breathing, which I still have a hard time remembering to breath in my nose, not my mouth.  I was running along at a great pace, and I decided I liked the new interval times.  As I was running through the streets of Huntington Woods, I was blaring my new itunes purchases and feeling great, no knee pain, and then there was a hill at mile 2.30... I pushed through, but it slowed me down some.  Lesson learned, start Hill Training!!!  After the hill, along with the difference in intervals, I felt my body slowing down.  Just when I wanted to walk through my run intervals I saw the Zoo sign and I knew the end was near!

I am in the purple off to the right of the screen

I rounded the corner into the Zoo parking lot and I saw the finish line and I was so excited that I made it pain free, but then I saw the race clock and disappointment hit me hard.  I thought for sure I had done better than ever and yet the clock said 39:07 and I really kicked it into high gear.  Fortunately, this race was a chipped race.  The chip is on the back of our race bib, it is electronic and it starts as you cross the start line and stops as your cross the finish line.  Not every race is chipped.  If a race is not chipped, your start time is the time the gun goes off, and it could take you a minute or two just to get to the start line, then they rip your name off your bib and mark your time at the finish line. After Sindi, Mom, and Chelsea finished we headed over to the result tent.  This was the best result area ever, a little chaotic, but there were computers were you searched your bib number and your results popped up on the screen.  Every other race I have done, we were all crowded around a list taped to a wall.  So, much to my surprise my official finish time was 37:38.  This is a new personal record for me by :04. 

The only negatives from this BIG race were the crazy long lines at the port-a-potties, the post race refreshment tables, and at the result area.  I can deal with all of that, but I can't deal with not hearing or seeing my husband and kids at the finish line.  They are part of the reason, I do this, I want to be a healthy example for my kids.  Little did I know, even though I didn't see them, they saw me and my husband was able to get some finish line photos. 

So, while I may have lost my mind, I have found a healthier lifestyle, a healthy hobby, and a new PR!!

Pre-race jitters

I am so happy to have had two pain free runs this week!  I am so excited that I signed up for another race. My sister-in-law Sindi, my mom, and I will be running the Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo 5k tomorrow morning.  When I first read about this race, I had wanted to sign up for the 10k, you actually run through the inside of the zoo.  I need to get some longer distance races under my belt tiara before the Princess Half Marathon.  Since I am just starting back this week, I figured a 10k was a pressing my luck and increasing my chances of re-injuring myself.

Run Wild for the Detroit Zoo will be my 6th 5k, and yet I am still nervous.  I thought the more races I did the less nervous I would be.  I suppose the nerves aren't nearly as bad as when I started out back in April. I got up that morning and I felt sick to my stomach, I forced myself to eat half of a dry bagel and walk around the block to warm up.  I took 3 Pepto Bismol tablets before we left home, and I tucked one in my bra just in case  brought one with me just in case.  I made my husband promise to have his phone handy and volume all the way up, in case I needed him to pick me up and drive me to a bathroom.  I ran my first 5k with my good friend Mandy, who has been running for quite some time, yet, she stayed with me the whole time.  I finished within all of my goals, which were, to finish the race in 40 minutes and to not be dead last in my age group.  With each race, (except my last race in August, when it was 94 degrees and I was running with an knee injury) my times have improved and the length of time I run, compared to walk, increases.  So, why am I so nervous for tomorrow?

Mandy and Me at the finish line of my first 5k!

If I was completely honest with myself, I think I am nervous that my knee will hurt when I push myself to my limits in the race.  Part of me says, I am not running to race anyone, so take it slow and easy and enjoy the run with my family.  Another part of me, says I am racing myself, and if I don't get a PR (personal record) I will be disappointed.  I do have enough sense to stop and walk if my knee hurts.  Somewhere in these last few months of running, I found a new side of me that wants to do best every time I lace up my running shoes.  The old me would have probably given up completely when my chiropractor told me "the best way to get your knee to stop hurting is to stop running altogether, running is too hard on your body".  While I will agree running is hard on my body, but it has done the most amazing transformation on my body.  So, tomorrow morning send up some prayers and good vibes my way for a pain free run and no emergency potty breaks and a new PR too!

~Princess Janie

Meet the newest Princesses in Training

August 2011

Greetings, What's crack-a-lackin? Howdy y'all, Why hello there, What's up yo, Salutations, Howdy, Lovely day, isn't it?? My name is Sindi. I am a mom of 2 awesome kids and I have been married for 10 years to the love of my life. I have struggled with my weight my ENTIRE LIFE!!! I have been up and down, up and down, and on and on. My highest weight was &*$ (you didn't really think I would tell you, right?) I have looked and searched for the quick fix to make my weight issues go away but never found a thing! 

In August of 2006, I had the lap-band put on my stomach to help assist with my eating issues. STILL, NOTHING! I lost about 40 lbs and gained it all back, plus some. After being so frustrated of not feeling well and continuing to gain weight, I looked into what was called the Beaumont Weight Control Center. They helped me get on track with knowing what is right to eat, what is wrong to eat, how much I should eat and a great exercise program. And guess what? I lost 7 lbs in 5 months. SOOOOO, I started looking into another procedure to help assist me with weight loss. 

September 2012

In April of 2012, I had my lap-band removed and I had the VSG (vertical sleeve gastrectomy). This procedure along with LOTS of exercise, eating a strict diet (high protein, very low carb and no more POP) and meeting with a nutritionist monthly I have been able to loose 65 lbs and still loosing. Some may say that I took the easy way out. I say I still work darn hard at loosing weight it's just a tad bit easier then it used to be. 

Now on to the good stuff. So my sis-in-law, Princess Janie, was LITERALLY shrinking before my very eyes, so I asked "Janie, what are you doing" Well, she explained she was preparing for this Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon 2013. I was intrigued but not convinced that someone as big as me could actually RUN. But I am doing it! I have been following the Jeff Galloway plan to some extent. I am doing a little of my own thing as well also I strictly track my food in take with myfitnesspal. I have to hold myself accountable! I have done one 5K and I will be doing another in 4 days. I said all that to say this. JUST DO IT! You can do it! No matter how big or small you are YOU CAN   DO IT!! Get out there and start NOW!!                                                  

Meet the newest Princesses in Training

My name is Janie and I am a huge Disney geek! I am a mommy to three awesome kids and I have been married to my Prince Charming for 12 years. I have been overweight most of my life, except for a few years during college when I lost about 60 pounds without even trying.  Well, 12 years and 3 babies later, I had gained most of that weight back.  It never seemed to really bother me, because I knew I was still smaller than my original weight.

July 2011

Back in January of this year, I was looking through my Facebook newsfeed and saw something about a Tinkerbell Half Marathon in Disneyland and I thought to myself, I would love to do something like that.  I have never been real athletic. I played volleyball in Jr. High and High School, but I hated all the running in practice.  Not sure what it was that made me think I could run 13.1 miles, I think it was just an excuse to plan a Disney trip.  I did some research on Run Disney and found out they hosted a Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World.  I started looking into training plans for running, like the Couch to 5k plan and the Galloway plan, and decided I really wanted to do this.  I asked my husband, "if I can train for a half marathon, can I go to Disney and run?"  He looked at me confused, and said "sure".  He was certain it was one of my crazy ideas that would pass as quickly as it came.
Around the same time I found the PHM, I came to terms with the fact that I was addicted to Mt Dew.  On January 25, 2012, I decided to cut back on the amount of Mt. Dew I was drinking and started tracking my calories with My Fitness Pal.  I laced up my dusty Nike, and hit the treadmill at my parent's house.  After about 5 minutes on the treadmill, I decided I was crazy and there was no way I could run for 30 seconds let alone 13.1 miles.

August 2012

Well, 8 months later I have completed five 5k races, given up pop (soda) altogether, and have lost 41 pounds!  I feel great and I am addicted to running.  Unfortunately, I have an IT Band injury right now and am getting super antsy to hit the pavement again!!

On Easter, I told my brother and sister-in-law my plan to run a half marathon at Walt Disney World.  I am so excited I won't be running alone,  my mom and my sister-in-law, Sindi, will be running with me.  Stay tuned to our blog for Sindi's introduction.