1/2 Marathon Training - Week 1

Week 1 is in the books, and it was rough.

I wondered why I was doing this approximately 29,209 times, and every time I came up with the same answer - I just want to say that I did it.  If we are being honest, I'd like that sticker for my car, too.

Is that enough to carry me through 13.1 miles of potential hell?  Sure hope so!  Apparently, that's all I've got for now hahaha.

For those of you curious, I've been following Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Half Marathon Training program. I honestly have no clue who the dude is, and why everyone I asked gave me his program to follow - but, since that is what happened I'm rolling with it.  Monday and Tuesday went GREAT.  Beastmode in the gym, clean eating, lots of water, excellent time on my 3 miler.  I was so like "I got this" that it wasn't even funny.  Annnnddd....then, the shit started hitting the fan.

Our (semi-new) fridge started crapping out on us, and we tried everything we could to fix it on our own.  Cleaning it out, defrosting and airing out didn't fix the problem, so a GE specialist had to pay us a visit.  Lucky us.  Then, as I was getting ready for work on Thursday, a plug caught fire.  If I ever questioned having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I no longer wonder and should probably seek therapy.  The smell along made me lose it.  So very lucky for us that I was home, had great advice to flip the breaker (in the midst of my panic attack), and quickly was visited by one of RJ's electricians (also nice knowing the right people) and he changed it out for me and made me feel safe.  Short of wanting him to rewire out house again, I still feel uneasy with things and haven't slept well thinking about the "what-if's" again.  If any of you have suffered from a fire, you understand what I'm talking about.  It's the worst.

So, with all of that excitement, I still needed to complete another 3 mile run and hopefully clear out my head.  Unfortunately, I decided to do this at 5:15 and probably gave myself heatstroke and felt terrible.  I rested Friday with many thoughts of quitting while I was ahead.  I'm pretty sure Sean thinks I'm crazy for doing this, and I'm not too far behind him in this thinking at any given point.

I got to the gym today, not in the mood and really wishing I was in bed watching more episodes of "Orange is the New Black" (um, such a great series!).  I was in the zone, trying to psych myself up and also trying to find the appropriate "Friday Night Lights" episode I'd been watching, and I heard "Jennifer!  Jennifer!"  Weird.  No one ever calls me that...unless we know each other from High School.  Which, technically, this person and I didn't but...close enough.  I'll leave it with last I heard this person was not my biggest fan, so the fact that they made sure to say hello and ask how I was doing 100% caught me by surprise.  I was so off guard by it that I couldn't get my thinking straight, and cashed out at two miles and sore shins.  I know I should've gone back and done another two this evening, but I just don't have it in me.  I'll let it be.  Start fresh in the morning.

I won't let this Debbie Downer of a post continue on much longer.  I will end on a positive note, and it involves many of my friends that have become my Challenge Buddies.  I truly am so proud and motivated by you all.  It really takes a LOT to commit to something and change your body and your life.  Whatever the path is that you choose, it is a big deal and I love all the emails and texts I've been getting about the positive things happening in your lives.  When I don't want to walk the talk I've been yammering about, I always get an uplifting message that makes me realize that it's going to be ok.  So, CB's, thank you.  You rock.  :)

90 Day Challenge - The First 30 Days

Hi Friends!

I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend!  I know I did!  It was spent with lots of wonderful friends and was topped off by a family trip to the ranch.  I love having a place to spend time with the kids that isn't four hours away!  It's always a fun getaway.

Not the greatest pic, but the only one I have really from the 4th and it's stolen from P's facebook 

A lot of y'all have been asking me how my challenge has been going, so I thought a little update was in order.  (i'm sorry I haven't been updating my challenge timeline.  I really like that tool, but it's just been a bit nuts and getting on the computer after a long day is just about the last thing I've wanted to do most nights.)

I'm down around 4lbs (yay!) and a dress size!  The super cute dress I wore to the NKOTB concert was a size large and NOTHING I would've ever tried on 10 lbs ago.  I really felt pretty and confident even without m'spray tan on!  Stephanie was on vacation, and I refuse to tan with anyone else.  I'm spoiled.

Anyhoo - I've been pretty steady about drinking two shakes a day.  I updated via Instagram the other day joking how I do still eat food - but I do!  What works for me is a breakfast shake, snack, lunch, another snack, dinner shake with fruit.  It's been a lot easier for me to use that schedule because our evenings tend to be crazier than ever now that Sawyer is on a swim team, and by the time I get back from sitting in a muggy indoor pool area the last thing I want to do is make dinner.  Sean usually whips something up for the boys and I get a minute to relax.  Win/Win.

My strength training has increased, too.  I'm lifting about 10 lbs heavier all the way around than I was when I began, and I'm seeing some definition in my arms finally.  I did tweak my back pretty good doing 60lbs on the row machine, so I think I'll be skipping that for a few weeks (thanks, Becky, for fixing me up today!).  Ab workouts are getting a little less awful to do, and I feel like my leftover baby belly is getting a little more in check.  All in all, I'm seeing results, my energy is up and I feel great.  Go me!

So, in true Jenn form, I've decided to take on one more thing.  That would be the 1/2 Marathon training I've been putting off doing for oooohhhh, about 6 months now.  I thought about keeping it on the DL, but since it's been on the DL the last 6 months and obviously I haven't done anything - I guess it's best to go public with it and make myself accountable to the world.  Now....this is going to be probably the hardest thing I've ever done.  The only good thing I can think about is the fact that once this is over I can go buy my 13.1 sticker.  I'm really nervous about how this will go, and honestly hope the runner's high that you get after a race is worth all the sweat and tears I'm sure I'll shed the next few months.  I've decided to the Honored Hero 1/2 on October 20th.  I know the course, and besides the ridiculous hill at the end, it is pretty flat.  Flat is good.  I also have a dear friend that said she'd run it with me, so I'll have company during my misery.  :)  So, there you have it, village!  Here goes nothing!

I hope you all have a great week, and remember to be kind to yourself.  If you skipped workouts or slipped on eating healthy over the holiday, tomorrow is a new day!  I know I'll be working off a few cider beers, myself! :)  Cheers!

(If you want to learn more about m'shakes - http://jennhutcherson.myvi.net OR hit me up and let me know if you have any questions!  Shake and Bake II is July 16th, come on by if you are local!)