Support greatly appreciated...

So, this picture has already made an uproar...

1 year and 57 pounds lighter (2011 on left, 2012 on right)

In a good way. The number of supporters I have has blown me away.  I knew I had acquaintances, but I never knew I had that many FRIENDS! That is certainly what you are to me, friends. I appreciate the support that you guys have shown me, especially now, has re-motivated me to lose the remaining weight that I have to lose. It is hard right now with being down about not running like I used too, but, I am now even more determined to get back into it. Slow and steady wins the race, and I don't need to expect my body to just jump back into where I was with 6 weeks off of no running. That, has been the biggest lesson that I have learned right now. Today, is my last physical therapy session, and I am hoping to have the therapist adjust this session to be ways I can do the exercises at my gym that doesn't have the same machines that they have at the rehab.  I also NEED to get myself back into the swing of the gym.  As much as I love working days, it is requiring me to readjust things, and I just haven't conquered that yet. But, that is my goal for this week...(little steps I promise). A good thing that has come out of all of this, is that my good friend Stef has now raced in her 3rd 5K, just about every other weekend since MayFair 5K, which was her first. Anyway, so far she has gotten stronger and better with every race and is now completely addicted. BUT, on Saturday, I also raced with her, in a race at Skytop Lodge up in the Poconos, and my racing felt good. It felt strong, it felt better than I have felt in a while, so what did I do...I pushed myself. I raced to my second fastest 5K race EVER!! Even with hills, which I walked up (I don't believe I am ready for hills yet) I found my zone and eventually just felt that I could push harder. My time wasn't as good as I hoped (still trying to break 30 mins) but I know I will get there. Then, on Sunday I was supposed to run 7 miles. I NEVER run back to back days, why on earth would I think that I could do it while I was still recovering from an injury?!?! Well, I couldn't do it. I did 5 (which to my healing body was 8 in 2 days) and I felt the effects until this morning. I am going to go to therapy and tell him all of this. That my next run will be Thurs and will only be 2 miles, followed by 4 on Sat. I will rest between my days off, and go to the gym m-w-f and continue to do the squats and crap (yes, I called it crap) that I have to do to make my legs stronger so I can become a stronger runner. I WILL figure out an abs workout so that I can get rid of this stupid pooch and feel like I look like the picture on the right, not how I feel right now (that I still look like the picture on the left). I know that feeling will pass, my clothes size alone should tell me that, but when you hit a stale mate, and you feel that no matter what you are doing nothing is working, you need something to kick start it...your support and "love" over my picture has given me just that. I will continue my weight loss picture, and by December, I am hoping to post another picture.

I hope you all have a happy Tuesday. Get out and run!

It all happened at the zoo..

Well, or fair, or carnival or where ever else you were this weekend. Welcome back to the work week! I am sure you missed it, I know I did (not!). Anyway, I know I haven't blogged in a while and I want to start again, so I thought I would start with posting pictures from this weekend. Now my sister Rachel, over on her blog, usually ends up posting pictures of my daughter from events.  I have to get better at carrying my camera to capture these moments, but sometimes, I am just living in the moments with her. Anyway, Friday we went to the Nazareth Carnival with her Godmother and her son. Here are some pictures from that.

Let me just tell you, I COULD NOT get her to get off of the Carousel!

Look at how much fun she is having! Last year when we went on vacation, she hated rides...this year...she <3 them.

Saturday, was her Godfather's graduation party from college. Yes, he graduated a while ago, but he wanted to wait until his friends who went to China came home. Anyway, I don't have pictures from there to post, as I am sure my sister took a bazillion pictures, but I do have this one.

Yep, that is my kid and yes, she is cleaning a boat!

Anyway, happy Monday. I better get ready for work, and yes, I was supposed to get up at 4:30 to go to the gym, but I thought sleep was more important. Have a GREAT Monday!



Race Recap

I am by no means a race expert, so I probably shouldn't be doing a race recap. However, since this was my first time doing The Pumpkin Pie 5 K I think that I can tell my perspective of the race. First off, wow! I didn't expect that many people. There were over 1000 people running or walking this race.  When you first got there to check in they had you go to one section to get your race bib and goodie bag. Then you had to go another section to get your timing chip and then you had to figure out how to attach the running chip to shoe which looked way more difficult then it turned out to be.
The race started promptly and went directly up a hill, but it started on a normally busy street where the residents who live there did not move their cars. So you have 1000+ people trying to run up a hill and you have to dodge parked cars.  They did have the walkers take a different path so that was nice, at least we didn't have to dodge walkers the entire run.  There were a lot of hills! I mean a lot. You can check for yourself here. Every time I thought we had reached the peak, it felt like there was another. I ran hills for as part of my training, so I knew that I could handle them.  But back to the race.  They did have someone at the first and second mile mark telling you your times, and I thought the second mile seemed to past much faster than the first. I guess that could be due to the fact that while I did not want to start off too fast, I think I did. After the 2nd mile marker, I just kept following the crowd through the neighborhoods.  Some where around mile 3, the walkers shoot back onto the same path as the runners and how the enter the race path, it felt like as a runner I had to dodge them. Oh wait, and more parked cars. At the final turn, there were lots of fans to get your blood pumping, and seeing them and my cheering section allowed me to turn up the heat. I did want to turn it up sooner, but as I previously said I had to dodge the walkers. Anyway, onto that final stretch with everyone cheering you on and seeing that finish line I just had to push harder! I sprinted and even heard a fellow runner (someone who finished way before me) cheer me on for turning on the heat at the end.
Overall it was a good race. I don't know if I would say it was a fun race, maybe if I had someone to run it with it would have been more fun, but it definitely was a race of the mind.It looked like they had a lot of refreshments at the end, but I didn't wait to check them out. Maybe next race I will make sure to see the vendor section! All in all I am glad that I did the race and I am looking forward to doing some more. I am proud of how far I came in 11 short weeks and look forward to whatever running adventures come by way.
I never thought I would like running, but today, I felt like a runner!

Happy List 1.23.11

I found this while browsing the Internet...it's a chance for you to say what makes you happy. SO, this is my first one...let's see what makes my happy list
1. My DAUGHTER of course! She makes me all kinds of happy. Even when she does nothing, she makes me forget what worries me and makes me happy.
2. Trying to plan a gift for my niece. She will be 4 this year. I heard about this play called Pinkalicious and thought it would be perfect! I can't take my own daughter, but since they are coming to a theater in my hometown, I thought I would take my niece. I don't think I have ever seen a play or anything (well wait, I might have seen Grease off of Broadway, but I digress) I thought it would be a great way to make a 4 year old feel very special.
3. My family and friends. They always make me feel loved and special no matter what I throw at them.

4. One more week of maternity leave makes me happy. One more week where my daughter gets my undivided attention!

5. My new blog friend Michelle. She called me her blog peep today. I wish we lived closer so we could become IRL friends. But, in the meantime, I will just keep reading her blogs and buying cool girlie stuff for my sweet babes!

If you want to play along with Happy List, be sure to click the button at the top of my post to link up with Mamarazzi. This week she's doing a special giveaway for one participants.

Happy Birthday!!!

To my eldest sister,
Today is your birthday. I hope that you have a great day! I know that there were times in life that we agreed to disagree. Just know that I have always looked up to you. As another year comes to an end, and a new one starts I want you to know how proud of you I am. How much your precious daughter is like you every day, how much she loves you and how much we all can tell you love her. May you find God's blessings today, as you do everyday, and may they help you find the happiness you deserve. Happy birthday sis! Go ahead, celebrate. You deserve it!

We love you!

Happy Wedding!

Today, my friend Tina is getting married. It is the first wedding that Penguin and I are going to since our own. I wish I could ask for nice weather, but it is already raining. Ironically, that is supposed to be good luck (although I would have been very upset had it rained on my wedding day). Anyway, I wish her and her soon to be hubby the best of luck. I wish them a lifetime of happiness and love! So, in keeping with the marriage theme, here are some pics from our wedding, and hopefully they aren't duplicates.

So, here's a toast to happiness and everlasting love! Oh, and hopefully later, I will have some of her wedding pics to post!