Yoga

I did Yoga for the first time ever today, but I LOVED it. It felt so good after my run today! I am not sure what made me buy a DVD of it today, but I am glad I did. It was so relaxing and a great way to stretch out my muscles after 4 straight days of running. I have always known that yoga was good for you, but never thought that I would enjoy it. I decided to give a a try today, now that I have been working out for almost 10 months, and found it to be a nice change of pace from the hard workouts I have been doing. I can't wait to do some more tomorrow!

Thanks for reading!

Have I Mentioned That I LOVE Running?!

Best 3 mile run EVER! I gave this run everything I had, even in the cold and wind, and I am so happy that I did. This really gives me the confidence that I need for an actual 5K...I know still have .1 to go, but even if I do that in another minute I will be about where I want to be.

I really wanted to have negative splits for today's run, but I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to do it because of the wind. The cold really doesn't bother me too much once I get going, but the wind in my face, and it always seems to be in my face no matter which way I turn, makes the run a little harder.

I was able to get my negative splits today and really pushed myself to another level with my running. :) Despite the push, I didn't feel too bad during the run, only when the wind was in my face. If you set your mind to something you can definitely achieve it. I never would have believed that I would be running 1 mile at this pace, let alone 3 miles. Here are my splits for today's run:

Mile 1: 9:15:16 (average HR 143)

Mile 2: 8:54:21 (average HR 161)

I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to beat that for another negative split, since I have only ran 1 mile quicker than that before and that was on the treadmill last week (8:49).

Mile 3: 8:26:42 (average HR 167) a little higher than I would have liked, but this is where 2 of the hills were.

Total: 26:35:79 :)

Cool Down: 13:27:27 (average HR 119)

Total Time: 40 minutes

Great run! Hopefully it won't be so windy tomorrow!

Thanks for reading!

Lifetime Stats Update

It has been a while since I have posted my lifetime stats from DailyMile on here. Here are the previous stats and my current stats:

Here are my previous stats as of October 24, 2010:

392.27-----Total Miles
81.67-----Total Time
20 ----------Lbs Burned
69---------Total Workouts
0.02------Around the World
1,241---TVs Powered
20.65------Gas Saved
382.39-----Donuts Burned

Here are my current stats as of December 6, 2010:

528.08-----Total Miles
104.98-----Total Time
26----------Lbs Burned
100---------Total Workouts
0.02------Around the World
1,573---TVs Powered
27.79------Gas Saved
495.77-----Donuts Burned

Hit a milestone today with 100 workouts logged on DailyMile since July 12, 2010! And almost to 500 donuts burned! :)

Thanks for reading!

Healthy Recipe #1---Turkey Goulash

This is one of my favorite recipes! It is so tasty, filling, and good for you without totally destroying your calorie intake for the day either. We actually had this for dinner tonight and I remembered to take a picture of the finished product.

It is so easy to make with only 7 ingredients!

Here is are the ingredients:

Serving Size: 1

2 oz All Natural Whole Grain Egg Noodles

4 oz ButterBall Ground Turkey 93/7

1/4 of a white onion chopped

1/4 of a red bell pepper sliced

1/4 of a zucchini sliced

1/2 to 3/4 cup of tomato sauce

Top with basil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil pasta according to package

Cook ground turkey until no longer pink

In a separate pan--Sauté onion for 2-3 minutes

Add red bell pepper to onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes

Add zucchini and sauté for another 2-3 minutes or until tender

Place cooked pasta on plate, add ground turkey, tomato sauce, top

with vegetable mixture, add basil, salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving:

Calories: 420

Fat: 10

Carbs: 62

Protein: 32

Fiber: 12

Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Brrr....this was a very cold and windy run, and probably the hardest run (weather-wise) I have done since the marathon. The terrible wind, which was between 20 and 30 mph, made it feel even colder than the 34-ish degrees it actually was, but I pushed through and got 5 miles in today. Good thing we got our cold weather running gear because we have definitely been needing it with this cold and windy weather we have been having. Here I am all dressed and ready to run:

The wind reminded me of the wind gusts we had to deal with on marathon day, which brought back the memories of race day, as well as how hard it was to run the hills with that wind. So, I was determined to run the entire 5 miles today no matter how long it took me. I actually felt good when the wind wasn't in my face and it wasn't as cold without the wind. So parts of the run were really good, but, of course, the wind hit me right in the face on the hills. I wasn't expecting a great pace today because of the wind and cold, but might have a new PR for 5 miles today. YES...just looked back and it is a new PR!!! So happy...last time was a 9:15 pace and today was a 9:11 pace! :)

I didn't keep track of splits today because it was too hard to push the button on my watch with my gloves on, so I just decided to run it and deal with whatever pace I ended up with. I finished today's run in 45:55:33! I was very happy with that 9:11 pace, especially considering the weather conditions. I must be getting used to this type of pace because my heart rate is staying lower than it used to at this pace, as my heart rate averaged 150 for today's run. I finished today's run with a very cold 16 minute cool down. It is hard to get a good cool down in when it is so cold out and you are freezing 10 minutes after you stop running. Great run today and zapped that zero on www.dailymile.com ! :)

Thanks for reading!

Fitness Tip #2--Track Your Work Outs

Here is another tip to help you on your fitness journey---Track your work outs! I know it might seem silly, or, even a waste of your time, but it truly helps. I have been logging my workouts everyday since February 22, 2010. I started logging my workouts on my Team Beachbody site, during my 2 rounds on Insanity. After Insanity, even though I could still track my runs on the site, I decided to start tracking my runs and workouts in a journal. I have found that writing everything down, not only keeps me accountable for working out, but also serves as a great reference for seeing what I have done in past workouts. Am I working out harder? The same? Am I increasing my miles? How is my pace? You can set it up anyway you want to and write a summary of your workout as well. I also track my rest days and the days I don't workout. I find that writing down rest day for more than 2 days is really discouraging, so it helps to keep me motivated as well. Here are some pictures of my workout journal:

I don't write a summary of my workout in my journal because I do that on here and on DailyMile.com. I just find it easy to log my runs on DailyMile.com, as I have a great support group on there as well. It doesn't matter how and where you do it...just that you do it! Try it! What do you have to lose? Besides pounds and inches! Nothing! :)

Thanks for reading!

December Challenge!

Now that November has come and gone, it is time to announce my December Challenge! My challenge for December is to run 100 miles! I am keeping track of it with a ticker on the right side of my blog page, so check there to see my current mile total. As of yesterday, I am currently at 17 miles for the month of December, so I am well on my way to reaching my goal of 100 miles! :)

Thanks for reading!

Our Transformations...So Far!

Here is a current picture of the both of us and our transformations...so far!

It is amazing to see how far we have truly come in the last 9 months. We started working out and eating healthy on February 22, 2010! I used our Christmas picture from last year and our Christmas picture from this year to show the difference, and it almost the same pose!

Behind Yet Again...Update!

I am behind on my blogging, yet again, but I promise...I have been running!

Let me start with an update on my November Challenge. It took me right up until November 30th to complete the challenge, due to illness, but I did complete it. I finished the month of November with a total of 90 miles, and my challenge was to run 85 miles. Although, since I started the challenge on DailyMile after I had already ran 4 miles on November 2nd, those miles did not count on the DailyMile challenge website. :( Even without those 4 miles I was still able to get in 86 miles for the month of November. :) I was happy I was able to hit my goal, even though during a 8 day span I only ran 3 of those days, which was really hard for me, but I knew I needed to rest my body in order to get feeling better. It worked, and since then I have been racking up the miles. I finished the last 3 days of November with 18 miles!

Here is an update on my running since my last post:

November 20, 2010---Rest Day

November 21, 2010---Rest Day

November 22, 2010---Rest Day---sick

November 23, 2010---3 Miles---Today's run felt pretty good considering I am still not feeling 100%. Not my best time, but definitely not my worst 3 mile time either. My splits were probably the closest they have ever been too. Here are my splits for today's run:

Mile 1: 9:48:41
Mile 2: 9:45:33
Mile 3: 9:15:49

Not sure how I managed this pace not feeling well, but I did and I am sure it will hit me later. :) I felt slower than this as well, so hopefully when I am back to 100% my pace will be closer to 9 or sub-9!

Glad I got out there and at least got 3 miles in. Finished with a nice 21 minute cool down, which is a lot longer than I usual for only 3 miles, but felt I needed the extra walking time with not feeling well.

Finished today's run with a 9:36 pace and a time of 28:48.

Nice day for a run though!

November 24, 2010---3 Miles---Today's run went really well, considering I am still not feeling 100% and cleaned all day. It was nice to get outside, even though it was a little chilly, and get a run in with the DH. It has been hard to run with the DH lately because of his work schedule and it getting dark so much earlier, but got to love half days and long holiday weekends. I love being able to run together. I REALLY tried to take today's run slower and easier than yesterday, but still managed to have negative splits. Here are the splits for today's run:

Mile 1: 10:07:66 (This was tough to get...wanted to go faster...average HR 134)
Mile 2: 9:46:83 (Average HR 139)
Mile 3: 9:34:42 (Average HR 147)

Even though we got faster, my heart rate was still pretty low and this run did not seem to take a whole lot of effort. I am pretty sure I could have ran it faster, but I was really trying to take it easy. Not sure if a 9:49 pace is taking it easy, but ever since the marathon it sure feels it. The marathon definitely helped my running, which I am grateful for!

Walked a nice 20:31 minute cool down again today, which felt really good as well.

Great run and didn't feel too bad. Can't wait until I am feeling 100% again!

November 25, 2010---Happy Thanksgiving!---3.1 Miles---The DH and I got up this morning and ran a mock 5K around the neighborhood for Thanksgiving. It is amazing to think that one year ago the idea of running on Thanksgiving never even crossed our minds, and this year there was no way I was not running on Thanksgiving!

We got up and out there around 8:50 am and, of course, it was raining (and pretty good too) when we started, but after about a half mile in it stopped. I am pretty happy with this first 5K time, even if it unofficial and not actually at a race, but I wanted to see where I was at. No negative splits today, and definitely started out too fast, due to the rain, and ended up slowing down the next 2 miles. :( But, we finished it out and did not have optimal running weather, gear, or health (both of us feeling a little under the weather). I would really like to have been closer to 26 or 27 minutes, but considering everything and being a little cautious with it being wet out. I think we did pretty good. Here are our splits for today's run:

Mile 1: 9:16:36
Mile 2: 9:24:39
Mile 3.1: 9:49:70 (most of the hills were on this mile)

Time: 28:30 (9:11 pace!)

Even though they are not negative splits, they all are sub-10 minute miles, which I would have never thought possible 5 months ago!

Good trial 5K run, even if the weather didn't want to cooperate! :)

November 26, 2010---Rest Day

November 27, 2010---Rest Day

November 28, 2010---6 Miles---Today's run was an easy 6 miles and managed to keep the pace slow (10:49 pace), which has been very difficult for me to do lately. The DH and I ran together today and he was having some shin pain off and on, so we kept the pace slow and easy. We still finished with a decent pace. Can't wait to get back out there tomorrow! Two days without running drives me crazy now! I probably could have ran all day at this pace, which is funny to think now because I would have been really happy to run the marathon at this pace just over a month ago. Great, relaxing run and got to wear our new cold weather gear too! :)

November 29, 2010---8 Miles---I felt awesome today, even after 6 miles yesterday, and even got an errand done while on my run! I needed to go to the Post Office today, so I decided to map out a route that would take me to the Post Office and back around throughout the neighborhood. I am so happy I was able to get 8 miles in today. What a great way to start the week off, especially after a long holiday weekend! I am feeling 100 percent again and I am so happy about that. I felt really good at this pace and even felt pretty slow at times, and maybe I was, but I don't know for sure because I didn't record every split today. I didn't know exactly where all the mile markers were until miles 6-8, so I did hit it for those. Here are those splits:

Miles 1-6: 55:30:91 (average pace 9:15) :) I guess I was pretty consistent today!
Mile 7: 9:28:81
Mile 8: 9:07:96 (negative split the last mile and I could have gone a little faster, but was trying not to push it too much.)

Total: 1:14:07 (9:15 pace)

I am pretty sure this is a new 8 mile PR too and I wasn't even trying for that today. Just wanted to enjoy a nice longer run. I really miss the longer runs, 10 plus miles, and I never thought I would say that! :)

Cool Down: 13:54:85

Total Time: 1:28:00

Great run today and very happy with how everything felt! Even if my pace was a little faster than I was trying for! :)

November 30, 2010---4 Miles---Today's run went pretty well. I am really surprised by the time because I thought I was behind my "average" pace, but I guess not and I didn't know exactly where all the mile markers were, just the last one! :) Run felt good, although the hills, mainly the one, seemed to get to me a little bit today. But, I guess it didn't hurt my time too much. I will take it considering today's run makes 18 miles in 3 days for me. I finished today's 4 mile run in 36:43:68, (9:10 pace), and this is a new 4 mile PR, but I did run 4.21 a few weeks ago at a faster pace than this, but for only 4 miles it is a new PR! :)

Finished the run with an 18:16:85 cool down for a total of 55:00 minutes!

Another great run! And I hit my goal of running 85 miles in November...actually got 86 miles in this month! Now, I am ready to tackle December! :)

December 1, 2010---3.1 Miles---Made my way to the gym for today's workout because the weather was pretty crappy. I decided to run a 5K on the treadmill, and even though it was a little quicker than what I ran last week, it felt like it took forever! Ha, ha. I was pretty pleased with this run today, as this is only the second time I have done a run on the treadmill...aka the dreadmill! I felt pretty good throughout the run and even pushed it as the end because I wanted to see if I could do it, and I did!

I started with a 10 minute mile pace for the first 3/10th of a mile and then set the pace at a 9:13 minute pace until I hit the 2.1 mile mark. I ran the last mile at an 8:49 pace and wouldn't you know it, that is where all the "hills" were! My fastest 1 mile yet! My highest incline level was 5% throughout the last mile. I covered an elevation level of 320 feet throughout my 3.1 mile run today. Average heart rate throughout the run was 157.

I finished the 5K in 28:20:93 (9:08 pace)...just a little quicker than the other day.

I ended the workout with a 1 mile cool down walk in 17:39:72. Great run!

December 1, 2010---11 Miles---Since I was at the gym and only ran 3.1 miles today, I decided to get on the stationary bike for a little while to do something a little different besides running. I ended up doing 11 miles on the bike at the 6-8 resistance levels. It felt good to do something a little different and I am sure my legs and knees will thank me as well. Finished today's ride at a 14 mph pace in 47 minutes. Great ride!

December 2, 2010---Rest Day

December 3, 2010---Rest Day

December 4, 2010---6 Miles---Did an easy 6 mile run with the DH today. We waited until early afternoon to go out and run, so it wouldn't be quite as chilly out. For the most part waiting worked, as it was still a little windy out, but once we got going we warmed up. Goal for today's run was to be around a 10 minute a mile pace or so...goal achieved...finished in 1 hour and 48 seconds, which is a 10:07 pace! This pace felt really good and I was just happy to get outside and run again. Two rest days, Thursday and Friday, and I was not a happy person to be around. I am so much happier once I get out and run, even if it is only 3 miles. Running just makes me a happier person! :) Great run and a nice easy pace. Definitely could have run further at that pace! I didn't keep track of splits today because I just wanted to enjoy my run, and that I did! Finished with a nice 1 mile cool down walk home.

December 5, 2010---7.57 Miles---Great run today, despite the cold and wind. I had a hard time getting out of the house to do this run because it was so cold and windy out, and I kept watching the trees outside to gage how windy it was. By the time I left, the wind wasn't too bad, and I didn't really have to deal with too much wind during my run, but as soon as I stopped and started walking home the wind really picked up. After the first couple of miles I warmed up and felt really good. I didn't know how far I was going to run today, as I just wanted to get some miles in, so I decided after the first couple of miles that I would run for an hour and ten minutes. Since I wasn't at a good stopping point at that time I ran to the next good stopping point, and walked the rest of the way home. When I stopped, my watch said 1:11:37, but I wasn't exactly sure how far I had gone. The walk home was so cold that I only ended up doing a 10 minute cool down because I was freezing after about 6 or 7 minutes. I am very happy with this pace and am happy to see it under 9:30 (9:27 pace) for 7 plus miles! :) I am not exactly sure on the heart rate and calories burned, since my heart rate monitor decided not to measure that stuff today because I didn't push the heart rate button...ugh...I hate when that happens, but I am probably pretty close with what I put in, as I went off of a similar 7 mile run work out. Overall, great run, but I was hoping to see some flakes of snow while I was out. :( I know I will get my run in the snow soon enough, as I am going home to NY for Christmas, and there is always snow in NY in December! :)

Thanks for reading...if you made it this far! ;)

9 Months Ago

Nine months ago yesterday, on February 22, 2010, I started a journey that would change my life forever! I started the workout program called Insanity! I took before, during, and after pictures throughout the program. When I saw the before pictures, I could not believe I had let myself get to where I was. The first two pictures below were taken the morning I started Insanity. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but at this point I didn't really care because I knew I needed to get healthy again! Here are my before pictures:

My starting weight was 168.5 pounds. My body fat percentage was 42%. My chest was 36 inches, my waist 39 inches, and my hips 42 inches. I was so disgusted and felt the same way! Insanity is a 60 day program (well, really 63 days) and I was amazed at how much my body changed in those 63 days! Below are my 63 day progress pictures, after one round of Insanity:

In just 63 days, I lost 9.5 pounds and went from 168.5 to 159 pounds. My body fat percentage decreased 5 percent, 42 percent to 37 percent. I lost 1 inch off my chest, 3.25 inches off my waist, and 1.75 inches off my hips! I was so happy with the results that I was seeing that I decided to put myself through another round of Insanity for even better results. So, I completed another 63 days of Insanity. Below are my results from round 2:

My starting weight for round 2 was 159 pounds. After two rounds of Insanity, I loved the person I was becoming. I was eating healthy and working out, just like I had started and stopped many times before. The difference this time? I was NOT dieting! Yes, I was counting calories and working out, but I was not starving myself, instead, I was making healthy choices and eating 5 smaller meals a day. So what were my results like after two rounds of Insanity...well...Insane would be a good way to put it. I was shocked at how much my body continued to change with another round. At the end of round 2, I had lost another 8.5 pounds putting me at 150.5 pounds. My body fat percentage went from 37 percent to 29 percent! My chest went from 35 inches to 33 inches. My waist went from 35.75 inches to 32 inches, and my hips went from 40.25 inches to 38 inches!

To say the least I was super happy and I was feeling great! Better than I had felt in years! After two rounds of Insanity, which I did with the hubby who had great success as well, we decided we wanted to take a break from Insanity. Part way through our first round of Insanity, we decided we wanted to finally do something the both of us had always wanted to do....run a marathon! So, we started marathon training on July 12th, 2010, just two days after finishing our second round of Insanity! Marathon training was not easy, and provided us both with yet another great way to continue our weight loss and fitness journey! We trained for 3 months and ran our first marathon on October 16, 2010 in Baltimore. We have continued running, even after the marathon.

Below are my current pictures taken this morning:

After two rounds of Insanity, marathon training, and continued running...I am at my second goal weight that I set for myself months ago.

As of this morning my current weight is 135 pounds for a total weight loss of 33.5 pounds in 9 months!

I still need to do my new measurements (hopefully tomorrow morning, I need the hubby to measure, kind of hard to measure yourself), so for right now I will post my latest measurements taken on October 10, 2010:

Waist: 31 inches

Hips: 36.25 inches

Chest: 31.75 inches

Body Fat: 20.9 percent

Here is a comparison between February 22, 2010 and October 10, 2010 (until I get new measurements):

February 22, 2010 October 10, 2010

Weight: 168.5 pounds Weight: 135 pounds (11-23-10)

Waist: 39 inches Waist: 31 inches

Hips: 42 inches Hips: 36.25 inches

Chest: 36 inches Chest: 31.75 inches

Body Fat: 42% Body Fat: 20.9%

I am so happy for the lifestyle change I have made! I feel like a brand new person. I am happier, have more energy, and enjoy working out. I don't see it as a chore any more, but rather, just another part of my day!

A BIG thank you to all of you for your continued support over the last 9 months! Thank you!!

Update on November's Challenge

I am still running towards my goal of 85 miles in November! As of right now, I have 26 more miles to run this month with only 8 days left in the month. This leaves me an average of 3.25 miles per day to complete this challenge. Yesterday set me back just a little bit. I didn't run yesterday because I was not feeling very well and I didn't want to push it. I am feeling somewhat better today, so I am going to get out there and get in at least 3 miles. They might not be fast miles, but miles nonetheless! This challenge is mine! :)

Thanks for reading!

I Am a Runner!

I finally feel like a runner! I never, ever thought I would enjoy running, but I can honestly say that I LOVE running now. I started running seriously on July 12th, 2010 when my DH and I started training for our first marathon in October. I can't imaging my life without running now. Running has changing my life in so many ways! I feel that I have come a long way with my running in just 4 short months, and I can't wait to see what else I can accomplish in the months to come. My next goal is to run a 5K (3.1 miles) in under 30 minutes!

Thanks for reading!

A Little Bit of Insanity!

Tuesday, November 16---Insanity Fast and Furious---I drove back to Maryland today, so I spent another 7 plus hours in the car. It was a long drive as most of it was in the rain and it was off and on raining when I got home this afternoon. So, I decided to stay home and get at least a quick workout in today. Since I just happened to get my copy of Insanity's Fast and Furious in the mail yesterday, and it was here waiting for me, I did that for my workout today. It is a 20 minute insane workout! 45 minutes of a workout in only about 20 minutes. Great workout! I didn't burn as many calories as I would have liked (259 calories burned), so that means I just need to dig deeper tomorrow to burn a few more calories. :) It was my first time doing the workout, so not too bad for my first time. Now I know what to expect tomorrow! However, I did miss running today, so back at that tomorrow too!

Wednesday, November 17----Insanity Fast and Furious----Felt pretty good considering I did it yesterday as well. Great workout! Dug a little deeper and burned 266 calories today!

Wednesday, November 17----5 miles---Today's run went surprisingly well! I had many reasons why I wasn't going to go out and do this run: 1. too windy, 2. worked out this morning, 3. hungry, 4. legs are sore, etc...but I am SO glad that I did. Best 5 mile run I have ever had! It was very windy out, but I pushed through it and had a great run. I didn't keep track of the splits today, but feel like I was pretty consistent. I was only going to run 4 miles, but decided to run 5, since it would take me longer to walk the last mile home than it would to just run. Finished strong! Ended today with a nice 10 minute cool down! Today's run pace was 9:15 and finished in just over 46 minutes!

Thursday, November 18---2.52 miles---I REALLY wanted to run today, but after two days of Insanity's Fast and Furious and a 5 mile run yesterday afternoon, my hamstrings were really tight, so I decided to just do a walk to stretch them out. The DH and I had a really nice walk this evening. It was nice to spend some time together and talk. It is amazing what working out together can do for the both of you mentally, emotionally, and physically. It is such a stress reliever. I always feel good after a run, but even tonight after the walk I just felt so much better. The walk has helped my hamstrings and they are feeling better, still a little tight, but better. Finished our walk in about 41 minutes for a 16:16 pace!

Friday, November 19---Insanity Fast and Furious---It went pretty well. I didn't burn as many calories as the other days, but considering I am working out WAY earlier (5 am) than I am used to I will take it. I still burned 252 calories and that is the important part. I am definitely not used to working out this early, but I am wide awake now and feel great! Great way to get the day started.

Friday, November 19----4.21 miles---SO PROUD of this RUN! Wow! This was a fast, cold run, and a race against time! I got a late start since I had to work today, so I was trying to get a run in before dark. I did and boy was it cold and fast. I guess the fall weather is finally here to stay. This was the first time I ever ran at Centennial Park, so I didn't know where the mile markers were exactly, therefore, I had no idea where I really was pace-wise. I definitely did not think I was running this fast. It was a nice out-and-back run, even though when I was done I didn't even feel like I had even gone for a run. It was so fast and I was worried about getting back before dark, so I didn't think about much else. I am super happy with the pace, as this is my first sub-9 pace for more than one mile! :) And, definitely a new PR! I thought it was only 4 miles, but it ended up being just a little bit over. Besides being cold (mainly my hands), it was a great run and felt great after a day of subbing. It was nice to get outside and enjoy the cold weather, even if it was for a quick run. Since I was short on time, cool down was cut shorter than I would have liked, but got a short 12 minute cool down in and got the heart rate down quickly. I think I might be ready for a 5K! Finished in about 37 minutes! Today's pace 8:51!!!! :)

Saturday and Sunday were rest days this week!

Thanks for reading!

Catching Up

I know I have not been very good about blogging after every run, so once again I am playing catch up. Here is a summary of my runs since last Wednesday:

Wednesday, November 10---10 miles---Today's run went better than I expected. My goal when I set out was 10 miles at a 10 minute a mile pace, so I would finish in 100 minutes. Sounded good to me, but I guess once I got going my body decided differently. I will definitely take 96-ish minutes though! :) Definitely a new PR for 10 miles! I wore a long-sleeve shirt, but between miles 6 and 7, I wished I would have worn a short-sleeve shirt as it was a little warmer out today than it had been the last couple of days. Although, once I was doing my cool down walk I was glad to have the long-sleeves on. Beautiful day for a long run and really enjoyed being out in the fresh air. Here are my splits for today's run:

Mile 1: 9:54:48
Mile 2: 9:47:03
Mile 3: 9:44:79
Mile 4: 9:55:63
Mile 5: 10:01:14
Mile 6: 9:36:05
Mile 7: 9:33:36
Mile 8: 9:37:50
Mile 9: 9:38:46
Mile 10: 9:10:67

Total time: 1:36:59---which is a 9:41 pace!

Can you tell where that hill I really dislike is? :) Oh, and not sure how I finished that strong. I think I just wanted to be done! Ha, ha!

Then a 15 minute cool down walk home, which was just under a mile.

Total time for workout today: 1:52:00

Thursday, November 11---4 miles----Today's run was faster than I was expecting, considering I ran 10 miles yesterday. The plan was to run these 4 miles pretty slow, and I ended up setting a new PR. :) The weather was beautiful once again, and I just felt really good. I am finding it very hard to stay too much slower, but I guess if I feel alright I should just go with it, right?! Have I said that I LOVE running, yet? Well, I do! I don't know how I never ran before! Great run today! Finished today's run with a 9:26 pace!

Friday, November 12---3 miles---After driving 7 plus hours to New York to my parent's house, I still got in a short 3 mile run. I really expected it to be at least a 10 minute a mile pace because I was tired, and I have also ran every day this week. This is the first time I have ever ran 5 days in a row and considering that, I am happy with today's run. The elevation is a lot different here than back in Maryland, but the weather was just as nice, which I was happy about. In November, in New York, you can't really ask for much better weather! :) It was a nice quite country run, except for the occasional horse and buggy. It was nice not to have to worry about getting hit crossing the street for once. Overall, a really good run! Tomorrow is a much need rest day! Finished today's run with a 9:33 pace!

Saturday, November 13 and Sunday, November 14 were rest days this week!

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Official Marathon Photos

We finally ordered and received our official marathon photos. Here are a few of our favorites! Enjoy!

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Just Getting The Miles In

Tuesday, November 9---4 miles

Today was one of those rare days where I just didn't feel like running (yes, I do have those days), however, as soon as I got outside and started running I felt 110% better. That is why I still got my butt out there and ran. We took it pretty easy today and felt really good at this 10 minute a mile pace. We finished our 4 mile run in 40:05. We probably could have ran another 4 mile or so at this pace, but only had time, due to the setting sun, to get in 4 miles today. It was nice to run with the DH again today.

Tomorrow is my long run. Not sure how far I am going yet, but going to plan out a new route to run. I am getting bored with the ones we have been running. Time for a change! :)

Decent run and felt good once I finally got out there and got started. So glad I did it because it sure was a beautiful evening out there!

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New PR

Monday, November 8---4 miles

Today's run was another great run and a new PR, only by 8 total seconds, but a new PR nonetheless. :) Got to run with the hubby today, which made the run even better. I had been running by myself, which gets very lonely, but I still wanted to get the miles in.

We had a super strong finish today to get the new PR, but still felt great throughout that final push. I didn't check our splits today, as I was busy talking with the hubby instead. Another good pace for this 4 mile run! We finished today's run in 38:06 which is a 9:31 pace!

Super happy with how our running is progressing.

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