Well look at that......

.....100 miles for the month of Aug and it is only the 22ND. Yowzer.....

I set my alarm for 6:30 and hit snooze once. Got up, dressed, ate and out the door by 7:00 am. I was planning on 14 miles but felt really good so squeezed in another mile. When I left the house it was 57* out and it sure felt nice. It was the perfect morning for a long run. There was a little fog out and around the trees and the farms. It was so pretty. I knew from the sec I walked out the door, it was going to be a good one, and it was.

15 miles......2:14

I keep going back and forth about which marathon to run. I am going to aim for the Air Force marathon which is in Dayton, Oh on Sept 19Th. It looks and sounds like a fun one.

what's one more challenge?!?!

So I am now in 3 weight loss challenges. I am hoping this will keep me motivated each day to be more accountable. The first 2 challenges are with friends and family, and I am almost finished with my 3rd week. I have been losing 2lbs a week, and I hope to continue this until I have dropped 15 more lbs.

The third challenge is being hosted by Denise at "Running Journal". Really the only rules are to eat healthy, lose weight, weigh in on Tuesdays and report our % lost to Denise, and then she reports every ones % lost on Wed. This Challenge is going until Oct 27Th.

I am so excited to make some (hopefully) permanent healthy habits through out these next few months. My weight is always roller coastering (even with all my running, I love to eat) and I hope I can get back to my goal weight and maintain.

P.S. My good Friend Wendy is going to work with me on my swimming. There is a tri next June she wants me to do with her and two of our other friends. So in the next month, I will be adding swimming to my workout routine.

Gotta hurry, offer ends tomorrow

If you haven't already signed up for the MOST AWESOME giveaway ever at "I run like a girl" then head over today, it ends tomorrow. She is giving away a $100 gift card to my most fav place in the world. DICK'S SPORTING GOODS.... I know, cool, right? Well get on over there and check it out.

Click here to visit her super fun and cute blog to enter.

aWeSoMeLy wOnDeRfuL!!!!!!

What is it about running in the rain that makes you feel so ALIVE?

I think it could be the thought of something new.

It could be the splashing you make as you run through a puddle. I sure feel like a kid when I do this.

It might be the cool rain, splashing on my face.Even though it gets in my eyes. (I still need to find me some sunglasses)

Maybe it is the look on peoples faces as they pass you while driving in their warm, dry vehicles. You know the look.... "is she crazy, or what has she been smoking" look.

Today, for me, it was the passing cars that seemed to splash me with puddle water. Like I wasn't wet enough.

Ran 7 miles this morning. It felt aWeSoMeLy wOnDeRfUl!!!!

Hiddy hoe runner friends......

Well... life in this part of my world is going GREAT. I have been running more then I have in MONTHS. I mean, I am running everyday except Sunday's. I usually only go about 4-5 days, but for some reason (maybe it's this darn challenge I am in) I feel the need to log mile after mile. The awesome thing is, I feel GREAT. I have been loving this weather. It is usually about 80 degrees out when I start my runs, but I am OK with that. I just can't seem to get enough of the pushing/heat/tough/runs and today... I love my life.

Has anyone run the Milwaukee marathon? It is this Oct, and I am thinking this may be the one. My cousin lives 15 min outside of Milwaukee and it would double in a visit/marathon weekend.

Down another pound since my last post. YAY me! love this challenge and how it is making me more accountable for what I eat. I am almost off the Diet Soda...... Go team Janice.

YAY!

FYI.... I think Mr Garmin is back up and running. Thanks to all who shared advice and tips. I will take it for a run tomorrow and double check.... but, I think we are in business.

Side note-
This little challenge I am a part of.... My team won for the first week. I lost 2 pounds. YAY me. I have been drinking so much water, I know this is partly why my running feels so much smoother and stronger. I have cut my Diet Soda drinking in half. I hope to be off it completely by next Monday.

a great 10 miler... and my new challenge

I ran a great 10 miler. Well, I am pretty sure it was 10 miles. Mr Garmin is down and not working, so I have to guess about how far I have gone. I ran 6.5 and then rounded back to the house and picked up Nellie the dog and took her for 3.5. She was very happy and a good little runner today. She is staying right with me and only pulls me for the first few blocks or so.

NeLlIe HeArTs RuNnInG!

I am putting together a little challenge for some friends and family. (I am copying my cousin in Utah) It is called "Fit by Fall". I have gained a little weight over the summer, because of lack of motivation and just poor eating habits, and I would like to lose about 15 lbs more, I thought this might motivate me to get my butt in gear by Thanksgiving. I actually started this past Monday with another group, but the group I have put together starts on Monday the 10Th. We will go for 15 weeks and which ever team has the most pts at the end of 15 weeks, gets all the money. This is how it works.

We have 4 different teams. (it could be more or less, depending on how many people you have committed) Each team member earns daily pts and then a few weekly pts as well. Which ever team has the most pts at the end of each week will win for that week. This means, that team DOES NOT have to put money in the pot. If your team loses, then each team member on your team puts $5 in the pot for that week. At the end of 15 weeks, if your team has the most pts, your team splits the money.

This is how you earn pts or loose pts.

Daily pts:

5 fruits/Veg: 2pts

No eating after 9 Pm: 1 pt

48 oz of water: 2pts

No sweets: 5pts

if you ate only ONE treat: 2pts

min of 30 min exercise a day, 6 days a week: 5 pts

Weekly pts:

Pounds lost: 10 pts per pound

Maintain: 5 pts

Gain pound: -10 pts per pound

Monthly pts:

Inches lost/month: 5 pts per inch lost around hips and waist.

So far it has been a fun way to be sure I am eating enough fruits and Veg and drinking enough water. The first couple of days, I struggled with not pulling out a snack after the kids went to bed, but I have followed through for my team, and I hope when I weigh on Monday, I can add even more pts with a weight lose.

Running Sunglasses & my Forerunner 305....

I went to the eye doctor today with my 8 year old. Turns out she does need glasses. She struggled all last year with being able to read the board very clearly. I fianlly got her in and sure enough.... glasses. She is such a cutie. She picked out some, you guessed it... Hannah Montana glasses. She is so beautiful, even with these extra eyes. :0
However, today's visit opened my eyes to something I have never invested in.
Running Sunglasses!
The doctor informed me, she noticed I am beginning to show signs of sun damage to my eyes. WHAT THE H?!?!
I am only 32.... I wear sunglasses when I drive and play out with the kids, most of the time. I am thinking (and the doc agreed) All these years of running in the sun, is finally starting to catch up with me. So now, I need to find a good pair of running sunglasses. Sad thing is, this summer I noticed my first sun spots on my face as well. UGH...
anyways.... hook me up. What kind of sunglasses do you wear? where to buy? what to look for? help me out people.

On another note.
My Forerunner 305 is pooping out on me. I charged it the other night, ran 4 miles, then the next time I used it, it died on me. I plugged it back in, and now it wont turn on. Have any of you had something like this happen with your Forerunner? If so.... what are my options? Can't buy a new one right now. My trusty old friend is over 2 years old now. I love him and I am really missing him. One other thing about my watch. I have been picking it up on and off all day, just checking on it. Every time I do, Nellie the dog, will bark at me thinking I am going for a run. I can't trick her anymore. She can smell my running clothes the sec they come out of my drawer and she knows when I have been leaving her behind. I just don't want to take her everyday. I feel 2-3 times a week is enough for her. She believes otherwise.

Never........

Go to a late showing of the movie "Orphan" and drink a huge Diet Coke.

You just might not.....
* be able to fall asleep because you think each shape in the darkness is that scary little b^@#!....
* be able to close your eyes without seeing her scary nasty face and teeth from the end of the show.....
* be able to stop thinking about that poor family and the horrible things they went through....
* be able to wake up to your alarm for your early morning run, and then you would have to run in the heat and humidity and have to cut your miles, because you were just to tired.

Never do that.......

BTW..... the movie "The Ugly Truth" is HiLaRiOuS.....

Ok... Mel from "Tall mom on the run" is hosting another great giveaway.

Click here to check it out.